Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (21 page)

At this point the monk Tianhuang Daowu asked, “Who is it who has attained the essential principle of Caoxi?”

Shitou said, “The person who has comprehended the Buddhadharma.”

Daowu then asked, “Has the master attained it?”

Shitou said, “I haven’t attained it.”

Daowu said, “Why haven’t you attained it?”

Shitou said, “Because I can’t comprehend the Buddhadharma.”

A monk asked, “What is liberation?”

Shitou said, “Who has bound you?”

Another monk asked, “What is the Pure Land?”

Shitou said, “Who has polluted you?”

Another monk asked, “What is nirvana?”

Shitou said, “Who has given you birth and death?”

The master asked a monk who had just arrived, “Where have you come from?”

The monk said, “From Jiangxi.”

Shitou said, “Did you see Great Teacher Ma, or not?”

The monk said, “I saw him.”

Shitou pointed to a pile of firewood and asked, “Was he like this?”

The monk didn’t answer. He then returned to Mazu’s place and told him about this encounter with Shitou.

Mazu said, “Did you see how big the stack of wood was?”

The monk said, “It was immeasurably big.”

Mazu said, “You’re really strong.”

The monk said, “Why do you say that?”

Mazu said, “You carried a pile of wood all the way here from Mt. Nanyue. Doesn’t that take a lot of strength?”

A monk asked Shitou, “Why did the First Ancestor come from the west?”

Shitou said, “Ask the temple pillar.”

The monk said, “I don’t understand.”

Shitou said, “I don’t understand either.”

Dadian said, “An ancient said, ‘Speaking and not speaking are both slander.’ I ask the master to explain this.”

Shitou said, “If there’s not a single thing, what could you grasp?”

Shitou also said, “If you take away your throat, your mouth, and your lips, could you still speak?”

Dadian said, “There’s nothing left.”

Shitou said, “If that’s so, then you’ve entered the gate.”

Daowu asked, “What is the great meaning of the Buddhadharma?”

Shitou said, “Not attaining. Not knowing.”

Daowu asked, “Is there anything beyond this?”

Shitou said, “The sky does not obstruct the white cloud’s flight.”

A monk asked, “What is Zen?”

Shitou said, “A piece of tile.”

The monk asked, “What is the Way?”

Shitou said, “Wood.”

Shitou died in [the year 790]. A stupa was erected in Dongling. Emperor De Zong bestowed upon him the posthumous name “Great Teacher Without Limit.”

DANYUAN YINGZHEN

DANYUAN YINGZHEN (n.d.) was an attendant and disciple of National Teacher Nanyang Huizhong. Yingzhen taught at Danyuan Mountain in Qizhou. He is remembered primarily for his role in stories about his famous teacher.

When Zen master Yingzhen of Danyuan Mountain in Qizhou served as attendant for National Teacher Huizhong, one day the National Teacher sat on the meditation platform in the Dharma hall. When Danyuan came in, the National Teacher put down one foot. When Danyuan saw this he immediately went out again. After a while he came back into the hall.

The National Teacher said, “What was that about when you came in a while ago?”

Danyuan said, “To whom do you speak of it?”

The National Teacher said, “I am asking you.”

Danyuan said, “Where did you see me?”

On another day Danyuan carried a bamboo basket into the abbot’s room.

The National Teacher asked, “What are you carrying in the basket?”

Danyuan said, “Green plums.”

The National Teacher said, “Why did you bring them?”

Danyuan said, “To provide you support.”

The National Teacher said, “What good are they if they’re green?”

Danyuan said, “I just give them as an offering.”

The National Teacher said, “Buddha doesn’t accept support.”

Danyuan said, “When I do something like this, why do you act in this manner?”

The National Teacher said, “I don’t give support.”

Danyuan said, “Why not?”

The National Teacher said, “I don’t have any fruit.”

Mayu asked Danyuan, “Is the twelve-faced Kwan Yin holy or not?”

Danyuan said, “Yes.”

Mayu then slapped Danyuan’s ears.

Danyuan said, “I didn’t imagine that you’d reached this state.”