A MONK SAID TO TOZAN, "YOU ALWAYS TELL LEARNERS TO TAKE THE WAY OF THE BIRDS.
WHAT IS THIS WAY OF THE BIRDS?"
TOZAN SAID, "YOU MEET NOBODY ON IT."
THE MONK THEN ASKED, "HOW CAN WE GO ON THIS WAY?"
TOZAN ANSWERED, "BY EGOLESSNESS, ATTENDING TO EACH STEP AS IT COMES."
THE MONK SAID, "ISN'T THE BIRDS' WAY THE SAME AS ONE'S ORIGINAL NATURE?"
TOZAN SAID, "O MONK, WHY DO YOU GET EVERYTHING UPSIDE-DOWN?"
THE MONK ASKED, "WHAT IS THIS PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GET THINGS UPSIDE-DOWN?"
TOZAN SAID, "IF THERE WERE NO TOPSY-TURVINESS HOW COULD A SERVANT BECOME A LORD?"
THE MONK ASKED, "WHAT IS OUR ORIGINAL NATURE?"
TOZAN ANSWERED, "NOT TAKING THE WAY OF THE BIRDS."
WHEN A MONK ASKED KASSAN, "WHAT IS THE WAY?" HE ANSWERED, "THE SUN OVERFLOWS OUR EYES; FOR TEN THOUSAND LEAGUES NOT A CLOUD HANGS IN THE SKY."
"WHAT IS THE REAL FORM OF THE UNIVERSE?" ASKED THE MONK.
"THE FISHES AT PLAY IN THE CLEAR-FLOWING WATER MAKE THEIR MISTAKES," REPLIED KASSAN.