Yunyan was making tea. Daowu asked him, “Who are you making tea for?”
Yunyan said, “Someone who wants it.”
“Why don’t you get them to make it for themselves?”
“Fortunately, I’m here to do it.”
As I have been sitting with the death of Corey Hitchcock and my feelings and this koan, the koan has morphed into:
Yunyan was feeling the loss of a friend. Daowu asked him, “Who are you feeling the loss of a friend for?” Yunyan said, “Someone who needs it.” Daowu responded, “Why don’t they feel it for themselves?” Yunyan replied, “Fortunately I’m here to do it.”
That morphed koan doesn’t exactly make sense, but koans often don’t make sense and yet feel right. It resonates with the way the messages on PZI talk relating to Corey’s death not only express what I am feeling but help me feel what I am feeling. In that way we support ourselves and each other to feel what we’re feeling, which is part of the chop wood, carry water dimension of the practice. Feel what you feel.
Who was that someone whom Yunyan was making tea for?
—David Weinstein, January 23rd, 2024
David Weinstein Roshi, Director of Rockridge Meditation Community
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