Shôyôroku, Case 51: Hogen’s “Boat or Land”

Teisho presented by Arno Hess on 16/08/2026 at the Pathway Zen Zenkai at Spring Hill, QLD, Australia.


Introduction

Amid the worldly dharmas how many people have been brought to enlightenment;
Amid the Buddha’s dharmas how many people have been deluded.
If you suddenly become completely one, can you clearly articulate delusion and
enlightenment or not?

Case

Hôgen asked Senior Monk Kaku, “Did you come by boat or by land?” Kaku said, “By
boat.” Hôgen said, “Where is the boat?” Kaku said, “The boat is on the river.”
After Kaku had withdrawn, Hôgen asked a monk nearby, “You tell me, did that monk
who was here just now have the eye or not?”

Verse

Water does not wash water,
Gold does not change itself into gold.
One obtains a horse without knowing the color of its hair,
One enjoys the lute without being particular about the strings.
People made knots in a rope, then started hexagrams – now there is this thing.
The true genuine mind of Banko has completely been lost.

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