Butsukōjōji

The Great Master Wuben of Dongshan in Gao’an Prefecture, the ancestral master of Caoshan, is the true direct heir of the Great Master Wuzhu of Yunyan Mountain in Tanzhou. From the Tathāgata, he is the thirty-eighth ancestral master upward; from the self, he is the thirty-eighth ancestral master upward.

The Great Master once instructed the assembly, saying, “Only when you have fully realized the matter beyond the buddha do you have some share in speech.” A monk then asked, “What is this speech?” The Great Master said, “When there is speech, you, O Preceptor, do not hear it.” The monk said, “Does the Venerable also hear it or not?” The Master said, “Wait until I am not speaking, then you will hear.” The Way of the matter beyond the buddha spoken of now—the Great Master is its original ancestor. All other buddhas and ancestors have come to study and practice the Great Master’s Way and have fully realized the matter beyond the buddha. You should know that the matter beyond the buddha is not in the cause, nor is it in the fulfillment of the effect. Nevertheless, there is the realization and thorough investigation of not hearing at the time of speech.

Unless you reach beyond the buddha, you cannot fully realize the matter beyond the buddha; unless there is speech, you cannot fully realize the matter beyond the buddha. It is not a matter of manifestation, nor is it a matter of concealment. It is not a matter of giving, nor is it a matter of taking away. Therefore, when speech is fully present, that is the matter beyond the buddha. When the matter beyond the buddha is fully present, you, O Preceptor, do not hear it. “You, O Preceptor, do not hear it” means the matter beyond the buddha itself is not heard.

Since it is already the case that at the time of speech you do not hear, you should know that speech is not stained by hearing, nor is it stained by not hearing. Therefore, it is unrelated to hearing or not hearing. Whether it is said that within not hearing the Preceptor is hidden, or that within speech the Preceptor is hidden—it is a matter of encountering a person or not encountering a person, of being thus or not being thus. When you, O Preceptor, are speaking, that is precisely when you do not hear.

The essential meaning of that not hearing is: not hearing because it is obstructed by the bones of the tongue; not hearing because it is obstructed within the ear; not hearing because it is pierced through by the eye; not hearing because it is blocked off by body and mind. Because it is thus, it is not hearing. These should not be taken up and further called speech. Not hearing is not identical to speech; it is only that at the time of speech there is not hearing.

The “when there is speech, you, O Preceptor, do not hear it” of the ancestral master’s Way—even if the beginning and end of the Way of speech are like a vine leaning on a vine, speech should entangle speech; it is obstructed by speech. The monk said, “Does the Venerable also hear it or not?” This is not raising the Venerable and likening him to hearing-speech; raising hearing is furthermore not the Venerable, because it is not speech. Nevertheless, what the monk now doubts and discusses is his inquiry into whether one should study and practice immediate hearing at the time of speech or not.

For example, he intends to listen and grasp whether speech is precisely speech, and intends to listen and grasp whether “also hear” is precisely “also hear.” Yet even speaking in this way, it is not on your tongue. The ancestral master Dongshan’s “Wait until I am not speaking, then you will hear” should be clearly investigated. That is to say, precisely at the time of speaking, there is furthermore no immediate hearing. The full presence of immediate hearing should be at the time of not speaking. It is not that one idly sets aside the time of not speaking and then waits for not speaking.

At the time of immediate hearing, it is not that speech is regarded as a bystander; it is precisely because it is truly a bystander. At the time of immediate hearing, it is not that speech is put aside and stored somewhere over there; at the time of speech, it is not that immediate hearing intimately hides itself within the eye of speech and thunders. Therefore, even if it is you, O Preceptor, at the time of speech there is not hearing. Even if it is I, at the time of not speaking there is immediate hearing—this is having some share in speech; this is fully realizing the matter beyond the buddha.

For example, it is fully realizing immediate hearing at the time of speech. Therefore, it is “Wait until I am not speaking, then you will hear.” Yet, although it is thus, the matter beyond the buddha is not the matter prior to the Seven Buddhas; it is the matter beyond the Seven Buddhas.

The Great Ancestor Wuben Dashi instructed the assembly, saying, “You must know that there are Buddha-Transcending persons.” At that time, a monk asked, “What is a Buddha-Transcending person?” The Great Ancestor said, “Not Buddha.” Yunmen said, “It cannot be named, it cannot be described; therefore, it is said ‘not.’” Baofu said, “Buddha is not.” Fayan said, “As an expedient, it is called Buddha.” Generally, the one who is Buddha-Ancestor in the Buddha-Transcendent is the Great Ancestor Dongshan. The reason is, although there are many other Buddha-faces and Ancestor-faces, they have not yet even dreamt of the Way of Buddha-Transcendence.

Even if it were explained to those like Deshan and Linji, they could not accept it. Even if those like Yantou and Xuefeng pulverized their bodies, they would not be fit to receive a blow. The Great Ancestor Dongshan’s realization of the matter of Buddha-Transcendence, and phrases like “there is some small portion of speech” and “you must know there are Buddha-Transcending persons,” cannot be fully verified merely by the cultivation and verification of the three asamkhyeya kalpas or the one hundred great kalpas.

Only one who has engaged in the profound study of the Path may have this portion. You must know there are Buddha-Transcending persons. This is what is called the working of the vital spirit at play. Although it is so, one knows by raising up the ancient Buddha, one knows by raising a fist. One who sees in such a way knows there are Buddha-Transcending persons and knows there are no Buddha-Transcending persons. The present instruction to the assembly is not that one should become a Buddha-Transcending person, nor is it that one should meet a Buddha-Transcending person. It is only that for the time being, you must know there are Buddha-Transcending persons.

One who handles this critical point is precisely one who does not know there are Buddha-Transcending persons, who does not know there are no Buddha-Transcending persons. That Buddha-Transcending person—this is Not Buddha. When one is entangled in doubt, asking “Why ‘Not Buddha’?” one should consider: it is not said “Not Buddha” because it is before Buddha, nor is it said “Not Buddha” because it is after Buddha. It is not “Not Buddha” because it surpasses Buddha.

It is simply and solely because it is Buddha-Transcendent that it is Not Buddha. Saying “Not Buddha” is said because the Buddha’s face and eyes are cast off; it is said because the Buddha’s body and mind are cast off.

Zen Master Koboku of Tokyo Jōin [successor of Fuyō, posthumous name Hōjō], addressing the assembly, said: "Only when you know there is the matter of going beyond buddhas and patriarchs do you have a share in speaking. All you virtuous ones of Zen, tell me, what is this matter of going beyond buddhas and patriarchs? There is a son of a certain house. His six sense faculties are incomplete; his seventh consciousness is not whole. He is a great icchantika, devoid of the seed of buddhahood. Meeting a buddha, he kills the buddha; meeting a patriarch, he kills the patriarch. Heaven cannot hold him; hell has no gate to receive him.

Assembly, do you recognize this person?" After a long pause he said: "Facing him, there is no śāṇḍa; though sleep is abundant, dream-talk is plentiful." The so-called "six sense faculties are incomplete" means: the eyeballs have been swapped out by someone for mokugenji beads; the nostrils have been swapped out by someone for bamboo tubes; the skull has been borrowed by someone to make a shit-dipper. What is the principle of this swapping? It is for this reason the six sense faculties are incomplete.

Because the incomplete six sense faculties are so, they penetrate through the forge and become a golden buddha; they penetrate through the great sea and become a mud buddha; they penetrate through the flames and become a wooden buddha. The so-called "seventh consciousness is not whole" means it is a broken wooden dipper. Though it kills the buddha, it meets the buddha. Because it meets the buddha, it kills the buddha. If you intend to enter heaven, heaven immediately collapses; if you face hell, hell instantly bursts apart. Therefore, when you face it, your face breaks into a smile, and further, there is no śāṇḍa. Though sleep is abundant, dream-talk is still plentiful. You should know this principle is: "Raising the mountain, covering the ground, two know each other; jade and stone, the whole body, a hundred fragments smashed." Quietly investigate and work on Zen Master Koboku's address to the assembly; do not treat it carelessly.

Great Master Hongjue of Yunju Mountain visited his ancestor, Master Dongshan. Dongshan asked, "Venerable, what is your name?" Yunju said, "Daoying." Dongshan asked further, "Speak further of what is beyond." Yunju said, "If I speak of what is beyond, then it is not named Daoying." Dongshan said, "My response when I was with Yunyan was no different." Now, the way of teacher and disciple must be examined in detail.

So-called "what is beyond is not named Daoying" is Daoying's "what is beyond." One must study that within the Daoying of a moment ago there exists "what is beyond is not named Daoying." From the moment the principle of "what is beyond is not named Daoying" is fully realized, that is the true Daoying. Nevertheless, do not say that even within "what is beyond" there must be Daoying. For instance, even if, when hearing Dongshan's "Speak further of what is beyond," one presents one's understanding and declares, "What is beyond is further named Daoying," that itself should be "speaking of what is beyond." Why is this so? It is said: Daoying instantly leaps into the top of the head and hides the body. Though hiding the body, the shadow is exposed.

Zen Master Caoshan Benji called on his great ancestor, Master Dongshan. Dongshan asked, "Venerable, what is your name?" Caoshan said, "Benji." Dongshan said, "Say something beyond that." Caoshan said, "I do not say." Dongshan said, "Why do you not say?" The Master said, "It is not named Benji." Dongshan approved of this. That is to say, it is not that there is nothing to say beyond that; this is 'not saying.' Why do you not say? It is what is called 'not named Benji.' Therefore, the saying beyond that is 'not saying.' The 'not saying' beyond that is 'not naming.' The 'not named Benji' is the saying beyond that. For this reason, Benji is 'not named.' Therefore, there is 'not Benji,' there is the 'not named' of casting off, there is the 'Benji' of casting off.

Zen Master Hōshaku of Banshō says, "The single path of going beyond: a thousand sages do not transmit it." This so-called single path of going beyond is uniquely the Way of Banshō. It is not called the matter of going beyond, nor is it called the person of going beyond; it is called the single path of going beyond. Its essential meaning is that although a thousand sages vie to bring it forth, the single path of going beyond is not transmitted. "Not transmitted" means that the thousand sages protect the portion that is not transmitted. One should learn it like this. Furthermore, there is something more that should be said: the so-called thousand sages and thousand worthies are not nonexistent; yet even if they are worthies and sages, the single path of going beyond is not within the realm of worthies and sages.

Master Shanzhao of Zhimen Mountain, when a monk asked, "What is the matter beyond the buddha?" replied, "On top of the staff, sun and moon are raised." It is said: The sun and moon being obstructed by the staff—this is the matter beyond the buddha. When the sun and moon investigate and learn the staff, the entire universe grows dark. This is the matter beyond the buddha.

The sun and moon are not the staff; "on top of the staff" means the whole top of the staff.

In the assembly of Great Master Mujaku of Sekitō, Zen Master Dōkō of Tennō-ji asked, "What is the great meaning of the Buddha-dharma?" The master said, "Not attaining, not knowing." Dōkō said, "Above and beyond this, is there any further turning point or not?" The master said, "The vast sky does not hinder the white clouds from flying." It is said: Sekitō is in the second generation from Sōkei. The monk Dōkō of Tennō-ji is a disciple of Yakusan. Once he asked, "What is the great meaning of the Buddha-dharma?" This question is not something a beginner or late learner can bear. When one asks about the great meaning, it is spoken at the time when one should grasp the great meaning. Sekitō said, "Not attaining, not knowing." Know this: the Buddha-dharma has a great meaning at the very first thought, and it has a great meaning at the ultimate stage.

That great meaning is "not attaining." The arousing of the aspiration, the practice, and the realization are not nonexistent; they are "not attaining." That great meaning is "not knowing." Practice and realization are not nonexistent; practice and realization are not existent; they are "not knowing," they are "not attaining." Furthermore, that great meaning is "not attaining, not knowing." The holy truth, practice, and realization are not nonexistent; they are "not attaining, not knowing." The holy truth, practice, and realization are not existent; they are "not attaining, not knowing." Dōkō said, "Above and beyond this, is there any further turning point or not?" This means, if a turning point is fully present, then "above and beyond" is fully present.

"Turning point" means skillful means; "skillful means" means all buddhas, means all ancestors. In expressing this, there should be "further." Even if it is "further," one must not omit "further not"; there should be expression. "The vast sky does not hinder the white clouds from flying" is Sekitō's expression. The vast sky further does not hinder the vast sky.

Although it is said the vast sky does not hinder the flying of the vast sky, furthermore, the white clouds themselves do not hinder the white clouds. The flying of the white clouds is "does not hinder"; the flying of the white clouds further does not hinder the flying of the vast sky. "Does not hinder" in another is "does not hinder" in oneself; it is not a matter of requiring "does not hinder" on every face, nor is it a matter of preserving "does not hinder" in each individual.

Therefore, it is "does not hinder." He raises and presents the nature and characteristics of "the vast sky does not hinder the white clouds from flying." Precisely at such a time, raising the eyebrows of this eye of study, one sees clearly the coming of the Buddha, and one meets the coming of the ancestors. One meets the coming of oneself, and one meets the coming of others. This is made the principle of "one question, ten answers." Now, the "one question, ten answers" spoken of means: the one question, too, should be that person; the ten answers, too, should be that person.

Huangbo said, "Those who have left home must know there is a matter transmitted from the ancients. Even Great Master Farong of Niutou, under the Fourth Patriarch, spoke horizontally and spoke vertically, yet still did not know the pivotal barrier of the upward path. Only with this eye and brain can one distinguish the orthodox and heterodox schools." This "matter transmitted from the ancients" that Huangbo speaks of is the very matter rightly transmitted from ancient buddha to ancient buddha, ancestor to ancestor. This is called the treasury of the true dharma eye, the wondrous mind of nirvana.

Even if one says it exists within oneself, one must know it; even if one says it exists within oneself, one still does not know it. What has not been rightly transmitted by buddha after buddha has not even been seen in a dream. Huangbo, as Baizhang's dharma heir, surpassed Baizhang; as Mazu's dharma grandson, surpassed Mazu. Generally, among the ancestors for three or four generations, none were equal to Huangbo. Huangbo alone clarified that Niutou lacked two horns. The other buddhas and ancestors had not yet realized this.

Chan Master Farong of Niutou Mountain was a venerable elder under the Fourth Patriarch. His horizontal and vertical speaking, truly, compared to scripture masters and treatise masters, was not insufficient between the Western Heavens and the Eastern Land. Yet, it is regrettable that he did not know the pivotal barrier of the upward path, that he did not speak the pivotal barrier of the upward path. If one does not know the pivotal barrier transmitted from the ancients, how could one possibly discern the orthodox and heterodox in the buddhadharma? One is merely a fellow who learns phrases.

Therefore, knowing the pivotal barrier of the upward path, practicing the pivotal barrier of the upward path, and realizing the pivotal barrier of the upward path are not within the reach of mediocre streams. Where there is genuine effort, it necessarily manifests. What is called the matter of buddha-upward is, upon reaching buddha, advancing further to see buddha. It is the same as sentient beings seeing buddha. Therefore, if seeing buddha is the same as sentient beings seeing buddha, it is not seeing buddha.

If seeing buddha is like sentient beings seeing buddha, seeing buddha is mistaken. How much more so for the matter of buddha-upward? Know that the upward matter spoken of by Huangbo cannot be fathomed by the careless fellows of today. Even if the dharma path does not reach Farong's, or if the dharma path naturally equals Farong's, one would be a dharma brother to Farong. How could one know the pivotal barrier of the upward path? The other ten sages and three worthies and the like certainly did not know the pivotal barrier of the upward path. How much less could they open or close the pivotal barrier of the upward path? This essential principle is the eye of study and practice. To know the pivotal barrier of the upward path is to be a buddha-upward person; it is to fully realize the matter of buddha-upward.