The Gateless Gate: He carried and iron yoke with no hole and left a curse to trouble his descendants. If you want to hold up the gate and the doors, you must climb a mountain of swords with bare feet.

The Gateless Gate: Chû the National Teacher Gives Three Calls [17th Case]

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The National Teacher called his attendant three times, and three times the attendant responded.

The National Teacher said, "I long feared that I was betraying you, but really it was you who were betraying me."

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Mumon's Comment

The National Teacher called three times, and his tongue fell to the ground.

The attendant responded three times, and he gave his answer with brilliance.

The National Teacher was old and lonely; he held the cow's head and forced it to eat grass.

The attendant would have none of it; delicious food has little attraction for a man who is satiated. Tell me, at what point was the betrayal?

When the country is flourishing, talent is prized. When the home is wealthy, the children are proud.

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Mumon's Verse

He carried and iron yoke with no hole

And left a curse to trouble his descendants.

If you want to hold up the gate and the doors,

You must climb a mountain of swords with bare feet.

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Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: Here's an unusual case, everyone... look! Now move along, move along; I assure you that there's nothing whatsoever to see here. Now, for those laggards still waiting around, what will you do? Do you read and study this case, measuring the void by trying to find a way through the iron yoke with no hole? That's not the way out or in. And for those with brilliance and fortitude, the Way is not the way either. What in the world can be done about it?

Submitted August 30, 2019 at 09:10PM by WanderingRoninXIII https://ift.tt/32f4asd