Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (80 page)

Zen master Xuefeng entered the hall and addressed the monks, saying “South Mountain has a turtle-nosed snake. All of you here must take a good look at it.”

Changqing came forward and said, “Today in the hall there are many who are losing their bodies and lives.”

Yunmen then threw a staff onto the ground in front of Xuefeng and affected a pose of being frightened.

A monk told Xuansha about this and Xuansha said, “Granted that Changqing understands, still I don’t agree.”

The monk said, “What do you say, Master?”

Xuansha said, “Why do you need South Mountain?”

Xuefeng asked a monk, “Where are you from?”

The monk said, “From Shenguang [‘spirit light’].”

Xuefeng asked, “During the day it’s called daylight. At night it’s called firelight. What is it that’s called spirit light?

The monk didn’t answer.

Speaking for the monk, Xuefeng said, “Daylight. Firelight.”

Xuefeng’s Dharma seat never had less than fifteen hundred monks living there. In the third month of [the year 908] Xuefeng became ill. The governor of Fuzhou sent a doctor to cure him, but Xuefeng said, “I’m not ill. There’s no need for medicine.” Xuefeng then composed a poem to convey the Dharma. On the second day of the fifth month, he went for a walk in the fields in the morning. In the evening he returned and bathed. He passed away during the night.

After Xuefeng’s death, the emperor Tang Xi Zong bestowed upon him the posthumous title “Great Teacher True Awakening.”

YANTOU QUANHUO

YANTOU QUANHUO (828–887) was a disciple of Deshan Xuanjian. He came from ancient Quanzhou. He received the precepts at Baoshou Temple in the city of Changan. As a young man he studied the Vinaya and Buddhist sutras. He traveled widely with his friends Xuefeng Yicun and Qinshan Wensui. Finally, Yantou studied under Deshan, becoming his Dharma heir. Eventually, Yantou settled at Yantou Monastery in Ezhou. There, a large congregation of monks gathered to study with him.

Yantou, Xuefeng, and Qinshan went traveling to visit Linji, but they arrived just after Linji had died. They then went to Mt. Yang.

Yantou entered the door, picked up a sitting cushion, and said to Zen master Yangshan, “Master.”

Before Yangshan could raise his whisk into the air, Yantou said, “Don’t hinder an adept!”

Yantou then went to study with Deshan. There, Yantou took a meditation cushion into the hall and stared at Deshan.

Deshan said, “What are you doing?”

Yantou shouted.

Deshan said, “What is my error?”

Yantou said, “Two types of kōans.”

Yantou then went out.

Deshan said, “This fellow seems to be on a special pilgrimage.”

The next day, during a question-and-answer period, Deshan asked Yantou, “Did you just arrive here yesterday?”

Yantou said, “Yes.”

Deshan said, “Where have you studied to have come here with an empty head?”

Yantou said, “For my entire life I won’t deceive myself.”

Deshan said, “In that case, you won’t betray me.”

One day, when Yantou was studying with Deshan, Yantou stood in the doorway and said to Deshan, “Sacred or mundane?”

Deshan shouted.

Yantou bowed.

A monk told Dongshan about this.

Dongshan said, “If it wasn’t Yantou, then the meaning couldn’t be grasped.”

Yantou said, “Old Dongshan doesn’t know right from wrong. He’s made a big error. At that time I lifted up with one hand and pushed down with one hand.”

Xuefeng was working at Mt. De as a rice cook. One day the meal was late. Deshan appeared carrying his bowl to the hall. When Xuefeng stepped outside to hang a rice cloth to dry, he spotted Deshan and said, “The bell hasn’t been rung and the drum hasn’t sounded. Where are you going with your bowl?”

Deshan then went back to the abbot’s room.

Xuefeng told Yantou about this incident.

Yantou said, “Old Deshan doesn’t know the final word.”

When Deshan heard about this, he had his attendant summon Yantou.

Deshan then said to Yantou, “Don’t you agree with me?”

Yantou then told Deshan what he meant by his comments. Deshan then stopped questioning Yantou.

The next day, Deshan went into the hall and addressed the monks. What he said was quite unlike his normal talk. Afterward, Yantou went to the front of the monks’ hall, clapped his hands, laughed out loud and exclaimed, “I’m happy that the old fellow who’s the head of the hall knows the last word after all!”

One day, Yantou was talking with Xuefeng and Qinshan. Xuefeng suddenly pointed at a basin of water.

Qinshan said, “When the water is clear the moon comes out.”

Xuefeng said, “When the water is clear the moon does not come out.”

Yantou kicked over the basin and walked away.

One day, Yantou and Xuefeng were leaving the mountain.

Deshan asked, “Where are you going?”

Yantou said, “We’re going down off the mountain for a while.”

Deshan said, “What are you going to do later?”

Yantou said, “Not forget.”

Deshan said, “Why do you speak thus?”

Yantou said, “Isn’t it said that only a person whose wisdom exceeds his teacher’s is worthy to transmit the teaching, and one only equal to his teacher has but half of his teacher’s virtue?”

Deshan said, “Just so. Just so. Sustain and uphold the great matter.”

The two monks bowed and left Deshan.