The Master of Silence – A Zen Buddhist Spiritual Story
People are so foolish. Either they are deceived by words or they are deceived by silence — but they are deceived either way.
There is a famous Zen story. I would like to tell it to you.
A monk called himself the ‘Master of Silence’. He was actually a fraud and had no genuine understanding. To sell his humbug Zen, he had two eloquent attendant monks to answer questions for him; but he himself never uttered a word, as if to show his inscrutable ‘silent Zen’.
One day, during the absence of his two attendants, a pilgrim monk came to him and asked: “Master, what is the Buddha?” Not knowing what to do or to answer, in his confusion he could only look desperately round in all directions — east and west, here and there — for his missing mouthpieces.
The pilgrim monk, apparently satisfied, then asked him: “What is the dharma, sir?” He could not answer this question either, so he first looked up at the ceiling and then down at the floor, calling for help from heaven and hell.
Again the monk asked: “What is Zen?” Now the Master of Silence could do nothing but close his eyes.
Finally the monk asked: “What is blessing?” In desperation. the Master of Silence helplessly spread his hands to the questioner as a sign of surrender.
But the pilgrim was very pleased and satisfied with this interview. He left the ‘Master’ and set out again on his journey.
On the road the pilgrim met the attendant monks on the way home, and began telling them enthusiastically what an enlightened being this Master of silence was.
He said: “I asked him what Buddha is. He immediately turned his face to the east and then to the west, implying that human beings are always looking for Buddha here and there, but actually Buddha is not to be found either in the east or in the west.
I then asked him what the dharma is. In answer to this question he looked up and down, meaning that the truth of dharma is a totality of equalness, there being no discrimination between high and low, while both purity and impurity can be found therein.
In answering my question as to what Zen was, he simply closed his eyes and said nothing. That was a clue to the famous saying:
‘If one can close his eyes and sleep soundly
in the deep recesses of the cloudy mountains
he is a great monk indeed.’
Finally, in answering my last question, ‘What is the blessing?’ he stretched out his arms and showed both his hands to me. This implied that he was stretching out his helping hands to guide sentient beings with his blessings. Oh, what an enlightened Zen Master! How profound is his teaching!”
When the attendant monks returned, the ‘Master of Silence’ scolded them thus: “Where have you been all this time? A while ago I was embarrassed to death, and almost ruined, by an inquisitive pilgrim!”
Osho – “Zen the Path of Paradox”
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What Is the Spiritual Moral / Meaning of “The Master of Silence” Parable?
Within this spiritual story, a figure dubbed the ‘Master of Silence' holds a facade, an illusion veiling the truth. With eloquent attendants to articulate his supposed Zen wisdom, this master himself remains in a state of enforced silence, a guise of inscrutability to cloak his lack of genuine insight.
In the absence of his articulate mouthpieces, a pilgrim monk arrives seeking the guidance of this ‘Master of Silence'. In the face of earnest queries about the essence of Buddha, the nature of dharma, and the meaning of Zen, the purported master falters, resorting to desperate gestures, seeking solace in the absence of words.
The pilgrim, seemingly content with this exchange, departs, and in his enthusiastic account to the returning attendants, extols the profundity of this ‘Master of Silence'. He attributes profound meanings to the gestures—each misstep of the master misconstrued as a revelation of higher truth.
To the pilgrim, the turning of the master's face symbolizes the quest for truth in directions external, beyond the confines of the east and west. The master's upward and downward glances signify an interpretation of the dharma, a realm beyond the dichotomies of purity and impurity, embracing the totality of existence.
The act of closing his eyes, perceived as an insight into Zen, is naively heralded as a testament to a monk's profoundness, misconstrued as an ode to slumbering tranquility amidst the cloudy mountains.
Finally, the outstretched arms of the master, an act of surrender, are lauded as a gesture of guidance and blessings extended to all sentient beings.
Yet, in the aftermath of this misinterpretation, the ‘Master of Silence' chastises his attendants for their absence, blaming their delay for his embarrassment and near ruination at the hands of an inquisitive pilgrim.
Beyond the surface, this tale isn't just a narrative of miscommunication but a reflection of a profound truth—one that transcends words and gestures. It unveils the pitfalls of misinterpretation that shroud authentic understanding.
In essence, this parable delves into the realm of perception—the fallibility of human comprehension and the layers of misunderstanding that obscure truth. It's a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of attributing profound meaning to gestures and actions bereft of genuine understanding.
At its core, this story beckons us to seek a deeper comprehension beyond mere appearances, beyond the illusionary veils. It invites us to pierce through the layers of misinterpretation that cloud our perception, urging us to uncover the truth that transcends gestures and words.
In this saga, the ‘Master of Silence' isn't just a character; he's a symbol—an emblematic representation of the perils of superficial comprehension and the misplaced reverence for the misunderstood. He stands as a reminder to delve deeper, to seek understanding beyond the illusions that captivate our senses.
Ultimately, the “Master of Silence” parable invites us to embark on a quest for authentic wisdom, urging us to look beyond the facades and delve into the depths of genuine understanding—an understanding that surpasses the limitations of words and gestures, guiding us towards the illumination of truth.