The Door-Kicking Master

Text

Muzhou Daoming was famous for his abrupt methods. When a monk arrived at the monastery gate, Muzhou would call out from inside, "Who is it?" When the monk answered, Muzhou would shout, "Wrong!" and slam the door. Yunmen came to study with Muzhou and knocked at the gate three times. Each time Muzhou opened the gate a crack and then slammed it. On the third day, when Yunmen knocked, Muzhou opened the gate, seized Yunmen, and demanded: "Speak! Speak!" As Yunmen hesitated, Muzhou shoved him out and slammed the gate on his leg. Yunmen cried out in pain—and in that moment was awakened.

license: public_domain

Attribution

• Respondent
  Yunmen Wenyan
• Speaker
  Muzhou Daoming

Lineage: Linji

By Muzhou Daoming

• Sending Linji to Huangbodialogue

From Jingde Chuandenglu

• On Gradual Cultivation
• Watch the Mind
• On Sudden Enlightenment
• The Debate at Huatai
• Before Thinking Arises
• The One Who Has No Rank
• The Arrow on High
• Meeting the Poet Li Ji
• Just This Is It
• Cold Ashes, Dead Tree

Sources

• contentZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation

  Zen project editorial

  Jingde Chuandenglu, Vol. 12, Muzhou Daoming chapter; Record of Yunmen

  Jingde Chuandenglu: The Door-Kicking Master