Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (121 page)

A monk asked, “What is Buddha?”

Tianping said, “Not pointing at heaven or earth.”

The monk asked, “Why not point at heaven or earth?”

Tianping said, “I alone am the honored one.”

A monk asked, “What is Tianping?”

Tianping said, “Eight dips and nine bumps.”

A monk asked, “How do those who drink the deep clear waters of Qingxi [literally, ‘clear creek’] not rise or fall?”

Tianping said, “What will you dream of next?”

A monk asked, “The great congregation has assembled. What do you say to them?”

Tianping said, “Where the incense smoke rises, heaven and earth may be seen.”

Seventeenth Generation

SHISHUANG CHUYUAN, “ZHIMING”

SHISHUANG CHUYUAN (986–1039) was a disciple of Fenyang Shanzhao, the famous literary Zen master of the Linji lineage. Shishuang came from the city of Qingxiang in Chuanzhou (located in modern Guangxi Province). He left home at the age of twenty-two, and was ordained at Yinjing Temple.

Later, he traveled to Luoyang City with his companions Dayu Shouzhi and Guquan.
¹⁶⁹
Hearing that Fenyang Shanzhao had an unsurpassed Zen style, the group proceeded to Fenzhou to study with that master. Two years of severe frustration followed, as Fenyang would not even allow Shishuang into his room for an interview. On each occasion that Shishuang met his teacher he was subjected to a scolding. Fenyang seemed to hurl abuse everywhere, and his training appeared to Shishuang to be little more than a stream of vulgarity.

Making no apparent progress, Shishuang finally poured out his frustration to Fenyang.

“I’ve been here for two years and you haven’t given me any instruction! You’ve just increased the world’s vulgarity, dust, and toil, while the years and months fly away. Even what I knew before is no longer clear, and I’ve lost whatever good came from leaving home.”

But before Shishuang could finish speaking, Fenyang glared at him fiercely and cursed him, saying: “What you know is vile! How dare you sell me short!” So saying, Fenyang picked up his staff to drive Shishuang away. Shishuang tried to plead with him, but Fenyang covered Shishuang’s mouth with his hand. At that moment, Shishuang realized great enlightenment.

He then exclaimed, “It’s knowing the extraordinary emotion of Linji’s way!”

After this event, Shishuang remained as Fenyang’s attendant for seven years.

Shishuang taught in and around ancient Tanzhou. He gained his mountain name at Shishuang Temple, the temple founded earlier by Zen master Shishuang Qingzhu.

Shishuang entered the hall and addressed the monks, saying, “All of the buddhas, and all of the buddhas’ anuttara-samyaksambodhi, come forth from this sutra.” He then raised his staff upright and said, “This is the Nanyuan Temple staff. Where is the sutra?”

After a long pause he said, “The text is long. I’ll give it to you later.”

Then, with a shout, he got down from the seat.

Shishuang entered the hall and said, “If a teacher of our school can snatch a jewel off of the clothes of an impoverished man, then he can be said to have reached the stage of ‘person.’ If not, then he’s a mud and water fellow.”

After a pause, Shishuang said, “If you meet a swordsman on the road, show him the jeweled sword. If he’s not a poet, don’t offer him a poem.”

Shishuang shouted.