Hyaku-jo's Fox

• Hyaku-jo's Fox Koan

Hyaku-jo's Fox Koan

Hyaku-jo's Fox Koan is also called the Wild Fox Koan.

A Koan is a story (or parable) which contains (often) hidden meanings which make people think - often laterally.

Sometimes they are straight forward with a few "twists" like this one and other times they are as plain as 1+2=3.

Hyaku in Japanese == 100.

Jo is associated with the road system (Jo and Chome)

Hyaku-jo may also (loosely) be seen as 100 (ways) or paths. Remember this 100.

The Japanese version of the Wild Fox Koan goes like this.

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Sensei Hyaku-jo used to deliver Zen lectures to his students. Then one day an old man started attended these lectures, he always sat at the back of the students and remained unseen by them.

At the end of each talk when the monks left so did the old man.

But one day the old man remained after the others had gone, and Hyaku-jo asked him: "Who are you?"

The old man replied: "I am not a human being, but once I was a human being when the Kashapa Buddha preached in this world."

"I was a Zen master and lived on this mountain. At that time one of my students asked me whether the enlightened man is subject to the law of causation. I answered him:"

"The enlightened man is not subject to the law of causation.

"My answer evidenced a clinging to absoluteness (arrogance) and I became a fox for five hundred rebirths, and I am still a fox."

"Will you save me from this condition with your Zen words and let me get out of a fox's body?"

"Now may I ask you: Is the enlightened man subject to the law of causation?"

Hyaku-jo said: "The enlightened man is one with the law of causation." (Yes)

At the words of Sensei Hyaku-jo the old man was enlightened.

"I am emancipated," he said, paying homage with a deep bow.

"I am no more a fox, but I have to leave my body in my dwelling place behind this mountain. Please perform my funeral as a monk."

Then he disappeared.

The next day Hyaku-jo gave an order through the chief monk to prepare to attend the funeral of a monk.

"No one was sick in the infirmary," wondered the monks. "What does our teacher mean?"

After dinner Hyaku-jo led the monks out and around the mountain.

In a cave, with his staff he poked out the corpse of an old fox and then performed the ceremony of cremation.

That evening Hyaku-jo gave a talk to the monks and told this story about the law of causation.

Obaku (a student), upon hearing this story, asked Hyaku-jo: "I understand that a long time ago because a certain person gave a wrong Zen answer he became a fox for five hundred rebirths."

"Now if I was to ask: If some modern master is asked many questions, and he always gives the right answer, what will become of him?"

Hyaku-jo said: "You come here near me and I will tell you."

Obaku went near Hyaku-jo and slapped the teacher's face with this hand, for he knew this was the answer his teacher intended to give him.

Hyaku-jo clapped his hands and laughed at the discernment.

"I thought a Persian*** had a red beard," he said, "and now I know a Persian who has a red beard."

Mumon's comment: "The enlightened man is not subject the law of causation. How can this answer make the monk a fox?"

Hyaku-jo replied, "The enlightened man is at one with the law of causation."

"How can this answer make the fox emancipated?

To understand clearly one has to have just one eye.

The Time Riddle

• Controlled or not controlled?
• The same dice shows two faces.
• Not controlled or controlled?
• Both are a grievous error.

*** The early people (this cycle) of Persia (Iran) came from the Indus valley and many had "red hair" .

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Trivia Du Jour

Hyaku in Japanese means 100 and Jo is associated with the road system (Jo and Chome).

Hyaku Jo may be loosely translated as 100 paths or ways.

Thebes (Egypt) also has 100 "Gates".

Mea-Sharim is a suburb in Jerusalem which means (Mea // Maya) 100 and (Sharim) Gates.

More information about the "Gateless Gate" is here.

100 Gates refers to the "levels" you may be able to access in your mind during deep meditation.

There are more of these "gates" and sometimes they are referred to as Dimensions.

Causation ↟↟

Interestingly, in Kabbalah it says that "God" removes the righteous before they can sin.

This is because IF they "sin", they lose their ascension status on the Next Level and are cast back down to this level or possibly even lower.

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