One day a disciple made a beeline
For his aged teacher and stated,
"I'm making a progress, Sir."
"What your progress is?"
He explained, "I've ceased to think
Of distinction between good and bad."
"Very well," The old master said,
"But is it enough? . ."

Another day the disciple said,
"I've made my further progress, Abbot."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I've lost all cares of manner and matter."
"Very well," the Abbot said,
"But is it enough? . ."

Then the novice saw his teacher again
To say, "I'm making a huge progress!
I've learnt to sit and forget everything."
Those words compelled the master
To change his face. He asked,
"What do you mean by 'learning to sit
And forget everything?'"

"My link with the body and its parts
Is dissolved; my perceptive organs
Are discarded at all. Leaving my body
And bidding farewell to all my thoughts,
I become one with Void, that's all.
Now I call it as 'learning to sit and
Forget all things at the moment.'"

Upon hearing that, the master said,
"One with that Void, you are free
From all the clinging; so transformed,
You are become impermanent, boy.
You have, indeed, become superior to me!
I must ask you to leave this place
To follow your own steps,
As you have finished learning from me--
There is nothing else I'd tell you;
From now on, you're not in my care,
Your place is in the Void, . . Nowhere."