dialogue
Polishing a Tile
Traditional Zen Encounter Dialogues
Encounter dialogue · Mondō
Nanyue HuairangMazu was practicing sitting meditation. Nanyue asked him
“What are you doing?”
Mazu said
“I am practicing sitting meditation to become a Buddha.”
Nanyue picked up a tile and began polishing it. Mazu asked
“What are you doing?”
Nanyue said
“I am polishing this tile to make a mirror.”
Mazu said
“How can polishing a tile make a mirror?”
Nanyue said
“How can sitting in meditation make a Buddha?”
Attribution
By Nanyue Huairang
From Traditional Zen Encounter Dialogues
Sources
Traditional Zen Encounter Dialogues: Polishing a Tile