Parable on equanimity

[Kyousui]

I have heard the parable about the monk who was accused falsely of fathering a child and even raising the child until the perps of the accusation repended. I can't remember the source of this, can someone point me in the right direction, please.

SAT/LAH

[Washin]

Hi Kyousui,

Not fully sure but I guess it might be this:

IS THAT SO?
A beautiful girl in the village was pregnant. Her angry parents demanded to know who was the father. At first resistant to confess, the anxious and embarrassed girl finally pointed to Hakuin, the Zen master whom everyone previously revered for living such a pure life. When the outraged parents confronted Hakuin with their daughter's accusation, he simply replied "Is that so?"

When the child was born, the parents brought it to the Hakuin, who now was viewed as a pariah by the whole village. They demanded that he take care of the child since it was his responsibility. "Is that so?" Hakuin said calmly as he accepted the child.

For many months he took very good care of the child until the daughter could no longer withstand the lie she had told. She confessed that the real father was a young man in the village whom she had tried to protect. The parents immediately went to Hakuin to see if he would return the baby. With profuse apologies they explained what had happened. "Is that so?" Hakuin said as he handed them the child.

https://kannondo.org/is-that-so/

Gassho,
Washin
sat-lah

[Jundo]

My joke about this story (probably apocryphal) about Hakuin is that I am different.

I would have said "Is that so?," ... but demanded a DNA test.

There is another similar story about the Buddha ... and he had a kind of 2500 year old DNA test ...

The non Buddhist sectarians grudgingly wanted to ruin the Buddha’s reputation. They told Cinca Manvika , a beautiful girl to falsely accuse the Buddha for her pregnancy in a big and august assembly. King of Devas (Gods) dispatched some Deities disguised as mice to gnaw through the strings holding a block of wood under her garment. Her plot was exposed when the wood fell on her feet. When the people saw that, they threw stones and chased her away. As she was walking away, the earth spilt open and a flame sprang up to envelop and drag her down to Avici (deepest and worst) Hell.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kyousui]

Yep, Washin, that's the one I was thinking of. Thanks

SAT/LAH

[Washin]

I would have said "Is that so?," ... but demanded a DNA test.

Thank you for the story about the Buddha. I didn't hear it before

Gassho,
Washin
st

[Jakuden]

My joke about this story (probably apocryphal) about Hakuin is that I am different.

I would have said "Is that so?," ... but demanded a DNA test.

Thank you! Hakuin's equanimity in this situation always drives me a little nuts.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

[Nengei]

I find myself thinking about Master Hakuin's outward reaction and wondering more about his inward reaction.

Was his outward reaction a manifestation of his inward reaction? Were they the same? And is that the moral?

Was his outward reaction a practiced response that was different from his inward reaction? Was he inwardly dismayed but outwardly measured? And is that the moral?

Did Master Hakuin see from the beginning how all events would unfold, knowing that in the end the truth would be revealed? And is that the moral?

Did he take the events as they came, being inwardly and/or outwardly accepting them at each step? And is that the moral?

Or is this a lesson to us all to not assume that accusations are truthful? And is that the moral?

Maybe it is all of these things. I am most at peace with the idea that the intention of this story is to practice inward equanimity, and if you can't, to practice outward equanimity whether you have inner peace or not. Whether Hakuin was father of the child or not, things are the same in the present moment.

Gassho,
然芸 Nengei
Sat today. LAH.
You deserve to be happy.
You deserve to be loved.

[Tairin]

Was his outward reaction a practiced response that was different from his inward reaction? Was he inwardly dismayed but outwardly measured? And is that the moral?

I don’t think this is all that complicated. I’ve always appreciated this particular story as a wonderful and simple analogy for accepting things as they are rather than as we want them to be. Whether he knew how the future would unfold is irrelevant. He was accepting the reality of this moment and the duty that came with it.

And I know Jundo was joking around with his DNA comment but of course insisting on a DNA test would have detracted from the acceptance allegory.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Jundo]

And I know Jundo was joking around with his DNA comment but of course insisting on a DNA test would have detracted from the acceptance allegory.

I'm not joking!

Okay, I know that there were no DNA tests back in the 18th century, but I would probably have taken the child if I thought there was danger to the child, but said "However, he is not mine" (unless I thought that the mother or the child's life was in danger for doing so). Even then, I would have immediately headed to whatever local "social service" resources were available to get help with the situation! In those days, the temple often WAS the only "social services," so I might have taken the child if there were resources and I thought the child in danger, but immediately let all the parishioners know my version of the facts! The child would be raised to be a junior priest, but no scandal should touch the temple.

I am a pragma-Buddhist!

Also, I am the father of two adopted kids, and the child's welfare is the top concern, but I would not just have accepted the accusation absent concern for someone's physical welfare in that moment. They had #me too back then too, and a true allegation is one thing, but I would not accept an allegation that was not true. It is a kind a lying under the precept to tell the truth. Right now, I am being very honest about what I would have probably done.

I think I would have sat down with the girl and the parents and had some kind of long chat until the truth came out and they agreed to care for their grandchild. The child belongs with that family (absent concern for its safety), and not in the temple.

There were actual events like this involving other Buddhist priests in Japan, some of which took in the woman and child as a kind of "secret" family (like the Catholic church, priests were not allowed to officially marry, although it happened) and some who denied it (just like today). These things happen with celibate clergy of all stripes.

I am not so idealistic here.

I think that the story is just a story, a parable or legend. There is no record of this as an historical event. Do take the moral of the story as one wishes, because it is just a morality tale.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Tairin]

I'm not joking!

My apologies. I shouldn’t have assumed


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Heiso]

This is great, I need to remember Hakuin's equanimity when my wife is next accusing me of leaving wet towels on the floor or other heinous crimes.

Gassho,

Neil

SatToday