This post is a followup to some of the questions raised in the original blog on koans.
This is my interpretation of this the koan Abbot's gift.
Things become a little clearer here when one looks at them from the Zen Master's or Abbot's perspective. He knows that the monk is young and new to Zen order, hence wants to teach him something before he goes. In order to do that, he simply gives the monk two choices, either hold the burning coal or disrespect him. Both of them are difficult and the young monk chooses the third way, i.e. to run from making a choice. But, as in life, he cannot do so infinitely. Noone can run ffrom decisions all the time and HAS to make a choice.
So the monk starts meditating on the problem, until he realizes what is the right choice. Not taking the coal and disrespecting the abbot would mean he is going back on his path of Zen, whereas holding the coal will only burn his body. The right choice (since his life's aim as a monk is to advance in Zen) is to take the coal, which is what he decides to do.
On coming to meet the abbot, he immediately thanks the abbot for making him decide in life's choices. That was Abbot's gift to the monk. Since the abbot realizes the disciple has already learnt what he wanted him to, he keeps the coal back and bids the young monk good-bye.
Alternative Explanation:
This is another interpretation I could think of.
As per Buddhist and Zen philosophy, the body does not exist. When the monk comes to visit the abbot first, he is not of that opinion (or has not realized it) and values his body very much. In 3 weeks, he meditates hard and has become Enlightened, and hence realizes the body will not burn since it does not exist. (There are stories when monks with enough meditation are Englightened in a split second).
When he revists the abbot, he thanks him for helping him enlighten. The abbot realizes the young monk needs no further training and bids him goodbye.
(P.S. If anyone else has other interpretations, please put forth. I will be most interested to discuss them!)
(Also posted this on Orkut).
I am hoping to write here more frequently. A great man once said that if a man has a good thought in an obscure, unknown corner of earth and died immediately thereafter, this good thought will still do the world some good. So, in order to not take any chances, I am planning to put all my thoughts here hoping some of them might do some good to someone. If not, that is fine as well. That said, dont take this too seriously because I dont!
3 comments:
your explanations are pretty good, my only other thought is that maybe he found a use for the coal and it occured to me why didn't he go back there with a glove?
Nandi, the thing is that the Abbott can very well ask the monk to remove the gloves:)
The monk is wise enough to know that the abbot has something in mind and does not want to deliberately burn his hands. Hence he devotes his time to understanding the reason behind such action of the abbot.
RAJENDRA GHOGARE . P A TO HON.VIJAYSINH MOHITE-PATIL
SAMBHAVAMI YUGE YUGE IS THE BEST DRAMA I HAVE EVER SEEN!
I SAW IT YESTERDAY NIGHT WITH MY FAMILY MEMBERS MY CHILDREN WERE LIKE TO GO FOR IT ONCE AGAIN!
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