Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (91 page)

Jingqing asked a monk, “What’s that noise outside the door?”

The monk said, “The sound of raindrops.”

Jingqing said, “All beings have it backward. They don’t see their own body and chase after objects.”

Jingqing asked a monk, “What’s that sound outside?”

The monk said, “The sound of a snake eating a toad.”

Jingqing said, “When you acknowledge the suffering of beings, then there are more suffering beings.”

A monk came to study under Jingqing.

Jingqing asked him, “Where have you come from?”

The monk said, “From Buddha Country.”

Jingqing asked, “What did Buddha use to make his country?”

The monk said, “Wonderful purity and grandeur are the country.”

Jingqing said, “And what does the country take to be Buddha?”

The monk said, “Pure enduring truth is taken as Buddha.”

Jingqing said, “You have come from wonderful purity. You have come from grandeur.”

At the request of the local ruler of the region known as Wuyue, Jingqing took up residence to teach at Longce Temple. According to the
Transmission of the Lamp
, after that time Zen flourished in the region.

In [the year 937], at the age of seventy-four, Jingqing passed away. A vast number of mourners accompanied his body to its resting place on Great Compassion Mountain.

TAIYUAN FU

TAIYUAN FU (868–937), before becoming a student of Xuefeng, lectured on the Mahaparinirvana Sutra. Once, when he lectured at the Guangxiao Temple in Yangzhou, a group of Zen monks listened to his talk. When Taiyuan relayed the sutra’s teaching about the dharmakaya, the monks suddenly broke out laughing, causing Taiyuan great concern. Later, Taiyuan asked the monks for guidance about what error he may have committed. The monks advised him to sit in meditation and let go of all notions of good and bad. Following the monks’ instructions, Taiyuan sat earnestly, and near the end of an all-night session of meditation he suddenly gained enlightenment upon hearing the sound of a hammer striking a gong. Thereafter, he traveled to many Zen monasteries and his reputation as a Zen adept spread throughout the country. In the course of his travels he climbed famous Mt. Jing in Zhejiang Province.

One day, in front of the Buddha hall [on Mt. Jing], a monk asked Taiyuan Fu, “Have you been to Mt. Wutai or not?”

Taiyuan said, “I’ve been there.”

The monk asked, “Did you see Manjushri?”

Taiyuan said, “I saw him.”

The monk asked, “Where did you see him?”

Taiyuan said, “I saw him in front of the Buddha hall on Mt. Jing.”

Later, this same monk traveled to Snow Peak in Fuzhou. There, he told Xuefeng about his conversation with Taiyuan.

Xuefeng said, “Why didn’t you tell him to come here?”

When Taiyuan heard of this, he packed his luggage and set off to Snow Peak.

When Taiyuan arrived at Snow Peak, the monks were having a special leisure day, and enjoying an offering of sugarcane they had received.

Changqing asked Taiyuan, “From where have you come?”

Taiyuan said, “From beyond the mountains.”

Changqing said, “It’s a difficult journey. What did you carry with you?”

Taiyuan said, “Sugarcane. Sugarcane.”

The next day at the monastery, when Xuefeng heard about this, he summoned the monks to the hall.

When Taiyuan entered the hall, he looked up at Xuefeng, then looked down at the monks.

The following day, Taiyuan went to Xuefeng, bowed, and said, “Yesterday I acted unfilial toward you.”

Xuefeng said, “I understand this matter, so forget about it.”

One evening, as the monks assembled for an evening meeting, Xuefeng was lying down in the middle of the hall.

Taiyuan said, “In all of Wuzhou, only this old master is prominent.”

Xuefeng then got up and went out.

Xuefeng asked Taiyuan, “I understand that Linji has three phrases. Is that so?”

Taiyuan said, “Yes.”

Xuefeng said, “What’s the first one?”

Taiyuan looked up and stared directly at Xuefeng.

Xuefeng said, “That’s the second phrase. What’s the first?”

Taiyuan clasped his hands and left.

After this incident Xuefeng held Taiyuan in high esteem. Taiyuan received Dharma transmission and had a special affinity with Xuefeng. He remained with Xuefeng for a long period and served as the bath attendant.

One day the monk Xuansha Shibei came to Elephant Bone Mountain and inquired after the master Xuefeng.

Xuefeng said to him, “There’s a rat here. It’s over in the bath house.”

Xuansha said, “I’ll go check him out.”

When Xuansha saw Taiyuan at the bathhouse, he said, “Now I see your eminence.”

Taiyuan said, “You’ve seen me before.”

Xuansha said, “In what eon did we see each other?”

Taiyuan said, “Are you asleep?”

Xuansha then went into the abbot’s room and reported this to Xuefeng, saying, “I checked him out.”

Xuefeng said, “What did you find out?”

Xuansha relayed the conversation he had with Taiyuan.

Xuefeng said, “You’ve revealed a thief!”

One day, the monk Baofu Congzhan was cutting a melon when Taiyuan Fu came up to him.

Baofu said, “If you say the right thing I’ll give you a piece of melon to eat.”

Taiyuan said, “Give me one.”