Buta No Gotoki [FREE]

He entered the master’s room, carrying a bowl of broth made from muddy yams.

From that day, he never again called any living thing buta no gotoki — except himself, with a smile, when pride whispered in his ear. buta no gotoki

Once, in a crumbling temple at the edge of a forgotten village, there lived a monk named Sesshin. He was known for his harsh discipline and his even harsher tongue. To his disciples, he often said, “You are buta no gotoki — like pigs. Rooting in mud, blind to the sky.” He entered the master’s room, carrying a bowl

The beggar knelt. “Master, a pig does not know it is called a pig. But a man who calls another buta no gotoki — he forgets that even pigs have the Buddha-nature. Mud is not a curse. It is where lotus roots grow.” He was known for his harsh discipline and

Sesshin stared at him. “Why help me? I called you worse than a pig.”