At sometime in our brief life, in our study of Zen, we have to pass through the world of the conditioned to apprehend the transcendent (the unconditioned). Metaphorically, in Zen it is like a gate or a checkpoint that acts as a barrier. It will not permit us to go through to the other side which is unconditioned called the “no-gate”.
In Zen we come to face this gate with a special word of phrase like “Mu” or “One has it, the other hasn’t.” It could even be Jōshū’s, “Go wash your bowl.” We could repeat Mu for a lifetime and never would we be able to pass through the barrier gate to the no-gate. Likewise with the various mysterious other phrases and gestures.
In working with these mysterious words and phrases that come from the Zen masters it’s like we are butting our heads against an invisible barrier. No matter how hard we try—no success. It’s also like we are approaching the edge of a dark and terrifying abyss, fearing to fall into it. At this point, no one can help us. We have become our own obstacle.
The next phase is to further delude ourselves and imagine that we’ve solved a koan or at least can understand the sense of it. Ironically, this is where most beginners are stuck making no advance whatsoever. No matter how many koan books they've read even with good translations they are no closer to the no-gate.
We cannot gain access to the no-gate by words and concepts. This means our ordinary understanding cannot enter. This includes our intellect, too. Not even a single thought can enter or silence and stillness. If this is disheartening it is meant to be. In Zen we are supposed to give up our presuppositions not cling to them. You can have nowhere to run and no place to hide. In truth, there is only one koan: See pure mind.
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