Take No Notice

Ep. 7 The ancients said: "(self-)cultivation takes an unimaginable time (while) enlightenment in an instant is attained." if the training is efficient, enlightenment will be attained in one fingersnap. In days gone by ch'an master hui chueh of lang yeh mountain, had a disciple who called on him for instruction. The master taught her to examine into the sentence: "take no notice." she followed his instruction strictly without backsliding. One day her house caught fire, but she said: "take no notice." another day, her son fell into the water and when a bystander called her, she said: "take no notice." she observed exactly her master's instruction by laying down all casual thoughts. One day, as her husband lit the fire to make fritters of twisted dough, she threw into the pan full of boiling (vegetable) oil a batter which made a noise. Upon hearing the noise, she was instantly enlightened. Then she threw the pan of oil on the ground, clapped her hands and laughed. Thinking she was insane, her husband scolded her and said: "why do you do this? Are you mad?" she replied: "take no notice." then she went to the master hui chueh and asked him to verify her achievement. The master confirmed that she had obtained the holy fruit. Season 2 Some of the best known Zen stories are used here to illustrate the nature of enlightenment, meditation, love, knowledge and knowing, man's misplaced identification with his ego, and other issues very relevant today.