Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on December 25, 2002.
Every year at this time, we all say the same things about Peace and Giving and Compassion, yet, we see the world has hardly changed and there is still so much fighting, war, violence and suffering. We are NOT doing a good job here on Earth. Wake up!
I was surprised this Christmas when I opened a few presents. One student presented me with a very unusual shaped package, all nicely wrapped, and told me that I would really like it and that the dojo could use it for many years. I was very curious so I opened it first. When I saw what it was, I was so surprised. It was a nice pair of scissors!
Actually, when I first saw them, I was shocked. In Japanese culture, we never give "edged" presents such as scissors or knives as a gift. It is considered unlucky. Scissors mean to “cut off” one's ties or friendship. So initially, I was surprised to receive such a present.
Actually, I shouldn't be surprised at all. Recently, at the Year End Cleaning, our cheap pair of scissors broke. Very nice present indeed!
Still I was surprised at first and then I laughed when I remembered my Zen master. Many years ago, on his return from Japan, he brought all of us presents. When we opened them, we all got a pair of scissors and were shocked. What was our Zen master thinking? Was he leaving us? Such an inauspicious gift can’t be good!
He looked at our surprised expressions and began to laugh. He was up to his old tricks. He explained: "The scissors, of course, are bad luck so I wanted to see your surprised faces with my joke, but when you look at them from a different perspective, scissors mean "good luck," not bad luck.” We were all a little puzzled. He continued, "The scissors are only useful when TWO blades are connected and work together. Therefore, the scissors mean that we must stick together in order to do good. Indeed, the scissors is a symbol of good luck and friendship and not the end of it.
Merry Christmas!!!