The Mirror of Zen

17

This matter of hwa-du practice can be likened to a mosquito
bitting an iron bull. The mosquito does not try to
figure out, "Do I do it this way, or that?" Its needlelike
mouth pressed firmly on the impenetrable, it risks body
and life, in one moment penetrating through with its
whole being

Commentary

This teaching recalls the point made earlier about the "live word."
It is restated here in order to protect those who look deeply into
the live word from regressing in their practice. An eminent teacher
said, "Those who practice Zen must penetrate throughly the
gate of the Patriarchs: in other words, to attain profound en-
lightenment, simply cut off the mind-road!"