11. Joshu's Hermit

Joshu went to a hermit's and asked:
  "What's up? What's up?" (= "Have you any Zen?")

The hermit lifted up his fist.

Joshu said:
  "The water is too shallow to anchor here," and went away.

Joshu visited the hermit once again a few days later and said:
  "What's up? What's up?"

The hermit raised his fist again.

Then Joshu said:
  "Well given, well taken, well killed, well saved." And he bowed to the hermit.

Mumon's Comment:

The raised fist was the same both times. Why is it Joshu did not admit the first and approved the second one? Where is the fault? Whoever answers this knows that Joshu's tongue has no bone so he can use it freely. Yet perhaps Joshu is wrong. Or, through that hermit, he may have discovered his mistake. If anyone thinks that the one's insight exceeds the other's, he has no eyes.

    The light of the eyes is as a comet,
    And Zen's activity is as lightning.
    The sword that kills the man
    Is the sword that saves the man.