- Gohng-shin’s Earnest Entreaty to Be a Disciple
- 1 Sahng-jeh-nim sat on one side of the room with His disciples beside Him, and they all drank rice wine. Gohng-shin listened as they spoke.
- 2 He noticed that all the older men used expressions of reverence before this young man in His thirties who, in turn, spoke to them as if they were younger than He.
- 3 Gohng-shin thought, “He must be the Teacher. The older men speak to Him with reverence while He speaks to them informally.”
- 4 Gohng-shin went before Sahng-jeh-nim and, without giving any reason, said, “I earnestly wish to become Your disciple.” And he bowed to Sahng-jeh-nim.
- 5 Instead of welcoming him, Sahng-jeh-nim yelled, “You fool! What an insolent fool you are! You must have been a follower of Eastern Learning!”
- 6 Prostrating himself, Gohng-shin repeatedly begged to be a disciple. Sahng-jeh-nim remained silent for some time.
- 7 At last, Sahng-jeh-nim had another table brought out, drank a bowl of rice wine, and then had the hostess fill the bowl for Gohng-shin.
- 8 Gohng-shin protested. “My goodness, how can I accept this when I should treat You?”
- 9 “Well, fool, drink it and then you can offer Me two bowls of rice wine,” replied Sahng-jeh-nim.
- 10 Gohng-shin thought this was reasonable and drank it. From then on, Gohng-shin, who was twenty-nine years old, was allowed to follow Sahng-jeh-nim.
- Hosting a Work of Renewal
- 11 Several days later, after supper, Sahng-jeh-nim began a work of renewal concerning the True Master via the Five Immortals Playing Ba-dook Program. Some twenty disciples were in the room, one of whom was Gohng-shin.
- 12 Sahng-jeh-nim asked, “This work requires one thousand nyahng. Who will provide the money?”
- 13 Afraid someone else would volunteer first, Gohng-shin promptly answered, “I will.”
- 14 He went straight home and sold the rice crops he had harvested and all his ramie cloth, raising the one thousand nyahng. Ten men carried the money to Nohng-ba-ooh Village.
- 15 After receiving the money, Sahng-jeh-nim spent the next ten days conducting the work of renewal.
- 16 When finished, He asked, “Who should be the host of this work of renewal?”
- 17 Unanimously, the disciples agreed, “It should be assigned to the one who offered the money.”
- 18 “Yes, you are right.”
- (JSD Dojeon 3,139)