Long ago, Zen Master Ko Bong, teacher of Seung Sahn Soen Sa Nim, was a student staying at Yang San Temple in Korea. Every day he worked very hard making a new rice field in the mountains. The temple was very poor, so the food was very bad.
One day when Zen Master Hae Wol had gone to town, Ko Bong suggested that they sell the monastery's cow and go buy wine and meat with the money. Everyone agreed, so they sold the cow, and with the money bought wine and meat and good food. After the evening sitting, they laughed and danced and drank all night in the Dharma Room.
When the Zen Master returned for the morning sitting, he found all fifty students asleep amidst the debris of the party. Where had they gotten the money for their revelling? The Master ran to the barn. No cow! Very angry, he called everyone together in the main hall, and they were all afraid. When the Zen Master demanded that his cow be returned, Ko Bong took all his clothes off and crawled around the room on all fours saying, "Moo!"
Delighted, the Master hit Ko Bong thirty times on the ass and said, "This is not my cow. This one is too small!''
Everyone was relieved. The subject was not brought up again.
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