Poetic Exploration of the Heart

If You Love, Love Openly

Twenty monks and one nun, who was named Eshun, were practicing meditation with a certain Zen master.

Eshun was very pretty even though her head was shaved and her dress plain. Several monks secretly fell in love with her. One of them wrote her a love letter, insisting upon a private meeting.

Eshun did not reply. The following day the master gave a lecture to the group, and when it was over, Eshun arose. Addressing the one who had written to her, she said: “If you really love me so much, come and embrace me now.”

– Taken from the Collection of Stone and Sand from 13th & 20th Century Japan

A koan (pronounced /ko.an/) is a story, dialog, question, or statement in the history and lore of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet that may be accessible to intuition.

If you’d like to read more Zen Koans, I suggest you check out Ashidakim Zen Koans.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

5 thoughts on “If You Love, Love Openly”

Alienated Me
Alienated Me

Subscribe To Newsletter

Sign up to receive the latest updates from my blog.

You have Successfully Subscribed!