Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (158 page)

A monk asked, “If a flower blooms with five petals, it is naturally complete. What principle does this make clear?”

Yue’an said, “A thief is exposed by his booty.”

XUEDOU ZHIJIAN, “ZU’AN”

XUEDOU ZHIJIAN (1105–92) was the Dharma heir of the Caodong lineage teacher Tiantong Zongjue. He came from ancient Chuzhou (located within modern Anwei Province). Information about his life in the lamp records is sketchy.

One day when Zhijian was a boy, his mother noticed a mark on his hands as she washed them. She said, “What is this?”

The boy said, “My hands are like the Buddha’s hands [have the marks of the Buddha].”

He first studied under Zen master Zhenxie Qingliao at Changlu. Later he continued study under Zhenxie’s Dharma heir, Tiantong Zongjue, who recognized him as a “great vessel of the Dharma.”

He subsequently lived in seclusion on Mt. Xiang, where it is recorded that he attained enlightenment late one night despite the appearance of one hundred strange apparitions.
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He then returned to see Zongjue, who confirmed his awakening and passed to him the Dharma seal of the Caodong school.

In the year 1154, Zhijian became abbot of Xizhen Temple near Hangzhou.
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In 1184 he moved to Mt. Xuedou, where a large number of students gathered to study with him. During his final years he lived in seclusion in a cottage located east of the temple. He died in 1192, the ongoing transmission of the lineage passing to his most famous student, Tiantong Rujing.

Upon assuming the abbacy, Zhijian recited a verse to the monks in praise of the scriptural passage, “The World-Honored One had a secret word. Mahakashyapa did not conceal it. All night it rained flowers and the city was awash in fragrance”:

My hand was like the Buddha’s.
My teachers expounded endlessly.
I concealed myself on Xiang Mountain
And outside walked raging spirits,
But when I connected with Tiantong
The hundred ghosts disappeared.
Bodhidharma didn’t see that
The World-Honored One concealed nothing.

Twenty-third Generation

DAHONG ZUZHENG, “LAO NA”

DAHONG ZUZHENG (n.d.) was a disciple of Yue’an Shanguo. He came from Tanzhou. Although Dahong transmitted the Yangqi branch of Linji Zen to later generations, details of his life are lost in history.

Zuzheng addressed the monks, saying, “In the myriad forms, a single body is revealed. How would you speak of the single body principle?”

He then raised his whisk and said, “Traveling throughout the realm, crossing many river banks and mountains.”

A monk asked Zuzheng about the following story: “Yunmen asked a monk, ‘[Is the phrase] “The silent light illuminates worlds as countless as sands in the river Ganges” just flowery speech or not?’ The monk answered, ‘Yes.’ Yunmen then said, ‘Speech falls short.’ Do you not know where this monk’s speech falls short?”

Zuzheng said, “A mudfish climbs the bamboo stalk.”

A monk asked, “Without resorting to words, please, Master, point directly at the teaching.”

Zuzheng raised his whisk.

The monk said, “Is there still a higher matter?”

Zuzheng said, “Yes.”

The monk said, “What is the higher matter?”

Zuzheng said, “Quick, bow three times!”

TIANTONG RUJING