CASE 10: An Old Woman near Taizan

There was an old woman on the way to Taizan. Whenever a monk asked her how to get to Taizan, she would answer, “Go straight on.” After the monk had gone a few steps, she would say, “This good and naïve fellow goes off that way, too.” Later a monk told Jôshû about this. Jôshû said, “Wait a bit. I will go and see through her for you.” He went and asked the same question. The next day, Jôshû ascended the rostrum and said, “I have seen through the old woman for you.”