A Ladder in the Sky

A student of Zen once asked his teacher:

“There is a jewel in the sky. How can I obtain it?”

The Zen master, Nanzan, replied:

“Split a bamboo stick, build a ladder, and climb to get it.”

Reaching for Enlightenment

The student’s question, “How can I obtain the jewel in the sky?” is a metaphor for asking how one can attain enlightenment.
Many Zen masters have described enlightenment as attaining the infinite sky. The student, therefore, sought to understand how to grasp such a seemingly intangible thing.

Nanzan’s reply was this:

“Split a bamboo stick, build a ladder, and climb to get it.”

Even today, many people retreat to the mountains to meditate and study. Devout practitioners, clergy, and scholars diligently work, akin to splitting bamboo to build a ladder.
These efforts, in reality, aim to accomplish the impossible. Yet, Nanzan encouraged the student to strive even harder toward this unattainable goal.

The Lesson in the Impossible

The student reflected deeply:

“How can I place a ladder in the sky?”

It is indeed impossible. There is nowhere to rest the ladder. That realization itself is the essence of the teaching.
Asking, “Where should I place the ladder?” is, in itself, the act of placing the ladder in the sky.
The diligent meditation and rigorous study pursued by countless practitioners represent climbing this ladder into the infinite.

Letting Go of Attachment

Nanzan continued:

“But why do you seek to possess it? The jewel in the sky cannot be plucked by effort alone.
If you stop trying to grasp it, letting go of the one who seeks, you and the jewel will become one.”

When the urge to climb the ladder consumes you, take a moment to pause.
Observe the desire without being caught up in it. Stay still and witness how the desire arises and fades.
You will find that the desire simply passes away.