-- The True Prostration --

One day, when Zen Master Huangbo was bowing before a Buddha image, the novice Xuan asked, “If we should 'seek nothing from the Buddha, seek nothing from the Dharma, and seek nothing from the Sangha,' then what does your venerable seek by bowing to the Buddha?”
Master Huangbo replied, “Seeking nothing from the Buddha, seeking nothing from the Dharma, seeking nothing from the Sangha - that's how I always do prostrations.”
“Why bow then?” Xuan insisted.
Master Huangbo slapped the novice.
“How rude!” Xuan said.
“What sort of place is this to be talking about rudeness or courtesy?” Master replied and he slapped Xuan again.

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People go to temples and churches and mosques and they complain to their so called Gods and they think that they are religious. Have you ever noticed what your prayers are? They are just complains. Someone couldn't get a good job, someone couldn't get a promotion, someone couldn't get a good husband/wife - they go to these so called religious places and complain and they think they are doing prayer!! They also give bribe to God. They say - do this for me and I will offer this to you. Get me a good job and I will make an offering to you. They are businessman. And if by mistake, their wish is fulfilled they feel they are great devotee and if not they become more discontented. This is how people live. They are worshippers of world. They are not a worshipper of God. They have a long list of demands. If some God fulfils those demands and thereafter commits suicide also, it is ok for them.
They bow, but deep down they have not bowed at all. You will see same ego in them as it was before they went to temple. This is the whole trick! They go to temple simply because they can't face themselves - they can't meditate. Going to temple is a trick to evade from themselves, evade from meditation.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF IRRELIGIOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD: ONE WHO KNOW THAT THEY ARE IRRELIGIOUS AND OTHER WHO DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE IRRELIGIOUS! Most of the people fall in second category. They are irreligious and they think they are great devotees of God!
On the other hand, there are some atheist, who think they are very rational man! They do not meditate, but they think they are in Zen, just because they are atheist.
People always complain. People always see what they do not have - what is NOT and the truth always IS. A meditator lives a different quality of life. He is thankful for whatever he has got from the life and he is so happy that he wants to pay gratitude. You are living - you have got life. If the next breath doesn't come, can you go and claim someone that I must get the next breath? No! We have got more than we can claim, more than we deserve. This understanding brings a thankfulness. He is thankful not because he expects anything in return, he is just thankful. That thankfulness is the real prayer. Only a meditator can pray, others can just complain! No matter how religious they think about themselves, but I tell you - they are IRRELIGIOUS.
Zen people are thankful to Buddha, not because they expect something in return. It is because of the great debt we have on him. Buddha could have become enlightened and then could have not shared his meditation technique Vipassana with us. But he did not do so. He spread it all over. This is his true compassion. Master Huangbo respects Buddha, just because he is grateful to him.
The other aspect of this story is about duality. Master Huangbo says, "What kind of place is this to talk about duality? Insult and Honor? Rudeness or courtesy?" Master is pointing about non-dualistic state.