선종 (禪宗)의 화두. 양 (梁)나라의 무제 (武帝)가 달마에게, ‘불교의 근본 사상은 어떤 것입니까?’라고 묻자, 달마는, ‘끝없이 크고 넓어 거기에는 범인 (凡人)도 성인 (聖人)도 없소.’라고 대답했다. 그러자 무제 (武帝)가 다시 ‘도대체 그대는 누구요?’라고 묻자, ‘나는 그런 것 모르겠습니다 (不識)’라 대답한데서 나온 말

"I don't know," Bodhidharma said: When Bodhidharma was asked by the Emperor Wu of Liang at the end of a short interview, "Who are you?" his reply was "I don't know." After the interview, Bodhidharma thought it was not the right time for him to teach people, retreated to a hidden mountain cave, and entered into meditation for nine years facing the wall of the cave.