Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (117 page)

Xuedou then left the hall.

A monk asked, “An ancient said, ‘Conceal the body in the Big Dipper.’ What does this mean?”

Xuedou said, “Hearing it a thousand times is not as good as seeing it once.”

Xuedou addressed the monks, saying, “If there is a Dharma-treasure swordsman present, then I invite you to demonstrate this to the congregation.”

A monk then came forward to ask a question. Before he could speak, Xuedou said, “Where are you going?”

Xuedou then left the hall.

Xuedou addressed the monks, saying, “Even if you experience the earth shaking and the sky raining flowers, how can that compare to going back to the monk’s hall and building a fire in the stove?”

The master then left the hall.

Xuedou addressed the monks, saying, “So vast that nothing is outside of it. So small that nothing is inside of it. Both open and closed; both diverse and unified. Due to the barbarian having cut off form, many students of the Zen world have turned around. For endless eons the gully has been dammed up and people have not understood.”

Xuedou then struck his staff on the ground and said, “Go back to the monks’ hall.”

Upon his death, Xuedou received the posthumous title “Great Teacher Clear Awakening.”

BAO’EN XUANZE

BAO’EN XUANZE (n.d.) was a student of Fayan Wenyi. Bao’en came from Weinan City in Huazhou (now in the northwest portion of Hua County, Henan Province). He first studied under a Zen teacher named Qingfeng.
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He then continued his practice under Fayan Wenyi.

Upon meeting Qingfeng, Bao’en asked, “What is the student’s own self?”

Qingfeng said, “It’s the boy of fire coming to seek fire.”
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Later, Bao’en met Fayan.

Fayan asked, “Where’d you come from?”

Bao’en said, “From Qingfeng.”

Fayan said, “What words did Qingfeng have to say?”

Bao’en related the above exchange.

Fayan said, “How do you understand it?”

Bao’en said, “The child is of the fire, and still he seeks fire. It’s like the self looking for the self.”

Fayan said, “How can it be understood like this?”

Bao’en said, “My understanding is just thus. How do you see it, Master?”

Fayan said, “Ask me and I’ll tell you.”

Bao’en said, “What is the student’s own self?”

Fayan said, “It’s the boy of fire seeking fire.”

At these words Bao’en was enlightened.

A monk asked, “What is the place of the saints?”

Bao’en said, “You must understand yourself.”

The monk asked, “What is the master’s hidden wondrous mystery?”

Bao’en said, “Wait until you realize awakening. Then you’ll understand.”

When Bao’en [while acting as head monk] spoke at the opening of the temple at Jinling, he said, “Li Wang, [a local official] as well as Fayan are here.”

A monk asked, “The dragon sighs and the fog rises. The tiger growls and the wind comes up. This student knows that these are unworldly events. Why can’t I understand them?”

Bao’en said, “You understand them!”

The monk raised his head and looked at Bao’en, then he looked at Fayan, and then he slipped back into the crowd of the congregation without bowing. Fayan and Li Wang appeared shocked. Fayan returned to the abbot’s room and instructed the attendant to call for the monk to come there.

Fayan said to the monk, “Because of your question, the head monk acknowledged that you have the wisdom eye, so why did you retreat without bowing?”

Three days later the monk manifested light and died.

Bao’en addressed the congregation, saying, “All of you monks fully possess an eternal perfect moon. Each of you possesses a priceless jewel. Because the moon is obscured by fog its luster does not shine forth. Your wisdom is concealed within delusion, and although it is the truth, you haven’t realized it. There’s nothing more to say. You’ve been standing too long for nothing!”

A monk asked, “What is the meaning of ‘no movement’?”

Bao’en said, “The river rapids heave and crash. The sun and moon swirl in orbit.”