Once you have clarity, do not neglect a single day. Wholeheartedly practice for the sake of the way and speak for the sake of the way. We know that buddha ancestors of old did not neglect each day’s endeavor. Reflect on this every day. Sit near a bright window and reflect on this, on mellow and flower-filled days. Sit in a plain building and remember it on a solitary rainy evening. Why do the moments of time steal your endeavor? They not only steal one day but steal the merit of many kalpas. What kind of enemy is the passage of time? How regrettable! Your loss of time would all be because of your negligence of practice. If you were not intimate with yourself, you would resent yourself.
It is not that buddha ancestors lacked family obligations and attachments, but they abandoned them. It is not that buddha ancestors were not bound by relationships, but they let them go. Even if you are bound by relationships, you cannot keep them. If you do not throw away family obligations and attachments, the family obligations and attachments will throw you away. If you want to cherish the family obligations and attachments, then cherish them. To cherish the family obligations and attachments means to be free from them.
Nanyue, Priest Huairang, who would later become Zen Master Dahui, went to study with Huineng, the Sixth Ancestor, and was his attendant for fifteen years. He received the way and the craft, just like someone receiving a vessel of water from another. Such an example from olden times should be longed for.
There must have been a lot of hardship during the wind and frost of those fifteen years. In spite of it, Nanyue single-heartedly pursued his investigation. This is a mirror for later generations. Without charcoal in the cold stove, he slept alone in an empty hall. Without lamplight on summer evenings, he sat at a window by himself. Not having one piece of knowledge or a half of understanding, he reached the place of no effort, going beyond study. This is no other than continuous practice. As Nanyue had subtly abandoned greed for name and love for gain, he simply accumulated the power of continuous practice day by day. Do not forget the meaning of this. His statement to Huineng, “Speaking about it won’t hit the mark,” expresses his continuous practice of eight years. Such continuous practice is rare throughout the past and present, aspired to by those who are wise and those who are not.
Xiangyan, who would later become Zen Master Zhixian, cultivated the way with Guishan. When Xiangyan tried to come up with one phrase of understanding, he could not utter it even after trying several times. In anguish, he burned his sutras and books of commentary, and took up the practice of serving meals for many years. Then, he climbed up Mount Wudang, to visit the remains of Huizhong, National Teacher Dazheng of Nanyang, and built a retreat hut there. One day when he was sweeping the path, a pebble flew up and struck a bamboo. At the crack he suddenly had realization.
Later he became abbot of the Xiangyan Monastery and maintained the practice of one bowl and one robe. He lived his life discreetly in this monastery of extraordinary rocks and clear springs, and rarely left the mountain. Many spots where he practiced are still there.
Linji, who would later become Great Master Huizhao, an heir of Huangbo, was in Huangbo’s assembly for three years. After concentrated endeavor of the way, following the encouragement of his senior dharma brother, Venerable Chen of Mu Region, he asked Huangbo three times about the essential meaning of buddha dharma. He received sixty blows of the stick, but still he did not slacken his determination. He was sent to see Dayu and had great realization. This was the result of his study with these two reverend masters, Huangbo and Chen.
Linji and Deshan are called heroes of the ancestral seats. But how can Deshan compare to Linji? Indeed, Linji was extraordinary. Those who were ordinary in his time excel those who are outstanding in our time. It is said that Linji strove whole-heartedly and his continuous practice was extraordinary. None of us can guess how it was.
When Linji was at the assembly of Huangbo, he planted cedar and pine trees with Huangbo. Huangbo asked him, “Why are we planting so many trees deep in this mountain?”
Linji said, “First, for the landscape around the monastery. Second, as a landmark for later generations.” Then he hit the ground twice with his hoe.
Huangbo held up his staff and said, “That’s why I have just given you thirty blows.”
Linji heaved a deep sigh.
Huangbo said, “When you receive my teaching, it will flourish in the world.”
In this way, know that when they planted cedar and pine trees after attaining the way, they were carrying hoes in their hands. When you receive my teaching, it will flourish in the world is a result of this. Transmit person to person and directly point to this ancient example of planting trees. Both Huangbo and Linji planted trees.
In the past Huangbo had the continuous practice of joining the workers in the Da’an Monastery and cleaning the halls. He swept the buddha hall and the dharma hall. He did not wait for the continuous practice of cleaning the mind and cleaning the lamp. It was at this time that he encountered Minister Pei.
Emperor Xuan of the Tang Dynasty was the second son of Emperor Xian. He was bright from the time he was young. He loved to sit in the lotus position and would do zazen in the palace.
Emperor Mu was Xuan’s elder brother. When Mu was reigning, Xuan went to the throne room, sat on the throne early in the morning, and pretended to greet his retainers. The ministers saw this and, thinking he was out of his mind, reported it to the Emperor. Seeing this, Mu stroked Xuan’s head and said, “Brother, you have inherited the excellent qualities of our family lineage.” At that time Xuan was thirteen years old.
Mu passed away in the fourth year of the Changqing Era [825]. He had three sons: Jing, Wen, and Wu. Jing inherited the throne but passed away three years later. One year after Wen was installed, the ministers rebelled and replaced him with Wu. Xuan, not yet having been enthroned, lived in the country of his nephew. Wu called Xuan “my dull uncle.”
Wu was on the throne during the Huichang Era [841–846], when he prohibited Buddhist teaching. One day he summoned Xuan and had him beaten into unconsciousness and soaked with urine as punishment for having climbed up onto Mu’s throne a long time before. Xuan was left in the imperial garden. When he regained consciousness, he left his homeland. Disguising himself, Xuan joined the assembly of Xiangyan, Zen Master Zhixian, had his head shaved, and became a novice. However, he did not receive the full precepts.
As a novice, Xuan traveled to various places with his teacher, Xiangyan. When they arrived at Mount Lu, Xiangyan wrote a verse beside the waterfall there:
The water gouges the cliff and pounds the rocks unceasingly.
Even from a distance we know how high it is.
Xiangyan was trying to engage Xuan, to see how mature he was. Xuan added a verse:
How can the valley stream be blocked?
It will end up in the ocean as billows.
Seeing these lines, Xiangyan realized that Xuan was no ordinary person. Later, Xuan went to the assembly of Yanguan, National Teacher Qi’an of Hang Region, and served as secretary of the monastery. At that time Huangbo was head monk. Thus, Xuan was sharing the meditation platform with Huangbo.
When Huangbo went to the buddha hall and made prostrations to the Buddha, the secretary joined him and said, “Seek without being attached to the buddha. Seek without being attached to the dharma. Seek without being attached to the sangha. Elder, why are you making prostrations?”
In response, Huangbo slapped the novice secretary and said, “‘Seek without being attached to the buddha. Seek without being attached to the dharma. Seek without being attached to the sangha. Therefore, we make prostrations like this.”
Then Huangbo slapped him again.
Xuan said, “That’s pretty rough.”
Huangbo said, “What is right here? How can you say it’s rough?” and gave him another slap.
Xuan was silent.
After Wu’s reign ended, Xuan returned to the laity and ascended the throne. He stopped Wu’s persecution of Buddhism and reinstituted the
Buddhist teaching.
Before he was installed as emperor, he left his father’s kingdom and traveled widely, practicing the way wholeheartedly. It is said that while emperor, he enjoyed practicing zazen day and night. Indeed, Xuan had been a pitiable wanderer after his father passed away and again after his brother passed away. He was punished and beaten, as ordered by his nephew Wu. But his aspiration did not waver and he continued his practice. His genuine continuous practice was an excellent example, rare in history.
Xuefeng, Priest Yicun, who would later become Great Master Zhenjiao, never slackened in zazen day and night from the time he aroused the way-seeking mind. During the long course of traveling and visiting various monasteries, he did not discriminate among them, but hung up his traveling staff and joined their practice. He did not relax his effort and completely perished in zazen. After that, he founded an unadorned monastery on Mount Xuefeng,
When Xuefeng began to study with masters, he traveled to Dongshan nine times and to Touzi three times. His effort was so outstanding that when teachers nowadays encourage continuous practice, pure and solemn, they use “Xuefeng’s lofty aspiration” as an example.
Although Xuefeng’s dullness is not different from others’, his brilliance is beyond comparison. This is due to his continuous practice. Those of you who follow the way these days should wash yourselves with the snow of Xuefeng [Snow Peak]. If you quietly reflect on the muscle power of Xuefeng to study at various monasteries, you will see that it is no other than the spiritual bone power he carried over from former lives.
Nowadays, when you join the assemblies of various masters who maintain the way, and you want to receive instructions, it is hard to find an opportunity. Not merely twenty or thirty skin bags, but one hundred or one thousand faces all desire to return to the true source. The day of the masters’ guiding hand ends at sunset. The evening of pounding rice goes quickly. At the time when the masters expound dharma, you may lack eyes and ears; your seeing and hearing may be blocked. When you are ready, your teacher’s time may come to an end. While senior reverend masters clap their hands in laughter, those of you who are newly ordained and low in seniority may have difficulty even joining the assembly at the end of the mat.
There are those who do and those who do not enter the inner chambers. There are those who do and those who do not hear the essential words of the teachers. The passage of time is faster than an arrow. Life is more fragile than a dewdrop. Even when you have teachers, you may not be able to study with them. When you want to study with teachers, you may not have them. I have personally seen and heard of such cases.
Although great teachers all have the power to know people, it is rare to have a good relationship with a teacher and become intimate while cultivating the way. When Xuefeng visited Dongshan and Touzi, he must have had a hard time. We can all sympathize with the dharma aspiration of his continuous practice. Those who don’t study or practice will be filled with regret.
Editing completed on the eighteenth day, the first year of the Ninji Era [1243]. [Dogen]
31B
CONTINUOUS PRACTICE, PART TWO
BODHIDHARMA CAME FROM India to China at the request of his teacher, Venerable Prajnatara. How severe the wind and snow was throughout his three-year journey! How innumerable the waves of the ocean, under clouds and mist, as he sailed toward an unknown country! This journey is beyond the imagination of those attached to body and life.
This continuous practice is due solely to his great compassionate determination to transmit dharma and to save deluded beings. It is continuous practice because of his dedication to transmitting dharma, because of the all-inclusive world where dharma is to be transmitted, because the entire world of the ten directions is the true path, and because the entire world of the ten directions is the entire world of the ten directions. What place is not Bodhidharma’s palace? What palace could hinder his practice of the way?
Thus, Bodhidharma left India. As his vow was to save deluded beings, he had no doubt or fear. As what he embodied was the all-inclusive practice for saving deluded beings, he had no doubt or fear. Bidding farewell to the country of his father, the king, he sailed on a large ship through the South Sea and entered the Province of Guang. Although there were many people on board, including his attendant monks, no record of the voyage has remained. No one knows what happened to his entourage.
On the twenty-first day, the ninth month, the eighth year of the Putong Era [527 C.E.] of the Kingdom of Liang, Xiaoang, Governor of Guang Province, officially welcomed Bodhidharma. Carrying out his duty, he reported Bodhidharma’s arrival to Emperor Wu. It was the first day of the tenth month. Reviewing the report with delight, Emperor Wu sent a messenger to Bodhidharma to invite him to the palace.
Bodhidharma went to the capital city of Jinling and met with Wu, who said, “Ever since I became Emperor, I have built temples, copied sutras, and approved the ordination of more monks than I can count. What is the merit of having done all this?”
Bodhidharma said, “There is no merit.”
The Emperor said, “Why is that so?”
Bodhidharma said, “These are minor achievements of humans and devas, which become the causes of desire. They are like shadows of forms and not real.”
The Emperor said, “What is real merit?”
Bodhidharma said, “When pure wisdom is complete, the essence is empty and serene. Such merit cannot be attained through worldly actions.”
The Emperor said, “What is the foremost sacred truth?”
Bodhidharma said, “Vast emptiness, nothing sacred.”
The Emperor said, “Who is it that faces me?”
Bodhidharma said, “I don’t know.”
The Emperor did not understand. Bodhidharma knew that there was no merging [between the two] and the time was not ripe. Thus, without a word he left on the nineteenth day of the tenth month and traveled north of the River Yangzi.
He arrived in Luoyang in the Kingdom of Wei on the twenty-third day of the eleventh month of the same year. He stayed at the Shaolin Temple of Mount Song, where he sat facing the wall in silence day after day. But the Emperor [Xiaoming] of Wei was unaware of his presence and was not ashamed of being unaware of it.
Bodhidharma was from the warrior class in southern India, a prince of a major kingdom, where sophisticated customs had been developed. In contrast, the customs of the minor kingdom of Wei must have looked uncivilized in the eyes of Bodhidharma, but it did not affect him. He did not abandon the country or people. Although he was attacked by the monk Bodhiruchi, he did not defend himself, nor did he hate him. He was not resentful of Precept Master Guangtong’s bad intention, but simply ignored him.
Although Bodhidharma did many outstanding things, he was often regarded as an ordinary Tripitaka master or a scholar of sutras and commentaries because of the lack of understanding and small-mindedness of some monks in China. People thought Bodhidharma expounded the dharma gate of the Zen School. They saw no difference between his true teaching and the teachings of scholarly commentators.
Bodhidharma is the twenty-eighth authentic heir of Shakyamuni Buddha. He left the large kingdom of his father to save sentient beings of the eastern country. Who can be compared to him? If he had not come from India, how could sentient beings of China see and hear the Buddha’s true dharma? They would have been stuck with countless names and forms. Now, some barbarians like us, who have hair and horns, are able to hear the true dharma. Today even farmers and village people can see and hear it because of the continuous practice of Bodhidharma who voyaged to China.
China was much less civilized than India. Their customs were not as wholesome as those of India. An outstanding sage like Bodhidharma, who had received and maintained the treasury of dharma, would not have bothered to go, had he not had great patience and vast compassion. There was no established place for practice, and few people in China who would be able to appreciate a true teacher.
Bodhidharma stayed on Mount Song for nine years. People called him
a wall-gazing Brahman. Later historians listed him as a practitioner of learning meditation. But that is not the whole truth. The ancestor alone transmitted the treasury of the true dharma eye, buddha to buddha, heir to heir.
The Record within the Forest by Shimen [Rock Gate] says:
Bodhidharma at first visited the Kingdom of Liang and then the Kingdom of Wei. He then went to Mount Song and rested his traveling staff at the Shaolin Temple, where he simply sat at ease facing the wall. It was not a step-by-step practice of learning meditation. For a long time people could not guess why he was doing it, so they regarded Bodhidharma as a practitioner of learning meditation.
Now, meditation is only one of the many activities of Zen. It does not cover the entire practice of the sage. But those who recorded the history of that time classified him among practitioners of learning meditation and lumped him together with those who engaged in the static practice of a decayed tree and dead ash. The sage is not limited to meditation, yet does not contradict meditation. It is like the practice of Ijing [I-ching] not being limited to yin and yang, yet not contradicting yin and yang.
When Emperor Wu of Liang met Bodhidharma, the Emperor asked, “What is the primary meaning of the sacred truth?” Bodhidharma said, “Vast emptiness, nothing sacred.” The Emperor asked further, “Who is facing me?” Bodhidharma said, “I don’t know.” Had he not been so familiar with the local language, he would not have communicated so well.
Treasury of the True Dharma Eye Page 48
