Behind My Hand

Once on a journey Tzu-ch'i saw a huge tree with strange knots, big enough to shelter a thousand chariots in its shade.  Tzu-ch'i said, "What kind of tree is this?  It must have unusual potential." Looking up at its branches, he saw they were too crooked to be used as beams. Looking down at its roots, he saw it was not solid enough to be used for coffins. When he tasted the leaves, his mouth became inflamed; and they had a smell that would madden a person for days. Tzu-ch'i said, "This is in fact a useless tree.  That's how it got to be this big." Yes, this is why sages cannot be exploited. --- --- --- The Essential Tao, Thomas Cleary (1993; 93)

A monk approached Zen Master Yakusan with a problem. Master Yakusan told him to wait until the evening session. At the end of the evening session, Master Yakusan said, "will the monk who approached me, earlier today, regarding a problem with practice, come forward.” As soon as the monk came forward Yakusan barged past him, without a word, and retired to his room. Zen like Vichara deals in immediacy. Eagerness to practice... “must be equal to that of a man kept under water trying to rise up to the surface for his life.” (Ramana Maharshi in Talk 28) Waiting is not a valid option.

Wu is like a dog with a mouthful of hot sticky rice cake. It's far too hot to swallow and far too sticky to spit out. And yet a solution to the predicament must be found. ( Master Dahui Zonggao)