Gateless Gate 41

12
Gateless Gate (Mumonkan, Wumenguan) #41
Bodhidharma Puts the Mind to Rest

Personnel

• BODHIDHARMA (Bodai Daruma, 460? -536?, 1st gen), disciple of Prajnatara
• Dazu HUIKE (Taiso Eka, 487-593, 2nd gen), disciple of Bodhidharma

Case

Bodhidharma sat facing the wall.
The Second Ancestor [Shenguang, later called Huike], standing in the snow, cut off his arm and said, “Your disciple's mind is not yet at peace. I beg you, Master, put it to rest.”
Bodhidharma said, “Bring your mind to me and I will give it rest.”
The Second Ancestor said, “I have searched for the mind but have never been able to find it.”
Bodhidharma said, “I have finished putting it to rest for you.”

Wumen's Comment

The broken-toothed old barbarian came thousands of miles across the sea with an active spirit. It can rightly be said that he raised waves where there was no wind. In later life he obtained one disciple, but even he was crippled in his six senses. Ha! The fools do not even know four characters.

Wumen's Verse

Coming from the West and pointing directly to it –
All the trouble comes from the transmission;
The one who disturbs the monasteries
Is originally you.

Bodhidharma's Verse

Outside, cut off all relations.
Inside, have no panting in your mind.
Make your mind like a wall,
And thus you may attain Dao.

Senzaki's Comment

The silent master was cautious enough to try the sincerity of the newcomer before admitting him. Shenguang was not allowed to enter the temple, and had to stand in the courtyard, deep with snow. His firm resolution and earnest wish kept him standing continually in one spot until dawn, beads of frozen teardrops on his breast. At last, with a sharp knife he cut off his left arm and presented it, showing his resolution to follow the master even at the risk of his life. Thereupon, Bodhidharma admitted him into the order as a disciple, fully qualified to be instructed in the teaching of Zen. A new name was given to the disciple by the master. It was Huike, which is pronounced Eka by the Japanese. Bodhidharma had a few other disciples, but Huike was the one who received the bowl and the robe from him, becoming the second patriarch of Chinese Zen.
The moment we think we have taken hold of a thought, it is no more with us. So with the idea of a soul, or an ego, or a being, or a person, there is no such particular entity objectively to be so distinguished, and which remains as such eternally separated from the subject who so thinks. This ungraspability of a mind or thought, which is tantamount to saying that there is no soul-substance as a solitary, unrelated 'thing' in the recesses of consciousness, is one of the basic doctrines of Buddhism. Huike was brave enough to cut of his left arm, but he did not have the nerve to use the knife upon his own mind and thought. Bodhidharma was like a good surgeon, who uses his knife as quick as a flash. The operation was finished before the nurse could give any anesthetic to the patient. Who was sick? What was the trouble? It was merely illusory; unreal. Your mind is already pacified.

Sekida's Comment

"My mind has no peace." Only when he has emptied himself has he peace of mind.
"I beg you." There is no point in begging for one's peace of mind, but one cannot help doing it all the same.
"Please pacify my mind." You cannot pacify your mind while you are asking others to do it for you.
"Bring your mind here." You cannot find your mind, much less bring it forth.
"I will pacify it for you." Peace of mind is spontaneously brought about.
"I have searched for my mind." Human beings have long searched for the mind.
"I cannot take hold of it." You can take hold of it, but not in the way you expected.
"Now your mind is pacified." Your mind is pacified spontaneously, not by others.

Shibayama's Comment

An old Zen Master sang: "For years I suffered in snow and frost; / Now I am startled at pussy willows falling." Not only Zen, but any religion in the world must have the reason for its existence in the guidance it gives to those who pursue this quest for peace of mind. By making this search one may finally be led to the realization that every effort is in vain. True peace of mind, however, can be obtained only when one is personally awakened to the stark-naked fact that every effort is ultimately in vain. Seek, struggle, and despair! "I have searched for the mind, and it is finally unattainable" -- this reply comes from the experience of plunging into another dimension. It is the cry of the person who has experienced that "the whole universe has collapsed and the iron mountain has crumbled." The key to the koan is in the experience of grasping the live significance of this word "finally" as one's own.

Anonymous Zen Master's Commentary (Shibayama)

Whenever it may be, wherever you may be, your mind is at peace, because there is no mind outside your body; because there is no body outside your mind. Since your body and mind have already dropped away, what is there to be pacified or not pacified? How wonderful is this mind that is always just at peace!

Another Anonymous Zen Master's Commentary (Shibayama)

To try to find a man on an uninhabited island may prove fruitless. Once, however, it is definitely established that there is no man there, the island comes into the discoverer's possession. This is international law. It is the universal law effective through the ages. The whole universe now comes into his possession!

Koun Yamada's Commentary

We are all searching for truth and peace of mind outside ourselves, which is like hunting for a man on an uninhabited island. Once you have found out that the island is uninhabited, your desire to search for a man there will end. When you stop desiring, your mind will come to rest. There will be no problems, no discontent, no frustrations, no uneasiness. You will be at peace, just as you are. Is there any happiness other than this?

Aitken's Comment

The anguish of Huike facing Bodhidharma is the anguish of the heroes and heroines of fairy stories and folktales who must strive constantly, practicing that which cannot be practiced, bearing the unbearable. This is a treasure of the Path disguised as sheer misery. This treasure is found in all religions worthy of the name. It is the "dark night of the soul." Huike had no choice but to enter this dark night. We have no choice either. Bodhidharma said, "There, I have completely put it to rest for you." The rest that Bodhidharma confirmed in the heart-mind of his disciple is the same rest he sought to confirm in the heart-mind of Emperor Wu with his words, "I don't know."

Low's Comment

If you ask someone who is on the Way, "Why are you practicing?" the answer you may well hear is, "I don't know, I simply have to go on," or some variation of this. Indeed, one could say if a person does know, he or shie is not very far on the Way. If one persists despite the travail, at a certain stage in the practice the frustrations, conflicts, and defects suffered by the personality become the fuel driving the practice forward. It is during this time that, in spite of oneself, one can make immense efforts that in sober moments seem impossible. You will never find it if you look for it; but if you do not look for it, what hope do you have?

Anonymous Verse

The snow of Shaolin is stained crimson;
let me dye my heart with it
as humble as it may be.

Fenyang's Verse

Nine years the founder faced a wall, awaiting the proper potential;
Standing in snow up to his waist,the successor never relaxed his brow;
Respectfully he asked for a method to pacify the mind:
Searching for the mind and not finding it, for the first time in his life he was free from doubt.

Foguo Bai's Verse

Thinking, why seek to pacify mind?
Seeking out peace of mind causes pain to the body.
Three feet deep the snow where he once stood:
Who knows who it is in the snow?

Hotetsu's Verse

No one's arm was lost,
No weapons, no defenses, cut through;
Thus peace and disarming mutually entail --
And both are always already established.

Illustration by Mark Morse, http://www.thegatelessgate.com/

Appendix: Alternate Translations

Case

Bodhidharma sat facing the wall. The Second Ancestor [Shenguang, later called Huike], standing in the snow, cut off his arm and said, “Your disciple's mind is not yet at peace. I beg you, Master, put it to rest.” Bodhidharma said, “Bring your mind to me and I will give it rest.” The Second Ancestor said, “I have searched for the mind but have never been able to find it.” Bodhidharma said, “I have finished putting it to rest for you.”

Aitken: Bodhidharma faced the wall. The Second Ancestor stood in the snow, cut off his arm, and said, “Your disciple’s mind has no peace as yet. I beg you, Master, please put it to rest.” Bodhidharma said, “Bring me your mind, and I will put it to rest.” The Second Ancestor said, “I have searched for my mind, but I cannot find it.” Bodhidharma said, “I have completely put it to rest for you.”

Cleary: As the founder oi Zen faced a wall, his future successor stood in the snow, cut off his arm, and said, "My mind is not yet at peace. Please pacify my mind." The founder said, "Bring me your mind, and I will pacify it for you." The successor said, "I have looked for my mind, and cannot find it." The founder said, "I have pacified your mind for you."

Guo Gu: Bodhidharma sat facing a wall. The second ancestral master stood in the snow and cut off his arm, saying, “Your disciple’s mind is not at peace. Please, Teacher, pacify my mind!” Bodhidharma said, “Bring out your mind and I’ll pacify it for you.” The second ancestor replied, “When I search for my mind, it cannot be found.” At that point Bodhidharma said, “I’ve already pacified it!”

Hinton: Bodhidharma sat facing a wall. The Second Patriarch stood outside in the snow. To prove his determined sincerity, he cut off his arm and presented it to Bodhidharma, then said: “Your disciple’s mind is not yet silent. Please, Master, silence this mind.” “Bring your mind here,” replied Bodhidharma, “and I’ll silence it for you.” “I’ve searched and searched, but I can’t find my mind.” “There, you see, I’ve silenced your mind through and through."

Low: Bodhidharma sat facing the wall. The second patriarch, having cut off his arm, stood there in the snow. He said, “Your disciple’s mind is not yet at peace. I beg the master to give it rest.” Bodhidharma replied, “Bring your mind and I will give it rest.” The patriarch said, “I have searched for that mind, and can find it nowhere.” Bodhidharma said, “Then I have given it rest.”

Sekida: Bodhidharma sat facing the wall. The Second Patriarch stood in the snow. He cut off his arm and presented it to Bodhidharma, crying, “My mind has no peace as yet! I beg you, master, please pacify my mind!” “Bring your mind here and I will pacify it for you,” replied Bodhidharma. “I have searched for my mind, and I cannot take hold of it,” said the Second Patriarch. “Now your mind is pacified,” said Bodhidharma.

Senzaki: Bodhidharma sat facing the wall. His future successor stood in the snow, cut off his arm, and presented it to Bodhidharma. He cried, “My mind is not pacified. Master, please, pacify my mind.” Bodhidharma said, ‘If you bring me your mind, I will pacify it for you.” The future successor said, “When I search for my mind, I cannot find it.” Bodhidharma said, “There, I have pacified your mind.”

Shibayama: Bodhidharma sat in zazen facing the wall. The Second Patriarch, who had been standing in the snow, cut off his arm and said, “Your disciple’s mind is not yet at peace. I beg you, my teacher, please give it peace.” Bodhidharma said, “Bring the mind to me, and I will set it at rest.” The Second Patriarch said, “I have searched for the mind, and it is finally unattainable.” Bodhidharma said, “I have thoroughly set it at rest for you.”

Verse

Coming from the West and pointing directly to it – /All the trouble comes from the transmission; /The one who disturbs the monasteries /Is originally you.

Aitken: Coming from the West and directly pointing — /all the trouble springs from this; /the jungle of monks at sixes and sevens /is your fault after all.

Cleary: Coming from the West, directly pointing, /The matter arose from entrusting a charge./Stirring up the Zen communities, /After all it's you.

Guo Gu: Coming from the west (he) directly points to this; /An affair initiated by an entrustment. /Disturbing and stirring up the Chan forest /Is, after all, you!

Hinton: Come east, wielding sheer fact /to teach, you point straight at it. /Still, that clamor plaguing our /monasteries: it began with you!

Low: Coming from the West and directly pointing: /All our troubles come from that! /All the monks being at sixes and sevens /Comes from these two chaps.

Sekida: Coming east, directly pointing, /You entrusted the Dharma, and trouble arose; /The clamor of the monasteries /Is all because of you.

Senzaki: Why did Bodhidharma come to China? /For years monks have wrestled with this. /All the troubles ever since /Are due to that teacher and his disciple.

Shibayama: Coming from the West, and directly pointing — /This great affair was caused by the transmission. /The trouble-maker who created a stir in Zen circles /Is, after all, you.