Note f149 — THE MEDITATION HALL, AND THE IDEALS OF THE MONKISH DISCIPLINE

While thus going around, he came to a house where an old woman refused to give him any rice; he however kept on standing in front of it, looking as if nothing were said to him. His mind was so intensely concentrated on the subject which concerned him most at the time. The woman got angry, because she thought he was altogether ignoring her and trying to have his own way. She struck him with a big broom with which she was sweeping and told him to depart right at once. The heavy broom smashed his large monkish hat and knocked him down on the ground. He was lying there for a while, and when he came to sense again, everything became to him clear and transparent.