Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (48 page)

Jiashan then bid Chuanzi goodbye. As he walked away he looked back at Chuanzi.

Suddenly Chuanzi yelled, “Your Reverence!”

Jiashan stopped and turned around.

Chuanzi held up the oar and said, “Do you say there’s anything else?” He then tipped over the boat and disappeared into the water, never to be seen again.

DAOWU YUANZHI, “ZONGZHI”

DAOWU YUANZHI (769–835) was a disciple of Yaoshan Weiyan. He came from ancient Yuzhang (now Nanchang City in Jiangxi Province). As a young man he is said to have studied and received ordination under Baizhang Niepan. Later he studied with Yaoshan and received the mind seal of the Qingyuan lineage. After traveling for many years to various Zen mountains, he resided and taught on Mt. Daowu (near modern-day Changsha in Hunan Province).

One day, Zen master Yaoshan asked his student Daowu, “Where have you been?”

Daowu said, “Walking on the mountain.”

Yaoshan said, “Without leaving this room, quickly speak!”

Daowu said, “On the mountain the birds are white as snow. At the bottom of the brook the fish never stop swimming.”

Once when Daowu and Yunyan were with Yaoshan, Yaoshan said, “Saying that there is a place where wisdom does not reach violates the taboo. Anyone saying this will grow horns. Monk Zhi [Daowu], what do you say?”

Daowu then went out.

Yunyan then asked Yaoshan, “Why didn’t elder brother answer you?”

Yaoshan said, “My back hurts today. Anyway, he knows why. Why don’t you go ask him?”

Yunyan then went to Daowu and said, “Why didn’t you answer the master today?”

Daowu said, “Go ask the master.” ([Later,] A monk asked Zen master Yunju Daoying, “What is it that ‘violates the taboo’?” Yunju said, “It is a most poisonous phrase.” The monk asked, “What is a most poisonous phrase?” Yunju said, “With one strike it slays dragons and snakes.”)

When Yunyan died, his disciples conveyed his farewell letter to Daowu. When Daowu opened and read the letter he said, “Yunyan didn’t understand. I regret that at that time I didn’t explain it to him. Even so, in the end he did not become Yaoshan’s heir in vain.” ([Later,] Zen master Xuanjue said, “When the ancients speak in this manner do you understand them or not? What do you say is the place that Yunyan didn’t understand?”)
⁹⁹

Yaoshan entered the hall and addressed the monks, saying, “I have a single phrase that I have never said to anyone.”

Daowu stood up and said, “I follow you.”

A monk asked Yaoshan, “How is Yaoshan’s one phrase spoken?”

Yaoshan said, “Without words.”

Daowu said, “It’s already spoken.”

One day, Daowu picked up his hat to go out.

Yunyan pointed to the hat and said, “What does this do?”

Daowu said, “It has a use.”

Yunyan said, “If you suddenly encountered a violent storm, then what?”

Daowu said, “It would cover me.”

Yunyan said, “Does the hat also have a cover?”

Daowu said, “Yes it does, but its cover never leaks.”

Guishan asked Yunyan, “With what does
bodhi
sit?”

Yunyan said, “It sits with nonaction.”
¹⁰⁰

Yunyan then asked Guishan the same question.

Guishan said, “It sits with all empty dharmas.”

Yunyan then asked Daowu, “What do you say?”

Daowu said, “Bodhi sits listening to it. Bodhi lies down listening to it. But as for the one who neither sits nor lies down—speak! Speak!”

Guishan got up and left.

Guishan asked Daowu, “Where did you go?”

Daowu said, “To see a doctor.”

Guishan said, “How many people are sick?”

Daowu said, “Some are sick. Some are not.”

Guishan said, “Is one who is not sick the monk Zhi?”

Daowu said, “Being sick or not sick has nothing to do with
it.
Speak! Speak!”

Guishan said, “Being able to speak has nothing to do with
it
.”

In the ninth month of [the year 835], Daowu became ill. His condition turned grave. The monks came to inquire about his welfare.

Daowu said to them, “Do you understand the phrase, ‘Having received, making restitution’?”

The monks were startled by these words. Ten days later, just before his death, Daowu said to the congregation, “I’ll go to the west. I shouldn’t go east.”

Upon saying these words Daowu died. A few bones remained in his cremated remains. His stupa was named Daowu. Later it was struck by lightning and moved to the south side of Mt. Shishuang.

CUIWEI WUXUE

CUIWEI WUXUE (n.d.) was a disciple of Danxia Tianran. His life is obscure. The first meeting between Cuiwei and Danxia is recorded in the lamp records.