Bankei was unable to go on with his talk, and asked the priest what he wanted to say.

'The founder of my religion," boasted the priest, "stood on one shore of a river with a writing brush in his hand. His disciple stood on the other shore holding a sheet of paper. And the founder wrote the holy name of Amida onto the paper across the river through air! Can you do anything so miraculous?"

"No," said Bankei, "I can do only little miracles. Like: when I am hungry, I eat. When I am thirsty, I drink. When I am insulted, I forgive."