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Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow... continue...

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CAUGHT IN LITTLE NETS
Today the deluded old man witnesses some gentlmen around here happened flying into some little nets,
got stuck in there, and could not get out.
He wonders why they loved flying into the little nets like that
instead of walking freely through the immensely empty space between the earth and the blue sky.
Oh! How pity! No one could help!

If anyone wants to become some kind of saviors, then he will get caught in the nets, too.
However, the deluded old man does not want to become any savior of any kind,
He would just like to say some words such as "How pity!" then walk away,
let them hopping in the nets until the death comes to see them,
unless if they suddenly wake up get out of there themselves.

Visitor:
Chontri, Chontri ! Too many words for an old and deluded man! Are YOU really behind yourself?

The d.o.m.:
The old man is too deluded to know if that was too many words or too few words when he was speaking. He just wanted to make what he said understandable to others. That's all.

He is also too deluded to know if there were the "YOU" behind "yourself", either.

Visitor:
My Master said it was absolutely impossible to make understandable, whit words, what's light to a born blind... Sadly, only those that have seen it, can clearly understand it... But poetry, can boost their intuition... So few words and sounds hanging in the wind... I suppose happiness for YOU, and a new delusion for yourself...

The d.o.m.:
The deluded old man just talked to you, yourself, about using words to convey what he'd think. He did not know what your Master said and it's not his business.

The d.o.m. & Visitor 04/03/03

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