Daily Zen Quote - November 15, 2013

When Dogen was studying in China he was reading the Buddhist scriptures, and his teacher asked why.
     "I want to learn what the ancestors did in the past," Dogen answered.
     "What for?" pressed the Master.
     "Because I would like to be a free from human suffering."
     "What for?"
     "Because sooner or later I would like to go back to Japan and help the village people and all sentient beings."
     "What for?" the Master asked again.
     At last Dogen didn't say anything.
     Finally, there was nothing to say, because the questions had touched the core of his human life, so-called death.

~Zen Mondo