My Favorite Zen Story Trading Dialogue for Lodgings

I found my book Zen Flesh Zen Bones and I thought I'd relate my favorite story in it.  It is called Trading Dialogue for Lodgings.

There was/is a custom where a traveling monk would be provided lodgings within a Zen temple if he could make and win an argument against the monks living there, and the traveling monk that won could remain at the temple.  However, if the traveling monk is defeated he has to move on.

Two brother monks lived in a temple in a northern section of Japan.  The Elder of the two had been well educated and very knowledgeable, while the younger brother was very stupid and had only one eye. 

One day a wondering monk came to their temple.  He asked if he could lodge with them if he won an argument on the sublime teaching.  The Elder brother had been studying much of the day when this traveler had arrived and felt very tired from it, and instructed the younger brother go in his place cautioning the younger monk, "Go and be sure to request this dialogue in silence."

So the young monk and the stranger went into the shrine proper to have their debate.  It was not long before the traveler had departed the younger monk and came to the Elder Brother.

The Traveler said, "Your younger brother is an amazing fellow.  He defeated me."

Curious the Elder brother said, "Please relate the dialogue to me."

"Well," the stranger began to explain, "I first held up my one finger to signify the Enlightened One, Buddha.  So he held up two fingers to signify Buddha and his teachings.  Then I held up three fingers to represent Buddha, his teachings, and his followers, all living in harmony.  Then  he shook his clenched fist right in my face, indicating that all three of those things come from one realization.  So he won and I have no right to remain here."  With that said the traveling monk swiftly took his leave of the shrine.

The younger monk came running to the Elder Brother, "Where is that man?"

"I understand that you won the debate."

"Won nothing.  I'm gonna pummel him!"

The Elder inquired of his brother monk now, "Tell me the subject of your dialogue."

"Why the very minute he saw me he held up just one finger, insulting me by the fact of my one eye.  Since he was a stranger I thought I would be polite and held up two fingers to congratulate him on having two eyes.  Then the impolite wretch had the temerity to hold up three fingers, implying that between us we only have three eyes. So I couldn't contain myself and got angry.  I started to punch him but the rascal ran out and that ended it!"