The Gateless Gate

The Classic Book of Zen Koans

De: Koun Yamada

Narrado por: Brian Nishii

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 listener 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: The Classic Book of Zen Koans 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
• Japanese-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-Japanese conversion charts for personal names, place names, and names of writings
• 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. Original cover design created by Charles River Zen. This audiobook is masterfully read by Brian Nishii, and was produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont. Audio engineering by Mike Thal.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2005 Koun Yamada (P)2024 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

Zen?

the Gateless Gate is a classic. I believe this version will be of use to people who don't know where to start. My challenge to them is NOT to accept everything the commentary tells you is true regarding zen & its philosophy. The editors themselves will tell you this is necessary - that zen is not dogmatic, that it asks you to test, to experience it's truths. and then, the editors, in their commentary, will make dogmatic statements, simplifications that border on frustrating, etc.

My doubts started early, but really came to head in the chapter about Gutei's One Finger. In their analysis they say: "Gutei's finger is the most important part of the whole story." by making this claim, they blow their cover. They tried to make it digestible, but really they made it sweet enough to swallow—and then upset your stomach.

Why do they claim the point is Gutei's finger? Because they want you to accept, a while later, that "all is one." This is a gross simplification—and possibly plain wrong. The "point" could just as easily be the severed nub that was once his disciple's finger. It is, after all, *no finger* that causes the disciple's enlightenment. This is the middle way. It's not "everything is one" (or "the finger,") it's not "everything is nothing" (or "no finger.") What, then, does this Koan mean?

My advice: get a copy that will either present the koans with the accompanying (japanese) commentary alone, or a copy with just the Koans. Aim for minimal modern commentary. And if there is modern commentary, it should ideally be commentary that challenges you further—or that might give you clues or historical/linguistic information that a translation might not capture. best I've found is by Katsuki Sekida

Read them in a comfortable upright position and contemplate their meanings. don't move on last a set of three to five until you feel like you have extracted some meaning from them. Revisit them later. When you truly get understanding, the idea "all is one" will seem pathetic, worth less than one of Bodhidharma's shriveled legs.

I gave 4 stars because any Gateless Gate is better than no Gateless Gate. the authors are probably sincere in their desire to make this text accessible.

BUT do yourself a favor and get the other version that is about 2h long, also available on audible. much less BS. use this version while you need it, but someday you will need to take the training wheels off.

alA point for consideration from Mumon's verse from the following Koan:

"If you practice zen, you must truly practice it. if you seek enlightenment, you must really experience enlightenment. You see this Barbarian face to face, and for the first time you are able to acknowledge him; but if you say you see him face-to-face, then there is division into two."

the modern commentators here are saying they've seen enlightenment, and tell you everything is one, thus having split one into two. When you stand up, it's not that there's only standing up in the universe. it's that there is no You to stand, and one way to express that (tentatively) could be "everything is one," But of you are not one because you don't have self existence, how could the world or the truth be defined as one when it has no self existence either? This is the sort of question you should ask after long Zen study, not accept empty platitudes.

Extremely helpful.

Although I had heard some of this wisdom before, it was very difficult to process. The context and explanations provided after each koan were very helpful. Also, the reader did a very nice job to make the experience of listening a pleasant one.