A monk asks for directions, an old woman gives a simple answer, and Jōshū sees through it all. What does this koan reveal about the way we seek, grasp, and overlook what is already right in front of us? In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Mumonkan Case 31, unpacking how our desire for certainty blinds us to direct experience. Are we truly seeing, or are we just looking for confirmation? What happens when we let go of needing an answer? Tune in to explore the path that has been right under your feet all along. 🔔 Subscribe for more Dharma talks and Zen insights. 🌿 Follow for more teachings on practice, perception, and awakening.
In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Mumonkan Case 31, where a monk asks an old woman for directions to Mount Tai. She tells him, “Go straight on.” But as he walks away, she remarks, “This good honest priest goes off that way too.” When Jōshū investigates, he simply says, “I’ve seen through the old woman for you.”
What did the monk miss? What was the old woman revealing? And why does seeking so often blind us to what’s already here?
This teisho dives into how our grasping for certainty obscures direct experience. When we let go of expectations and stop searching for confirmation, what remains?
✅ The nature of seeking and how it blinds us
✅ How labels and assumptions obscure direct perception
✅ The role of upekkhā (equanimity) in seeing clearly
✅ Why Jōshū doesn’t explain—he simply sees through
✅ How to approach Zen practice without clinging to "knowing"
🔔 Subscribe for more Dharma talks and Zen insights.
🌿 Follow for more teachings on practice, perception, and awakening.
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