Zen Koan – Hekiganroku – No. 30 – Zen Master Joshu’s “A Big Radish”

The Case

A monk asked zen master Joshu, "I have heard that you closely followed zen master Nansen. Is that true?" Joshu said, "Chinshu produces a big radish."

Verse

Chinsho produces a big radish;
Monks have taken it as their model.
They know only how it was and would be.
How can they truly realize
The swan is white, the crow black?
Plunderer ! Plunderer !
The monk had his nostrils threaded through.