Your Light May Go Out
A monk asked master Dogo, "
When the hundred thousand dharma-gates are not yet opened, how should I proceed?" Dogo said,
"Your nature is not deficient; you are free to come and go.
Why seek an opening?" The monk asked,
"What then is the master's family tradition?" Dogo replied,
"When you come back, I will tell you." The monk pressed, "I am here now.
Please, master, tell me." Dogo said,
"Having carefully considered it, your light may go out."
Reflection
Dogo's warning 'Your light may go out' cautions against seeking the answer from another. The monk presses for an explanation, but Dogo refuses, pointing out that the seeker's own light – their innate capacity for awakening – is what they risk extinguishing by relying on the teacher. The master's role is not to give answers but to help students trust their own inner knowing.