There is a story from the life of Buddha and Mahakashyap. One day, Buddha came to the evening sermon with a flower in his hand. It was a special flower, a very rare flower that had bloomed out of season. And the person who found it, turned down the king and the chief minister of the kingdom so that he could give it to Buddha.
Buddha brought the flower to the sermon and instead of speaking, stayed silent. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 2 hours ... even the senior students became confused and frustrated. People who had come to see him from far and wide were confused beyond measure. Why does Buddha not speak? What should we do? Should we speak up? Should we ask him if he does not want to speak today?
Buddha kept looking at the flower. And suddenly a burst of loud laughter was heard ... it was Mahakashyap. He understood that Buddha had been teaching them all to find wisdom in silence, but when he demonstrated it, everyone got frustrated. The paradox made him laugh out loud. Buddha then invited Mahakashyap to the fore of the gathering and gave him the flower. Mahakashyap became its first steward.
The flower sermon is the story of the origin of Zen Buddhism in which Gautam Buddha transmits direct wisdom to the disciple Mahakashyapa.
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