Preaching From The Third Seat

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In a dream Kyozan went to Maitreya's Pure Land. He recognized himself seated in the third seat in the abode of Maitreya. Someone announced: "Today the one who sits in the third seat will preach." Kyozan arose and, hitting the gavel, said: "The truth of Mahayana teaching is transcendent, above words and thought. Do you understand?" Mumon’s comment: I want to ask you monks: Did he preach or did he not? When he opens his mouth he is lost. When he seals his mouth he is lost. If he does not open it, if he does not seal it, he is 108,000 miles from truth. In the light of day, Yet in a dream he talks of a dream. A monster among monsters, He intended to deceive the whole crowd.

tr. Nyogen Senzaki, Paul Reps, 1934

license: public_domain

Attribution

• Commentator
  Wumen Huikai
• Speaker
  Yangshan Huiji

Lineage: Caodong

By Yangshan Huiji

• Circle on the Groundproverb
• Where Are You From?proverb
• Sigil and Letterproverb
• Brief Dharma Talkproverb
• Everything Is the Flowerproverb

From Mumonkan

• Every Season Is a Good Season
• Preface to the Gateless Barrier
• The Wild Fox Koan
• Joshu's DogCase 1
• Hyakujo's FoxCase 2
• Gutei's FingerCase 3
• A Beardless ForeignerCase 4
• Kyogen Mounts the TreeCase 5
• Buddha Twirls a FlowerCase 6
• Joshu Washes the BowlCase 7

Sources

• contentMumonkan (Gateless Barrier) — Senzaki & Reps translation, 1934

  Nyogen Senzaki, Paul Reps (trans.)

  Case 25, Mumonkan

  Mumonkan case 25: Preaching From The Third Seat