The Jolt

By Staff

Zen Story, Bodhisattva Manjusri
Manjusri, the Bodhisattva once paid a visit to an assemblage of Buddhas. But by the time of his arrival, the assemblage had dispersed and there was none left other than the Buddha Sakyamuni and a girl in meditation. The girl had been extolled in a place of the highest honour.

Manjusri intrigued by the girl steeped in meditation, questioned Buddha as to how it was possible for her to sink in such a depth of meditation which even he could not attain. The Buddha replied “ Bring her out of the meditation and ask her yourself"

Manjusri paying heed to the Buddha's words, first walked around the girl thrice in reverence and then snapped his fingers to arouse her out of the meditation. The girl sat still. He then invoked all his accumulated magical powers and even transported her to a higher heaven, but was of no avail.

She sat motionless in the depth of her concentration. All of a sudden, Momyo an unenlightened person from below the earth sprang out with the view to jolt her from her deep meditation. Just a snap of his fingers once brought her out of her meditation.

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