Reddit reviews The Gateless Gate: The Classic Book of Zen Koans

The Blue Cliff Record, The Gateless Gate, and The Book of Serenity are all very important koan collections.

There is a lot of context surrounding the koans, and just reading the koan + verse + comment can be pretty perplexing!

The point of that one is that saying that arguing over these external things, whether the wind or the flag, is missing the point. This is "buying iron", and when Eno comes by and says the mind moves, this is better than arguing over these external things, hence the monks "get gold" instead.

Eno expressed his compassion for the monks that were caught up arguing over wind and flags by saying instead that the mind moves (so that they might stop arguing over the external things). However, coming from the point of view that there is only the oneness of things, it also misses the point - saying that this particular mind moves is just speaking more of these things which can exist separately from oneness! That's why it's a "disgraceful scene": Eno gives them advice that will still miss the point!

If you're interested, I highly recommend this book because Koun Yomada gives excellent explanations and necessary context for each of the koans.

> The eye with which I see God is the same with which God sees me.

(Meister Eckhart)

Seriously though, pick up a copy of Mumon's Gateless Gate or the Blue Cliff Records for an authoritative treatment of zen koans.

What luck - my favorite is still available! Case 23 with the 6th Patriarch.

Question: my translation of the Mumonkan is titled the Gateless Gate. Acceptable?

The flag and bodhidharma has no beard one are from the gateless gate.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/glg/index.htm
If you want a paper version I have this one https://www.amazon.com/Gateless-Gate-Classic-Book-Koans/dp/0861713826 and I like the commentaries.

You should pick up a book called "The Gateless Gate." I'll just say this about your post: "If you have tasted kensho, wash away its glamour."

EDIT: Also it's "attained some realization." The monk was not suddenly enlightened from this.