Commentary on Enchu

The Reading:

THE CASE


The National Teacher called three times.  His tongue fell to the ground [from talking too much].  The attendant answered three times, sending out a corresponding glory.  The National Teacher, getting old and lonely, pushed the cow's head down to the grass.  The attendant would have none of it; delicious food is not suitable for a man who is satiated.  Just say, in what did the transgressing consist?  When the country is prosperous, rich children are too proud [to eat plain food].

- Mumon

The expression "his tongue fell to the ground," which appears in Case 8 of the Hekiganroku, Engo's chakugo to the Case itself, comes originally from a n anecdote concerning Rajusanzo, that is, Kumarajiva.  "Corresponding glory" means that the attendant, Oshin, answered absolutely, just as Echu called absolutely.  "Putting down the cow's head to the grass" comes from the ancient Indian saying, and appears in the verse of Case LXXVI of the Hekiganroku.


The last sentence is said to come from Myoshin Hokan and means that in this period, the 8th century, Buddhism and Zen were popular, and masters and disciples became indolent like Enchu and Oshin, just calling to each other and answering.


What was the transgression?Commentators do not attempt to explain, fearing, no doubt, that the mocking ghost of Mumon will haunt them for the temerarious wallowing in relativity.

-Mumonkan, Zen and Zen Classics Volume 4

R.H. Blyth

Discussion:

No doubt other commentators failed to understand the singular honor of being mocked by Mumon.  Mumon chose only 48 cases.  

My answer is the simple one: The transgression was answering and failing to.  

Blyth's scholarship is once again demonstrated as so far above what is usual nowdays that we wonder if these translators of Zen texts have bothered to read anything.  Yet we are also shown the unique truth of scholarship; namely, that understanding the text, in this case, does not explain the Case at all, and in explaining the Case there is no need for scholarship at all.

Perhaps these modern day translators have the right of it after all.  Knowing nothing, there is nothing to add.