Show me your Ego

One of the most famous legends spun about Bodhidharma is that the seeker Hui-k’o patiently stood deep in the nocturnal snow outside the old master’s cave, yearning for instruction. He finally hacked off his own left forearm and presented it as a demonstration of his sincere aspiration for complete enlightenment. (In Tao-hsüan’s earlier and likely more accurate account, wandering bandits had cut off his arm.)

Bodhidharma told Hui-k’o: “This enlightenment is not to be sought through another.” Hui-k’o begged to have his agitated self or mind pacified. The sage retorted, “Show me your self and I will pacify it.” Hui-k’o said “I’ve sought it many years but can’t get hold of it.” Bodhidharma then declared: “There! It is pacified once and for all!” Upon hearing this, suddenly Hui-k’o completely awakened to his transcendent True Nature before/beyond the ego-self. He was free in/as his Ever-Free Nature.

Hui-k'o would be designated the second Patriarch of Ch'an Buddhism. But what about that forearm-- was it still with him? Did he care? Was he not the fullness and wholeness of Perfect Realization? In any case, now we surmise from where that old Zen koan came: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" And if you pity Hui-k'o for that silly old lost forearm, he's still got one very good arm with which to smack you!