The Summons

The Zen master sat in the front of the temple. He rang a bell and summoned his student. When the student appeared before him, he bowed and dismissed him. Three more times he rang the bell and three more times he bowed and dismissed the student as soon as he appeared before him. Then he summoned him yet again.

This time, when the student appeared, the master said, “I had always thought I had been here with my back always to you. Instead now I find myself standing with you, all alone, with your back to me.”