ZEN STORIES

Zhaozhou went to a hermit's cottage and asked, " Is the master in? Is the master in?" The hermit raised his fist. Zhaozhou said, "The water is too shallow here for a ship to anchor," and left. He went to another hermit's cottage and again asked, "Is the master in? Is the master in?" This hermit also raised his fist. Zhaozhou said, "Freely you give, freely you take away. You are truly a master," and bowed respectfully.