The Gateless Gate: The Classic Book of Zen Koans
Wumen Huikai
Language: English
Pages: 225
ISBN: 2:00306459
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Title note: original title 無門關 Wúménguān
Contributor note: Forward by Ruben L. F. Habito
Publish Year note: First published in 1228
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In The Gateless Gate, one of modern Zen Buddhism's uniquely influential masters offers classic commentaries on the Mumonkan, one of Zen's greatest collections of teaching stories. This translation was compiled with the Western reader in mind, and includes Koan Yamada's clear and penetrating comments on each case. Yamada played a seminal role in bringing Zen Buddhism to the West from Japan, going on to be the head of the Sanbo Kyodan Zen Community.
The Gateless Gate would be invaluable if only for the translation and commentary alone, yet it's loaded with extra material and is a fantastic resource to keep close by:
• An in-depth Introduction to the History of Zen Practice
• Lineage charts
• Japanese-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-Japanese conversion charts for personal names, place names, and names of writings
• Plus front- and back-matter from ancient and modern figures: Mumon, Shuan, Kubota Ji'un, Taizan Maezumi, Hugo Enomiya-Lasalle, and Yamada Roshi's son, Masamichi Yamada.
A wonderful inspiration for the koan practitioner, and for those with a general interest in Zen Buddhism.
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manifestation of the essential nature itself, you will find that your essential nature has long been accomplished. Actually, not only washing bowls but standing up, sitting down, eating, drinking, laughing, crying, a stone, a pillar, a flower, a plant—each and everything in the universe is nothing other than the perfect manifestation of the essential nature. If you realize this fact, you will find that your own self nature exists in completeness, from the beginningless past into the endless
another at a glance, as rapidly as lightning. He can deprive Zen practitioners of all their delusions with a word, sharp as a sword. At the same time, he can make them experience enlightenment by a word, as if giving them new life. Zuigan Calls Himself “Master” 12 THE CASE Every day Master Zuigan used to call to himself, “Master!” and would answer, “Yes!” Again, he would call, “Thoroughly awake! Thoroughly awake!” and he would answer, “Yes! Yes!” “Don’t be deceived by others, any day or any
and that the objective world is standing before our consciousness as the completely different outer world. They suffer pain and agony because the outer world does not obey their will, and circumstances do not go as they wish. We should know that subject and object are intrinsically one. This is the most fundamental point of Buddhist teaching. It is the true satori of Zen. To intuit, experience, and realize this fact is the main reason for doing zazen. If you realize clearly that subject and
service to all living beings, whether of high or low status. When we see a tortoise or an injured sparrow in trouble, we should simply do what we can to help them without expecting a reward. Foolish people may think that if we are kind to others first, it will involve loss to ourselves. That is not so. A beneficent deed is one single law. It rewards the giver and the receiver equally.” Stepping Forward From the Top of a Pole 46 THE CASE Master Sekisō said, “How will you step forward from the
his foot. At that moment he suddenly attained deep enlightenment. He returned at once to Seppō, and in response to Seppō’s questioning, uttered the famous reply, “Bodhidharma did not come to the East Land (China), the second patriarch did not go to the West Heaven (India).” Eventually, Gensha succeeded to the Dharma of Seppō and helped him guide his disciples. In his later years, Gensha settled at Mount Gensha and passed away at the age of seventy-seven in 908 A.D. 2. Master Haku’un Shutan
