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and so much grace on the rose that nobody dared to interrupt him and ask, What is going on?
At that very moment...
Mahakashyap was a very strange disciple of Gautam Buddha; he is known to be the founder of the long tradition of Zen.
And this moment when Gautam Buddha was looking at the rose is the moment of a source that is still blossoming. Perhaps it is the only rose that has not faded away. Many others have blossomed and faded away.
Mahakashyapa's laughing shocked everybody. They were not even courageous enough to ask the question, and this strange fellow -- he was strange from the very beginning. Since he had come he had never asked a question. He had monopolized a tree, under which nobody else dared to sit. Whether he was late or early, his place was certain.
People even wondered -- does he understand what Gautam Buddha is saying? or does he simply take a good morning sleep? because he always listened with closed eyes. He never made any friends; even if people wanted to talk to him, he would simply make one simple sign.
That's the sign which Avirbhava makes to me. Whenever I want to say something to her, either she screams to stop me, or she makes this sign...
Slowly, slowly people accepted that Mahakashyap was a little bit crazy... but a very silent and beautiful person. He was a prince, had left his kingdom. He just came to see Gautam Buddha and never went back. He never even asked for initiation. He simply touched Gautam Buddha's feet, tears rolled down from his eyes and he said to Gautam Buddha, "I am grateful that you initiated me."
Those who were present said, "This is strange, he has taken everything upon himself. He has touched the feet, he has cried and now he is thanking Gautam Buddha: `I am thankful and grateful that you have initiated me.' "
And since then there had been no communication, verbally at least, between Mahakashyap and Gautam Buddha.
But this day -- it must have been after ten years -- he laughed and people became aware that he was still here. People had started forgetting. A person who remains for ten years without making any noise, naturally, is taken for granted.
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