Working and Eating

Once there lived a Zen master named Hyakujo. He was very eighty years old.

Hyakujo worked with his students even at the age of eighty.  He went arojnd fetcing water, trimming garden, cleaning leafy litter, punning trees and other work.

The pupils at the monastery respected Hyakujo and felt sorry to see the old man working so hard. The students requested him not to work and allow them to serve him.

But Hyakujo ignored their advise. So one day his students hid all his tools. Hyakujo could not work as there were no tools. That day, he did not eat.

Next day again, Hyakujo had no tools and did not work. He didn't eat that day as well. The same thing happened next two days. Hyakujo skipped his meals.

The students thought he was angry. They quietly placed back his tools. That day, Hyakujo worked with his tools. He had his meal as well.

During the evening discourse, Hyakujo instructed them, 'No work, no food'.

The students followed and respected their teacher's ideals throughout their life.