THE 1OOPERFECT KOANS OF MASTER KI DO

WI TH THE ANSWERS OF HAKUI N- ZEN

TRANSLATED, WI TH A COMMENTARY.
BY YOEL HOFFMANN
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THE 1OO KOANS OF MASTER KI DO
WI TH THE ANSWERS OF HAKUI N- ZEN
TRANSLATED, WI TH A COMMENTARY
BY YOEL HOFFMANN
AUTUMN
ll
,*u,,
Publisherl l.v Arrtumn Press. lnc.,
lr'ith e'c]itoria1 of ices at
7 Littcll Ron.l
Brooklinc. Massachr-rserts 02 I J T
Distrihutecl in the L.lnitecl Srates
hy Ranclonr Housc, I nc.. ancl in
Canacll hr Rar-rtlom Hor-rsc of Canaila. Ltcl.
CoP1,1ig[1
o
t9?7 br'\ 'ocl Hoftn'rann.
All rights reservc.l.
Librarv of Congress Caralog CarLi Nr-rnrber:
77-0748t)l
lSBN: 0-19.1-7 )123-9
Printed in the Uniretl Srates of Anrerica
T1'peset at clnl-r, Brighron, Massachusetts
I llustrated b,y Karen Becker
Book design ancl typograph,v L'r' Beverlv Stiskin
To M1' Cat Mimi
\
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/ \
\ l
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T able o Contents
Forewc-rrd
Preface
I ntroduction
l.
"No
War'"
l. Yesterdar, To.iav
l. Never Said l V'ord
4. Preaching
5. Clou.l
. This ls I t
7. lf That's thc Wa',' \ 'or-r Are
3. Do Ntrt Bc L)cce ivccl
9. A Crvstal \ / csscl Fillc.l with lce
10. V'hat I s This Calledl
I 1. A Fcrr, He rr, ,r Fcri. Thcrc
lr. Teuculr
lJ . Neither Too Mrrcl'r nor Tocr Litrle
1.l. A Pair o Brccches
l 5. N.tl orcar )v, asters]
l(r. One, Two, Threc, For.rr, Fivc
17. A L)or-rkev
13. \ ('l.rerc L)o the Bor,ks Col
19. Givc Mc Back Ml. SceJ
10. Not a Single Drop
li. CLrt rhc Hea. i Off
22. \ t'hat ls So Hard about I rl
21. ls That Alll
2-1. Rcrr.rote
Qr-rr,'srion,
Close Rt'plr
25. Facclessl
]. V'hat V'a,vs Are Thcre]
27. A )v cssage
rR
D. "i . . tl ' l ^. ' . - "f - . t
19. W'herc Does I t Come Froml
J 0. Trousers ]r' aJ e b.r \ other
1n
il
l 5
l 9
l n
z1
22
23
25
z6
27
l
29
l0
)2
) )
)1
) 5
]T
)7
I rl
l9
l0
11
1)
.t+
15
-lT
. |]
.+9
50
51
5Z
73.
What Will You Call ltl
7.{. From Where Do )'ou Enterl
75.
What I s the Use of Knowingl
7.
Where Have the Noises Gone]
77.
\ 7hat I s the Thing You Call
"Cate"l
78.
Too Outspoken
79.
I Almost Let You Go
80. Hits You in the Nose
81. I Have Not Been to the Hall Yet
82. I t I s So; I t I s Not So
83. What Did You Sayl
84. You Have to Make Me Beat You
85. Listen
86. One Oot I t, One Missed I t
87. I t Can Kill, I r Can Make Live
88. Then
Quit
I t
89. Take My Meal
90.
Di ficult to Deal V,ith
91. is I t Sol I s I t Not Sol
91. Razor
93. Don't Ber.rr aror-rnd the Bush
9' . Playing with Mud
95. No Name
9T. The Top
97. Secrer Language
98. What Are You Talking Al.outl
99.
lust
a Rr-rlc-ab,iding Monk
100. No Light
Source's of the Koans
96
91
98
99
100
101
lAZ
103
l u)
r06
107
109
I U
11
TZ
13
11
t5
I T
1'l
l 9
r20
12,1
122
lz3
t21
125
126
Foret,;ord
Most pcopl . 'tcrtJ
t. r ossoci l rtt'Zen krr, rn: ui th
". c, rrr
tca. 'hrnAs. "
This explains u'hv a L. ook publishccl ir- r. lapan in 191T r- rnder rhe ritle
Qerrdrii
'\ r]iilcrl Hr'rort
I A
critiquc of prcscnr. . la1' pser. rc1o- Zcn]- which
tlisclosc. l the ansu'ers to rhe koans use. l in Zcn training- caused such
a scnsation. No', r' that more than tiftv vcars have passerl since its
]apar. resr
plrblication, hou, cvcr. I rhink ir is rime that tliis book b'e
gir.e n the statr.rs ilf a Zen clltssic on thc or.le r t.., the Hcliigarrrr;krr
I Thc
Blue Cli t Recorr]]lrn. ] other texrs that l- rlrr. e cclr- rtribtlte(l so much to
the plr l.l ic's r.r ncl crstal.r.] i n g tl Zer.r.
The preser- rt vollu- nc consisrs prinrariiv of an iurnotrrterl rranslation
of the Kitlolrrrokri
[Th, - 'savings
ot \ {astcr Kitlo]. a tcxt hcl. l in very
high regar. l I . 1 Zcn
l)rirctiti()ners.
This ur. rcicnt Chincse rnasterpirce
,
trl [ t' l hr. r ui f l r tl r. ' l . tter. 1, r1' , l l t, ' . ( ' r( i l \ \ \ r) \ ( ' \ 11r i 1. 11r11sl i ttttr' s tl re I i l rl tl
l l i ) r t
\ \ l t l t . t
j . ' l l , / , t t \ i l r l i ( ' t l
Hr . ' , , 1r . '
I u'ish to . lran thc . rrrcr- rritrn trt rhe rcarle r to the fact that
in Mlrsrer Kiti's coll)lllL'nts to these hr.rrlclred koans. thcre lrre ncl
secrets. Thrsc cor-nrlcnts \ \ 'ere nratlc know'n to Zen novices ancl
t{t. t. trtccs ri gl tt l r. . nt tI rc hcgi I rni I rg. I thi nk rh. rt tI re1 l ) f i l S t. l r) sr'l I S
one can possiblr, conle to u
"pc1fcc1"
ans\ \ 'cr to il koan, ancl, in my
v e. , v, the
. . secret''
ilnswL'rS later appcn. icd b. y Hakr. rin's school of
J apanese
Zen u'r.'te, at besr, sr-rperflr-ror-rs.
The koans and iinsu'ers presentecl h.'re shoul.l b,e absorbccl by each
person accorcling to his or hcr or', r-r natLrrc ancl shoulcl serve to
.leepen ont''s i.lpp eciiltiorr for Zcn. Dr. Hoff mirnn's excr'llent tralrsla-
tion of this seven- hunclred- lear- old Chinese classic, ancl his percep,
tive commentary. make it accessible to people from all u'alks o life
and this is a source of grear sarisfacrion for me.
HI RANO SOJ O
*
Th.' tirst
narr
J nfe.rrerl es Thc Sorincl o/ rhe Onc HcurJ , trans, Yoel Hoffmann
( Ncu'
\ 'ork: Basi c Books. 1975) . - Y. H.
10
Pref ace
. . \ {/ hat
s Zcn]'' Hou'rnan1'Zen nrtrstcrs har. e been irsked this ques.
tion. and ho, , r'man\ ', L. v uav of an itnswer. hare heltl up a hook, an
uppl c. , , r
s( ) nr( '\ \ thcr
ol - j ccr uhi ch hi rppcne. l ro l "c wi thi n rcrrch. rrnd
rc- sponrlcrl u'ith:
"What
is rhisl"
Mtlst cl ..rs r,r'o,'rl.] bc ternp1qd to anS\ \ 'r-t sr'rch l t]ttestio l b1.resort-
i ng to t'ttr knou. | . '. l gc t. I ongui rg. '.
1. hi l . 't. '1. hr',
or
l . hr. si cs.
Such l n
ans\ \ . 'cr, lrou'evcr, is torallv irreicvar. rt. That this is so can be provetJ
bv means of a sirrtf. le e\ pcrinl!'tlr: Trv lrnsscring thc
(luestion
whilc
t'hserr. i l t! \ ( ) ttr\ t. I i tr ; t mi rrrrr. trr i I t rhe
nr( , s( . l l \ .
o .
* . ry.
n goi l t. Y( ) tl
u'ill soon tir. rJ thlr strnrcthing is nerr right.
Trving ro cxpluirr n'ht'ant's'. tch ansucr nrisscs thc
l. oirrr
u. 'or- rlrl l. c
like oPerating trn a purie rrt r', ith ir clirtv scalltcl, for rl. re solr- rtion to tfre
pr- ol. ltn'i. l, . rcs lrr'tt lic rn th. '- scrrrch ior iln an: \ !'er. bLrt in tlre . iis'
appeurance of thc qucstion. V'hat is
"\ \ 'hrrr
isl"l No nrore rllan r.
trap.
()nlr
u'helr tlris is r. rn, . lcrstooti ean thc rlLlcstion poserl by tl- rc
Zttl nrasttrs hc prope rlr' i]ns\ \ 'crJ .
Tl rc Zcrr kt) i ) o. rrr ri . l J I c. i . tu] i rtl
i tl i h
rri ) l 's: i 1s
1r1111r1rsq
i .
( , r
rrl ti n
thc mincl trr rrvoicl them. The koan is r pararlox. lt challenges or- rr
ordinar.) ratiirrralin. 1r is tlc-sigrretl to hre ak tlou'n thrrsc evcrl'rlay
mer. rtal l- rabits rihich. Zen Br- rcltlhisrn r. nrintrrins, l. lin. l rrs from olrr
nirtLrre. 81' the samc token, rhr' koarr is intcndec] as a sprlr to
oLlr crcari\ , c itltrrititln. rr'herein re'sit]cs ou
l)ote ltiill
ior lrwlrkenirlg
from rhe misconccptitrns that cnsnare lrs in ir worlcl of logic anc{
intellecr. irr, in Zcn, a r. r'r- rrld of suftcring.
But do nor expect ro find abstract
philosop[, , herc. The Chinese
maste. rs who first clevelopecl koan practice abhorred thc abstractions
tlrar t]israrlct. r. rs rcrm the concrcte
}]J rticula s
ot. iife. lt is onlv here,
now. in the
"sr- rchness"
c. l'rhings tlr. rr merningcrrn be sought. Hcnce
,
rhc koan J e. r] . u'i th qrri tc orJ i n. l \ c\ 'r'f l tS. ottcn i n an ccrrl r1'arrJ
lrrc\ . erent mllnne .
Althor.lgh ctlmposec] o u'orc]s. thc koan cloes not work throtrqh
tlre medium o lar- rguagc alone. lts purposc is rather the transmiss on
1l
trf
. . nleirnit. tgs. 'thirr
are o ren oni1'hinted at k. 1'languagc. Tlrc koarr
exchangc is ir form of commnnication that r-rtili: es langrragt' to
( on\ cv
the valr- rc tri silenr urr. lcr. rirrr. l in{. rn un\ lrr( ( i1lr. {ilrg tlr, lr
trllnscnds thc linguisti( . asstlll] ptions that roo oit( ll tttis. hltl. c ottr
percept ion o realit,v.
I n act, man} koans describ.e rr'orclless cncotlntc s beI r'''een
masters. Sonre involvc occasitn.rlly harsh physical contact bcru'een
teacher and stutlent. This is part of the sevcre cliscipline rhe novice is
require.J to unrJ ergo. Zen eJ ucirrion requircs no ornlal l.trok I cirrn-
ing. On the contrarl', it u'oulcl be more aprli describcrl as an
rrrrleurnirtg. rhe srripping ari av of crron!'ous lrssumptiorrs.
Koirn
praericc is slori'iln\ l ar. ltloLtS. L. l. on
( 'nt( ring. l
lllL] lAsrcr\ '.
thc nor'ice is called upo 1 tt] cotrform rtl the stricr rr.rlt's of Zen al.rcl to
me.lirare forcefullv or) the koan evcrvr',here ar.rd rrt all tim.'s. Yr'ars
mighr pass in concentration on ir single riclclle. But reali: atior) occLrrs
wirh a surlrlenI ress thirr hclics
tlrc
puirrsrilking t tort thilt
l.rc..e.lc..l
it.
Awakcnecl, one e xercises u har appears to be an
"al.sur,.list"
cor-nmon
serlse rr'hilc roanling throtrgh il unir'erse o c]iscor'rrse lrtrtl rclatirltl-
ships that is genr-rinell' m1'stitl ing ro rhc or-rtsidcr.
THE K11)(Xloli()Kt
Thc sayings of Master Kiclo corrsisr of onc frr.rnrlle.l ki.alrs sclcctecl
from r'aritlt'ls older sor.rrces | .r rhe Chincsc mastcr Kitlcl Chi ]Lr
(HsLi.
t'ang chih-yLi), ri'ho liverl rluring the Srrr-rg L)r'r'rasry
(9()0-
l2T9).
Kicler addeci his o,,r'rr conrlnenrs ro each of rhc koansl aftcr l'ris clcath
the cotnments were con.rpilecl hy the mastcr's rlisciples.
I n
J r-rpar-r
the onc l.rr.rntlrecl koarrs of Master Kic] arc a
1.''art
of thc
koatl teacl.ring reserr'cd for an a.{r'anced stirgc tlf tl.re
1rracr cc.
They
are csl. ce i, rllv vllueJ lor thrir cy( luisi( c . llrrrt1, siniltli. 'ir1 . ; rn. l
ilptness. K i.]'s comnle 1tS arc rcgllrt1ccl by t-l-ratrr' knoll'lt'tigcir[.l.' Zcrl
practitioners ro be the enrL.o.J inr.'nr of the
"pertect
iuts\ \ .'er. ln prac-
tice the master gir'es tlle
Pup l
b.orh tl-re koarr and Kido's conlment.
The answer that the pupil is expecrccl to provicle
consisrs of a sub-
stitute phrase an..J
"plain
saying": these are much larer ad.lirions,
composed by the
J apanese
Zen master Hakuin
(185_
1768) or by his
disciples. Hakr-rin originated the koan-teaching s1'srem in
J apan,
and
it was he ancl his school who estal.lishecl rhe sequence of koans to be
used in the training and the
"correcrness"
of the answers to rhem.
1Z
Very fet'of thest- . koans h, 'rvc evcr sL. en an Englisl- r rrar. rslarion.
Mtlst of the koans i.rn.l al1 cl iv aster Kido's comnlcnts lrar'e. ttt
the best of m, v knorvleclge, not cven been translatcd inro rnodern
, lapanese.
The cclntentS of this book are ext emel\ ' sLlggesti\ 'e' it is r. erl' easv
to be rleluder1 into believing rhat one has
"un. lerstoocl"
the koan or
lllls\ \ 'e . The reatler is adr'isec] tL) rrLlst his or her intr- rition. lr rs lllscl
llt]r isllble not ro reac] too
qulcklr
o tL)o rrlttch irt one rimc.
\ ''erl. fr. . lr'o m\ . o\ \ ' l commc lts art'l. irsccl solelr. on m}
}. 'ersorrlrl
intr. ritron. Mcrst cli, , r. I lat i har'e rr'r tten in the ctlnrnlcI lrar\ 'l. ras L, ecn
eithcr suggestec] or aftirnlec] bl. Mastcr Hirarro Soj ' rr'ho \ \ . ent o\ 'e r
rhe. J apancse e. liti. rn rvirh nre ancl offerecl invalr. rrrhk hclp in
interprcting the koans. The ct'rmments I have acj cled. leal nrainlv wirh
the philosr)phicirl background arrcl the psl chological relarions
L'rrueen th( 'ncrsons rrho, rppel rr i rr the koi rn i n. l ucsti orr. Tl rcv arc
nrrthing nl(\ rc thi)n citrctLtllr'. 'ho. . 'r'r
suggcqrions
ro ai. l thc rrri. ler-
stanclir- rg of the text. I u'oul. l also like to acknowletlge my
intlebterlness to Mr. Ler. rng Har. r Yeong ancl Miss Carol Chinirka for
rl rcrr l rcl p i n prcprrri nr; rhi s trnrrcl rrti trn.
(
)\ Rl \ , E. \ 11\
(
i
: E\ \ E( ritE T\
The Klclr. , gorlkri is thc tinal pirrt of a controversial took first
pul. lishecl in. fapan in the carlr purt of this ccnrr. rrl'. Entirle. l
(]unJ al
. \ irli: or Hrororr
lA
critirlr. rc rrf prcscnt- clar' pscrrrlo- Zenl, it $as thc
work of a renegurle Zen nronk
(r',
I - rose trr. re itlentifv nrrrl ncvcr hc
krro', "n) rrho sct ollt ro rcfornr uhat hc
iurlgr. l
to l- e rhc nroral cor-
rrt1. 1i 1rp, rn. l rrvr' r, tl l 1ri si f i 1, 11i 1ry1 rrt i l rsti ( rrf i rrnrrl i : . ' . 1 Zen i n. l l , l r, 1".
\ \ 'l. rlt trcr- rble. l hinr most \ \ 'as his l. elief that nrant Zcn
"nrirstcrs"
ot
l'ris tirlre \ \ 'cre n]e c chilrlatlrI rs skillc. . ] llr Zen techniqLlC blrt llr. . kirlg a
genrrine r. rr- rr'lerstanrling of Zcn telchings. Bv rcvealing rhc irnswcrs to
the kcllrrls r.rsct.l r-r Z!.11 rraining. I lc I rtlpe.l tt:l untlcrcLtt rheir po.siticlI -r
for all timc.
Alrht- . Lrgh rhe marer al hc rcr. ealetl indicates thar I . re l- rlr. { corrrpleted
the whole collrsc of training tor the position
of Zen masrer at least
once' anJ hirJ rtpcatcJ
| . trti
tr thc coLrrsc tln\ ler Se\ 'Cri'll tclr. . hcrs. rhc
author c]eclared that his real masters \ {'e e the Ch nese Zen mirsters o
the past, teachers such as Rin: ai, Chuho, and Takusui. He con-
side'red the Chinese koans ro be the true Zen teachine and felt thar
T3
the koan svstcn) of Hakr- rin- Zen clid nor conve) thc essence ot
Butlclhisrl. M(rrcolcr, he fclt rh. rt ir u'rs being misr- rsed.
lr is thc cLrstom in Zcr- r monastcries for novices to cornpile their
o\ \ '11 notes on varloLls koans an.l ans\ \ 'ers. cxactly irs thev rrre triu-r-
snlittcc] irl clrllrr.'art
(the prir'ate meer l1g berr'r.ecn nor'icc ar-rc] master).
Once a ntrvice is c1r-raLified as a Zt.n master in his ou rr right, he sul.-
mits his notes ro his n'raster to be revieuecl. correcte. l, ancl approvecl.
The pupil then vou's to keep the ncrtes {, r secret ilnJ to rransn. rit them
only to l- ris owr- r disciples.
Tlrcrefclre. researclrers of Z. . n
generallr'bel er'ccl
that therc cxistct]
no writterr records ot tht. koans anc] their ilnswe s. TI . rc s lence main-
taincd b1'
]
apar-rese scfrolars arrrl sturlenrs acqr.raintcr-1 u'ith tl.re
renegacle monk's u't] k eftcctir.elr. rcnlc-rr'ed it from r,'ierr'. Handi-
cappc. i [. y thcir igntrrrrncc rrf the
"accepterl"
answers to thc koat- ts.
most stutlcnts cl Zer-r in
j apan
irnd thc W'est could onl-v sllecr.rlate on
thc rrleanirlg' trtc.o.]' or LlSage ot ini1ir'i.]lral koirns t.r tlrt'tranlcrvclrk
of Zen practiae. As a result, manv koan translarions, thor. rgh
l i rrgtri sri i . ri l r' ci ri i t- l . . . . hi trt. l trtn mi t. . '. { thc c. * cttl i '. rl
1. t'i nt.
Thtrrr* h
many Western u'riters on Zcn have proviticd poe tic ir-rsigl-rt into rhe
meaning of sc, me kr, arrs, the ir conrmcr. rts inevitaf, lv fail to c(rrvc)'the
rootcd atrirrrcles of Zcr- r tradition.
Mv c1ecisic. n. tlre n' ttl rril lsliltc. rl- r. l
l. Lrt. lish
this btlok rvas lr| . tlr'c all
motir, atetl b1' rr firm . 'ep1'lslion thrrt ir u'oul. l irrrrociuce to rhc
\ esre.rn rr.orltl thc clclrrest. n]o.ct clctltilctl. lrntl -I loSt correct
1licttrre
of trtrditionnl Zen.
T+
I ntrodttction
Thc
lollott
ing lrrlcl arrrrrl.rogruphl ol T'r.'h-sharr
proL
iJ r's art rtccrtrure
f
ie-
urra oi hort lcn orlightcnrncnt actr, all. takrs
pLicc.
I r rccr; rorrs T'reh-
.5f11111'.r
pgr.rorrdl
c-rpe'rre'nc'e rrl
q'u
J rrring hii lorrr- srrlr irrq
ior
.'rrlighrerr-
nrerrc. Accor, lirrg ro T'ich- sh, rrr:
I krrer'r'Buc. lt]hisnl ronl rhc rime I u'as thirrcen. At t}rc agc ot
eighreer. r I
ioin. 'd
thc
priesrhood
. . . then onc rlav I rea. l a thcsis
t.rtlr.rght k.y a rnonk rom Hseh.r'cn' callc...l
..Atlr'ice
on Mec]itlrticlrl.''
A ter rclr.ling it' l ht.car-n('llu'are tlrat l ha.] not \ .ct rtacl.rct] tl.rt stlrgc
menr one({ in this L.ook. Tl'rcreforc. I !\ 'ellt to Hsij ch-r'cn ant]
| olI owecl iris ir. rstrr. rcticltl in meclitirting iln the solc \ \ . o (l ltrr'
()tl
the
ftlr.rrrh tlighr srr cirt cxr.r..le.l all or'cr rnr l.otlr'. I fe it r'crl' cclnl tlrtal.]c
an, - i light. I ro'naincrl in thc rnecliraticrrr irirll t'rrncenrrrtir- rg
()n
mv
mer1itotion urthorrr talking to rlnlolrc. Attcr thirt. I siru' Miao- k: ro-
tr-rr:. ar]tl rr'lts instrrtcte.l rc. mc.]itilt o11 rilc \ \ 'crr..l tt'ti w'ithtlttt lr
nlrrnlcnr i. f infcrrul. tir)lt, rlilv or nighr. \ \ 'hen I got Llp l- ctore . iirw'n
tire hrrrr- t'orr
(tlre gist of the scrrterrcc) intntcriiirtclv prcsentc. { itsclf to
nre. As so()n irs lte lt u lirtlc slec1. y, I lctr the s('af an(i . lesccn. lc. l ro rltc
groull(1. Tlre hri, r- r'ori ncvcr. lcl. llrtc. l front r. I le itt illt\ rinte . cvcrt $ ltile
rvlrlkirlg' prc1lirrirrg trlr. l. c. j irtl. i . lo. . l'
lriekil]g
tll) ll)\ 's1lorltl tlr lltr'itlg
. lou'n thc ehopsrieks. lr r, ras nirh nre all tlrc tinre in lll nr- v activirir, s.
. lirr'lln. ] night. lf L)l)t citn r. rsc his lrlirl. 1 irlro. ltlc rr'lltl]e, ctlt. ttit. tttiltts
piece
,
hc cannot hclp l. Lrt artuirr cnlightcl'rnte nt. Folltrn ir. rg rlris
atlvice, l urr- r fr- rilv cirrtlir- rccrl of nrv actlrrrl trrrivll rlt sllch a strrtc. On
tl- rc 2t''trh of Mrrrch, Master Yen a. ltlresse. l rhc et ngrcgirrit r. r:
. . My
t1. : lrr l. rothtrs. it. is tlt llL) LlSe ro tecl sicc1lr rr'lri]e sitritlg tlr lr
long tinre on voLrr nrcrliratir'rn scar. I t voLl lrc sltc1. , , ,
lorr
slrrrrrlrl lealc
thc scat anri ri'alk ol) thc groun.1, use col.i \ \ 'irtcr to u'asl'r vour tucc
luncl moutfr ancl frt'sl-rcn \ -orlr r.\ 'cs. Thcn vc',lr nrav g() l.uck to votrr
s( i l t
i l i l i n.
ci tti rrx
rr'tth votI r i I . i l l (
cr( '. . r. i rr'thr'l ri I rg
}( ) tl r
nl i l l \ i . ] s i l
R!'prillrcJ u itir pcrmissir.n irtrnr
''\ ledirarion
ot T'ich-shirn," translrrt.'.1 l-v Clhcn-Chi
Chang, I 'hrl, loph. E, r, r anJ \ \ 'esr
(ri):
lla- - ll.
o
l'157 l'v L nircrsin Prcs. of Lllurii.
15
--
you were standing on a
precipice
of ten thousand measu es. and rake
up solely your hla-r'ol
(the gist
of the senrence
).* I i you keep on
working l ke this for seven dai's' you w'ill cerrainly come to the
rea]ization. I t was such an effort as this that 1 nrade orty years ago.''
I practiced according to rhis insrruction for some time and soon
I felt unusual improvemenr. By pracricing
in rhis way rhe nexr day I
felt that I could not close my eyes er,en if I wanced ro. The rhird day I
elt as if my body were loating in the air. The fourth da1' I became
completely unconscious of anything going
on in this world. That
same nighr I leaned upon a baluster and stood there for some rime.
My mind was so serene thar it was as if it were in a stare of uncon-
sc ousness' I collected my htla.t,ott and lost ir not, and then l
proceeded
back to my sear. When I was
j ust
about to sir down, i
suddenly experienced a sensarion rhat my whole bodv. from the top
of my head to the bottom o my feet. was splir. The eeling was
something like having one's skull crushed bl sonlebodvl t was also
like the sensarion of being lifted up from the bortom of a ren-
thousand-foor well to the high sky. I then told Master Yen about this
I indescrihat-,le
ecsras]'l and rhe non-arraching
j o1
rhar I had
; usr
experienced.
But Master Yen sa d to me:
..No.
th s is nor ir. You should keep
working on yoLlr mer.lirarion."
Upon mv reqlrest, Master Yen
gave
me the
',r'ords
of Dharma. the
last two lines o which read like th s:
..To
propagate
and glori v
the
.upgoir-rg'
affair of Buddl.ras ancl
Patriarchs
You srill need a gc.od hamme r-srrike
On the L.ack of
)'or.rr
hearl."
I kept orr saying ro mi'self:
"\ \ 'hv
do I r.rec,.l a hanrmc'ring on rhe
back of my headl"
I was not at all cor-rvinceil of this. Hou'ever. ir scen-recl that thcrc
was still some slight doubt in mr, mind, somcrhing of u'hich I u'as
*
..Htta,r'tltt,'
(.'the g st
clf the sentence.')' Sr.r: trki ttses
..ko.tll
excrcise'. I lstcatl ot
"hra.rirrr
exercise" ar most pl.rces in his n rirings. Scc Sr-r: uki, J lr BrrJ J hisnr, p. 1 19.
Although both
"koclr"
and
"hl(.I -i
oi1" mar L,e us..d ttr.lenore rhe
"inqrrirr
excrcise oi
Zen." the latter is orlgin.rl an.l m..re a(.Llrire.
"Loan
lmpiits thc cntire Zen srorv.
rncluding all the er'ents. pI trs the nl.rin questicll-i
i]t iSsue. ant] rhere orc it is a
qeneral
term, uhi l e
"hr{d- r'o11"
i s l err speci i i c.
"Hrra- !'or, 'denores
onl v rhe rl Ll rsti on. not thc
i r, hol e srtl rr'. i l nJ i n mtl sr cl rscs otl I r'r| re'. gi st. '.
. . hi gh] i ghr. '.
or'. ti p. '' so to spcak. O rhe
question
ls irnplied,
sil
ha
to
da
na
, L
I L l
M
yc
clt
ev
n(
SU
I E
st
r
ri
V
n-
s a
al
s1
n
p
h
L
Lo
not sLlre. I meditatecl thus a long time e\ :L'ry day for almost half a
year.
One day when I was boiling some herbs for a headache I recalled
a Loarr abour Naj a, in which a question was put to hinr by Red Nose:
..I f
you retllrn the bones o
your body to your father and irs f lesh to
your mother. wherc would
'vou'
be thenl"
I remember that once I couldn't answer this
question when I was
asked by the host monk, but now, suddenly my doubr u'as broken.
Later. l went to M ng-shan. The Master M ng-shan asked nre:
"When
and where can one consider his Zen work completecll"
l could not answer this question' Master M ng.shan urged me to
streSs my e fort on meditation
(dhrdncr)
ro wash away worldly
habitual thor,rghts. Each time I entered his room and gave nry answer
to his interrogation, he always said that I still had not
got
to it. One
day I meditared rom a ternoon to the next morn ng, using the
porver of J hrarro ro sustairr onJ press foruarJ . until I J irectlv reaehert
I the
stage of] profound subrlety. Arising from clhra-na I went to the
Master ancl rold him mv experience. The Master askecl me:
"What
is
your original tacc'1"
When I was
j r,rst
about to ans\ \ 'er, the N{astcr drove me orrt an.l
close.l his J oor. From rhar rime on I gaine.l ..r .ut
tlc inrl.rovemenr
every day. Later I reali: ecl that the rvholc tlifficultl, rvas because I hacl
r.rot staycd I rrng cnor-rgh u'ith Master Hsil,-'h-ven ro work on the
subtle an.l fir.re
1.arr
of rhe cask. Blrr horv fortr.rnatc I r.,'as ro meet il
really goc''cl Zen master. L)nlr thrtrr-rgh him rvls I ai.lc to reach such a
stage. Not Lurtil rh!'lr harl lreali: ecl rhar if one cxcrts hintsclf ir-r an
incessant an.l crrnrpclling mirnncr hc r.r ill guin sorne rerrli: arirln f rom
time fo timc. an(] stri1.' of his ignorarlce itt tach ste1r oi the way.
Master M0ng-shan saicl to n.re:
"This
is lrke stripl.irrg a pearl. The
nr()rL \ '()r.l stri1.
11. rlrc h'riqlrtcr. clcltr.'r. llorl
lr11; 11
it h('\ '()n)(rs. Ott('
: tri 1l 1ri ng o rl ri . ki nJ i .
( l l l 1( i rrI
tr. 'i t rr. ht'l r'i l ) ( l ] rl ) l l l i L\ n, S \ rork
( )
anofhcr.
"
Ne'"'ertheless, everl time I rrierl to ans\ \ 'cr nrv Masrcr's clLlestion, I
w'as aiwa- vs tol. l that sonrething rvas srill lackir. rg ir. r nre .
n- - . 1. , . ' i , . , , . , , , {i - ri , ' ^ . L, , ' , . . . I "1. ' . . 1. ; ' . . "'
, \ ! r r ! L r r L r \ \ , , \ r r L r \ Nr r r \
( i ) l l l \ ' l \ l
n f V n l i t l , l . , f n . l
sudc1enl1' l elt mv bo.1y lrnd mincl open rr'icle rom tlre ctlre of nr'y
lndrro\ \ 'rrnJ l. . rrre. rlrrouqh rrn. l rhrough.
lThe
tcclinq \ \ 'asl likc ol. l
l. il. J - Lrp
srrorr srrJ J cnir mc) ting uri ar'
llrn. ler
thc hrighrl
. ttn
thnt
ha.l emergecl aftcr man,v J ark and cloutly clays. I cotrl.l not help brrt
luLrgh our hcarrilr'. I j LrmpcJ . loun abrrrptlv trom mv scrlt arrrl citttqhr
1'7
Milster Mng-sl-rarl.s arnl rr,ith mr'I latl.] antl slri.l ttl hirrl: ..Tcll r-rre.
tell me] \ \ 'hat clo I lack: \ \ 'l-rat clo I lackl"
Thc Master slll1.1-,ec1 I rlr' ace tl.rrce tinlcs. atlt1 lprostrarcci nrl'self
before hinr three times. The Master sai.l,
"Ol'r.
T'ieh-sl'ran, it hirs
takcn vt'rr-r several \ 'cars to get here:"
18
1
"No Wo1'"
onc ...1"l' Brrd.lha Sa\ \ ' \ ' orljtr
I a
lcgcr.r.larr' Brrtl..1I -ra
reprcsenting u'isdom] stancling or- rtsi. lc the grrtc. Hc sai. 1.
. . Mclrrj r. t.
lr1onj Lr. rr'l. rl. . ]cln'r \ . oLl Conlc I - r]'' Mclrlj tr saic. l.
"Therc
is ncr'uir\ '' or- rtsic'le thc gate.
\ \ 'hr. J o
vor. r ask nre
to come in thror- rgl- r tl- re garel"
tut.,\ StEtl. Xttl(l
Yorr hlvc rirr- rghr nrc nrlrch.
M, , \ STER I I , A. KL; I N
Everv cn. l is rxPoserl.
Everv th ng is rclrl.
I )1. , \ 1\ 'S. - \ )'i\ (1,
Tlrc Rgtirlhist lal . 111ror l. e ilrlir i. luirlll
1. rx, - . 1r. . . 1
').
matter hon grcrrt
il person nral l. c. Evcn rrrth Rrr. lJ lrir. rire frritlr of
thc rcI 'r tiisci1lics' rhc ir'c hrrtr. lrc. ] Arhats, rhc kirlg. rlle rrlirlistcr, tl- rc
leac. lcrs, rclgcrI lcr hell. e. ] irr cf ecrir'eir'hrirrgiI lg fortlr t, rtrit.
lrr searcI l o erlI ighrcrllllcllt.
()nc. lel. etl. ].
tltr oI lcsclt lltltl I ttlt t. ltt
othcrs, l. Lrt in srrling rrntl hc)1. i11g pglrp)c,
it is netcssirrl tr. r rclv Lrpon
the t'ftorts rl tlrhers.
N()TE:
]\ 4or- rj tl cl]rcScllts lt Zctl ltttirtt. lc. \ \ . h. : I l []rrti. llllr t. ll]]s 1lirlt tt,
"cntcr
tl- re gltte" (tltis
tcrnt irlso nrciuls t()
'cltrer
tltc rcligirrrrs trrrlr'r- "
or
"pra. tice
llrrrlrlirisnr"). he. lrelines,
tltcrel- v sLrggcsrilrg rlrlr rlt. .
monre nt onc
ltoints
ltr
"tllc
u t1\ ' oltr hus lttst it.
I n tlrkillg thc
1lllrcc
of Brr. l. ]hir arl. '. l rlllrrlkirrg \ '' tlnj rr tor llis
teachir. rg, Ki. lo reattirnts Zcr. r rls rhc
"gureless
grrrc. "
I lakuin's sLrl. -
stitr. rtc pl- rrase
cchclcs Mrrnj rr's sirvirrg. sugg(, stilrg
tlritr tlrcrt, is ritl
placc fronr w, hich to entcr for \ \ 'c rrrc alrearlv in. Thc plrrin srrving,
horvevcr. ir- r tlistinguishing l. ctuccr- r
"cr- rliglrrcnnicrrr"
lrn. l
"the
prlrc-
tice of Btrtlclhisr law. . '' sclnteu. har lrlot. li ics thc
. . anlrrcllistic''
tcrl(]etlc\ ,
of
. tl- rr'
koan. Enligl)rL'nnle nr- thc reali: ation rhar
"r\
e rvrhing is
reaI ''- clcpcrl. {s
otl tl- rc self' htrt irs c fcctir'c. . rr. orking''
(rlr
r. rrlctiilrl)
in. . sar'ing | rrrc] hell. ing people'' rct1t'tircs the tlrr. nlltitltl clf lt rcligicltrs
comnrunir_ v rr, ith its master- pr- rpii.
ltricsr, pirrisirittncr
rclurions, of
mutr.ral cl epentierrce.
19
I
Yesterday,Today
A non-BucLlhist askecl Br-rclclha.
"What
did you preirch
yesterdal'?" Brrd.lha said,
"l
preached
on permanency."
"What
clid
1'or:
preach
tocla,v1"
"l
preachec'l on impermanenc)'."
"You
preachecl permanenc)' yesterclal', u'hy clid you
pre ach irrrprrmuncrrr'r' totlni l"
Bucldha said,
"lr
uas
Lrermirnenr 1'esterday,
but it is
i - ^. - . - - ^. , ^. , , , . I ,
r i l l l , ( l I l t i r r r cr r L LUr l a\ ' .
\ {ASTER KI DT
The non-Budclhist looks L.ack anrl leirves.
\ ,lASTER }I AKI . I N
A chatterb'ox.
/ '1, . '\ l\ \ . \ )'1\ il;
The tcachir- rg iront u great, compassionate hcart is
nrlrch al. preciateLl. Thcrc are timcs u'hcn permancncy is preacherl,
thcre arc tinres u'hcn impcrrnancncv is prcachetl. I t is likc sperrking
truth at ccrtuin tir. nes anrl falsc u'or. ls at other timcs. lt has heen saicl
sincc ancient tinres: Facc a l. encvolcnt ruler rr'ith colrrtesv untl a
rlrrtt- rt u'ith \ \ 'eapons. See thc malr. thcn preuch
"rhe
w'uy. " This
nretl'rocl of preaching is r- ror casilv tlisccrnetl l. r'the orrlinary man.
NOTE:
"Preacl- rir- rg"
is, csscntiullr', a nrisrrse of u'orcls. lt is not the
"csscncc"
that nlrttcrs- u ho kno* s
"rsscnccs"
anvw'ayl l)eople clcr
not conlnltlt-ticltte for the sake tlf scltrch rlg for stlme abstract
"trLl rh. "
lt is not clear', l, hat Kirl rneans. Hc rrla1'har'e sr. rggestc'. ] rhat the
non- Btr. Lihist has rcali: eil thc futilit, v of ahstract spccr. rlarion ancl, in
leavir. rg, pLrts an entl tc'r his in. lrrirr. Thc rcrnr
"chatrcrbox"
is meanr
to chrrrrtcr.'ri:c pc(rplt: w'ho ir.rclulge in ahstract, spr'cr.rlative argLlmcn-
; ) ti trn Th. . rl l ' ri n
qj | \ . i n{t ql | ] \ tr. ts
rhnr. . tl mp1111j i . 111i on
i s not l t
relarion bctwc. . n opinions t r. rt between human beings.
z0
3
Neuer Sa d aWord
Before Buddha enrere.l nirvana. Monj r.r askecl him ro
preach
again. Buddha scolcled Monj u antl said.
"i
har.,e
lii'ed in this world or forr1'-nine
Vears anc] I hat'e ner'er
said a rvord. Nou' r'ou ask me ro preach
again. Do
vou
mean I har.e preached
be orc.]''
lv{ASTER KI Dt
Monj r. r says.
"Butl. 1ha
rrics ro b'e kincl ro rhe vcrr. 'lasr. "
\ ' ASTER t '\ KL'lN
Like thc I iorr's roar- fcrrr rror a thing.
1)- . 1i\
\ \ ) / \ (i,
Br. rclclha
l. reacite, . l
tor torl- 6i1e
yrr)rs
rrrtr. l l. etqrc
dying sai. 1,
"Lrf
till . o'' l hi* r not suitl rl \ \ 'r)1'r. l. " H. r* nrr. rch rlris srrr',
ing tl BuLltlhll's sh. . lrr's l. ris l. crrer. clI etlt
kirl. ]I less. This ilrsr sltr. trrg tlI
Bu, . lclhn's hus tornrenteJ rhc nrinrls of thc rlesccn. lunts- ir
r, rrrrr. , r- rt
so ciisgLrstirlg ir is erloLrgI l to ttlltkc r. ltlt r'tlttlit'
Brlt ir rr, lrs tlrI t il etlttt-
plts. sit. lt. t l)l'ril
1li11.
rhlrr RLr. ltlllit saicl ir. This I lrst sllr'itlg o I J tr. i. llur's
rt i l l ncr'. r 1. .
rrrrn. '. 1 ; rgrrrrr. t.
N()TE,
ln
"l
I tirr.c ner.cr siritl u
rcachir.rg is r.ror ro [.c tlefinc.l as a
reaso n il lg.
u ortl. " llLr. lrlhl suggests rhrrr hiS
cittcrrir- re, nor aut irplrll l- y irl. strirct
lrl tlrkirlg rllc
1lllrce
oI V orlj Lr lrrl. ] tlllrrlkirlg RLrrl. 1lur | r. tr tlle
. . kir- rtlrress''
tlt his I ltst ri'ortJ s.
Kitl inlplies tllllt stt. . ll lt l'icrr. rlf
Btrtj t] ha
( i 'c. ,
Br. r. . l tl hi srl l ) i q tl - re gi st
t. Z. 'n. TI l c. . l i orl 's r( ) l l r. 'l l ) l l \ '
sLlggcst Bu. l. lhl's po\ \ 'cr,
br. rt it is rrlso fhc nr()nrclrr of
"rro- rvrrrtl"
( such
as i n tl re shoLrt
"Karsr- rl "
or i . rhc i . c. ri . g r'i th rl rr: sti ck) .
Thc
plairr
saf ir. rg sLrgge srs horv har. l it is to rrulr un. lcrsr. lr(l
rhc
"lrt. rf- rr-
rvor. l"
of Zen BLrdrlhisn). rnri
h. . * ersill f, is nri- sirrrerprererl
ancl rnislrsetl.
21
I
Preaching
tr^.''-'^' R" -t
pvl
f)r'rrasry aske.l Fr.rciaishi
[a
Bucidhisr L r r r f
, l r v r
u \ r v r l \ '
l , r ' . . r r r l , ^ , . . - r , ' h
r h" s, ' r i nr l r , ' F, , , 1' r i qhi r vcnr r r r r r r \ hi q
r ( l \ t l l ( l ( l l L v
f ' l l ( l \ l l
L r l L r \ t r l ( u l ! , r u \ l ( l l . r u t r v I r l J
se.at, hit the'.lesk once I ighrlr ri'irh rhc srick, anr'l stcppc('l
.lori'n. Thc !'r-nlleror \ \ 'us taken aback. Latcr Shiko
[a
BuclJ hisr lrrvnrar-r] askeci the crnperor,
"Llal.c
you
r-rn.lcrstoo.l
l" Thc emf.rcp61 saicl,
"No,
I do not unclcr-
sfulrcl." Shiko sairl,
"FLr.laishi
l'ras f inishetl his p19,161'1'''*."
\ 1,{STEI i. KJ L)O
[inrpe ror l]u sur s,
"lt
is reallr s()nre thing rirrclv heur.l of ."
\ 1.\ STI i{ il.-\ Kt ]\
Ttl retreat tl l rce s1. '1- 5
l ttl tl
gi r. r'l t l . tl rr't. thi tl l ks
i 'l - . \ / \ \ . \ ) 1\ (
j '
I rrnt. i ce1. 1r'grrrtcf Lrl to thc contPrrssi onrrrc l terrrt r', 'l ti cl t
grr\ '( '
r) ) c rl rc
Pri v
l l g. g of hcrrri ng the ncl cr- l rcarti - trn'ti l l - nou' RLrr'l -
. i i ri rt i rrri .
Nt) - f t: ,
Tl rc
"rrot- l 'uortl
'| ri ri ei pl c
shi i h i s i rrr1. l i q, . { i n koans I I i :
(lcI ll()llstrilrt. l
ll. , rc iI l its etltl. . retclltss. TI lt ctlll. crtlr \ })c(. ts $'()r(ls
irr)rl inst('rrl
gers
thc sor. u)Ll r)f the stick.
i rr i ri s eonrrnerrr Ki r'{ri i nr1. i i 1's tj rl rr i r i s i rr rhi s nr( ) nl rnt tl rl r tl rr'
cr))| er()r slrt, i, rl. l rtlrci'r un. lcr. tlrn. lirrg. HlrkLrin's srr[. sfitute plrrrrsr'
luntl pl11ivl saving trnlv ecl- ro Ki. lo's corlnlcltt.
) )
--
)
CI oud
The.
Emperor
Shukus
asked
his Zen teacl.rer
Etchu'
..Yh"|
did
1.ou
learn at
[1'our
maste.]
,'.,o', placc1''
Et.nu
replied,
"Your
Maj esrv,
do
r.ou ,.. ih. piei
of clou.l in
the sky7.' The' emperor
sai.].
..Ye
s. I scr-' it.'' Etch saic],
.'I s
it pinnr.r-l
up b_v a nail or is it hanging
in miulairl',
u,qsTrR
rtitt
Whcre
is Enol
MASTER
I I AKL I \
What
docs rhrlr ntcanl
(Or,
not in thc
f i11. 211gsc
c. iiri. rn
tormless.
)
1)1-',\ / \
\ ,'\ )'/ \ .(
i.
lt lllts l.cct.t s..r'e tlteCI l
\ 'cllrs siI li.r,
Etlo .i c.l. V'lle rl r'orr
think
rrl.orrt ir, tir-uc srrrclr tlics.
htrr
rrsc. i rr. itlr i, : rtlrin
nrrrstr, rs:
\ 'rritl.
)l. lu
, { 'lI gllt. I v. ]
itt. : rcI lt
r. ersitltt
tl the slttltc
ktlatl
lr1. 1. 'g111s
irl t]le
I I rst
lr. lrt
tl1
(
iiltJ rtt
\ til. 'lr
H]. rr, , lt (cI llrlltcr
]' koarl
j ltr).
I n
tlllrr
\ 'eri i \ ) I ]
'rI ] . .
. 'ttt1. . . 1. . . 1
; rtks
Er. l l .
. . \ \ 'l r. ri
\ \ ) rt
\ \ l rr i s. i trrrr
t. t. ', . , ] . . '. ,
acLl ttl r( 'rl l . "
\ \ 'l t( . t'( , t\
l r. , r. tl r. . c1) l \ ( r( ) r'i
rl Ll r. i ti rrl r
a. 1, , , "*
E, , f '1": . .
rr'isticltlt
to Erch's nlasttr,
Erlo.
Thc
", . , - '| i. . . .
Sccn)s
to eXpcct
ll
n)t'ta1rh1'5igi1|
illlS\ \ 't .
I tl his rts1. 91lse
Ere lrLr riilicLr]cs
. ]. . . nt1l. , , . . . . , '. ,
specr. rllttir'. .
rirnle of nliI r. ]
itnr] . ii, - , . , . . t. l. '. , . . k, , . . 'g
hit- tl irlro erlI ighrerr-
ment.
Sonrc. rar
irrcrprr. t
Er. tirrr's
l. or. ting
"r', ,
tlorti, - , g
ai. r. lj
: ; ^; ,
reterence
ro
"nonarrlchnr. . nr"
(ro (. olrccprs).
l. trr I thi, il
ii i, fir;
takerl
sir'nplr, its
. . a
clotr. ] is; t cltlltt]. ''
Etch''. s poirlting
lrr rlre clcrLrtl
is
19, 9, ]1. )'
u rc. icction
of
. chc
nrcr. t1. [, , 51; . 11
. . , ', , . . 1. r
of
. . 1, is. 161r, ,
pr
"Zcn'''
lrLrr rrls. - . s Kiilo
hinrs i, r
'; \ \ 'h. r.
is Enor"- a * , - , gg. r, i. , . '
thar rrhcrr, onc, is
f. rcing
Etchrl, ir is of nLr LrsL, to ask for Eno.
H. tkLttlr
s srr[, stitr- rre
phrase ("\ \ 'har. ]ocs
rl- rat
nreanl") is a r, , . av r. tf
nullif)'ing
a. fr-rrile qu.rtio,-,
and .1rir ing ,r.r. q..'.r,i..,,-.,.,
i,..,,o ,."ir--
rion'
The aI tcrrlatir'e
sul.stirr'rrc
pl',rase,{..\ '..'i..]'
ornrlcss'
) ..i..,*
; .; .
ap| rcllr
in
QcrrJ .il .\ rl7i; crr
Hrrurt
bur is trsccl ir] its p]1]gg
ll'..,..i'.,
masters.
I hare,hr.Lrght
ir a f*r'ot
thcsc..lifrcre.r
r.ersitrr.rs
rr.herc
rhe
phrlrse
of
Qcrr.l.rr
'\ li;c'rl
Hrilrort rr.as r.tnc]eirr
or rr'h..re
I f clt ir n,i.,..]
23
the point. Such versions do not appear in any
publication but only
in the
private notes of Zen novices or masters uho hirr.'e undcrgone
the teaching of the
'.one
hun.lred koans of Master Kic].''
(I
wish to
note that I did not receir,e these versions f rom any of the
people men-
rioned in connection rvith the preparation of this translation.) The
alrernarir.e r.crsion o rhe sut.stitute phrase seems ro interpret
Etch's
..cloud
answer'' as implying rnrr
(..nothing.''
,.r.oicl''),
whereirs
the plain saying suggests the commonsense l{
("is," "existence")
attiturcle to the
question concerning the deceased master.
, /
1, 4

This I s I t
Master Etch askcd Master Nansen.
..Where
dcl yor't
come rom]'' Nansen said'
. . I
come from Kozei District. ''
Etchu said,
, 'Did
you bring the portra t o Baso
[Nansen's
master] with you1'' Nansen said'
. . This
is it''' Etch saic. l.
"How
is it from the backl" Nansen u'ithout a lvorc'l
r.l'i t h c'l re rv .
N4ASTER Klt)
Nansen. with lr scu of his ioot. r, r. alks ar'r'ar'.
I vI ASTER lJ AKtllN
Eve rl' s1.os is at stllr.rt.'lv rcal.
/ '1, . . \ l\ ' . \ . \ ) 1\ (), The n'rorc
. , 'or- r
lr. rok Lrp irt ir. thc tailcr it gcts. Thc
llrore
- vo(r
ctrr it. rhc harticr it gets. lf tt'trr rhink it is in thr front. it is
i n rhc brrck. l f
l oLr
rl ri nk i t i s i n thc l . ack. i r has nei rhcr sha. l o* 'nor
f ( ) i l 1) . \ 'or( 1. l orrl l l r'ss- i t i s i rrsr i t.
NoTE' ErchLr. [.v his rrap qlresriolr, r'liverts Nurrsrrr's Zcn fronr
Nansen to Birso
(Nanscr-r's
nrlrstcr). Nansen, in
"This
is rt," poinrs nt
thc lrcrr.ral sitr.ratior-r of Nansen an.l Etchr.r tlcing cach orhcr ltntl
sLlggcsrs
"here.
nou'." Etchr-r. hou'ever, tloes nor givc r-rp lntl asks for
the
"l.ack"
(of
rhc porrrait)r ir.r tLring so, hc is tcsring *hcther
Narrsen is rrot, rrftcr all. tirkcr.r in hv rlistinctions
(rrs
bctrvern. for
cxan.rple
,
..frorlt''
arlt]
..back.'' .. 1o!\ ''
ant]
..thcrl'').
Nanse n's r,,'itl.rr-lrarval n'ray l-rave t'neant his iailr-rrc to escrrpc Erchtr's
trap. KiLl. oI l thc tlrher hanc]. nlakes Nanscn rr'alk irrr'a1'..r'n.ith lt
scr,rff of his toot." Thror.rgir this act. Kiclfi scenrs to impll' rhat
Nanscn has
"erirsetl"
Etchu's c;uestion. lcaving t-r,-r .leb'ts t'rchirr.l.
Haklrin's sLrbstitl.lte phrase suggests that all rlLlcstions ilre cLlt otf, or
rve are alrcacll' u'here rve or,rghr to ber u hereas the plirir.r
saving in.rplies
thar it is fr.rtile to measrrre crr
(lr'fine
re'alin. As a concept it is
absolutell'"roicl and formless";
1'et
as it is. it is
"rrF,solLrtely
real."
z5
7
I f That's theWay You Are
When N{aster Ma,voku Came ro see Masrer Etch, he
r.vavecl his stick oncc, bror-rght it,-lori'n il'ith a slam, and
stooJ . lirecrll in tront of Etchu. Etchu saicl,
"lf
that's the
\ \ 'a-v you are. there is no need for you to meL't me
an)'morc. is therel" Mavokur \ r'irverl his stick once agirin.
N '{STER KI I )o
Takc cure. \ \ 'atch nrc.
\ ASTER tl'{K( . l\
lt i: right irl fr..lt-tt tl l'ottr er.cs.
l'l- . \ / \ \ , \ ). I \ (
j ;
Hcr'. r'tlrr [. l. 'lekhcat. llC. lI r't \ '()Ll \ ('I 'rrr rrghr llcrei
\ r
l T[ :
I \ i trtl l . tt l l ti rk. ' . . t
. . Zt' n
s}tt' rr' ' '
t\ ) f
( . l ) l i ghr. l l I tte
ttl ) . l . trr. h. ' i rrg
rtltl self-cclI -tscit.rts. hc lt'ltr't. I .ttl rtltlnl ..lr ErchLr. Scl -rcllI i: atitln is I .ttlr
rl l l l i l tter
( ) f
rci l l i : i ng \ \ 'hi l t
( ) nc
i s. hur of reui i : i ng onr i s rrot.
z6
I
Do Not Be Dece ued
Guguny
[an
offlcial] asked Master Etch.
..How
c]id
vou
practice ri'hile vou u'ere staving on Hakugai Mountainl"
EtchU called in a child. strokecl the chilcl's heacl wirh his
harld. and said,
'. I
it is a]ert. sar. it is alert. I f it is clcar' say
it is clear. From nou'on cl, . r not be, - leccived bl'pcople. "
Gugunywas speechlcss.
N ASTER Klt)o
Fron-r here orl I r'r'ill r-ro lclrrge r scat.ch .lr Br.ri.ltltrlr.
MASTER I I AKL. I N
Tl re l rtf i I rrtv
gr( \ \ \
I r u l rrl t' rrri ri rr!, . r . l ti l . l
1'1- , \ 1\ S. '\ ) l\ '(; ' Ah, E. rchLr. rrrrlY rr
great nrasrrr rrn. ler hcrrVen.
N()TE. C)r. rgtrn, v ctltlccir'cs clf L]trJ . lhist. tl irl ttrtlls tlt. . 1lr111 6i. . g. '. . 11
''tcl rel l i rl g. ''
l tl
1. 9i 111j 11.
ar rhe cI l i l J I j ke nri rl . l . E'reh strggests
( l i rtct
ex pcr lcl)cc.
Kicl replaccs C)rrgr. rrrr. ' rr. ho ltp1larerrrl1. . . loes ll()t tlll(lcrstill]tl
EtcI l's nlcanillg, ant] r', . lrr's tc. l ltcicl1. 't rhc. . rttlttscltrcl. rirlg'' lrtrittlt. le.
Hlkr. rirt's slrbstitr. rtc phrltse
I rtry l. c nreulrt t() sgggesr tlrut E. t( 111, lll
clcaring tht
"tlunscenrlcr- rr. rl"
h. r: c lrrrnr
(j utrrrrvh's priptl.
I irs slrgryl
f atherl i ki ndncss.
z7
9
A Cry stal Vessel F LLed with lce
Kanzan
[a
poet]
asked Master Bukan,
"lf
an ancient
mirror is nor polished, how can ir reflecr rhe lighr of a
candle'?" Bukan said,
"A
crystal vessel filled with ice has
no shadow. A monkey reaches for the moon in the
water. " Kanzan said,
"Such
things do not reflecr lighr,
Will you go
on with
i'our
talkl" Bukan said,
"lf
these are
of no help. what J o
)'ou
want me to sayl" Kanzan bowed
anc'l withdreu'.
MASTER KI DO
He thinks that br. n.rv illlslve hc unt]crstancls.
N'I ASTER HAKt'I N
I t s, rrks l i kc tl r, '
sri ; rri ng
rrl , r ri gr'r.
1, l- ', \ i\ . \ ', \ )'l\ 'c; , lt s like brirlgir- rg oLlt ol1 a t ll\ 'r
j cr', 'el
rI lat shincs
o'cr- r at night.
Nt)TE: 1n his sinrile of the rlirror lr- r. l liglrr, Karr: rrrr eonecivcs r. rf thc
"trurh" (of
cnlightennrent) ir. r terms of
sLrl. j cct
', tt. l
. . ; l. j ect. The sinrilc
also irriplies that thc irttirinnrcnt of enliglrturnrrnt involves sL)nrc
special cttilrt tln l. chalf o the sr. rhj cct
(. . 1lolislr
tllc nlirrtlr''). Br. rklrr- r,
itl
. . a
crt'stlrl r. essel fillcc] r'r irI l iec''' sr. rggcsts tI lat tl. rc stllte tl
cnlightcrrnrcnt ciocs not cntaii reflectiorr of rrne cntit- v
(sLrch
lrs
"trrrrh")
on anothcr
(sr. rch
rrs thc
"sclt"):
[. trr- rg sl- ra. low'less, it is lrot ii
. . tlling. ''
Tlltlsc r'r'I ltl fail to r. rrlt]ersrarl. . l rhis grasp a tcr it irr r'air'r, likc
lu nronkcv trving ro carch thc rcilcction rrf thc nrt, on in thc $'irter,
Kan: an, srill taken in br tl'rc ciualistic thinking of his
"rcflccriorr
sir- nile . " . loes not un. lerstan. l.
I n his rcspclrlse. Ki..it.l takes t}-re placc tl BLrkarl. strggestirrg tlrat
althclr.rgI l Katl:arr borr'ct] anc] rr'itht]rerr'rr'ithor.rr pr-rrslring thc niltter
fr"rrr| rer. it is c.lor.rb'rfLrl
.,i'l-rerl.rer
hc ltr-rticrstt-'il.l. Tl-re s rrlilc of thc
i r\
i tnl
r c. scl f i l l c. l u i th i cc l . c, rrrri trr] l i
( \ [ \ r1'ss( i
thc
"rro- strt
j . 'er.
t. 'o- ebj ect" ir'lea. \ 'et as long as it is concervctl of onlt' irr tht- 'abstract
(i. e. ,
as a concept). it is of no Lrse. Hakr. rin's sr- rbstitr- rte
l. rhrasc
ancl tht'
plain saving pririse Bukan's
"ri'orking"
as pou'crf ul ar- rcl effectii'c.
28
10
What I s This
Called?
Hotei
[an
eccenrric
figure of Chinese folklore]
always
strolled
around the srreers, carr'ing
a clorh sa.* a.,.1
'a
torn,carper.
The cloth sack was filled rvith pors,
bowls,
wooden
clogs, ish..rice. r,'egetables.
meat. tlles' rocks. clay.
u'ood'
ancl all kinds of th ngs'
Sometin.res, in a crorr'c]etj
plr: .; ,T,u'ould
open the sack.
empr_v it, ancl say,
,,Have
a
look."
i hen he would pick
the things Lrp one by one ancJ
ask.
..What
is this called],' The crou'.] o's du-b oundecl.
ltaSrER rlo
The ugly \ \ 'omAn
f rorr.n..
N4ASTER T{AKL]I N
To flirrg
j r
irrtr' rhc rrvr. r.
l'L {1\ ' .\ ,'\ )'/ \ (
j ,
Laving .r.rr strch',r'orthless
j Lrnk-j r.rsr
l ikc a b'cggrrr's
chil. l plrrr
irrg illtrLlrrrl u ith . r ri. . t. htrrll.
NOTE, Florei
is
1'roinring
righr ar
Hotei's
"Zen
shou''' is or.errlone.
saving: A l.caLrriful rvonran rvher-r
uglv u,onrirn
rr,l-ro thinks shc hirs
rou,l.rs irI l.l gcts
Lrgl cr'
it. Kirlo suggcsrs, l. rorlevcr,
rhat
I I is cor- nnre nt re iers to lr
l- roplrlur
frtlrt'rlitlg gcrs
r]l()rc l. catrri r. il;
lrrl
ttn. lcrst. ltr. l
the sccrtt tl l. cltr. lty
HnkLrin's
suhstitlrtt phr.rse
unt.l plirir.r
slr.ir-rg suggcsr the conr-
mor)scnse vic,'r of tl-r.'onlo.rkirrg
crcrrr.tl, \ \ 'hat
is r-rglv is rrglr..
nn.l
what is worthlcss is *'orthlcss;
* har is rirc r-rsc of plavi'r-rg
aroul.l rvitlr
j Lrrrki
Ntlt- l.cirrg rllkcrl irl [.r thc sllt.rr'' st.tclt sillrl.licitv
tl nlirltl s
more
"sophisricirreil"
than lJ ore i's Zcn.
29
11
A Few Here, cL Feu,There
Monju asked lv aster Mr-rjakr.r.
..\ r\ ,/ herc
har'e ytlr.r | .een
recenrlvl" )vlr.rj irkr.r sairl.
"i
have been ir"r rire south."
Monj Lr sa tl'
. . Hou'
is thc teaching oI Bu. lJ ha faring ilr th. '
southl" Muj aku saicl,
"The
teaching of Bucldha is cleclin-
ing an.1 monks hardlr' keep ciisc 1..'linc.'' N{onj r.r saic],
"Hou'
manl monks are therel" Muj aku saicl,
"Sometinres
three l.rundrec]. sometin.res ii.e hunclrccl. lt r'aries.'' He.
then asked Mor-rj r-r,
"Hou'
are things gerting on herel"
Monj u sairl,
"Tl'r,-.
pcople and saints livc 11''gcther.
Dragons ant] snak...s m rrgle.'', Mr.rj akLr saitl
,
..Ho'ut,'
many
monks are therel" Monj r-r sairl,
"Thrce-rhrec
in front,
three-three in back
I i.c..
a t*r' here
,
a fclv rh.'rc]."
M, {STER KI DO
lr1tlst pctl1.lt c..l .tllt)t rcach tllis tllr.
i\ 4ASTER H, , \ KLI I N
I learnctl rl-rc nr.rnrl.cr
j Lrst
totlrrr'.
I 'l- , \ i \ '. \ . . \ \ 'l\ '(l' TI te vast sl. h. . r. - ltou'tr, . rl', extraor. 1ir- rar1'!
NOTE: Mtrj lrklt seeI lls tcl thirlk rhat tI lc starc o rhc. . tclrel. rirlg tlt
I ltrcl.llta" rlepcll(lt r-tpcttr thc nunrbcr et rngnks lrrtl tl.reir tlcgrec ef
tliscipline
(as
to thc monastic lau'). Bcing too consciorrs of rhe
rliftcrence l. ct', veen
"morrk"
an. l
"lavmrrr- r"
hr is tukcn in t- r'. listinc,
rions
(betrvecn "sorlrh"
un. l
"r'rorth, " "nrirnr'''
an. l
"te. , r"').
Monj r. r's
r)nswL'r
("The
peoplc ani. l saints livc togcthcr. Dragons ancl snrrkcs
nlinglc''). rlrrhcr tllltrr ir. rcliclrting the srittc of []trd. ]h snr ir'r thc
"south, "
suggests his oun srrrc of rrrinJ . Tl'rLrs. rvhercirs rhc Zcn
llraster Mrrj akr- r. in trtrirchilrg gl- rj ilt inrp(rrrJ n. e to tl're nronastic orcler.
takes a Hinavanic', 'ieu, of Blr. ldhism. l\ 4or- rj r. r
(thc
Btr. l. lha of u. 'is, . 1om)
rcpresents tlre r'ierr'l. tlint o Zerr. 1n l. ris ans', i'er
(. . a
ferr'here. a fcw
tl- rrre") to rhe qLrcsti()n on the nlrr. nber of nronks. Monj r, r sLrggests
"it
i s al l the same. "
30
'I n
stating.
. . Most
petlplc Cilnnot reacI l that ar, '' Ki. l praises
t| re
. . c. listillcticln- I c('''
st| lte ot nlir. rt]. Haktlirr. s sr. tb. sritr. ttc
1. . , hras. 'also
slrggests the princiL. le
of nonclistinction.
ln
"a
feu hcre, u fcw, there. "
Monj r- r tcaches N'luj aku the
"r- rr- rmber"- nanrelr, ,
how' ro view, rhc
milnv thilrgs'"r'itl. rour l. cing taken in bv clistinctions of dcgree ur. rtl
r', t I t t. '.
) 1
t t
t2
Teacup
Mrrster Mr-rj aku mer Monj u c-rn Mounr
u'ere ha.n'ing rea, Monj u pickerl
up rhe
"Do
you have this in the southl"
"No. "
"Then
u'l'rat clo
vou r-rsualll'drink tea
There was no alrswer.
\ ' ASTER KlDl
Bo* 'and ger up.
MASTER HAKL. 'I \
Bow ar-rd leavc.
Tai. While they
glass
and asked,
rVl tnl
l)L,,\ 1\ s,,\ \ .I \ t;.
..Thank
\ 'o!l \ 'er\ ' mr.rch .lr the tca ancl cake.
Goocll. yc, '' So sa1'ing, tak ng one's lear'e.
NOTE, Tl're trrr-glass seen)s tL) I -rave bccn lr rarc vcssel nor usr.rally trserl
or ten. Muj akr. r's firsr ansr'u'er nlar'stilI rcfer ttr thc tca- glass. l. rrt
ri, hen askcil.
"\ \ 'har
clLr
)()u
Lrsrralll . lrink rca withl" hc apparently
artachr's
"m, : irnirrg"
to Monj rr's qucstion (sr. rch
as,
"How
clrlcs Zcn
farc ir- r thc sor. lrh]'') arlt] is thLrs stlrck in rhc rra1- r he himscl ser. As
against MLrj ilktr's lrttirr. r. le. b. oth K . lo- 's con)nlc11r itn. l tl- rc comme nts
of HakLrin- Zen slrggcst a simple irnd natunrl
"har, 'ing
tea" stut. '
of nrind.
) L
13
l'leither TooMuch nor Too Little
Master Nansen sai.],
..l
l u'crc. ro go tln.1 sell nlyself'
would therc be people ro burl' rnel" At that a monk
steppecl otrt and saii{.
"l
rvoulcl L.lrv." Nrtnse n saicl.
"Hov"'
woulc] you btrv me i|
1.or.r
u.e c ro
Pnr
ncirher too mllch
nor too llttlel" The monk
qas
clr-rmbfolrn.lccl.
unsrEn rto
l tl'rere is SL)mco1]c r,i.ho rr.or.rlcl rake ir r.l1-.,on l-rinrseli. I rclrr rr'ill rrtlt
hold back.
MASTER HAKL'I N
Hori' r.r.rrrch is icl
/ ) 1. . \ / \ '\ {}'1\ '( 1,
"N{aster, i f
thcrci srrnvti . ri trg}oLrwi tl tt. l orl c, sl l al l
I . l o
itl Perhrrps rr- rbbirrg vour shrttrl. lcrsl" So saving, bowirtg ol'rc's I tcit. l.
NL)TE: People arc too easilv raken irt ['r clef ir-rititlns. Trr-rc, Nrttrse ll is rt
"Zct't
t't'urster," b,.rt r'i'l-rat is a rrakc.l ttn.l
l'etrnilcss
Nlrnsetll Thc nltlnk
u'ho voltrntetlrs trr
"l.ttr'"
Natrsct't is rotr rltsh. Horl catt he kncr,,i'it ht'
s [.r.r,virrg a hcggar tlr lt Zct-t I rlllsre r]
KitlT's col1ltllc lt scclllS to sttggest thlrt tl-rc
}'rtll.lctt.r
is it reltl ollc
anrl has to be face. i. Hrrkrrin. in pr. 111it- t* lt
"L"- tvcr's
nortl" ltgltillst lt
"sellcr's
$'r)r(1, " thrcrns the l. all l. ack to Nrttrsetr. Thc pirrrrt srr- virtg
rrj ccts the
l. trt, hlcnr
rrs hr'1', otherical itrrti sirnl. lv rcsppllql5 to thc
l \ rcsc') t
n) i l rt rr- l 'l . l
l \ i
I
i i
t tl i l t i \ \ l l .
33
11
A Pair oi Breeches
Masrer Nunsen saici.
"Therc
arc tl-re fr.lur elerncnts
[ctf
mirtter: carth, \ \ 'atcr, tire, airl in thc bo.lv of trr-rth
I ho. tshln] .
I f anvone can cxplain rhis ro nre
,
I shall give him
tr
tr.lair
cl brecches,'' N{astcr L)clgcl canle fclrtl.r antl slritl'
..Thc
essence of earth is rrot r'tlicl. \ ''oit] is t.rot thc CSSC lcc
of r'arth. This is tl-re elerncr-rt of eurtl'r. Thc otl'rcr tl'rrcc
elenrcnts arc also the sanre." Nlnscn r{it] nor l.reak his
prornisc; he gar'e L)ogo a pair tl l.rccchcs.
N, '.\ STI ]R KltX)
L) ogo, rapping hrs tccth, throu s a spgll.
\ {,\ STER i{,{KL'I N
Hrr I f
-praisi
ng. hll f
-rlc
nor-r nc i n g.
1'l-.\ / \ 5.'\ )'1\ t; ,
"\ \ 'ell,
u'cll. I carelcsslv lcr r1're riorrls sli1. front rrrv
moLlth. Pleasc excr,rse nrc." So
\ aving,
borling c'rne's heacl.
(Or.
u'ith certain masrers-in aclrlirion to thr' al.ove-onc slys.
"Cratefullv
I accept. ")
NOTE: ln Mal-ra1'ar-ra Br-rclcll'rism, antl cspeciallv rn Zcn, ri. or
"martcr"
(or
its for.rr primarv elcmcrrts). is irlcntifier1 rlith nrri. or
"r'oicl"
(rhc
..csscI lccless
cssetlce'' cl rclrlitr'. r.rsrralir.S\ 'non\ 'nloLls.,r'ith hrlsshlrr).
L)gcl. irl tlistrrrgtrishirlg L\ l.t\ \ .cen 1| ilI lL] 1llli. gcrcs agaitlst the acccptctl
rloctrinc, thrrs suggesting tflrt I 'rc is not rakcn in l.\ 'conce ptlriil tl-rink-
ing. lr rnav b,e tair to irssLurc tl-rar lrarl Nirnserr
1-,rclrche.l
thc scpanr-
tiorl of l( llnrl 1]llt. L)go rr'tltrl.1 har.c res1.t..,tl.1ct.l rr'ir| r rhc o1-lptlsitt
thcsis, asserting that thcv urc i.ientical.
Kido's conlnlent is nof clcar. b'rrt l'rc rlar havc mcilnt to sLlggest
that in his ansuer Dogo. lrir'. 's arlav thc
"cvil
spirits" oi. loctrinarian
specr.rlation. Hlrkr-rir-r's srr[.stirrrrc phr.rse ,rnJ thc plain slrving sLlggcst
that Dgo is rigllt tc.., rcflttc Nansen.s spccr.riatit.ltl. b'r.rt rr'rtlng rl thlrt
he hinrself spccr-rlates.
) 1
) 1
) , )
No
Qrea
Masters?
Master Obaku sa cl.
..You
are all leftor'er-eatersl I f
1.our
u'alk around the r.vorlrl and senrch for trurh in sr-rch a
manne r. u hat achievemcnr calr
volr expcctl Do yor.r
knou' that therc are no morc Zen masters in Cl'rinal"
Then a monk stepped olrr anri slicl,
"Arerr't
thcre thosc.
who u'llk ilrcrunt'l clrnesrlr irrstrucring thc n-rasscsl
\ r\ ,/ hat
clf then- r]'' obaku sa cl. . . I . licl riot Sa\ 'there is t'ro Zen
alrYnrorc. onlv thar thr're arc no great nlilstcrs.
\ lASTER KI DO
Thc rronk savs,
"l
sl.riril r-ror forger thc kin.lncss an.l fuvor of n'ry
nlll s tc .
''
M, \ STER HAKL I N
I rvas fortr. rnate in rnecting mv nlastcr antl recciving his insrrr. rction
l)L, \ 1\ '5'{\ '/ \ Cl'
Yes. I aiso irm c- . , nc ot the pgp1]5
of rh!'grellr nlilste
NoTE:
I rr sa1'ing r}-rat..rhere ilre no nrtlrc Zen nl.]Sters in Ch na.''
Obakr.r urges his pupils not ro relv c'rn orhers fr.r,: nlightenrlcnr. 81'
interpreting Obakr-r's remark as a reterencc ro the conclirion of
instirtrrional Zer.r in Cl.rinir. thc nronk nrisscs rhe poinr. As againsr
Ol.akLr's staremenr, f ht' conrmenrs of Kirlcf ar.rcl Hakr.rin
"naive
lr"'
cx press tlte
1.rc5g111
ntaster-1.1rpil si t r,lrtittr-r.
35
1
OnerTwo, Three, Four, Fit,e
I t happenetl ri'hen Mastcr
lOshU
\ \ 'as rlt Master Nanserr's
place'. One clal' u'hen
J oshU
\ \ 'as on the ladcler above the
r.r'ell. he sirrl Nanscn
lrass
b1'. Hanging,.rne ior'tt olrr. hc
callc.l,
"Hclp,
hclpl" Nirnscn climbccl up thc llrl,.lcr of the
r','ell ancl
[cor-rnting
the rr.rngs of the lad.lcrl sai.l,
"Olrc,
tvu'o, threc. four. five."
Later.
Toshn
\ \ 'cnt up to Nanserr's living quartcrs an.l
u'ith, - lr- re colrrtcsv saicl,
"l
thank
1'ou
for helping mc
j usr
no\ \ '.
"
\ {ASTER KI I )I -
I l : I ^. - - l . - . - . - , , . 1- i ^, - i .
I t l l r l I . . I O[ \ l ( ) i l l l \ I l ) l n!: I Of Yr r ( 1.
I vI ASTER HAKL.I N
I fce I asl'ranrc.l, I fecl ashamecl.
l'/ ',.\ l\ .s-\ )./ \ .(].
l-{itting tI .re loor. the r,r'iie is irngr-v:
..Only
one siJ c cll
I or-rr
sho'.rlcier is *et, isr.r't irl lf vor.r *crc alonc,,rn,-lcr thc unrl.rclla,
onc sicle of your slecvc sholrlcln't he so $'ct. I lret yor-r walkccl home
slrarir-rg the r-rnrl.rella *ith sornc goorl-looking','uonrar)." Husl-anrl:
"Thar's
not so. Thc crnc I sl-nrctl irn uml.rclla witl-r uas vour ol.l
loi'cr. I 'rn the one rvl-ro sl'ror.rkl b,e
iealor-rsl"
N( ) TE.
J shLr,
irl lris. 'strorr'. '' caI ls tln Natrsct- t ro
. . sa\ 'c'lr nl.
Natlserl
clocs I .rot responcl u'ith a saintlike
"salvarior-r"
act b'rrt slou'ly clinrbs
Llp the llcl.]cr. NaI lscn c]tlcs I .ltlt rttsI l ttl
..sltr'c''
J shrr,
nclt tlI lly
l.ecalrse
.lirshr,-r's
call ftrr hclp 15 a shon, l.,,rt l.ccl,,rsc cvcn whcrc thcr.'
is a rcal neccl for rescrrc
(trorl
thc F, or- rds of karnra) all rrnc can tlo for
tl- rc othcr
(anrl
for oncsclf) is ro w'alk. srep br, step, onc's own puth.
j irshu
thanks Nrrnsen for making hinr rcali: c rhis.
ln his corr- rnicrrt. Kiclti replaces Nansen. lt is not that Nrrnscrr clocs
l l ( ) t u. i I nt ttt l l r, l l \ . | o( nL| ' \ tne I ) J ttl rc rtl tl ] l l ) [ s. I osI ] [ | l s
J \ ) 5ntl
i l I ] \ l
Nanserr, Nanscn. Nirnsen mav fee I
"ashame. l"
(sr- rl. stirr- rtc phrusc)
that he u'or-rlcl not .lo r.nore for
J oshLr
(or
for an1'bo.ly clse), but, as is
sr,rgge'stcr.1 in the plain saving, re'lations betu'ccr-r hr-rn.rirn b'cings arc
tror ol
cur. ]t
n. irrrpI c n. lturc. Br a. . ring ttrr. rllcstl . otlc irrr't. 'lr. c. * thc
other. Bl ircting upon the other, one f irrcls oneself involveci.
36
1i
r l
ADonkey
Master Se dmet the imperial mcssetrger on thc roac].
The imperial messenger invirecl Seiclo to cline wirh hinr.
While they were dining, a tlonker happenecl to bral'. The
messenger saicl.
..Priest.''
Sei.lo ra sec] his head. ancl the
messenger pointed
at the donker'. Bur SeiJ poinretl ar
the messenger. The messenger u'as silent.
N1ASTER KlD
1t is the fault of a small officiol. mc.
)I I ,ASTER H.\KLll.r-
l arn not very goo.l at responding righrll' ro rhe srtr,rarion.
PLAlN s,.\ \ ,I \ q.
..V/ ell.
u.ell. hai'ing sr.rch a rirre r.isitor rom firr lway, l
wanted to serve some delicacics. but, i'ls
)'oLr
sce, lhave nothing
speciirl to offer.vor.r. l am \ 'er}'so }..'' So saying, bo''r'ir-rg onc's heacl.
NOTE:
This koar-r is not quite clear' I t s obr.ior'rs, hou.er'er' thar u'hat
is at stake is not any
..nreaning''
br'rt the..r'"'orkilrg''
(or
functiorl) o
the nlessenger ancl Seic.l.
\ 7e
clo not kno,'l'if rhe nresscnger orrly
wantecl to drau Seicld's attention rrt thc clonkev or
'"vhether
he
intendeci to sLlggesr that Seiclu'as lr...1otrkc1'.'' 1rl an\ '.ase, hc seems
to hr trr.ing to..il(.t Zcn''l Sci.{'s srr'i t reslronsc ptrts thc mciqellgcr
n his place.
Kicld's comrnenr ancl Hakr-rin's srr[--srirlrte phrase sLlggest thc
messcnge r's failurc, r'" hereas thc plain saying contrrlsts the
messenge .s or'erly
.,cler'er''
attitude r','ith a morc rl.ttltrll
..inr'rring
ro
dint'" sitrration.
) /
18
WhereDo the Bools
Qo?
Ribotsur
I a
scholarl] asked Masrer Chij o.
"lf
it is doubt.
less that N4ount Shumi can contain a poppi' seed, then
isn'r it false rhat a popp)'
seed contains Mount Shr-rmil"
Chij saicl.
,.People
sa1' that
-vou
har.e read thousanc]s of
volunres of books, is it truel" Riborsu said,
"Yes. "
Shij o
saicl.
"The
body is as big as a coconLrt. \ X,'here can
)orrr
thor-rsanJ s of r'olumes o books gol'' Ribotsu could but
borv his head.
r,tasrtR xto
Ribotsu sa.,'s,
"1
thor-rght there w'as no one ."
MASTER HAKL I N
I thought rhat mor- rkevs \ \ 'erc lrhite. krrt there are black monkeys.
I , L'{l\ 's- \ \ . l\ 'tl.
. . \ , or. rr
supcrb r, icrr' s certainl, v of thc gleiltest
imptrrtrtnec. I hnvc norhing f'rrt ir, lnrirrttion. " So snl ing. [. ou'ing onc's
heacl.
NOTE,
Rib,otsu rlrrr'stir)ns rhc r ali.lirv t,t tl.rc Kegon school of
philosophy'ri'l.rich clairr.rs that all things are inrerrelarc.l an.l er.'en rhe
snrirllc..r
ilart clt'htllds
thc elltiI c ].llli\ 'crsc. lr.r l.ris ilns\ \ 'cr. Chij o.'locs
not' of necessitr.' irlttnt] to dcfcnt] the Kegon philosclph,v. H s ptrr-
ptlst is to sl.rock Riht)rsLl tlt.tt t.' ct.nc.,l.tual rcirsonit'tg. Rcality.
sLrggests Chiio, is not to b,e figrrrccl olrt in ternrs of chest drawers
(or
cells an.l partieles) rvhicl'r
"contrrin"
tlrings.
All thc cc)nlnlc lts on thc koan sr'lggest Ribotsu's aclmission of
Ch i
j 's
sttpg1| . i.t tl iq ttcl.lc'ss tl nl i r-rd.
38
19
QiueMeBack
My Seed
HOkoj i
[a
BuJ dhist la1'man] askecl Master Daibai,
"l
have
l nno l r. ' , rr, I nf . ' n' rr n; l l - y- r. ' l , l , ri h, t, nrpi ) nq
"hi o. l t' . . "1
h' , r
I u'onJ er if rhe plum is ripe. " Daibai saiJ ,
"Whcrc
u'ill
vou bite firsrl" HOkoj i saic1,
"i
shall cut elervrhing inrLl
small pieces."
Daibai saicl,
"Give
me l.ack my seec1."
)\ .'1ASTER KI D
To come our equal l r.
\ {ASTER HAKL]I \
I t hrrs been swalloued.
1)L.{/ \ 'S,.\ ) 1\ (1,
"lf
1'or-r
r.vish, I ri iil give voLr as ntanv its vorr
.,r'rrnt."
Scr
saying. bor,i' ng one
's
hea.j .
NoTE,
ln
"l , , r'onrler
if rhc plr. rm is ripc, " HOkoj i is clLrcsrior. rirrg
Dail. a 's enI ightcrrrnenr. L)ail. ai | akcs r. l1l thc sirrliI c t. , f tllc
1. 'I Llnl
llrr. 1
lirr's rhc tr. lp 1. rf . lisrirrctiol- r
(. '\ {'hcre
rr. ill l'tlrr l. itc tirst]'') or I lokt. j i.
}J koj i ltr'oi. ls tilis trnp. l. Lrt Dail. ai. strctci- rirlg thc sinliI c ll. . 1 a[. sr. tr-
. lltnl. . ]cI - tlltrltls Htkoti ro re!Ll tl thc. . see. l. '' lll lt s. . . nlcrr'hat ftrrcctl
interpretatiolr, \ \ 'c nrav sav ti- trr in this nrirnncr Dait ai is rlcnrrrntling
that Hokoj i prove 1- ris unrlcrstanrling
(of
uhar lrc is lfter: nrrnrclr',
Daihai's cnl ighrennrcnr).
Ki. lo tlkes HOkoj i's
l)lrrcc
Ltnrl sLrggests tlltt l. ptl'r
"scc. ls"
(L)ail. ui's
lrI r. l }lktlti's) are trI til- rllttclr, rhc sitI tlc. Hirkr. rirl's srti. stitrtrc
l. I lrltsc
Sctn)S tL) SLlggcst tllat Hktlj i. lt- l s. , i'lt]ltlrr. iI lg rhe scetl. is crlI iglrrt'rlctl'
l rr thr
Pl ui n
savi ng,
Hokori c. rncl tr. l cs thc i rrgrrnrrrrr, sLl ggcsti ng rhrrt
evcrr'1. trint ts thc
"cssttrct"
(trr
"s, : c. . l"),
rvlricir is trr sirv rlrirr ulti-
rnarelv rhcre is rrrr
"csscr- rcc"
ir! rrll.
39
a
20
No a S ngle Drop
Master
loshu
wenr up ro rhe lecrure stirnd, looking this
way and that. Master Shuvu sau' him and saicl,
"What
Lrre you doingl"
J OshU
saicl,
"l
am looking for water."
Shuyu said,
"l
haven't got
a single drop here, so what is
the use of lookingl"
J oshu
pur his srick against the wall
and went out.
MASTER KI DO
Do nor rhink vou havc gor rhe aJ vanragc.
MASTER HAKLI N
\ 7hcn
thc parh
ot language is cur o t.
The wanderings of the mincl will disappear.
l'1.A1\ ' .S.,\ \ '1\ tl'
This rock-borrom tlcprh. cr'.r-r Budtlha or Amida is
unable to knor',' it.
NoTE, in
"1
anr looking for r.l'arer,"
loshr-r
sr-rggcsrs that he is
meirsuring the extent
(or
clepth) of Shulr-r's Lrnrlersranding. ln
"l
hirven't got, r sirrglc. lrrrF. Shuru inrplic. rhrrr hc is [ - cr', rn, l such
measuremcnts. at r,r'hich point
J sh
gir'es trp the
..scarch''
antl
leaves.
Kiclo acltls a r,r'or.l ir-r place o SI rr.lrtr, sr.rggestiI .rg tl-rat
J osh's
act
cloes not inrply that hc ]ras the u1-rpcr hlnrl. Hakr.rin's sr-rbstittrte
phrase Secnls to sllggcst that
J osl-r arltl Shrrr'rr see eye ro cr'c with
each othcr, rvhercas thc plain savirrg sals rhar ultirlatclr ir is inrpos-
sihlc to knou'
(or
"nreasurc")
thc othcr.
40
Cut the Head Off
A monk asked Master To; an.
"Which
of the
'rhree
bodies o Buddha'
[..an.'hin]
does the preachingl''
Tozan
said,
"'V7ith
me rhis is always an acure problem."
A terwards the monk askecl Master
Sozan.
..What
did
Tozan mean when he said.
'V'ith
me this is alrvays an
acute problem'1"
Sozan saicl,
"lt
you wanr rhe head, cut it
off and tirke it.'' The monk then asked Master Sepp.
Seppo pressed his stick againsr the monk's mourh and
said,
..I
had been to See Tzan too.'' The monk was
speechless.
N,{ASTER KI DO
I cannot breathe.
MASTER HAKUI N
Hard pressed.
I )LA/ N S.{) l\ r7' Yes. from rhe rop of the hea,.l down to tl're
toes-thoroughly rhrough.
NoTE:
"The
tl.rre.-' botlies of Bucldha" comprist-:
(l)
hos.shin, rl-re
Br,rcldha who rranscr.nds personaliri' ancl is identical r','irh
"realiry";
(2)
hc'tin, the Br-rri.iha as seen in his Pr-rre Lancl
(the
rcsr.rlr of many
ec'rns of religioLrs srrivir-rg); anci
(l)
oirn. rhe BrrtLlha as hr mirnifest-.
himse lf for t}-re henc ir tlf rrrle rrlighrcnetl beir-rgs
(i.c..
Sakr'amuni' tl.re
historical Bu,.lclha). Tl"rc nronk may have inrcr.r.lc.'l ro lav ir
. . 1rI i| 1rs61. I i. . ltl
t r. l1. . ' lor T: irI r. To: ltn. * ilI li\ {'r'I stI Hg(, srs
t hltt rhc
qucstions
one raises ntr, rst be ansr''crecl hi'ttncself. The monk. whtt
c]oes not r'rntlerstan.] To:lt-t's..tlls\ \ 'L.r. lrslis So:ar-r arlcl Scpp ftlr the
meirning. So: lln rclls tht. nlonk thirr i he rr'lrnts to LtI lt]erstand the
other's nrinri. I rc hirs to cur oif rhe trrher's heat]. He
', r. ill
achicve
norhing ti'rror- rgh ilrgLlnre nt . lnrl inqLrir\ '. Se pps silcr- rccs rhe monk
ancl suggesrs rhar he hinrselt, , . rnlik. . the monk, . loes r- rnclersrancl
To: an. Yet sucl- r r- rndersran. ling is not the scrrt of thing one attains by
rr, rnning arounrl from master to master, asking tor rhe ir opinion.
1L
: x|^ix;
[
f;it.-,t,.*iiil i:
lT,;'4]
l$
" "
s
:.r.r
l-r i s r c.l o c t r i n c.
mo n k,s
s ta t e o o.'
";'
i'jJ ,.?'!
-
n,nx.
:::J .l:'J
:ff ff
:i:[.::
:ti
\;.'--
'---
1L
27
What I s So Hard aboutlt?
Master An: an lr'ent into the mill ro sce Master Seki-
shirsu. He said,
"lr
is nor easr'. is irl" Sekishirsr- r saic'I ,
"What
is so harc'l about itl You fetch it in a hottomless
L''owl and take it awav in a formless trar'." An; an was
speec hless.
MASTER KI DI
t r^
. 1, . . . k. . . 1. , , , , . -
, , , , . .
MASTER HAKL I N
Shnrp- crlge d u orkir- rg,
I 'L, . \ l\ S, {\ l\ (j : Ah. attcr lrlr. l. h p . irl. 1 toiI . to sec a glelnl ot light is
reall. v wor- rderf ul- 1ike blessed rain in the r. nidst of clror- rght.
NOTE: Ar- r: an's saf ing,
"lt
is r- rot easr', " is no more than a casual
renrark saicl
()Lrt
of polircness. Sckishitsr- r ans\ \ 'ers scricrr. rsl\ ',
sr, rggesting tl- rat ii or. rc is ar', rrre of thc nrr
("t'ottomlcss, " "fr- rrmless")
as1-lcct tl things, one ciltl takc t1l..nl ftlr u'l.rlrt tht.v ilre as tt
( "exi stencc") :
L. orl l i rnd trrr. . {cri r- rg rvi ri r rhi s urti turl e, therc i s no-
thi rrg
"hrrr. l "
i n nri l l i rrg
( ) r
rl rv rrtl rcr trrrrk.
lrl h s respt)I lse, Ki.lo
(instelrc.l
ot Atl:lrl' rr'I lo r','lts spccchl.'ss)
highll' praises Sekisl- rits'. r's saving. Accorrling ro a Chinesc lcge r. rcl, the
. lragon grltr'(to7'\ l{nl(. , rr) is lr l'righ rvirtertlr}, i. Clrrps
gather at tlre totrr ot
this u'aterfall ar. r. l trv to
j r, rrll'r
to thc top. Tl. re crrrp tlrat srrcceerls in
gertirrg r. l rhc top o tlle rr. aicrfall rlrrtls itlttr it
1ltlrr'crfLrl. lragtlr. r.
Kitlo's c()l. nnlc 1t sLlggcsts that SekislritsLl's ilnS\ r'er alnlrlst rclrches thc
ttltrr. Haktr rl's slrL'sritr.rte plrrasc lrllti
1rl11i1.1
slr1.ir-rg liktrr'isc inlply
Sck ishitsr- r's prrise.
+)
L)
I s That ALI ?
One of the monks had
j r,rst
come back f rom his
pilgrimage when Mastcr Shokei askecl hin'r,
"How
long
have you been ar','ay from tl'ris placel" The monk said,
"lt
has been trlmost eight years since I left Your Rel'erend."
Shokei said.
"What
have yolr accomplishedl" The. monk
dreu, a circle on the ground. Shokei said,
"ls
that alll I s
there nothing besides it1" The monk erased the circle,
bowed, and departed.
MASTER KlD
I f you do nor have a messenger boy at home, r'ou cannor be a
gentleman.
MASTER HAKUI N
if your view is the same as vour reircher's. then vou are only half as
good as yorrr teacher. I f yor-rr vierv surpasses rhat of your teacher's,
then yclr.r are capable o px551ng his teaching on'
I )LAI N .\ A\ '/ \ 'Q; Since I am alreadv too old, from now on wor.rld you
take care of thingsl
NoTE. The morrk. irr tlraw ng tile circie .
sLlggests i.ris r.rr-ri1erstan.iirrg
of 7nl { or ku
( . . empti ncss. . o
. . r' oi . l ' ' - the
pri I l ci pl e o
essencelessness). When aske.1 for somcthing
"bei'oncl"
that, he erases
the circle. suggesting that he is nc'rt takcn in bl any
principrle
(even
that o . . no- princi}. I e'') ' All thc commct- tts praisc tlre monk.
suggesti 1g that he is a r'''orthy pltr1ril ot his rnirste r.
44
7
?.1
Remote
Question,
Close Reply
A monk car-ne ro bicl Masrer SeppO fareu'ell.
Seppo askecl
him.
"\ \ 'hcre ',i'ill
r,ou gol"
The monk sair-I ,
"l
ih"ll p"y
Master Kin: an a visit. "
"lf
Kir-r: an \ \ 'crc ro ask vor-r,
'\ \ 'hirr
of the Br-rclclhisnr at
ScppT's placcl,'horr'r','olrl.l
\ .oLl anS\ \ ,er]''
..I
hc asks n-re, I
rvill tell hinr- " Sr. [ rP1r hir ] rinr.
Latcr Scptr-lo askcti Master Ki'osh.
..\ \ 'hat
tlit] this
ntonk tlo r','rong thirt he shr.r,rl.l l.e bcrrtcnl" Kl.TshT sair1,
"t- le
I 'ras becn ro visit Kin: rrn untl is
( - onrplcrclv
erl.rar.tstetl.'' Sr.pp-l sait.l.,.Btrt Kirl: at'r is r.r Sctchr.r L) strict
{i.e
.. ar alr'ltr.]. Horr. cari l-rc hc r'isitct]
]'' Kyc)sho sait1'
"Have
voLl llot hcarrl of tl'rc sat.ing
'Ansu'cr
a renrote
question
r.r'irl'r a close repl1.'1"
Se pp6 ri'irl-rrlre
u..
\ ASTER Klt)()
V'itl-roLrr
the slighresr flrulr.
N1.{STI ]R I {,{KL I N
I t is vcrl' t rllc anJ c()rrecr.
1',l-.\ / \ '.\ .\ ) 1\ (; ' lshall l)c\ 'r.r l'()rgut
\ .trLr r kinrl fltr.rrr trt rtrc.
N()TE: Sc1lp is I .tot itlrercsrCtl ill rr'| rat the tlltltlk rr'tlrtl.l tcI I Kitl: lrr-.
rvcrc l-rc to bc askc.l al.our
"Seppo's
RLrrltllrisnr."
l.rrt i. tlrt'
iI . tltlretliatc rcslrol1sc o rhc rlttlllk ttl Sc111l1r }11. , , * . lf. Htlrr'cr'cr, tI le
nronk
"cxhi rrrsts"
hi nrscl t ri i th un Ll l u) ecessrrrr'
"tl roLrgl rf
vi si t" rtr
Kt. : an. * ho hi rs. rn t'act, norl 'ri ng to. l r. r * , i th thc Seppo, nronk si trn,
ti otr. He tl rLrs i rrl l s i rrro rl 're trap of thc
"rcnrotc
rl rresti orr" l rrtl f l ri l s rtr
alrs!\ 'cr $'itir u
". lt, sc
rcl. ir .
"
N(r lr)attcr rr hrrr
()lr. . (liscusscs,
tllc
1lrtll. I erll
is tler'er itl aI lr''. strl. j cet'' (tl
ctlrll. crsittitlrl) l. rrt llI rr'ttr. s iI l
rhc peoplr
ri ho tir]k t() olrc iln()thrr.
Kitlo's comn)e nt lrntl H'kLrirr's sr. rl. stitrrrc phrasc
sLrggest KvoslrT's
praisc for rerli: ing n frcre f hc rtal p111[. 1g11. , lics. As t. . , r rhe
1. . , 1, , ir. ,
s, r1. -
ir- rg, it is lrot clear u lro is rhanking rr honr.
1 )
z5
Faceless?
Master Seppo bacle Master To:an fare',r'ell. Tcr:an saicl,
"Wl-rere
are
)'oll
going noul" Su'p'rtrr5 said,
"l
an'r goir-rg
back to the molrntair-r."
"Which
ll'a,v ilicl r'ou cornel"
"l
canic bv ll'a,v of Hien Mor-rntain."
"Ancl
nor',' u'hich \ \ 'av arc vor-r hcaclecll"
"l
am heaclir-rg for Hien Mor,rntain."
..Therc.
is someone who c.loes not heac.l or Hien Mourr-
tnin. Do you knou'himl"
"l
tlo not. "
"Why
clo vrtr.r not knou' hirrrl"
"Hc
has no facc. "
"Sir-rcc
-voll
rlo not kllo\ \ 'the tnan, hou'cau vorr knou'
tl-iat he is face I cssl"
SeppCr rvas spe'echless.
\ ASTER KlD
To see not r.vitl-r the t'.,'e.
\ {ASTER Fi.AKL]I N
Tlrkc o C\ .('r\ 'r hi ng. c..,mplcrcl'' cX
| \ oScrl'
i)LAl\ '.\ ..\ \ 'i\ t1, \ \ 'hat clcar u'c.rrhrrl Bright skies-no r.','irrd. ncr
cloucls, no mist. Not a single rai.l.it's l-rair tj istorts thr'r'ision.
NoTE: TI le one
. . r', 'ho
does not heat] for Hicr. r MoLrntain'' is Sep1l's
. . true
nature, '(lrttt or krr- . . rlothingnr'SS'' cll. . . r'clic. l'')' Sr'1- l1- lo, s llns\ \ 'e
wolrlcl hirve been perfect hacl he insistecl rhat hc. li. l r- rot knou'. But
by def i r. ri ng. . rrothi ngI l ess''
( tl r. . r'oi . l , ')
as. . tacel ess. '' Sep1r nl akes a
c. listinction betrr. ccn thc rl- Sepp. rr. ho has a face' an. ] tll. . . . 'facclcss'
r) l l r- Sc1r1rg- . thtts
l . rrrr
i tt" rh, rr hi . Lrl tJ r'ri t. tl 'r. l i l rg i ' , . trl y tl tr', rrt'ti , al .
I r- r
"Hor', 'ciur
volr kno* 'that he is facelessl" To: an trics to shock
ScpPo 6r1 ot th, :
"philosophical
trap" i1111'. , * hich hc l. ras flllcr- r.
16
I n his rcsponsc.
Kid. ir-rsteac] ot Scppo. attempts another ans\ \ ler
to tht'qucstron
"\ \ 'l-rv
rlo '..r not krtr* himl." but this approacl-r is
aiSo t()o specr.rlatir't..
Here' Kic]o seenls to har'e alI erl i,..'t., th. s"n.,.
trap. l{ak'i.'s substirlrre phrase
antl rl.rc plai.r
saf ing sr-rggcsr
rhc
moor'l of rnri.
-C\\@
l\
rf
--.--_.
1Y,-/"
\ t /
\ / ' /
\ -
\ _ _ 17
-\----l
17
]
What Ways AreTherel
Master Ku: an canlL'tr) sec \ 'lastcr Se
ppo. Tl.rc rronrcnt l're
enterctl the gate,
Scpp5 grirbL.c.i irint .t1ti sai.l,
"V'fiat
is
itl" Kr-r: ar-r r.r'as cnlighte nerl. He ruiscrl his l-rantls,
'uvlrving
rhenr aborrt. Seppo srri. l,
"ln
u'hur u'ar'rli. l rotr conre r()
unclerstanc1l" Kr,r: an saic'I .
"V/ har
\ \ 'avs are thcrcl" SeppT
acknou le. lgc, l Ku- irrr's cnlighre rrnrcrrr,
}'' ,{STER KlDC)
Ku: an savs,
"Mastcr.
r'orr halc ne vcr chcrrtccl rnc. "
N,, ASTER HAKL.I N
To borl ancl rvithrlrarr'.
I 'L.Al\ S..\ ) 1\ (1, The rLrgllctl ntr.runrains rrre rnll, thc vusr scu is rlcc1.
the pillar stanrls, rhe thr.'shol.l lics. !1r cves J on't srirrr.l an.l llrv n()s(
cloesn't lie cln its side . r'or,r knorr'.
NtrTE, The ktran shrtr- rlrl L, c cleirr in irself. lrr Kiclo's conlr)cr)r illtrl
HakLrirl's sttbstitr. rtc phrirse, Klt: lrn rhirrlks his nlastt'r Sc1lp ftlr I - ris
rcirching. The plain saving slrggesrs rl'rc ltilrLrre of rlrc r'nlightcnc. l
statc o rnirlcl.
.{8
7
d
tJ
d
27
A Message
N'lastcr Re i,,rn askecl r mc'rnk.
"\ \ rl-rerc
arc voLr gtrilrgl" Thc
nionk saitl,
"l
anr goit'rg trr lt4astcr Se ppo's
tr''lace."
"l
l-rave ir lncssage for ScppT."
"Thcn
please give it to mc.
ReiuI -r rook o| his shoe atl..] rl.rrerr'it in fror'rr ot the
nronk, rr ho rhcn lcir.
Sep''po askecl the rnonk.
"\ \ 'hcrc
huve tor-r
cr.rtt'tt trot'nl"
The nlonk sa c] .
'.Fron.r
Rcir'rn.''
"ls
His Rei'erencl uclll"
"Hc
askerl nle to rtlnl'a nlcssllgc to
) 'ou. "
Sa- ving that,
the rnonk tocrk otf his sh,-rc an.l threrr it it'r frcrt-tt r,rt
Sepp. Seppo
r'r'as silcnt.
\ 4ASTER KI DT
I take vor.rr con.ring from a ar into consi.lcratiotr.
\ lASTER H, {KL'I N
Vhcn vor. r come once agair- r, ir is ior ntr or'hcr rcasott rhirrr rlre nristi
rlrin of Ro Mountain irnrl thc tirle of Sekko Rrvrr.
1'l-..\ i\ \ .\ )'1\ ti, \ {/ irhor-rt thinkrng of thc vcrv lorrg rlistuncc,','ou
h,lnorc.l rne r.r'ith vour visir. Afrer srrch a long
j or-rrnc\ ',
)'ou
trust l.e
exhar.rsrecl. Plcasc rcst
t'ourself
for a rvhile.
NoTE, Rciun anrl Seppo rnust huvc L,eert close fricr.r.ls. Thc
"shoc
rnessage" sernrs t() l.e Rcirrn's restricricrn-ircc \ \ 'uv of
grcctirrg Scppo.
The nronk u ho r,rnhesitaringlr colrvevs Rcir-rtr's
"mcssagc"
al)| eitr\ rLr
bc no lcss clLralific.l t(r e nrcr thc s1.i1ip-f 1.c
"-.lroe-throu
ing cltrl." rrf
thc nvo.
Kit.l strggesrs thlrt Se111.. irrsrelril ot hirtirlg tl-rc nrtlnk | tlr l.ris
"rurlencss,"
lcts ir go ar rhrt. Hakr.rirr's suh,stirrrt,: phrlrsr, ir-r
sLrggestirlg thc visit to a tarliliar
l-.ince
. ccht cs thc nrtrotl t'rt Rcitrn's
..nressage''
to Se pp' Tl-rc plain sar'ir'rg sr.rggcsts Scp1l's trntlcrstlintl-
ing of Reir-rn's
"ntr'ssage"
ar.r.1 his ap!.reciltiot.t for thc il)otrk's u'av of
convef ir-rg it.
49
a L l
, t
Perfectly I mperf ect
C) trc. j llr. lv asrcr Chokei ilel. . l lris ltcrttrc irr tlrc hirll.
\ \ 'l-rcn cvcrvonc l-ratJ glrthe.rc.l. I 're ,.1rugget{ orrt u nronk
antl saitl.
"Lct
r-rs all b,orr trr this rnonk." Thcn hc a.l.lc.l,
"\ X'hnt
nrr'l its hu-s tl-ris n'ronk, rhnr irll of us shotrltl l.e
nrarlc ftr l.ou' to l-rir-nl" Thc pgeplg u'cre silcr-rt.
]\ .\ STER K1I )()
All richrl . {ll rightl . {ll rightl
\ {ASTERI I {Kt' 1\
L)lritstrclrisll i]tr.].lhir
I ir
legclltllrrr' I ]Lr.i.iirlr rr'l.r.l rrlc..iitatc.i ttlr lt r'erl
I trng tirlc w rthor,rf nttlrining cnlighte nrle ntl sar irr rletlirurion fL.r tcn
l<al/ rai
lconsl.
As nrr.rch irs l're practicecl, rhc trLlrh
{ot
BrrcltlhisnrlcJ itl
l)or i)ppcitr. lt is nrrr thcrc.
"Thc
rvrn"
I of
BrrJ .lhisml cannor hc
attai neri.
,L,.\ / \ s,'\ } l\ .(j'
Er.err'rhirrg irl thc lttlir.erse
(irr
rhc hear'crrs-thc
sLrn, the moon. star, rlirrcl, clou.l, ritin..srrorr', hail, misr; on rhe
carrh- mountain. rivcr.
l. lain.
turr lc.
. nrkc.
gritss. . lu. t. man, heasr) .
cacl'r irrrcl cverv rhing emirs greiir lighr. Conbei is Gonbei arrd has his
merits. Tarosaku is Tarosaktl ant.l has his merirs, Osan. otrmc, riecl
l.earl pirsre. ]e ror'crs-cach as ir is. is perfect
as it is; norhing is
lTrlssl ng.
NoTE; As the koan's title suggesrs, if the monk *'ere
"pt'rfct."
he
wor.rltl not b'e vu'orrh bouing ro. I r is nor thar one shor-rlc'l r.r'orsl'rip the
"impr.'rfect";
rlhar n'ratters is thar evervrhing is *'l.rat ir is. and shoulcl
n( ) r l. c th, rrr, 'hr , ri 't. , rrltcru
ise.
N1
I t
\ ,
l r
ilp
[,L
\tv
(
Yc
NC
rhi
no
r icr
rhr
sht
rc(
50
-
)9
Where Does I t Come From?
A r-run nla.le lr gi t of a chitla i.orr'l tcl )v aster Reij Lr. Reiirr
helci the bow,l r-rp ancl saicl,
"V'l-rere
rloes it comc frcrnrl"
The nurr srirl,
"lt
con-ics fronr Tci L)istrict." Rcitu
smashc.l the bou'l. The nun u'a-. sl-,eechlcss.
l\'{ASTER KltX-)
I rlo not lrncle rstan, . l u haf Yor, rr Rcve rctr. l mculrs.
MASTER }J , . \ KL
I ]\
I t is il pin rhat this Vcsstl rl, . tts n()t rna()Ltntcr s()n)rollc u lto c, ill
appreciarc its virlrrc.
I 'L.,\ / \ ' \ ..\ ) l\ (i; \ 'or.r sav tirar sr-rch rr.rrle l.e har irrr is su if t, slrlrrlr
u'orkirrgl Yorr tl'rrnk BuJ tlhisnr is sr- rch u. luruL. , stripj ll tiring rrs tlrrtl
You're n'rong- Br, rtl. lhism is n()t onl) rorrghI rcss ulr. . t- rc.
NOTE, \ t'hv shcrul. l onc
l. rhilc, sopl. ri: c
on thc
"csscncclcs- .
essct. tcc" r. f
thir-rgs
(nrri
or krr) rr'henc\ .c ont is askc.l .r sitr-rilI c t1tlcsriLrll] Therc is
nothing \ \ 'rong in rhc r- run's comnronsensc ilns\ \ 'cr tct Rciirr's
qr, res-
rion or1 thc origin of the bclrll. Horlevcr. as thc colllncnts suggcst.
the nun should not havc [. ecn rakcn al. ack l- r Reij Lr's
"shtr', , , . "
\ \ 'cre
she less obed cnt at'it] sirrrplr morc t-tittltrlt1. shc rr'otr]..] hlrr.c
recogni:eti rtr.leness for rr l-rat it is antl rcsl-ron.1.'.1 ir-r uceor.lrrncc.
51
) , 1
a t
I
Trousers MadebyMother
Master Ungo n'as rol.l that thcre u'r-rs a mt-rnk living ir-r l
hcrmitag.. at tlte ftrot t-rf it moLutti.lil-r. Hc orrlcrecl his
I ttcnrlant ttr take n
!.air
of rrt r-rscrs
tct thc ntonk. Tl-re
nronk saitl,
"]
havc' trL)Lls!'rs rrta.'le bv nt,v motl-rer," anrl
c]eclinccl tl-rc gi t. LI ngo nla.le rhc atterl.]lint gtl back arrcl
ask,
"Wl-rat
clici ior-r *'ear b,efc''re
voLlr mothrr u'ns bornl"
Thc nronk rvas strrecchlcss.
]\ , ,{STEt{ KltX)
\ \ 'lttr riarcs lt[.rtsc thcse troLtscrs]
N{,.\ STER I I ,\ K I
'I \
I n crlniplcte rrr.r.lin, stark nirkc.l.
i'1,..\ 1\ 'S.-\ ) I \ '(l: Sprcutlit'rg t.tr-tt rhc sltcves of rhc rrtorrk's gttwn. saf ir-rg,
"Tl- ris
nttrrt- r)Llt g()\ \ 'n is lrlso a
gift front ntr'. icar nlrstcr. "
Nt'tTE \ \ 'hc. rhe rrr. . k . lcclir. rcs Lr. gt't's gifr,
L'. go res[. r1r111{s 'n. i1l'1
rrrrr. suggt'sting rlrat rhe nronk is overlv lrtruchccl ro his nrother
(irnrl
( \ ) l r\ \ ' . l ti erl rl \
rr' l ri rrr. r. l l ) . Tl t. . rn, ' rrki . rci , , . ( i r' n rrl t l tq, . r' . gi l r trt
tr(]Llscrs is sirll1lle lltltl s}ltltltatlctlrts. l. Ltt \ \ 'c t'hC sirrl111c lttl. l s}rrlt. t-
falre()Lrs i| r ir sonrc$ hat lcss rcsrricrcrl lriume r. hc ctrrrlcl, u'ith thc
siunc crrsiness of nrinil. ire ccpl ig lrs s cll.
Kirio inrl. lies tl- rrrt Llr- rgo's
"bcforc
. rrrtlrcr's l. irrir"
(lucsri()n
is a
trup. . . \ f1. '1' lrll. all tlre nrr, nk uunts is fo ucur tlrc trouscrs nrrrric l. ) his
I lttltllcr llll(. i r() l. c icft ltlt. , lle . rl rilis. lltlrr cr'cr. Kitltr irlstl strggcsrs rhltr
hrrJ rht nronk l. e cn of tr, uglrcr n)ctt]f
,
j rc
u r, rrl. l n()t l)il\ . c fl]le r- r ir- rrr,
L
1r'rgo's
rr. f . HrkLlir- r's slrl. stitr. rte phrirsc
". 1
the plrri. su'i. g rrlsi'r
s(]clll fo stlggcst rhe tt'rtlnk's tlir, : cr, rn. 1 inrnrrtliilre ilttifLlrlc trtulrrt{
tl ri ngs. \ \ 'i rl l onc's nri nrl
"srl r] .
ni rkc. i " tl rcre i s no nee. l f or
Llnncecssilr'\ 'sfecrrlufiirrr.
\ \ 'hat is, lc, rr rr', rrnc is tlcur ln, l tlrlrt is lrll
tl terc i s to i t.
52
a
a
s
I
I
'lng,
ilirh
'and
rof
)on-
the
ls il
r his
thar
intcr
alst.r
rar.l
or
s all
) 1
Words
Master Unmon had once quoted Master Baso as saying,
"Daiba
[Ary'adeva,
tl-re founcler of the Daiba scct] treatecl
all words r','ith respecr; this is an importanr rhing." Then
Unmon said.
"This
is a tine saving, only nobodv has
asked me anything. " At rhar a monk asked,
"Whar
is the
Daiba sectl" Unmon said.
"There
are ninet,v-six hereticai
schools in lndia, an..J you belong to the lou'est one."
}" ASTER KlDt
To bow ancl u'ithdrar','.
MASTER }I AKL'I N
A whire horse among recd flou'ers.
PL',\ l\ ..S..\ }.i \ C. l too am one amc] 1g the Br.r..lclhas.
NOTE: Daiba
(Arl'atler.a)
\ \ 'as thc tlisci1-.'le o tl-rc philtlsopher
Neglrj r-rna
(cnLl
oi tfr.' sccon.l ccntLlr)' .{.t).
).
rlre L)riginirtr)r of thc
Sun. vata
("void")
school oi Budclhist thor- rgl'rt. The rcrm
"Daiba
sect"
refcrs ro clne o thc brarlches of rhc Sr- rnr'arit school; ll nlore common
nlmr
(of
Chir. rcse crrigir. r) for this srct is
"Sarrrt
rr scct. " Zen. in its
cloctrirral irspect. is grcrrtlv inflr"rer. rcecl br Nagarj r- rna's philosophy,
r, "'hose cssence is thc rcj ectir- rn of rhe rrffirnrlrrivc- negutivc nio. le of
1g15ot'ling an. l rhc i. lcrrriiicari, . rn rrt srrnrs. rr: r rlith nirvanu
(or "the
u'orl. l as it is" n ith
"e
nlightu'rnrent"). ln his sll ing, LJ nnrorr
"praiscs"
the L)ai[. a scct philosol. h] l. ur rr the srrle titnc lals a trap
hl clenran. ling tirnt his listurers
"rrsk
sonrcrlrirrg" al. trut it. Thc nronk
firlls inttr thc trrt1. rrrttl irslis ir. rr rlrc
"cssclr. e
trf the l)rrit- a tcuchirrg. ln
his irnsrvcr to thc lllonk. L'r- rrrron inrplig5 tlrrt no nlrtter hou
"inrp, . rr-
taI )t'' \ \ 'or(]s il c. t() bc rlrkerl irr L. r'rr'tlr. ls
(i. c. .
ttl Llse thcn) for
abstr. lrct specrrlirritlrl) is I lrc. . ]trrr'cs!'' stlltc tl lltrt- tlltrl cxisrcI - ttc.
I n his cotlnrurt Kitlo replltc,.'s rl-rc t-r-ronk itncl that-rks L'nnt,.rn for
his teaching. Hlkr. rin's slrbstirrrr. 'pirrrsu
\ c. . nrs
ro sLrggcst thar r', hcn
the enlichtenc. l onc uses uortis. therc is r. ro tlistincrion L, etween
"righr"
Llsagc iln(l
"\ \ 'rong'
r- rsagc
t"like a rvhite horsc anrorrg rvhite
flor, . ers"). Tl're plain
savir. rg sLrggcsts thrrt rhe monk, bcing himself
Buddha. c'loes not go \ \ 'rong. anJ rhr- rs ncirher clo u'e.
53
32
The Same?
Master Unmon asked rhe head monk.
"ls
the earth, with
its mountains ancl rivers, the same as
)'ou,
or is ir
. ]ifferent rom
1'oul, '
The monk said.
. . I t
is the Same. ''
Unmon said.
. . The
life o all creatures. such as moths,
bugs. an.l arrts, is ir the sanre aS \ 'ours. or is ic dif erent
from y'ours?"
"The
same. "
Unmon sairl,
..\ t'h1'
ilre \ 'oLl conrrad cting yor-rrse li1''
MASTER KlDT
The hea.l monk's tongLre har-rgs out
I in
sr-rrprise]; hc srands asitlc.
MASTER HAKL'I N
The coral brarrches rc lect rhc moon.
/ 'L. Ai\ ' . sA) l\ t
j :
Low'cring rhc hcad, rr'trcariltg rhrec steps, shttr- rting,
"Aw,esomel
Ar'"'t'somel
"
NOTE:
The nronk r- rnclcrstJ nrls thc
1. y11111P11
of
"r- rnitv
uith narrrre"
onl)'as arr al. srrrrcr concepr. L. lnnrorr rrses. sinrplc logic ro, . lrir. c rhc
nlonk tlttt o his philosophical sratc clf nlirrcl. Thc nlor- rk itlcntifics
himscl u'ith l. orh phr'sical ol. j ccts lrrrcl 1ir'irrg beings. Hc thtrs cllritrls
to bc a ntountai| r anrl a hug irt thr'. sltme tinte.
Kirlo's comnlent lnrl thc
1'rlain
slving suggcsr thc cffccrivcncss of
LJ nnlorl's tlclltnlcllt. Conl1lar.'t1 rr'ith t1rc rlltlI lk's srrperfic aI r.trltlcr-
stxltrlirtg, Hakuin's sul. stitrrtc phrnse suggc- sts the
l. r'ir"rciple
of unirv
of cvcrything in u morc .lelicarc an.1 protor-rn.l
',r,rr1..
54
)s
ts
,f
v
33
Where Do You Come From?
Master Llnmon asked a monk.
"\ \ 'here
hirve
_vou
come
from]'' The monk saic].
.,I
l.rar'e
j ust
returned rom a
pilgrimage
I to
rlre shrints o thc Zcn
1. . t1; 1. 16hs]. '.
L. rrnron
said,
"You
are fooling me. " The monk snid,
"l
really clid
take a pilgrimagc." Urrmorr saiJ ,
"\ 'otr
.lo nor even keep
rhe fir'e proh birions. ''
The monk ri'as specchless.
MASTER KI D
l har'e
j Lrst
entr' cc] the Brrc]dhist ort]cr.
I r4ASTER tJ AKL. I N
J ust
r.',,hcre is the fal-sc \ .r'orcll
l'1, . \ 1\ 'S. A) l\ '(l
(onlv
u'irh cerrain rnasre rs): V'hat's * rctngl
NOTE:
Ur- rmon sLlggcsts rh. rr ir. r iris
1- i1. 1i111. 1. e
the monk kecl'ts onl, v
the fornl
(bori'irlg
or. re's hea. . l in front tl tlre patriarchs'shrirlcs)' Tl. rt
monk. *'l-ro cloes nL)t unr'lcrstitr-rrl this sr-rggesrion, ir-rsists rl-rat he J I J
take a pilgrinrage.
Trr rl- ris Unnron rns\ \ 'crs thar thc rnonk. loes not
cr. t'n kec1. l thc | ir'c Btrc]c]hist prol- ribitir. lr. rs (tlor
ttl rlrke li e. I l| )t to tllke
u. 'hat is rrot gilt'r- r ro onc, not t() conrnrit a. lLrlterv. not to tcll lies. anrl
not to rl ri nk i rrroxi ci rnrs) , suggcsri ng rhat the monk i s l vi ng.
Kido sLrggests tlrut the monk has lcarnc. l fn, nr L. lnmon uhut real
prrrcticc lr)cuns. The conrn'rcnts of Hakrrin
(srrl. stitr. rtc
phrasc rrnrl
plair- r saving), horlcver. assunrc l. 'lcfiirrrr lrtirr- rtlc, sLrggcsting thcre is
r, : rtlll notlring \ \ 'r()r)! u ith rhc nronk.
55
31
Neoer Practiced Zen?
Master Sekkerr asked a rr-ronk,
"When
).ou
srop ar the
forest in the el,ening, whcre will you leave in rhe morn-
ingl" The monk said,
"l
have never pracriced
Zen."
Sekkerr sair,l,
"You
will go to hell alive." The monk saitl
nothing.
MASTER KI DO
Who is not be nefirecl by such t enevolencel
M,{STER HAKUI N
Helpl Helpl
| LAI N SAi / NQ, Well, well,
ness. Tomorrow morning.
departure.
thank you r.'ery much for your kind-
wirh your permission,
I shall make my
1)
n
NoTE:
ln saving
"l
ne\ .er practiced
Zen" the monk rej ecrs Sekken's
trap quesrion,
impl,ving that hc w,ill not be raken in by
"rhe
way"
(in
its conceptual sense). But uhen Sekken suggesrs rhat tht_. nronk
"lvill
go
to hell.'' the monk ails to find a suitable response,
thus proving
rhar he is nor reaiil J isrincrion. free.
The plain sa,ving describes rhc actr.ral situation of rhe pilgrim,
thus
providing
the answer to Sekken's firsr quesri,.tn;
',vhereas
the sr-rh-
sriture phrase
sLlggesrs rhr. suirable response ro
"Yolr
will
go
ro hell."
Kiclo's response is a praise
o Sekken.
N
t(
IT
S,
d
sl
sa
56
35
Qet
Out!
Master Sekken askcd a monk.
"V'l-rere
hnve
1'ou
conrc
from recentlyl'' The monk sa d.
. . N
District. '' Sekken
J raggeJ a b'o1 to his sicle. slapped him once. ancl shor-rtecl
at him,
"Get
out!" The monk was speechless.
unsr-ER rtot
I have practiced here ancl there, b,ur rhis is the first time that lhave
met as great a masrer.
MASTER HAKLI I N
The eyes of a sage.
I )L, {/ \ S, A\ ' \ q'
I har'e heard rhat
}ou
i]rc i] great
met yoLl, l knou'
}'ou
ilre except onal.
(Or.
lvith certain masters:
"1'nr
sorrt, I 'm
retreat ng.
)
mastcr: nou'. havit- rg
sorr\ '. " So savillg.
NoTE.
The n-ronk rrra1.reall,v har'e conle frtlnl N District, [.rrt his
u'ay oi answering seenls to be ir resl-,onsc ro Sckkcrr's clrrestiorr, nor
to Sekken's qr-rest. Thc monk thr-rs appcars ro t e r-ro nrlrrc tlrnn a
rnecliocre pracritior-rer. Since the nronk .iocs nor rclltr tlirccrlv rtj
Sekkcn. Sekken avoi.ls the rnonk an.l insrea.l l'rits thc chiltl ancl
dri','es hin'r or-rt.
All thc .r)nrmcnts tct rhis koan sLrggesr Sckkcn's grcarrrcss. lt
shoLrlci not bc assunle.]. htlrr'er.er. rlrat thc nltltlk's llllswcr irr itscl is
\ \ 'ro ]g. \ {1hcrl L)1)c has coI tle rotlt N L)isrricr' ir is tlr-rll'llllttlrlll t()
sav that c.rnc hits conic fronr Nci District.
57
36
Change or Notl
Kanbunko
[a
Buddhist writer] asked a monk,
"l
have
heard that vou lecture on the thought of
Toron
[a
text
consisring of our treatises on Maha1 ana doctrine written
by Sj ]. I s that true]'' The monk said.
. . Yes'''
Kanbunko
said.
. . Accorcling
to
J ron'
there are four things that do
not change. I s thar sol"
"Yes, "
replied the monk. Kan'
bunko then h t the teacup and broke it, sa1'ing.
..Does
this one change or notl" The monk was speechless.
MASTER KI D.)
lf
1'ou
clo nor experiencc a rhirrg.
lcru
u. 'ill r. ror gair. r
a b, it of u. 'isclon. r
MASTER HAKLTh-
Co or,rt u'ith raise,.l iist.
l,Li\ S.{\ / \ L; '
Qreat,
greatl V'l.rilc
).oLl'rc
irt ir, pick uP tlre rr.rbbish
too.
NOTE,
Cicnerallv sp,-'rrkir-rg. thc
"fotrr
r.rncl-rangeahles" rclate to tl-rt
Bu.lrlhist lau'. AlthoLrgh thc
.J or(rn
belongs ttr thc Srrnvarl
("r'oirl")
school Lrf tlrolrght. in ri'hich thc i.lco
qf "uncl.rlngcahlc
sLrl.sranct" is
rt. . ir'. . tr'. l. tlt. ' r. . . rr
1'rin. . i1. ]1'
()l ('isl)\ (, l(sl)cis
it irr irsull
i\ )I ll('tllil. ll]
pnc
is lilrl. le tp l. e fukcs ip hr'. Sccrlrg tlte tcucr- t1. l. rctrk. hrr', r'cur- r tltc
rnonk clenl ehitnge;
1ct,
I cctlrring r'tn thc
"r, nrchlttgcirl. les. "
lrou' car. ,
lre lr. lrllit it] ThLrs' irl l. rclrkirrg tltc teltetI 1. ' K: rrll. Lrnk lrcttritllr'l. rclrks
the nr, . rrrk's
"philosophr'. "
l tl I ri s ctl tl tntcrl r. Ki . i tl exp| 111115 thc. . rr'tl rki rl g''
( r. l r
f tttl eti t. I l ) tl
Karll. Lrrlk's lrct. Tlrc tlleatlil- tg r. lf HlrktI irl'. s sr'I bstittrrc
l. hrltsc
is tltlt
cleur. Thc
l. lain
saving. iisrcgar. l. tlrc
"tlcirt- ting"
of rl'rc lrcr ln. ]
rcsponlls r', ith e nlightcnc(] conrnlolr se nsc to rlrc tcue u1. - l. rcrr). ing
sttLl i l t t( ) l t.
58
37
Extraordinary?
One day Master Rakuho heard an atrendanr say,
"The
reaching adr,'ocated b.v Sj
[i'e.'
the
.Shironj 'school
o
Mahavana thought] is reallv extraordinary." Rakuho
said.
..Sj
is extraordinar1'. bur in a rvord. he did not
understand our founder
I i.e,,
he did not unclerstand
Zen]," The attendant \ \ 'as speechless.
\ , ASTER KlDt
Bear the grass, frighten rhe snake.
MASTER HAKL h*
Open rhe mor.rth, arrd the guts are revealctl.
Pl,Al\ SA) l\ (l'
Excuse the contparison u'ith thc four.rcler.
NoTE, This koan is sin.rilar in meanir-rg ro koan J 1,
"Words."
Borh of
thenl rr'arrr lrgllinst thc conf usion of Zen rr.ith BLr.ic]hist ph losophy.
no n)atter horv sublin.re sr-rch philosopl.rl, mav bc. Kido's commenr
stlggests the etfccr
(or..rr'orking'')
o Rakr.rho's sayiI lg, whcreas
Hakr.rin's sr.lbstirr.rre phrase
anc.l t| re plain sar'irlg re r..r to the philo.
sophicrllr mir-rclecl nrorrk's ignoranie of Zcn.
?
)
s
,
I
s

t
t
J
59
I
3E
WhereDo theBuddhas
Qo?
A monk askecl Master Nan-in.
"Where
clo all rhe
Budclhas gol" Nan-in srricl,
"lf
they c1o not go to hear,en,
they go to I 'rell." The monk sirid.
"Hou'
about Your
Reverendl" Nan-in said,
"Don't
vou know r','here this old
man u'ill end upl" The monk n'as abour to speak u'hen
Nan-in Struck I .rin'r on tlre mouth with h s stick. Then he
callec'l the monk to come nearer arrcl sai,-1,
"Actualll',
rr.,u
should have clone ir," ancl hit him once again wirh his
stick.
MASTER KI DO
The rnonk, insread of being confusecl. looks r.r'ith the eve, points r','irh
the finger
[at
Nan-inl.
MASTER HAKL'I N
\ ' District is still all right. lt is rhe people south of thc rir'er rt'lro
sr-rffe r the most.
(Or,
u'ith certain nrir.\ tcrs: Tinrc lvaits lor no rnun.)
PLA/ N: i,cY'I \ tl.
Qtrite
olcl. alreadl' f i tv-f ir'e or so'
NOTE.
When asketl...\ here will Nan-in cr-rtl urpl'' the nlonk shcltrl..]
strike. Since l-re does not ilct su'iftll'error.rgI .r. Nlrn-in hits h nl r.rstcatl.
The first l.rit is thus thc lltrsrr'er to the c1ucstion. The sccontl hic is or
rrot hirting Nar.r-in.
Kido's tCSp91159 .sLlggcsts tl.re
..hcrt'.
1ltlrr''' ltnsrr'cr to rhc tlLlt'Sti() l
"Wherc
will one errcl upl"l u'hereas tl-rc plain srying respon.ls ro rhe
question thror,rgh the r.tr.linarv lirnglrlgc tf comnron serrse. Thc tirst
'u'ersior-r
of Hakr-rir-r's substitute pl.rrase sLrggcsts rl-rar tl.re monk srarterl
well
(in
"Ho"v
al.out Yor-rr Revercn.il") t'r-rt cr.rtle.i bltlly
(ir-r
hesitating to ansv"'cr Nan-in's qrresriorr).
Thc secor-rcl version inrt'rlies
the n.ronk's failr-rre irr missing the nronrenr of response.
OU
3e
Loose or Tight
Whcrl
lv, aster Shir-rtt.nki. rr.as the I lcllt.l n-rtlt.rk at Mastcr
Kisr.l's. he rr'as askct] L.r Kis '..l har.c hcarc.l that
1.olr
allva1's tell people
rhe sto11.of the \ \ .onlal]
bror.rght otrt o
her rrance. I s thitr trr- rcl"
ShinrcnkvT - . air. l.
, 'No
I rrtrr] . "
Kis saic] .
. . I s
it th. rt \ 'L] Ll arr lt) t] Sc.
t) is ir rhat
". . , . i, .
tightl \ \ ,'hv cltl
1.olr
Sa\ '.tlo']''
SI lirltcr'rkr' sait].
..I f
l.rc is ll
trr-re Zcn mtlnk. he .'.loc.s
not lack slrlt atl.l salrec.'' K s
orrlererl his atre'r.lirr-rr ro rcll thc nrr.r'rk in ch.rsc
of cc,oL-
ir- tg to prepare
onlr plairt rihirc grLrcl
for rh. r ncxt. lav.
rt.,\ stpR xtl)lt
(onlY
rrirh certain nrlstcrs) Tr\ \ nut(h
thc frro.l trrrrrr
onc strrr-r.ing.
\ '{STER llAKt I N
Thc r.rngratefLrl
u'ill nor gir.e r.rp
olcl cle t ts.
/ '1,,.\ i \ \ ..\ ) l\ '()'
Dor-r'r I .c conctirerl.
NOTE.
TI le sto11.of thc rr'ottllttl illrpc.lr5 it-t
1.lx11
l o
(lcrlJ al
'Srrli;crr
FJ r,r,r: A *'.man uas sittirrg neai thc sc,rt of BLrcl,.lha i.,J cc1.
1-q,1.,-
tettl1.I lttit't.l.
N{tlnj Ll, rhc BLr.l.]lllr ..l
tr.i.s.ltlttl, ctltI ]tl tltlt get hcr t.,trr clt
ltct. ctlrltcllt1lllttitlrl
. lcs1. i1c lrll I ris ctf. . , rts. RLrt \ , {r. lrrlr.
li l. otlI rislltrr'a
oi lorvcr rank, j lrsr
snu!- r[rcj
his fingcrs once, lirr. i the
, , r, omurr
u. ok, ,
trr.rnr her contcnrplarit.n
anc] stor.,,.l
lrl-r.
Mtlnj LI 's irlal. ilitl't(]
llr()tI st thc tr. t. lt- t'tiitt rtltll l. rer ctltlrtttlllllttitltl
rr- rlry. . i. e itl. terpretet1
as irtlrl1'torr. llr. . ]
thc. . trltnsccrltlentlli. ',
Monj
rlrvclls i. the
"higher
sphercs" u[. o'e a. . ] l. e1'on. i thc
"tri'ialirics", - rr
thc . atr- rrrri
realn. r of cii. sc rlrrl e ffcct. , {ltho. gh rhc
"high- r. . ketl"
Monj u arrtl tlre
. . lclrr''ratrk. : . l''
! orrlt'. , . i. rl. . r" 'anreii
it- . , | . ci, . 'g
. . enlighterlctl, ''
it is, lrI ter all. \ tlr. rlr'o a11(l rlot Mtlrlj rr rr'htlse cnliglli.
enme nt is of rcal
"u'ctrking. "
T}. rc cliscotrrsc hctrr. ccn
Shinrerlkr'o ant. l Kis is stlnlerr'I lat
rttlclcltr'
l r s( ( nl s.
l ror, , cr. 'r. rl r. rt rhc
1. r. rl . l crl
i . rrrrt ri hr. . rhcr
Shi rrt. , nkt. o t( l i .
thc
rtorr'
of thL'u( ) nri l n \ ) r n( ) t: I ti . l tnrwcr ( \ l
l ) rrr mci urs
"trtrtl ri ttg"
rrr
. . r'oid''
(irr
the sense cl . . nrrI l lrncl r'oic]'').
Rcactir- rg thtrs, SI lintcilk1'c
T1
irrlplic-. rht. toto] ejcctiOn of r','c..'rtjs, srrgg.:stir-rg tl-rnt ft.r rh.--
enlightenecl. even the koar.r i,s superfluor.rs. Kisrr docs not approvc of
Shir.rtenk1's
.'loosct'tcss''
anc1 pror'es his poinr L.r' f ec.ling hinl p.ix111
.,r'hitc
grr.rel.
Al] thc colT'ltl]e ntS t.clro Kis.s rcp oo clf Slril.ltcllkr'o. Shintenkyo
in his
"looscness"
takes a$ir)'even that nhrch is mosr nccessarl'. I n
his conceitecl
"free.lon.r"
hc is, rhr,rs.,rcrr.rallv roo
"tishr."
62
40
Halfwa_,*
A rnonk came tO bic] fareri'ell to N{astcr.
Sekiso. Sekis
aske.l hirn,
"\ \ 'ill
vou
go bv lancl or bv seal" The monk
suici.
"\ \ 'hen
I see a bolr, I shall go b1' boar. V'l-rcn I scc
lan. l. I shall go bv lan. l. " SekisO saicl,
"l
think you
rvill
fin.] it lr l.it c]i f crr1t haltlial'.'' TI -rc morrk wlls silcnt.
)\ {,\ STER Kltl
I n ctllcrgcnct. illlti
g cllr
. ]arlgcr, l rr r]l rror forgct rr'ilat l'tltr ttll. . ] lrle .
\ {ASTEI I . I I AK( I N
I
',r'ill
neve r forgct r hcsc u orr'ls.
1)L', \ I \ \ , , \ )'1\ (i.
I )ltttiI rg orlc's lrcit. l. sltr'itrg.
. . \ . cs.
l ri'ill rrtlr tlrgct. ''
NoTE' This koar- r strikes a sinrilur note to rhe previoLrs koan. I n his
pretensc
o . . sptllrtancoLls respollse to the sirtration as ir prcsr't. tts
irsel , '' rhe n- rorlk is or'crtrllaving his Zct]. Bcirlg trce t]cles t- trlt crf
ucccssit_t in.rpl-v rr.raking nc't plans. I i on.'gocs r'rn a trip.. one sinrplv hirs
to clecicle r'''hether ro go b. 1'st'n or bt'lan. ]' There is r. rothir- rg r, ", rong n
niakir. rg plans. provicled
one is nor tukcn in b', 'one's oun clccisions.
63
1I
Hal aMan
Master Meisho \ \ 'ent tO Mastcr Tltn. Tan sa d,
..I r'r
learrr-
irrg
[Ze'n],
you har,t' to go ro ir plx." even if there is only
onc nlall there. \ 'or.r har.e t.l
gO
e\ 'en it onlr' lral a man is
thcre .'' }v cish sai.]'
..Lct
Lts not ask l-rl'.'our tl.re
1llacc
u'ith
onc man. but rr'I .rat is the
1.| 1tg
rr'ith h.rl a trrirn]'' Tirn u'as
silenr. But he later sent a volrng clisciple to ask lvlcisho.
Mcish sait],..So \ ,oll \ \ 'ant | tl knorr'r'vhat halt a n.ran is]
Ycltt too r'lre
( ) l) l\ '
1. lar
ittg ryitlt rntr. l. "
MASTER KI I ).)
Tan says.
"l
nrr,rst ho*' to thunk vor.r."
\ ASTER HAKL-,lN
lnclee.l a great nrirster.
I 'L; \ lN S.,\ \ 'l\ '(i: Even one likc mc hccrtntcs a tcacher of men antl gorls.
NOTE: I r.r his saving, Tan atlvocarcs rhororrghncss in prrrsr.ring
"rhe
rr'ltt'.'' I {orr'er'tr, lris refercnce to..ha] ll nlatl''
(i.e',
an in-rpcrfcct
nrasrcr) provc.s thut hc is taker.r in l.r'evalrrarion. Tarr fails to look nt
I rimsclf. lr.r his ansrler to Tan's rlisciplc. Mcisho suggcsrs rhat rl.re r->r'rc
rvho occr.rl-rics l'rirusclf ri irh
"rncasrrring"
orhcrs is himsclf no n)()rc
rhlrn
"half
ii mirn.
'
K tlo. s colllll)cllt sLlggcstS Tlitl's accel. tilllcc of Mcish's rel. tI ke.
l{aktrilr's sttl. stittttc
llllrllse
is a prar: c
of lv eish. r. , 'hcrcits tI le pllrir- r
suyirrg seenrs to suggtst that Tan. l. cing hirnsclf a Zcrr nlnsrer, slroul. l
rcali: c that conrl- riu'isons lntl cvrrluariolls arc of rtrr r. rsr.
6/+
4')
I w iu Ha+,e Norh rrg to Do *u th Buddha
A nronk knockecl on Masrer Kakr-rrin's cloc'rr. Kakurin
askerl.
"\ {'ho
is itl" The rnonk said,
", {
monk. " Kaku-
rir-r saicl.
"Evcr-r
if BLrcirlha conles. not ro mention a rnonk.
I n'ill havc'r- rothing ro. 1o riitl- r hinr. " Tl're monk saici,
"V'h-v
u'ill
vor.r har-e trotl-rinB to tlo u'ith Brrclclha if he
conre sl" Kirk urin sai.l,
"Tl-rcrc
is no room f rrr
)
r)u to
sta\ ,.
"
N1.{STER KI L)O
Thc
. . 'l l i rrf
. ri 1n1
. [ 111.
\ \ 'i ] s n\ \ t rrr r rri rr.
\ {ASTER HAKI i \
To come despire tfre long clistancc.
l)L{i\ . \ , {)'1\ (i:
Lor- rging tor rorrr high vrrrr. rc, l}'rirvc contc from far
il\ \ 'i)\ '.
\ , , - r T l 1 I I t I
, \ \ ' I E l t N l n\ \ l l K Sl l OLl l - 1 nl l vc
Kakr-rrirr nliv havc ro clcal rr'irh
the sr.rrras or holcling a lccrlrre.
rlor.rr to r'rn abstract cnrirr'l I n
corllnlenrs sLrggesr the r-rarr-rnrl
for rl-rc tcacl'ring of a nlrstcr.
intro.ltrceJ himsclf in a sinrpler u'ay.
"monk"
clr
"Brr.ltll'rr"
u hcrr rerrtling
bur u'hrt is rhc trse sf 6pg6l1.
pns's
contrasr tcr rhc rnor-rk's l.ehavior, rhe
atrrtr-rtle of a pslpil
q'htt
cr.rnte's tc'r itsk
1 )
+)
Dim'eYed,
Decf '
and
Duml"t
Ne' r' eri nal l hi sl i f ehat] MastcrSl . ri r. rker- rl . ur. l l rtl tl ttcl l -
rlirnt.
A
ccrtain
gtttitfiti"
scholar
--aske
tl
irim'
"\ 'or'rr
Rer.crer-r11
i,
".tr",..1*i
i,. rl,,l ,r.' r-rorv..-\ \ 'ltv
tlot'r't
vor'r
trtkc
on a volrng,,-I .r,-lk','..',.I ii",-r.t
r.olrl"
Si-rir-rkcn
sai.l.
"it
Ytlr'r
kntlu,
tlt
tl l\ 'O1lc
.,,r..r.-l
i.-.ri"-r-er
c..1,
..1eat.
arrJ
(iLlI nI ]. gct
i-.,i;t
i.; -;-'t
Tl''t
schol.r
*.s
s1'eccl'rle'ss'
N, ASTEi{
KlI )o
I carl
tlo thc su ccltitlg
ttrr voLt'
\ 'lASTEI {
I ], \ KL'I \
C)f
n'l-rat
Lrsc
irre rhc
l'lirrtll
I ,t',,\ l\
s',\ 1'l\ (i:
l anl
tlotlritlg
br.rt a elr.trrlsr
l.ltlckhca.l.
i.trt
l.lclrsc
iccl
fret
tct Llse
mc.
NoTE,
Sceirrg,
l.rearrng,
arrcl
.speakir]g ,ttt
in'lispenslhle
,11-: ':ll'
;;;*.';;;i'or
clailv
i'ff"irs'
bur
it is thror'rgh
these
'erY'ta..":l:::'
,n i.:j.iiL..t.nt',
ente s.
There
is- norhir-rg
\ \ 'rong
\ \ 'ith the
Scnses
thenrselvesl
it is or'rly
.r..r.'i'
.i.*',.
thirt
coll-cc ns
Shinken.
He is tht'ts
not
looking
t..,,
"
tt'nti,
";t;;;;t;;'t
byt
f1r a
1.'crfectl'v
:i'of]t':n'
Kiclo's
comnlent
t'-'tl
tht
plair-' salir-'g
strggesr
rhc
simplicrtl
ot
mind
Shinkcr..I
i, ,..t
'ing.
it-.,.
,.i.ii.t-.',
arflrur-1.'
rrt Hrkr-rin's
rr'tbstitt'tte
phrase
seems
to miss
thc
Point
66
11
What Does theText Explain?
L)ncc the rc \ \ 'as an ol.l man ri l-ro askc.l a Brr.l.lhisr
scl-rr.rlar.
"Of
thc rr;
I ntrtes
rhat crl.lirin ir classic trxt, e .g.. a
Blrc].lI lisr sLrtra
]
irr.rt] rhe sh()
lllOte
S tl-rat lrrtI lcr cx1lllrirr
tl'rc sol, uhich is i. roa. lcl in nreirningl" Thc scholar srirl
,
". \ ho
explains thc ro, untl so csplairrs the rcxt. " Thc ol. l
nran sai.l,
"\ \ 'lrat
.locs tl'rc rcrr cxl.lair-rl" The scholuluvas
spcech I css.
\ 1,\ sTEti. Ku
)()
l r tl u rt'. l . l i t. r'tl tt ri 'i l l r. tl l . 1. , t. stl tl l . 1.
\ , , \ STEl { I I , ^\ Kl . I \
TI rc sr. rr- r riscs in tl'rc clst irn(l ar night scts in thc ucsr
I 'I - . . \ l\ \ , . \ ) / \ (i, lf vor- r go ar it slon'lr', r'or. r s ill Lutllcrstan(l
NI )TE,
Scholars arc incline. l to forger thc lar- rgr. ragc rltlt rctcrs to rltc
w, orlcl antl overlv occr- r1. , r' tl. rcnrselves u irh the langrrage that rleals
rt'ith langr- ragr'. As thc ctrnrments sLlggc, it. thcre is norhirrg \ \ 'rong
ri.'ith books, pror
iderl r:nc is not taker.r in l.r' overspeclrlrrtion.
15
Who Rong theBeLL?
oI le t.lar' N1aster )'trsci rar-rg the bcll or lccttrre. \ Vhen
L'\ 'cr)'onc hacl garl'rcrer-I . ht'askc.l,
"\ \ 'ho
nrng rhe bclll" A
tnonk saiej '
..Thc
lrr
[rht-'tirlc
of rl.rc nlonk irr charge tl
frrrrnrrl frrn. rions su, h 'rs ihiurtirrg th, :
* rrtrirs.
ringing rhr,
sLrnrnrous belll." \ 'Lrsci saicl,
"Cr'r11,1
foru'artl." When thc
mot'rk clrnv near, Ylisei gavc l-rim a slnp. Thcn Yr-isei
re tLlnrcrl tr-r his room.
MASTER KI T).)
Astor-rishinglv r', e lI .lorrc.
]\ ' ASTER HAKL. lN
To grip stronglr'. leavir.rg no cscirpr'.
/ , L', \ \ '. \ , . \ )'1\ '(j . oll. l tlit]tl'r kno''r'rhat at all.
NOTE, This koarr strikes rhe slme nor(' as koan
- 12. "l
\ Vill Have
Nothing tcl Dcl r','ith Btrtlt]ha''' Askecl clr clne's itlentitr', one shtlr.rlt]
resprrnd nor u'ith one's title hut ri'ith one's nrlmc. I n slrrpping thc
monk. \ 'r.rsei lra..l .lelir'..rct] the lccttrrc o th.'c]al'.
68
.+6
Spit at Buddha
Once rhere rvas a monk uho accomprrniecl a Buciclhisr
priest
I not
of Zen] to a Burclclhist remple. Therc tl're monk
Spat at the statue of Budc]ha. The priest sa cl.
..Yor.r
har'e
little s.'nse of propriervl Why c1o
1.orr
spir ar Brrllrlhal"
The monk said,
"Shou'
me rhe place u.'here there is
no Bu. ldha so thar I can spit rhere. " The priesr was
speechless.
MASTER KI DT
A f erce felloll' indeed]
MASTER HAKLI I N
I t is br.tre'r nor ro slander him.
l)LAlN S.{).I \ ,Q,
\ har
a blinil r'".retch]
NoTE' Kit.l's comment antl HirktriI l's strl.stirr.lte phrase sr.rggcsr rhc
praise
of tlrc nrorlk. u'herells thc pllrirl slr1.ing rc crs ttl the priest's lack
of understan,-lirrg. The rncrnk's behavior, hor,..evcr, is someu hat
arrificial. The iilerrticill thenre of the
..sanrcness''
o Butj tlha lrt.r.l rhe
wclrlcl s sr.rggestetl in ktlan 5]'..Tcll Me V'herc I Can Sir.'' in lt nttlrc
nattrral wav.
69
,1-i
1(
Bow to rhis Dog
Once there was a monk who rlent to visir Master Sr-rigan.
Suigan happenecl to be out. so he u,enr ro see the man in
charge of the remple. The man in charge saicl.
"Have
vou
mer the master alreadr'l" The monk saicl,
"Nor
1'et."
The
man rhen pointe.l ro a rlog and saitl .
"Yor-r
uanr ro see rh,.'
maste , don't youl Then
j r.rst
borv to this c1og''' The
n'ronk u'as speechless.
MASTER KI DI
Ptrtting Suigar.r ,-lorvrr is okar'.
MASTER HAKL-l.r'.
One f i l rgcr
l . oi rrri n!
1t thc J og. tl rc. , tI cr p\ ) i nri ng
ar rhe l rrrn i r.
charge-to leave.
I 'l- , '\ l\ S. q) l\ tl' \ \ 'hcn rhe nurstcr rcrLrnr- \ , please givc hin'r ntv rrgur. ls.
NOTE: Like the previor-rs koan. tl-ris koan als,.t sLrggr.sts rhc tl.renre of
thc
"suureness
of evcrt'thing. " Br. rt frcrc ugairr tfre
"Zcn
show"'of rhc
nlan it-t charite is srrnrr'u'hut ovcr,.]r.r-rc. Srrigar-r anrl thc.log nrar,'
rrltinrlrtelv l. c thc
"srrme. "
hr- rt it is rro rrsr satir- rg trt thc clog rvltrrt rrne
inrcr- rtls t() siir' to Srriglrn.
Ki. l lllrs' ilt ctlttrse. llot})iI lg itgltitlsr Str gltrl. ltl llis rcs1- loltsc. llc
I ttttrltlrtlttsll' stlggCStS thilt llS iorlg lts it is SLr glrI l llll(. l ll()r hiI rlseI I rr, lro
i s i rl cnti f re. ] ui tl r rt. l i rg. l te rj ( ) r's l t( ) t nti n. l . I - l l rkLri n's strl . sti trrtc
phrrrse suggcsts tl rrrt i f SLri grrn i s
"the
srl nl c l s tl rc, . l og. so i s thc nrrrn
i tr ti rrrrgt. Thc p111111 s. n i rrg i rtrl . l i e s l rt, u rl rr nrtrnk sl rr, trl . l l r, rve
rcsp1r11. l". l lrlJ he n()t hcclr trrkcn in l. r' tltc . log.
70
48
Fam L ar Places
on..' ']n..}n ' rirnq
5911g Koreans Came to SentDistrict
[in
China] to har.e the statue of Kannon
lBuddha
o
Mercy] carvecl. When rhe srarue u.'as finished, they tried
to lift it onro the ship b'ut oun..l it unmor'able' ir was
thus sent to be worshipped at the Kaigen Temple in Mei
District.
Later someone raisecl the follou'ing qLrestion; "A
Budtlha shoult] sho''r' himsel anvrr'herc' so rvhy .]id thc
holl' statue refuse to go to Koreal"
\ 1A-STER KlL)O
lt is ili icLrlt to orger farnil ar places.
\ 'lASTER HAKL I N
{ srrrr. i , l hi r, l , ] , , ". rrrrr
l gi l l q, i ts ncst.
i)l ''\ l\ s'\ \ 'I \ (j : No l1lilttr horr tlli. l ol]c gctS' h. lne is , rlrr'a1. s. ]elrr t. . l
onc's helrrt.
Nt)TE. T]rc ltgerlJ
()l
tllc stiltLl tlf Klltrtttltt Brr. 1tli- ra tl- rat reftrsct] rtr
go
t(r K()reil ech. , cs rlrc attiruilc of rhc Chitrcsc r() K(ircll
(un. l
lnv
tlrI lcr. . [. llrl. ltrilttl'' t. ()LlI lt \ . ). I t is lcss, . . lcllr rr'hitt its
l. lltrllt. 'sc
lts lt
korrn i s.
, A, s Ki. lo's c()lnl)rclrt ln(l the
l. lrrirr
slvirrg \ Llggest. pcrhilps thc koarr
lticans t() intplv thlr tl- r. rr. rgh thirrgs nrrrv ltirrve froll
Plrrcc
to pllce,
ri hut i. cssctttirrl rloes nrrt clrlngt. Horrcvcr. rhis sltorriJ ntrt l. c tlrken
rus lt srrggcstionl. , f arrr'
"inluLrtirl. lc
srr[. ttlrnec. "
19
Lift the
Cloak
I Er-r's
rrtaster
dtc tlcJ
that Err rr'clr.tl.i
takc l'ris pllrcc
as tht' trctt
master, unr'| . as pr. of
of rhc a'th. rrtr',
hc
garc
Er- rr'j l - ri s cl . l rk
rr. tl borr] .
Hou'er'er.
the tlrher
p1611| 5 ptrlp95cJ
Ell..rn.]
hc rras
ttlrccr]
tcl I cltr.c.
Near.N, ourtt
L)-rrivtrre i thev catrght r.rp rlith
llirll ilt](1 llrtcll)l]re(i
ttt srcal
rhc cloak and tror'1.
B.r sherr
rhcv tricrr ro grab,
rhe cio,rk ,,,.,.r t,..,,,li
'way. rhey
coultl ncrr liir thrnr.
Eno larcr sr,rrlerl
on Mo,-,,_.,i
S,*"i
i
once rhere wirs a rnonk
u'ho r.r'ent
to lt4c,unt
stkei tcr
see Master
Enl's cloak and bov'1.
Tl,rere,
"
"l.r; k
i;
charge
took the cloak
up anc] saicj . . . Th s
is '. h". n. ronk
My at Mount
Daivrei
coulc] not liit up. '' tne
1r'isiti
- j
monk
said,
"Then
rvhi' is it in
r.our hanrisl"
Th. ; ; ; k; 'r
charge u'as speechless.
MASTER
Klt)
The one u'ho lor. es sees ir ar- rrl calls ir
, 'lor. e
. "
N4ASTER
I J AKUI N
(onlr'
u'ith
certain masters)
To rake
of rhe cloak.
l'LAlN S,{} I Ne:
I 'm
j usr
a gr-rari.l.
NorE:
The hisrorical
l.ackgrorrncl
of this legenri
centers
arountl
the
dir.'ision
r-rf Zen into rl're northern
a..l thc ,3'.,th*.n
;;.;,'..r;;i;;
;i.,'.
se'enrh ccnrur)
A.D. Zen chro.riclcs
*,rirrerr
or.r rhc proccss
rh,i l."t
to rirc split rcl. ort \ '; rri( ) us
. irunrati, .
c\ . ents u hi. . h
, rssert , n. , l, , r. ri-
orit1' ot Ello
( ( r] S- 7tll
or. cr | ri.
ririlI irn. l tc] lo, . rr. '. 'le;
l; ; i. ;
(0]-70T)'
rhe founc]er
ot rhc r-rorrher'l
scct. Th. p'..,1..,.*;;.
;il"
legen.l is lrp'1-larer.rtI y
to asse t En as thc legitim.rte
sr.lcccsstlr
o his
l1l lstcr.
Grrnin (U]]
-7./ ).
,
Kitlo's conrmc.r
sugg!'srs
rh.t fairh is.i
a sr.rbj ccti'c
narure
a.tl
rhus cannot be critici: erl
l.1.those u,ho
tlo not share ir. HakL,in,s.Lrb-
stitttte phrast'ancl
thc
1llaill
sar'irlg
takc tlrc
1lo.sirion
o c..rnlnlrlr'
sense;
,tlre'sul.stitr'rte
phrase
stlggcsts
rllat a clak ."n J .."; ; ; ;
"
mor.rll rrhcrclrs
rhc plrrirr sirrirrq sulgcst.
rhe
.inrl.lc
,..p.r,..1ra
,rf',
Hul,lrr1
rr'hr; is trot sup1lo.cJ
t.'sr'e..uI lttt,tlh
p.,irrrs
o J tlcrrinc,hur
ollly ro tilkt. crc
o the obic. rs
hc is in. hargeot.
72
\
50
Bitten by a Dog
lThis
koan is rclrrrci'l rtr thc iollouing lcgcnri: Thcrc * 'as a
golrlen hirrl
rr ho rtlu avs .ler'.trrcrl the .lrag.,n't rritsprin.. Bcing rrt a loss. thc
.1r'.rgori \ \ 'cilt tr) seck thc aril trt Brr.l.lha. I lr.rrl.lh;r rcnrL)\ 'c(l his or.i'rr
gonn antl garc it to the rlrugrrrr. slving.
"li
vrrLr \ \ cur this, thc gol. len
birJ rlill nt r bc ul.lc ro lrirrnr vor.r." Tl'rc.lnrgorr aske.i ior nrirn! m(rrc
go\ \ 'ns
to protect all ot the .lrag,.rns. H,.rrrevcr. B,.r.lrlha sai.l that this
onc go\ \ 'n coLrld l.c cn.llesslv rlividerl ot)d cven a srnell threarl
',vorrltl
l'ro(cr
t rh. ' . lr; rgon. lr. 'nr rhr
l. . l. lvrr
hir. l. l
Once there u'as a monk u'ho, carrving thc foorl-alms
bowl, rvent to the house of an olcl nlan. Thcre he *'as
bitten bv a .log. The olc'l man sai(l.
"lf
a clragon hirs even tr
single threacl on him. the goltlen birJ rr'ill not
(lcvour
it.
Yolrr Revere ncl is f ullv clac{ in the holv gou n. Hou' comc
yOu were b tten bl.a dog1'' The monk !\ 'aS SpccchleSS'
M,{STER KI DO
A su'cct melon is svn'eer clear through.
MASTER HAKUI N
Unexpectecllv I mer up u'irh rrouble.
l)L.,\ l\ S.{}'l\ (7, \ '11', rl'rar's a strong Llog:
NOTE: The ol.l rnan sLrgllcsts thar u'hat is
"perfect"
(i.c.,
cr-rlighrerrerl)
shor.rl.i l1ot. b' its tlaturc. be a fecreJ l.v lr'orldlv car'rscs
(rhc..log's
l.itc). .\ J itie rcrrr ko,rn ,rn thc
r,rnrc
thcnte rr1.1.crrrs irr
f
.irrr
I trt
(
)r'rrJ rir
Soiilor Hrrorr
(ktrar-r
1-ll). I n tl'rat koan it is sr-rggcstcJ thar ir is a n'ris-
r : ] L. t ' n . . ( \ l ] . ' , l . t . r |
. ' enl i . . [ ' t en, t t "t ] r . .
r , r . . r n' . . i 1' g
t l i t i t * . l . ' l i r . . r i t t l c. '
frc>nr trc.r.rbles ancl puin.
Th.'sanre irlea is exprcsscrl hcrr'irr Hakuir.r's suhstitrrte phrasc
irntl
thc p| a n sar'ing. Kic]'s comment sllggcsts rlrc atlslr'er tht rnonk
shotrl..l har..'gir'cn tcr thc olrl nllrrr. Tlris phrasc is taken rtlrrl thc sa1'-
ing
"Call
is bitter ro the root. m!'lon is sr',cet clear throtrgh." in
ansu'ering thrrs, Kid nra1.har'e I ncanr to sLl ]gest rhat rhe nlonk's
"wrrr"'
is a b,irter one anc'l rhat it has norhing to rlo rvith the
"su'eetness"
of the golclen
bircl lt'gend.
51
Horu Old I s MonjuBuddha?
Oncc a benefacror \ \ 'cnr ro.r rcmplc ro gir.'e
a clonnrion of
money to each monk accorcling to his age. The man in
charge ot rhe rcmple saicl ro him,
"Pleasc
put
one share
ot your c]onation be ore the holv SrntLle
I o
Monj u
Burddha]." The br'nc.facror sirirl,
"Hou,
olcl is Mon1,,,
Brrtldhal" The marr in charge t'as speechless.
MASTER Klt)
Be n.ling rhe f ingers, shorling rhe ctrunr.
MASTER HAKL-I \
Gr.r an,.l ask Monjr.r's atrcnclant.
l)l-..\ l\ S.\ \ 'l\ ty: Benciing rhe fingers-nirh rht right hantl counrir-rg,
"One,
nvo. thrce. four, five. six, sevcn, rcn
r* irl'r thc I efr han. i
cor.rr-rtir-rg,
"One
. nlo, rl-rrce
.
frtr-rr, fir e
,
six. seven. e ighr, nine
,
thirtccn." C)pcning torl-r han.1s, saving.
"l
thorrght it uas going to bc
cigl-rt arrd instea..l it rr'rts tetl. lthorrght it rr,'as go ng
to [.c tctl ltrlc.l
instcatl it uas thirtctn. I tlon't knou rvhat in thc u, rtrld is going rlnl"
^w()TE: Tl'rc [.cncfuctor rvl-ro is not firken in l.r'Monir-r's
"holincss"
irtlrricalll'asks ttlr tlle llgc tlt N orrj tr. Br'rh s hc irrrplics that his cclrl-
ccrn is onlv uith hunran l.cirrgs. All thc conrnrents otfcr possihlc
irns\ \ 'ers to the l.enefilct()r s rnrp-(ltrcstion on Monj r.r's agc.
11
5Z
Not Enllghtened?
A certain parishioner
asked a heacl monk to hold rhe
opening cL'remonv
of another templc. Masfer Sl-rintetsr-r
heard of rh s and said, . . That isall right. I t isonlv
tclo hac]
thar he is not enl ghtened. . ' The heacl monk ht- ard this.
put
oll his lttire., anc] lefr or the tc.mplc. Shir-rtetsr.r' rr'hcl
was alreaciy there, drove the heacl monk or,rr w'ith his
srick.
MASTER Klt)
Hou' cor- rlil I clare go
agairrst nrv r. nasrcrl
MASTER HAKL'I N
"Have
a taste of irl" So saving, cl.rasir.rg arvirr.rvith rhc sricl<.
I , L, \ I \ S'\ \ ' \ (l: Ftlr tlr. lr', . . I rr i]l l. e lelrr trlg tlrl a pilgr. inllrgc. \ \ , hcrl I
come l. nck, I heg vour grriJ uncc.
N()TE,
Sirrcc rlc tlo not knr. rl rhc b, rrcligrourrrl rrf this krrrrn. its
nrclrning is n(rt !lLlite eicar. lt rnaV l. e trrirlV lrsstrrr. '. 1. horrever, tlrlrt
Shinretsu'. u'uv of delrling uith rhc nrrrnk irnl. lics in u
l- rirru, , ltrricrl
Zerri i ke r"'av hi s rce. g. i ri or
of rhc rro. k's e. l i gl rre. 'r. , . r.
Ki i l o's.
col l l l tl el tt l l rrl I l l rLrri n's
PJ ni n
strvi ng srrggcst tl tc nronk s l l ( . ( . cptl l l tc(
of Sl ri ntctsrr's urrthori tr', tl rLrs i nrpl r i ng tl rat rl rc rcl rrri ons l . . , rrr. "", r
thc tuo uerc rl rosc of nrrrste r rrrrJ . 1i sei 1. l s.
a -
''t
1
TeI I MeWhere I Can Sit
There was once a Taoist priesr who came to a Buddhist
tenrple and sat with his back to the .statue of Buddha. A
monk said,
"Yor,r
Taoist, don't
1'61v
turn
)'our
back on
Bucldha." The Taoist said,
"The
virruous Buddha exists
everywhere. Tell nle rvhere I can sit."
MASTER KI D
I orgot that you
are o a dif erent religion.
MASTER TI AKUI N
Are not Buddha and Miroku
[a
legendary Brrddha of the uture]
right rherel
PLAI \ '.s,{}'/ \ 'q, Ah. it's'r'oul Won't y-ou come in and have some teitJ
NoTE'
Like koan 4,
..Spit
at Buddha.'' this koan echoes the theme
of the
"sameness"
of Buddha anLl the worlcl
(or
nirn'irna and
samsara). But whereas in koan 4 the molrk's spitting at Buc]dha's
statue appears to be no more than a
"Zen
show," the Taoist's sirting
with his back to the starr.re has ir
greater appeal because of its narural
simplicity.
ln Hakr.rin's sr-rbstitute phrase,
the Taoist teaches the monk the
"Buddha
is evervu'here" principle, thus proving that Zen is also to be
founcl among non-Buddhists. Kido's response and thc plain saying
suggcst thc attitucle the n-ronk r,'"'oul.l har.e takerr tor'''ard rhe Tao st
visitor were thc monk not sucl'r a narrou'-mirrde.l fanatic.
76
.
) a
Holding Rag andBroom
Master Suibi asked Master Tanka.
"What
is it like to be
the teacher o Buc]clha]'' Tanka said,
,.You
yourself
are
the teacher of Budclha. so do not take yourself lightly.
What are yoLr cloing holcling that rag r.rnc'l broonrl" Srribi
etreatec] three StepS' Tanka said.
..Wrongl,'
Suibi
steppecl for',varcl. Tanka sirirl,
"Wrorrgl"
Sr-ribi raised one
foot, srvung himsel around, anc] was gonc. Tanka saicl'
..I t
is good
as far as it goes, but or Buddha's reacher it is
not very proper. "
MASTER KI DI
\ ,/ 11-rngl \ \ 'rongl
MASTER HAKUI N
l ) , . - ' . . 1. ; ^1. . L- . , . . . , , 1. . . , . ' . , - . . . . 1. - , . 1, , , ^. . , . , . ,
U U l l I l l l l t l \ L l l . 1 t
) U U
l t U \ ( F , U ( t l l g , l l l \ ( l l l ( ( l H , ( .
l'1,..\ 1\ S,.\ )'/ \ (i, Looking leit an.l right, saying,
"V"rongl
Wrongl"
^YoTE, Suil.r is searcl-ring for the
"r'ro[.lest
existence." Tanka suggesrs
tl.rat ir is right rr'lter.'ont'is. r'er at the samc time l.rc la1's a trap tlr
Suibi.
"TI 'rings
as thel'are l.eing the noblesr cxistence" cioes not only
meirn thirr cvcrvthing is
"nLlrc.'
b'rrt als,.r rhar the
"pr.rrc"
is
evervthing as it is. ln othcr u'ords. it rs not thnr Suibi is Brr,.lclha brrt
that BLrcl.llu is Suihi. Bv snf ing
"\ \ ,trong!
Wrongl" Tarrka .lrir',,'s
Sr,rii.i to his w its' enc'l.
Rarhcr rhan con.rnrenting on rhe kr.ran irs a u'hol.: or provic{ing an
il| )s\ \ 'cr rr'htrc tlne faile.l ro resr'on.]' Kitl hercattcr stlggcst\ il nlL]rc
itting phrase ftlr tI l.'lllilster
(r: r
rht'orlc rr'ith the trp1rcr hand). ln this
kolrr-r Kii.l's espollsc
(..\ X/ rorrgl
V'rtlng!'') replaces Tanklr's last si-tt'-
ing. u'hich clocs rrrrr secnr shar1. entru!h to Ki.l0. A similar example
of sr.rch c\ rrenrc ern1.l1'ry'111.'trg sf
"V'rorrgl"
clrn l.e f,.run.l also in
lrlrrt
l ot
(icrrJ rii
.\ .tl; crl Hl'rrrrl
(koan
I 0[.]') Hakrrin's sul.stittrtc pl.rrltse
srr| )!rr,srs rlr; rr hci| lr'rhe
"f,-.itcher
of BLid.lhtr" ilocs nctt mean fhat onc
' " 5 F ' "
is in anv war'[.,-'tter thrrrr err.rc i.s. Tlre plain saving is irn inritafion ol'
Kitj 's eonl ncnt.
71
) 5
Hou,aboutYours?
Mastc'r
Sei.lo, carrr ir-rg a m!'ssage f ronr his rr.achcr Maste r
Bascl. llrrir.e.] ar \ 4aster Erclr's place.
ErcI l askt.t] hinl,
..Wlrar
is
1.9111.
rellcl-rcr's BLrt]t]hisnl like ].. Scid l','lrlkcti
fron.r tl.re u'est sitje to rI le cast si..lc lrt'rtl sttlotl thert.. Etch
saici,
"ls
thcrr no more l.r.rsitlcs thisl" Scirlo u.alke.l fronr
rhc cast sitle to fhc u'esr sicle anti srootl thcrc. Etchrr sair-1,
..TI ris
is Bascl,s
I BLrLlJ hisnl).
Htlrr' abottt
r'tltI rs]'' Scitl
said,
"l
have tolJ Yor.rr Rcveren.'l alreaclr.."
]V ASTER KlD(-
Scid irr tlre erltl sar- s'. '\ \ 'I lcrl leltr'irrg. l. "r. as ttrlt. l I o l. rittg l. lt. . k
rr rcpll'. "
MASTER I I ,{.KI 'I N
The n goir.rg
or-rr.
I '1.4'I \ .\ .1)'lN(j ,
lan.r
j usr
ii messenge r. I f lonlv recei'e
1.or.rr
rr1.,11., rl.rat
is fine rvitl'r me.
!_Of_f,..ln
his u,alking responsL. ro Erchtr's cllresr.ion conccrning rhe
"Bucklhism"
of his master Baso, SeiclT implics.
"lr
is hcrc, it is ihcre,
it is nor in anv parricular place." V/ hen asked abor_rt his own
,.Bucldhisnl'''
Seido suggests that it cloes not di fet rom that o
Baso's.
Kid ecls thar Sei.]'s lirst arlsrr'er is too ab,strlrct ancl srrggests thlrt
Seiclignore the BLrc]dhism.talk anci sin-rplr' re er to rhe b'usiness hc
came for. I f Budclhism is the
"here,
nou," siruariorr, rhen all Scido
has to cio is to.]clir'er
Baso's nlessage an.l receir'e Etclr's replr'.
Hakuin's sr-rbstitute phra-se
antl rhe plain
saf ing ar,-. onlv irn inrirafio'
of Kid's line o colnment.
78
I
5('
One
A monk .lrcrr' | clttr srrokcs itl | rtlt-tt tli N aste r Bltstl, rr itI l
thc r.p str()ke lreing io'rg a.r] rhc l.*e r rhrec l.cing shorr.
llc sairl,
"\ \ 'irhor-rt
sr* irg rhrrr ..c srr.kc
is l..ing a..l
tl'rrec irre sl.rctrt; itar ing lrll u.trrtls;
ctrtting
oLrr rrll
llf!Ll Dc'l-lts-llleitsc.
lllaStcr.
il lS\ \ 'tr.'I ]lrstl
rllcI .r..]rc,u,',
tlrre
st. r. rkc, s. r'irg.
"\ \ 'ithorrr
savi. g
olrc srr( ) l( r, is
l. . g lrr- rtr
threc arc short,
I l-rar.e
anst.crctl
t.ou."
\ ,\ STEli
K lI )( )
\ \ 'irc. I lrso rs rrskcJ
t() rrrs\ \ cr. lrc srr's,
"\ \ 'h.,*.1
Tlrr)t u,ils t.ltrscl,'
\ 1. \ STEI { I I . , \ K( I \
Thc l.alnrv l.ree: c corrrcs tronr rlrc si.,rrrlr.
I I alls anci chlnrl.crs grtrrr
slighrlr. eool.
1)..-\ 1\ \ .-\ ) / \ (
1:
I 'll rriso l.r. f ttrv-tir e rhis vcur.
NOTE,
Thc mork .lc'a.cls rhar R's. cleti.c clifirrcrt
rhirgs u.irh.ur
mak ng J istir.rctroI -rs.
Br drarr'irrg rhc r,,rte lirrc
(ret
,. .,.ing
to rhc
rhr'ee) Baso prtlr'itlt.'s
ti.rc rrlonk rr.ith
rhe.lisrincrion- rcc.r,.,"u,e.
lr. i,
scek ing.
This ans*'cr seenrs roo spccLrlati'e
ro Ki.lo. Thcrefore
,
he s.ggests
rhrr,t Baso ignore tl-rc parrrcloxical
rer-1r.rircmcnt
ancr siniplr.'r",',li,lih.
rr'il] rlor tali rnttl tirc nlonk's rrip' Haktrin.s
srrb'it ,tu,. ph,-,.."
sLlggesrs
"cven'rhing
as it is is in pcrfcct
or(ler" as an answer to the
monk...ln.rhis
enlighrcnc.l
con.,nr...'.s.'lrsc
srilrc of nrind, th"
"n-,.,.,rli'
arc srill rhcre, br,rr thcy are no longcr.liitercrrrirrre.l
c.,r s1.,eculate.l
a| .clr'tt. The plain
slr1.ir-rg str kes rhc sanlc notl'. lrllr it i.. n.,orc.| i,c..r
responsr' to rhe rncrnk's question:
aske.l tr, .lcal nonsl.ecuiirtivell,
witlr
"r-runrbers."
one sinrplv gir.es
one's agr..
7e
) l
Understood
Master Nansen saicl,
"Masrcr
Bascl sairi rhat the mir-rcl as it
is, is Builrlha. Br. rt I rlo nor rhink so. lsav ir is not rhe
mintl, ir is nor Br-r.ltlha. I r is r-rot an obj ecr. I s there ar-r1'
fault in nr,v .saving tharl" Ar rl'rar Masrer
loshU
sttl'rperl
otlt, borr'Cti. antl rr'ithclrerr'. TI 'ren a mtltlk asked
| sh,
"What
clicl Yor.rr Rcvcrencl nrearr u'hen
_voLl
[.orvcc]1"
loshu
sair1.
"Yolr
ask Nanser-r." The monk repearecl his
rlucstion to Nansc.n,
"\ \ 'hat
did
.lOshn
nrean
j usr
nowl"
Natlsen saic].
',Hc
r.lt-r.]erstoo..] lr.hat i Tlcilnt.',
MASTER K D
To sit frrcing thc r.r'ali.
N ASTER H.{KL'1N
The arrou.' passell Shinra
I i.e
., it is too larc].
l'L,4/ \ 'S..\ )'1\ (ir No marter w'hat vor.r srr1
,
it is tcto late.
NoTE:
ln his sa1'ir'rg. Nansen sug ]esrs rhat no martcr hou' cler'erly
rvorclsare usci-i, rhings as thev arc cannor be defined in words. Ar this
.l0slrl.l
ht'u.s lris trnJ crst.trrJ inq. Thc rnonk rr.ho is irsking or tht
..n-rcaning''
fails to gct an e.xplanation trom
J oshii
and Nirnsen' l he
.loes not undersran.l. no u'orris uill hclpl ii he does. he w'ill bou'
himsel .
Kitlo er'ls that in..He r'tnc]crstotl.1 rr.hat I nrcant.'' Nanscn nlaclc
usc clf rr'c..'r.'l.s tt.lo nrlrch' or the monk nra)'still b'e taken in b'v
..trnc]crsrlll.rtling.''
Hc sLlggestS r.rsteat.l rhc silcr-rce of Zcn metlitatior-r.
Both Flakrrin's .substitr-rre phrase
and rhc plrrin saling sr.rggesr rhar,
ur-rab'le to keep r.rp uith the momcnt, ri'or.ls arc alu'a1's
"roo
lare."
BO
5E
You Are Rough,I Am Rough
When Master Kisr-r was u'eecling. a Br-rdclhist priest
[not
of
Zenl cnnre to see him. SuJ .1cn11' a sr-rake u,ils seL.n passing
by. KisLr curt ir in rrio rvirh his hoe. Thc priesr iaic1, '; l
har't'l.reartl of thc tlanle of Kis for a lot-tg rinte, [.urt in
reirlitv he is onlv a r,.rr-rgh
I preceprs-r'ioiaringl
nrclnk."
K str said'..\ 'ot.t lrre rtlr'tgh, I atr.i rolrgh.''
l"{ASTE.R Klt)a)
A goocl intent on is rltlr alrr'a1's reu'arclecl'
MASTER I {,.\ KT
iI N
This strrpicl gr-rvl
I '1,11\ S..\ \ 'l\ '(1, \ 'ttu srill hirven'r figurr'cl ir or-rrl \ \ / hat a nlrisancel
NoTE. As K .J sLrggcsts. Kis ma1'l.c
..rilr.rgh''
ir-r r.iolarir-rg tI re
Bucltj hist p ecel)tS ar'rcl killing tlle snak..., br.rr rhc priest is ntl I ess
..rough',
tor failing ro thar-rk Kis tor rhis act tl kintj r-ress' Hlrktrirl's
sul.stitr.rtc phrase anrl thc plain saying rrrc tlircctc,.l ur the priesr.
81
59
Host and
Quest
Onl' cla1' N1itster Rir'r:ai \ \ .cnt rO tilc ttlu'n of Ka tr. Wherl
tl-re host Oj Oj i askr.t'l Rir-r: ai ro rake his scirt. Masrer
Mavokr.r stcp1,c.1 or-rt ancl lrskc.l,
"Krnnorr
Rrrr{r1l-ra has ir
tl-ror.rslnc] l'rar-r.]s irn(1 rvrsl u'l-ricl'r is f l-rc r.r'r
l-roperl"
Rin-
: ai saitl.
"Kanrton
| 1x5 11 1[pr.tsan.l hun.]s uncl e r,t's; u'l-rich
is tlrt cvc
1'rrp1'r1'1)
Sry it, t1 trickl Sav it. tltrickl" Mlvt'rklr
.l raggctl Rin: ai rlrrri n fronr his scat rnrl scuterl hinrsclt.
Rirr: lri . l rcu'ne, tr ltnr. l sui. l.
"fl1r\ \ 'urc
\ '( ) Ll rloingl"
lV{rr','..rkr-r u a.. al.,rr-rt t() suv sonrcthing irr rcpll rr'1'.''' Rin: lri
. lrlrggc. i hinr. ltrrvn trtrnr his scltt altrl slrt tiorvrr uguir. t.
V{rrvrrkr-r rlrt'rr u e rrr
()[it
lrntl I {in: ai stcPpgql clr.rrln f r,.rnr
ll s seitt.
\ 1, {SThlt Kll)()
ln plrrcc of Rin: iri's
"Hou
irrr vorr rloirrgr" sur'.
"\ 'orr
crookl
()ct
r- r1r
lur- rtl gct ourl"
\ ,lASTEI { I I ,A,KI
'I \
To ove rtlrrrr rhc Zcr- r scat.
i'l- . \ l\ 5. ^\ ) l\ (l, Hr. rrrv up ilnrl n. rrtvcl Tirat's ntl scirt.
Nt)TE. \ 1lrl'oktr lrsks Rrrl: ai ftlr thc
. . al- stllr. rtc
t t]| l]''
(. . tllc
cr'e
1. roper").
ut rvhich poirrt Rrrr; li tlrrrru's thc sarne rlr. rcsti()n l. lrck at
Mirvoku anrl Lrrges hinr to iurs\ \ 'er rlrricklr'. \ {lrokrr ilsserrs hinrscli
througlr acrtotr. an. l Rin: ri su iftlr rcs1. onrls tlrrorrgh ilctiolr.
Throtrgh this excirrrngc, thc
I rol. lcnr
r', f
"rrr. rth"
(or
"cssenec")
nrirl
not hlrvc bccn solvc. l. l, Lrt the rclltior- r
(pr
"uorkirrg")
of rhc t\ r'o ils
"host" (srrl. j ecr)
ilnri
"glrcst" (ol. j ect)
i- s rnrr. lc clear.
ltl lris ctlrlllltcrlt KiJ sLlggcStS rllat itlstelt. l tlt rcsl. trI rtlitlg rr'irI l rlle
sunrc actir'rr- r of
"J ragging. loun
froni rhc scat, " Rin: rri nrigl'rt hlve
. lonc l. crter 1r. r. l hc. lctcrl s()nlc\ \ 'hat. iitfcrcntlr. A
"Zrrr
sl- rou" is nrr
J i 1| crcrrt f rtl ttl l l rl r'tl thcr sl rtl rr'l i t tl l c. ttl rl . rcl ] ci l t\ i tseI ttl t, tl t. rctl .
L)ne grrs bLrretl irntl lclrlcs
(as
\ {avokrr, rctr- rllir'. loer).
E]
/ : 1
(rL'
Please HeI p Me
One tlay u.'hen evervl.oclv u,as garherecl.
Mastcr Seitlo
saic.l'
..Thc
cllLlSc ant] ef fect re ]atior.r
[ .c..
karrnic calrslllit1']
is clear-clrt. \ tihat shall r,,'e clo al.or-rr itl" A monk calre
or-rt. his har-rc'ls tor-rchir-rg thc grorrnrl
. Sri.'lo sairl,
"Wl'rlr
arc
).olr
doingl" Thc ml.nk sairl.
"l'lcasc
l'rci1-, nrel l)lcasc
help mcl" Seid sai.l to thr peo1,le.
"Tl'ris
nronk rrlnrt.'st
gor it." The n'ronk, rvirh a s\ \ 'ccp of his slccvcs. \ \ 'clrt n\ r'n\ '.
ScitlT said,
"The
t'orr-ns insitlc thc lion fcc.l or-r rhe tlc.*h
of the liorr. "
)ut,qSTER Ktlrtl
\ \ il-r,: n tirc rtrrrnk lclrvcs rvitlr lr srlccl. trf iris siecvcs, sirr',
"[),rn't
trutnplc rtvcr pcp1.lg'5 iiclrls.
"
MASTEI { I I AKL I N
A n evcn-in-l.roail-.1a1'l igh r thief .
I 'l-,AI \ S.\ )'l\ ():
Olnring rtngrill'.
"Thitr
son-of-a.L'irchl Rrrrtning ri'ilt{
irgain l"
NOTE: ln u'alkir-rg on all fc.tr.rr.s. rhe mttrrk suggesrs rl'rar
"liberarion"
fronr karma is not achiever-1 thror-rgh it.s transccnrlcncc. lt onc is
c{oon'retl bv karmrr to t'e rcborn as a l.cast, onc sinrplv has ro leurl u
L'eastlikc exisrenct.. I n lris lasr sirr.ing, Seitlo
1.'ririse..
rhe nrorlk ot
being right r','hcre he is sr,r1'r1-.115gi 1e f..
Kiclstrggcsts thlrr instta.l t..f rhc nte tlpht.rriclll
'.lion''
sai'ing' ScitlT
rcspontl nrorc clirectlv to ri.rr ntonk's srate of
"bcing
u beast."
Haktrirr's sr.r| .stittrtr'plrrase i.s 21 prilise
o the r-nonk's b'c'lt]
..u.c-''rking''l
u'hereas rl-rc plain savirrg cchocs KitlT's conlnrcltt, in rcsplrnj illg 1g
thc monk's b,eastlikc srare.
83
T1
He Cannot Make a Liuing
Master Ungan asked N{astcr Hyakr.rj '
..V,h}'
arc \ ,OLl rrv-
ing so harcil" iJ 1'akLrj o said.
"lt
is for somcone." L,rngan
said,
"Why
clon't vou lcr him take carc oi hinrselfl"
Hyakuj o saicl.
"He
cannot make a living. "
N1ASTER KI t)
Sir-rc.'ol.le n tinres ir hns becr.r a ntrblc existe ncc.
MASTER HAKL'I N
I t is like Fr-rrlaishi
I a
BLr.l.lhist lavnran].
I '>L.1/ \ .S.{)'/ \ (l' I t is extrenrclv sreep. thcre is no \ r'av rrf gctting close.
NoTE: 81'..sonlcone'' Hfakrrj implics rhe tlriginal tlttt
(tlr
krr) self'
One's trr"re narure nrat'be rhe
"no-self,"
but spealiing corrnron scnse,
ir is HyakLrj T ant] not
..nor-Hr.akr'rj .'rhar
}-ra.s to n]akc a lir'ing.
KidT's cc)ntnre nt is inrentlcrl tr) rc[]loce Hrrkuj o's lasr phrosc. Kitlt
seems to irclnicilllv SuggeSr that irl mllttc s of er'crvdal'li e tlrc..noble
existenct''' of the
..rnrr-sel ''
r.ieu'ec.l tln its orr'n
(i.e'.
scparlltc trtlnr rr) is
not of mr,rch r-rse. Hakurin's substitutt' pl'rrasc, referring to Futlaishi
(n
o.
-197-56i))
is nor clcar. Thc plair-r savir.rg suggesrs that ir is frar,,l
to rcach the reali: rrtion of
"selflessness"l
it rhr.rs seerns to trrll irtro tl-re
trap tlf takir.rg Kic1's iror.ricirl comnlcnt lrt its face r,alue.
84
/ 1
n/
ThisMatter
Mltster Sar.ikakLr said'
..I
}'oLl
are to c]iSCLI SS this matter,
the mon-rent you raise your
evebrows,
,voll
har.e alre'irrlv
missed it.'. Ar that Master lv' ar'oku came orward an.l
saicl.
"Let
us nor ask abour rhe raising of er,ebror,,,s, br.rt
what s
'this
nlatrer']''
Sankaku said,
.,\ 'ou
har'e already
missed it.'' }v ayoku then r.rpset
the Zen seat, Sar-rkaktr
bear him.
MASTER KI DO
\ Where
Mayoku f irsr asks. say.
"Bire
rhe k,it, carry the sacirlle
I i.e.,
b,e a horse],"
MASTER HAKLj I N
There is nor a hair's space.
I nsteacl of Mayoku's c. 1ltestion orr
. . this
nlilttc ''
Mayokr.r shorr' inc]if erence
to har'irrg
..missed
it
Ki. lo sr, rggcsts thirt
PLAlN.\ ,4)'/ \ Q-.
There is nor er'en a crer' ce.
NOTE, ln
"the
momenr you
raise vor-rr e1'ebrows, you
havc. alreacll
m ssed it.'' Sankaku suggesrs tlrat when rhere is c'r'en rhe sliehtest
mo\ rement toward i,]rgLlnlent or iliscr.rssion on rhe meaning o Zen
("this
matter"), one is already in the wrong. Mei'okLr .tr.n.lpt. ro
draw Sankaku inro
"ralking
on Zen"; Sankaku slrggesrs that in so
doing Mayoku hirnsclf has allen inrcl rhr.. trap hc has st-r. ln the
upserting of thc. Zc.n seat an(l the bearing, Mavoku antl Sankaku tr1,
to assert their Zcn rhrouch action.
dangerous, then u.'e are all t.esp.ss.... cloome.l to
"lower"
existc.nce. Haktrin's subsritr-rrt
phrrrse
ancl
on the othe r hand, echrr SankakLr's sc\ ,!.rl. rrtritr-rcle
is no place for words.
"
if w'orcis arc so
b'c rtb'orn irrto ir
the plain saf ing,
rhat in Zen thetr'
85
TJ
So I r I s likeThis
Master Tzan came tO see N aster Roso. After har'ins
borvec]. he stood bes de Roso. A little while larcr. he weni
out ancl then rerurned again. Roso saicj ,
"lt
is
j ust
like
'L^' : ': ': "^- r: r'- 'hat.
So i r i s l i ke thi s. " TTzan sai d,
t l l ( l t . l L l J
J UJ L
l l K t r t
"There
is someone rvho cloes not agree." Roso said,
"Why
clo I have to listen to
)'our
argumentsl" Conseqlrently
T; an pracriced
uncler Roso for ser'eral months.
MASTER KI D(]
\ Vhere T: lrrr spcirks. s.rr..
..I
c1ang.-.rs 1 aced on mv wat..''
came to see Your Re",erenci ilespite the
\ 4ASTER HAKUI N
Fire gocs rvl.rere ir is d11'.
Water flor.r's to w,here it is danip.
i'l- r\ lN - \ . '\ ). i\ tj : Desirirrg to pracricc rrrrder Masrer So- ancl- so, thc
greiltest
teltcher r. tnclcr hear'en, I carne all this rr'a1'rvith s nglencss of
rnirrcl. I ptlea. l for
lorrr
be nevcrlcnt antj compassionatc guiclancc.
NOTE: T: llrr's. . shorr''' eXl)rcsscS his lrcsitaticln r', 'hether to stay arrtl
l.rllctice
unt]er Rostl tlr to lear'e atltl sell ch ftlr atlclthcr tllllstcf. V/ hcr-r
Rclscl
(irl
. . I t
is
- ir. rst
liki. thrlt'') inrplics tlrat hc knor', 's rr, hat T: an's
prtlL.lcnl is' To:arl tlct-rtes it. Roscl's cLlttil)g tlft tlf rhe ll glln)e 1t ser:nls
ttl har'c tllatle T:ltrl stirr'.
()ol].t1.111L'(]
ri'itl-r T:lrrl's
..shoir'.''
KiJ o's con)n)cnt llrrtl thc plairl
slt1'itlg rcs1-ltltrJ rr'ith a l1lorc rrltrtrral lrrtitr.rt]c tl seckirlg or a nlaster:
rr'hereas Hlrkrrirl's strbstirr. ltc phrase Stlggcsts th. ' af initv hetween
lna. ste r anrl pupil.
8
64
The Nor-Knowing of Knou,I edge
Master lv e: uhoshinz saic].
''The
nor.knorr'ing oi kno''vl.
edge is di erent ron the rrot.know'ing c'li rro-knou'l-
edge. '' Master Nansen said.
. , I
that is so. hearing your
words l hai'e for tlre firsr rime undersrood hal .''
)vI ASTER KI DO
Nrrnsen says,
"Wirh
six ears the re can be no sccrcrs.
N4ASTER HAKL]I \
Sa- ving yes, sal ing no.
l'LAl\ S, \ ) l\ (i: Even if vou agree, l'11 clisrtgrcc.
NttTE: l n hi s
s, rri rrq.
Mc: rrl rr, sl rrn: J
r11gr. 'i 1.
rhrrr
"trrl i gl rrerre. l
knorvicclce" is not sc'rnrething thlt curr i. c trurrsnritrctl tl- rroLrglr
u, ortls. Thus. strch krlou'le. 1ge is. irl rl- re rtsltlt] scnsc o ktltlrr'irrg'
. 't. lclt'
krlowirlg. '. Nanscl. l's 11ns\ \ 'cr inrpI ics tI lat rI lcl'. rgh l c: lrI lsI lj ll: t] ll)il\ .
not have slricl wirat Zcrr is. he has nrlr. le clcrrr rihrrt it is nor.
insrert, . l tlf Nattset- r's pltrasc
Kirlo rlLr()tr\ ir
I irp11ix1'srr\ itrg
', r'ltieh
implics thlrr Zcrr is nlrt tltc st)rt r)f thing rltirt !iln be nrir. l. lr srrl. j cet
f or prrbl i c
ti rl k. I l i rkr- ri n's sui . sti ture phnrse
arrrl
l ) ] rri n
sur. i ng sLrggest
thc nort- Zcn- l i kc nutrrrc of
prrl . l i .
. l i se ussi on.
87
5
How Many?
Hokoj i
I a
Buddhist lavrnan] asked Master Seiho.
"How
many miles are there from here to rhe peakl"
Seiho saicl,
..\ Vhere
have
vor.l
been]'' Hokoj i said.
..You
are really di -
icult to bend. Ei'en m1' quesrion ailecl to trap
i'ou.''
Seihsaid'
. . Ho!t'
man}' are there]'' Hokoj i said,
. . one,
two, three. '' Seihr said.
. . For'rr.
ir. e. s x. '' Hokoj i said'
"Why
don't
1'ou
sa1'sevenl" Seihsaid,
"The
momenr
you say se\ 'en. erght will ollow''' Hokoj i saic1.
..okay.
okay''' Se ho sa d.
..You
clrn add as much as
1'ou
like'''
Hokoj i then shouted,
"Karsul"
Seiho also shor.rrecl,
"Katsul"
MASTER KlD
1n place
of Seilr's shout, sal'.
,.Hkoj i
has alrva1's been onc of great
wisr.lom."
MASTER HAKL]I N
Drums are played on the sourh mor-rntain.
Dances are
performed
on the north mounrain.
l'L,q \ S.A}'l\ tl; lf there is water-minc]. there is islr-minc]
[i.e'.
scrlrtch
rny back an.'l I 'll scratch yoursl.
\ ( ) TE, H0koj i asks ScihJ tor rhc
( \ rcr) r. ri
hi* cnlighrenn) ( , t) r. i1r
ri'hich point Sr-'iho
(in'.! lrere
har'e t'or.t | .cen].') thrtlrr's the l.lrll l.lrck
at HDkoj i. When l.otl'r reali: e rhar rhc orher rvill r.ror tieal ir'irl.r
..nleasurenlents,''
Hokori anJ Se ho
1riav
tl-rc
..nltnlber
ganlc,''
tleligl'rrcd w ith tl'reir murual unclerstanrling rhar this has norhing ro
c.lo with rr,hat ther'startetl talking at.otrt. As tlrcrt s r-ro latrghrer
stro 1g enor-rgh to cxpress rl.ris spirir-trcC
cl.lcotltltL.r. rhe trr.tl ctltlclr.r.lt.
it u'ith a roaring
"Katsr-rl"
All the colnntcnts slrggesr rl-rc harmonl'
F( f \ \ '( cn Hok( ) l r i i l r( l 5e l ho.
88
6r
Here You Are, Old Cow,!
Masrer isan sa."v
[rhe
nurr] Rvtetsuma coming' so he
greeted
her. saying.
.'Here
vou are, old cow]'' Rytersuma
saicl,
"Tomorro!r'
there is going
to be a dinner mecring i'lr
Mount Tai. I s Your Reverend goingl" I san lay down in a
sleeping posture.
Rytetsuma then went out'
MASTER KI DO
Rytetsr: mir says
I instead
of leaving]'
,.There
is noth ng great
enough
to rcwart.l m}' maste r su iciently.'.
MASTER HAKUI N
To lie on the becl in a sleeping posrure.
I ,L.AiN.\ A}'i\ ,Q.
Er'en i she is a nun. do not take her lightly.
NOTE' From lsan's calling Ryurersuma
"ol.l
cow" we should drau' no
other conclusion bur rhirt she w'as old and far. I n his
"slecping
show," I san suggesrs rhar he coul.l not crre less abrout rhe clinner
mceting at Mount Tai.
I n his response Kid Suggests that Rt.retstrma thilnk I san or his
reaching. The plain saying is nor intcnderl as a rcl'uke ro I san for his
"roughness"
b,ur as a praise tor RlrrrctsLrmrr. V'hiic rhcrc is
l.erhap.
no room to critici: e her. it is not quire
clear fronr rhe koan w'hy she
clescrves praise.
89
67
L ef t. tur nin g,
R ght. tur nin g?
Master Shiko asked
I the
nr,rn] Rvr-rtetsuma
I re
rsron,i
meanS
. . iron
m li. . l'
. . I
har. e long hearJ of
1'our
nanrc' l. ur
I wonder if what I har'.-. heard is rrue." Ryritetsuma saic-I ,
. . I t
is perhaps
a 1ittle exaggerated. '' Sh ko said'. . is it left.
turning or right. rurningl, ' R, vtetsr- rma said.
. . Do
not mix
things up. " Shiko bear her,
N,{ASTER KlD
Rytetsunra says
{instead
ot
..Do
not mix things up''l.
..it
is a gtltl..l
thing that others do not knou'."
V ASTER HAKL.I \
Where rhe rn
["darkness"]
and
ro
["lighr"]
do not rcach. rhcre is a
good view'.
1'L.{1\ .s/ \ Y'/ \ Q, Even a Bucldha is not ahlc to knou.
NoTE. ln his first sarinq Shik.r re r.rs t()
(hc
\ .(\ nn(rtlttitltt ol
1r1rq'..1.
(..iron'')
irl the nun's nanle. Sincc Rr. ter.stI ma.'ltres not clen1'the
1lraise
impiiet] in Shiko's g ccting. Shiko tackles hcr rhrtlLrgll tlre
..nlill''
part of l.rer nanlc' ln..Do not nrix things
r'rp''' R1'tctsr.tnla
sLrggests tlrar she
',','ill
not bt'takerr irr bv Shiko. Shiko sccn-rs r() inrcr-
prct hcr attiturie as l.eing conceircrl ,rn.l L'eats hcr for it.
All the comnrents suggest that it is impossi[.le to knovu,r.','l-rnr the
othcr reallv is. V'hcre the irr anrl the
.o
.lo nr.rt rcach is thc
pluce
rvl.rcre ol.J cctir'e a.ssessmctlt is irr-rposs t.le. and t| rc..gtlotl r'ierv'. is tlrr.rs
secn onll' L'r' the sr-rt
j ect
hinrse lf .
90
8
Smooth, Sluilt
There was a monk lir'ing n a hermitage at che foot of the
moltntain of }v{aster lsan's monaster}'. N{aster Kvzan
flsan's
disciple] went to this monk ancl
quoted lsirn as say-
ing.
"
'Man1'
people have smooth working. bur not swifr
working.' This is rvhat I san savsr r','hat clocs it meanl" The
nronk askcJ Kr': an tO rcrcat. So Kro: an repci-ttctl it onec
again and rras kicke. l in rhe ch. . t b!. rhc monk' K1': . rn
rvent back and told I san rhe u'hole scor\ ,. isan iaughed
heartilv.
MASTER KlD
When Kl': r1I l \ !'as kicked. sar. .
. . I
thoLrght t'tlr. t hlttl tlcr'cr scctl lsatl. . '
N' ASTER HAKUlN
Roughl
l)L, {. l\ '. \ . {} 1\ (l: You havc alre: rrlv mcr the master. haven't youl
NOTE: The re is rrctr.ralll' not mr-rch cl iffere nce L't'ru een
"snrooth
rvorking" anrl
"su'ift
* 'orking. " Thc tlrrcstion is intcnrle(l to tcst
rvhethr'r tl. rc n- ronk is rakcn in L'l'spccr'rlarion. Rr'making Kr': ltn
relrcat rhc c1t.tcsticln. rhe rrlorrk r-rrlrkcs Kl':lrn lrll r.rttl thc tra1r hc
hinlseli hat.l set. The kicking gir.cs Kr':an a ri1stL. clf the n-r..lnk s o!\ 'tl
"uorking";
this action s(. 1'n- ls to gain lsan's lr1- rprovul. Thc conrnrents
l- rraise
thc nronk's
"riorking, "
sLlggcsting
rhirt I ', c knc* 'lsar- r's Zcn no
less thlrrr lsaI - r's tlisciple Kl': lln.
91
9
only Th s
Master Beirei said,
"Nothing
goes be,von.l ir." At that a
n-ronk asked.
"l
u'oncler rvhar ir is thar cannor be sur.
passed." Beirei said.
"Onlv
this." The monk later asked
Master Chokei,
"Why
[did
Beirei say]
'Nothing
goes
beyond it']'' Chkei said'
..Well'
then. what would you
l l
.
a t )
cal l l tl
vnsrtR xtot
Chokei says,
"One
who hears the sound
[bur
does not undersrand
the meaning]."
MASTER HAKUI N
The butterflies come and are gone,
flying over the wall,
Making me wont{er if spring is nexr door.
P| A/ \ '.\ Y1\ 'C, Each rvas enough_why can't he see throughl
NOTE, I rr his saying Beirei refers ro sarori
(enlighrenment).
The monk
does not understand, and Beirei makes his meaning clear in
"Only
this"
(i.e., "here,
now"). Still at a loss, rhe monk asks Chokei; Choker
suggests that it is not the kind o thing that can be answered in
words.
Kid's comment and rhe plain
saying ironically imply the monk's
failure to understand Beirei, whereas Hakuin's substitute ohrase
gives the answe to
..only
this.''
9Z
70
No One Saro'
Master Kkei rr'as askecl br' Master Fr.rkctsr-r,
..When
Burldhisrn rvirs destroyecl
I in
Cl'rir"ra. ,{ D E.l5]. rvhe rc hacl
or.rr
gr.rar.liatl gt.rtl gone1''
Kokei saic{...Hc u'tls rl tI le
marketplacc'all the rime. onl',' no one siru' hin'r." Fr-rketsr-r
saicl.
"Yor-r
hnve unrlerst,.ro,,'1.
"
MASTER KI D
Fuketsr.r sai's.
"l
know'1'or.r rrre weak."
N' ASTER HAKL]lN
\ ) c rnect not kr'rou'ing tach othcr'
We talk not knou'ing each other's narnc.
l'L.-\ l\ .\ .\ )'l\ ti: There's r.rtrthing to l.c .l.'rn.'-', or-rr mincls urc lrot
strong enough to keep thc faith.
NOTE, The koan antl conrnents sLrggcst that Br"r.l.lhisn'r is nor
sometl)ing clcpcn.lcnt on sr.rp'ernatural p()\ \ 'ers. As rvclrk un.{
Lrnreliable as hltmlrn t.eings mirr'be. taj th is stlleil lr mllrrer cl sclf-
reali;at ior.r.
93
71
Today I s aHoliday
Orr thc clay' oi the uinte r solstice
[u
hcn irr
(",,1arkness")
is
irt an encl and r'o ("tight")takes
ovcr-in tcntpics, this clai'
is nrarkecl L"'v a celebratirrn], Mlster
J irnvo
put r,rp the
I 'trlltru'in{
sign
in l'rtrttt rrf lhr' tcntple lr, rll,
ooo
linry
saitl.
. . \ \ 'htlc\
cr tlll( lcrStarltls tl- ris' is tlt- tc ri irh life. ''
Thc hcirrl nronk sa\ \ 'this antl sai. l.
"Mastcr.
rorlav is ir
holidar'. r't'rLr knou'."
N, ASTER KltX)
The hca. l nronk sin's,
"1
shall go, - lout. r to rhc - . ickro. rnr tor )'orrr
Rcvcrc rr.l.
"
N'{ASTER I I , A, KL ]N
To .lrau a car lry cc-r1-rvir-rg.
i '1. '\ l \ '\ . . \ \ '1\ '( 1, Bci ngheal rhr', I nce. l mc. l i ci ne l i ke ai rol ci nthcht'arl .
NOTE: ln slrggcsting tl. rrrt the on. ' rlho lrn. lerstarr. ls tl. re clivination
svnrbol rvill be enligl. rrcnc. l.
limro
is laving rr rrap. The monk nhcr
st't's throtrgh
linrlo's
mind sr- rggcsts
(irr
"Tocj irf
is a holiclirr'") that ht
is
"c. rl'rc
* ith lifc" nli right. I n mocicrn tinrcs. divinurion has b, econre
sonreu'har orrrt]lrtct]. Thc rel. lcr mav thLls rcplilg.
I imvo's
sign rrith
. tn- v stirtcmcnt of
"pililg5ophical
trlrth"; strch u chlr- rgc nrrtv cnhrrt- tc, :
thr' krrl rn's el i , . ', t t\ . i rl rr. rrt l tl reri rtg i t( n) r'i ) l ti r) !.
Kiclf
's
conulrcnt, u hich rcl. lirccs thc n- rrrnk's suvit'rg. is anothcr
exiltnple tl
, . l. eirrg
otlc rr'irh 1it. . . '' cr. crrJ ltl. lltngtragc. I . I akr. rirl's sLrl. -
stitr- rte phrasc rrrrtl plair. r saving sLrggcst tl. rat rl. rc rlivinati, . rn sigr- r i. s
rlcanirrglcss ar- r. l irlrsolr- rtclv sup. crtlLrolrs if , . rnc is in one's natural
stlttc o rnitrt].
rL
1tr
tffi
91
72
No Trace
A rr-ror-ik askc.l Masrcr Dogo.
"The
bo.lhisirrtvir
[or
the
enlighrencil onel holcls no occult
Lro\ \
e rs. \ t'h,v is it
in-rp'r6s5ii1l. ro tracc his focrtprintsl" Dogo said,
"Onlv
those o the sl-tt.tle u.llt' kn.l.'r' hinl..'The nlonk saicl.
..f)cres
Yotrr Rer,t.rentj krrtlrr' l.rir'rl]'' Dgo slri.1,
.'l
c]o t-tc.lt knclri'.''
The monk saiii,
"\ !'l-rv
tlo
.vor.r
llot kno\ \ '1" Dogc'r saiii,
"BegorrcJ
Yrru rlo not LlnrL'rstan.l mr' \ \ 'orrls."
I 'laSTPn XlDll
Onll l. ecarrsc I arn sin'rilur.
N, 'I , \ STEI { I ]AKL I N
This is u. 'hlt Mrrstcr Cie nsha saicl.
l'i', \ i\ '\ . , \ )' \ i]. Likc tllc gtxl. l tl. rirlg tl. rar crlt. t. '. cals its r'llllre tlec1.
u'irl.rin itselt lncl l,.rr'tks n'ortl.rless, likc a gentlemrtn *ho appcars rts a
iool, it is
qr. ritc in. rpossil. lc ro knou' rhe rock- i. ottom ticprh.
NOTE' The cnlighterre'cl olrc. not tcing t. rkt. n in tv ant crne sitr. ratiot't,
never stopswl'rcre the moment has flou'n on; ir is rhus
"impossiL'lc
tcr
trlrec his ooc1. 11n15. . ' lt Dogo
sai. l
hc
. . ktt. 'r. '. .
(('nlighttn n\ . rrt).
hc
ri 'orrl . l h, rr. ' l cl r i r toorl . ri nr.
Ki.lo strggcsts thlrt insteat-l .'1
g| -1x'sing
thr- mollk aw.ar.' Dgo
ex1. llairl that being cnlig| rtcr- re. i hinlse]f. hc. ]ctes not kno\ \ 'tht t- rot-
prints of crrlightcnrnent. Tl'rc retcrcncc oi HlrkLrirr's srrhstirr- rte phrasc
to Master Censha is not clear. The
1- . lxi11
srrving - srrggs5ts rhc. liffic, . rltv
rrl rr. r, ' i rr, ' th' ' , ' ' rl i . ' hr, ' nc. l .
95
- 1
( )
WhatW| LLYouCaLI
I t?
Master Kinpo
picked r'rp a
pillou' atrt{ sai.-'1.
"Evcr-vbotl1'
calls this a^piliou',
but I sav it is t'rt-rt." A monk sriiti,
.,Well.
what il'ill vou
call it1'' Kir'rp
pickec1 lrp thc
pillou'
agirin and sait'l,
"ln
that cilse. i shali f ollou'
u'l-rat
"i,..ybo.ly
e'lsc .loes." Then
hc atl.lecl,
"What
ri'ill vo.
call
it]'' The monk saicl.
..A
pillorr'.'' Kinp slrit].
..\ 'tltr
l-rar'c
fallen into my trap. "
MASTER KI DT
When the monk sa, vs,
"A
pillorv, " to throu thc
pillor"' rigl- rt irrtcl
his iace.
MASTER
I .I AKLI I N
To I i e on thc
heJ i n, r sl ctf i rrg posttrrc.
I , LAI N SI \ \ ']NQ:
The east mounti- lin
[o
Kvotol
looks like ir nlan
sleeping unc. ler a blanket.
r-OTE, Kinpo suggests thirt things are there to l.e r-tse.l. not to be
nirmeJ , Ki. {o oft. , rs Kin1. 9. l
mor( cf t, . . rir'c I CS}r1l651 ttr the ttttrnk. '*
answer.
, , vhereas
Hakuin's
substirrrte
phrase rrnci
plain saying sirnply
sLrggest the fornt ancl rhe Ltsage of a pillorv. The samc rl-rcmc also
npp.'.. irr pirrt 1 of
Qetrclai
S.irlen
Hr'rr,rrr
(koan
.]1).
96
( 4
From Where Do You Enter?
Master Kin:arr rr'irs sitting ii'irh )l, aster Se1lpo llnci Maste r
Gant. Master To: an serr e...l thenl tea. Kin: an hacl his
e1.es closed. T: an said'
..\ \ ,here
hat'e t.cll.t
gonel''
Kinzan
saicl,
"l
had entered inro meclitarion." To: an saicl.
"There
is no cloor to meditarion; from u'herc clo vclrr enrerl"
MASTER KI DO
Kinuan sai's
I instea.l
of
"l
had enrerec] inro mec{irarion"l,
"l
anr riretl
tociai'.
"
)vI ASTER HAKL'lN
To look left ancl right, appearing ro be l.r.rsr'.
I 'L,,\ / \ .s'{}./ \ (j: l hlr'e rr'orkctl so lrar..l ron-r earl,v rnornir-rg that
con.rpletcly' exharrstetl.
I "OTE, KiclCr's commcnt ancl Hakr.rin's plain sirving suggcsr
To: ar-r critici: es Kin: atl. Haktr rl's sul.stirLrre
1ll.rrase
is nclt ciellr.
I anr
wh1'
( )
\ Yhat I s the U se of Knou'ing/
A trltlnk asketl \ , aster Cetlsha.
..Tl.re
rast. vr'it.le rr'orld is
likc a L''rigl-rt pearl. \ \ 'hv rlon't I knou thisl" Ger-isha saic'I ,
"V1l'rat
is tl-rc r-rsc ol knou'ingl"
\ 1, {STER K1D. )
(lcrrsha
srri. s.
"\ \ 'hr'. . l, . r
vou halc t, . r l'rLrrr vrrr- rrscltl"
\ {ASTER I I , {KL'I \
V'hat is that l. etorc
vonr evcsl
/ '/ - \ 1\ \ \ ) i \ r
i;
Hc1', r'or. r. . lrrt)'t rlalrlrr'iut)l
N()TL'; L)ocs thc rr. tlrl. l kr- rtrrr'irst1 ] lf r. oLr split it irrto s. . rl. iccr lrrl. ]
qfj e
ct,
l
otr ot'rlr'
"hurt
voLrrsclf . " I f r r. lr
". lur'. lrcunr"
uborrt rhc
t, i {L' rrr( ' t, l tl te ri rrrl . l . \ ' \ \ r. l , l r( ' l - , ' trrr. l tt' ttri sr nl tl r( i i
"ri g}rr
l . etorc
your r1'cs. "
98
\
76
Where Hsue rhe Noises
eone?
\ ,het.r
Master Cens1.ra t rst cllrrlc. to Hoclen District. lrl1
scrrts of pc.rformances
\ l'erc l-relci ttr
grcet
him. Tl.rc ncxt
c1a,v he askerl Priesr
ShOtO.
"\ \ 'l-rcre
har.e all rhc r-r.ises *,c,
hcard
vcsrercla)' go'rel"
Shoto lif rc'J rhc hem .1- rris g.*'rr.
Gensl'ra sairl.
"That
has norhing
ro rlo ri.irl.r ir."
ivt,r,STEp rltlt
) l t( ) to s: l Ys.
k in.lrre ss.1'
vr'rLr tronr tl - rc L. of tonr. ri
nrr'l rcl rrt l or. r'tl ur
rni nrl , f J i rkLri n's
sLrl . sti tr. rte
l . hrusc, rrr. l
o l. cirlg riglrt rr'llcr. c tlrlc ltitl. l. tI ls
ttr 1. t
lrny' trtltcr sitrrltirln).
MASTER I ] AKL'I \
A chil. l
ro thc rrgl i ness of i rs nrrrrhcr
i,
I \ / \ \ . \ ) Vert'tttrtttrtl trc
rtt r tcrr. srr 11111, l - t
Nt)TE
(lc. slril
s rlLlr'stio. is gcr- rrri. c
2, . '. i. tc. . l, . , . l
to trrliglrtcri
5l trtl . 5hro. i rl . r Zerl l i kc l l l l l l l l l cr.
tri cs rtl stl ggst I l i s rI tl . l . 'rstl ttttl '
ilrg. l. Lrt Clcnshl sccs
tlrrrrtrgir hiur.
lrl Ki. l's l. Sl)()I ]\ e.
Sllt tlrkcs l] ll)()r1' l]ilt(lril]
lttritrrtic lltttl
tlltttlks
(lcI lslllr
for his tclrcltitlg. . {s ltgltirlst Sllr's scli'. . t. tts.
itltts
l . i l ri n
sl rvi ng sugg! st tl ) e sti l te
'
(ttt
I ie\ \ ing pcrtr\ flt)itr]('r\ ()r
99
77
What ls the Thing You CalI
"Qate"?
Master Gensha and Master
J izo
had a talk in a room.
When it was late at night, Gensha said,
"My
attenclant
has closed the
gare
already. How can you get outl"
J izo
said,
"What
is the thing you call
'gate'?"
vnsteR xI o
J izo
sa1's,
"We
are like father and son."
MASTER HAKUh'
Furher irnrl
( on
arr' singing in harmoni.
l']LA/ \ S,A)'iNC, Well, then, let's lay our rhe mattress.
NoTE, ln his irnsurr rtr Ccnsha's
"gacc
phr: rsc"
J i: o
suggcsrs rhirr hc is
rcc eriough nor to cJ rC roo mrrch ltl. otrr. liStincri( ) ns
( tl '. I ''
irn. ;
"yor.r,"
or
"here"
an.l
"there").
Kido's con) ment antl Hakr- rin's suhsritr. rtc phrase echo. J i: l's
ill.ls\ \ 'cr. lf
1'otr
tltl r-rot c{ .,'itle thc rvorltl br.pr.rtting tllr'.g0tes,' rhtrt i'
rcalli no ilisrinctior-r bctu'ccn
"l"
ancl vorr," or
"in"
arr,.1
"orrt."
The
plain slrvir-rg is ll
..nlrir'e''
rcspo 1st: tcl the
.ratctlct-rt
rhat thc
gatc
is
ciclsc.l.
100
78
Too Outspoken
Masrer Kyzan was waiting on Master I san when sud-
denly the cry o a bird was heard' lsan said,
..I t
says it as it
is.'' Kyzan said,
..Do
not teli it to other people''' I san
said,
"Whyl"
Kyozan said,
"lt
is because ir is roo out-
spoken.'' lsan said.
..Lots
of doctrines are re uted by
Kyzan.'' Kyzan said'
..What
is all this refr-rtarion busi-
nessl" I san knocked on his Zen seat three times.
MASTER KI DO
Kyzan says.
.,There
s nothing that can l.e hiclden from you, is
thereJ "
MASTER HAKUI N
The giant b rtl s1-',relltls its rr'ings ant] flics tt1l it-tttl rhc clotrcls r','hich
clr.crshlttltlrr. e\ .er}' d rectlon.
The u,hirlri intl w'hips rr1't tl.rc $'irtcr of the forrr seus.
it,.\ i,\ ' .\ ,A)'/ \ '(j; I an.r very l'rappy ro scc rhar Your Reverer-rrl is ir.r gitocl
sl}lpe .
NoTE; lsar-r sLrggcsts thar the
"cr1'-ot-rhe-hirtl"
Zcr.r
(i.c., "hr-.re,
now")
is
j ust
it. Ky; aI -r agrees [.trt intplics thlt hting roo.l rect, it is not
easily r.rndcrstcloll. ln
"Lots
oi docrrines are refurecl by Kvo: an." lsan
praises
Ki':an
}'ct
ilt the sanlc. titlle lal.s lr rra1l. lt Ki':lrn asketl,
..Whar
clocrr rres]'' he'"vtltrld pror'e
that l-rc t]itl nor realI v hear the cr','
of the b'irtl. But Ky: arr is r.rot takcn in, antl lsan, knocking on his
seilt' aplrro\ 'es crf Ky: arr,s saying it
..as
it is.''
Both Kit]o's col]lmcnt
(insreat.l
of Ky: an's
..What
is all this
refr.ltation btrsincss]'') an..l rhe plain sn,ving in.rplv Kl': an's aclm ssion
of lsan's r,rntlcrstancling. Hakrrin's substirLrre phrase
strggests the
power anc.l r'ast tj imens ons o the
..u'orking''
of lsan and Kyzan.
101
7e
I Almosr LetYou
(j o
Master Chokei aske,-l a monk,
"\ \ 'herc
have vou come
frorn]'' The morrk said.
..From
N' aster Ku: irn.'' Chokci
saicl,
"Ku: an
had once saiJ rhat he ri'or-rlcl never cross the
threshold of the Stone gate
[o
his temp1e], I f sortteonc
aske.l yor-i irl.our rhnr. ri'hat u'or-rlcl
1'or-r
savl" Thc nronk
saic'I ,
"Last
night I sravetl ar Haij i Temple." ChTkei sairl.
"V'l'rat
if I hir vou rigl'rr on rhe back u'ith thc srickl" Thc
monk saiJ ,
"li
Yor-rr Rcvercn,-l gires nre srrch ir srrokL'. if
ll'ill L.e a prais*r'ortl-rr
thing." Chokci saiil.
"l
alnrt-'sr lcr
yoLl go. "
NlASTEI { KI I )O
Light thc firc arr. l
l)lir\ '
frrscrlre r.
\ 1, . \ STEl i J '. \ Kt I \
Yor- r I rrtvc relr]lv sce n Kr. r: lrn.
i ) i - . \ 1\ \ '\ )
l \ t
j ,
l f vtrrr l tol rl i r f easr, I 'rn al nrtvs uvrri l rrL. l c.
N()TE; The nrorrk rcfrrscs to l. c rrrkcn in l. r rlrc proi. icnr
trt Ku: rrrr's
l cavi trg
( ) r
l tot l eavi rrg hi r te rtrpl c untl si nrPl l r'cf cl s to I ri , s rru n si f tur-
tion. lrr thirr llc. ]tlcs w. e1l. Httrr'crcr. rr'I tcI l ChTkci trf ers ttl hit lrirrr'
lrc is roo rca, . lt to acce pt.
I n splls ol Chokci's - ss1gg!'5gj 1rn rlrirt rlre nr, - rnk. locs nlrr stirn. l Lrl, [, ,
thc test
(. . l
lllrrrcrsr lct
1'otr
go'')' Kit1's collllllcI ]t arltl lllrktrirl. s strl. -
stitLrte phrasc l. otl'r irlplv Chokci's ar'. cptiurcc of rhe nrrrnk. Thc
plain silr. irlg cclltrcs tllc llt. . tlk's sttl. . trl ssir'c ltrtitr. rtlc ro Cllkci's trffer
to gir'c hirrl a. . stick t eilrllltl)t.
i02
5rr
Hits You in rhe Nose
Master Unmon lskecl N, aste.r Hari'o.
.'\ ',lilsrcr
Sepp.-, haJ
saicl,
.O1.'gn
the c{oclr ant1 Darr-rnla
I Boc1hi.1ha ma.
rhe
otrnder of Zt'n] comcs in., V'har cliJ he melln l.}' thar]''
I larvo srricl,
"This
hits vou in rl-rc nose. Llnnron saici,
"V/ hen
Shlrra
I a
legcn. larv gori
ot uar] lost his tempcr, hc
grabbe.i Mcrr-rnt Shun'ri, \ \ 'rr)t
Llir ttr heai en. lurrl con-
rotlrc-t] TaishakLr
[a
lcgen.larr. go.1.
Shtrra.s t'tlcnlr,'| ,
Burt'ul'hv clicl he havc to
go
to
I al.rrr-r rtr l'ricle hinrsclfl"
Harr' sait.l...\ 'oLr l.rlcl t.ettcr t.rilt tilitlk oI it this rvar'.''
Unnrclrr sai.l.
"\ \ 'cll,
tl.rcn. u hlrr ,.1i.1
\ '()Ll n)ei)n hcf rrrc i.r'
'l'r
irrir-rg'1"
)vl. \ STEI \ Kll)()
I l l l rr' sl tl 's
I trl srel r. l
rl t
. . \ 'tl LI
l l l t. j l . ett. 'r rl rl t tI l i l l k. 11 11 5| 1i . rr'l rr'''I
"r\ t
sr. rr'h an ugt'tl rcv si rorrl . . i knori i . ertcr. "
\ 1,{STtrR I i,{ K l. I N
Thunk \ '()Ll, nrirsrcr. f(rr \ '()rlr cfir, rtt t, n nrr l. tlrrrlt
I 'l - . \ l \ '\ . \ ) i \ tj : \ 'l trsrcr, \ '( ) u rl rr ul rcl r. l r nrl rl rnec. l i l t \ r, i tr5. sl . ,
l rl el rsc
tlke cirrc of vorrr ol. l l. rrncs anr'l rlon't g()
ltr()Lllrrl r'rrtehing rolrls.
Nt)TEl I rr
. . Tlris
hits
\ '(]tl
ill rI lt. . ll(]sc''' llltrr'o cx}. rcsscs tlle e cctir'c
"$rrrki l t{"
1rf i . '1. 1. f
i . , rVi nS.
I r) r) t( , n ri l ) rl ( 'r\ 1, i l ) \ l r tl t.
"l rrrt
i ng'
tnctaphtlr as sLlggstillg p()\ \ , er atlti shilrl. tless r. li llctitltr lrrlti ritlicLrI es
Hlrrl.tl rhrcltrgh rlrc
'.',r'ars
..lf
gtlt]s''
]egctltl. sLrggcsrirlg tirat Zcrl is tl li
morc 11rrict, cverl'clu. "' nature.
Kitio Lrtfe rs it lttorL' u'irrv resl.crttsc tr,r Harvt tirur-r thirt gir rn in tl'rr
krlan. ln this ltnsrr'cr' h. : sr. tggcsts tl. rc Lrtilitr'of t. rr. crtltlit. tg rhirrgs. Thc
sunir: itlcu is implierl in the plain suvir. rg.
103
81
I Haue Not Been to theHaI LYet
Whener'er an)'one new arrived, Master Tozan cyso
wotrld ask,
..What
do you make o the story of Master
I san turning into a male buf alo]'' No one showed any
r.rnclerstanding. When Master Sercho arrivecl, Tozan
Gyoso also asked him the Same qLlestion.
Setch said,
,.He
,,vanced
to set an exampie for those a ter him.''
T-o; an Gys was about to Say something rvhen Setcho
macle a sweep with his cushion an..l turned to leave.
T; an Gys said,
..Come
here.'' Setcho said,
..I
har'e not
been ro the hall vet."
MASTER KI DO
Say
[when
T: an Gvso was about to sa,v something].
..What
did the
bu falo sayl',
MASTER }I AKL I N
The l.easrl
l,l-,.\ l\ .S,{)'i\ tj; Tr.rrnitlg into a b'r.rf altl atlcl. on all ftlr.rrs. [.cllclrr,-
ing,
"Mool"
NoTE, Bt'aioicling arrv reference to rhe
"prol.lent"
of thc koan on
lsar-r
(rr'hcrhcr
to coll I san. rebc'rn as a btlf alo,..hLrf alt.'' or..I san'')'
Setch cscilpes Tzan Cys's trirp. Hc .locs nor wait for Tozan
Cyoso's pernl ssioI .t arrcl gocs striright to the hal|
(to
Llndergo rhc
el.lt i)llce
;lrocedttre
to the monasterv). Behar'ing thr-rs. Setcho
pro\ 'es
that he knows what he is there for and rhat as firr as I 'rc is conccrned.
lsirn ma1'be
"lsan"
or a
"l.uffalo,"
he coLrlcl nor care lc.ss.
Kido sLrggests that SetchT shorv his indif erence ro rhe
..problcm''
of lsan turning into a buffalo b1 calling I san
..bu falo.',
Hakr.rin's
substitute phrase and plain
saving suggcsr a sin-rple response ro
"buffalo."
104
82
I t I s So; I t I s Nor So
Master Kyozan and Master Kygen were making rice
cakes when Masrer lsan came to see them. isan saicJ .
..\ (/ hen
Master Hyakuj u'as lir'ing. he knerr' it wel[.''
Kyzan and Kygen looked at each other and said.
..Who
can answer thisl" I san said.
"Somc'one
can answ'cr it."
Kyzan said'
..WhoJ ''
I san pointed
to a buf falo ancl saic.l.
..Say
itl Say itl'' Ky: an fetche.l a b,rrnclle of
grass while
Kyogen got a bucket of water. The bu falo ber-rt its heac].
ate the grass, and drank the u'ater. ]srn saic{,
"1r
is so.
I t is so. lt is not so. lt is not so.'' Ky: an arrtj Kvgen
borved
I to
the bu faI o]. I san saic].
..Somerinles
bright.
sometimes dint."
l" ASTER KlL)
I n place
of lsarr's
"Sonre
rin.rcs bright. sonrcrirlcs .1ir.n," sar,
",{ll
efforts are in vnit'r."
N, AsTEl{ I lAKLrlN
This one anti rhat r'rnc hrrvc rhc nrerrns
l'l-.,11\ '\ ,.\ ) 1\ (l' A sr','ortl tlocs nof cut s\ \ ()r(1. sPitar 11()c\ n()r cut sl)ilr'e,
wate r .loes not cut \ \ 'ilte r.
NoTE: lr- r
. . Hvakrrj o
kllcrr' ir ri'cll''' lsar- r elrlrllcrlgcs K', ': lrrl aI l. . l
Kyogen to
l)I o\ . e
thar tl- rev catl . lO. . it. '. Tllc i. tr taltl' itl sitlllll. , , cllrit. t'
the grass
anti r'lrinkir.rg the r'"'arer. is l.ror.rghr fLrrrh ro suggesr rvhar
HyakLrj
..kncu'''.
Horr'...r'.'r. irr L'orvir-rg ttl ti.re i.r.l| flrI cl. Kr.:lrI l ltrltl
KygeI l clr'crtlo thcir
1lart
arrd tl-rus flrll intcl rhc tllrr-rgcr of cc.lt.rftrsit-lg
Zen rr'ith a bLrf alo. I n
. . Sonlctimes
b'right. stttrrctinles . ]ir- rl. '' I sar- l
sLlggcsts rhlrt r.ltling ir like the b'rrf lrlo ticles not rrlcarl l.ccclnritrg
a bLrffalo.
Kidl goes fr- rrrl- rer rhan I san and rcltricali\ . S(lggcstS th. . rt tht trr, tl
spoilecl evervthing in lrorving ro rhc brrttalo. Hirkrrin's strl. srirrrre
phrase and plain
sa1'irrg nlply 1fi. . r. rsing thc htrffirltl as a. . trtclt- ts'' is
all r ght as far irs it goes.
1. et
tr'rrning it nto tl. re thing itscl is tltl less
stupid rhan trying to kiss one's ou'n lips.
105
83
What Did You Sa;*?
Master Sepp r'isited ]V aster \ 'usen. V/ hen Seppo rvas
readv to leal'e, \ 'usen accompaniec'i him ro the grte ilnd
saw hinr get inro the sedan chair. \ 'r-isen said,
"This
is
carried b-v four mcn. That one is carriec'l b,r' horv many
menl" Seppo leanecl for',r'arcl anc{ said,
"V'hat
dicl he
sa1'1" Yuscn repeatetl L)t)c!' n)ore. Scp.pe saicl,
"Go.
gol He
cloes not r-r nilerstat'r.1.
"
\ 1, {STER KI DO
I t. r plllec tl \ , trscrl rclreatillg agilitl' sar. .
. . \ 't. ur
Rcr. ercrt. l'
l. lells. 'sit
sti]l
in vottr ser]un chrrir. "
\ 1'\ sTEi\ 'A'Kt l\
l l e rl rcl rrl
( ) t
l \ '( ) ul
I ' i . . \ / \
\
\ ) l \ t
j :
"( ) rr
rhe
, . ltrtr. lr
- lr. ', rr, '
lrrrl lrr'ln e
l rcrrrc I rol " I trctcn. . l i rtg trr
I of
sc. l l rn trtt't'i e t- : l .
sl o1. g 1l 't" strrr sl ri n. 's l rot, rrt SLr: rrkrr i t i s
l rt, l I n T. Lr, 'J ri rrrrrrrr 11 1- 11j 11s- | 11rl , l i t ti gl rtl
ri . l c rr st. l i rn el ri ri r. l rci rri ng tl ri s * ol k sLrng
N()Tl: : ln
"(lrilt
on(" \ 'usilrr rcf. rs r() tl)f \ erlitn clritir Vierir'. 1 in its
"truc
r) l l trl re i l s r) l r1 or l i i l
( "ntrtl ri rtgnes: "
or'"r'rri rl ") . l i ScP1. g
ansurrc. l this trirp- tltrcstirrn, I rc rrttitlrl I ltvc to. lcnv tl'rc r'risrcnr'e ot
fhc. : c. lirrr chirir. I n. tcir. l hc tllrkes Yttscn rel. citt tlr. 'trur)c lrr)lrscnsc
t\ \ 'tcc.
Kitio sLrgrlcsts tllltt \ , t'tse tl . . . r. tl. l ii. tr e e s!. illle(l St. 1l1l['s rt'll(. titi() i'
trlp if lrc trcirtc, . l the sc. lrur . lriir rs tlre sr'. lirn e lrrrir it is. I lrrkr- rin's
sr, rl. stitlrtc phrase anrl pllrin srrr ing stlikc f hc sirntc lr()te irr rcsp()nrling
to the
"goilrg
()lr
il tri1l" sitr- Lrtirrr itr ir tntrrc nlltrlrrl \ \ 'il\ '.
10
8rl
Y ou Haqe to Make Me Beat Y ou
A monk came to see Master Tokusan. He sudderrly dreu'
close. making a gesrure of rushing at Tokusan. Tokusan
said,
"You
are so impolite that vou .'leser', e a beating r.r ith
this stick in my hand." The rnonk lcit ri'ith a svveep of his
sleeves. Tokusan said.
"l'd
let it go at thirt. bur
1'olr
got only half." The monk turne.l brrck and shouted,
"Katsul"
Tokusan beat him, saving.
"\ 'ou
have to makc'
me beat
1'or-r."
The monk said,
"Tl'iere
are brigl'rt-evecl
people on ever)'sicle." Tokusan srrid,
"Thev
ar,-'born w'ith
e,vcs." The mor-rk u'icler-reci l'ris evcs uitl'r l-ris hanrls. sni.l
"Meou', "
ancl lcft. Tokusan sairl.
"Thc
Ycllon' River is
clcar oncc cvcrv thrce tl-ror-rsantl vcars.
l'1ASTl]R Kl X]
l 'rrl qLti tt l ti cttst. l nl t. l ttl l 'cl rt tl g
1- gp1. | 1'.
l . ti t tt. . ] l rl i r
j trst
l rLl r. tl . l tt. l t
rr'ork. I )r.tt son}e()l)| itt
1.1.i5.,'.'
t.r ll lt.tlg tilttt .tt.r.l hc rr i]l gro\ \ , (.filtt\ ..
ltAsTu{ lt. {Kt'lN
I t w'irs that \ \ 'ilv. sLrrc cnolrgit.
i 'l - . \ l \ \ . \ ) 1\ i ) : \ \ that i rrr orrtsrarr. ] rng nronkl I 'eopl c u'i l l srrrel v sranri
in an'e ol hinr ior nratrr'\ 'cars r() come.
NoTE, ln rr-rshir-rg rtr Tokr-rsan. thc nrorrk .iisplavs rhc
"frcc.lr',nr-of-
rlincl Zen sht,u'." Tokrrsrrn un(lcrstun(ls tl-rat rhc nronk is no nrL)rr
than rr roLrgh fclior.r'irr.rr'l offers to l.eat hinr tor his irrpoliterrcss. I rr
tr,rrnir-rg ro lcave, houevcr. tl'rc rnrtnk g()cs ()rr
ri'ith his
"shttn'."
Bv
saling
"\ 'or-r
gc'rt onlv l-rirlf." TokLrsan lurcs tht'nronk into rtn itiitp-
propriutc
"katslr"
ilnrl lrcurs hirn tor ir. To thc monk's suggcstiotr
that rhc.'sc rr.htl lrar'e e\ .es ro sec rr'ill at]rlit h s crrlighterrnrcr.rt.
Tokr.rsan reltlies thrrt,tnvonc u'ith cvc,s irr his hcarl cotrl.l scc thrtt'.rgh
rhc nronk. At rlris rhc ntor.rk sLrggcsts thrrt if rrll rhlt is nccrlcrl ttr
"see "
lrre c\ es. e\ e I r a caf hrrs 111g111. J qlkrrsitn eotrclLt.lcs rhe argr.ttle trt
l.i'strggcsrirrg
(thro'-rglr
tlrc
"\ 'eilou
Rivcr" sirvitrg) rhitt it
"Zen
sh..rrr'"
i s a etl ttl I 'tttl I t l r tl ri r. vct ti rc rc. ti t] l i l l g i s st] . l oI l l secrl .
ln }-ris lesl)()llSc Ki.l sLrggcsts rhltt rhe t-r-rot-rk is thoroLrghlr,'
107
corrupted rvith faked Zen and that rl'rere is no use in rlealing r.r'irh his
kind. Hakuin's substirute phrase is not clearl u'hereas the plain
say-
ing makes sense only if it is raken as irony.
108
E5
L sten
A monk asked
Masrer
Doj o,
"Wirhout
being
raken in by
the circumstances.
how can one get
hold
o ,i. .,,.n..
o
seeing.
and hearing]''
Dj r said,
. . Lisren'''
The nlonk
borved.
Doj said. . . Er'en
i the dea can sing a foreign
song, wherher
ir is.g.ood.
or bad,. high or low.
he ..lo., n-ot
know ir of himself."
The monl.r said,
,,[No
marrer
ho,uv
f
eqf on9 may bel the
griginal essence
of
'hearing
is there,
isn'r it]'' Doj 'said,
. . The
rock
srands in empty
Space, the
tlre
frurns under \ \ 'ater.
'
MASTER
KI DO
Call
I where
the monk sa1, s,
''The
original essence
of hearing
is there,
isn'r
irl"l,
"Come
and standover here." I f he hesirates,
spit at him
and drivc him out.
MASTER
HAKLI I N
As expectcd,
he coulrl nL)r gcr
hold of ir.
/ ,LAlN.\ .{)'/ \ (].
You
car-r'r heip seeirrg L'lootl i yoLr
kill ll n.an.
NOTE: Thc ..ronk is asking
tor rhc
".rigi.ar
serf"
(or "Btrirrlha
narrrre"-the
soLlrce
of the sense-c'r.'nts).
Doj o. w,ho u.clcrstanr.ls
that the nronk is raken.in by rhe concepr
ot-ir nc,r-rscr-,s,,"1 ".ar.n....,,,
sLlggests
that rhc rrlonk,
insteatl
tlf scarching
clr rlre
;;.,..'...;;
..,t
he'ring, j r'rst "lisren."
ln bo*,ing,
rhe m,.,nk p..tcn..l.
r., h"r,"
r.tnclerstclotl;
at this Djo suggests
thlrt rl-re n-.,.,nk
i. no lcss....l.,fj'
than he was be orc
t'o',r,irlg. Tte nl<.,nk challenges
Dojo w'ith th"J | .,.-'
trinc' that
"Budcj ha
n rure"
(or
,,enlight.n.J
1i.,.,,.,i,,,S'; i
; ; .'l;
found
ir-r. .rll b,eings.
counterir-rg
rh" i',,o,rk'.
p..o..l*i.,ii-
-*i,t,
"essence.,"
DolO. ln the
"rock
,n.i fi.." sa1.ing r,-,gg.r*
the spi.it-fi.,.
("not-raken.in-b1'-circumsrances")u,a.v
of
,,.ntign1l".,_t
s.; i; ; '; ; '
.'.t
,
Kidd suggests
a harsher
wav of -"king
the monk
,,lisre.n.,,
The
plain
sayirg
echoes Kido-'s
commenr;
it al.o ad'ocares
,n. .r.ii,..
way
of teach ng.
109
S
One
Qot
I t, One Missed I t
N aster Natlsctl slrit] to a rtlclnk.
'.Since
last r.riglrt rhcre's
beet'r a nice u'ind." The monk saiil.
"Since
last nigl-rt
tl-rere's been a nice u'ind," Nansen said.
"Thc
u incl broke
a branch of thc pinr'tree in front of thc
gatc. "
The n'ronk
said,
..The
ti'it.ic] brokc a brancl.r o thc
Lrille
tree in trtrt-rt
..l the gate.''
Then Nansen siri.] to anc-'rher monk.
..Since
last rl ght there's L.ecn a tlice rr'inc]'', The monk saic{.
"What
rvir-rcll" Nansen sai.l.
"Thc
u'in,,l brokc a branch
o the
1line
trec in | ront o| rll.. gate.'' Thc. rrlonk sa cl'
"Whar
pinel" Nansen saicl,
"Onr'
got it, onc nrissetl it."
i\ ' ASTElt KltX)
lrlstcad tr Nitt-lsct.t's lasr
1.[1x.g.
to sigh llntl sa\ ..
..Al.r.
cclnlplctc rltit-t.''
\ 4ASTtrR H. \ KL'lN
Tlrcrc ltrc lr()t t\ \ '() suns irr flrc rrniYr'rsc
Tltelc i. s ttn]\ ', . rn. 'tttirn I . etuccn l)('lrvclr ltnr. l cirrfh
i '1- \ l \ S. \ \ / \ ( 1, TI rcrc's l l ( )
( ) nr
I knorr.
)'J rl1E. 11. . '. '
i. lI I )L'tll('n)(. , l}1l\ (. llrs
itt
1. ; trt
l t'i
(i. 'rr. l. rr
\ "j i: . 'rl Hr' lr'. , lt
(kt)uns
I l5 ancl t l7). ln one of thcse koans t, , r'rr nronks rlo cxactlv the
srtttrc rhrng
(prrllirrg
r- rp rr r'rrrtrrin). r'ct N'l: rstcr I I ogen suvs,
"Onc
gr. rt it,
ont'nrissct] ir. " \ \ 'harcver Hogcr- r
(or,
in thc prcsent casc, Nanscn)
might havc secn, r(d shorrlil not b, c take n in bt rhc diftcrcncc [. , : tw'ecrr
thc n'"'o nronks. Whcthcr thcv act thc sanrc or rcr. liff crcr. rrlr', if ont'
makes spccr, rlative comprrrisons l. utu rcrr rhc r\ \ '(), our has fulle n ir- rrr- r
a trtp.
Kic1inlplies that both nlonks failecl' This ma\ 'sLlggcst the or'erly
ct. ltlscj clLts Zen- ]ike lli]t[]re o th. 'r]ilr]ogrlr', or ir lll. tl'be itltt. tlt]c. ] lts itt. l
ad. . litionlrl r ap to the trap the reacler is alreat]r. in if he is breaking his
heacl or.er the cj if crence betr',,een the tr'"'o nlc.lnks. Haklrir.r's sr.rb-
sritr. rtc phrrrsc anrl plain saiing suggcsr ri min. l nor splir in rrvo.
110
197
I t Can KilI ,I t CctnMake
Lit,e
Moniu told Zcr-r: iri
fir
icgenclnrr l.oriirrsarrva
rn constanf
scarcl-r ot
"the
ri'r)'"1
ro girrl-rer
nrcclicinal herbs, sa1,ing,
"carl-rer
all tl-rat ca. l.e usc.l as nre.lici.e
a.rcl bring rhen'r
hrrck." Zelr: ai glrtherc.l
L.\ e r\ . herl., taking eac-h rs
merlicinc. Tl-rcn hc crrr.n,: L.,rck .r.tl .cp'rep113,-1,
"tl'rerc
is ncr
herL. that is rrot t.rrcc1icir'rc.,.\ ' otlitr
'saiJ .
.'Circ
nle arr l.rerh
that is nlct]icirlc.''
Zctl; lri pi.kc,.i
Lllr.l bl'rt.lc r: grlrss
arlc1
l-rar-rtlcrl ir ro N{trr-rirr. N,[trnjr-r hclJ ir up,,,-,.1 sl.rou.c..l ir rrr
the peoplc.
I {c said.
"Tl'ris
mctlici.rc cur'r kill 'rrrr-r; ir c.l.r
also nlrkc nrlrn livc."
lt. . rSTI . R KI I l
\ \ 'lren \ , lr. rntLl l'c(- ei'es rhc l. l, rclc of grrrss- to
snitf rrr it irn. . l h'n. l it
[. ae k to Zcn: ui.
r\ '1, . \ sTER ll, {Nt lN
N{lkc ir st e e
ping
1t()\ 'r't))cpt u itlt rlrc l. l1. ic rrf
g. rrss
I '1, . \ 1\ '\ \ ) l \ (
j : ( - i i r. i ngl
sni ti , srrr. i nu,
"l l rr.
ri ri s i s nretl i ei l rt,
N()TI i: Zcn: iri girtlrcring
irll thc I 'rerl. s ls
"r)r(. rli(. in(, "
srrggcsts
rhr,
'sal ) ) cl rrss'
of r'r'ervtl ri ng. l l onj Lr
i rpI r( ) \ 'e\ trf tl ri s rct rrt tl tr, srrrrrr,
ti nrc i nrpl i rs that
"sl rrrcrrrss"
i s rrot of l r stl rri e l rl l turc. I n l rs f rrr l rr
rhi trgs 'rrrl i rr rl rei r
"trrrtri rrr, "
tl r. 'rt' rs . l i tt. , rca, 'c
i r- r
"srr'reacss. "
Ctlltll. itre. l rr'itI l \ 1oI l'ttr'. stltllerr'llltt . ()lleclrtLlill stiltttllcllt'
tl)c
(. () )]-
tl rrnts tr) th. 'krr. rn i rnpl v rhe sanrc i , l ea i n i r n) ure sr- rgg. strrt. rr. rl
.
1i1
88
Then
Quit
I t
V/ hen monk Fr-r first came to meer Masrer Seppo. rhe
moment he crossed the rhresholcl and sar',' Seppl
[he
ignorecl him an.ll he rvent ro
greer
the man in charge of
the temple
I usually
fulfilling rhe
j anitorial
dr,rties]. The
next day he came to pay his respects to Sepp' sar'ing.
"Yesterday
I did somerhing u'hich annoyed Your
Re',,erend." Seppo saicl,
"lf
you knou' such matters, then
quit
it. "
nRstrR xtot
Thor.rsirnJ s of pcople
come rhroLrgh nrv pl,r.'c.
MASTER H,{,KUI N
I irnr busy.
l,Ll\ l\ S,,\ \ 'i\ .(i. Thert.''s no necc] ro Sta\ ' herc long. l r'ou're rlor-rc rr'ith
y'or- rr l. usiness, htrrrt'rr1- r an. l I eavc.
\ t
) Tf
: Mrrrrk FLr. ttt i gtrtrri rrg Sc1- 1'. r. nri rkc. . r
s[ 1rr\
ol
"rl i sti rtr
ti , rrrl r'i .
frccilonr rif spirit. " \ 'ct u'erc hc rcallv frcc. hc rvorrltl not [. othrr ttr
l. rcllk tllc. t. lstolll tl grcetirlg thc nllt. stcr f irst. Thc colllllltllts stlggr'. \ t
thr nlltLlrill lttrtr. rrlc f o$ trrrl un ill- nrirnncrr, tl r isif or.
ltz
8e
TakeMy MeaI
One day Master Sekitei saw an atten.lant coming to the
hall with a bowl. He called.
"Attendantl"
The attendant
answered back,
"Yes."
Sekitei said,
"Where
are
you
goingl" The attendant said.
"l
am going to take my
meal. " Sekitei said,
"Don'r
I know that vou are going to
have your meall" The atrendant said,
"Bur
what else am i
supposed to say abour thisl" Sekitei said,
"l
am
iust
ask-
ing about your true nature. '' The attendant said,
. . I
it is
about the true nature that you ask. then I am actr-rall1'
going to take my meal." Sekitei said,
"No
wonder you are
my attendant. "
vnsre R xtn
Sav
I irrsteac]
of Sekirei's lasr
cf ort tcl tlisringtrish rhings.
conclr-rsiot'r.
"
MASTER LI AKL]I N
\ X''ell. still an attL. l)(]a ]t
nhrnsel.
"lf
r', , rr , lon'r mirkc rrnothcr
you u'ill find ir .lifficulr ro reach ir
l'1,..\ 1N \ ..\ ) 1\ '(;' L)on't rakc yor-rng people too lightlt'.
N('rTE, ln Kirlo's rcsp()nse Se kite i sLrggesrs that tlrc attcntlrrnt's u'orrls
sl'ror. rl. l nclt be trrken at thcir tace valrrt. I n this Sckitei secms to l. e
irnwilling ttl aclrllir hc rr'lrs [. caren. Since tlre ktlat. r s pcrfcctlv clcar it- r
itself, one crlnnot help fccling thlt it ctr. rlrl . lo uirhorrt comnrcnts.
113
90
Di f icult to DeaL
W ith
Monk Sai car-nc ro thc l-ral1 to st-'c \ 'lrtster ,r-ichivo.
Nicl'rivo
.f,rpp".i
his h,,,-'.1s thricc atrtl sri'I .
"'{
ficrcc tigcr is rigllt
or.,iri.l..
\ \ 'ho can fight it: " Sai slitl'
"A
clcvcr
cagle
r*g.,
i'..,,o tl-rc skr'.
\ \ 'l-,., ..t-t.catch
itl" Nichi'o
sititl'
; ..].n
arc beir.rg.1ifficr.rit
t.'l tlclll ri'ith.'' Sai
sai.l...Lct
r.rs
,ro to. rhe tinte tcilg, tholrgh
thc
l.roblctr
u'c are .lis-
cr,rssing
is not ve r scrtle,-.l."
Nichi\ o
ret.urlled
trl his liVirrg
; ,-,; .; .; .
u.a'i.g his stick. Sai saicl n.tl'ring.
Nichit'T
s.it{,
'; l
tinishe. i hirl oft. "
,'orrpp
grttCt
tlc has tl.rc r-rp1.cr llarr.l.
I vI ASTER
ll.\ Kt lN
Onc hanil rltiscs tt1-r.
()ne
lrarr,.l
ptrrs
(lo\ \ 'll.
i, 1. . \ l\ \ . \ ) l\ rl,
"HuVcn't
I J tvor. rrc. l
\ 't, Lt, l'ottcs illl( l ilill
\ \ 'llrtt rtre
voLr
stiil J oing hcre l" So savirrg.
gllling nngrilr"
N()TI ].
Niclli}'
ctlI tllllrres
his Zcrl t() ll tigcrl Sltl ctltrt1. ltrcs
llis ttl. atl
. , lgt. I lr
". l", (. , . r. i, ig"
clrcit rrrl'rcr.
tlrcV irr. ltrlgc ill nltttr- rrtl
ttlltltr-
, i. '* ii'rg
lrr. . 1 tirrislrc. ]
lriI lr tlti. '' Nichiv
Sct, llls to lrtlrrrit tlrlrt Slli is
his ctlr, ral.
Tlr. , cOlnntcltts
echo thc sprtrtiltg
I rltltl. l tlt thc t$tl trlllsters'giltt'tt-
l i ke conttst.
\ 11
91
I s I t Sol I s I t Not Sol
Monk Slli
',r'et'rt
to \ {asrcr Hl.lrklrj . Hvakr.rj ij saicl.
'.\ ,1al'
l
ask
1or-r
somethingl" Siri saicl,
"i
l-rope thar sL)nrcthing is
llot \ \ 'orL]S, Fclr rr'l.rar neet] is thcrc ttl ask]'' Hlaklrj saitl'
"Annrrn
I a
stltc ir-r soritl'r Chinrrl has l.ctn s,.rb.iuc.l: nou
it is the north tl-rirt is to l.e
qorricrl
al.orrt." Sri l.rrrc.l his
chest at. rcl saiti. '. ls it scl] I s it t. tt. lt so] . 'Hr'lrkr'rj sai. 1'
..Anylvar'.
it is l.rartl to
gcr
l-ro1ci cl . Anr.rr'ltr.. ir is hlrrtl to
ger holcl of. " Sai said,
"lf
vou knori'ir, thcn it is all right.
I f
vou
know' it, thcn it is rrll rigl- rt. "
MASTER KI t).)
Tlre rrrr. runt, ritr rlrrrgc is lrrrr{. rir. rivcl rLrrr. i. rr
Thc flrce is that o ll lllall. tht l.rcilrt tlt lr l.clrst
MASTER H, {KT
I I N
A tI lic is il rllcaI l
l]crsoI ].
Btrt hi s * i t rnuv e xi cl thut of u gcntl cnran.
/ '1- , . \ 1. \ \ . \ ) / \ (i: \ 'or. r errn't cail it l. lack. \ 'orr r'ln t clll ir rihitc.
NI )TE, ln
"Anr- rrrn
lrrrs becn srrl. . lr. rc. ll nou it is tlrc nortlr tlrirt is ro [. e
wtrrricrl al. . rrtt, " I llrrkLrj o sr. lggcsts rhlrt lej ci'ting
"rvor. ls"
nr, rt lttvc
scllr'etl otlc
1lt. 6| . I g111
l. ttt crclttct. l ittttrtltcr it- t its
111iric.
l]r'itktrj rhtrs
i nrpl i es that trrr i s rrl l ri ght as f ar as i t
grrcs.
l . trt i r i s t, f no rt. c trr rl i s-
regarcl tllc rr of tl. rirlgs. Slrichirllerlgcs []llrktrj t() tllkc hol. l tlt. . Sai'' if
hc can. Hy'rrkLrj o has to a. lnrit thar, ', i hcn things irrc pLrr this uur', it is
inrlecr'l n()r iilr cirsv mirrre r.
All rhe c()nlnlcnrs srrggrst thr. liffier"rltl ot gctting h. rl. l rrt things
thrrrugh
"worcls. "
115
9Z
Razor
I t was before Master Sai-in became. a resident priesr. He
was in K1'o Prefecture u'hen he heard the news that
Master Nan-in was going
to become a resident priest.
Thel' Lr5g6 to study Bucldhism rogerher, so Sai.in wenr ro
see Nan.in. Upon seeing him, he said,
"l
have norhing in
particr.rlar
to gir'e you. but on my u'ay rom Kvo Prefec.
ture I gor hold of a razor produced
in Kozei District. This
i would like to give to Your Reverend, " Nan. in said,
..You,ve
come rom Kyo Prefecturre, haven't
youl
Then
how come you har'e a Kzei razor]'' Sai-in' with the razor,
made a slashing movemenr over Nan.in's hand. Nan.in
saic]'
..Attendant,
take it a\ \ 'ay.
J
With a Sweep o his
slee"'es, Sai-in went awa)'. Nan-in said,
"Ha,
ha!
[There
he
goes. there he goes!]"
MASTER KlD
Lct trs hai e a long heart- to- heart talk at'or. rt old times.
MASTER }I AKL]I ^V
To ralk intinratcll'of n. rorrr. rrairrs. cloLrcl- s. thc sc, r. an, . l rhc moon.
I 'L, '\ / \ '. \ , 1) / \ '(; , A fricn. l is sonreonr. rcallv closr. .
N()TE. I rr his c1Lrestior-r ctlncertlit-tg tl.rc pllrcc o origir-r t.rf thc rit:c.rr,
Nan- in rr- risscs the poinr.
L)emonstrating thc
"u'orking"
of rhc razor,
Sai-in sr.rggests that
..ll
rit:or is a rlr:or.'' Tlre trr'o frient{s o cllc] st'en..
ttl har'e seen c)'c trl cye rr' th circh othcr. | 'r.rr, as the con.rmcI rts sllggcst,
their nrecting corrl.l fravc been less ror,rgh.
116
9J
Don't Beat around the Bush
Master Kegon said,
..I
do not want
}'ou
to holcl back. I
you are true followers o Rinzai. Tokusan. Korei. Daigu,
Choka, Sensu
[Zen
masters o old]. r'ou do not har'e to
beat around the bush. You are asked ro go diretly to rhe
point,
and I , Kegon, rvill give you
the proo .''
Master
Shukaku stepped orward and bowed. Then he
straightened up and shouted,
"Karsul"
Kegon shoured
back. Shukaku shouted again, an.l once more Kegon
shouted back. Shukaku then borvecl, rose, ancl saicl.
. . Evervbodv.
let us look at the failure o this man. '' Then
he shouted one more time and u'ent back into the cro.,vtl,
clapping his hancls.
Kegon rerurned to his living quarters. At rhat rime
Master Fuketsu was irr charge of rca.l ing the sr-rtras. He
went up ancl i'rsked Kegon abotrt the clay's happenings.
Kegon saicl.
..The
people o Setsr'r
[1..,rot.lt1.l1',,r'here
Shukaku rr'tts roml are ba.]-tct't'rpcrc..1' To.lir1. I r'u.as
thoroughly humiliatecl hy ShukakLr. Now lct nic garhcr
nr)'men. girr l-rinr a gcto.l l.eating, anc'l cl'rase hir-n or-rr of
here." Fr-rkerstr saitl,
"lt
is too latc to r]rive hinr ar','ar'.
Moreovcr, )'or.rr Rt-'r'eren.l l'ras I rccn
ltr-rtting
things toct
strongly. Yor-r aske,-l I 'rinr to go ilirectlv tcl fhc
l.'oint.
Sincc
he is a l'ollou'r'r trt Rir-r: ai. t'hat l're.li.i is onll proper."
Only then clicl Kegor-r's ansL.r clie rlou'r-r. Fukctsr,r thcn
wcnt to raik the nrittter ovcr u'irh ShukakLr. Shrrkakrr
saicl,
"Fcrr
lvhat reason mllst VoLl appease that olrl nrlnl
He shoul.l l'rave beaten nre r','ith his stick hcforc lasktcl.
Then rnv wor.ls rvoul.l havc sl',rra.l. Nou, since hc tli.l
not br'i'lt mc Lrp, ntv Vu't'rds $'ill not grr flrr." Fukctsrr slriti.
..This
sar' ng of
1'ours
hlls alreac.ll
got.re
flrr.''
MASTER KI DC)
Fuketsr-r says;
"Brothcr
ShLrkaku. rvhrrr
the balance beaml"
j ui cc
art'\ '\ 'Ll l ( ) oki n* tor i n
117
MASTER HAKUI N
Clever, clever.
I 'L.'\ 1\ '-\ A] l\ (y,
I t isr-r't roughness alone.
NOTE,
This kor.rr-r is besr rake. itt irs iitcc ralr.rc. Kiclo's comment
(insteacl
o Fukctsr.r's..Tl-ris
saring o
1.rlr.rrs
has alreac11.gor.re
far.')
Seems to ind ault rritlr Shr.rkaktt's
ar-tl[.iticln
ior fanlc. Tllere is rrcl
r-rsc in looking for sorrcrl-ring that is ltot rcal
("j r-rice
in the bllancc
b,cam"). Hakr,rirr's sttl'sritr.tte
phrasc anrl
1.,lail'r
savit-rg strggest thot
itltl-rough ShLrkakLr's
Zctr nla' l'e some*hat
"rotrgh.''his
l'crfilrrrl-
ance is
"clever. "
1iE
91
Plar-ing
withMud
A monk aske.l \ ,{aster Yrrkusirr-r,
"On
rhe. piain where
short grass gro\ \ 's.
rher.. are I 'rerels
of .j eer. V,l,rat shoul.l
one rlo to shoot rhe tleer among .lecrl"
\ 'akrrsan slri,,l.
..Watcl.r
out or trlr. arror'''].. Thc nronk I et himself tall.
Yakusan saicl ro his arrendanrs,
"Drag
out this urseless
cortrrse l" The nronli rhen rvenr iru'ar,. \ 'akr-rsan said.
,.This
fellou' pia1's
aror-rncl ri'itl'r mr-rcl. Hr. knori,s no limits."
\ 1, \ STER KI I X)
I t is scarv li\ 'rng al()lre in ru- r olrl irr. lrsc.
\ 1, '\ : iTEl( ll, \ KL l\
V'hut rr . lorrk, . . r''s
lrirchilrg- 1. o5, t
tlris is.
1' 1 \ / \ \ . \ )
/ \ ( ; , \ \ ' i tl t
l t sut' tl t!. c r i ru.
, , trtr
r. l l l ' t
rl ( ) l nue i l
Nt) TL, l rr
"\ \ 'l tl rt
sl trrrr] . 1
trnr, i i tr t( ) \ l ) ( ) ( rt
tl t, . , . l r, cr
i l l n( rl tg
N( ) t tri l | r \ \ l ) l l t sl r( ) ul 11 ( ) n( ' ( 1( )
t( ) \ l ) ( ) ( rt
tl tl ' tl r' cr
i l l n( rng rl ccrl , " tl r. ,
tl ttl tl k c1ucsti tl tl s
\ ' l tkttsl ttl l ts ti l l l l s i rrsi ghr rl to tl l e etl ] i ul l t. ' rrtl rt, I l t
tl l
glrt. 'rrnrt'r'rl
1, 1
hi s
1. 11pi 1. .
R1
"\ \
l ri s p11l l i l s. R, ,
"\ \ 'i rtcl r
( ) Lrt
f
( ) l . nl \
i l rr( ) \ \ . . ') '; rkrrsl rr. i rrrl rl v
suggcsts
"\ \ 'i ttal )
t) tc"
( ) r
"ri l tel t
rnr norLrn, , . " I l , rl r, 'r. , , r. i n l , , rri rr, r'i , ; , , , . , , 1i 'a. , l l
tte l r tnr n orkrn!. " I l i , n er. . 'r. . rn I r, tti rrg l ti l trrcl l f rrl l ,
riie nrrrnk inr1. l1g5
tirrrr it i. A. , u lro is
"rlrc
rlr, cr. ; ln) r. ) n! . lee r. " I lcing
too scll-.srrtisti.'.1 ("lre
plrrys ryirlr 1tgrl"), rlrc
ptppk
1r,,...rr"r1.1,,,,"..1
lrii
grrrnc ( "lrc
krrorr s no linrir. ") .
Ki J i l 's . ( ) l l ) I l ] l l t i \ l l ( ) t . . ] e. tr. i . . . tt
i rttcri ori i l i rs conrpurc. { * i tl r Yokrr. , rn'
i r nrrtr i nrpl l i l l . nrorrk's
s i trrh. rri tr'
( "rrn
ol , l l rorrsc") .
sl tt i ng sLrggcsr r' ri ri r- i snt
rrf the
l- lrrkrrin's . lrl. sritlrte phrrrsr
. rnrl plxiyl
trtonk's
"sl rori . "
119
v\
No Nome
Masrer Choshi asked a monk,
"Where
do you come
from?" The monk said,
"From
KOseki Hermitage on
Mount Ky ka. '' Choshl said.
. . What
kind ot manls the
head of your hermitage?" The monk said,
"He
is an old
and respectable man who followed Master Baso." ChOshi
said,
"What
is he calledl" The monk said,
"He
is si'n'en no
name.'' Choshi sa d.
.,He
gir'es himself no name' or you
give
hin-r no namel" The monk said,
"Where
are the eyes
of this elderly manl" Choshi said.
"lf
the head of
your
hermitage came here roday, he would have to tasre my
stick."
"l
am lucky Your Reverend let ir go at rhnr," saicl
the monk. Choshi said.
..lt
u' ll be clif icult to ini] sr-rch a
monk one hunc.lred vears rom norr''''
MASTER KI DT
Barbariiins enter China.
MASTER HAKUI N
A mutt'eats a bitter n.relon.
PtAlN -S.{)'I NC, A br-rr-rch of blockheacis.
NoTE, The subjecr of the clialogue L.*ll'een Choshi ancl rhe rnorrk is
not the head of the rnonk's herrnirage L.ut rhe Zen of rl.re monlt
himself. I n
"He
is
given
no namL-,' rhe monk slrggesrs rhar the
"rrr.re
nature'' of things
(rnrr
or krr) is not to be cle ined. I n..Wlrere are the
eyes of this elderly manl." rhe monk rries to lure Choshi into thc
sphere of r,, at which point Choshi suggesrs thar if insread of mrr
the monk had responded wirh u
("the
head of rhe hermitage"), he
wouid not irave ler hinr eo.
Kid sr.rggesrs rhat the monk is clearlr' disringr'rished
(like
..bar-
barians n China'') or the enlighteneJ one he is. Haktrin's sut. srirtrte
phrase seems to imply that rhere are ways of knou.'ing the orher even
i he may not express himself in words. The plain
saying aplrears to
be a Zen-like way of praising
Choshi and rhe monk.
96
The Top
Master Tzan asked a monk'
''Where
ha.,'e you
been]''
The monk sai.l,
"l've
been sauntering in the mounrain."
Tzan said,
.'Did
you reach the top of rhe mountain?''
The monk said.
..I
did.'' Tozan said,
..\ 7ere
rhere people
at the topl" The monk said,
"There
rvas no one." Tlzan
said,
. . You
did nor reach the rop. '' The monk sait1.
. . I
I
did not, how could I know rhat there was no one rherel"
Tozan said,
"Why
don't you sray rhere for a whilel" The
monk said.
"l
would like to stav, only someone in the
Western Heaven
I Daruma]
does not allou' me."
V ASTER KI D
it is not that 1,,','oultl not like to sra\ ', br.rr rherearc iew rhar I knorv.
\ 4ASTER I '{AKL'I N
I lrn-r ir rai.] tlrlrt 1 slrall lose all nl1 of tspriI -rg.
l,L,.\ 1\ '\ ',\ )'1\ 't1. When it conres to trlle flirttlrc. there is I ltr..1t'tcsrir..ltl il
acLl u il in t a ltce .
NOTE,
"The
toir of the rnountain" rcicrs to rl'r.: srare of cr.rliqhtcn-
rnetlt, ln..Th..re \ \ ' ts no c.lne.'' the nrclnk suggests tlre tnrr aspect o
enlighrenmcnr. To-: irn, on the orher han.l. implies thar it is bemer ro
avoid rhe categories of
"is"
and
"is
nor" wher.' the
"rop"
is con-
cerned' I n..Why clon't
i'or.r
stai'tlrere tor a rr'h le].'' Tzar-r lays the
trirp of distinction
(b'etween "here"
anJ
"rhere").
I n his rrnswer rhe
monk implies the principle
of retr.rrning to the common worLl
(of
rr).
Conlpared with the monk's someu'hat doctrinar an ilnslr.er,
Kid's comment suggests the rnrr aspect of enlightennrent in more
common terms. Hakuin's substitute phrase suggesrs thc
"rhere
is no
one" state of ren.rair.ring on the
"rop"l
whereas rhe plain
saying
implies that the nature of enlighrenment is not to be cle ined
(in
terms of nru or u).
t71
91
Secret Language
Ministcr Seishosho bror.rsht his contribution to Master
Ungo and aske.l,
"BLrJ dha
has his secret lnnguage. ir,hile
Kasl.r
[BLrdc1ha's
disciplel ner'er hides ani'thing. What
does that mean]'' Ungo then callecl Seishsho. who
ansu'ereJ ,
"Yes. "
Ungo. said,
"Do
vour understanrll"
SeishoshO saici,
"No,
I do not." Ungo saicl.
"lf
r,'ou clo not
r-rnclcrstan.'1, it shou's that BLr.l.il'ra i'ras his secrct languirge .
I f
vou .lo r.rnJ crstanJ . that nleilns Kasl'ro nevcr hitles
anvthing.
"
\ I ASTER K]D. )
( ( ) nl v
rvi th, 'crtui n rrl ri tcrs) \ \ 'herc
sti l l r!1, si l \ ',
"i
'. trr. {e t strtnJ , rl l ri cht. I t
I CS.
\ ,\ sTEI { ti'\ Kt i\
Vcrr'I ..r'ight.
Da: : lj ng u hitc.
tl 'rc I l l rti srer i ] trcs tti rt ut) rl cr-
I . l i tl rrot, I wtrtri . l I r( ) f i l n: \ \ cr,
rlo not
"
LJ ngo
/ '/ _ . \ 1\ \ . \ ) It no l. t'lievcrs. it toLr i.lrl
N()T[' L]trrl.lhir's lirn.lr.rlge is
"seerr't"
rrt-rlv ior
unclersrurr.l that
"r'rorhrng
is hi.1ilcn." Br c,rllirrg
tries trr c.\ P1lqg Scishosht to hirnself .
Ki. l strggesrs tlrar ir- r ittls* 'crirlg.
. '\ 'cs. '.
Stishc. sh J rlcs ltrltle rstltrr. l
tirlrt
"r'rotirrng
is l- ri. lJ cn. " HrrLr. rin's sr. r[. stitrrtc phnrse slrggcsts thlt
rvllcre L, rrgo cir]ls. 'Scishosi- t''' cr. crr. t1l!. l iS eXllosetl. . , ', . herclts t}rc
plirin sul irrg sce nrs ro inrplv thirt circh
1. g1. sl11
has to arrsu'cr rlrc
Probierrr
of rlrc korrrr b)
(rrn. l
for) irirrisclt.
IZZ
98
What Are Y ou T alking About?
When Masrer Tokusht cirnre ro see Masrer Rokun'ron,
Rokumon asked,
"\ \ 'here
have vc'u rc'centlv come ironrl"
Tokusho sai,,.l.
"From
Yokuin. La-st night I stal',-'d o!,c.r ar
Hokoii Cliff." Roklrmon saiil.
"\ X'l'ricl-r
of the
'fivc
..1.c,.'
I rnaterial
c'ye, clivine evc, eve of u'is,-lorr. of rhe law. anci of
Buddhal is rhe e,ve proprerl"
Tokrrsho saitl,
"l
h; rve Ln..rw,r'r
Your
namL' or a li: rlg tin-re.''' Roktrn-rorr saic].
..\ \ rhat
has
this plece gc)r
ro clo r','irh vor.rl" Toklrsho sair'l
,
"\ \ 'har
irrr
vor.r talkinc al.or.rtl"
\ j.{sTEir. Klix)
f I t -
l \ ) kt r t l l
. i t r t ' ' . ' \ t r ' ] r \ i l ) !
r r r . r r t r r i ] ]
his footl. "
\ 1. {STEI { I I , \ Kt l \
!\ i l stc l t( ) ti tl l c i tt i l tOrrsi trg
I rlll))c cspr'cirlly fr) 5ec I ttur Rcycrcp. l
I 'l- . \ l\ S. \ ) 1\ (j : I rirr))t' itll this \ \ 'rt\ ', s() rrhr' , 1, , n'r \ ()u pr(, 1)rtrr,
srl nrct h ing.'
N()TL: lrl lttlsrr'crittg t]llrt )lc
(. ()n)es
''tr()r]l
\ 't. krrirt. '' TtlkLrslr \ lrtltks
to rhe pclitlr. Rokr. tt. lltln trics ttl trlr1l f. . , [r. '. 1- ' ltr ll
sllectrI lltirc
ltrgtt'
nletlt thltt hlrs rrothirlg ttl t. ltl rr ir1l rllc sittrlrtirltl ot Ttlktish lrrrrl
I {tlkuttlorl tacirlg cach tltj lcr. Hrlrr'er. tr. Ttlktrslr rctttscs til l. c tltkctl
in lttr. l sticks ttl tllc b'r. rsirless of I lis hlrr'irlg l. ()I )) ttl sce l{tlkttt. tttlt. l'
Rttkr. trnon resl)r)lr(l\ to Toklislrt's rrrlk, ir, rgcrring
rrl. out tltr. "tivt,
c) cs" pr'1rbl r'm. , A, t
thi s Tokrrsl ro i roni crr] l r'5ug{esrs ( i n
"\ \ 'hrrr
rrrt
1'or. r
tirlkir. rg a[. orrt]") thrrr it i. 's aftcr' , rll he w lrtr is pill1irrt rlte srritrgs.
Ki. l irrlt. lics tlrlrt Rtlkirllltlt- t is I ltlr ilrrct'. ll etlt. lLtgll irl tllc, . lltlict, tlf
"rlrear)s
'
(trl
tcst rirc orhcr)l n hcrclr. l- lrrkr- rin's sul. sf rrr. rft
l. hrusc
. ur!i
1lllrirr
silr'ir. rg SLlggcSt rilc t- tllttrral J tI ittl(1 tlf tlrc. . c()ll. lil)g | () sCc
sonleonc" sitLliltiL)lt.
123
99
J ust a RuLe. ab d ng Monk
A monk brought a child to see Master Kyosho and said,
..This
boy al ays loves to ask about the teaching of
Buddha. Your Reverend,
piease test him and see."
Kyosho ordered that tea be brought in. After having tea,
he handed the cup to the child. The child was about to
take it when Kysho withdrew his hand and said,
..Now
can
you
tell mel" The child said,
"Please
ask." The monk
asked,
"'What
do you think of this child's ideasl" Kyosho
said,
"He
will
j ust
be a rule-abiding monk for one life or
two. "
MASTER KI DO
The morrk eqr-rall-v hit.
MASTER HAKL] I N
Onc u'ill knou' af ter thirty ycrrrs.
I 'Li\ l\ S..\ \ 'l\ '(l:
Quite
iI snlilrt one.
NOTE,
There is r.rothing \ \ 'rong rvirh the chil.l. Thc otrc lr"ho is rtt
flulr is thc nror-rk rvl.ro confuscs
"chilcl-mind"
r','ith
"Zcrr-rlrintl."
Kysllo's last renllrrk, as rvell as Kiclo's conlnlcnt, is intctrcictl lls lt
reproof of thc monk; u'hcreas Hakuirr's sr.rbstitr.rte phrase ar.rcl plain
saylng sLlggcst il comnronserrse attitutlc tor'r'ar,-1 rhc child.
11, , 1
100
No
L ght
one day Master Rasan was accompanying
Master
Gant
as an artendant
on his mountain
u,alk-.
Suddenly
he
called out,
"Masrerj "
Canto said,
,'What
is irJ " Rasan
drew near, bou'ed,
and said,
"Didn'r
your
Rer.er."J ; ; ; ;
at Master Tolans place
rhirry years
ago? And did
vo"
no,
disapprove
of Tzan]''
Gantl said. : , Yes'
that is true. , ,
Rasan said.
..Did
you
noc follow
the teaching
o Master
Tokusan
}'et
nor appro\ 'L.
o hlm: ''
Gant s-aicl,
..Yes.''
Rasan said.
..Let
uS not ask abour
vour disapp,o,'"f
o
Tokusan.
bur what aulr
did you ind
in Tozani''
After a
long while canto said.
..Tzan
was fine.
onl1' he hac] no
light."
Rasan rhen bowed
l'1-,,\ l\ S.\ ) / \ (), To sav ir's good
or baJ . righr rtr rr
tlf tlthcrs is scln.rcthing
rhat shor.rlt] ,..'". . .i.,,.,..
u'ill srrrelr [.cilll
\ .or.r.
MASTER
KI DT
Gan16 sais,
"Hc
[TO: an]
precepts. "
MASTER
HAKUI N
To he colere.l u itl-r nrurl.
would
never tlo anl'rhing likt b,reaking
rong, t ei ng cri ti cal
Sonrcthing
rcrrilrle
l nl nl \ ,
LrJ l l t( l
l o: a ] was n( )
phrasc
sLl ggests
u orl.l cio t'rt'rt
N()TE, As Kirlo's cL)ll)menr
ancj rfrt plain
srri.ing
c.lisap1.rg1'g5
of To: arr
(.'Hc
hlrcl no iig lt'')
b..cltrrsl
n-rorc thirn a rLrle-irhi.lirrg
rronk. Hakuin's
sul.srrttrrc
that thosc
.w'ho
kecl-' themselves
lrnsl.rc.rrrcd
b1. rhc
"crnit
light. "
1 .
l , / 1
Sources of Koans
Norc that thc titlcs of the koans in rhis l. ook lrc rlrt'rsc tti tlt.
trirnslator. The ab.l.rer iations tl thc stlurccs irrc lrs oi1i..'.''s.
t
/ ' rf ' ,
- , ' rt
:
C; b
Hr/ itg,urrolrr
:
HCI
./ ; '11i1t,,1'',
:
lR
KcrrrrkrrJ .'rtrdrr.,krt
:
Kt)
Rettrt'r
:
REN
R rr; airrlkrr RR
\ hI ( l l ] ( J ) l l ( l \ )
:
) l
l a) l \ n( r i \ {) [ {' }l , kL(
=
I l . \
L'nrnr.,rrrokrr LI R
]rlkrrJ crrrrrllrt
=
ZL)
Lll{ is LliviLlecl ir-rto parts. Tl'rc n'.rnrl-ers att.rchctl ro ClE, KD, REN.
ST. TK. lrntl ZL) re er to clrlrllrtrs: thc ilthcr lllttlll.ers llre th()St
()t
kt)a ls il1 tlre rcs1lcctir'c soLlrces. \ \ 'lrcrc thcre llrc tttl tlrttltl.crs. rhe
s()rlrccs arc not .lir r.lc.l intit sepirratc. rrtrnti.crr.l koans.
L
z.
l .
1.
5.
(r.
i,
E.
r0.
I
z
l
R. EN
( t)
REN
( 1)
REN
( 1)
HC
((, 7)
KL)
(5)
KL)
(5)
KL)
(5)
KL)
(5)
REN
ce)
REN Ce)
HC
( 15)
REN
(2e)
KD
(S)
KD
(r1)
HC
( 11)
I R
REN
(5)
KD
(7)
KD
(7)
I R
REN
(20:)
KD it+)
lr Kt)
(7)
l- i. KL)
(1T)
15. REN cl )
l ( . . Kl )
( l S)
17. t{EN
( 10)
ls KL)
(
ls)
l e. KD
( 1
1)
I r. REN
(ll)
l l . LrR
( nri rl l l c
t) urf) .
I l ( l
( l l )
ll. t
rR
(llsr
Pirrt)
l l .
LR( l l sr1. 11s1
l-/ I {EN
il
l)
l r. REN i l l )
I t.. I {EN
(1-r)
17. ciE
(T)
l s. REN
( 1
t)
le zD
(7)
10. REN
c0)
+1. REN
c5)
ll. Kr)
G)
11. REN
(7)
+J . REN
( ] 9)
H.
15.
l T.
ti .
l E.
I r).
ro
21.
) )
z6
45. ST
( 1; )
]. t{EN
(]oi
47. REN
(: e)
4s. KL)
(1s)
le. REN
ce)
r0. sT
(l)
51. REN
[ e)
52. REN
(]; )
51. REN
(]e)
5-l. ST
(l(.)
5r. I {EN
tl)
t(). t{EN
(S)
)7. KD
(S)
rs. REN
(1)
59. RR
Tr-r. REN
(5)
()l.
Kl)
(r)
Tl. KI )
(7)
]. KL)
(7)
.l. KL)
(s)
T5. K i)
(,C)
, REN
(7)
7, Kl)
(ltl)
TE. KL)
(q)
Te. Kl)
ill)
70. TK
(lr, )
7r. sT il r)
71. KL)
il1)
RE\
( ] t)
I {E\ rl l )
Kl )
(
1S)
Kl) 1 151
I {E\
(l
l)
RE\
( 5)
Kl )
ttst
RE\
( ] : )
ST
( l a)
ltE\
(7)
REN
( : ] )
iiE\
(ltr)
KI )
11
51
REN
(- I )
RE\ -
( 1)
RE\
i ] J )
RE\
( S)
KL) il
l)
sT
(10)
TK
( 11)
TK
(
l l )
I l ( ;
( Sl ) ,
i r. EN
RE\ i l 01
KI )
( 15)
Kt)
(
17)
RE\
( 15)
Kl )
(
1S)
I {EN
C
l )
, a( l .
s7.
,t5.
a'./ .
Q\ .t.
ol
i)l
ol.
e5.
.)(..
e; .
. ) S.
I rrl
( l ( ) )
177
I
--'--.,..
BY TH E AUTHOR OF
The Sound of the One Hand
Here, for the first time in English,
are the hundred
"perfect"
koans of
the Kidgoroku, one of Zen Buddhism,s
most imoortant classics. Used for centurres
to initiate the novice into the topsy- turvy world
of Zen enlightenment, these
paradoxical stories were
selected and responded to over seven hundred
years ago by
the Chinese master Kido Chigu and were later responded to again
by the J apanese school of Hakuin. Their humor and spontaneity intact,
the koans are accompanied by a
penetrating commentary which
explores such mystifying elements of Zen
practice as the
"the
remote
question, "
"the
trap, "
"overplaying
one's Zen, " and
"the
freedom- of-
mind Zen show. " Dr Hoffmann's unique insight into the workings of the
Zen mind enable the reader to experience firsthand the subtlety and
power of the exchange that occurs between Zen master and student
Yoel Hoffmann is a member of the faculty of Haifa University, where he
lectures on Philosophy, J apattese languages, and Buddhism
Foreword bv Master Hirano Soj ' With i| | ustrations by Karen Becker'
S3. 95
lsBN: 0- 394- 73428- 9
* :
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