Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘A monk asked Fayan, “What is Buddha?”

Fayan replied, “First I want to ask you to practice it, second I want to ask you to practice it.” (quoted in Two Zen Classics)

I had not heard of this exchange before, but came across it while I was researching for this week’s class (thinking about Case 26 of the Mumonkan involving Fayan and the screens). But why do you think he needs to tell the monk twice?