Zen Koan – Hekiganroku – No. 34 – Zen Master Kyozan’s “You Have Not Visited Rozan”

The Case

Zen master Kyozan asked a monk, "Where are you from?" "Mount Rozan," answered the monk. "Have you ever visited Gorehe Peak?" asked Kyozan, "No, not yet," said the monk. Kyozan said, "You have not visited Rozan."

Later, Ummon said, "This talk of Kyozan's was falling into the weeds, all out of kindness."

Verse

Falling or not falling, who can tell?
White clouds piling up, Bright sun shining down,
Faultless the left, mature the right.
Don't you know Kanzan?
He went very fast;
Ten years not retwning,
He forgot the way he had come.