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Zen and the Art of Fast Food
At an International Buddhist Convention in Brooklyn:
A Chinese Monk - from the Chan (Zen) sect - walks up to a Tofu Hot Dog Vendor's cart and says:
“Make me one with everything”.
The Vendor, hands over the 'Dog and says: “That'll be $5”
The Monk hands over a $10 bill.
The Vendor pockets the money and starts serving the next customer.
The Monk waits patiently for a while, then asks: “What about change?”
The Vendor grins: “Change must come from within”
The monk walks off, to find a quite place to sit and eat.
He is mindfully consuming his second bite of of his Tofu 'Dog when a small group of Japanese monks walk by.
One young novice stops and bows, then asks (in Japanese):
“Venerable Master, does your 'Dog have Buddha Nature?”
The Monk (who's Chinese name is Zhàozhōu), looks up, thinks for a moment, then says: “Mu”
The novice bows again and walks away.
Zhàozhōu returns his attention to his food.
Some moments later, another monk from his own temple sits down beside him.
Zhàozhōu, nods and smiles. “ Well, brother, I told you my grasp of Japanese was improving – the lessons are really paying off. Why, just now a young monk asked me a question in Japanese and I was able to answer him.”
His friend says: “I'm very pleased for you, brother; so what did he ask you?
Zhàozhōu repeats the novice's question in Japanese.
“And what does that mean in Cantonese?” asks his friend
“It means:
"'Venerable Master, what sound does a cow make?"
- I think...”
At an International Buddhist Convention in Brooklyn:
A Chinese Monk - from the Chan (Zen) sect - walks up to a Tofu Hot Dog Vendor's cart and says:
“Make me one with everything”.
The Vendor, hands over the 'Dog and says: “That'll be $5”
The Monk hands over a $10 bill.
The Vendor pockets the money and starts serving the next customer.
The Monk waits patiently for a while, then asks: “What about change?”
The Vendor grins: “Change must come from within”
The monk walks off, to find a quite place to sit and eat.
He is mindfully consuming his second bite of of his Tofu 'Dog when a small group of Japanese monks walk by.
One young novice stops and bows, then asks (in Japanese):
“Venerable Master, does your 'Dog have Buddha Nature?”
The Monk (who's Chinese name is Zhàozhōu), looks up, thinks for a moment, then says: “Mu”
The novice bows again and walks away.
Zhàozhōu returns his attention to his food.
Some moments later, another monk from his own temple sits down beside him.
Zhàozhōu, nods and smiles. “ Well, brother, I told you my grasp of Japanese was improving – the lessons are really paying off. Why, just now a young monk asked me a question in Japanese and I was able to answer him.”
His friend says: “I'm very pleased for you, brother; so what did he ask you?
Zhàozhōu repeats the novice's question in Japanese.
“And what does that mean in Cantonese?” asks his friend
“It means:
"'Venerable Master, what sound does a cow make?"
- I think...”
