Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (34 page)

Zhaozhou asked Nanquan, “There are no things that are outside of the Way. Outside of things there is no Way. What is the Way outside of things?”

Nanquan hit him with his staff.

Zhaozhou grabbed the staff and said, “Hereafter, don’t be hitting people in error!”

Nanquan said, “It’s easy to tell dragons from snakes. It’s difficult to fool a patch-robed monk!”

When Nanquan was near death, the head monk said, “Master, where will you be a hundred years from now?”

Nanquan said, “I’m going to be an ox living down at the bottom of the mountain.”

The monk said, “May I follow you to that place [as an ox]?”

Nanquan said, “If you follow me, you must do so with a single blade of grass in your mouth.”

The master then became ill. He said to the monks, “The stars’ light is dim but eternal. Don’t say that I’m coming or going.” When he finished speaking, the master died.

YAOSHAN WEIYAN

YAOSHAN WEIYAN (751–834) was the student of Shitou Xiqian. He came from ancient Taozhou (now the city of Xinjiang in Shanxi Province). He left home at the age of seventeen to enter the congregation of Zen master Xishan Huizhao. Later, a Vinaya master named Xicao ordained Yaoshan at Mt. Heng. An earnest student, Yaoshan mastered the sutras and shastras and strictly adhered to the Vinaya rules. But eventually, he grew tired of the repetitive and petty observances of the Vinaya and resolved to find a new teacher. He first went to see Shitou Xiqian, who was then living on Mt. Heng.

Yaoshan first went to Shitou Xiqian’s place. He asked, “I have a general understanding of the three vehicles and the twelve divisions of scripture. Now I want to find out about the southern teaching of pointing directly at mind, seeing self-nature, and becoming a buddha. Truly, I’m not clear about this teaching and I ask for the master’s compassionate instruction.”

Shitou said, “You can’t attain it this way. You can’t attain it not this way. Trying to attain it this way or not this way, it can’t be attained. So what will you do?”

Yaoshan was confused.

Shitou then said, “Your affinity is not at this place. Go to Master Mazu’s place.”

Yaoshan went and paid his respects to Mazu in accordance with Shitou’s instructions. He then posed the same question to Mazu that he had previously presented to Shitou.

Mazu said, “Sometimes I teach it by raising my eyebrows and blinking my eyes. Sometimes I don’t teach it by raising my eyebrows and blinking my eyes. Sometimes raising my eyebrows and blinking my eyes is it, sometimes raising my eyebrows and blinking my eyes isn’t it. So what will you do?”

At these words Yaoshan was enlightened. He then bowed to Mazu.

Mazu said, “What principle have you observed that makes you bow?”

Yaoshan said, “When I was at Shitou’s place, it was like a mosquito on an iron bull.”

Mazu said, “Since you are thus, uphold and sustain it well.”

Yaoshan then served as Mazu’s attendant for three years.

One day, Mazu asked him, “What have you seen lately?”

Yaoshan said, “Shedding the skin completely, leaving only the true body.”

Mazu said, “Your attainment can be said to be in accord with the mindbody, spreading through its four limbs. Since it’s like this, you should bind your things to your stomach and go traveling to other mountains.”

Yaoshan said, “Who am I to speak of being head of a Zen mountain?”

Mazu said, “That’s not what I mean. Those who haven’t gone on a long pilgrimage can’t reside [as an abbot]. There’s no advantage to seeking advantage. Nothing is accomplished by seeking something. You should go on a journey and not remain in this place.”

Yaoshan then left Mazu and returned to Shitou.

One day, as Yaoshan was sitting, Shitou asked him, “What are you doing here?”

Yaoshan said, “I’m not doing a thing.”

Shitou said, “Then you’re just sitting leisurely.”

Yaoshan said, “If I were sitting leisurely I’d be doing something.”

Shitou said, “You say you’re not doing anything. What is it that you’re not doing?”

Yaoshan said, “A thousand sages don’t know.”

Shitou then wrote a verse of praise that said:

Long abiding together, not knowing its name,
Just going on, practicing like this,
Since ancient times the sages don’t know.
Will searching everywhere now make it known?

Later, Shitou offered an instruction, saying, “Words do not encroach upon it.”

Yaoshan said, “No words does not encroach upon it.”

Shitou said, “Here, I can’t stick a needle into it.”

Yaoshan said, “Here, it’s like I’m growing flowers on a bare rock.”

Shitou approved Yaoshan’s answer.

Later the master lived on Mt. Yao in Lizhou and a sea of students assembled there.

For a long time Yaoshan did not enter the hall to speak.

The temple director said to him, “The monks have been waiting for a long time for the master to give them some instruction.”

Yaoshan said, “Ring the bell!”

The monks assembled in the hall.

Yaoshan then got down from the Dharma seat and went back to the abbot’s quarters.

The temple director followed him and said, “Master, since you consented to speak to the monks, why didn’t you say anything?”

Yaoshan said, “Sutras have sutra teachers. Shastras have shastra teachers. Why are you unhappy with me?”

A monk said to Yaoshan, “I have doubt. I ask for the master to resolve it for me.”

Yaoshan said, “Wait until I go into the hall tonight to speak. Then I’ll resolve it.”

That evening, Yaoshan entered the hall. When the assembly was ready, he said, “Where is the monk who asked me today to resolve his doubt?”

The monk came forward and stood there.

Yaoshan got down from the Dharma seat, grabbed the monk, and said, “Everyone! This monk has doubt!”

Yaoshan then released the monk and went back to his room. ([Later,] Xuansha said, “Do you say he resolved the monk’s doubt or not? If he resolved it, where was it resolved? If he didn’t resolve it, then say whether your own doubts were resolved when he went into the hall.”)

One night, the lamps remained unlit as the monks assembled to hear Yaoshan speak.

Yaoshan said to the monks, “I have a single phrase. I’ll tell it to you when the bull gives birth to a calf.”

Then a monk said, “The bull has given birth to a calf. Why don’t you say it?”

Yaoshan said, “Bring a lamp!”

But the monk had gone back into the assembly and couldn’t be seen. ([Later,] Yunyan brought up this story to Dongshan. Dongshan said, “That monk was enlightened, but he wouldn’t allow others to pay him respect.”)