awareness

You Just Need to be Awakened.

 

This is a very interesting Zen story about the Zen master’s conscious transformation.

One morning when Zen master Chuang Tzu woke up & start weeping. His disciples were very sad because they saw him weeping. They had never seen him even being sad. Tears?  They asked to Zen master Chuang Tzu , ”What is the matter? How can we help you?”

Chuang Tzu said, ”I don’t think you can help me. I have got into trouble. But if you think you can do something I will tell you. Just a few minutes ago I was asleep and in my sleep I saw I had become a butterfly.”

The disciples started laughing. They said, ”A dream? Becoming a butterfly in a dream…? And you are making so much fuss about it. You, one of the greatest masters!”
Chuang Tzu said, ”You have not understood. The problem is not so simple. The problem is that if Chuang Tzu in his dream can become a butterfly, why cannot a butterfly become Chuang Tzu in her dream? Now the problem is, who am I? Chuang Tzu or the butterfly?”
The disciples became aware that this was certainly a difficult problem. They started dispersing outside the hut. ”There is no point in staying here because this man is crazy. But his question is right. If Chuang Tzu can become a butterfly, then certainly there is no barrier to a butterfly having a good afternoon nap and becoming Chuang Tzu.”
His chief disciple, Lieh Tzu, was out. When he came back, he saw the other disciples sitting sadly outside the hut of Chuang Tzu. Other disciple said to him, ”We were waiting for you. Our master is in difficulty and we cannot help. Perhaps you may be able to do something.”
He said, ”What is the problem?”
They told him the complete problem. He said, ”I’ll come.”
They said, ”Where are you going? The master is inside.”
He said, ”I’m going to the well.”
They said, ”This seems strange; the master is suffering and in tears.”
Chuang Tzu was waiting for Lieh Tzu: perhaps he would solve the problem; he did solve it. He went to the well – it was wintertime and the water was cold – brought a bucket full of water and poured it over Chuang Tzu.

And Chuang Tzu said, ”Wait, wait. I am Chuang Tzu, wait.”He said, ”Just get right out of the bed. Otherwise I will have to bring another bucket of ice cold water. I just went out for a while and you started torturing the other disciples. Ask me the question.”

Chuang Tzu said, ”There is no question; just take that bucket out. The butterfly has gone. The water is too cold.”