Tag: Prayer

Zuigan called out to himself every day: `Master.’

Then he answered himself: `Yes, sir.’

And after that he added: `Become sober.’

Again he answered: `Yes, sir.’

`And after that,’ he continued, `do not be deceived by others.’

`Yes, sir; yes, sir,’ he answered.

Mumon’s Comment: Old Zuigan sells out and buys himself. He is opening a puppet show. He uses one mask to call `Master’ and another that answers the master. Another mask says `Sober up’ and another, `Don’t be cheated by others.’ If anyone clings to any of his masks, he is mistaken, yet if he imitates Zuigan, he will make himself fox-like.

Some Zen students do not realize the true man in a mask

Because they recognize ego-soul.

Ego-sould is the seed of birth and death,

And foolish people call it the true man.

Joshu went to a place were a monk had retired to meditate and asked him: `What is, is what?’

The monk raised his fist.

Joshu replied: `Ships cannot remain where the water is too shallow.’ And he left.

A few days later Joshu went again to visit the monk and asked the same question.

The monk answered the same way.

Joshu said: `Well given, well taken, well killed, well save.’ And he bowed to the monk.

Mumon’s Comment: The raised fist was the same both times. Why is it Joshu did not admit the first and approved the second one? Where is the fault?

Whoever answers this knows that Joshu’s tongue has no bone so he can use it freely. Yet perhaps Joshu is wrong. Or, through that monk, he may have discovered his mistake.

If anyone thinks that the one’s insight exceeds the other’s, he has no eyes.

The light of the eyes is as a comet,
And Zen’s activity is as lightning.
The sword that kills the man
Is the sword that saves the man.

A monk named Seizei asked of Sozan: `Seizei is alone and poor. Will you give him support?’
Sozan asked: `Seizei?’

Seizei responded: `Yes, sir.’

Sozan said: `You have Zen, the best wine in China, and alrady have finished three cups, and still you are saying that they did not even wet your lips.’

Mumon’s Comment: Seizei overplayed his hand. Why was it so? Because Sozan had eyes and knew whom to deal. Even so, I want to ask: At what point did Seizei drink wine?

The poorest man in China,
The bravest man in China,
He barely sustains himself,
Yet wishes to rival the wealthiest.

A monk asked Seijo: `I understand that a Buddha who lived before recorded history sat in meditation for ten cycles of existence and could not realize the highest truth, and so could not become fully emancipated. Why was this so?’
Seijo replied: `Your question is self-explanatory.’

The monk asked: `Since the Buddha was meditating, why could he not fulfill Buddahood?’

Seijo said: `He was not a Buddha.’

Mumon’s Comment: I will allow his realization, but I will not admit his understanding. When one ignorant attains realization he is a saint. When a saint begins to understand he is an ignorant.

It is better to realize mind than body.
When the mind is realized one need not worry about body.
When mind and body become one
The man is free. Then he desires no praising.

Getsuan said to this students: `Keichu, the first wheel-maker of China, made two wheels of fifty spokes each. Now, suppose you removed the nave uniting the spokes. What would become of the wheel? And had Keichu done this could he be called the master wheel-maker?’

Mumon’s Comment: If anyone can answer this question instantly, his eyes will be like a comet and his mind like a flash of lightning.

When the hubless wheel turns,
Master or no master can stop it.
It turns above heaven and below earth,
South, north, east and west.