A monk of the Four Stones Clan once asked a Java master of the Clan of the Laughing Monkey, "How many lines are required to sort an array of integers?".
The Java master smiled, for he regarded the Way of Four Stones as obsolete and verbose. "I can do so in a single line, by invoking Sort", he said.
The monk smiled and nodded, then, with no visible change of countenance, struck the Java master to the ground with his walking staff. His countenance remained calm as he savagely beat the master for many minutes, then finally, when the master lay motionless, covered in bruises and welts, and curled about several broken ribs, the monk walked away without a word or backward glance.
That afternoon, the abbot, aided by several burly novices, apprehended the Four Stones monk, and brought him before a committee of the most senior priests, to settle what his punishment should be.
"You have savagely attacked a master without provocation!", declared the abbot. "Is this how the Temple of Four Stones teaches monks to behave?"
"Oh, not I.", said the monk, and began beating the tip of his walking staff against the stones of the floor.
"What are you doing?", asked a senior priest.
"I am punishing the culprit.", replied the monk.
Upon hearing of this, the Java master became enlightened.
Commentaries of Master Wu:
Without the staff, the monk does not strike.
Without the monk, the staff does not strike.
Without the tree, there is no staff.
Without the father and mother, there is no monk.
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