Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (41 page)

Zen master Guishan Lingyou entered the hall and addressed the monks, saying, “The mind of a person of the Way is forthright and undevious, with no front or back. It is neither deceitful nor deluded and at all times it is watchful and straightforward, never covering the eyes nor plugging the ears. Such a mind is realized when emotions do not chase after things. All the ancient sages have simply said that by the practice of not giving rise to evil views or thoughts, the difficulties of the corrupted world become like the clear autumn waters, pure and unmoving, tranquil yet unimpeded. A person with such a mind may be called of the Way, a person without worldly affairs.”

One day, Zen master Guishan addressed the congregation, saying, “There are many who attain the great potential, but few who realize the great function.”

Yangshan repeated these words to a hermit who lived below the mountain and said, “What does the master mean when he speaks in this manner?”

The hermit said, “Say it again and we’ll see.”

When Yangshan began to speak the hermit kicked him and knocked him down.

Yangshan returned and reported this to Guishan. Guishan laughed loudly, “Ha, ha, ha.”

One day while they were picking tea leaves, Guishan said to Yangshan, “All day today I’ve heard your voice but I haven’t seen your form.”

Yangshan then shook the tea tree.

Guishan said, “You attained its function, but you haven’t realized its essence.”

Yangshan said, “What does the master say?”

Guishan was silent.

Yangshan said, “The master has attained its essence but hasn’t realized its function.”

Guishan said, “I spare you thirty blows with the staff.”

Yangshan said, “If I receive thirty blows of the master’s staff, who then will receive thirty blows from me?”

Guishan said, “I spare you thirty blows.” (Zen master Xuanjue said, “I ask you, who made the error here?”)

Guishan asked Yangshan, “Of the forty sections of the Nirvana Sutra, how many were spoken by Buddha and how many were spoken by a devil?”

Yangshan said, “All of them were spoken by a devil!”

Guishan said, “Hereafter, no one will be able to cope with you.”

One day Guishan summoned the monastery director. When he came, Guishan said, “I called the monastery director, what are you doing here?”

The director stood there speechless. ([Later,] Caoshan answered on behalf of the monastery director, saying, “I know the master can’t call me.”)

Guishan also had his attendant summon the head monk. When the head monk came, Guishan said, “I called for the head monk, what are you doing here?”

The head monk also stood there speechless. (Caoshan said on his behalf, “If you ask the attendant to summon him, I’m afraid he won’t come.”)

Guishan asked Yunyan Tansheng, “I’ve heard that you’ve lived on Mt. Yao for a long time. Is that so?”

Yunyan said, “Yes.”

Guishan said, “What about the great personage Yaoshan?”

Yunyan said, “There’s something after nirvana.”

Guishan said, “What is it that’s ‘after nirvana’?”

Yunyan said, “There are no leaks.”

Yunyan then asked Guishan, “What did the great Baizhang look like?”

Guishan said, “Lofty and grand. Brilliantly incandescent. Behind his voice, there was no voice. After his form, there is no form. It’s like a mosquito on the back of an iron ox. There’s no place to take a bite.”

Guishan asked Yangshan, “Where have you just come from?”

Yangshan said, “From the field.”

Guishan said, “How many people are in the field?”

Yangshan stuck his hoe in the ground, clasped his hands, and stood there.

Guishan said, “On South Mountain there are a lot of people cutting reeds.”

Yangshan pulled his hoe from the ground and walked away.

Guishan asked Yangshan, “All the beings of the great earth have expansive karmic consciousness, without a foundation. How do you know this to be true or not true?”

Yangshan said, “I have a way to show this.”

Just then a monk passed by. Yangshan called to him, saying, “Your reverence!”

The monk turned his head.

Yangshan said, “Master, this is expansive karmic consciousness, without a foundation.”

Guishan said, “This is a single drop of the milk of teachers and disciples. It dispels six ladles full of donkey milk.”

Zen master Guishan Lingyou expounded the teaching for more than forty years, his words reaching countless people. On the ninth day of the first lunar month in [the year 853], Guishan finished bathing, sat in a cross-legged position and peacefully passed away. His age was eighty-three and he had been a monk for sixty-four years. His stupa was constructed on Mt. Gui and named “Clear Purity.” He received the posthumous name “Zen Master Great Perfection.”

GUANNAN DAOCHANG

GUANNAN DAOCHANG (n.d.) was a disciple of Baizhang Huaihai. He taught students in ancient Xiangzhou (now in Hubei Province).