From Ch 22 of 'The Fountains of Paradise'
Driven to despair by his fruitless attempts to understand the Universe, the sage Devadasa finally announced in exasperation
ALL STATEMENTS THAT CONTAIN THE WORD GOD ARE FALSE.
Instantly, his least-favourite disciple Somasiri replied "The sentence I am now speaking contains the word God. I fail to see, Oh Noble Master, how that simple statement can be false."
Devadasa considered the matter for several Poyas. Then he answered, this time with apparent satisfaction:
ONLY STATEMENTS THAT DO NOT CONTAIN THE WORD GOD CAN BE TRUE.
After a pause barely sufficient for a starving mongoose to swallow a millet seed, Somasiri replied: "If this statement applies to itself; Oh Venerable One, it cannot be true, because it contains the word God. But if it is not true -"
At this point, Devadasa broke his begging-bowl upon Somasiri's head, and should therefore be honoured as the true founder of Zen.
(From a fragment of the Culavamsa, as yet undiscovered)
Driven to despair by his fruitless attempts to understand the Universe, the sage Devadasa finally announced in exasperation
ALL STATEMENTS THAT CONTAIN THE WORD GOD ARE FALSE.
Instantly, his least-favourite disciple Somasiri replied "The sentence I am now speaking contains the word God. I fail to see, Oh Noble Master, how that simple statement can be false."
Devadasa considered the matter for several Poyas. Then he answered, this time with apparent satisfaction:
ONLY STATEMENTS THAT DO NOT CONTAIN THE WORD GOD CAN BE TRUE.
After a pause barely sufficient for a starving mongoose to swallow a millet seed, Somasiri replied: "If this statement applies to itself; Oh Venerable One, it cannot be true, because it contains the word God. But if it is not true -"
At this point, Devadasa broke his begging-bowl upon Somasiri's head, and should therefore be honoured as the true founder of Zen.
(From a fragment of the Culavamsa, as yet undiscovered)
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