Seung Sahn’s Twelve Gates

1. What is the meaning of “Master!”?
2. Seong Am Eon used to call himself, and answer himself, two minds. Which one is the correct Master? Commentary:

Stupid, stupid! Woman’s face, man’s face, who understands?

Wash your face, then it appears clearly.

Fourth Gate: Hok Am’s Bodhidharma Has No Beard Master Hok Am asked, “Why does Bodhidharma have no beard?”
1. What is Bodhidharma’s original face?
2. I ask you, why does Bodhidharma have no beard? Commentary:

Three years after his death, Bodhidharma returned to India, carrying a stick and a shoe.
He never died. Where is he now? Watch you step!

Fifth Gate: Hyang Eom’s Up A Tree Master Hyang Eom said,
“It is like a man up a tree who is hanging from a branch by his teeth;
his hands cannot grasp a bough, his feet cannot touch the tree; he is tied and bound.
Another man under the tree asks him,
‘Why did Bodhidharma come to China?’
If he does not answer, he evades his duty and will be killed.
If he answers, he will lose his life.

1. If you are in the tree, how do you stay alive? Commentary:

“Aigo, aigo, aigo!” Who died? Your mother or your son?

It appears clearly in front of you.

Sixth Gate: Seung Sahn’s Dropping Ashes on the Buddha A man came into the Zen Center smoking a cigarette,
blowing smoke in the Buddha-statue’s face and dropping ashes on its lap.
The abbot came in, saw the man, and said,
“Are you crazy? Why are you dropping ashes on the Buddha?”
The man answered, “Buddha is everything. Why not?”
The abbot couldn’t answer and went away.

1. “Buddha is everything.” What does that mean?
2. Why did the man drop ashes on the Buddha?
3. If you had been the abbot, how could you have fixed this man’s mind? Commentary:

How do you meet the Buddha? Where do you throw away ashes? Its all very clear. Your correct function is always in front of you.

NOTE: There is an important factor in this case that has apparently never been explicitly included in its print versions. Zen Master Seung Sahn has always told his students that the man with the cigarette is also very strong and that he will hit you if he doesn’t approve of your response to his actions.

Seventh Gate: Ko Bong’s Three Gates 1. The sun in the sky shines everywhere. Why does a cloud obscure it?
2. Everyone has a shadow following them. How can you not step on your shadow?
3. The whole universe is on fire. Through what kind of samadhi can you escape being burned? Commentary:

The sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains and waters – everything is complete.

One mind appears, big mistake.

One mind disappears, then seeing and hearing become the truth.

Don’t make anything. Just see, just hear, just do it.

Eighth Gate: Duk Sahn Carrying his Bowls One day Duk Sahn came into the Dharma Room carrying his bowls.
The Housemaster, Seol Bong, said,
“Old Master, the bell has not yet been rung and the drum has not yet been struck.
Where are you going, carrying your bowls?”
At this, Duk Sahn returned to the Master’s room.
Seol Bong told the Head Monk, Am Du, what had happened.

Am Du said, “Great Master Duk Sahn does not understand the last word.”
Duk Sahn heard this and sent for Am Du.
“Do you not approve of me?” he demanded.
Then Am Du whispered in the Master’s ear. Duk Sahn was relieved.

The next day on the rostrum, making his Dharma Speech, Duk Sahn was really different from before.
Am Du went to the front of the Dharma Room, laughed loudly, clapped his hands and said,
“Great joy! The old Master has understood the last word! From now on, no one can check him.”

1. What was the last word?
2. What did Am Du whisper in the Master’s ear?
3. How was the Master’s speech different from before?
4. If you were Duk Sahn, and Seol Bong asked you, “Where are you going, carrying your bowls?” how would you answer? Commentary:

Three dogs chase each other’s tails in a circle, following the smell, looking for food.

Ninth Gate: Nam Cheon Kills a Cat Once morning, the monks of the Eastern and Western halls were arguing about a cat.
Hearing the loud dispute as he passed,
Master Nam Cheon held up the cat in one hand and a knife in the other and shouted,
“You! Give me one word and I will save this cat!
If you cannot, I will kill it!” No one could answer. Finally, Nam Cheon cut the cat in two.

In the evening, when Jo Ju returned from outside, Nam Cheon told him of the incident.
Jo Ju took off his shoes, put them on his head, and walked away.
Nam Cheon said, “Alas, if you had been there, I could have saved the cat.”

1. Nam Cheon said, “Give me one word!” At that time, what can you do?
2. Jo Ju put his shoe on his head. What does this mean?
3. Why did Nam Choen kill the cat? Commentary:

Nam Choen, Jo Ju and all students are already dead. The cat says, “Meow, meow.”

Tenth Gate: Ko Bong’s “Mouse Eats Cat Food”