A True Man of No Rank

Man, woman, doctor, teacher, president … labels after labels. We take these labels as something substantial, without daring to check whether they are as “real” as we take them to be.

Today’s Koan comes from an utterance by Rinzai, one of the all time greats of the history of Zen. The Record of Linji (Rinzai) tells the readers that, as he took the platform to give a sermon to monks, he said that “there is a true man of no rank in our body goes in and out from the face of ours.”

Here, obviously, Rinzai doesn’t use the word “man” as in our everyday use of this word. It is a certain symbol that had to be used to tell about that which is impossible to grasp. As ungraspable as it is, it still “goes in and out from the face of ours.” We’ve got to check whether this is true or not.

We see and hear things. In seeing, there is this “man” that goes in and out of the eyes. What is this man? To see this, we may have to really investigate the seer, seeing, and the seen. First, the seer. Looking at the sight before you, look for the seer. Where is it, and what is it? Then, the seeing. Is there anyone behind the seeing that making seeing possible to happen? Lastly, the seen. Is anyone “in here” that is seeing the seen?

What’s important here is that Rinzai isn’t asking about whether there exists this “man.” He says there is one, and we have to find it out ourselves. So, what about now, in this moment, what is this man that goes in and out? Is it in now? Out? To see this, do as Rinzai told: “If you haven’t testified it, look! Look!” Have a close look at all the sensations that come and go, and persevere.