Joshu

The Reading:

THE CASE

Joshu went to a hermit's and said, "Anything here? Anything here?" The hermit lifted up his fist. Joshu said, "The water is too shallow to anchor here," and went away. He went to another hermit's, and said, "Anything here? Anything here?" That hermit lifted up his fist. Joshu said, "Freely you give, freely you take away. Freely you bestow life, freely you destroy," and made a profound bow.

THE VERSE

His eye is a shooting star;

The movements of his soul are like lightning.

He is a death-dealer,

A life-giving sword.

Mumonkon, Zen and Zen Classics, Volume 4, Case 11

R.H. Blyth

Discussion:

If there are no teachers of Zen, and Zen Masters cannot be respected or disrespected, boasted over or insulted, then how should we approach them? What have they done that is deserving of honor? If a man claims to be a Master, but is a charlatan, how is such a person to be treated, without boasting or insulting? What will people say about a charlatan, what will they say about a Zen Master?

What does Joshu say?

If you are a life-giving sword, then there is no answer to give to either man.