r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.
Reddit Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/103kkjg/zhaozhous_two_hermits/?
Post Summary:
Zhaozhou went to a hermit's place and asked, "Is there? Is there?" The hermit raised his fist. Zhaozhou said, "Where the water is shallow is not the place to moor a ship," and he left. He went to another hermit's place and said, "Is there? Is there?" That hermit also raised his fist. Zhaozhou said, "Able to let go, able to take away; able to kill, able to give life," and then he bowed.
Jiangshan Ai said, "Zhaozhou only sees the sharpness of the awl."
Yunju Shun said, "Zhaozhou was quite spunky at that time, but even so his nose is in the hands of the two hermits."
Zen Teaching: Wumen's Checkpoint, aka The Gateless Barrier (Get the JC Cleary trans)
Post Cast Overview: Don't bore Astromi. He doesn't like it. Dahui has this case (457) and Wumen's Case 11. Comparing translations. Why do people say "Zen is not supposed to make sense"? Japanese Buddhism offers misinterpretations based on illiteracy and religious bias. Wumen and Shakespeare. You have to answer yourself. Popularity contests and fist waving.
Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted
