The Mumonkan Case 11: Jõshû Sees the Hermits
Jõshû went to a hermit's cottage and asked, "Is the master in? Is the master in?"
The hermit raised his fist.
Jõshû said, "The water is too shallow to anchor here," and he went away.
Coming to another hermit's cottage, he asked again, "Is the master in? Is the master in?"
This hermit, too, raised his fist.
Jõshû said, "Free to give, free to take, free to kill, free to save," and he made a deep bow.
Mumon's Comment
Both raised their fists; why was the one accepted and the other rejected?
Tell me, what is the difficulty here?
If you can give a turning word to clarify this problem, you will realize that Jõshû's tongue has no bone in it, now helping others up, now knocking them down, with perfect freedom.
However, I must remind you: the two hermits could also see through Jõshû.
If you say there is anything to choose between the two hermits, you have no eye of realization.
If you say there is no choice between the two, you have no eye of realization.
Mumon's Verse
The eye like a shooting star, the spirit like a lighting;
A death-dealing blade, a life-giving sword.
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Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: All this motion here and there and dynamic phenomenal action; what is the underlying principle that remains unmoved? I raise a fist, you raise a fist... tell me, what's the difference? The approach between two understandings regarding a single phenomena can set apart heaven from earth, so how can there be no war? I blaspheme the One Mind when my silver tongue speaks of peace, yet it cannot be helped. Adjacent, complacent, complicit and compliant. Mumon speaks of a death-dealing blade and a life-giving sword; I've yet to find it but somehow I can't set it down... does anyone truly wish to test me? Here I am.
Snake River Conspiracy: Oh Well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snRN0mKSdIU
Submitted June 06, 2019 at 07:30PM by WanderingRoninXIII http://bit.ly/2wIaIBS
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