Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (73 page)

Caoshan said, “Benji.”

Dongshan said, “What is your transcendent name?”

Caoshan said, “I can’t tell you.”

Dongshan said, “Why not?”

Caoshan said, “There I’m not named Benji.”

Dongshan then realized that this disciple was a great Dharma vessel.

After starting study under Dongshan at this time, Caoshan remained for many years and realized the secret seal of Dongshan’s teachings.

Later, when Caoshan left Dongshan, Dongshan said, “Where are you going?”

Caoshan said, “I’m not going to a different place.”

Dongshan asked, “You’re not going to a different place but there is still ‘going’?”

Caoshan said, “I’m going, but not to a different place.”

A monk asked, “Who is it that is not a companion to the myriad dharmas?”

Caoshan said, “Tell me, where is it that many people in Hongzhou are going?”

A monk asked Caoshan, “Can the eyebrows and the eyes distinguish each other or not?”

Caoshan said, “They can’t distinguish each other.”

The monk said “Why not?”

Caoshan said, “Because they’re in the same place.”

The monk said, “If that’s so, one couldn’t tell them apart.”

Caoshan said, “Eyebrows, after all, are not eyes.”

The monk asked, “What are eyes?”

Caoshan said, “[Eyes are] what is upright.”

The monk said, “What are eyebrows?”

Caoshan said, “I’m not sure.”

The monk said, “Why is the master not sure?”

Caoshan said, “If one lacks doubt, one is upright.”

The monk said, “What truth is there in form?”

Caoshan said, “Form is truth.”

The monk said, “How would you demonstrate this?”

Caoshan picked up his tea cup saucer.

The monk asked, “How can illusion be truth?”

Caoshan said, “Illusion is fundamentally truth.” ([Later,] Fayan commented, “Illusion is fundamentally not truth.”)

The monk asked, “When illusion is faced, what is revealed?”

Caoshan said, “Illusion is revealed.” (Fayan said, “Illusion is not faced.”)

The monk said, “In that case, then from start to finish one can’t escape illusion.”

Caoshan said, “But if you pursue illusive forms you can’t attain them.”

A monk asked, “Who is the person who is here forever?”

Caoshan said, “Just when you encounter Caoshan, he is instantly revealed.”

The monk asked, “Who is the one who is never here?”

Caoshan said, “Hard to find.”

The monk Qingrui said to Caoshan, “I am alone and destitute. Master, please give me some assistance.”

Caoshan said, “Worthy Rui, come here!”

Qingrui came forward.

Caoshan said “You already drank three cups of Quan Province ‘Hundred Houses’ wine, yet you still say your lips are not wet.”

Yunmen asked, “The unchanging person has come. Will the master receive him or not?”

Caoshan said, “On Mt. Cao there’s no spare time for that.”

A monk asked, “An ancient said, ‘Everyone has brothers in the dust.’ Can you demonstrate this to me?”

Caoshan said, “Give me your hand.”

Caoshan then pointed at the monk’s fingers and counted, “One, two, three, four, five. That’s enough.”

A monk asked, “What was Luzu trying to show when he faced the wall?”

Caoshan covered his ears with his hands.

Caoshan asked Venerable Qiang, “The true body of Buddha is like vast emptiness. When a thing appears there, it is like the moon reflected in water. How would you express this teaching?”

Qiang said, “It’s like a donkey looking into a well.”

Caoshan said, “You’ve said a lot, but you’ve only gotten eighty percent of it.”

Qiang said, “What would you say, Master?”

Caoshan said, “It’s like the well looking at the donkey.”

A monk asked, “From old times there’s a saying, ‘Until a person has fallen down, the earth can’t help him arise.’ What is ‘fallen down’?”

Caoshan said, “It’s allowing.”

The monk asked, “What is ‘arise’?”

Caoshan said, “It’s ‘arise.’”

A monk asked, “There’s a teaching that has the words, ‘The great ocean does not harbor dead corpses.’ What is the ocean?”

Caoshan said, “It includes everything.”

The monk said, “Why doesn’t it include corpses?”

Caoshan said, “Those who have ceased breathing are not manifested.”

The monk said, “Since it includes everything, why are those who’ve stopped breathing not manifested?”