Trying to pass through Wumen's gateless barrier or checkpoint (無門關) is no easy matter when one takes into consideration that this checkpoint will not allow anything to pass through it, even our thoughts! The barriers confronting us are, in the big picture, are really only one, this being our attachment to all things (i.e., phenomena/conditionality). Even our psychophysical body proves to be a barrier—an almost impassable checkpoint. But in order to get to nirvana we have to find a way to pass through this odd and mysterious checkpoint.
If we actually saw our true nature or the pure Mind we would be allowed to pass through the checkpoint. If we had to say what is free from birth and death it would be easy. We've realized it. Even the four elements would be no longer of interest to us since this pristine nature transcends the elements.
But while we dream of passing through this gateless barrier our very mental constructs and language stand in the way. They have become the barrier while the mysterious subject who sees these mental constructs; who is also caught in the snare of language, seeks to pass through. It a way, the subject's mental constructs, no matter how sublime they may seem, are like a passport that is not being accepted. The subject is holding on, you could say, to the barrier which prevents him from seeing the gateless.
To penetrate this barrier, or the same, pass through the checkpoint, depends on what we are glomming onto. If it is conditioned, being some fanciful idea that we refuse to let go of, then the barrier before us turns into an iron wall. We may not see it this way, but in terms of the gateless we have made an iron wall which we cannot pass through. The more we are determined to force our view the greater becomes our burden.
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