Attention

A student said to Master Ikkyu (a famous Zen monk of the 13th Century), “Please write for me something of great wisdom.”

Ikkyu picked up his brush and wrote one word: “Attention.”

The student said, “Is that all?” The master wrote, “Attention. Attention.”

The student became irritable. “That doesn’t seem profound or subtle to me.”

In response, Master Ikkyu wrote, “Attention. Attention. Attention.”

In frustration, the student demanded, “What does this word ‘attention’ mean?”

Ikkyu replied, “Attention means attention.”