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understand that all hopes have been futile, have not led anywhere, can come to a master.
Not that he becomes hopeless, because if you feel hopeless it simply means you are still hoping. Hopelessness is an indication of a mind which is still hoping.
When hopes have really been dropped, when you are suddenly without hope -- not hopeless; simply without hope, without hopelessness -- you are simply here. With the disappearance of hope, future disappears. Future is nothing but the extension of hope. Future is a hope-project.
JITOKU WENT TO THE MASTER FULL OF HOPES,
BUT AS SOON AS HE ENTERED THE ROOM
HE RECEIVED A WHACK
The master did well. He had not even uttered a single word, he had not asked anything, and he had been hit hard. When you come with hopes, that is the only way to bring you to the moment. If I hit you hard on the head, at least for a single split moment you may come here. Otherwise you are in the future. Zen masters have been hitting their disciples out of their compassion.
Once you start understanding me, I am going to hit. Right now I know you will not understand; you will simply escape -- so I go On persuading you to be near me. Once you are ready... a good hit on the head is simply a tremendous gift. One should receive it in deep gratitude. It brings you to the earth. It brings you to the herenow. You have gone so far away that only a hit on the head can bring you here.
... BUT AS SOON AS HE ENTERED THE ROOM
HE RECEIVED A WHACK.
HE WAS ASTONISHED AND MORTIFIED:
NO ONE HAD EVER DARED TO STRIKE HIM BEFORE,
BUT AS IT IS A STRICT ZEN RULE
NEVER TO SAY OR DO ANYTHING
UNLESS ASKED BY THE MASTER,
HE WITHDREW SILENTLY.
But he missed. He followed the rule, but he could not respond to the situation. When you follow a rule, you miss the situation. He knew that it is a rule that unless the master says something you are not expected even to utter a single word -- and he had not said anything. He had to withdraw. But deep down he was hurt.
The master had hit his head to bring him herenow, but he felt hurt, his ego was hurt. He missed the point.
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