The Mumonkan, Case 39: A Mistake in Speaking
A monk said to Unmon, "The brilliance of the Buddha silently illuminates the whole universe. . ."
But before the could finish the verse, Unmon said, "Aren't those the words of Chõetsu the Genius?"
"Yes, they are," answered the monk.
"You have slipped up in your speaking," Unmon said.
Afterward, Shishin Zenji brought up the matter and said, "Tell me, at what point did the monk err in his speaking?"
Mumon's Comment
If you clearly understand this and realize how exacting Unmon was in his method, and what made the monk err in his speaking, you are qualified to be a teacher of heaven and earth.
If you are not yet clear about it, you are far from saving yourself.
Mumon's Verse
A line cast in the rapids, the greedy will be caught.
Before you start to open your mouth, your life is already lost!
Wandering Ronin commentary: I feel that this case of The Mumonkan in part expounds on something quite interesting. How much of what we do in our lives is unknowingly or even intentionally influenced by the speech and actions of others? This is in part why I take such interest in the community; I want to absorb the wisdom and knowledge here and observe these active minds at work! Such a world we live in; act accordingly.
Submitted February 24, 2018 at 07:28PM by WanderingRonin77 http://ift.tt/2BOyIXZ
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