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object:CASE 2 - HYAKUJOS FOX
book class:The Gateless Gate
class:chapter


CASE 2.
HYAKUJO'S FOX
Whenever Hyakujo delivered a Zen lecture, an old man was
always there with the monks listening to it; and when they left
the Hall, so did he. One day, however, he remained behind, and
Hyakujo asked,"Who are you?"
The old man replied,"Yes, I am not a human being, but in the
far distant past, when the Kashapa Buddha (the Sixth Buddha of
the Seven Ancient Buddhas) preached in this world, I was the
head monk in this mountain area. On one occasion a monk asked
me whether an enlightened man could fall again under the law of
karma (cause and effect), and I answered that he could not.
Thus I became a fox for 500 rebirths and am still a fox. I beg you
to release me from this condition through your Zen words."
Then he asked Hyakujo,"Is an enlightened man subject to the
law of karma?" Hyakujo answered, "No one is free from the law
of Karma."
At the words of Hyakujo the old man was enlightened, and
said with a bow, "I am now released from rebirth as a fox and
my body will be found on the other side of the mountain. May I
request that you bury me as a dead monk?"
The next day Hyakujo had the Karmadana, or deacon, beat
the clapper and he informed the monks that after the midday
meal there would be a funeral service for a dead monk. "No one
was sick or died," wondered the monks. "What does our Roshi
mean?" After they had eaten, Hyakujo led them to the foot of a
rock on the furthest side of the mountain, and with his staff
poked the dead body of a fox and had it ritually cremated.
In the evening Hyakujo gave a talk to the monks and told
them this story of the law of Karma. Upon hearing the story,
Obaku asked Hyakujo, "You said that because a long time ago


7

an old Zen master gave a wrong answer he became a fox for 500
rebirths. But suppose every time he answered he had not made a
mistake, what would have happened then?" Hyakujo replied,
"Just come here to me, and I will tell you the answer!" Obaku
then went up to Hyakujo--and slapped the teacher's face.
Hyakujo, clapping his hands and laughing, exclaimed, "I thought
the Persian had a red beard, but here is another one with a red
beard!"
Mumon's Comment:
"The enlightened man is not subject to Karma." How can this
answer make the monk a fox? "The enlightened man is not free
from the law of karma." How can this answer release him from
his fox's life? If you have one eye in regard to this, then you
understand Hyakujo's (the old man's) dramatic 500 rebirths.
Free from karma or subject to it,
They are two sides of the same die.
Subject to karma or free from it,
Both are irredeemable errors.



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