The Gateless Gate

 

The Gateless Gate or The Gateless Barrier (Chin. Wu-wen kuan; Jap. Mumonkan)

The author is Chinese Ch'an master Wu-men Hui-hai (無門慧開 Mumon Ekai, 1183-1260).

 

English Translation

By late Zen master Katsuki Sekida (Two Zen Classics 26-137)

 

The Chinese and Japanese texts in this web site are taken from the book titled Mumonkan, published in Japan by Iwanami Bunkõ.

 

Chinese Characters

Unfortunately a few Chinese characters were not given in this site. Luckily these characters are less than 1% of the text. Where there was a definition about these ideograms, they are entered them using Chinese system (Big 5). There are also ideograms that appear as mere black boxes, without any explanations. These are replaced with dummy characters (empty square boxes).

 

 

The Gateless Gate 無門關

Wu-wen kuan (Mumonkan)

 

 

Mumon's Preface

Jõshû's "Mu"

Hyakujõ's Fox

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 3 Gutei Raises a Finger                    三　倶胝堅指

 

倶胝和尚、凡有詰問、唯擧一指。

Whenever Gutei Oshõ was asked about Zen, he simply raised his finger.

後有童子。因外人問、和尚説何法要。

Once a visitor asked Gutei's boy attendant, "What does your master teach?"

童子亦堅指頭。

The boy too raised his finger.

胝聞遂以刃斷其指。

Hearing of this, Gutei cut off the boy's finger with a knife.

童子、負痛號哭而去。

The boy, screaming with pain, began to run away.

胝復召之。 童子廻首。 胝却　堅起指。

Gutei called to him, and when he turned around, Gutei raised his finger.

童子忽然領悟。

The boy suddenly became enlightened.

 

胝將順世、謂衆曰、吾得天龍一指頭禪、一生受用不盡。

When Gutei was about to pass away, he said to his assembled monks, "I obtained one-finger Zen from Tenryû and used it all my life but still did not exhaust it."

言訖示滅。

When he had finished saying this, he entered into eternal Nirvana.

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、倶胝並童子悟處、不在指頭上。

The enlightenment of Gutei and of the boy does not depend on the finger.

若向者裏見得、天龍同倶胝並童子興自己一串穿却。　

If you understand this, Tenryû, Gutei, the boy, and you yourself are all run through with one skewer.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

倶胝鈍置老天龍    Gutei made a fool of old Tenryû,

利刃單提勘小童    Emancipating the boy with a single slice,

巨靈擡手無多子    Just as Kyorei cleaved Mount Kasan

分破華山千万重    To let the Yellow River run through.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 4 The Western Barbarian with No Beard                          四　胡子無髭

 

或庵曰、西天胡子、因甚無髭。

Wakuan said, "Why has the Western Barbarian no beard?"

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、參須實參、悟須實悟。

Study should be real study, enlightenment should be real enlightenment.

者箇胡子、直須親見一回始得。

You should once meet this barbarian directly to be really intimate with him.

説親見、早成兩箇。

But saying you are really intimate with him already divides you into two.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

癡人面前      Don't discuss your dream

不可説夢      Before a fool.

胡子髭無      Barbarian with no beard

惺惺添□      Obscures the clarity.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism

Case 5 Kyõgen's "Man up in a Tree"                   五　香嚴上樹

 

香嚴和尚云、如人上樹、口啣樹枝、手不攀枝、脚不踏樹。

Kyõgen Oshõ said, "It is like a man up in a tree hanging from a branch with his mouth; his hands grasp no bough, his feet rest on no limb.

樹下有人問西來意、不對即違他所問、若對又喪身失命。

Someone appears under the tree and asks him, 'What is the meaning of Bodhidharma's coming from the West?' If he does not answer, he fails to respond to the question. If he does answer, he will lose his life.

正恁麼時、作麼生對。

What would you do in such a situation?"

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、縱有懸河之辨、惣用不著。

Even if your eloquence flows like a river, it is of no avail.

説得一大藏教、亦用不著。

Though you can expound the whole of Buddhist literature, it is of no use.

若向者裏對得著、活却從前死路頭、死却從前活路頭。

If you solve this problem, you will give life to the way that has been dead until this moment and destroy the way that has been alive up to now.

其或未然、直待當來問彌勒。

Otherwise you must wait for Maitreya Buddha and ask him.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

香嚴眞杜撰 Kyõgen is truly thoughtless;

惡毒無盡限 His vice and poison are endless.

唖却納僧口 He stops up the mouths of the monks,

通身迸鬼眼 And devil's eyes sprout from their bodies.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism

Case 6 The Buddha Holds Out a Flower                        六　世尊拈花

 

世尊、昔、在靈山會上拈花示衆。

When Shakyamuni Buddha was at Mount Grdhrakuta, he held out a flower to his listeners.

是時、衆皆默然。

Everyone was silent.

惟迦葉者破顔微笑。

Only Mahakashyapa broke into a broad smile.

世尊云、吾有正方眼藏、涅槃妙心、實相無相、微妙法門、不立文字、教外別傳、付囑摩訶迦葉。

The Buddha said, "I have the True Dharma Eye, the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana, the True Form of the Formless, and the Subtle Dharma Gate, independent of words and transmitted beyond doctrine. This I have entrusted to Mahakashyapa."

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、黄面瞿曇、傍若無人。

Golden-faced Gautama really disregarded his listeners.

壓良爲賤、縣羊頭賣狗肉。

He made the good look bad and sold dog's meat labeled as mutton.

將謂、多少奇特。

He himself thought it was wonderful.

只如當時大衆都笑、正方眼藏、作麼生傳。

If, however, everyone in the audience had laughed, how could he have transmitted his True Eye?

設使迦葉不笑、正方眼藏又作麼生傳。

And again, if Mahakashyapa had not smiled, how could the Buddha have transmitted it?

若道正方眼藏有傳授、黄面老子、誑□閭閻。

If you say the True Dharma Eye can be transmitted, then the golden-faced old man would be a city slicker who cheats the country bumpkin.

若道無傳授、爲甚麼獨許迦葉。

If you say it cannot be transmitted, then why did the Buddha approve of Mahakashyapa?

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

拈起花來      Holding out a flower,

尾巴已露      The Buddha betrayed his curly tail.

迦葉破顔      Heaven and earth were bewildered,

人天罔措      At Mahakashyapa's smile.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism

Case 7 Jõshû's "Wash Your Bowl"                      七　趙州洗鉢

 

趙州、因僧問、其甲乍入叢林。

A monk said to Jõshû, "I have just entered this monastery.

乞師指示。

Please teach me."

州云、喫粥了也未。

"Have you eaten your rice porridge?" asked Jõshû.

僧云、喫粥了也。

"Yes, I have," replied the monk.

州云、洗鉢盂去。

"Then you had better wash your bowl," said Jõshû.

其僧有省。

With this the monk gained insight.

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、趙州開口見膽、露出心肝。

When he opens his mouth, Jõshû shows his gallbladder. He displays his heart and liver.

者僧聽事不眞、喚鐘作甕。

I wonder if this monk really did hear the truth. I hope he did not mistake the bell for a jar.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

只爲分明極 Endeavoring to interpret clearly,

翻令所得遲 You retard your attainment.

早知燈是火 Don't you know that flame is fire?

飯熟已多時 Your rice has long been cooked.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism

Case 8 Keichû the Wheelmaker               八　奚仲造車

 

月庵和尚問僧、奚仲造車一百輻。

Gettan Oshõ said, "Keichû, the first wheelmaker, made a cart whose wheels had a hundred spokes.

拈却兩頭、去却輻、明甚麼邊事。

Now, suppose you took a cart and removed both the wheels and the axle. What would you have?"

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、若也直下明得、眼、似流星、機、如掣電。

If anyone can directly master this topic, his eye will be like a shooting star, his spirit like a flash of lightning.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

機輪轉處      When the spiritual wheels turn,

達者猶迷      Even the master fails to follow them.

四維上下      They travel in all directions, above and below,

南北東西      North, south, east, and west.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism

Case 9 Daitsû Chishõ Buddha                  九　大通智勝

 

興陽讓和尚、因僧問、大通智勝佛、十劫坐道場、佛法不現前、不得成佛道時如何。

A monk asked Kõyõ Seijõ, "Daitsû Chishõ Buddha sat in zazen for ten kalpas and could not attain Buddhahood. He did not become a Buddha. How could this be?"

讓曰、其問甚諦當。

Seijõ said, "Your question is quite self-explanatory."

僧云、既是坐道場、爲甚麼不得成佛道。

The monk asked, "He meditated so long; why could he not attain Buddhahood?"

讓曰、爲伊不成佛。

Seijõ said, "Because he did not become a Buddha."

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、只許老胡知、不許老胡會。

I allow the barbarian's realization, but I do not allow his understanding.

凡夫若知、既是聖人。

When an ignorant man realizes it, he is a sage.

聖人若會、既是凡夫。

When a sage understands it, he is ignorant.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

了身何似了心休    Better emancipate your mind than your body;

了得心□身不愁    When the mind is emancipated, the body is free,

若也身心倶了了    When both body and mind are emancipated,

神仙何必更封候    Even gods and spirits ignore worldly power.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 10 Seizei Is Utterly Destitude                     十　清税弧貧

 

曹山和尚、因僧問云、清税弧貧。

Seizei said to Sõzan, "Seizei is utterly destitude.

乞、師賑濟。

Will you give him support?"

山云、税闍梨。

Sõzan called out, "Seizei!"

税、應諾。

Seizei responded, "Yes, sir!"

山曰、青原白家酒、三盞喫了、猶道未沾唇。

Sõzan said, "You have finished three cups of the finest wine in China, and still you say you have not yet moistened your lips!"

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、清税輸機、是何心行。

Seizei pretended to retreat. What was his scheme?

曹山具眼、深辨來機。

Sõzan had the eye of Buddha and saw through his opponent's motive.

然雖如是、且道、那裏是税闍梨、喫酒處。

However, I want to ask you, at what point did Seizei drink wine?

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

貧似范丹      Poverty like Hantan's,

氣如項羽      Mind like Kõu's;

活計雖無      With no means of livelihood,

敢與鬪富      He dares to rival the richest.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 11 Jõshû Sees the Hermits              十一　州勘庵主

 

趙州、到一庵主處問、有麼有麼。

Jõshû went to a hermit's cottage and asked, "Is the master in? Is the master in?"

主、堅起拳頭。

The hermit raised his fist.

州云、水淺不是泊舡處。 便行。

Jõshû said, "The water is too shallow to anchor here," and he went away.

又到一庵主處云、有麼有麼。

Coming to another hermit's cottage, he asked again, "Is the master in? Is the master in?"

主亦堅起拳頭。

This hermit, too, raised his fist.

州云、能縱能奪、能殺能活。便作禮。

Jõshû said, "Free to give, free to take, free to kill, free to save," and he made a deep bow.

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、一般堅起拳頭、爲甚麼肯一箇、不肯一箇。

Both raised their fists; why was the one accepted and the other rejected?

且道、□訛在甚處。

Tell me, what is the difficulty here?

若向者裏下得一轉語、便見趙州舌頭無骨、扶起放倒、得大自在。

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.

雖然如是爭奈、趙州却被二庵主勘破。

However, I must remind you: the two hermits could also see through Jõshû.

若道二庵主有優劣、未具參學眼。

If you say there is anything to choose between the two hermits, you have no eye of realization.

若道無優劣、亦未具參　學眼。

If you say there is no choice between the two, you have no eye of realization.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

眼流星           The eye like a shooting star,

機掣電           The spirit like a lighting;

殺人刀           A death-dealing blade,

活人劍           A life-giving sword.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 12 Zuigan Calls His Master                         十二　巖喚主人

 

瑞巖彦和尚、毎日自喚主人公、復自應諾。

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

乃云、惺惺着。□。

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

他時異日、莫受人瞞。□□。

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

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、瑞巖老子、自買自賣、弄出許多神頭鬼面。

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.

何故。

What for, eh?

□。一箇喚底、一箇應底。 一箇惺惺底、一箇不受人瞞底。

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

認着依前還不是。

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

若也傚他、惣是野狐見解。

If you imitate Zuigan, you will play the fox.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

學道之人不識眞    Clinging to the deluded way of consciousness,

只爲從前認識神    Students of the Way do not realize truth.

無量劫來生死本    The seed of birth and death through endless eons:

癡人喚作本來人    The fool calls it the true original self.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 13 Tokusan Holds His Bowls                     十三　徳山托鉢

 

徳山、一日托鉢下堂。

One day Tokusan went down toward the dining room, holding his bowls.

見雪峰問者老漢鐘未鳴鼓未響、托鉢向甚處去、山便回方丈。

Seppõ met him and asked, "Where are you off to with your bowls? The bell has not rung, and the drum has not sounded." Tokusan turned and went back to his room.

峰擧似巖頭。 頭云、大小徳山未會末後句。

Seppõ mentioned this to Gantõ, who remarked, "Tokusan is renowned, but he does not know the last word."

山聞令侍者喚巖頭來、問曰、汝不肯老僧那。

Tokusan heard about this remark and sent his attendant to fetch Gantõ. "You do not approve of me?" he asked.

巖頭密啓其意。

Gantõ whispered his meaning.

山乃休去。明日陞座、果與尋常不同。

Tokusan said nothing at the time, but the next day he ascended the rostrum, and behold! he was very different from usual!

巖頭至僧堂前、拊掌大笑云、且喜得老漢會末後句。

Gantõ, going toward the front of the hall, clapped his hands and laughed loudly, saying, "Congratulations! Our old man has got hold of the last word!

他後天下人、不奈伊何。

From now on, nobody in this whole country can outdo him!"

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、若是未後句、巖頭徳山倶未夢見在。

As for the last word, neither Gantõ nor Tokusan has ever dreamed of it!

撿點將來、好似一棚傀儡。

When you look into the matter, you find they are like puppets on the shelf!

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

識得最初句 If you realize the first,

便會末後句 You master the last.

末後與最初 The first and the last

不是者一句 Are not one word.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 14 Nansen Cuts the Cat in Two                 十四　南泉斬猫

 

南泉和尚因東西堂爭猫兒。

Nansen Oshõ saw monks of the Eastern and Western halls quarreling over a cat.

泉乃提起云、大衆道得即救、道不得即斬却也。

He held up the cat and said, "If you can give an answer, you will save the cat. If not, I will kill it."

衆無對。泉遂斬之。

No one could answer, and Nansen cut the cat in two.

晩趙州外歸。 泉擧似州。

That evening Jõshû returned, and Nansen told him of the incident.

州乃脱履安頭上而出。

Jõshû took off his sandal, placed it on his head, and walked out.

泉云、子若在即救得猫兒。

"If you had been there, you would have saved the cat," Nansen remarked.

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、且道、趙州頂草鞋意作麼生。

Tell me, what did Jõshû mean when he put the sandal on his head?

若向者裏下得一轉語、便見南泉令不虚行。

If you can give a turning word on this, you will see that Nansen's decree was carried out with good reason.

其或未然險。

If not, "Danger!"

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

趙州若在      Had Jõshû been there,

倒行此令      He would have done the opposite;

奪却刀子      When the sword is snatched away,

南泉乞命      Even Nansen begs for his life.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 15 Tõzan's Sixty Blows                    十五　洞山三頓

 

雲門、因洞山參次、門問曰、近離甚處。

Tõzan came to study with Unmon. Unmon asked, "Where are you from?"

山云、査渡。

"From Sato," Tõzan replied.

門曰、夏在甚處。

"Where were you during the summer?"

山云、湖南報慈。

"Well, I was at the monastery of Hõzu, south of the lake."

門曰、幾時離彼。

"When did you leave there," Unmon asked.

山云、八月二十五。

"On August 25" was Tõzan's reply.

門曰、放汝三頓棒。

"I spare you sixty blows," Unmon said.

山至明日却上問訊。

昨日蒙和尚放三頓棒。

The next day Tõzan came to Unmon and said, "Yesterday you said you spared me sixty blows.

不知過在甚麼處。

I beg to ask you, where was I at fault?"

門曰、飯袋子、江西湖南便恁麼去。

"Oh, you rice bag!" shouted Unmon. "What makes you wander about, now west of the river, now south of the lake?"

山於此大悟。

Tõzan thereupon came to a mighty enlightenment experience.

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、雲門、當時便與本分草料、使洞山別有生機一路、家門不致寂寥。

If Unmon had given Tõzan the true food of Zen and encouraged him to develop an active Zen spirit, his school would not have declined as it did.

一夜在是非海裏著到、直待天明再來、又與他注破。

Tõzan had an agonizing struggle through the whole night, lost in the sea of right and wrong. He reached a complete impasse. After waiting for the dawn, he again went to Unmon, and Unmon again made him a picture book of Zen.

洞山直下悟去、未是性燥。

Even though he was directly enlightened, Tõzan could not be called brilliant.

且問諸人、洞山三頓棒、合喫不合喫。

Now, I want to ask you, should Tõzan have been given sixty blows or not?

若道合喫、草木叢林皆合喫棒。

If you say yes, you admit that all the universe should be beaten.

若道不合喫、雲門又成誑語。

If you say no, then you accuse Unmon of telling a lie.

向者裏明得、方與洞山出一口氣。

If you really understand the secret, you will be able to breathe out Zen spirit with the very mouth of Tõzan.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

獅子教兒迷子訣    The lion had a secret to puzzle his cub;

擬前跳躑早翻身    The cub crouched, leaped, and dashed forward.

無端再敍當頭著    The second time, a casual move led to checkmate.

前箭猶輕後箭深    The first arrow was light, but the second went deep.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 16 When the Bell Sounds                十六　鐘聲七條

 

雲門曰、世界恁麼廣闊。

Unmon said, "The world is vast and wide.

因甚向鐘聲裏披七條。

Why do you put on your seven-piece robe at the sound of the bell?"

 

Mumon's Comment

無門曰、大凡參禪學道、切忌、隨聲遂色。

In studying Zen, you should not be swayed by sounds and forms.

縱使聞聲悟道、見色明心也是尋常。

Even though you attain insight when hearing a voice or seeing a form, this is simply the ordinary way of things.

殊不知、納僧家、騎聲蓋色、頭頭上明、著著上妙。

Don't you know that the real Zen student commands sounds, controls forms, is clear-sighted at every event and free on every occasion?

然雖如是。 且道、聲來耳畔、耳往聲邊。

Granted you are free, just tell me: Does the sound come to the ear or does the ear go to the sound?

直饒響寂雙忘、到此如何話會。

If both sound and silence die away, at such a juncture how could you talk of Zen?

若將耳聽應難會、眼處聞聲方始親。

While listening with you ear, you cannot tell. When hearing with your eye, you are truly intimate.

 

Mumon's Verse 頌曰

會則事同一家         With realization, things make one family;

不會萬別千差         Without realization, things are separated in a thousand ways.

不會事同一家         Without realization, things make one family;

會則萬別千差         With realization, things are separated in a thousand ways.

 

The Gateless Gate of Zen Buddhism Case 17 Chû the National Teacher Gives Three Calls                         十七　國師三喚

 

國師三喚侍者。侍者三應。

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

國師云、將謂吾辜負汝、元來却是汝辜負吾。

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