Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘Long ago in China a monk asked Master Gensha, “I am a novice just arrived at this monastery. From where can I enter into Zen?” Gensha said,”Can you hear the murmuring of the mountain stream?” “Yes, I can,” replied the monk. “Enter Zen from there,” was Master Gensha’s answer.

Enter from anywhere freely. It is all open in every direction and is gateless. Rather, I should say, because it is gateless it is the Great Tao. There is no argument about passing through or not passing through. It is therefore said, “There are thousands of ways to it.” The fact that it is gateless means that everything as it is is “it.” Also it means there are infinitely different ways to it…

In fact, to say the Great Tao is gateless is only a partial truth. To say there are thousands of ways to it is also a half-truth. Apart from the principle of fundamental equality, there can never be phenomena of differentiation. Apart from the phenomena of differentiation, there can never be the principle of fundamental equality. Equality is at once differentiation; differentiation is at once equality – this is how the Great Tao is. This is the Reality of no-gate, which transcends both yes and no, affirmation and negation.’ (Zen Comments on the Mumonkan)