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by Bart King
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Zen Zomics: Kanshiketsu
Deviated from my original layout because I couldn’t quite make all the parts work.
I always go into these short ones thinking I’ll have them done faster… never happens. Shrug.
Mumonkan - Case 21: Kanshiketsu
A monk asked Ummon:
"What is Buddha?"
Ummon answered him:
"Kanshiketsu!"
Mumon’s Comment
Ummon was too poor to prepare plain food, too busy to speak from notes. He hurriedly took up shiketsu to support the Way. The decline of Buddhism was thus foreshadowed.
Mumon’s Verse
Lightning flashing,
Sparks shooting;
A moment's blinking,
Missed forever.
(kan, dry; shi, shit; ketsu, stick)
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