A student asked his Zen master, “What is the Gateless Gate?”
The master replied, “It is the gate you must pass through without passing through.”
Puzzled, the student asked, “How can one enter without passing through?”
The master smiled and said, “When you realize there is no gate and no one to enter, you have passed through.”
Anonymous
This koan challenges our concept of duality and invites us to go beyond conventional thinking. It encourages us to let go of our attachment to fixed ideas and labels, and to explore the nature of existence beyond our conditioned perceptions. The gateless gate represents the boundless potential of our own awareness, and the realization that true liberation comes when we transcend the limitations of dualistic thinking.
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Moksha
Here’s a Zen koan related to the concept of Moksha, or liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth:
A student once asked his Zen master, “How can I achieve Moksha as a Spiritual Athlete?” The master replied, “Imagine a bird trapped in a cage. It dreams of soaring through the sky and being free, but it is bound by the bars of the cage.
Self-Discovery
Men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains
The mighty waves of the sea
The broad tides of rivers …
Love and Compassion
A student once asked his Zen master, “How can I cultivate love and compassion as a Spiritual Athlete?”