12 Zuigan Calls Himself Master

Zuigan called himself "Master!"
and answered himself "Yes, Sir!"
(The Koan-answer is the picture's caption!)

Zuigan

Shout: "Master! Master!" and answer "Yes!"



An explanation of the Koan answer

One of those simple cases, where the Koan-answer is just repeating what the (enlightened!) master said. The master can't be wrong!!

What next?


The background story of this Koan

It's a "demented-master" Koan. These guys act as if they lost their mind quite some time ago. Just mumbling with themselves.

The whole Koan in Mumon's version:

Zuigan called out to himself every day: "Master."
Then he answered himself: "Yes, sir."
And after that he added: "Become sober."
Again he answered: "Yes, sir."
"And after that," he continued, "do not be deceived by others."
"Yes, sir, yes, sir," he answered himself.

Don't be tricked. Zuigan isn't demented at all. He just shows, how much Zen is related to oneself, to one's own doing.
It rejects the traditional Indian belief, that a student who lives close to his master will get some "spiritual help" from his guru.

What next?

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The original Chinese Goang

Wumen Says: Old boy Ruiyan buys himself and sells himself; he plays with putting forth so many God heads and Devil faces.
For what reason, eh? One kind calls; one kind answers. One kind is wide awake; one kind does not accept people’s deceptions.
Know that "before you depend on wearing anything" is still not a correct view. Also, if you imitate him altogether, that is the view of a wild fox. What next?
Traditional Commentaries and .... Poems (Gata)

Mumon's comment: Old Zuigan sells out and buys himself.
He is opening a puppet show.
He uses one mask to call "Master" and another that answers the master.
Another mask says "Sober up" and another, "Do not be cheated by others."

If anyone clings to any of his masks, he is mistaken, yet if he imitates Zuigan, he will make himself fox-like.

Wumen says: Old boy Ruiyan buys himself and sells himself; he plays with putting forth so many God heads and Devil faces.
For what reason, eh?
One kind calls; one kind answers. One kind is wide awake; one kind does not accept people’s deceptions. >Know that "before you depend on wearing anything" is still not a correct view. Also, if you imitate him altogether, that is the view of a wild fox.

What next?


The Gata

Some Zen students do not realize the true man in a mask
Because they recognize ego-soul.
Ego-soul is the seed of birth and death,
And foolish people call it the true man.

The person of the path of study does not recognize reality.
Simply observe what is in front of you to know and recognize God
And the origin of countless kalpas of coming births and deaths.
The call of the foolish person activates the origin of the next person.

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