CASE 7: Yakusan Ascends the Rostrum

Yakusan had not ascended the rostrum for a long time. The temple steward said, “All the
assembly has been wishing for instruction for a long time. Please, Master, give your
assembly a sermon.”
Yakusan had the bell rung. The assembly gathered. Yakusan ascended the rostrum and
sat there for a while. Then he descended and returned to his room.
The temple steward followed him and asked, “You said a while ago that you would give the
assembly a sermon. Why didn’t you speak even a word?” Yakusan said, “For sutras, there
are sutra specialists; for sastras3, there are sastra specialists. Why do you have doubts
about this old monk?”