On praise and blame: a zen fart

There was once a zen monk whose master instructed him to go out into the world with nothing but his robe and begging bowl until he had dissolved his ego to the point where he was no longer blown and buffeted by the winds of praise and blame. The student set out in earnest, walking on foot, begging for his meals and lodgings. He wandered for 300 miles and eventually came to rest in a small village where they had no monk or temple. He built himself a small hut where he meditated and ministered to the villagers for 10 years. After ten years, he finally felt he had dissolved his ego completely and was free from being blown and buffeted by the winds of praise and blame. He wrote a poem about it and sent it to his master to celebrate his success.

Upon receiving the note, the master smiled and wrote “fart fart” on the bottom, gave it back to the village messenger to be returned.

When the monk received the note he was furious. How could his master so belittle the accomplishments of the past ten years. He set out on foot and travelled to see his old master himself. When he arrived and was granted audience, he demanded to know what his master had meant. His master replied, “In your poem, you tell me that you are free from being blown and buffeted by the winds of praise and blame, but two little farts blew you 300 miles.”