Story: archer’s apprentice
January 26, 2012
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A famous archer and his apprentice were walking in the woods. The master of archery took out his bow and shot an arrow straight through a pine cone hanging from a branch. Amazed at this feat, the student asked: “Why do you not celebrate?”
The master continued walking, the apprentice followed. Next, the master shot an arrow at a pine cone hanging from a high branch and missed. Disappointed by this, the student asked: “Do you not feel bad about missing the target?”
The master continued walking, the apprentice followed. As he walked, the day’s lesson dawned on the apprentice. He took out his bow, aimed at a pine cone, high on the branch.
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I practice Kyudo and have heard this story before but today it resonated with me a bit more. Thank you for the reminder.
Below is a link to a haiku I wrote about Kyudo fits right in.
https://fiercebuddhist.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/first-shots-in-kyudo/
Glad it spoke to you.
Nice poem, yes.
This idea expressed in both your poem and my story is very much the essence of zen archery.
[Comment edited]
Yours is original. The one that Shibata Sensei tells is different but deals with the same message. His deals with the target itself. Perhaps this is why I felt yours to be more personal to me. Thank you for the inspirations and I look forward to reading more.
William
Thank you for your reply. You’re welcome. If you like, tell us the story the way you heard it told, dealing with the target.
John,
Below is what I was reminded of today when reading your story. In retrospect not as similar as I remember but then memory is a fickle mistress. I would like permission to link back to this post.
William
“The Master proceeded to give us a demonstration of target−
shooting: both arrows were embedded in the black of the target. Then he bade us perform the ceremony exactly as before, and, without letting ourselves be put off by the target, wait at the highest tension until the shot ” fell “. The slender bamboo
arrows flew off in the right direction, but failed to hit even the
sandbank, still less the target, and buried themselves in the
ground just in front of it.
” Your arrows do not carry, ” observed the Master, ” because
they do not reach far enough spiritually. You must act as if the
goal were infinitely far off.”"”
Thanks for posting that.
Permission to link back granted.
The joy is in the doing of the thing. The accomplishment is the joy.
Thanks for commenting, granbee.
John,
I have add a link back to this story. Thank you for sharing.
http://wp.me/p1rabr-b1
Thank you. I’ve added your link to the “Visit” section in the side bar. And I’m subscribed to your blog. Looking forward to your haiku(s).