Let the soft animal of your body, love what it loves

Greetings Friends,

Happy New Moon! This past week we explored the Hidden Lamp Case 21: Linji Meets the Old Woman Driving the Ox.

Linji Meets the Old Woman Driving the Ox

China, ninth century

Master Linji Yixuan went to see Master Bingdian An. On the way he met an old woman driving an ox in a field. Linji asked her, “Which way is the road to Bingdian?”

The woman hit the ox with her stick and said, “This animal! It walks all over the place without even recognizing the road.”

Linji repeated, “I asked you, which way is the road to Bingdian?”

The woman said, “This beast! It’s five years old and still can’t be put to use.”

Linji said to himself, “If you want to learn something from the person in front of you, first observe what the person does.” And he had the feeling that his sticking-point had been removed.

Then, when he reached Master An, An asked him, “Have you seen my sister-in-law?”

Linji said, “Yes, I’ve already been taken in tow.”

I’m curious when you read this exchange is there a line or phrase that interests you, or that you have some sort of reaction to?