Meeting A Zen Master On The Road

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Goso said: "When you meet a Zen master on the road you cannot talk to him, you cannot face him with silence. What are you going to do?" Mumon’s comment: In such a case, if you can answer him intimately, your realization will be beautiful, but if you cannot, you should look about without seeing anything. Meeting a Zen master on the road, Face him neither with words nor silence. Give him an uppercut And you will be called one who understands Zen.

tr. Nyogen Senzaki, Paul Reps, 1934

license: public_domain

Attribution

• Commentator
  Wumen Huikai
• Speaker
  Wuzu Fayan

Lineage: Linji

By Wuzu Fayan

• An Oak Tree In The Gardenkoan
• Wuzu's Encouragementproverb

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 36, Mumonkan

  Mumonkan case 36: Meeting A Zen Master On The Road