Mumonkan / Wumenguan · CASE 26
Two Monks Roll Up the Blind
The Gateless Gate
Case
Before the meal, two monks came to interview Great Hōgen of Qingliang. Hōgen pointed at the blind. Both monks went and rolled it up. Hōgen said, “One gained; one lost.”
Verse
Rolled up, it shines clear through empty space; even empty space does not accord with our school. Better to let it all fall from the sky— continuous and close, not letting wind through.
Footnotes 1
About this version and its sources
- Full source citation
- 二僧卷簾 — CBETA T2005: T48n2005_p0296b01–p0296b09.
- Method
- Direct critical-edition translation from the cited received base text. Source claims, hagiography, uncertainty, and unresolved readings remain identified in the notes and project record.
- Editorial uncertainty
- Independent philological and reader review remain pending.
- Rights
- Project translation © Tulsa Zen Center Critical Edition contributors. Source text is cited by edition; redistribution policy requires final organizational approval.
- Revision identifier
- d196e6b92266
Wumen's commentary
Tell me: who gained and who lost? If you can put one eye in place here, you will know where National Teacher Qingliang's failure showed. Even so, take great care not to deliberate in terms of gain and loss.1