Nun Myoshin was a disciple of Gyozan.
Once Gyozan was looking for a suitable candidate
for the monastery's administrative chief.
He asked the senior experienced monks
to recommend a good person.
Many opinions were offered and finally Gyozan said,
"The nun Myoshin from the Wai river district is a woman,
but she has a superior spirit
and is the best qualified person for administrative chief."
All agreed and Myoshin was appointed to the position.
At that time
there were many excellent disciples under Gyozan
but no one was dissatisfied with the decision.
Although her position was not the most important one
she did her best and loved others as herself.
Once she was working in the administrative quarters
and seventeen monks from the Shoku district
came to see her master.
They wanted to climb the mountain right away
but it was too late
and they had to spend the night
at the administrative quarters.
At night they began to discuss the famous story
of the sixth buddha-ancestor and the wind and flag.*
All of the seventeen monks gave their respective opinions
but all were off the mark.
*[Story of the WIND & THE FLAG
also discussed in Dogen's IMMO fascicle:
Before the thirty-third buddha-ancestor
Ta-chien (Hui-neng) became a full-fledged monk,
he was staying at the Fa-shih Temple of Kuang-chou,
when two monks crossed words with each other.
One of them said, "A banner is fluttering."
The other said, "No, the wind is blowing."
There seemed to be no end to their discussion.
Then Ta-chien (Hui-neng) said, '"Neither of them
is moving. Your minds are moving." On hearing this,
they agreed with him.]
Myoshin overheard the discussion and said,
"It's a pity that the seventeen donkeys have worn out
so many pairs of straw sandals on pilgrimages
and still cannot even dream about the Buddhist dharma."
A little later Myoshin's attendant told them
what his master thought about their discussion,
but none of them were dissatisfied,
or resentful about it.
On the contrary, they were ashamed
at their lack of attainment of the Way.
They straightened up their robes,
offered incense,
made prostrations
and sought her instruction.
She said, "Please come closer."
But before they could come closer she shouted,
"The wind is not moving,
the flag is not moving,
the mind is not moving!"
When they heard that
all of them reflected on their own hearts,
then bowed to her in gratitude and became her disciples.
Soon after that they returned to Seishu
without even visiting Gyozan.
Truly Myoshin's level is not surpassed
by the three sages and ten saints
and her actions
are those of one who transmits the right stream
of the Buddhas and Buddha ancestors.
