Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (145 page)

A monk asked Wuzu Fayan, “What was the meaning of Bodhidharma’s facing the wall?”

Wuzu said, “It still hasn’t been calculated.”

The monk asked, “What about when the Second Ancestor stood in the snow?”

Wuzu said, “An error is an error.”

A monk asked, “At the top of a hundred-foot pole, how does one go forward?”

Wuzu said, “Quick, try it and see!”

A monk asked, “What is the affair of the Linji school?”

Wuzu said, “Five rebels hear thunder.”

The monk asked, “What is the affair of the Yunmen school?”

Wuzu said, “The red flag is brilliant.”

The monk asked, “What is the affair of the Caodong school?”

Wuzu said, “Riding books you won’t get home.”

The monk asked, “What is the affair of the Guiyang school?”

Wuzu said, “A broken monument across the ancient road.”

The monk then bowed.

Wuzu said, “Why don’t you ask about the Fayan school?”

The monk said, “I leave it to the master.”

Wuzu said, “A thief in the night!”

The
Wudeng Huiyuan
offers an account of Fayan’s death.

On the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month of [the year 1104], Wuzu entered the hall and bade the monks farewell, saying, “Zhaozhou had some final words. Do you remember them? Let’s see if you can recite them.”

When no one responded, Wuzu then recited Zhaozhou’s words:

Fortune few among the thousand,
But one has countless pains and sorrows.

Then Wuzu said, “Take care.”

Later that night Wuzu died. It is recorded that a great rock fell down nearby Mt. Xi, creating a sound heard for forty miles.

ZHENXIE QINGLIAO, “CHANGLU”

ZHENXIE QINGLIAO (1089–1151) was a student of Danxia Zichun. He came from Anchang (in the area of modern Sichuan Province). Zhenxie entered monastic life at the age of eleven and passed his scriptural examinations on the Lotus Sutra at the age of eighteen. He then traveled to Jingzi Monastery in Chengdu, where he continued scriptural study. Later, he set off traveling and visited various famous teachers and sacred mountains, including Mt. Emei and Mt. Wutai.

Danxia asked Zhenxie, “What is the self before the empty eon?”

When Zhenxie began to answer, Danxia stopped him and said, “You’re disturbed now. Go!”

Later, Zhenxie went traveling to an area of modern Shanxi Province and visited Shaolin Temple. He then went to nearby Boyu Peak, the site of the Second Ancestor’s hut, and, while visiting that site, he suddenly experienced enlightenment.

Upon returning to see Danxia, his teacher immediately knew what had transpired.

Before Zhenxie could speak, Danxia slapped him, saying, “You were going to tell me what you know!”

Zhenxie bowed.

The next day, Danxia went into the hall and said to the monks,

The sun shines on a solitary green peak.
The moon reflects in the cold creek water.
The sublime mystery of the ancestors
Is not found in the small mind.

Danxia then got down from the seat.

Zhenxie came forward and said, “A talk like you gave today won’t deceive me again.”

Danxia said, “Then explain it to me and we’ll see if you understand.”

Zhenxie was silent.

Danxia said, “I’ll say you caught a glimpse of it.”

Zhenxie then went out.

Later, Zhenxie resided at Changlu Temple where he served as attendant to the abbot, a monk named Zuzhao. Zuzhao subsequently became gravely ill and retired from his position, naming Zhenxie as his successor. Zhenxie served as abbot of Changlu until the years of social unrest accompanying the downfall of the Northern Song dynasty (around 1127). He then traveled to a series of places, including Snow Peak in Fujian and Mt. Jing in Hangzhou.