Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (49 page)

Cuiwei asked Danxia, “What is [the teaching of] all buddhas?”

Danxia exclaimed, “Fortunately, life is fundamentally wonderful. Why do you need to take up a cleaning cloth and broom?”

Wuxue retreated three steps.

Danxia said, “Wrong.”

Wuxue again came forward.

Danxia said, “Wrong. Wrong.”

Wuxue then lifted one foot into the air, spun in a circle and went out.

Danxia said, “Such an answer! It’s turning one’s back on all the buddhas.”

Upon hearing these words, Wuxue attained great enlightenment.

Later, when Wuxue was abbot of a temple, Touzi Yiqing said to him, “I’m not clear about what resulted when the Second Ancestor first saw Bodhidharma.”

Zen master Wuxue said, “Right now you can see me. What is the result?”

At that moment Touzi suddenly awakened to the profound mystery.

One day Zen master Cuiwei Wuxue was walking in the Dharma hall. Touzi walked up in front of him, bowed to him and said, “The essential meaning of the First Ancestor coming from the west—how does the master demonstrate this to people?”

The master stopped walking and stood there.

Touzi said, “Please demonstrate it, Master.”

Cuiwei said, “Do you want another ladle full of polluted water?”

Touzi then bowed in thanks.

Cuiwei said, “Don’t make matters worse.”

Touzi said, “It’s the season when weeds grow everywhere.”

When Cuiwei was making offerings to the sacred images a monk [Yunju Daoying] asked, “Zen master Danxia burned a wooden buddha. Why then, Master, do you make offerings to the wooden statues?”

Cuiwei said, “Because they won’t burn. But if you want to make them an offering they’ll let you do so.”

The monk asked, “If you make an offering to the sacred figures will they come or not?”

Cuiwei said, “Aren’t you able to eat every day?”

The monk didn’t answer.

Cuiwei said, “There aren’t many clever ones.”

LONGTAN CHONGXIN

LONGTAN CHONGXIN (n.d.) was a disciple of Tianhuang Daowu. He came from ancient Zhugong (near modern Jiangling City in Hubei Province). His family members were cake sellers.

Daowu’s home was near the entrance to Tianhuang Temple. Each day Chongxin would present ten small cakes as an offering to Daowu. Each time, Daowu would leave one cake, saying, “This is for the sake of your descendants.”

One day, Chongxin said, “I take cakes everywhere, so why do you leave one for me? Does it have any special meaning?”

Daowu said, “You bring the cakes, so what harm is there to return one to you?”

At these words Chongxin grasped the deeper meaning. Because of this he left home.

Daowu said, “Previously you’ve been respectful to virtue and goodness and now you’ve placed your faith in what I say, so you’ll be named ‘Chongxin’ [‘Respect Faith’].”

Thereafter Chongxin remained close to Daowu as his attendant.

One day, Chongxin asked Zen master Daowu, “Since I’ve come here, you’ve never taught me about essential mind.”

Daowu said, “Since you came here, I’ve never stopped giving you instruction about your essential mind.”

Chongxin said, “Where have you pointed it out?”

Daowu said, “When you bring tea to me, I receive it for you. When you bring food to me, I receive it for you. When you do prostrations before me, I bow my head. Where have I not given instruction about your essential mind?”

Chongxin bowed his head for a long time.

Daowu said, “Look at it directly. If you try to think about it you’ll miss it.”

Upon hearing these words Chongxin woke up.

Chongxin then asked Dongwu, “How does one uphold it?”

Daowu said, “Live in an unfettered manner, in accord with circumstances. Give yourself over to everyday mind, for there is nothing sacred to be realized outside of
this
.”

Later, when Chongxin was abbot of Longtan Temple in Lizhou, a monk asked him, “Who is it who attains a jewel on his head [signifying bodhisattvahood]?”

Chongxin replied, “The one who does not delight in it.”

The monk asked, “What place is the jewel found?”

Chongxin replied, “If there’s such a place then tell me, where is it?”

One day a nun asked Zen master Longtan, “How can I become a monk?”

Longtan said, “How long have you been a nun?”

The nun said, “Will there be a time I can become a monk or not?”

Longtan said, “What are you right now?”

The nun said, “I have a nun’s body. Don’t you recognize this?”

Longtan asked, “Who knows you?”

Provincial Governor Li Ao asked Zen master Longtan, “What is the wisdom of true thusness?”

Longtan said, “I have no wisdom of true thusness.”

The governor said, “I am fortunate to have met you, Master.”

Longtan said, “You still speak outside the essential matter.”

Deshan asked Zen master Longtan, “Long have I heard of Longtan. Up to now I haven’t seen the marsh, nor has the dragon appeared.”
¹⁰¹

Longtan said, “You yourself have arrived at Dragon Marsh.”