a monk asked master shin of chosa


where has master nansen gone after his death?



master shin answers


when  shitou  was still in the order of young novitiates he saw the sixth patriarch.



the monk replies


“ i didn't ask about the young novitiate. what i want to know is where nansen went after his death.”



master shin replied


“ as to that question, it makes one think.”



my reply  we disappeared



______________




since master nansen died it is meaningless to speak of him as going anywhere after his death


the highlight of my religious life is being booted out of the zen monastery at mt. tremper in the catskills


a curse on me for having seen the sixth patriarch and knowing what it was all about


______________




pinyin japanese zen name  conversion


eg shitou (pinyin) = sekito (japanese)