Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (60 page)

A monk asked, “When the cold season comes, where can one go to avoid it?”

Dongshan said, “Why not go where there is no cold?”

The monk said, “What is the place where there’s no cold?”

Dongshan said, “When it’s cold, the cold kills you. When it’s hot, the heat kills you.”

Zen master Dongshan entered the hall and addressed the monks saying, “Are there any among you who haven’t repaid the four benefits and three existences?”
¹¹⁶

The congregation was silent.

Dongshan said, “If you don’t understand this, how can you transcend the tribulations of karmic existence? The mind must not alight upon objects. The feet must walk where there is no place to do so. To finally realize this, you must expend effort and not pass your days idly.”

Dongshan asked a monk, “Where have you been?”

The monk said, “Walking on the mountain.”

Dongshan said, “Did you reach the peak?”

The monk said, “I reached it.”

Dongshan said, “Were there people there?”

The monk said, “There weren’t any people.”

Dongshan said, “In that case you didn’t reach the peak.”

The monk said, “If I haven’t been to the peak, how would I know there are no people?”

Dongshan said, “Why didn’t you stay there?”

The monk said, “I would stay there, but there’s someone in India who would disapprove.”

Dongshan said, “Formerly I doubted this fellow.”

The abbot of a temple was ill. Whenever he’d see a monk he’d yell, “Save me! Save me!” The monks of the temple couldn’t say anything useful to deal with the situation. Dongshan went to pay him a visit.

The abbot said again, “Save me!”

Dongshan said, “What appearance should I save?”

The abbot said, “Aren’t you a descendant of Yaoshan, and a Dharma heir of Yunyan?”

Dongshan said, “I dare not say so.”

The abbot clapped his hands and said, “Everyone has brought you here.”

He then passed away.

Dongshan and Spiritual Uncle Mi were crossing a stream.

Dongshan said, “What’s it like crossing the stream?”

Uncle Mi said, “It doesn’t leak to the feet.”

Dongshan said, “So old and venerable, and yet you still speak in such a manner!”

Uncle Mi said, “What do you say?”

Dongshan said, “The feet aren’t wet.”

Dongshan became ill. He instructed a novice monk to go and speak to [Dongshan’s Dharma heir] Zen master Yunju Daoying.

Dongshan told the novice, “If he asks whether I’m resting comfortably, you are to tell him that the lineage of Yunyan is ending. When you say this you must stand far away from him because I’m afraid he’s going to hit you.”

The novice monk did as Dongshan instructed him and went and spoke to Yunju. Before he could finish speaking Yunju hit him. The novice monk said nothing further.

A monk asked, “When the master is not well, is there still someone who is well or not?”

Dongshan said, “There is.”

The monk asked, “Can the one who’s not ill still see the master or not?”

Dongshan said, “I can still see him.”

The monk asked, “What does the master see?”

Dongshan said, “When I observe him, I don’t see any illness.”

Dongshan then said to the monks, “When you leave the skin bag you inhabit, where will you go and see me again?”

The monks didn’t answer. Dongshan then recited a verse:

Students as numerous as sands in the Ganges but none are
awakened.
They err by searching for the path in another person’s mouth.
If you wish to forget form and not leave any traces,
Wholeheartedly strive to walk in emptiness.

Dongshan then had his attendants help him shave his head, bathe, and get dressed. He then had the bell rung to summon the monks so that he could bid them farewell. He appeared to have passed away and the monks began wailing piteously without letup.

Suddenly Dongshan opened his eyes and said to them, “Homeless monks aren’t attached to things. That is their authentic practice. Why lament an arduous life and pitiful death?”

Dongshan then instructed the temple director to organize a “delusion banquet.” The monks’ adoration for Dongshan was unending.

Seven days later the food was prepared. Dongshan had a final meal with the congregation.

He then said, “Don’t make a big deal about it. When I pass away, don’t go carrying on about it.”

Dongshan then returned to his room, and, sitting upright, passed away. It was the third month in [the year 869]. Sixty-three years of age, he’d been an ordained monk for forty-two years. Dongshan received the posthumous name “Enlightened Source.” His stupa was named “Wisdom Awakening.”

JIASHAN SHANHUI

JIASHAN SHANHUI (805–81) was a disciple of Chuanzi Decheng (the Boat Monk). After taking the monk’s vows at age twenty, he proceeded to study the sutras. He later met Zen master Daowu Yuanzhi, who recommended that he go see Chuanzi Decheng. Although Jiashan’s understanding of Buddhism was already extensive, he did not attain complete awakening until his meeting with Decheng in the famous incident at Huating. Thereafter, he was recognized as Chuanzi Decheng’s Dharma heir. Jiashan Shanhui was the first Zen master known to closely link Zen with drinking tea. He described their intimacy as “Zen, tea, one taste.”

Zen master Jiashan Shanhui was from Guangzhou. His surname was Liao. He left home at a young age and was ordained as a priest. He studied the sutras and commentaries, and thoroughly practiced the three great studies [that is, the precepts, meditation, and wisdom]. Later, when he went out into the world [to preach], he lived at Helin in Run Province. At the urging of Daowu he went to see the Boat Monk, Chuanzi Decheng, from whom he completely received the teaching, without the slightest gap. Honoring his teacher’s instructions, he forsook the world and lived in seclusion in the mountains. Large numbers of students came to study with him and their thatched huts were scattered [unorganized]. From morning until night they studied with the master. In the year 870 the assembly moved to Mt. Jia, where they built a temple.

One day, Jiashan entered the hall and addressed the monks, saying, “Since the times of the ancestors there have been those who misunderstand what has been passed down. Right up to now they have used the words of the buddhas and ancestors and made them models for study. If people do this then they’ll go crazy and have no wisdom at all. The buddhas and ancestors have instructed you that the dharmaless root is the Way. The Way is without even a single Dharma. There is no buddha that you can become. There is no way that can be attained. Nor is there any Dharma that can be grasped or let go of. Therefore the ancients said, ‘Before the eyes there is no Dharma, but the meaning is before the eyes.’ Those who want to study the buddhas and ancestors haven’t opened their eyes. Why do they want to submit to something else and not attain their own freedom? Basically it’s because they are confused about life and death. They realize they don’t have a bit of freedom, so they go thousands of miles to seek out some great teacher. Those people must attain the true eye, not spend their time grasping and discarding spurious views. But are there any here among you of definite attainment who can really hold forth about existence and nonexistence? If there’s someone who’s definite about this then I invite you to speak out.