User:WikiDao/The Gateless Gate/43

43. Shuzan's Short Staff

Shuzan held out his short staff and said: "If you call this a short staff, you oppose its reality. If you do not call it a short staff, you ignore the fact. Now what do you wish to call this?"


 * Mumon’s comment: If you call this a short staff, you oppose its reality. If you do not call it a short staff, you ignore the fact. It cannot be expressed with words and it cannot be expressed without words. Now say quickly what it is.
 * Holding out the short staff,
 * He gave an order of life or death.
 * Positive and negative interwoven,
 * Even Buddhas and patriarchs cannot escape this attack.