Hakujushi

The Venerable Master Zhenji of Zhaozhou is the thirty-seventh generation from Shakyamuni Buddha. At sixty-one years of age, he first aroused the mind of enlightenment, left his household, and devoted himself to the study of the Way. At that time he made a vow, saying, "Even if one is a hundred years old, if they are inferior to me, I shall instruct them. Even if one is seven years old, if they surpass me, I shall inquire of them." Having made such a vow, he journeyed on pilgrimage to the south. While traveling to visit various masters, he arrived at Nanquan and requested an audience with the venerable master. It happened that Nanquan was resting in his quarters.

When the master came to attend upon him, Nanquan immediately asked, "From where have you recently departed?" The master said, "From Rui Xiang Yuan (Monastery of the Auspicious Image)." Nanquan said, "Then did you see the Auspicious Image?" The master said, "The Auspicious Image I did not see, but I did see a reclining tathagata." At that, Nanquan sat up and asked, "Are you a novice monk with a master, or a novice monk without a master?" The master replied, "A novice monk with a master." Nanquan said, "Who is your master?" The master said, "Early spring is still cold.

I humbly hope the Venerable Master's noble health is blessed with all good fortune." Nanquan immediately called the weinuo and said, "This novice monk should be lodged elsewhere." In this manner he resided and served under Nanquan, not going to any other place. He devoted himself to the work of practice for thirty years. Not a single moment of time was wasted; there was no engagement in miscellaneous affairs. Finally, after receiving the transmission of the Way and the teaching, he resided at Guanyin Monastery in Zhaozhou for another thirty years.

The manner of his abbacy was not the same as that commonly seen in other places. At one time he said, "In vain the smoke from my hearth labors, hoping for the four neighbors; steamed buns and dumplings parted from me years ago. Today, thinking of them, I vainly swallow my saliva. Sustained mindfulness is scant; sighs of lament are frequent. Among the hundred households, there is no good person. Those who come only say they seek some tea to drink; if they don't get tea to slurp, they leave and then get angry." It is pitiable—the hearth-smoke is rare, the single flavor is scarce. Mixed flavors I have not met with since years past. When someone from the hundred households comes, they seek tea. Those who do not seek tea do not come. The one who will bring tea will not be from the hundred households. Even if there are cloud-water travelers who recognize worth, there are no dragon-elephants with whom to strive to equal.

At another time, he said: “Considering the renunciants under heaven, how many could there be like me in their capacity as abbot? An earthen platform bed, a torn reed mat, an old elm-wood pillow, and no coverings at all. No benzoin incense is burned before the revered image; in the ashes, one smells only the odor of cow dung.” Through these words, we can know the purity of the temple gate. We should now learn from this trace. The assembly of monks was not large—it is said there were not even twenty—and this was because it is difficult to manage many. The monks’ hall was not large; there was no front or rear shelf. At night there was no lamplight; in winter, no charcoal fire. One could call it a pitiable livelihood for one’s later years. The conduct of the ancient buddhas was like this.

On one occasion, when the leg of the linked bed had rotted, he tied a piece of burnt wood to it with a vine, and years and months passed. When the administrative director reported that he would rebuild it, the Master did not permit it. This is a rare and outstanding trace of conduct. In ordinary circumstances, it is "after the meal's congee rice, not a single grain remains; idly facing the idle window and the dust in the cracks." Sometimes, picking up this taste, both the monastic community and his own person made a living for the daily use of tea and rice. Present-day later learners, in praising and extolling this disciplined practice, do not reach the Master's disciplined practice, yet they make emulating the ancients the disposition of their mind.

At one time, he addressed the assembly, saying, "For the thirty years I was in the south, I devoted myself single-mindedly to zazen. If you, my friends, wish to attain this great matter of primary importance, you must investigate and practice zazen. Should you practice for three years, five years, twenty years, or thirty years and say you have not attained the Way, then you may take this old monk's head, make it into a ladle, and use it to draw piss. I vow it shall be so." Truly, zazen for the discernment of the Way is the direct path of buddha-dharma; you must investigate and practice it.

Later, people said, "Zhaozhou is an ancient buddha.

A monk once asked the Great Master, "What is the meaning of the First Ancestor's coming from the West?" The Master said, "The cypress tree in the front garden." The monk said, "Venerable, do not show people using an object." The Master said, "I do not show people using an object." The monk said, "What is the meaning of the First Ancestor's coming from the West?" The Master said, "The cypress tree in the front garden." Although this one kōan originates from Zhaozhou, it is ultimately the place where all buddhas, with their whole body, have acted as masters. Who is this host? The principle to be understood now is that "the cypress tree in the front garden" is a teaching that is not an object.

"The meaning of the First Ancestor's coming from the West" is a teaching that is not an object. "The cypress tree" is a teaching that is not the self. This is because of "Venerable, do not show people using an object." This is because of "I do not show people using an object." Which venerable is obstructed by 'venerable'? If not obstructed, it must be 'I'. Which 'I' is obstructed by 'I'? Even if obstructed, it must be 'person'.

Which object would not be impeded by the 'meaning of coming from the West'? Because an object must necessarily be the 'meaning of coming from the West'. Nevertheless, it is not that the 'meaning of coming from the West' and an object are mutually dependent. The meaning of the First Ancestor's coming from the West is not necessarily the Shōbōgenzō Nehan Myōshin. It is "not mind," it is "not buddha," it is "not a thing." Now, the saying "What is the meaning of the First Ancestor's coming from the West?" is not merely asking; it is not merely two people attaining the same view. At the very moment of asking like this, not even one person can be seen; how much can the self attain?

Furthermore, in saying it, there is nothing that it is not. Therefore, it is "mistake, mistake." Because it is "mistake, mistake," it is "taking the mistake and going along with the mistake." How could it not be "receiving emptiness and meeting an echo"? Because the spiritual root is open and unobstructed, without facing toward or turning away, it is "the cypress tree in the front garden." Since it is not an object, it should not be in the cypress tree.

Even if it is an object, it is "I do not show people using an object," it is "Venerable, do not show people using an object." It is not an old shrine. Since it is not an old shrine, it is carried along buried. Since there is being carried along buried, it is "return my effort to me." Because it is "return my effort to me," it is "I do not show people using an object." Then, with what would one show people? It must be "I am also thus.

A monk asked the Great Master, "Does the cypress tree have buddha-nature or not?" The Great Master said, "It has." The monk said, "When will the cypress tree attain buddhahood?" The Great Master said, "Wait until empty space falls to the ground." The monk said, "When will empty space fall to the ground?" The Great Master said, "Wait until the cypress tree attains buddhahood." Now, we must listen to the Great Master's saying and not discard this monk's questioning. The Great Master's saying of "the time empty space falls to the ground" and "the time the cypress tree attains buddhahood" is not a saying of mutual waiting. He questions the cypress tree; he questions buddha-nature.

He questions attaining buddhahood; he questions the time. He questions empty space; he questions falling to the ground. Now, when the Great Master says to the monk, saying "It has," it is that the cypress tree has buddha-nature. By penetrating this saying, one should make the lifeblood of the buddhas and ancestors flow freely. That which is called "the cypress tree has buddha-nature" cannot be said ordinarily; it has never been said.

Since it has buddha-nature, its functioning essence should be clarified. Since it has buddha-nature, what now is the high or low of the cypress tree's rank? One should inquire into the length of its lifespan and stature; one should hear of its species, kind, and lineage. Furthermore, are all the hundreds and thousands of cypress trees of the same lineage, or of separate lineages? Could there be cypress trees that attain buddhahood, cypress trees that practice, cypress trees that arouse the mind? Although the cypress tree attains buddhahood, does it not possess practice, arousing the mind, and so on? What kind of causal connection is there between the cypress tree and empty space?

That the cypress tree's attaining buddhahood is certainly "waiting until empty space falls to the ground" means the cypress tree's tree-power is necessarily empty space. Is the cypress tree's stage the first stage of empty space, or its fruition stage? One should carefully investigate and study this. I will ask you in return, old man Zhao Zhou, since you too are a single withered cypress tree, have you understood such a vital matter?

Generally, "the cypress tree has buddha-nature" is not the realm of non-Buddhist paths or the two vehicles, nor is it within the hearing and seeing of sutra masters or treatise masters. How much less could it be expounded in the words and flowers of "withered wood and dead ashes"? Only those of Zhao Zhou's kind study and investigate it. Now, Zhao Zhou's saying "the cypress tree has buddha-nature" is: "Is the cypress tree obstructed by the cypress tree or not?" "Is buddha-nature obstructed by buddha-nature or not?" This saying has not yet been exhaustively investigated by one buddha or two buddhas.

Those with a buddha-face should not necessarily be able to exhaustively investigate this saying. Even among all buddhas, there may be buddhas who can say it and buddhas who cannot say it. That which is called "wait until empty space falls to the ground" is not speaking of something that cannot be. Each and every time the cypress tree attains buddhahood, empty space falls to the ground. The sound of its falling to the ground, which does not hide, surpasses a hundred thousand thunders.

The time the cypress tree attains buddhahood is, for a while, within the twelve periods of the day, yet it is also within thirteen periods. That empty space which falls to the ground is not only the empty space seen by ordinary beings and sages. Beyond this, there is one piece of empty space, unseen by other people; it is the one seeing of Zhao Zhou. The ground where empty space falls is also not the ground apprehended by ordinary beings and sages. Furthermore, there is one piece of ground, unreached by yin and yang; it is the one reaching of Zhao Zhou. The time of empty space falling to the ground, even if it is the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, must be waited for.

Who says that buddha-nature must necessarily attain buddhahood? Buddha-nature is the adornment after attaining buddhahood. Furthermore, there may also be a buddha-nature that is born together and studies together with attaining buddhahood. Therefore, the cypress tree and buddha-nature are not different sounds in the same key. Why must it be for the sake of the Way? One should investigate "What is this?