Zen Story: A worthy answer proved the student was a worthy successor to the old master indeed

The old Zen master had already picked his most likely successor, but he did perform one final test. The would-be new master passed honourably, with his answer.

The Zen master, Arthurthre Zerpocke, was dying, and he wanted to pass on his mantle to his next highest ranked student in his monastery.

He devised a little test, to see if his estimation of this student as being worthy of carrying on in his position was really true, or not.

The next time when this student came into meditation class, he asked him,

"What is the purpose behind meditation, which lifts you above meditation, by the doing of it?"

The student, winked at his master.

He said,

"I have no other purpose other than my meditation; what comes to me during it comes outside of any purpose, that I might be holding."

"A good answer son," 

the old master said, and died, happy as he went, that he knew his monastery would indeed me in good hands still now, after his passing.

Photo Credit: The photos used in this article were all sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com