WWWVL logo The World-Wide Web Virtual Library
[Alphabetical || Category Subtree || WWW VL database]


Buddhist Studies - About the Wu-Men Kuan koans

Edited by Dr T.Matthew Ciolek

[Est.: 2 Oct 1995. Last updated: 5 Feb 2005.]

The purpose of this document, which is a part of the Buddhist Studies WWW Virtual Library and of the Zen Buddhism WWW Virtual Library, is to provide comprehensive and factual information about the Wu-Men Kuan (J.Mumonkan, E. Gateless Gate) koan collection as used in the Zen training. Any additional information, corrections or comments will be appreciated. Please send email to Dr T.Matthew Ciolek tmciolek@ciolek.com
A Work in Progress - tmc

Google
 
Web ciolek.com
 

|| Zen Buddhism - General Resources || Schools of Zen Buddhism || Hakuin Ekaku School of Zen Buddhism || Harada-Yasutani School of Zen Buddhism || Zen Koans Study Pages || 20th c. Zen People and Their Teachings || Daily Zen Sutras || Zen Documents & Writings || Zen Electronic Newsletters & Journals || ZenBuddhism Electronic Forum || Zen Organizations and Institutions || Directories of Practice Centers || Diamond Sangha Home Page || Zen Names || Zen Calendar || Zen Buddhism Online Bookstore ||

Table of Contents

  1. Koans - Some Definitions
  2. A Register of Known Koan Collections
  3. Works Dealing With the Koan Study

  4. About the Wu-Men Kuan koans
  5. Known English commentaries to Wu-Men Kuan koans
  6. Bibliography of commentaries to Wu-Men Kuan koans


About the
Wu-Men Kuan (J.Mumonkan, E. Gateless Gate) koans


Wu Men Kuan, Wu-men kuan, Wu-men-kuan, Wumenguan (C.), (J. Mumonkan; Mu Mun Kwan K.) (Gateless Gate, Gate of Gatelessness). A collection of 48 koans, compiled and provided with commentaries and verses by Wu-men Hui-k'ai (J. Mumon Ekai). The text was first published in China in on the 5th Nov 1228 when Wu-men Hui-k'ai was a head monk at the Lung-hsiang (J. Ryusho) monastery.

In 1230 the case 47 of the volume was enriched by Wu-liang Tsung-shou's (J. Muryo Soju) 3 verses on each of the Huang-lung Hui-nan's (J. Oryu E'nan) 'Three Gates' (Three Barriers). These were written asn an expression of Wu-liang's gratitude for Wu-men's visit to the Zuigan (J.) temple and his teishos on the Wu Men Kuan koans. In 1245 an epilogue to the volume was written by Wu-an (J. Mokyo). A year later, in 1246, the 49th case was added to the collection by An-wan [Cheng Ch'ing-Chih] (J. Amban, Tei Seishi).

The text was published in Japan as a part of the 'Taisho shinshu daizokyo' (Buddhist Canon Published in the Taisho Era). (1924-1934), No. 2005, Vol. 48. The koans augmented by Wu-men's 'Preface', 'Postscript' and 'Cautions' are usually published together with Wu-liang Tsung-shou's verses on Huan-lung Hui-nan's (J. Oryu E'nan) 'Three Barriers', Wu-an's 'Epilogue', and An-wan's '49th Koan Case'.

General structure of cases within the koan collection:

Back to Table of Contents

Known English commentaries to
Wu-Men Kuan koans

Case names are taken from Aitken (1990a). Books dealing exclusively with the koans are referrred to by the year of their publication. Commentaries embedded in materials dealing with other issues are referred to by the year and page number.

[Case 01] [Case 02] [Case 03] [Case 04] [Case 05] [Case 06] [Case 07] [Case 08] [Case 09] [Case 10] [Case 11] [Case 12] [Case 13] [Case 14] [Case 15] [Case 16] [Case 17] [Case 18] [Case 19] [Case 20] [Case 21] [Case 22] [Case 23] [Case 24] [Case 25] [Case 26] [Case 27] [Case 28] [Case 29] [Case 30] [Case 31] [Case 32] [Case 33] [Case 34] [Case 35] [Case 36] [Case 37] [Case 38] [Case 39] [Case 40] [Case 41] [Case 42] [Case 43] [Case 44] [Case 45] [Case 46] [Case 47] [Case 48] [Wu-Men Kuan 'Additional' cases]

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 01
Chao-Chou's Dog

Commentaries: Aitken (1982:96-109), Aitken (1985), Aitken (1990a), Alcalde (1995), Cleary (1993), Hasegawa (1975:100-107), Hawk (1995), Kadowaki (1989:37-38,54-62,71-80), Kapleau (1980b:106-109), Low (1991:189-202), Loori (1994: 53-76), Nhat Hanh (1995:62-65), Osaka (1977:81-89), Sasaki (1974), Sekida (1977), Seung Sahn (1987:3-7), Shibayama (1974), Tarrant (1997), Yamada (1979), Yasutani Hakuun (in Kapleau 1980a:77-87),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 02
Pai-chang's Fox

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Hasegawa (1975:134-140), Kadowaki (1989:39-42), Loori (1994:229-249), Sasaki (1974), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Suzuki (1980:203-205), Tarrant (1995), Yamada (1975:1-7), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 03
Chü-chih Raises One Finger

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Harada (1981:92-98), Kadowaki (1989:14-18,50-53), Law (1991:36-51), Sasaki (1974), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 04
Huo-an's Beardless Barbarian

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:111-114), Cleary (1993), Sasaki (1974), Sekida (1977), Seung Sahn (1987:33-39), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 05
Hsiang-yen: Up a Tree

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Arnold (2001), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:115-118), Cleary (1993), Kapleau (1980b:119-125), Sekida (1977), Seung Sahn (1987:43-49), Shibayama (1974), Tarrant (1992), Treace (2000a), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 06
The World-Honoured One twirls a Flower

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:1976:119-121), Cleary (1993), Loori (1988a), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 07
Chao-Chou: "Wash Your Bowl"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:123-126), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Seung Sahn (1987:11-19), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 08
Hsi-chung Builds Carts

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Aitken (1990b), Cleary (1993), Low (1991:96-119), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 09
Ch'ing-jang's Nonattained Buddha

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Aitken (1990c), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 10
Ch'ing-shui Solitary and Destitute

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),
Back to Table of Contents

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 11
Chao-chou and the Hermits

Commentaries: Aitken (1989), Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 12
Jui-yen Calls: "Master"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Kadowaki (1989:169-170), Law (1991:65-80), Loori (1988:41-45), Sekida (1977), Seung Sahn (1987:23-30), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 13
Te-shan: Bowls in Hand

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Merzel (1983:3-4), Sekida (1977), Seung Sahn (1987:77-86), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 14
Nan-ch'ünan Kills the Cat

[This case corresponds to:
Ts'ung-jung lu Case 09, Pi-yen-lu Case 63, ]

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Kadowaki (1989:172-178), Sekida (1977), Seung Sahn (1987:89-99), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 15
Tung-shan's Sixty Blows

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:127-130), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 16
Yün-men: The Sound of Bell

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 17
Kuo-shih's Three Calls

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:131-135), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 18
Tung-shan's Three Pounds of Flax

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:136-138), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979), Yamamoto (1960) [also translated into Polish by Nyogen Nowak and published in Fostowicz-Zahorski (1992:117-119],

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 19
Nan-ch'ünan: "Ordinary Mind Is the Tao"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Law (1991:17-35), Loori (1994:91-104), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 20
Sung-yünan's Person of Great Strength

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),
Back to Table of Contents

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 21
Yün-men's Dried Shitstick

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:139-141), Kadowaki (1989:93-94), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 22
Mahakashyapa's Flagpole

[This case corresponds to:
Denkoroku Case 03, ]

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 23
Hui-neng: Neither Good Nor Evil

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Kapleau (1980b:127-138), Sekida (1975:249-252), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 24
Feng-hsueh: Equality and Differentiation

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 25
Yang-shan's Sermon from the Third Seat

[This case corresponds to:
Ts'ung-jung lu Case 90]

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Barzaghi (1996), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 26
Fa-yen: Two Monks Roll Up the Blind

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 27
Nan-chuan: "Not Mind, Not Buddha, Not Beings"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 28
Lung-t'an: Renowned Far and Wide

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Low (1991:141-164), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 29
Hui-neng: "Not the Wind; Not the Flag"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 30
Ma-tsu: "This Very Mind is Buddha"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:142-145), Bolleter (1997), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),
Back to Table of Contents

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 31
Chao-chou Investigates the Old Woman

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:146-149), Cleary (1993), Kadowaki (1989:148-151), Sekida (1975:122-123), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 32
The Buddha Responds to an Outsider

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:150-154), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 33
Ma-tsu: "Not Mind, Not Buddha"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Merzel (1980:3-4), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 34
Nan-ch'ünan: Mind and Buddha

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 35
Wu-tsu: "Which is the True Ch'ien?"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Barzaghi (1991), Cleary (1993), Law (1991:52-64), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 36
Wu-tsu: Meeting Someone Attained in the Tao

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 37
Chao-chou: The Oak Tree in the Courtyard

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:155-159), Cleary (1993), Nhat Hanh (1995:66-68), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 38
Wu-tsu's Buffalo Passes Through the Window

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:160-162), Cleary (1993), Low (1991:120-140), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 39
Yün-men: "You Have Misspoken"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Arnold (1999), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:163-165), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 40
Kuei-shan Kicks Over the Water Bottle

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),
Back to Table of Contents

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 41
Bodhidharma Pacifies the Mind

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Blyth (in Sohl and Carr, 1976:166-169), Cleary (1993), Loori (1988:15-23), Osaka Koryu (in Maezumi and Glassman 1976:70-81), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 42
Manjushri and the Young Woman in Samadhi

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Low (1991:165-188), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 43
Shou-shan's Short Bamboo Staff

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 44
Pa-chiao's Staff

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 45
Wu-tsu: "Who is That Other?"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 46
Shih-shuang: "Step from the Top of the Pole"

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Althouse (1997), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Treace (2000b), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 47
Tou-shuai's Three Barriers

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Bolleter (1995), Cleary (1993), Samy (1992), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - Case 48
Kan-feng's One Road

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Cleary (1993), Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),
Back to Table of Contents

WU-MEN KUAN - 'ADDITIONAL' CASES

Wu-Men Kuan - addenda
Wu-men's 'Cautions'

Commentaries: Aitken (1990a), Sekida (1977),

Wu-Men Kuan - addenda
Wu-liang Tsung-shou's (J. Muryo Soju) verses on Huan-lung Hui-nan's (J. Oryu E'nan) 'Three Barriers',

Commentaries: Sekida (1977), Shibayama (1974), Yamada (1979),

Wu-Men Kuan - addenda
An-wan's (J. Amban ) '49th Case'

Commentaries: Sekida (1977),
Back to Table of Contents

Bibliography

Back to Table of Contents
Back to Koan Study Pages
Updates, additions and corrections to this page have been kindly provided by:

[1] Mr Lawrie Conole who brought to my attention information about Nhat Hanh (1995)



Site Meter
visitors to www.ciolek.com since 08 May 1997.

Maintainer: Dr T.Matthew Ciolek (tmciolek@ciolek.com)

Copyright (c) 1995-2005 by T.Matthew Ciolek. This Web page may be linked to any other Web pages. Contents may not be altered.

URL http://www.ciolek.com/WWWVLPages/ZenPages/Koans-WMK.html

[See also: Aboriginal Studies || Asia Search Engines || Buddhist Studies || Ciolek - Research Papers || Global Timeline ||
|| Information Quality || Tibetan Studies || Trade Routes || Zen Buddhism
]