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<p align="center"><font size="5" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font
face="MingLiU_HKSCS"></font> Danxia Tianran (739-824)</font></p>
<p align="center"><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><em>(Rmaji:)</em> Tanka Tennen</font></p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
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<TABLE WIDTH="76%" BORDER="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
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<TD width="48%"><div align="center"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif"><img src="https://terebess.hu/zen/magyar.gif" width="36"
height="25" border="0"> <b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font
size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><font size="3"><br>
Tartalom</font></strong></font></font></b></font></div></TD>
<TD width="52%"><div align="center"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif"><img src="https://terebess.hu/zen/angol.gif" width="36"
height="25" border="0"> <b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font
size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><font size="3"><br>
Contents </font></strong></font></font></b></font></div></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
Pgina 1
danxia.txt
<TD><p><font size="5" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><a
href="#m1"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tan-hszia
Tien-zsan </font></a><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><br>
</font></strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="2">Fordtotta: Hamvas Bla </font></font></p>
<p><a href="#m2"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="2"><strong>Tan-hszia Tien-zsan mondsaibl </strong></font></a><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><b><br>
</b></font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="2">Fordtotta: Terebess Gbor </font></p></TD>
<TD><p align="left"><strong><font size="2"><strong><font size="5"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><font size="2"><font size="2"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#a0">Danxia burning Buddha
statue</a><br>
</font></font></strong></font></strong></font></strong><font size="2"><font
size="5" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">by Yintuoluo
(Indara)</font></font></font></font></p>
<p align="left"><strong><font size="2"><strong><font size="5"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><font size="2"><a
href="#a1">Tianran</a></font></strong></font> <a href="#a1"><font face="Verdana,
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Roasting the Buddha</font> </a></strong></font><font
size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
</font></strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">by Sengai&nbsp;Gibbon</font></p>
<p align="left"><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><strong><font size="2"><a href="#a2">The Blue Cliff Record, 76th Case
</a></font> </strong><br>
<font size="2">Translated by Thomas F. Cleary &amp; J. C.
Cleary</font></font></p>
<p align="left"><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><a href="#a3">Ch'an Poems</a> </font></strong><font size="2"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
Translated by the Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen</font></p>
<p align="left"><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><strong><a href="#a4"><font size="2">Burning the Wooden Buddha
</font></a></strong></font><a href="#a4"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong></strong></font></a><font size="2" face="Verdana,
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><br>
</strong>by Yao Yuming</font></p> <p align="left"><strong><font
size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#a5">Denkroku,
Chapter 47 &amp; 48 </a><br>
</font></strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">Translated by Hubert Nearman</font></p>
<p align="left"><a href="#a6"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><strong>Danxia Tianran </strong></font><font size="2"><strong><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font></strong></font></a><font
Pgina 2
danxia.txt
size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
Compiled by Satyavayu of Touching Earth Sangha</font></p></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</div>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img
src="https://terebess.hu/zen/angol.gif" width="36" height="25" border="0"><br>
<strong>One of Ma-tsu's famous disciples, T'ien-jan (died 824) of Tanhsia
(Tanka in Japanese), was spending a night at a ruined temple with a few
traveling companions. The night was bitterly cold and there was no firewood. He
went to the Hall of Worship, took down the wooden image of the Buddha, and made a
comfortable fire. When he was reproached by his comrades for this act of sacrilege,
he said: &quot;I was only looking for the `sariira (sacred relic) of the
Buddha.&quot; &quot;How can you expect to find `sariira in a piece of wood?&quot;
said his fellow travelers. &quot;Well,&quot; said T'ien-jan, &quot;then, I am only
burning a piece of wood after all.&quot; <br>
</strong>Hu Shih, <em>Philosophy East and West</em>, Vol.. 3, No. 1 (January,
1953), pp. 3-24</font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
<strong>Tan-hsia Tien-jan (Jap., Tanka Tennen; 739834). Chinese Chan/Zen
master, dharma-successor (has-su) of Shih-tou Hsi-chien, and the master of
Ts'ui-wei Wu-hsueh (Jap., Suibi Mugaku).<br>
As Master Yuan-wu reports in his commentary on example 76 of the Pi-yen-lu,
Tan-hsia, whose birthplace and family are unknown, studied the Confucian classics
and planned to take the civil service examination in the capital, Ch'ang-an. On the
way there he met a Ch'an monk, who asked him what his goal was. I've decided to
become a functionary, said Tan-hsia. What does the decision to become a
functionary amount to compared with the decision to become a buddha? replied the
monk. Where can I go if I want to become a buddha? Tan-hsia then asked. The monk
suggested that he seek out the great Ch'an master Ma-tsu Tao-i (Jap., Baso Doitsu),
whereupon Tan-hsia unhesitatingly set out to do so. Ma-tsu soon sent him on to
Shih-t'ou, under whom he trained for some years. He went on to become one of
Shih-t'ou's dharma successors.<br>
Later he returned to Ma-tsu. Having arrived in Ma-tsu's monastery he sat
himself astride the neck of a statue of Manjushri. As the monks, upset by the
outrageous behavior of the newcomer, reported this to Ma-tsu, the latter came to
see Tan-hsia and greeted him with the words, You are very natural, my son. From
this incident Tan-hsia's monastic name T'ien-jan (the Natural) is derived. After
the death of Ma-tsu, Tan-hsia went on wandering pilgrimage and visited other great
Ch'an masters of the time in order to train himself further in <em>hossen</em>
with them. At the age of eighty-one, he settled in a hermitage on Mount Tan-hsia,
from which his name is derived. Soon up to 300 students gathered there around him
and built a monastery. Four years after his arrival on Mount Tan-hsia, he suddenly
said one day, I'm going on a journey once again. He picked up his hat and his
pilgrim's robe and staff. When he had put on the second of his pilgrim's sandals,
he passed away before his foot again touched the ground.<br>
There are many stories about Tan-hsia, who was a close friend of the Ch'an
Pgina 3
danxia.txt
layman P'ang-yun, telling of his unconventional behavior. The most famous of these
stories tells that once during his wandering years he spent the night in a Ch'an
temple. The night being cold, he took a buddha image off the shrine, made a fire
with it, and warmed himself. When the temple priest took him to task for having
violated a sacred statue, Tan-hsia said, I'll get the bones of the Buddha [for
relics] out of the ashes. How can you expect to find Buddha's bones in wood?
asked the priest. Tan-hsia replied, Why are you berating me then for burning the
wood?! <br>
</strong><a href="http://www.ese-an.org/" target="_blank">http://www.ese-an.org/
</a></font></p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center"><strong><font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif" size="5"><a name="a0"
id="a0"></a></font></strong></font></strong></p>
<p align="center"><font size="2"><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif"><img
src="https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Indara_Danxia.jpg" width="486" height="465"
border="0"><br>
</font></strong><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
</font><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
Danxia Tianran (739-824) burning Buddha statue<br>
by Yintuoluo (Indara)</font></font></p>
<p align="center"> <img width="640" height="582"
src="https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/danxia1.jpg" alt=""> <br>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sketch by <font
face="MingLiU"></font> Huangze (1924)</font></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif" size="5"><a name="a1" id="a1"></a></font></strong></font></strong></p>
<p align="left"><font size="5" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span
style=''><img
border=0 width=383 height=291 id="_x0000_i1049"
src="https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/tanka.jpg"> </span></font></p>
<div align="left">
<table cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td><p align="center"><font size="2"><strong><font size="5" face="Verdana,
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><font size="2">Tianran</font></strong></font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Roasting the Buddha</font>
</strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
by Sengai&nbsp;Gibbon&nbsp;(1750-1837)</font><font size="2"><strong>
</strong></font></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p align="center"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><br>
Intense&nbsp;frigid&nbsp;cold&nbsp;winds, <br>
Need&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;hearth. <br>
Pgina 4
danxia.txt
Call&nbsp;this&nbsp;roasting&nbsp;the&nbsp;Buddha?! <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Your&nbsp;eyebrows&nbsp; <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp
;&nbsp;&nbsp;and&nbsp;beard <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp
;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;sing
ed&nbsp;off!</font> </p></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p align="left"> <font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">Notes: </font></strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><br>
Having one's beard fall off was a kind of spirtual retribution. <br>
<br>
This brush painting by Sengai is about the story of the Chan monk Tianran
(739-824), a disciple of Shitou. One frigid cold winter evening Tianran was
staying at a temple in Changan. Chattering with cold he took one of the wooden
Buddha images from the altar and burned it in the stove to warm his backside. When
the temple director saw this he was shocked and exclaimed, <br>
'How can you do such an onerous thing?' <br>
Tianran replied, 'I'm collecting sarira from the Buddha image's ashes'. <br>
'How stupid to think you can get sarira from a statue!, retorted the monk. <br>
'Then please hand me another, it's a cold night', replied Tanxia.
</font></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p align="left"><font size="2"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">See the book<em> Sengai, The Zen Master</em>, by Daisetz T. Suzuki, New
York Graphic Society, 1971</font></font></p>
</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p> <font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <strong><font
size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="5"><a
name="a2" id="a2"></a></font></strong></font>The Blue Cliff Record </strong><br>
<font size="2">Translated by Thomas F. Cleary, Jonathan Christopher Cleary
</font><br>
<br>
SEVENTY-SIXTH CASE: Tan Hsia's Have You Eaten Yet? </font><font size="2"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>

() <br>
<br>
POINTER <br>
Fine as rice powder, cold as icy frost, it blocks off heaven and earth and goes
beyond light and dark. Observe it where it's low and there's extra; level it off
where it's high and there's not enough. Holding fast and letting go are both here,
Pgina 5
danxia.txt
but is there a way to appear or not? To test I'm citing this old case: look! <br>
<br>
Tanka's "Eating Rice" <br>
Tanka asked a monk, "Where have you come from?" The monk answered, "From the foot
of the mountain." Tanka asked, "Have you eaten your rice?" The monk said, "Yes I
have eaten it." <br>
Tanka said, "The one who brought rice and gave it to you to eat did he have an
[enlightened] eye?" The monk said nothing. Chokei asked Hofuku, "Surely it is an
act of thanksgiving [1] to bring rice and give it to the people to eat. How then is
it possible not to have an [enlightened] eye?" Hofuku said, "Server and receiver
are both blind." Chokei said, "Even if one has done everything, does one still
remain blind, or not?" Hofuku said, "Do you call me blind?" </font></p>
<blockquote>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">[1]: That is, for
the guidance already received from buddhas, patriarchs and masters. </font></p>
</blockquote>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(
)(
) ()(
) (
)(
) (
)()
()(
) <br>
<br>
CASE <br>
Tan Hisa asked a monk, Where have you come from? [1] The monk said, From diown
the mountain.[2] Hsia said, Have you eaten yet or not?[3] The monk said, I have
eaten.[4] Hsia said, Did the person who brought you the food to eat have eyes or
not?[5] The monk was speechless.[6] <br>
Ch'ang Ch'ing asked Pao Fu, To give someone food to eat is ample requital of the
debt of kindness: why wouldn't he have eyes?[7] Fu said, Giver and receiver are
both blind.[8] Ch'ang Ch'ing said, If they exhausted their activity, would they
still turn out blind?[9] Fu said, Can you say that I'm blind?[10] </font></p>
<blockquote>
<p align="left"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">NOTES
<br>
[1] It's truly impossible to have no place at all you've come from. If he wants
to know where he's come from, it won't be hard. <br>
[2] He has put on his straw sandals and walked into your belly. It's just that
you don't understand. There's an echo in this words, but he keeps it to himself. Is
he yellow or green? <br>
[3] A second ladleful of foul water douses the monk. Why just the zero point of
a scale? He wants to know the real truth. <br>
[4] As it turns out, he's collided with the pillar. After all, he's had his
nostrils pierced by a bystander. From the beginning it's been an iron hammer head
with no handle hole. <br>
Pgina 6
danxia.txt
[5] Although he is relying on his power to mystify the man, he is also wrapping
up the case on the basis of the facts. At the time he deserved to have his
meditation seat overturned. Why is there no reason for what he did? <br>
[6] After all, he couldn't run. If this monk had been an adept he would have
said to him, The same as your eyes, Teacher. <br>
[7] He's still only said half. Is it throughout the body or is it all over
the body? One cut, two pieces. One hand lifts up, one hand presses down. <br>
[8] He acts according to the imperative. With one line he says it all. Such a
man is rarely encountered. <br>
[9] What does he know of good and evil? He still isn't settled himself: what
bowl is he looking for? <br>
[10] The two of them are both in the weeds. Fu has a dragon's head but a
snake's tail. At the time when he said, If they had exhausted their activity,
would they still turn out blind? I would have just said to him, You're blind.
Since they're both adepts, why is it that ahead they didn't reach the village,
behind they didn't get to the shop? </font></p>
</blockquote>
<p align="left"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">


<br>
<br>
COMMENTARY <br>
Tan Hsia was Ch'an Master T'ien Jan of Tan Hsia in Teng Province of Honan---I
don't know what locality he was from. At first he studied Confucianism, intending
to go to Ch'ang-an to take part in the examinations for official posts. Then
unexpectedly while he was staying over at a travellers' lodge, he dreamed that a
white light filled the room. A diviner said, This is an auspicious omen of
understanding emptiness. There happened to be a Ch'an traveller there who asked
him, Good man, where are you going? He said, To be chosen to be an official.
The Ch'an traveller said, How can choosing an official career compare to choosing
Buddhahood? Tan Hsia asked, What place shold I go to to choose Buddhahood? The
Ch'an traveller said, At the present time Grand Master Ma has appeared in the
world in Kiangsi. This is the place to choose Buddhahood---you should go there,
Pgina 7
danxia.txt
good man. <br>
After this Tan Hsia went directly to Kiangsi. The moment he saw Grand Master Ma
he lifted up the edge of his turban (to look at Ma). Master Ma observed him and
said, I am not your Teacher---go to Shih T'ou's place in Nan Yueh. Tan Hsia
hastened to Nan Yueh where he submitted to Shih T'ou with the same idea as before
(at Ma Tsu's place). Shih T'ou told him to go to the stable, and Tan Hsia bowed in
thanks. He entered the workmen's hall and worked along with the congregation for
three years. <br>
One day Shih T'ou announced to the assembly, Tomorrow we're going to clear away
the weeds in front of the Buddha's shrine. The next day everyone equipped himself
with a hoe to cut down the weeds. Tan Hsia alone took a bowl, filled it with water,
and washed his head; then he knelt in front of Master Shih T'ou. Shih T'ou saw this
and laughed at him, then shaved his head for him. As Shih T'ou began to explain the
precepts for him, Tan Hsia covered his ears and went out. <br>
Then Tan Hsia headed for Kiangsi to call again on Ma Tsu. Before meeting with Ma
Tsu to pay his respects, he went into the monks' hall and sat astride teh neck of
the holy statue (of Manjusri). At the time everybody became very perturbed and
hurried to report this to Ma Tsu. Tsu personally went to the hall to have a look at
him and said, My son is so natural. Hsia immediately got down and bowed saying,
Thank you, Master, fior giving me a Dharma name. Because of this he was called
T'ien Jan (which means natural). This man of old Tan Hsia was naturally sharply
outstanding like this. As it is said, Choosing officialdom isn't as good as
choosing Buddhahood. His sayings are recorded in the Records of the Transmission
of the Lamp. <br>
His words tower up like a thousand-fathom wall. Each and every line has the
ability to pull out nails and extract pegs for people, like when he asked this
monk, Where have you come from? The monk said, From down the mountain, yet he
didn't communicate where he had come from. It seemed that he had eyes and was going
to reverse things and examine the host. If it hadn't been Tan Hsia, it would have
been impossible to gather him in. <br>
But Tan Hsia said, Have you eaten yet or not? At first he hadn't been able to
see this monk at all, so this is the second attempt to examine him. The monk said,
I have eaten. From the beginning this confused and ignorant fellow hadn't
understood. Hsia said, Did the person who brought you the food to eat have eyes or
not? and the monk was speechless. Tan Hsia's meaning was, What's the use of
giving food to such a fellow as you? If this monk had been a fellow (with eyes) he
would have given Tan Hsia a poke to see what he would do. Nevertheless, Tan Hsia
still didn't let him go, so the monk was (left standing there) blinking stupidly
and speechless. <br>
When Pao Fu and Ch'ang Ch'ing were together in Hsueh Feng's congregation, they
would often bring up the public cases of the Ancients to discuss. Ch'ang Ch'ing
asked Pao Fu, To give someone food is ample requital of kindness: why wouldn't he
have eyes? He didn't have to inquire exhaustively into the facts of the case; he
could take it all in using these words to pose his question. He wanted to test Pao
Fu's truth. Pao Fu said, Giver and receiver are both blind. How direct! Here he
just discusses the immediate circumstances---inside his house Pao Fu has a way to
assert himself. <br>
When Ch'ang Ch'ing said, If they had exhausted their activity, would they still
Pgina 8
danxia.txt
turn out blind? Pao Fu said, Can you say that I'm blind? Pao Fu meant, I have
such eyes to have said it all to you---are you still saying I'm blind?
Nevertheless, it's half closed and half open. At that ime if it had been me, when
he said, If they had exhausted their activity, would they still turn out blind? I
would have just said to him, You're blind. What a pity! If Pao Fu had uttered
this one word blind at that time, he would have avoided so many of Hsueh Tou's
complications. Hsueh Tou too just uses this idea to make his verse: <br>
<br>
()(
) () (
) ()(
) () (
)() <br>
<br>
VERSE <br>
(Ch'ang Ch'ing) exhausts his activity, (Pao Fu) doesn't become blind--- <br>
They've only said half. Each wanted to test the other. The words are still in our
ears. <br>
(Like) holding down an ox's head to make it eat grass. <br>
They lose their money and incur punishment. Half south of the river, half north
of the river. Without realizing it, they've run afoul of the point and cut their
hands. <br>
Twenty-eight and six Patriarchs--- <br>
If you have a rule, hold on to the rule. Hsueh Tou is dragging down the former
sages, he doesn't just involve one man. <br>
Their precious vessel is brought forth, but it turns out to be an error. <br>
Everyone on earth beats his breast (in sorrow). Give me back my staff. They've
dragged me down so that I can't even show my face. <br>
The error is profound--- <br>
Extremely profound. The world's patchrobed monks cannot leap clear of it. But
tell me, how profound? <br>
There's no place to look for it. <br>
Though it's right beneath your feet, it can't be found. <br>
Gods and humans sink down together on dry land. <br>
The world's patchrobed monks are all buried in one pit. Is there anyone alive? I
let my move go. Heavens! Heavens! <br>
<br>



<br>
<br>
COMMENTARY <br>
(Ch'ang Ch'ing) exhausts his activity, (Pao Fu) doesn't become blind. Ch'ang
Ch'ing said, If they exhausted their activity, would they still turn out blind?
Pao Fu said, Can you say that I'm blind? This was all like Holding down an ox's
Pgina 9
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head to make it eat grass. To get it right you must wait till he eats on his own:
how can you push down an ox's head and make him eat? When Hsueh Tou versifies like
this, naturally we can see Tan Hsia's meaning. <br>
Twenty-eight and six Patriarchs---/Their precious vessel is brought forth, but
it turns out to be an error. Not only does Hsueh Tou drag down Ch'ang Ch'ing, but
at the same time he buries the twenty-eight Patriarchs of India and the six
Patriarchs of this country. In forty-nine years, old man Shakyamuni preached the
whole great treasurehouse of the Teachings; at the end he only transmitted this
precious vessel. Yung Chia said, This is not an empty exhibition displaying form:
it's the actual traces of the Tathagata's jewel staff. If you adopt Pao Fu's view,
then even if you bring forth the precious vessel, it all turns out to be an error.
<br>
The error is profound---/There's no place to look for it. This can't be
explained for you: just go sit quietly and inquire into his lines and see. Since
the error is profound, why then is there no place to look for it? This is not a
small mistake: he takes the Great Affair of the Buddhas and Patriarchs and
submerges it entirely on dry land. Hence Hsueh Tou says, Gods and humans sink down
together on dry land. </font></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif" size="5"><a name="a3" id="a3"></a></font></strong></font><font size="3"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ch'an Poems </font><font size="2"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
</font></strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">written by the Monk Tan Hsia <br>
CW33_No.91 <br>
Translated by the Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen </font></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">On water
bottom, mud-bulls till the ground of white moon! <br>
In the clouds, the wooden horse flies in wind very soon! <br>
The Indian monk does not like to hold his Bhikshu bowl! <br>
At middle night rows his boat through vast sea and passes on!
</font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In every
home, there's the moon light passing the window. <br>
At everywhere there's birds singing in wind and willow. <br>
You may say hither and thither there is no change, <br>
Like throw the sword to the sky done by the Hero! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">It is too
subtle to be seen! <br>
You get blood but never win! <br>
Why none talk about it's price? <br>
Because it's not worldly thing! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The cool
moon climbs up the high peak at night! <br>
Many miles plain-lake covered with her light! <br>
Fishman's song startles the egret flying away, <br>
Pgina 10
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From the reed we see only a piece of white! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In the deep
palace, there's nothing to be known, <br>
The Jade-Altar has clouds of fog to adorn ! <br>
Political talks have been done by officials, <br>
The Dharma-king does not like to wear the crown! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Spring
flowers have not blossomed but plum is out, <br>
While pines are still green, all other trees are nought, <br>
Thin clouds do not play the moon-shadow, <br>
Nor slight fog hits the small branches to spout! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The cool
moon climbs up the high peak at night! <br>
Many miles plain-lake covered with her light! <br>
Fishman's song startles the egret flying away, <br>
From the reed we see only a piece of white! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In the deep
palace, there's nothing to be known, <br>
The Jade-Altar has clouds of fog to adorn ! <br>
Political talks have been done by officials, <br>
The Dharma-king does not like to wear the crown! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Spring
flowers have not blossomed but plum is out, <br>
While pines are still green, all other trees are nought, <br>
Thin clouds do not play the moon-shadow, <br>
Nor slight fog hits the small branches to spout! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In the night
moon is like magic spell. <br>
I turn my body and beat the bell! <br>
The loud voice flies up beyond heavens, <br>
Why those devas still have their sleep so well! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">White
lotus-root in the mud is not wrong, <br>
Red flower is hid by leaves without sun. <br>
Wanderers don't tell the false message, <br>
The pure wind will pass her sweet smell so long! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">This shore
or that shore, both miss it! <br>
No-egoism is not in the midst! <br>
Sun sets under the west mount, <br>
Yet its shade remains in the East! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Pure wind
moves the fishing boat to work. <br>
Puffs up the tide touching the sky, Look! <br>
Those fish play together with deep love. <br>
At last they cannot free from the hook! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Long river
is more clear than moon light. <br>
Pgina 11
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It's not home, though everywhere bright! <br>
&quot;Oh! Dear fishman, where shall you return?&quot; <br>
&quot;I still sleep close to reed at this night!&quot; </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">It cannot be
seen, how could you say? <br>
Nothing is in same form, on same way! <br>
In the mossy altar, there's none serves, <br>
Moon light shines on tree, Phoenix doesn't stay! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wooden man
asks for the heaven land. <br>
Jade girl seems deaf, does not comprehend. <br>
Yet they both back home arm in arm. <br>
Leave the mount circled by clouds without end! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In the
subtle truth, there's nothing to gain. <br>
But it is not that all is in Vain! <br>
Moon reflects in sea, fish disappear, <br>
YouCfishman, why throw the hook again ! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Outside the
fence, white clouds are so vast! <br>
Sword can't cut, even you test, <br>
The deep cave needs not anything to lock <br>
To and fro freely without request! <br>
<br>
When I'm hungry, I eat grass green. <br>
When thirsty, I drink cool spring! <br>
I do not plough the empty ground, <br>
Cowboy needs not call me with sound! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">On that
shore I cannot pass. <br>
I return without ask path. <br>
In the altar there's no monk. <br>
Just moon light comes across! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">It is round
and can't be told. <br>
Let those men and women hold. <br>
Though paints up the sky, so noble; <br>
Still a man passing the word! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shih-Teh
seems too silly, doesn't know day or night; <br>
Han-San seems too lazy, doesn't turn left or right. <br>
The perfect, round voice before talk is so nice, <br>
Beyond the cosmos the moon is very bright! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The sweet
message is not so common, <br>
The smell of moon flowers lasts so long! <br>
At last night Chan-O appears nicely, <br>
Turns up her eyes, yet draws the Yuan-Yang! </font></strong></p>
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<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Dragon sings
in the sea, rains come in time! <br>
Lion roars in the mount, wind blows so fine! <br>
Don't worry about the thorn on the path, <br>
At our poor home. there's no guest sublime! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">With horn
and hair, he becomes cattle so fast! <br>
To his eyes all ashes and woods both are dust! <br>
Though he didn't comprehend his Guru's truth, <br>
When his death comes by, he realizes at last! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">His dignity
form with wonderful light, <br>
No one so skillful as to draw him right. <br>
Not only Wu-Tao-Tze cannot do it, <br>
Even Tze-Kun himself has no such might! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In winter
all trees have some wrong, <br>
But plum root has its warm alone. <br>
See the front village after snow, <br>
There is the flower to blossom ! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Moon makes
the pine shadow, some long some short, <br>
Sun shines on lake, two skies but not apart! <br>
The heat in heaven does not know the noon, <br>
The full moon of August doesn't know the art! </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Most are
learned from other man, <br>
They open their mouths in vain! <br>
No one knows the whole brightness, <br>
Buddha can't know how you can? </font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Though one
mind, through many years can't be found, <br>
From nude take off skin, nothing to be bound! <br>
See the blue sky, it is like a mirror, <br>
Many miles have no cloud but moon is round!!! </font></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong><font
size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="5"><a
name="a4" id="a4"></a></font></strong></font></strong> <strong>BURNING THE
WOODEN BUDDHA </strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><strong><br>
</strong>by Yao Yuming <a
href="http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/319/vbs319p038.htm"
target="_blank"><br>
</a><em>Vajra Bodhi Sea</em>, No 319.<br>
</font><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a
href="http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/319/vbs319p038.htm"
Pgina 13
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target="_blank">http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/319/vbs319p038.htm
</a></font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><strong>Dhyana Master Danxia's burning of a Buddha image to get warmth
won the admiration of people in later generations. Such people think that to do
away with worthies and sages, fathers and mothers, teachers and superiors, as well
as all rules is to follow the way of spontaneity, to accord with Nature. Such
unmitigated arrogance is truly pitiful. </strong></font></p>
<p align="justify"><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">When Chan Master Danxia knelt and bowed, it was to the Buddha, the self
nature. When he burned the image, what he burned was wood, using the nature of
fire. In saying that the mind has no discriminations, actually, there are
distinctions made; it's just that mundane principles and the principles contained
in the Teaching become perfectly fused when one's wisdom opens. Even if he burned
all the Buddha images in all the temples and monasteries, he still could not change
the fact that Shakyamuni Buddha was his Guiding Master. </font></strong></p>
<p align="justify"><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">By the same principle, if I attempt to destroy the faith which the Chan
school proudly places in this story, then that would merely be for my own personal
satisfaction. The Chan school is still the Chan school; a Buddha is still a Buddha;
and I am still a common person. What if an image of a common person were be burned?
At most, the person's family members would fight with you. But the story of Chan
Master Danxia burning the wooden Buddha has been discussed for several hundred
years. If there were nothing in it, why would people bother to keep talking about
it? Only brilliant events warrant such a reaction; and even if one might wish to
erase it from history, it cannot be done. </font></strong></p>
<p align="justify"><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">The magnificence of the Buddha is also shown in this: Even after he
entered Nirvana, people could still get warmth from a wooden likeness of him.
</font></strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">[Editor's Note] Dhyana Master Tianran (Natural) of Tang Dynasty got the
name because his nature was natural and unpretentious. Moreover, because he lived
on Mount Danxia, he was reverently addressed as Dhyana Master Danxia. One day, he
happened to go to Huilin Monastery in Loyang. The night became freezing, and so he
took a carved wooden Buddha and burned it to get warmth. Everyone was astonished
and scolded him. The Dhyana Master said, "I'm burning it to get sharira." The
assembly asked, "How can you get sharira from burning wood?" The Dhyana Master
said, "Since wooden Buddhas don't possess sharira, go and get another couple of
images to burn!" </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">Buddhism came into China at the end of Han Dynasty and became popular
after the Six Dynasties period. Down to Tang Dynasty, not only were there many
talented sages, but enormous schools developed after the time of the Sixth
Patriarch. At that time, those who followed the Teaching School attached to the
attributes of teaching and failed to realize the mind is the Buddha. Therefore, the
Chan School did not rely on language, but used real actions to break through
Pgina 14
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people's attachments. This public record became so renowned in the Chan School that
people of later generations cited it over and over, praising it as the ultimate
state of no attributes and no attachments. The state was high all right, but such
an act could only be done by a person like Dhyana Master Danxia, who was completely
natural and sincere, perfect and without obstructions. No one could possibly
imitate that example. At that time, people attached to "the existence of form" and
failed to realize that the mind is the Buddha; students of later generations
blindly admired and superficially imitated his behavior, attaching to "emptiness of
non-obstruction" and turning it into intellectualizing about Chan. They fell into
the two extremes and failed to realize the self nature, and so they still had
obstructions. </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">As
a matter of fact, if one says that what Dhyana Master Danxia did was deliberately
designed to break through attachments, that's not completely true. Based on what he
was, his action was more likely straightforward and natural, free of any
consideration or attention. He was just doing what was necessary in that
circumstance. That's why he was called Dhyana Master Tianran (Natural). He didn't
get that name for no reason. As it's said in Upasika Yao's essay, " When Chan
Master Danxia knelt and bowed, it was to the Buddha, the self nature. When he
burned the image, what he burned was wood, using the nature of fire. Even if he
burned all the Buddha images in all the temples and monasteries, he still could not
change the fact that Shakyamuni Buddha was his Guiding Master." We could even say,
"Even if he burned all the wooden Buddhas, he still could not change the fact that
he was the master of his self nature. He was worshipping the Buddha of his self
nature." </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">As
for slander and praise of those in the world, it has nothing to do with him or with
the Buddha. "The Chan school is still the Chan school, a Buddha is still a Buddha."
</font></p>
<p align="justify">&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p> <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font></p>
<p> <strong><font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif" size="5"><a name="a5" id="a5"></a></font></strong></font><font size="3"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Denkroku </font><font size="2"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
<em>The Record of the Transmission of the Light </em>by Zen Master Keizan
Jokin, <br>
</font></strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">Translator Reverend Hubert Nearman, <br>
OBC Shasta Abbey Press, Mount Shasta, California, 2003. </font></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">CHAPTER
47.<br>
THE FORTY-SIXTH ANCESTOR,<br>
MEDITATION MASTER TANKA SHIJUN.<br>
When Tanka asked Fuy, What is the one phrase that all<br>
the sages have passed on from the beginning? Fuy answered,<br>
Pgina 15
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Were you to reduce IT to a single phrase, you would really bury<br>
the tradition of our line. Upon hearing this, Tanka had a great<br>
awakening to his TRUE SELF.</font></strong></p>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tankas
personal name was Shijun (C. Tzu-chun, Pure and<br>
Honest as a Child); he was an offspring of the Ko (C. Chia)<br>
clan in Kensh (C. Chien-chou). When he was barely twenty he<br>
left home to become a monk; he penetrated to the PROOF whilst<br>
in Fuys quarters. At first he resided on Snowy Peak Mountain<br>
Mountain (J. Tankazan; C. Tan-hsia-shan).<br>
His first inquiry was, What is the one phrase that all the<br>
sages have passed on from the beginning? Even though Buddha<br>
after Buddha and Ancestor after Ancestor has changed in outer<br>
appearance, beyond doubt something has passed on which is<br>
without back or front, top or bottom, inside or outside, self or<br>
other. IT, THE EMPTINESS THAT IS NOT EMPTY, is the TRUE<br>
PLACE to which all return; there has never been anyone who has<br>
not possessed IT fully and completely, however many students<br>
make the mistake of thinking that originally there was nothing<br>
at all, saying moreover that there is nothing that can be said<br>
about IT and nothing that the mind can conceive about IT.<br>
The ancients gave such people the name of non-Buddhists<br>
who have fallen into vacant nothingness. Although kalpas as<br>
numerous as the sands of the Ganges River may pass, in no way<br>
will any such be liberated, therefore, even if you are thorough<br>
and meticulous so that every single thing is brought to an end<br>
and is utterly emptied, there will still be SOMETHING that cannot<br>
be emptied. Look inwards and probe deeply into yourself; once<br>
you succeed in catching a glimpse of IT, without fail you will be<br>
able to come up with a phrase to express this. This is why we<br>
speak of it as the one phrase that has been passed on.<br>
As stated above, Fuy commented, Were you to reduce IT<br>
to a single phrase, you would really bury the tradition of our<br>
line. Truly this realm is not something that can be designated<br>
by a single phrase; that would be using words incorrectly and<br>
resembles bird tracks in the snow. Because of this, it is said,<br>
A hiding-place shows no traces of its whereabouts. When<br>
seeing, hearing, cognizing and comprehending utterly cease,<br>
and skin, flesh, bones and marrow are all gone, then what traces<br>
of anything can remain? If you do not create even a smidgeon<br>
of evidence, sure enough, IT will come to appear. IT is not<br>
something that others will know about which is why IT is not<br>
something that is passed on openly, however, when this realm<br>
can be realized, it is spoken of as Heart Transmitting Heart.<br>
This occasion is referred to as the uniting of lord and retainer<br>
or as the oneness of the absolute and the relative.<br>
Now tell me, what do you think the form of this realm is?</font></strong></p>
<blockquote>
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<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Though a
clear breeze swirls round and round, stirring up the earth,<br>
Who can grasp hold of it and show it to you?</font></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">CHAPTER
48.<br>
THE FORTY-SEVENTH ANCESTOR,<br>
MEDITATION MASTER CHRO SEIRY.<br>
Seiry trained under Tanka who asked him, What is the<br>
SELF prior to the period of cosmic emptiness? Seiry was just<br>
about to respond when Tanka said, Since you are being so<br>
noisy, go away for a while. One day, whilst climbing Begging<br>
Bowl Peak (J. Hachiuh; C. Po-y-feng), Seiry suddenly<br>
awoke to his TRUE SELF.<br>
Seiry (C. Ching-liao, Clear in Intelligence) was his personal<br>
name, Shinketsu (C. Chen-hsieh, Truly at Rest) was his<br>
Buddhist name and Gok (C. Wu-kung The Enlightened<br>
Void) was his title as a meditation master. Whilst he was still in<br>
swaddling clothes, his mother, cradling him in her arms, took<br>
him into a temple; upon seeing a statue of Buddha, he raised his<br>
eyebrows and blinked with delight. Everyone considered this<br>
unusual; in his eighteenth year he lectured on the Lotus Scripture.<br>
After being ordained he travelled to Taie Monastery<br>
(C. Ta-tzu) in Seito (C. Cheng-tu) in Szechwan Province<br>
where he was taught the Scriptures and Commentaries, taking<br>
note of their substantive meaning. Leaving Szechwan he proceeded<br>
to the Yangtze and Han River area where he knocked on<br>
Tanka Shijuns door. When Tanka asked him, What is the<br>
SELF prior to the period of cosmic emptiness? what was stated<br>
above occurred up to the point where Seiry suddenly awoke to<br>
his TRUE SELF. He returned at once from Begging Bowl Peak<br>
and stood in attendance on Tanka. Tanka gave him a slap and<br>
said, I would say that without doubt you know IT exists.<br>
Seiry joyfully bowed before him. The next day Tanka entered<br>
the meditation hall and said in verse,</font></strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The sun
makes the solitary peak glow green,<br>
The moon visits the valley stream so chill;<br>
The dark and wondrous SECRET of the Ancestors and Masters<br>
Does not turn toward a trifling heart to find a resting
place.</font></strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">He then got
down from his seat. Seiry immediately came<br>
before him and said respectfully, Your preaching of the<br>
Dharma today could not deceive me in the least. Tanka said,<br>
Pgina 17
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Come, try to present to me the meaning of my lecture today.<br>
Seiry was still for some time. Tanka said, Without doubt I<br>
would say that you have glimpsed that realm.<br>
After Seiry left Mount Tanka he travelled to Mount Godai<br>
(C. Wu-tai), went on to the capital, sailed the River Ben<br>
(C. Pien) and forthwith reached Long Reed Mountain (J. Chrozan;<br>
C. Chang-lu-shan) where he had an audience with Ssh<br>
(C. Tsu-chao). No sooner had they talked together than they<br>
found that they were in complete accord and Ssh made Seiry<br>
his jisha; after a year had passed, they were sharing the seat<br>
of teaching. Not long afterwards Ssh, pleading illness,<br>
retired as abbot and had Seiry inherit the abbots seat; students<br>
flocked to him. Around the end of 1130 he travelled to<br>
Mount Shimei (C. Hsi-ming) and then went on to Mount Hoda<br>
(C. Pu-to). He became abbot at Tenp Monastery (C. Tienfeng)<br>
in Daish (C. Tai-chou) and at Snowy Peak Monastery<br>
(J. Sepp; C. Hsieh-feng) in Binsh (C. Ming-chou). By<br>
imperial edict he was made abbot at Iku Monastery (C. Y-<br>
wang) and subsequently at Rysh Monastery (C. Lungshang)<br>
in Onsh (C. Wen-chou). He was also abbot at Mount<br>
Kei (C. Ching) in Ksh (C. Hang-chou). Jinei (C. Tzuning),<br>
the emperors mother, requested that he establish a mountain<br>
monastery on Mount Ssen (C. Chung-shen) at Knei<br>
(C. Kao-ning).<br>
From the time that he was in swaddling clothes he was not<br>
one of the herd and stood apart from others; as his resolve to<br>
study Zen meditation progressed, he intensified his efforts.<br>
When he was asked about the SELF prior to the period of cosmic<br>
emptiness, he tried to respond but Tanka did not give his<br>
approval and had him leave for a while. One day, whilst climbing<br>
to the top of Begging Bowl Peak, all ten quarters were<br>
unobstructed and there were no barriers on any of the four sides<br>
as well. Upon reaching the moment when the ten quarters<br>
appeared right before his eyes, he grasped what IT was; when he<br>
came back he stood before Tanka without saying a single word.<br>
Tanka, realizing that Seiry knew that IT existed, said, Without<br>
doubt I would say that you have glimpsed that realm, Seiry<br>
then joyfully bowed before Tanka and Tanka entered the meditation<br>
hall and acknowledged Seirys awakening. Later, when<br>
Seiry went forth to teach, he entered the meditation hall one<br>
day and said, When I was given a slap by my former master all<br>
my abilities and talents had been exhausted and, try as I may, I<br>
was unable to open my mouth. Is there any person here now<br>
who has not been able to experience such happiness as this? If<br>
you would not have an iron bit between your teeth or a saddle<br>
on your back, each of you must reach THAT which is the ideal.<br>
When the Ancestors and Masters actually meet face to face<br>
they step forth into THAT which is prior to the period of cosmic<br>
Pgina 18
danxia.txt
emptiness and immediately manifest the natural beauty of the<br>
fundamental realm. If you have not yet seen this realm, then,<br>
even though you sit without uttering a sound for ten million<br>
years, immobile as a withered tree or like dead ashes, what use<br>
will it be? However, when some people hear about THAT which<br>
is prior to the period of cosmic emptiness they mistakenly<br>
think that it means that there is no self or other, no before or<br>
after, no arising or extinction, no sentient beings or Buddhas,<br>
that IT must not be called one or two, that IT must not be discerned<br>
as identical with themselves or be called different from<br>
themselves. Deliberating and evaluating in this way, they judge<br>
that if someone utters a single word he has immediately deviated<br>
from the Dharma or imagine that if someone hatches even a<br>
single thought he must have turned his back on the ETERNAL;<br>
they rashly cling to images of withered trees and dead ashes<br>
and become like corpses. Some think on occasion that there are<br>
no disparities whatsoever between HIM and me so IT can be<br>
interpreted as a mountain or as a river or as me or as<br>
other. Sometimes they say, What you call a mountain is not a<br>
mountain and what you call a river is not a river; only this is a<br>
mountain, only this is a river, and so they go on, but to what<br>
use? All this directs them onto false paths. They either become<br>
attached to forms and appearances or fall into nihilism.<br>
How can you possibly hope to arrive at this realm by<br>
means of such notions as existence or non-existence? There is<br>
nowhere for you to poke your tongue in, no time for you to set<br>
your thoughts and fears spinning around. IT does not depend on<br>
heaven or earth, or on before or after. Focus on that place where<br>
there is nowhere beneath your feet to step; without fail you will<br>
be a bit in accord with IT. Some speak of IT as beyond any<br>
patterns or rules, others as not conveying a breath of anything.<br>
All this is within the boundaries of deliberate thought and<br>
ultimately ends with their turning their backs on the TRUE SELF;<br>
even more so do they do this if they say that IT is the moon or<br>
snow or water or wind. All such people undoubtedly have<br>
cataracts in their eyes or are seeing flowers falling hither and<br>
thither in the sky. What do they mean by referring to IT as a<br>
mountain? In the final analysis they are not seeing a single<br>
thing. What are they coming in contact with that they would<br>
make IT out to be cold or hot? Ultimately there is not a single<br>
thing that has been imparted to them and this is why they<br>
become attached to trees and grass. If you completely sweep<br>
away both the ways of the world and the Buddhas Dharma<br>
at one and the same time and just look, you will ultimately not<br>
doubt. Do not turn within or without to seek IT. Do not wish to<br>
calm your thoughts, do not desire to make your body tranquil.<br>
Just know IT intimately, just understand IT intimately. Cut all<br>
ties at once and try to sit for a while. Even though it is said that<br>
Pgina 19
danxia.txt
there is nowhere in the four quarters to take a step and no place<br>
in heaven or on earth to slip in a body, you will really not need<br>
to borrow from anyone elses strength. When you see in this<br>
way, then no skin, flesh, bone or marrow is allotted to you; no<br>
birth or death, coming or going, alters you. When you have<br>
sloughed off your skin, only the ONE REALITY remains. IT<br>
glitters in the past and sparkles in the present. IT does not<br>
discriminate about, or measure, time. How can IT possibly be<br>
referred to simply as that which is prior to the period of cosmic<br>
emptiness?<br>
This state is not something understandable in terms of<br>
before and after; this realm does not mirror the four cosmic<br>
periods of creation, sustained existence, disintegration and<br>
emptiness. Can both self and other be understood as being without<br>
cause? When you forget about external boundaries, rid<br>
yourself of your inner cogitations and the clear blue sky still<br>
gets a beating, you will be purified, completely stripped naked<br>
and rinsed clean. If you are able to see IT in detail, IT will be as<br>
illusive as space, as subtle as emptiness; if you cannot do this<br>
in detail, you will never reach this state. Clearing up karmic<br>
matters of countless kalpas will actually happen in the snap<br>
of your fingers. Without giving in to indecision or displaying<br>
intellectual comprehension, cast your gaze upon HIS face and,<br>
be it but for a moment, look! Without fail you will become<br>
independent, liberated and unobstructed by evil passions, however,<br>
trainees, by twisting your heads and hearts around, you<br>
have already fallen into error and are engaged in contriving.<br>
Although you may feel that this is merely the slightest of<br>
transgressions, you must realize that when you do such things<br>
you will not have a bit of rest for thousands of lives over<br>
myriad kalpas. Reflect upon this carefully and try to arrive<br>
at this realm fully. Without depending on others, by being<br>
completely alone you will be like the vast sky when you open<br>
up to the TRUTH.<br>
Now, tell me, how can I communicate even a bit of this<br>
principle?</font></strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The old
valley stream; its icy spring is hidden from all eyes;<br>
No traveller is permitted to penetrate its ultimate depths.</font></strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif" size="5"><a name="a6" id="a6"></a></font></strong></font><font size="3"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Danxia Tianran (739-824)
</font></strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
compiled by Satyavayu of Touching Earth Sangha <br>
Pgina 20
danxia.txt
<a href="http://touchingearth.info/dregs/"
target="_blank">http://touchingearth.info/dregs/</a></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
Master Danxia Tianran was from Dengzhou in Henan province. As a youth he was an
avid scholar, and, as was expected of his class, he was headed for a career as a
government official. On his way to the capital city of Chang'an to take the civil
service examinations, he met a monk who greatly impressed him, and convinced him
that the life of a bureaucrat was worthless compared to a life of practicing the
Way. So the young man changed course and headed toward the Heng Mountains where he
met Master Shitou and joined his community.<br>
Skeptical of the need to become an official monk, he worked as a layman in the
temple kitchen for the three years of his training with Master Shitou.. Finally, at
the end of his time there, he agreed to receive ordination from the master, and
became the monk Tianran. Then he began a long period of traveling to visit other
teachers. He visited and practiced at least briefly with many of the well-known
masters of his day, including Master Ma in Jiangxi, Nanyang Huizhong in Chang'an,
and the Oxhead School teacher Master Daoqin on Jing Mountain in Hangzhou. He was
also close friends with the traveling lay practitioner Pangyun, who shared his
disdain for monastic piousness.<br>
Master Tianran is most famous for the following story from his travels: One cold
winter day while he was staying at the Wisdom Woods Monastery in Dongjing, Tianran,
finding no firewood, took a wooden statue of the Buddha and burned it in the fire
to get warm. The temple director saw this, got upset, and yelled, Why are you
burning the Buddha?<br>
Tianran pulled some embers from the fire and said, I'm burning this buddha to get
the sacred relics.<br>
The director said, How can a wooden buddha have sacred relics?<br>
Tainran said, Well, if it doesn't, let's burn a couple more of them!</font></p>
<p> <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tianran eventually
returned to his home region of Dengzhou in Henan and settled in a hermitage on
Danxia (Red Cloud) Mountain. When he began to attract many students, a large
monastery was built for him. <br>
Once the monk Wuxue came to study with him. He asked the master, What is the
teaching of all the awakened ones?<br>
Master Danxia Tianran exclaimed, Fortunately, life is fundamentally wonderful!
Why do you need to take up a dust rag and broom? <br>
Wuxue retreated three steps.<br>
The master said, Wrong.<br>
Wuxue again came forward.<br>
The master said, Wrong. Wrong.<br>
Wuxue then lifted one foot in the air, spun around in a circle, and started to go
out.<br>
Master Tianran said, Such an answer! It's turning your back on all the awakened
ones.<br>
Upon hearing these words, Wuxue had a clear understanding...</font></p>
<p align="center"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">* * *
</font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">All of you here must
Pgina 21
danxia.txt
take care of this practice place. The things in this place were not made or named
by you have they not been given as offerings? When I studied with master Shitou
he told me that I must personally protect these things. There is no need for
further discussion. <br>
Each of you here has a place to put your cushion and sit. Why do you suspect you
need something else? Is Zen something you can explain? Is an awakened being
something you can become? I don't want to hear a single word about Buddhism. <br>
All of you look and see! Skillful practices and the boundless mind of kindness,
compassion, joy, and detachment these things aren't received from someplace else.
Not an inch of these things can be grasped... Do you still want to go seeking after
something? Don't go using some sacred scriptures to look for emptiness!<br>
These days students of spirituality are busy with the latest ideas, practicing
various meditations and asking about the way. I don't have any way for you to
practice here, and there isn't any doctrine to be confirmed. Just eat and drink.
Everyone can do that. Don't hold on to doubt. It's the same everyplace!<br>
Just recognize that Shakyamuni Buddha was a regular old fellow. You must see for
yourself. Don't spend your life trying to win some competitive trophy, blindly
misleading other blind people, all of you marching right into hell, struggling in
duality. I've nothing more to say. Take care!</font></p>
<blockquote>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Based on a
translation by Andy Ferguson of Danxia's record in the Song Dynasty
collections</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p align="left"><strong><font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif" size="5"><a name="m1"
id="m1"></a></font></strong></font><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"><img src="https://terebess.hu/zen/magyar.gif" width="36" height="25"
border="0"><br>
</font><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <img
width="556" height="475" src="https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/danxia.jpg" alt="
<wbr>- <wbr>">
</font></strong></p>
<p align="left"><strong><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif">Tan-hszia Tien-zsan (739-824) <br>
</font></strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="2">Fordtotta: Hamvas Bla<br>
<em>Anthologia humana</em></font></p>
<p><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Tan-hszia egy
tlen, amikor rendkvl hideg volt, a kolostor templomnak fbl kszlt
Buddha-szobrt tzre dobta, s ott melegedett. A templomszolga azt krdezte:<br>
- Hogyan merted Buddhmat elgetni?<br>
Tan-hszia erre plcjval a hamuban keresglni kezdett.<br>
- A halhatatlan rszeket keresem itt az szkben.<br>
- Hogyan ghettek el a szobor halhatatlan rszei?<br>
Pgina 22
danxia.txt
- Ha nincsenek, akkor tzre tehetem a tbbi fa Buddht is?<br>
Ksbb egy bart a szobor elgetsnek krlmnyei fell krdezskdtt. A Mester
gy szlt:<br>
- Ha hideg van, a tzhely kr lnk s a fa lngol.<br>
- Bn volt vagy sem?<br>
- Ha meleg van, a folypartra megynk a bambuszndasba.</font></b></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p align="left"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="3"><strong><font size="2"><strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif" size="5"><a name="m2"
id="m2"></a></font></strong></font></strong>Tan-hszia Tien-zsan mondsaibl <br>
</font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="2">Fordtotta: Terebess Gbor <br>
<em>Folyik a hd,</em> Officina Nova, Budapest, 1990, 80. oldal </font>
<p align="left"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img
src="https://terebess.hu/keletkultinfo/tarnoczy/tarnoczi.jpg" width="218"
height="138"><br>
</font></b><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tarnczy
Zoltn illusztrcija</font>
<p><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2">Huj-csung*
ppen aludt, amikor Tan-hszia megltogatta. <br>
Itthon van a mestered? krdezte Tan-hszia a segdet. <br>
Itthon, de senkit se fogad. <br>
Rgtn felismerted a helyzetet dicsrte t Tan-hszia. <br>
A mesterem mg Buddht se fogadn tdtott a szerzetes. <br>
Tnyleg j tantvny vagy! Bszke lehet rd a mestered! dicsrte mg
egyszer Tan-hszia, aztn tjra indult. <br>
Amikor Huj-csung felbredt, Tan-jan gy hvtk a segdet elmeslte, hogy
bnt el a ltogatval. <br>
m a mester elverte, s kikergette a kolostorbl. </font></font></b>
<blockquote>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">*Nan-jang
Huj-csung (675-755) [

Nanyang Huizhong; jap.: Nany Ech</font>]</p>


</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p align="left">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="left">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="left"><strong><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif"> </font></strong></p>

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