Tesshin related the parable of Buddha’s dumbest student this week.  When Shakyamuni started his Sangha many different types of people were attracted.  Some were very academic, some were spiritual, and some were very physically active.  The story goes that one student in particular was quite – how shall we say it? – DENSE.  This student would come to every lecture, but in personal interview he would show no progress.  The Buddha would never lose patience because as a teacher it was his duty to utilize any and all methods to reach a student.  However, this student proved to be quite a challenge.  

 

Most teachers would have become frustrated and would have given up on this “stupid” student.  What is the point on spending so much time “dumbing down” lessons for someone who obviously lacks the intelligence to understand?  Like everything else in Buddhism – the surface observation is usually not the right one!  

 

After many attempts, Shakyamuni eventually tells the “dumbest” student to stop coming to lectures and to simply sweep out the temple.  At this, the monk states, “I can do that!”  So every day the “slowest” monk dutifully and carefully sweeps out the temple while all the “smart” monks are in listening to the master.  At this point, we should start thinking that there is a message here about masters and students!!  First, this “stupid” monk never gave up and became disgusted.  That is something!  Second, he had absolute faith in the master.  The master said sweep and he swept.  Would we have such faith in our teachers today?  Would we have become insulted if the master said that we should not come to the seminar – and even worse, we should be some servile janitor and clean out the temple?   Lastly, think about school teachers today – would they “think outside the box” and try unconventional ideas to help a “different” type of student.  This is why being a Zen teacher is so difficult.  How do you teach what cannot be taught or even put into words?

 

So what happened?  One day our “slow” student suddenly realized that there was no dust left in the temple to sweep!  BANG!  Instant enlightenment with a broom!  Why?  What happened?  This is Zen – that very moment is everything!  The dumbest person in the room realized it while all the geniuses in the lecture hall continued to read books and hear lectures, but never got anywhere!  

 

 

There is a famous saying in Zen that if you meet the Buddha on the road – you should kill him.   In this week’s talk Tesshin is reminding us with the parable of the “slow” monk that realization cannot be intellectually understood or learned – it must be “rediscovered” and experienced.  Even a teacher like Shakyamuni can only point at “it” –  he cannot teach it.  This is why Zen emphasizes time on the cushion and living moment to moment.  Yes!  It is possible to gain enlightenment by everyday activities.  Shakyamuni understood this and it is why he lovingly told the monk to sweep – he understood that the books and lectures were a distraction.  Tesshin wanted us to hear that message today and remind us that enlightenment is not a function of intellect it is a function of realization.  We all have this ability to realize as we are all human and sentient.  All that is needed is focus, work and faith.