“if your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life” … Wumen

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Wumen Huikai 无门慧开  (1183–1260), Chán master most famous as the compiler of and commentator on the 48-koan collection The Gateless Gate. In many respects, Wumen was the classical eccentric Chan master. He wandered for many years from temple to temple, wore old and dirty robes, grew his hair and beard long and worked in the temple fields. He was nicknamed “Huikai the Lay Monk”. At age 64, he founded Gokoku-ninno temple near West Lake where he hoped to retire quietly, but visitors constantly came looking for instruction.