The Gateless Gate: Jõshû Sees the Hermits [11th Case]
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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Commentary and questions: In the thread below, someone will possibly say something profound about this case, or attempt to explain and decipher it for us. Someone else may say something irreverent and silly. Someone will make a statement, someone might give an answer. Someone might say something slightly funny, or even quite hilarious.
Someone will lurk and watch carefully from the shadows. Someone will engage, and someone will not engage. Someone may get irritated that I didn't provide a 'real' commentary to trip myself up with. Someone will be happy that I didn't confuse people yet again with my misunderstandings. Someone may type something completely random in an attempt to escape my predictions. Someone may wish to test my understanding of Zen, and someone else won't care one bit. Free to give, free to take, free to kill, free to save.
Submitted February 06, 2020 at 11:44PM by _WanderingRonin_ https://ift.tt/2v7yZnA
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