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蕴空尝忠 / 蘊空常忠 Yunkong Changzhong (1514-1588)

六十七世蘊空嘗忠禪師
蕴空尝忠/ 蘊空常忠 Yunkong Changzhong (1514-1588), Patriarch of the Sixty-seventh Generation

67th Generational Patriarch Dhyana Master Changzhong of Yunkong
佛祖道影白話解 Lives of the Patriarchs
虛雲老和尚編輯 Composed by the Elder Master Hsu Yun (虚云 Xuyun, 1840-1959)
宣化上人講於一九八五年六月七日 Commentary by the Venerable Master Hua on June 7, 1985 (宣化 Xuanhua, 1918-1995)
金剛 菩提海 Vajra Bodhi Sea (VBS): A Monthly Journal of Orthodox Buddhism, Nos. 290-295.

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/290/vbs290p011.htm
http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/291/vbs291p013.htm
http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/292/vbs292p011.htm
http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/293/c_vbs293p011.htm
http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/294/vbs294p011.htm

The Master visited the Venerable Shu, also called Xiaoshan, at Shaolin Monastery. At that time Xiaoshan happened to go out. The Master ran into him and asked, "Where is the stone wall that Bodhidharma faced?" Xiaoshan pointed and said, "Over there in that dark and gloomy place. The Master asked, "Why do you point to the east and talk about the west?" He said, "Fake Chan meditators are as many as sesame and millet." The Master said, "Hey, you! Are you imitating a demon and trying to confuse people in this place?" Shan then hit him. The Master did labor for three years. After receiving his instructions, he returned to Yu to live in seclusion at Mount Conggu. Every day, all he did was sit in meditation. So he built a hut and hid in Bingshan for twenty years. He did not have any contact with the world.

In the year of Wuzi in the reign of Wanli, he suddenly told the assembly, "There is something I must finish. You all have to know." Holding his fist up, he asked, "Understand?" The assembly was silent. Again he rapped on the desk once and said, "Hong! Hong! I have finished it for you." Then he entered the stillness. His stupa was built at the foot of the mountain. He lived to be seventy-five.

Commentary:
The 67th generational patriarch is Dhyana Master Changzhong of Yunkong (Skandhas Emptied). It does not explain when this Dhyana Master emptied the five skandhas, nor does it say when they were not yet empty. Now I have some evidence which shows when he had not yet emptied them. Before he asked the question about the stone wall, he hadn't emptied them, but after he was hit, he emptied them. All of you can think about: does this make sense? Surely, it must be that he understood only after being hit. If he hadn't been hit, then he wouldn't have understood.

The Master visited the Venerable Shu, also called Xiaoshan, at Shaolin Monastery. "The Master" refers to Dhyana Master Yunkong, who was also known as Dhyana Master Changzhong. He went to draw near Dhyana Master Xiaoshan, also known as Dhyana Master Zongshu. At that time Xiaoshan happened to go out. Was it the case that when he first arrived at Shaolin Monastery, Xiaoshan was not there? Or was it that right when he got there, Xiaoshan happened to walk out? This is a question. The text doesn't say clearly whether he had already gone out or was just about to go out. The Master ran into him. Does this mean that the Master met Xiaoshan as Xiaoshan was returning from outside, or as he was just coming out of the temple? It's enough if we get the general idea. We don't need to ask whether he was returning from outside, or just going out, since the meaning is not clear. And there's no need for clarity here, either. As you can see, there are some loopholes in this essay.

If Master Xiaoshan was just returning from outside, then of course the Master would have known him. If Master Xiaoshan was just coming out from the temple, then would the Master have met him before? If not, then the Master wouldn't recognize him. Even if the Master had met him, he still might not have asked his question. Why not? Because it was a very rude question. As soon as they met, the Master asked, "Where is the stone wall that Bodhidharma faced?" (Editor's note: Bodhidharma, the Indian Patriarch who brought the Chan School of Buddhism to China and was China's first Patriarch, went to Shaolin and sat in meditation facing a stone wall for nine years.) What does the stone wall that Bodhidharma faced have to do with you? Do you want to go there? Isn't this a superfluous question? You will gradually find out where the stone wall that Bodhidharma faced is located. Why are you asking about Bodhidharma's stone wall when you have just met me? What is your meaning, ultimately? If you stay here for awhile, you'll gradually find out. Why do you have to ask? This question is meaningless. So, the verse later on says, "Making trouble out of nothing, you asked about a stone." Here, you have to investigate why he would ask this. Did he want to take a tour and see the famous attraction? Did he want to know how many pounds Bodhidharma's stone wall weighed? Was it square or round? Was it black, yellow or red? These questions are totally meaningless.

If you want to know my point of view, I think that the Master had just arrived and hadn't gone in yet. Seeing a person coming out, and not knowing who he was, for he didn't necessarily recognize Xiaoshan, he asked rudely, "Where is the stone wall that Bodhi-dharma faced?" He was just like a traveller who went there to visit the tourist attraction, don't you think? Does the way I explain it make sense to you? Since the essay doesn't explain the situation clearly, we have to gain an intuitive understanding.

In my opinion, he didn't necessarily recognize Xiaoshan. Xiaoshan was just coming out from the mountain gate. So when he saw a monk coming out he acted rashly and asked in a very impolite manner, "Hey! Where is the stone wall that Bodhidharma faced?" That must have been how it happened. However, the writer refined it a little bit and did not mention his deportment. If he had known it was Xiaoshan, he wouldn't have asked in such a manner. That's my opinion. Why? He went there in order to draw near Xiaoshan. How could he be so impolite, and just ask where the stone wall was without even making a bow first? If you wanted to draw near a Good and Wise Advisor, you'd definitely be courteous when you got there. He was very reckless and rude, not saying anything upon seeing Xiaoshan except, "Hey! Where's the stone wall that Bodhidharma faced?" Do you all think it really happened like that?

Upon hearing his rash and reckless question, Master Xiaoshan thought, "Gee! What nonsense!" So Xiaoshan pointed and said, "Over there in that dark and gloomy place." He gestured with one hand, probably deliberately not telling him, but just pointing carelessly in several directions and saying, "Over there in the dark." Ultimately, where was this dark and gloomy place? Even if he took a look, probably he still wouldn't know. Since he still didn't know, he said, "Why do you point to the east and talk about the west?" Why do you talk so nonsensically? You're pointing to the east and saying it's in the west. What are you doing that for? He was trying to be smart-mouthed, deliberately challenging Xiaoshan again. So, Xiaoshan said, "Fake Chan meditators are as many as sesame and millet seeds." Nowadays, those who pass themselves off as enlightened Chan meditators who have already attained understanding are as many as sesame and as millet seeds.

The Master said. Of course he wasn't very happy when Xiaoshan said that. So he said, "Hey, you!" This "you" meant Xiaoshan. If he really recognized Xiaoshan, he wouldn't have acted this way and said, "Hey, you!" "Are you imitating a demon and trying to confuse people in this place?" Are you trying to act like a demon and delude people? Aren't you just imitating and learning the demons' way of confusing people? Shan then hit him. He was basically slandering Xiaoshan, saying, "You're a demon king, and you're here deluding people, pointing them in the wrong direction." At that time, Xiaoshan looked at him and thought, "Boy! You're really being arrogant. I spoke the Dharma for you and you didn't even get it. So I'm going to beat you up."

The Master did labor for three years. After the beating, he behaved himself. He knew this time he'd run into opposition. He knew he'd met the real expert and he no longer did what he pleased and said things carelessly. Therefore, he did labor for three years. Because he had been beaten, he behaved himself, did as he was told, and applied effort in cultivation for the three years. At that time, he cultivated with no self. He truly submitted in mind and speech. He was willing to stay there and put up with scoldings and beatings. Even if they wanted to kill him, he would have been perfectly willing. He did labor there. That means he was very diligent, not at all lazy. He wasn't like novices nowadays, who don't even want to bow to the Buddha. As novices, when people beat you, you should accept it. When they scold you, you should take it. No matter what, you shouldn't talk back or try to justify yourself. That's considered quibbling.

After receiving his instructions, he returned to Yu. After staying there for three years, he had accomplished some skill. Dhyana Master Xiaoshan certified his accomplishment and transmitted the Dharma to him. Transmitting the Dharma means to pass the robe and bowl. "Receiving his instructions" means he received the transmission of the Mind Seal of the Buddha. He went to live in seclusion at Mount Conggu. He secluded himself in Mount Conggu. Every day, all he did was sit in meditation. Every day, he sat in meditation. He sat in full lotus, solitary and alert, never falling asleep. So he built a hut. After sitting there for a long time, he roughly tied some stalks of grass together and built himself a small grass hut.

He hid in Bingshan for twenty years. Bingshan was probably a place that looked like a warehouse. He lived there for twenty years.

He did not have any contact with the world. You should all understand that this means he didn't exploit connections with worldly people. It doesn't mean that he didn't even see left-home people. If he didn't see any other left-home people, then he would be living alone in the hut. Then why does it say that "in the year of Wuzi in the reign of Wanli, he suddenly told the assembly"? Where did this assembly come from? Therefore, from this we know that although he lived alone in a small hut, there were probably many other left-home people living in that Way-place. But he simply didn't want to exploit connections or form any kind of relationships. He didn't want anything. Every one of us should clearly realize the fact that he wasn't greedy, wasn't fighting, wasn't seeking, wasn't being selfish, wasn't benefiting himself, and wasn't lying. When you carefully observe the greatly virtuous and eminent monks of ancient times, you'll find that they all achieved their success through these six great principles. They didn't achieve success by being lax and careless. If you stuff yourself until your stomach is about to burst and say that you can cultivate, I won't buy it. Whatever faults we have, we should sincerely change them. We should not be careless and sloppy, and yet still regard ourselves as really great. What's so great about you? Any time King Yama summons you, you must go. You don't have control over your birth and death yet. So he lived in Bingshan for twenty years and didn't have contact with the world.

During the Ming Dynasty, in the year of Wuzi in the reign of Wanli, he suddenly told the assembly. He said to the assembly, "There is something I must finish." In my whole life, there is only this one thing that I haven't finished. Now, I want to finish it. It is not that this is an important thing or an unimportant thing. It's just something I want to finish, something that I want to make clear.

You all have to know. "You all" means many people. There were many left-home people present. What is it that you all have to know? After he said that, he didn't say another word but holding his fist up, he asked, "Understand?" Do you understand or not? Is it clear? Do you know? He was asking the assembly.

The assembly was silent. Everyone played deaf and dumb, not knowing what he was up to. They were speechless. Basically, it was a very normal thing. He raised a fist and didn't say it was a foot, so that was okay. As for a hand, there was none to begin with. He raised his fist, but there was nothing at all. Nothing at all means to "sweep away all dharmas, and be apart from all marks." Everything is empty, so don't get attached to anything. When he raised his fist, he was playing smart. It didn't mean anything; he just did it to test everyone's wisdom.

Because the assembly didn't understand him, again he rapped on the desk once with his fist, making a loud noise. Then he said, "Hong! Hong!" This is a word found in the mantras. Does it have any meaning? It could be said to have limitless and boundless meanings; it could also be said to be meaningless. He said, "Hong! Hong!" wishing to cause the assembly to become enlightened at that time, to see if they understood. So he said, "I have finished it for you." I have already finished this matter. That means, "Be apart from the mark of speech, from the mark of conditions of the mind, and from the mark of literature." It means all dharmas have been swept away, and all marks have been left behind. There is nothing left.

Then he entered the stillness. After he finished saying those words, he entered the perfect stillness. How could he do that? That is because his skill had been perfected. He could live if he wanted to, and die if he so desired. He was free to do whatever he wished. If his skill hadn't been perfected, he wouldn't have been so free to come and go. So this proves that Dhyana Master Changzhong had some skill.

His stupa was built at the foot of the mountain. This place could easily be seen and was a little higher than the flat ground, like a foothill. He had lived to be seventy-five. He had lived to the age of seventy-five years.

Then Master Xiaoshan said, "Fake Chan meditators," which refers to people who pretend that they are enlightened, that they are learned and experienced, and that they have walked the path. The Chinese words for "fake" mean literally "trumped up," as in an essay which is completely wrong; one is just dogmatically writing one's own ideas, which other people cannot accept or understand. Thus he said, "Fake Chan meditators," fraudulent meditators, "are as many as sesame seeds and millet seeds." Dhyana Master Changzhong asked what he meant, and Xiaoshan explained. But he did not accept the explanation, and said to Master Xiaoshan again, "Hey, you!"

"Are you imitating a demon and trying to confuse people in this place?" He said, "Are you here trying to imitate the demon to charm and confuse people?" This was even more impolite. When he said that, Xiaoshan hit him right on the head. "Rascal! I'll beat your demon!" When it seems to you that others are demons, you're already on the verge of a demonic state yourself. Therefore, Master Xiaoshan hit him. We should understand that Master Xiaoshan was actually painstakingly trying to teach him. He really wanted to discipline him, seeing him being so rude. Once he was beaten, he behaved. His wild mind was subdued. The haughtiness, arrogance, and the obstacle of ignorance were all beaten to death. The net of stupidity was shattered.

Thus, he did labor for three years. When we seek the Dharma, we must be diligent; we should not indulge in comfort. We cannot say, "Oh! I want to be a patriarch, a boss, even though I have no accomplishments yet." This will not do. People like this are the scum of Buddhism. Buddhism does not include such people, who don't even understand themselves or know what the matter is with themselves. Let me tell you that when I first left the home-life, the abbot was not in the monastery. He went to other temples for some business. For over half a year, I was beaten and scolded every day at the temple. Not like you. As soon as you came here and left the home-life, you became patriarchs. I have become what I am today because of those beatings and rebukes. Although my temperament was such that I could not take being beaten and scolded, I patiently bore it all. Let me ask you, what kind of cultivation are you doing? Cultivators don't accomplish the Way by enjoying comfort and detesting labor, or by being lazy and just eating their fill. You have to pay your due. "Those faking enlightenment are as many as hemp and reeds." People who pretend enlightenment, those "fake Chan meditators," are as numerous as hemp and reeds. Reeds grow very abundantly beside the water.

Imitate a demon and try to confuse people. "People" refers to not just one person, but many, because Master Xiaoshan said before, "...as many as hemp and reeds." So when Master Xiaoshan called him a fake Chan meditator, he scolded Master Xiaoshan in return by saying, "Hey you! Are you imitating a demon and trying to confuse people in this place?" You see! If he knew it was Master Xiaoshan, he would not have scolded him. He would not have been so audacious. When he saw someone coming out of the temple, he probably assumed it was some monk working in the kitchen either tending fire, cooking, or carrying water. Therefore, he arrogantly scolded him by saying, "Hey you! Are you trying to be a demon king to confuse people?" And Master Xiaoshan hit him. With this beating, he attained some enlightenment. Thus, he "did labor for three years." He was not lazy. "So he built a hut..." After three years, he built a straw hut. Where? In Bingshan. "For twenty years, he did not have any contact with the world."

Rending the net of stupidity of the mind and consciousness: Master Xiaoshan's beating shattered his stupid views. There was no need for the mind or the consciousness to discriminate and do the guess work. There was no need, after "rending the net of stupidity of the mind and consciousness."

And rekindling the torch of wisdom, he entered the flow of sages and worthies. Since the net of stupidity was shattered, the torch of wisdom was lit up again. Consequently, he entered the flow of sages and worthies. That means that he certified to the fruition of sages; he was enlightened. This was true enlightenment and true certification.

The waters of Dong surged with great waves which could not be blocked. After his enlightenment, his wisdom and eloquence caused the waters of the Cao Dong Sect to surge with great waves which no one could block. At that time, even jealousy and obstruction from other people could not stop him. No one could block him.

Joining up with one another, all rushed here to cultivate. "Joining up" refers to people in groups of three or five. Crowding the road, they all rushed here to cultivate.