Koan
Blowing out the candle
Deshan stayed late talking with Longtan. When he finally rose to leave, it was dark outside. Longtan lit a candle and handed it to him. As Deshan reached for it, Longtan blew it out. In that moment Deshan woke up.
The Gateless Gate, case 28
How to sit with it
Sometimes the light we borrow has to go out before we find our own.
Read it once more, slowly. Then sit for two minutes and let it stay in the background. There is nothing to solve. New to this? Read what a koan is.
