The Gateless Gate/Bells And Robes

←Tozan's Three Blows

The Gateless Gate  (1228) by Mumon, translated by Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps 16. Bells and Robes

The Three Calls Of The Emperor's Teacher→

Koan number 16 out of 49 in this work (published 1228, translated 1934)

Ummon asked: "The world is such a wide world, why do you answer a bell and don ceremonial robes?"

Mumon’s comment: When one studies Zen one need not follow sound or color or form. Even though some have attained insight when hearing a voice or seeing a color or a form, this is a very common way. It is not true Zen. The real Zen student controls sound, color, form, and actualizes the truth in his everyday life.

Sound comes to the ear, the ear goes to sound. When you blot out sound and sense, what do you understand? While listening with ears one never can understand. To understand intimately one should see sound.

When you understand, you belong to the family;

When you do not understand, you are a stranger.

Those who do not understand belong to the family,

And when they understand they are strangers.