Stone Buddha

Likuko said to Nansen, "In my house there is a stone that sits up or lies down. I intend to carve it as a Buddha. Can I do it?" Nansen answered, "Yes, you can." Likuko persisted, "Can I really do it?" Nansen answered, "No, you can not!"

The stone is Likuko himself. He asked the Master if he could become a Buddha. Nansen immediately said yes. But Likuko had doubts. So quickly said, "No, you can not." Zen is not thinking, but doing; not concept, but action. Nansen wants his student to jump in with his whole life.