The great Way has no gate. A thousand roads lead in.

What it means

Wumen opens his collection by saying there is no single entrance to the truth. Every path can lead there if you walk it all the way through. Stop looking for the one correct door and start where you are.

The source

"The great Way has no gate. A thousand roads lead in." Wumen said it in Wumenguan (The Gateless Gate), preface verse. Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

"大道無門　千差有路　透得此關　乾坤獨步"

Original Chinese, Wumenguan (The Gateless Gate), preface verse. Text read at zh.wikisource.org.

Who said it

The Zen masters (6th–13th century). Bodhidharma, Huineng, Linji, Zhaozhou, Yunmen, Wumen and Dogen: the Chan and Zen teachers whose sayings, koans and records shaped the school of sudden awakening. Our lines are translated from the Chinese and Japanese originals.

Questions

What does "The great Way has no gate. A thousand roads lead in." mean?

Wumen opens his collection by saying there is no single entrance to the truth. Every path can lead there if you walk it all the way through. Stop looking for the one correct door and start where you are.

Who said "The great Way has no gate. A thousand roads lead in."?

Wumen (6th–13th century). Source: Wumenguan (The Gateless Gate), preface verse.

What is the original Chinese?

大道無門　千差有路　透得此關　乾坤獨步. Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

Is "The great Way has no gate. A thousand roads lead in." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"The great Way has no gate. A thousand roads lead in." (Wumen, Wumenguan (The Gateless Gate), preface verse, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/the-great-way-has-no-gate-a-thousand