This koan takes up the question of discernment - seeing how things are. We typically think of discernment in terms of differentiating - dragons from snakes, gems from stones, one student from another. Yet the conversation with Manjusri in this case says that not all discernment is about seeing the difference between things. The discernment of sameness is much harder to come by than discernment of difference. How do we see ourselves in relation to one another? Do we fit in? Do we see the people in the room as people just like me?