Zen Koan – Cookies of Zen – Case 27 – Thirty Blows

Thirty Blows: Under the Sixth Patriarch, Hui-Neng, was Namak Heu-Hyang (677 - 744). After him Ma-Cho was transmitted by Heu-Hyang. One day zen master Ma-Cho drew one circle and said,

If you enter, I will hit you. If you do not enter, I will hit you.

Then, one student entered the circle and sat. Ma-Cho immediately struck him, but the student said to the Master, "You didn't hit me!" Ma-Cho paused and returned to the Master's room, without saying a word.

Zen Master Hye-Am

Now at this moment, what is the reason Ma-Cho paused and returned to his room, without saying a word? You should know the essence of his pause and tell me about it! If someone asked me, "Why did Master Ma-Cho pause?" I would say, "He was reluctant to lose his own staff." Since the student who was struck by the Master said, "You didn't hit me!" it was fortunate that the Master paused and returned to his room without saying a word. If the Master, using his staff, had hit the student, then alas, the staff would have been destroyed, as well as Master Ma-Cho himself! The terribly poisonous staff of the student is hard to be detoxified.

What is that poisonous staff? That is the word in which the student said, "You did not hit me!" Because of this, Master Ma-Cho had to pause.

One single poisonous staff is hard to be un-poisoned. Even Buddha and the Patriarchs will run away if they encounter this. Finally, what is this? It is entertaining where there is no entertaining.

Behold

Recently, when most Zen students talk about the thirty blows; they speak often but without knowing how to deal with it. If one tells us rightly the essence of what Buddha taught, he will be hit thirty blows. If one does not tell us rightly, he will also be hit thirty blows. Now, one should know clearly how to do away with the thirty blows. How can't it be done? Talking about the thirty blows without knowing this Koan, will result in a Monkey Zen student.

Stuff is just like the monkey! Imitating the format by pursuing the appearance. It becomes a blind staff, now, tell me, how do you do away with the staff?

If someone asked me, "How do you do away with the staff?" I would answer, "Thunderbolt struck at the mountain in front."