Shoyoroku Case 10: The Old Woman of Mount Wutai — Is Zen Training Possible Only in a Zen Temple?

Zhaozhou Congshen: Training is not in a special place, but it is in your current steps

From Shoyoroku, Case 10: The Old Woman of Mount Wutai

There was an old woman on the road to Mount Wutai.

The Monk: “Where should I go when I walk on the road to Mount Wutai?”

The Old Woman: “驀直去 (Makujikiko,Go straight)”

The monk walked for a short time.

The Old Woman: “He is a great monk, but he also went away like that.”

Another monk told this story to Zhaozhou.

Zhaozhou: “Okay, I will go and see the truth for you.”

Zhaozhou went to the road. He asked the old woman the same question.

The next day, Zhaozhou went up to the Dharma Hall. He spoke to his students.

Zhaozhou: “I saw through that old woman for you.”

From Shoyoroku, Case 10: The Old Woman of Mount Wutai

Introduction: 趙州従諗 (Zhaozhou Congshen)

Key point: The characters are 趙州従諗 (Zhaozhou Congshen) and an old woman. Zhaozhou Congshen studied under 南泉普願 (Nanquan Puyuan) and attained the great realization that “the ordinary mind is the Way.”

The main character of this story is 趙州従諗 (Zhaozhou Congshen). Zhaozhou is very popular in Zen stories. There are 100 cases in the Hekiganroku (The Blue Cliff Record), and 12 cases are about him. There are 48 cases in the Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate), and six cases are about him. There are 100 cases in the Shoyoroku (Shoyoroku,The Book of Equanimity), and six cases are about him.Zhaozhou was born in the era of Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty. He was five years younger than 空海 (Kukai). He lived for 120 years.

When he was about 18 years old, he met Nanquan Puyuan for the first time. He attained great enlightenment under Nanquan. He learned that “平常心是道” (Byojoshin-ze-do,Ordinary Mind is the Way). When he was 57 years old, Nansen passed away. When he was 60 years old, Zhaozhou started traveling again to visit many Zen temples.

When he was 80 years old, he became the head priest of Kannonin Temple in Zhaozhou (it is in Hebei Province today). He taught many Zen students until he was 120 years old.

The old woman’s identity is unknown. In Zen koans, an old woman who is well-versed in Zen often appears in this way.

Related Articles: Shoyoroku Case 10: The Old Woman of Mount Wutai — Is Zen Training Possible Only in a Zen Temple?

The Old Woman of Mount Wutai: Seeing Through the Monk’s Action

Key point: The old woman of Mount Wutai told the monk, “Go straight ahead.” When the monk followed her instruction, she became disappointed in him.

Mount Wutai in Shanxi is famous as a holy place of Manjusri Bodhisattva. There was a tea house on the road to Mount Wutai. An old woman was there. In the Tang Dynasty, many women practiced Zen. Many monks visited Mount Wutai, they often stopped at the old woman’s house.

The monks asked her, “Which way should I go to the mountain?” The old woman always answered, “驀直去 (Makujikiko,Go straight).” These words, “Go straight,” were not just a simple guide. If the path was a side road, the monk could not arrive at the mountain. The monks had to notice one thing. This was a 禅問答 (Zen-mondo,Zen dialogue).However, the monks did not notice it. They just walked away straight. Then the old woman said, “He is a great monk, but he also went away like that.”

Zhaozhou Congshen: Seeing Through the Old Woman’s True Intention

Key point: Zhaozhou Congshen was able to see through the true intention of the old woman of Mount Wutai.

Zhaozhou heard this story. He said, “Okay, I will go and check the power of the old woman for you.” He left for Mount Wutai. Zhaozhou arrived there. He asked the old woman the same question, “Where should I go to Mount Wutai?” The old woman gave the same answer to Zhaozhou. However, Zhaozhou went up to the Dharma Hall the next day. He said, “I saw through that old woman for you.”

What does this mean?

The Old Woman’s Intention and Zhaozhou Congshen’s Action: Each Step in the Here and Now is the True Practice

Key point: The old woman’s intention was that reaching a sacred place like Mount Wutai is not what matters; what matters is each step taken in the present. Zhaozhou lived this by cherishing each step he took.

The old woman’s true meaning was this: Arriving at a holy place like Mount Wutai is not important. Keeping your current step and walking forward is true training.

Where is the real holy place?

Where is the real Manjusri Bodhisattva?

Why do people forget to look at the holy place and Manjusri Bodhisattva inside themselves? Why do they look for a holy place outside? Spending a whole life like that is a waste of time.

The old woman said the same words, “驀直去 (Makujikiko,Go straight),” to everyone. However, the other monks walked only to arrive at Mount Wutai. On the other hand, Zhaozhou walked and valued his current step itself. Because of this difference, the old woman’s words worked perfectly at that time. Therefore, Zhaozhou truly saw through the meaning of the old woman.

The Core

• Arriving at a special holy place is not training, but your current step itself is true training.
• Many monks walk to arrive at a far place, but looking for an answer outside is not important. Looking at the Buddha inside yourself is important.
• This Koan teaches us an important thing. We should understand the true meaning of “驀直去 (Makujikiko,Go straight)” and value our life right now.

My Experience: Making the “Here and Now” My Dojo

Key point: While silently performing chores at the training monastery, I realized that this sense of focus could exist anywhere, not just within the monastery walls. I experienced the meaning of cherishing every step I take and turning that very place into my own dojo.

When I practiced at the Zen temple, I believed one thing. I thought that training was possible only because I was in a special place. I believed that the temple buildings, the rules, the sound of the bell, and the master were everything. I thought that these special things made my training.

One day, I was cleaning and doing many small jobs. At that time, I suddenly felt one thing. I thought, “I can have this concentration even if I am not in the temple.” This feeling did not go away even when I left the place. At that moment, I understood the truth. Training does not depend on a place like a Zen temple. It starts when you face the thing in front of you right now.

I stopped believing one wrong thing: “I can find true training if I go to a special place.” I truly understood that my current step itself was training.After that experience, I read this Koan of the old woman of Mount Wutai again. The words were not just simple words. They moved my heart deeply because they were the same as my own experience.

Now I know the true meaning. We do not need to aim for a holy place or a Zen temple. We should value our current step. Then, the place right now becomes a true Zen temple.

Zen Tips for Modern Life: Turning Your Home and Workplace into a Dojo

Key point: You don’t need to travel to a special location; you can turn any place—your home, your workplace, or anywhere else—into your own dojo.

The old woman’s words, “Go straight,” showed one important thing. Training is not limited to a special place. It starts within your current step. My experience of concentration during cleaning showed another thing. This Koan is not just an old story of ancient China. We can experience the same thing in our daily lives. When we care about “how to walk” more than “where to go,” our daily life itself becomes a place for training. The Koan of the old woman shows the truth. The answer is not in a far place. It is always within the step you are taking right now.