This is taken from The Gateless Gate, a collection of zen koans compiled by the Chan Zen master Mumon Ekai (1183–1260 CE). The koan is followed by Mumon’s own comment..
Hyakujo wished to send a monk to open a new monastery. He told his pupils that whoever answered a question most ably would be appointed. Placing a water vase on the ground, he asked: “Who can say what this is without calling its name?”
The chief monk said: “No one can call it a wooden shoe.”
Isan, the cooking monk, tipped over the vase with his foot and went out.
Hyakujo smiled and said: “The chief monk loses.” And Isan became the master of the new monastery.
Mumon’s comment: Isan was brave enough, but he could not escape Hyakujo’s trick. After all, he gave up a light job and took a heavy one. Why, can’t you see, he took off his comfortable hat and placed himself in iron stocks.
Giving up cooking utensils,
Defeating the chatterbox,
Though his teacher sets a barrier for him
His feet will tip over everything, even the Buddha.
Translation Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps
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Mullah las de koan.
Isan schopte de vaas om en liep weg.
Mullah keek naar de omgevallen kruik.
Toen naar de titel bovenaan de pagina.
“Ik hoor Mumon,” zei hij.
“Maar waar hoor ik Inayat?”
Hij glimlachte.
“Dat was míjn vraag.”
Nog eens gekeken.
De brug stond er al: Paul Reps, medevertaler van deze koan, was in 1926 chauffeur van Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan tijdens diens reis door Californië. Zijn soefinaam was Saladin.
Mullah glimlachte.
“Ik vroeg waar ik Inayat hoorde. Misschien zat hij al naast de vertaler.”