Since the time of Marco Polo, Europeans of every generation have become intrigued with the Far East. Many of them, despite the danger and difficulties of the trip, have ventured to go there. It is only recently, however, that Westerners have traveled to the East to seek solutions to their religious problems. Christians, too, have been part of this group. Their pilgrimage has had as its purpose the learning of ways of Oriental meditation such as Yoga and Zen and the integration of this in their spiritual life.
Every religion has as its general direction some kind of “ultimate” or “last reality.” This goal is sometimes called “God” or “Absolute” or even “Nothing” or “Without Name.” In the words of Teilhard de Chardin, “All things that rise must converge.” Christians have found and are continuing to find that they can attempt Yoga and Zen without jeopardizing their own religion.
While it is true that some people find “it” without a search, these are the exception. For most people the supreme goal requires a lifelong search. And, sad to say, many get to the point of life where they are facing death and realize that everything they have sought in life cannot fill their heart and free them from anxiety. This is a very critical time for such people, and they may become frightened and desperate. Others try to find a substitute in secondary things. But those with courage admit they are not satisfied with whatever is offered them by way of earthly happiness and say, “Not that! Not that!”
Happy the man who comes to this point and can find an experienced guide who can show a way to reach the final goal quickly and safely. I use that last word advisedly. There are many sidepaths existing today which look attractive but in reality turn out to be delusive.
It is true that most religions have developed a way of their own to reach that supreme goal. A cursory glance at these ways may reveal apparent differences, but a deeper study shows they have a common element. In Zen, one of the entrances to that common element is expressed in the word “Mumonkan,” which means “a barrier without a gate.” This “gateless gate” is known not only by Zen masters but also by Christian mystics.
Even a superficial knowledge of the writings of the mystics reveals the fact that they frequently express their experience as “not-knowing.” One of the Christian authors of the fourteenth century called it “the cloud of unknowing” and wrote a little book with that title. Once very popular, this book fell into disuse for many centuries, but it has recently been “found again” and has become very popular with Christian Zen disciples in the West. Many of the actual expressions appearing in the book could have been used by Zen masters. This fact should not be surprising, since the end, whether called “God” or “Absolute,” is after all ONE.
What does the above-mentioned barrier mean? Each koan of the forty-eight cases compiled in this book is a barrier. Ordinary people cannot enter it (the koan) because it has no gate. But anyone whose Eye is opened to this True Self can easily enter, because for him there is no gate at all.
Now, coming to Zen, we can truly say that it has found a very effective way to pass through the barrier, or more accurately, to make the barrier disappear. This is at the level of consciousness where we can meet the ONENESS. The Gateless Gate is a goad to drive us past our attachments and aversions to this Oneness, where we are face-to-face with ourselves. Here we rub eyebrows with the Buddhas and patriarchs and know in “not-knowing” God.
Zen practice has nothing to do with Buddhist philosophy. One glance through the collection of koans which follow in the book will verify this. There are other collections of koans which excel in other ways. But as far as the barrier point is concerned, the Gateless Gate is the most effective and straightforward. Zen masters know this from long experience, and the great majority prefer to confront the new student with the Gateless Gate (Mumonkan) first.
This translation of the Gateless Gate with commentary has been compiled with foreign readers in mind. The author, Kōun Roshi, is always conscious of the fact that his non-Japanese disciples have been brought up in a culture different from his own and that they belong to different religious traditions, including a good number of priests and sisters. Kōun Roshi never loses sight of these particulars when he speaks to his disciples or directs them to dokusan (private interview). It may be added that by means of these intimate contacts with his disciples for so many years, he has deepened his understanding of Western culture and religion. All of this, added to his own deep experience and profound knowledge of Zen, has made him a most suitable guide not only for Buddhists and Japanese but also for Westerners.
In conclusion, it may be said that this book is very much to be recommended to all those who are on the Way of Zen. But I believe that also those who take an interest in Zen though not practicing it will read this book with pleasure and profit.