The Gateless Gate: The Classic Book of Zen Koans

by Koun Yamada, Ruben L. F. Habito (Foreword by)

Overview

In The Gateless Gate, one of modern Zen Buddhism's uniquely influential masters offers classic commentaries on the Mumonkan, one of Zen's greatest collections of teaching stories. This translation was compiled with the Western reader in mind, and includes Koan Yamada's clear and penetrating comments on each case. Yamada played a seminal role in bringing Zen Buddhism to the West from Japan, going on to be the head of the Sanbo Kyodan Zen Community.

The Gateless Gate would be invaluable if only for the translation and commentary alone, yet it's loaded with extra material and is a fantastic resource to keep close by:

• An in-depth Introduction to the History of Zen Practice
• Lineage charts
• Japanese-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-Japanese conversion charts for personal names, place names, and names of writings
• Plus front- and back-matter from ancient and modern figures: Mumon, Shuan, Kubota Ji'un, Taizan Maezumi, Hugo Enomiya-Lasalle, and Yamada Roshi's son, Masamichi Yamada.

A wonderful inspiration for the koan practitioner, and for those with a general interest in Zen Buddhism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780861713820
Publisher:	Wisdom Publications MA
Publication date:	06/15/2004
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	433,598
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Koun Yamada became a dharma successor to the renowned Zen master Haku'un Yasutani while maintaining a prominent career in business and public health. He guided the Zen practice of many students including a large number of Roman Catholic priests, monks, and nuns.

A former Jesuit priest, Ruben L.F. Habito is professor of world religions and spirituality at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and resident teacher at Maria Kannon Zen Center in Dallas, Texas. A dharma heir of Yamada Koun, he is also the author of Healing Breath and other works in Japanese and English.

Table of Contents

	Foreword to the Wisdom Edition	xi
	Preface to the Wisdom Edition	xv
	Preface to the Wisdom Edition	xvi
	Author's Preface to the First Edition	xvii
	Note on Chinese and Japanese Terms	xxi
	Shuan's Preface	1
	Dedication to the Throne	5
	Mumon's Preface	7
Case 1	Joshu's Dog	11
Case 2	Hyakujo and the Fox	17
Case 3	Gutei's One Finger	23
Case 4	The Barbarian Has No Beard	27
Case 5	Kyogen's Man Up a Tree	31
Case 6	Buddha Holds Up a Flower	35
Case 7	Joshu's "Wash Your Bowls"	40
Case 8	Keichu Makes Carts	44
Case 9	Daitsu Chisho	49
Case 10	Seizei the Poor	53
Case 11	Joshu Examines the Hermits	58
Case 12	Zuigan Calls Himself "Master"	62
Case 13	Tokusan Carries His Bowls	66
Case 14	Nansen Kills the Cat	70
Case 15	Tozan's Sixty Blows	74
Case 16	The Sound of the Bell and the Seven-Panel Robe	79
Case 17	The National Teacher's Three Calls	84
Case 18	Tozan's Masagin	89
Case 19	Ordinary Mind Is the Way	93
Case 20	A Man of Great Strength	98
Case 21	Unmon's Kanshiketsu	102
Case 22	Kashyapa's Flagpole	106
Case 23	Think Neither Good Nor Evil	111
Case 24	Leaving Speech and Silence Behind	118
Case 25	The Sermon of the Third Seat	123
Case 26	Two Monks Roll Up the Blinds	129
Case 27	Not Mind, Not Buddha	134
Case 28	Ryutan's Name Echoed Long	137
Case 29	Not the Wind, Not the Flag	143
Case 30	Mind Is Buddha	148
Case 31	Joshu Sees Through an Old Woman	153
Case 32	A Non-Buddhist Questions Buddha	157
Case 33	No Mind, No Buddha	161
Case 34	Knowing Is Not the Way	165
Case 35	Seijo's Soul Is Separated	169
Case 36	Meeting a Man Who Has Accomplished the Way	174
Case 37	The Oak Tree in the Garden	177
Case 38	A Cow Passes Through a Window	181
Case 39	Unmon and a Mistake in Speech	185
Case 40	Kicking Over the Water Jug	189
Case 41	Bodhidharma Puts the Mind to Rest	194
Case 42	A Woman Comes Out of Samadhi	199
Case 43	Shuzan's Shippei	204
Case 44	Basho's Shujo	208
Case 45	Who Is That One?	212
Case 46	Stepping Forward From the Top of a Pole	216
Case 47	Tosotsu's Three Barriers	220
Case 48	Kempo's One Way	225
	Mumon's Postscript	231
	Mumon's Zen Warnings	233
	Oryu's Three Barriers	235
	Muryo Soju's Verses on Oryu's Three Barriers	237
	Mokyo's Epilogue	243
	Amban's Forty-ninth Case	245
Appendix 1	Introduction to the History of Zen Practice	247
Appendix 2	Writings and Zen Records Mentioned in the Introduction to the History of Zen Practice	265
Appendix 3	Personal Names, Place Names, and Writings (Japanese-Chinese)	269
Appendix 4	Personal Names, Place Names, and Writings (Chinese-Japanese)	275
Appendix 5	Lineage Charts	281
Appendix 6	Foreword to the Previous Edition	293
Appendix 7	Preface to the Previous Edition	299

Editorial Reviews

"Yamada Roshi's straightforward commentary on the Wu-men kuan (Mumonkan) is again available in this new edition, and I'm delighted. As his Dharma heir, his teachings are my own, as they are for his many other successors in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Now our students and a new generation of Zen students everywhere can benefit directly from his guidance. I'm very grateful."

Robert Aitken

"This is an essential reference book for everyone working on koans, and an inspiring window on Zen practice for those who are not."

David Loy

"The penetrating voice of a unique lay Zen master! The depth of Yamada Koun Roshi's insight doesn't allow him to keep any religious, cultural or racial border in his heart. Consequently many westerners as well as catholic fathers and sisters joined his sangha. Reading his words, we realize that the Dharma has nothing to do with east or west, Buddhism or Christiany. Buddha nature is universal."

Eido Shimano Roshi

"Yamada Koun was of that fine old breed of Japanese Zen Masters- piercing, disciplined, and always on point. 'The Gateless Gate' distills his teaching and spirit marvelously. It is an essential text for anyone interested in the Zen koan, and in the process of Zen awakening."

Norman Fischer

"Koun Yamada's superb translation of The Gateless Gate has accompanied me throughout my practice and my teaching ever since the first edition appeared over two decades ago. His teisho on the Cases are alive and pithy, directly conveying Master Mumon's vivid Zen and the life-transforming words of our ancestral teachers. How fortunate we are to have this new edition, with a Foreword by the esteemed Ruben Habito."

Roko Sherry Chayat

"Koun Yamada Roshi played a seminal role in spreading Zen Buddhism from Japan to the West. His insightful and profound commentaries on the Gateless Gate arise from his deep understanding of the Buddha-Dharma. They will help Zen students of all abilities to appreciate the significance of koans, not as paradoxical riddles, but as touchstones of reality."

Gerry Shishin Wick Roshi

"Koans are the intimate family history of Zen. The awakened mind of the Zen ancestors is conveyed, but also their effort, sweat, pain, and joy. Koun Yamada's excellent translation and commentary helped opened the door to this world for many of us, and this new edition is sure to do so for many more.."

Kyogen Carlson