Full Awareness
After ten years of apprenticeship, Tenno achieved
the rank of Zen teacher.
One rainy day, he went to visit the famous master
Nan-in. When he walked in,
the master greeted him with a question, "Did you
leave your wooden clogs and
umbrella on the porch?"
"Yes," Tenno replied.
"Tell me," the master continued, "did you place
your umbrella to the left of
your shoes, or to the right?"
Tenno did not know the answer, and realized that
he had not yet attained full
awareness. So he became Nan-in's apprentice and
studied under him for ten more
years.