Shunjū

Master Dongshan Wuben, when a monk asked, "When cold and heat come, how can one avoid them?" replied, "Why not go to the place where there is no cold or heat?" The monk asked, "What is the place where there is no cold or heat?" The master said, "When it is cold, the cold kills you; when it is hot, the heat kills you." Many have studied this kōan, and now many must exert themselves in practice. Buddhas and ancestors invariably come and participate; those who come and participate are buddhas and ancestors. Buddhas and ancestors, in the Western Heavens and Eastern Lands, past and present, have often made this kōan their true face.

This true face of the kōan is the public case of the buddhas and ancestors. Therefore, the monk's question, "When cold and heat come, how can one avoid them?" must be thoroughly investigated. That is to say, it is the investigation of the very moment when cold arrives and the very moment when heat arrives. This cold and heat are wholly cold, wholly heat; they are cold and heat from themselves.

Because they are from themselves, when the time of arrival comes, they arrive from the very crown of cold and heat themselves; they appear before the very eyes of cold and heat themselves. This crown is the place where there is no cold or heat. Within these eyes is the place where there is no cold or heat. The ancestral master Dongshan's "When it is cold, the cold kills you; when it is hot, the heat kills you" is the very message of the time of arrival. So-called "when it is cold," even if you say "the cold kills," does not necessarily mean "when it is hot" you must say "the heat kills." Cold is thoroughly, completely cold; heat is thoroughly, completely heat. Even if you master ten thousand ways to avoid them, it is still exchanging head for tail. Cold is the living eye of the ancestral school; heat is the warm flesh of the former teachers.

Master Jōin Koboku, who succeeded Master Furō and whose posthumous name is Master Hōjō, said: Among the assembly they discuss and say, “This monk’s question already falls into the biased; Tōzan’s answer returns to the correct position. That monk, within the words, knows the tone and instead enters from the correct coming; Tōzan instead follows the biased going.” To discuss in this way is not only to slander and defile the ancient sages, but also to oppress and sink oneself. Do you not see it said: “When hearing the understanding of sentient beings, beneath the intention there is painting.

Though beautiful before the eyes, if stored long it becomes sickness.” Generally, lofty persons on pilgrimage who wish to exhaust this matter must first recognize and grasp the treasury of the true dharma eye of the ancestral teachers. As for the rest of the verbal teachings of buddhas and ancestors, what are they but the clatter of a hot bowl? Although it is thus, I venture to ask all of you: After all, how is it the place without cold or heat? Do you still understand?

“In the jade tower the kingfisher nests; in the golden hall mandarin ducks are locked.” The master is a distant descendant of Tōzan. Yet, many individuals err, dwelling in the cave of the biased and correct and intending to bow to the great ancestor Master Tōzan; this is sternly warned against. If the buddha-dharma were transmitted from discussions of biased and correct, how could it reach today? Some are wild kittens, some are field barn slaves; they have not yet investigated the inner hall of Tōzan. Even among those who have never traveled the threshold path of the buddha-dharma, they mistakenly say that Tōzan had the five ranks such as biased and correct to guide people. This is reckless talk and wild talk; it should not be seen or heard. One should simply investigate that there is the treasury of the true dharma eye of the ancestral teachers.

Hongzhi Zhengjue, Zen Master of Mount Tiantong in Qingyuan Prefecture, a dharma heir of Monk Danxia, whose posthumous name is Monk Zhengjue, said, "To discuss this matter is like two people playing go. If you do not respond to my move, I will deceive you and leave. If you realize it in this way, you will finally understand Dongshan's meaning." Tiantong cannot avoid adding a footnote. For a moment, it is not that there is no playing of go, but what is meant by 'two people'? If one speaks of 'two people playing go,' there should be eight eyes. If there are eight eyes, it is not playing go—how can this be? It should be said like this: playing go is one family; opponent and player meet.

Even though it is so, now one must set one's mind to the work of Hongzhi's saying, "If you do not respond to my move." One must turn one's body around and investigate thoroughly. "If you do not respond to my move" means you must not be me. "I will deceive you and leave"—do not let it pass by. There is mud within the mud. The one who treads washes his feet, and also washes the tassels. There is a pearl within the pearl. In illuminating, it illuminates the other and illuminates the self.

Master Yuanwu of Jiashan, who succeeded Master Fayan of Mount Wuzu and whose posthumous name is Monk Keqin, said, "The tray makes the pearl move; the pearl makes the tray move. The biased within the upright; the upright within the biased. The antelope hangs its horns leaving no trace; the hunting dog circles the forest treading on emptiness." Now, the Way of the tray making the pearl move is a radiance before and a severance after, rarely heard in past or present. In ancient times it was merely said, "It is as if the pearl running on the tray has no abiding attachment." Now the antelope hangs its horns in emptiness; now the forest circles the hunting dog.

The Venerable Mingjue of Zisheng Temple on Mount Xuedou in Qingyuan Prefecture, a successor of the Venerable Bei Ta Zuo, whose posthumous name is Venerable Chongxian, said: "To let the hand hang down is still the same as the ten-thousand-ren cliff; why must right and partial be deliberately arranged? The ancient hall of lapis lazuli is illuminated by the bright moon; the eager Korean hound vainly climbs the stairs." Xuedou was a Dharma-grandson in the third generation from Yunmen. He could be called a leather sack full of pilgrimage. Yet now, it is not necessarily so. Now, regarding the causal condition of the monk asking the mountain for instruction, it is not strictly a matter of letting the hand hang down or not letting it hang down, nor of appearing in the world or not appearing in the world. How much less would it employ the way of partial and right? If one does not employ the eye of partial and right, it is as if there is no point of engagement in this causal condition.

That it seems as if there is no handle for pilgrimage and inquiry is because one has not reached the frontier domain of the ancient patriarchs and has not been granted a glimpse of the great house of the Buddha Dharma. One should once more take up the straw sandals and go on pilgrimage. It is a mistake to idly say that the Buddha Dharma of the ancient patriarchs must be the five ranks of the right and the partial, and so on.

Master Shukaku of Tennei Temple in the Eastern Capital says, "Within the partial, there is the whole; within the whole, there is the partial. For a thousand years and a hundred, it has drifted and fallen among human beings. How many times has it wished to return, yet returning is not attained; before the gate, as ever, the grasses grow lush and deep." Although this is not necessarily speaking directly of "partial and whole," nevertheless he has picked it up and brought it forth. That he picks it up and brings it forth is not without reason; how could this be "within the partial, there is the whole"?

The monk Foguo of Mount Dawei in Tanzhou, a successor of Yuanwu, whose posthumous name is Fata, said: "I will show you the place beyond cold and heat; the withered tree blossoms once more. Laughable are those who carve the boat seeking the sword—they remain even now within cold ashes." This expression carries some measure of the power that treads upon and wears the public case.

Chan Master Wenzhun of Letan said, "In heat, be utterly hot; in cold, be utterly cold. Heat and cold, from the outset, are fundamentally of no concern. Having traveled to the ends of the earth, one becomes thoroughly familiar with worldly affairs: the Old Lord wears a crown of hemp-bark." Now, it should be asked: What about this principle of 'of no concern'? Speak quickly, speak quickly.

The monk Shouwei, known as the Buddha-Lamp Chan Master of Mount He in Huzhou, a successor to the Chan Master Fojian Huiqin of Taiping, said, "Regarding Dongshan's saying about the place without cold or heat—how many Chan practitioners lose their way there! When cold, they turn to the fire; when hot, they seek the cool. Their whole life is spent evading and avoiding cold and heat." Although this Master Wei is a dharma-grandson of the Fifth Patriarch Chan Master Fayun, his words are like those of a small child.

Nevertheless, after "their whole life is spent evading and avoiding cold and heat," there may later arise the accomplished style of an elder. It is said: "whole life" means exhausting life; "avoiding cold and heat" is casting off body and mind.

Generally speaking, the various generations in various places thus make offering and presentation of eulogies on old cases, taking up the two pieces of leather of the drum, yet they have not yet glimpsed the peripheral matter of our lofty ancestor Dongshan. Why is this? In the everyday activity of the buddhas and ancestors, because they do not know what cold and heat might be, they idly speak of "enjoying the cool" and "facing the fire." It is especially pitiable—what did you hear and grasp about cold and heat while at the side of you, venerable elder? It is lamentable—that the Way of the ancestors has fallen into disuse.

One should know this aspect of cold and heat, experience the season of cold and heat, and having mastered the use of cold and heat, should then eulogize the old cases and pick up the old cases as the Way shown by our lofty ancestor. If one is not yet thus, it is better to know one's fault. Even in the secular world, there are various aspects of sages and worthies who know the sun and moon and preserve the myriad things. There are various aspects of noble persons and foolish persons.

Do not mistakenly think that the cold and heat of the buddha-way is surely the same as the cold and heat of a foolish person. You must directly and earnestly study.