Gateless Gate 45

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Gateless Gate (Mumonkan, Wumenguan) #45
Who Is That One?

Personnel and Date

• WUZU "Qingyuan" Fayan (Goso Hôen, 1024-1104, 20th gen), disciple of Baiyun Shouduan
Date guess: ca. 1087

Case

Ancestor [Fa-]Yan of East Mountain [ie, Wuzu] said, “Even Shakyamuni and Maitreya are servants of that one. Just tell me, who is that one?”

Wumen's Comment

If you clearly recognize that one, it will be just like meeting your own father at the crossroads. It is not necessary to ask others whether it is he or not.

Wumen's Verse

Don't draw another's bow;
Don't ride another's horse;
Don't speak of another's faults;
Don't inquire into another's affairs.

Hotetsu's Verse Hotetsu's Verses on Koans

Appendix: Alternate Translations

Case

Ancestor [Fa-]Yan of East Mountain [ie, Wuzu] said, “Even Shakyamuni and Maitreya are servants of that one. Just tell me, who is that one?”

Aitken: Wu-tsu said, “Śākyamuni and Maitreya are servants of another. Tell me, who is that other?”

Cleary: Wuzu said, "The past and future Buddhas are servants of another. Tell me, who is that?"

Guo Gu: Ancestor Yan of East Mountain said, “Even Śākyamuni and Maitreya are his slaves. Tell me, who is he?”

Hinton: Fifth-Patriarch Mountain, Dharma-Expanse teacher of patriarchs, said: “Even Shākyamuni and Maitreya Buddhas are servants to someone else. Right now: speak up! Tell me! Who is that someone else?”

Low: Hoen of Tozan said, “Even Shakya and Maitreya are his servants. Who is he?”

Sekida: Hōen of Tōzan said, “Even Shakya and Maitreya are servants of another. I want to ask you, who is he?”

Senzaki: The patriarch of the Eastern Mountain, Master Hoen, said, “Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha are both servants of that one. Now tell me, who is it?”

Shibayama: Our Patriarch Master Hoen of Tozan said, “Sakyamuni and Maitreya are but his servants. Now tell me, who is he?”

Verse

Don't draw another's bow; /Don't ride another's horse; /Don't speak of another's faults; /Don't inquire into another's affairs.

Aitken and Sekida: Don’t draw another’s bow; /don’t ride another’s horse; /don’t discuss another’s faults; /don’t explore another’s affairs.

Cleary: Don't draw another's bow, /Don't ride another's horse. /Don't discuss others' errors, /Don't mind others' business.

Guo Gu: Don’t shoot someone else’s bow; /Don’t ride someone else’s horse; /Don’t judge someone else’s mistakes; /Don’t inquire into somebody else’s business.

Hinton: Never draw someone else’s bow. /Never ride someone else’s horse. /Never show someone else’s flaw. /Never probe someone else’s life.

Low: Don’t draw another’s bow, /Don’t ride another’s horse, /Don’t discuss another’s faults, /Don’t meddle in another’s affairs.

Senzaki: Do not fight with another's bow and arrow. /Do not ride another's horse. /Do not discuss another's faults. /Do not meddle in another's business.

Shibayama: Do not draw another man’s bow; /Do not ride another man’s horse; /Do not defend another man’s fault; /Do not inquire into another man’s affairs.