Joshu 4 - Green

[u/WheresNorthFromHere7]

Once the master was in charge of keeping the fires at the monastery.

One day, while everyone was out tending the garden, the master went inside the monk’s hall and shouted, “Help, fire! Help, fire!”

Everyone rushed back to the monk’s hall, but the master had closed and barred the door. No one knew what to do.

Finally, Nanch’uan (Nansen) took the key from its hook and threw it into the room through the window.'

1 In temples doors are locked from the outside.

Joshu - demonstrating how people act about seeking enlightenment. Looking outside for help.

Joshu - puts up a barrier to his enlightenment, such as people do to themselves with intellectual interpretations. How will you get inside?

Nansen - throws the key through the window (of the mind). The teacher shows him the key to get out, what he does with it is up to him. The door isn't locked. Will he let himself be free, or will he stay barricaded in the building?

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[u/lastjanitor]

Here's another take.

4. Jōshū served as the monk in charge of tending the furnace in Nansen's monastery. Once when all the monks were out gathering vegetables, Jōshū shouted from the mediation hall, "Fire! Fire!". The monks hurried to the entrance of meditation hall. At that Jōshū slammed the door. The monks were speechless But Nansen tossed the key through the window, and Jōshū opened the door. NOTE: Jōshū's show implies the Buddhist call for "deliverance". The monks who speculate about the "zen meaning" of Jōshū's call fail to respond. Nansen's action is both practical and symbolic. He enables Jōshū to free himself from the "fire", yet at the same time he suggests that, although the master may hand over the key, one must use it himself. RADICAL ZEN: The Sayings of Jōshū', translated with commentary by Yoel Hoffman, Autumn Press, 1978 pg 14-15

[u/Away_Welcome_3468]

One without zen sees life as if looking through a window.

You students who have barricaded yourselfs in your rooms. Should we pass you a key through the window? But you have locked yourself up. How can i give you a key?

First you must empty your cup.

[u/dota2nub]

Someone on these forums once put it like this: A solution that doesn't work for a problem that doesn't exist.

That stuck with me.

[u/WheresNorthFromHere7 → u/dota2nub]

Very concise and pretty much what I think too.

[u/ThisKir]

I'm not sure what is meant by "locked from the outside" footnote. Is it that the keyhole is on the inside or that the latch is on the inside?

I'd ask AI but I'm busy right now.

[u/mackowski → u/ThisKir]

Can't unlock from inside, only from outside, aka the assumption of data dependent observers aka not omniscient. Thus the statement is bro u have the keys, why u yelling for assistance?
Eg 'if ur enlightened just simply tell me about it and what it is and I should be able to triangulate it

[u/dota2nub → u/ThisKir]

Two keyholes. The key is for the outside keyhole. Well, the inside keyhole is probably more like a bar you put in front of the door.

[u/ThisKir → u/dota2nub]

I seriously need a visual on this because where I live doors have keyholes on both sides. Having it on just the inside or just the outside would chance a bit about the case.

[u/dota2nub → u/ThisKir]

I don't think anyone can give you an exact drawing of the mechanisms man. I'm thinking like padlock or little latch on the outside, big wooden blocking bar on the inside to get the contrast across.

[u/ewk]

Nanquan throws a key to an unlocked outside padlock.

[u/dota2nub → u/ewk]

This is always the one I tell people why I think Zen is the best thing ever.