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  Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one
master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.

Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind,
Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist.
... continue...

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THE GATELESS GATE - Chapter 21. Unmon's Kanshiketsu

二十一 雲門屎橛
| hide chinese . show chinese |
雲門、因僧問、如何是佛。
A monk asked Unmon, "What is Buddha?"
門云、乾屎橛。
Unmon replied, "Kanshiketsu!" [A dry shit-stick.]

Mumon's Comment
無門曰、雲門可謂、家貧難辨素食、事忙不及草書。
Unmon was too poor to prepare plain food, too busy to speak from notes.
動便將屎橛來、□門挂戸。
He hurriedly took up shiketsu to support the Way.
佛法興衰可見。
The decline of Buddhism was thus foreshadowed.

Mumon's Verse 頌曰
閃電光
撃石化
貶得眼
巳蹉過
Lightning flashing,
Sparks shooting;
A moment's blinking,
Missed forever.

End of THE GATELESS GATE - Chapter 21. Unmon's Kanshiketsu horizotal line T.o.C . Previous Chapter « | . 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. | » Next Chapter



 



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