Zen Koan & Mysticism – Mumonkan – Case No. 1 – Zen Master Joshu’s Dog
Case A monk asked Joshu, “Has a dog the Self-Nature or not?” Joshu answered, “Mu.” Mumons Comment In order to master Zen, …
Case A monk asked Joshu, “Has a dog the Self-Nature or not?” Joshu answered, “Mu.” Mumons Comment In order to master Zen, …
Mumonkan is a Hwadu (koan) collection.
The Case A monk said to zen master Kempo, “It is written, ‘Bhagavats in the ten directions. One straight road to Nirvana.’ …
The Case Zen Tosotsu Etsu set up three barriers for his disciple: You leave no stone unturned to explore profundity, simply to …
The Case Zen master Sekiso asked, “How can you proceed on further from the top of a hundred-foot pole?” Another eminent teacher …
The Case Zen master Hoen of Tozan said, “Even Shakya and Maitreya are servants of another. I want to ask you, who …
The Case Zen master Basho said to his disciples, ”If you have a staff, I will give you a staff. If you …
The Case Zen Master Shuzan held up a staff of office before his disciples and said, “You monks! If you call this …
The Case Once, in the old days, in the time of the World-honored One, Manjusri went to the assembly of the Buddhas …
The Case Bodhidharma sat facing the wall. The Second Patriarch stood in the snow. He cut off his arm and presented it …
The Case When zen master Isan was with Hyakujo, he was head cook, of the monastery. Hyakujo wanted to choose a master …
The Case Zen monk said to master Ummon, “The brilliance of the Buddha silently illuminates the whole universe…” But before he could …
The Case Zen master Goso said, “A buffalo passes by the window. His head, horns, and four legs all go past. But …
The Case A monk asked zen master Joshu, “What is the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming to China?” Joshu said, “The oak tree …
The Casee Zen master Goso said, “When you meet a man of the Way on the path, do not meet him with …
The Case Zen Master Goso said to his monks, “Seijo’s soul separated from her being. Which was the real Seijo?” Mumon’s Comment …
The Case Zen master Nansen said, “Mind is not the Buddha; reason is not the Way.” Mumon’s Comment Nansen, growing old, had …
The Case A monk asked Baso “What is the Buddha?” Baso answered, “No mind no Buddha.” Mumon’s Comment If you understand this, …
The Case A non-Buddhist philosopher said to the Buddha, “I do not ask for words; I do not ask for non- words.” …
The Case A monk asked an old woman, “What is the way to Taisan?” The old woman said, “Go straight on.” When …
The Case Daibai asked Baso, “What is the Buddha?” Baso answered, “This very mind is the Buddha.” Mumon’s Comment If you directly …
The Case The wind was flapping a temple flag, and two monks started an argument. One said the flag moved, the other …
The Case Tokusan asked zen master Ryutan about Zen far into the night. At last Ryutan said, “The night is late. Why …
The Case A monk asked zen master Nansen, “Is there any Dharma that has not been preached to the people?” Nansen answered, …
The Case When the monks assembled before the midday meal to listen to the lecture, the great Hogen of Seiryo pointed at …
The Case In a dream zen master Kyozan went to Maitreya’ s place and was led in to sit in the third …
The Case A monk asked zen master Fuketsu, “Both speech and silence are faulty in being ri or bi. How can we …
The Case The Sixth Patriarch was pursued by the monk Myo as far as Taiyu Mountain. The patriarch, seeing Myo coming, laid …
The Case Ananda asked Kashyapa, “Th World-honored One gave you the golden robe; did he give you anything else?” “Anandal” cried Kashyapa. …
The Case A monk asked zen master Unmon, “What is Buddha?” Unmon replied “Kanshiketsu (shit-stick)!” Mumon’s Comment Zen master Ummon was too …
The Case Zen master Shogen asked, “Why is it that a man of great strength does not lift his legs?” And he …
The Case Zen monk Joshu asked zen master Nansen, “What is the Way?” “Ordinary mind is the Way,” Nansen replied. “Shall I …
The Case A monk asked Tozan, ”What is Buddha?” Tozan replied, “Masagin [three pounds of flax]. Mumon’s Comment Old Tozan attained the …
The Case The National Teacher Cho called his attendant three times, and three times the attendant responded. The NationaI Teacher said, “I …
The Case Zen master Unmon said, “The world is vast and wide; Why do you put on your seven-piece robe at sound …
The Case Tozan came to study with Ummon. Ummon asked, “Where are you from?” “From Sato,” Tozan replied. “Where were you during …
The Case Zen master Nansen saw monks of the Eastern and Western halls quarreling over a cat. He held up the cat …
The Case One day Tokusan went down toward the dining room, holding his bowls. Seppo met him and asked, ”Where are you …
The Case Zen master Zuigan called to himself every day, “Master!” and answered, “Yes, sir!” Then he would say, “Be wide awake!” …
The Case Joshu went to a hermit’s cottage and asked, “Is the master in? Is the master in?” The hermit raised his …
The Case The monk Seizei said to zen master Sozan, “Seizei is utterly destitute. Will you give him support?” Sozan called out, …
The Case A monk asked Kyo Seije, “Daitsu Chisho Buddha sat in zazen for ten kalpas and could not attain Buddhahood. He …
The Case Zen master Gettan said, “Keicha, the first wheelmaker, made a cart whose wheels had a hundred spokes. Now, suppose you …
The Case A monk said to Joshu, “I have just entered this monastery. Please teach me.” “Have you eaten your rice porridge?” …
The Case When Shakyamuni Buddha was at Mount Grdhrakuta, he held out a flower to his listeners. Everyone was silent. Only Mahakashyapa …
The Case Zen master Kyogen said, “It is like a man up in a tree hanging from a branch with his mouth; …
The Case Master Wakuan said, “Why has the Western Barbarian no beard?” Mumon’s Comment Study should be real study, enlightenment should be …
The Case Whenever master Gutei was asked about Zen, he simply raised his finger. Once a visitor asked Gutei’s boy attendant, “What …
The Case Whenever Master Hyakujo preached the law, an old man would appear and listen with the monks. If they left, he …