A perpetrator, holding a bloody machete, ran to the Zen master.
He asked the Zen master,
‘Old monks in TV martial arts dramas often said, "lay down your machete, and become a Buddha instantly." I was laying down my machete now, could I become a Buddha instantly? ’
The Zen master said, ‘You were an evil. It was delusional to think that you could become a Buddha instantly by laying down your machete ’
A young monk asked his master, ‘Master, I wanted to buy a machete, could you give me a little money to buy it. ’
Master asked, ‘what were you buying a machete for? ’
The little monk said, ‘I heard that “ you could become a Buddha by laying down your machete. ” I wanted to become a Buddha sooner. ’
Master said, ‘Even if you laid down the machete you bought, you still couldn't become a Buddha. You better went to sweep the floor now. To become a Buddha, you still had a long way to go. ’
A scholar, asked a Zen master, ‘“ lay down your machete, and become a Buddha instantly. ” Was it true? ’
The Zen master said, ‘It was true. ’
The scholar said, ‘there were many people “ laying down their machetes ” but they still couldn't become Buddhas. Why? ’
The Zen master said, ‘they hadn’t really laid down their machetes. ’
The scholar asked, ‘why hadn’t they really laid down their machetes? ’
The Zen master smiled silently, but did not answer.
The scholar then asked, ‘The Buddha had become a Buddha. Had the Buddha laid down his machete? ’
The Zen master replied, ‘The Buddha had laid down his machete. ’
The scholar asked, ‘what was the real meaning of “ the machete”? ’
The Zen master said, ‘the "machete" is everything. ’
The scholar asked, ‘what was everything?’
The Zen master said, ‘everything was everything. ’
The scholar asked again, ‘how could I let go of everything? ’
The Zen master said, ‘how to let go of everything was your own business, and I could not help you. ’
The scholar asked, ‘Zen master, had you let go of everything? ’
The Zen master replied, ‘I had not let go of everything yet. ’
The scholar sighed, ‘Only if I died, then I could let go of everything! ’
The Zen master said, ‘if you died, could you still become a Buddha? ’
Scholar, 'how could I be happy?'
Zen master, 'if you wanted to be happy, laid down your machete.'
Scholar, 'how could I be at peace?'
Zen Master, 'if you wanted peace, laid down your machete.'
Scholar, 'how could I have true love?'
Zen master, 'if you wanted true love, laid down your machete.'
Note: One of the most familiar scenes of Kung Fu TV dramas was - A merciful monk asked a perpetuator "Laid down your machete, and became a Buddha instantly." In the past, I thought "lay down your machete" meant "stop doing evil things." Later, I realized that "lay down your machete" had much deeper and more profound meaning.