>From: "Bud" <bud@rajah.com>
>Subject: Iron Flute
>Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 22:27:13 -0800
>
>I wonder how to play this iron flute..
>a solid iron rod with neither mouthpiece nor finger holes...
>I was told that it was to be blown upside down...
>From *The Iron Flute: 100 Zen Koans* (pp.5,6) by Nyogen Senzaki:
*Tettki Tosui* is the name of the original text. *Tettke* means
"iron flute." Usually a flute is made of bamboo with a mouthpiece
and several sideholes for the fingers, but this flute is a solid
iron rod with neither mouthpiece nor finger holes. *Tosui* means "to
blow it upside down." The ordinary musician who wanders among the
lines of the grand staff will never be able to handle this Zen
instrument, but one who plays the stringless harp can also play this
flute with no mouthpiece.
The moon floats above the pines,
And the night veranda is cold
As the ancient, clear sound comes from from
your finger tips.
The old melody usually makes the listeners weep,
But Zen music is beyond sentiment.
Do not play unless the Great Sound of Lao-tsu
accompanies you.
- Hsueh-tou (980-1052)
-
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