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Mumonkan case 44

4/20/2018

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Case 44 Bashõ's Staff                     
 

Bashõ Osho said to his disciples, "If you have a staff, I will give you a staff.

If you have no staff, I will take it from you."
 
Mumon's Comment

It helps me wade across a river when the bridge is down. It accompanies me to the village on a moonless night.

If you call it a staff, you will enter hell like an arrow.
 
Mumon's Verse 
              The depths and shallows of the world
              Are all in its grasp.
              It supports the heaven and sustains the earth.
              Everywhere, it enhances the doctrine.

          These koans are becoming short.  They are the final tests of this course called the Mumonkan or Gateless Gate. Are you still thinking?  By now you should have had enough time in samadhi that your dharma eye is open and you can see into these koans.  What is the staffless staff?  If you need to call it a staff then the dharma eye is closed.  Why call it anything at all but still you understand it supports you and the whole Universe.




















Case 44 Bashõ's Staff                     四十四 芭蕉拄杖
 
芭蕉和尚示衆云、你有拄杖子、我興你 拄杖子。
Bashõ Osho said to his disciples, "If you have a staff, I will give you a staff.
你 無拄杖子、我奪你 拄杖子。
If you have no staff, I will take it from you."
 
Mumon's Comment
無門曰、扶過斷橋水、伴歸無月村。
It helps me wade across a river when the bridge is down. It accompanies me to the village on a moonless night.
若喚作拄杖、入地獄如箭。
If you call it a staff, you will enter hell like an arrow.
 
Mumon's Verse 頌曰
諸方深與淺               The depths and shallows of the world
都在掌握中               Are all in its grasp.
□天□拄地         It supports the heaven and sustains the earth.
隨處振宗風               Everywhere, it enhances the doctrine.
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    Hi I am Ed Shozen Haber an authorized teacher of Zen in the lineage of Shodo Harada Roshi of the One Drop Sangha.  By the way I look a bit older now.

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