You know how Wumen said that once you've passed the gateless gate, you just stride through the universe? In ancient (and not so ancient) China, it was not even a given to just wander all around your own country as the authorities liked to stay on top of who wanders where, so you'd have to carry a valid passport to travel about. One would walk into patrol boxes here and there, and you better had the papers ready.
Zhaozhou, for all his fame, was no exception:
Once, while the master was out walking with Wen-yuan, he pointed to a pile of earth and said, "That would be a good place for a patrol-box."
Wen-yuan then went over to the place, stood there, and said, "Give me your passport."
The master punched him.
Wen-yuan said, "Your passport is in order. Pass on."
Source: The Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Joshu, Green trans., Case #503
Wen-yuan was his trusty disciple, of whom not much is known beyond his appearance in a few of Zhaozhou's cases. Yunmen credits him as the main author of these records, so thank you across the ages.
Next time at border control, why not use Zhaozhou's passport?
Submitted September 21, 2020 at 12:36PM by Coinionaire https://ift.tt/3mHbBDy
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