While you are sitting zazen
facing the wall
if your teacher
taps you on the shoulder
and asks what you are doing
how do you respond?
If you say “I am
doing zazen,”
he will frown.
If you say “I am
facing the wall,”
he will frown, but
if you say “I am
doing nothing”
he will smile.

A reflection on case 87 of Shinji Shobogenzo 真字正法眼蔵 (True Dharma Eye)