Fresh Miso and the Lesson of Equality

At the monastery of the Zen master Bankei, there was a cook named Dario. Out of deep respect for the old master, he decided to care for his health by serving him only fresh miso — a paste made from fermented soybeans, rice, and malted grain — more delicious than the ordinary miso given to the other disciples.

Bankei noticed that his food was better than usual, and asked, "Who cooked today?"

Dario was called in and proudly said, "Venerable Master, I thought you were old and frail, so I made fresh miso especially for you."

Bankei looked at Dario and said in a low voice, "Very well. Then see here — I will not eat anything at all." With that, he walked into his room and closed the door.

Dario was alarmed. He knelt outside the door, pleading, "Venerable Master, I am sorry. Please forgive me!"

Bankei did not answer. One day, two days, three days passed... Dario remained kneeling, tears streaming down his face. Inside, Bankei fasted without a sound. On the seventh day, another disciple could bear it no longer and called out loudly, "Venerable Master, you may be right, but this young disciple must eat! He cannot keep fasting like this!"

At that moment, Bankei opened the door, smiled, and said to Dario, "I will always eat the same food as my disciples, at the very least. When you become a teacher, I do not want you to forget this."

Dario wept, understanding the lesson. He had wanted to give his teacher special treatment, but in doing so he had unknowingly created a distinction. Bankei used seven days of fasting to teach him about equality on the path — that whether one's blessings from merit are many or few, we should live as equals, unless there is a legitimate reason such as illness.

The meaning of the story: A teacher will always have greater blessings from merit, but he must know how to limit his enjoyments so as not to create a class system on the path. Equality in daily life preserves joy and harmony — a precious lesson for those who will one day become teachers.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang