How Fart Can Make You Grow Spiritually - Su Dongpo’s Story
8 August 2008
20 Comments
Photo Courtesy of beggs
Su Shi (1036-1101), also known as Su Dongpo was an avid student of Buddhist teachings. He was quick-witted and humorous; as a Zen Buddhism follower he was very serious and self-disciplined. He often discussed buddhism with his good friend, Zen Master Foyin. The two lived across the river from one another.
Following is an interesting and famous story about him and Zen Master Foyin.
One day, Su Dongpo felt inspired and wrote the following poem:
I bow my head to the heaven within heaven
Hairline rays illuminating the universe
The eight winds cannot move me
Sitting still upon the purple golden lotus
The “eight winds” in the poem referred to praise, ridicule, honor, disgrace, gain, loss, pleasure and misery - interpersonal forces of the material world that drive and influence the hearts of men. Su Dongpo was saying that he has attained a higher level of spirituality, where these forces no longer affect him.
Impressed by himself, Su Dongpo sent a servant to hand-carry this poem to Foyin. He was sure that his friend would be equally impressed. When Foyin read the poem, he immediately saw that it was both a tribute to the Buddha and a declaration of spiritual refinement. Smiling, the Zen Master wrote “fart” on the manuscript and had it returned to Su Dongpo.
Su Dongpo was expecting compliments and a seal of approval. When he saw “fart” written on the manuscript, he was shocked . He burst into anger: “How dare he insult me like this? Why that lousy old monk! He’s got a lot of explaining to do!”
Full of indignation, he rushed out of his house and ordered a boat to ferry him to the other shore as quickly as possible. He wanted to find Foyin and demand an apology. However, Foyin’s door closed. On the door was a piece of paper, for Su Dongpo. The paper had following two lines:
The eight winds cannot move me
One fart blows me across the river
This stopped Su Dongpo cold. Foyin had anticipated this hot-headed visit. Su Dongpo’s anger suddenly drained away as he understood his friend’s meaning. If he really was a man of spiritual refinement,
completely unaffected by the eight winds, then how could he be so easily provoked?
With a few strokes of the pen and minimal effort, Foyin showed that Su Dongpo was in fact not as spiritually advanced as he claimed to be. Ashamed but wiser, Su Dongpo departed quietly.
This event proved to be a turning point in Su Dongpo’s spiritual development. From that point on, he became a man of humility, and not merely someone who boasted of possessing the virtue.
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“If he really was a man of spiritual refinement,
completely unaffected by the eight winds, then how could he be so easily provoked?”
What a great story, and I love the moral of the story!
Humility is hard. I think it’s human nature to be vain and self-centered. It’s one of my major goals… but it’s not easy to achieve.
Vered’s last blog post..Happy, Then Not
Hi Avani: Oh, now I see why it says “fart” in the title. That’s so funny
Marelisa’s last blog post..Happiness Extravaganza: Tips, Tidbits, and Tools
Whenever someone critisized me, I would immediately defend myself in indignation. It is still my immediate reaction, but I have learned to quickly quell it, and listen to what personal lesson I can take from the criticism. It’s hard, but a lot can be gained through humility.
BTW, I used to be absolutely horrified to fart within anyone’s earshot. I do mean anyone. My kids..adult kids…if they let one loose amongst family just giggle and say “I fahhhrted”. I love their acceptance of natural bodily functions, and I’m trying not to be quite so stuffy. *grin* Of course, they do try to be discreet in public. I raised with some sense of decorum.
This was an excellent story. Didn’t see the punchline until I got to it.
Urban Panther’s last blog post..The toughest crowd yet
Farts can teach us a lot. Indeed.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post..8-8-08
Yes, how easy it is to know some truths, but our knowledge has little to do with our living and “being” these truths.
The knowledge of a thing is not the thing itself. Knowledge is just a dead thought that needs life breathed into it through experience and discipline.
Nice one
John
John Rocheleau - Zen-Moments’s last blog post..Happiness is a Yellow Flower
Great story. I can’t even count the number of farts that have blown me across rivers. Or the number of people I’ve seen propelled by said farts.
Bill K.’s last blog post..Time to post: Do you know where your editor is?
Thanks for passing along this story - really funny. And, it is amazing how the smallest things provoke us.
Amanda Linehan’s last blog post..Don’t Abandon Your Dreams
That was a funny story indeed - and with a good lesson attached.
Oh yes…this is a very classic Buddhist story…and one that I use to constantly remind myself. The key lesson to me is that being on a spiritual journey myself does not make me superior to anybody. Always practice humility, peace and compassion.
Evelyn Lim’s last blog post..Walk On Water With 7 Magic Stones
Great story, excellent lesson for us all. Thanks for sharing it!
Do you think Americans are less humble than people from other countries? (I’m watching the Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremonies as I write this.)
Loved the story, and the moral of it! Farts are just hot air from one end, while the ego blows hot air from the other… that’s my brilliant metaphor
@Bamboo Forest… hilarious comment!
Hi Avani,
What a great story with a lesson that is great for all of us. It pays to try and be humble.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Open Mic - Monthly Mini Meme Friday
Avani -
The story’s moral teaching is to preach to others only if we have practiced it ourselves. One great soul that comes to mind is Mahatma Gandhi.
Shilpan
Shilpan | successsoul.com’s last blog post..Johnny Carson’s 7 Techniques for Effective Public Speaking
Hi Avani - great story about humility. Great title too… it got me riveted to find out the importance of a fart!
Al at 7P’s last blog post..The Hero with a Thousand Jobs
hey!!
this waas a very nice article!!
Regards,
Niyati Gathani
Hi Avani,
love this witty story, you definately get peoples attention with the caption! Brilliant considering pride is always there no matter how humble you try and become.
I’m a sucker for a good fart joke (something it’s taken me *years* to ‘fess up to!), but one with meaning tops it all.
It’s easy to talk a good game, it’s another live it.
Sara at On Simplicity’s last blog post..Three Things You’d Save in an Emergency
Ha…Ha…Ha….Ha..hahahahahahahahahahah………Hm…Hm…Hmmm ? Hmmmmmmm ! Oh..ohhh !!!
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