A monk had been meditating on a koan "Why did Bodhidharma leave for China?”
Suddenly he heard a bell tolling.
”Aha, I’ve found the answer to the koan,” the monk decided.
He went to his Master and said;
”Master, Master I’ve found the answer to my koan”
”Okay. And why did Bodhidharma leave for China?” asked the Master. ”I’m listening to you.”
”The answer to this koan is bell's peal.”
The Master smiled and said;
”My dear, you are mistaken.”
And the sad monk went back to his koan practice concentrating much harder than before.
One day he heard a bird crying.
”Aha,” thought the monk. ”I know the answer.”
Не came to the Master again and said;
”Master, I know the answer. It's a bird's cry.”
”No, you are mistaken again,” the Master answered.
The monk was annoyed. He would spend more months meditating on the koan.
One morning, when the sun was rising over distant mountains, the answer suddenly came to him. But he kept it to himself and didn’t return to the Master. He just left the monastery saying nothing.