The Mumonkan: Clinging to the deluded way of consciousness, students of the Way do not realize truth. The seed of birth and death through endless eons; the fool calls it the true original self.

The Mumonkan: Zuigan Calls His Master [12th Case]

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Zuigan Gen Oshõ called to himself every day, "Master!" and answered, "Yes, sir!"

Then he would say, "Be wide awake!" and answer, "Yes, sir!"

"Henceforward, never be deceived by others!" "No, I won't!"

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Mumon's Comment

Old Zuigan buys and sells himself. He takes out a lot of god-masks and devil-masks and puts them on and plays with them.

What for, eh?

One calling and the other answering; one wide awake, the other saying he will never be deceived.

If you stick to any of them, you will be a failure.

If you imitate Zuigan, you will play the fox.

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Mumon's Verse

Clinging to the deluded way of consciousness,

Students of the Way do not realize truth.

The seed of birth and death through endless eons:

The fool calls it the true original self.

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Commentary and questions: What is this 'mind', really? If we call out to ourselves in this way as old Zuigan did, what can possibly answer that isn't completely mired and subject to the maelstrom of the myriad things? In his verse, Mumon teaches: clinging to the deluded way of consciousness, students of the Way do not realize truth, which points in the direction of the hidden nature of the Absolute: forms and body, thought and mind can only be half of the entire story. Who here among us understands the other half?

Submitted November 13, 2019 at 08:04PM by WanderingRoninXIII https://ift.tt/2Ki6HeR