- The Head of Dao Affairs
and the Beginning of Confusing Dharmas
- 1 In a work of renewal performed in the medicine room in Gu-rit-gohl Village, Sahng-jeh-nim had nine disciples sit before Him. “Now, I will show you how dao affairs will unfold.”
- 2 He then asked, “What grows the fastest in a year?” All of them agreed it was bamboo.
- 3 “Among all things, the qi of bamboo is the greatest, so I will use its qi.”
- 4 He told Gim Gahp-chil, “Choose a green bamboo, cut it off, and bring it to Me.” Gahp-chil went out and did this. Upon receiving the bamboo, Sahng-jeh-nim counted the number of joints. There were eleven.
- 5 He then told Gahp-chil to cut one off. After Gahp-chil did so, Sahng-jeh-nim took the joint and put it under His knee. Holding the joint at one end of the stick, Sahng-jeh-nim said, “This joint is the head who comes and goes, traveling around at will.
- 6 The other nine joints correspond to the number of those who receive the teachings.”
- 7 He continued, “Look at the sky to see how many stars have appeared.”
- 8 Gahp-chil went out and looked. Dark clouds covered the entire sky except one area in the middle in which there were nine stars.
- 9 When Gahp-chil reported this, Sahng-jeh-nim said, “This corresponds to the number of those who receive the teachings.” He added,
- 10 “At the beginning, dao affairs will be in disarray like the uprising of generals in the Chu State.”
- 11 That year, bamboo did not grow well.
- (JSD Dojeon 6,69)