Gateless Gate 44

172
Gateless Gate (Mumonkan, Wumenguan) #44
Bajiao and a Stick

Personnel

• BAJIAO Huiqing (Basho Esei, 880?-950?, 13th gen), disciple of Nanta Guangyong

Case

Master Bajiao said to the assembly, “If you have a shujô, I will give a shujô to you. If you have no shujô, I will take the shujô from you.”

(Note: A shujô is a kind of staff, somewhat longer than a shippei and used when walking out-of-doors. Besides serving as a kind of cane, it was useful to gauge the depth of rivers which had to be crossed, and it scattered insects which otherwise would have been stepped on and killed. It represents Buddha’s leg. --Sato)

Wumen's Comment

Supporting us, it wades across a river that has no bridge. Accompanying us, it returns to the village on a moonless night. But if you call it a shujô, you will go to hell as swiftly as an arrow.

Wumen's Verse

The depths and shallows everywhere
Are within the grip;
It supports the heavens and sustains the earth,
Everywhere it enhances the spirit of our sect.

Hotetsu's Verse Hotetsu's Verses on Koans

Appendix: Alternate Translations

Case

Master Bajiao said to the assembly, “If you have a shujô, I will give a shujô to you. If you have no shujô, I will take the shujô from you.”

Aitken: The priest Pa-chiao said to his assembly: “If you have a staff, I will give you a staff. If you have no staff, I will take a staff from you.”

Cleary: Master Baqiao said to a group, "If you have a staff, I will give you a staff; if you have no staff, I will take your staff away."

Guo Gu: Venerable Bajiao taught the assembly, “If you have a staff, I will give you a staff. If you have no staff, I will take your staff away.”

Hinton: Offering instruction to the sangha, Master Banana Mountain said: “If you have a travel-staff, I’ll give it to you. If you don’t have a travel-staff, I’ll take it from you.”

Low: Basho Osho said to his disciples, “If you have a staff, I wili give you one. If you do not have a staff, I will take it from you.”

Sekida: Bashō Oshō 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.”

Senzaki: Basho said to his disciples, “If you have a staff, I will give it to you. If you have no staff, I will take it away from you.”

Shibayama: Master Basho said to the monks, “If you have a stick, I shall give one to you. If you do not have a stick, I shall take it away from you.”

Verse

The depths and shallows everywhere /Are within the grip; /It supports the heavens and sustains the earth, /Everywhere it enhances the spirit of our sect.

Aitken: The depths and shallows of the world /are all in his grasp; /it supports the heavens and sustains the earth — /everywhere it enhances the doctrine.

Cleary: The depths and shallows everywhere /Are all within his grip: /Holding up the sky and bracing the earth, /Wherever he is he makes Zen flourish.

Guo Gu: Everyone, everywhere, deep and shallow — /All within your palm. /Propping up heaven and supporting the earth — /The winds of truth flow everywhere!

Hinton: Everywhere deep and shallow in this/world held in the palm of your hand, /it supports heaven and sustains earth, /keeping Ch’an alive wherever you go.

Low: The heights and valleys of the world /All are in its grasp. /It supports heaven and sustains the earth. /Everywhere, it manifests the truth.

Sekida: The depths and Shallows of the world /Are all in its grasp. /It supports the heavens and sustains the earth. /Everywhere, it enhances the doctrine.

Senzaki: With this staff in my hand /I can measure the depths and shallows everywhere. /The staff supports the heavens, and makes firm the earth. /Wherever it goes, the true teaching is spread.

Shibayama: The deep and the shallow wherever they may be /Are all in my hand. /It sustains heaven and supports the earth, /And promotes Zen Truth wherever it may be.