Shohō Jissō

The realization of the buddhas and ancestors is the ultimate reality of thorough investigation. Ultimate reality is all dharmas. All dharmas are such appearance, such nature. Such body, such mind. Such world, such clouds and rain. Such walking, standing, sitting, and lying down; such sorrow, joy, action, and stillness. Such staff and whisk; such picking up a flower and breaking into a smile. Such succession in the Dharma and conferring of prediction. Such study and practice of the Way.

Such the integrity of the pine and the node of the bamboo. Śākyamuni Buddha said, "Only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate reality of all dharmas." Namely, all dharmas: such appearance, such nature, such essence, such power, such activity, such cause, such condition, such effect, such retribution, such fundamental and ancillary, complete equality. What is called the fundamental and ancillary, complete equality of the Tathāgata's Way is the self-expression of the ultimate reality of all dharmas. It is the master's self-expression.

It is the one equality of study; because study is one equality, "only a buddha together with a buddha" is the ultimate reality of all dharmas. The ultimate reality of all dharmas is "only a buddha together with a buddha." "Only a buddha" is ultimate reality; "together with a buddha" is all dharmas. Hearing the Way of all dharmas, one should study it as one, not study it as many. Hearing the Way of ultimate reality, one should learn that it is not empty and learn that it is not nature.

The "ultimate" is "only a buddha"; the "reality" is "together with a buddha." "Can" is "only a buddha"; "thoroughly investigate" is "together with a buddha." All dharmas are "only a buddha"; ultimate reality is "together with a buddha." When all dharmas are precisely all dharmas, it is called "only a buddha." When all dharmas are now ultimate reality, it is called "together with a buddha." Therefore, all dharmas themselves being all dharmas have such appearance, such nature. Ultimate reality precisely being ultimate reality has such appearance, such nature.

The appearance in the world of "only a buddha together with a buddha" is the expression, practice, and verification of the ultimate reality of all dharmas. That expression is "can thoroughly investigate." Although it is "thoroughly investigate," it must be "can." Because it is not in the beginning, middle, or end, it is such appearance, such nature. Therefore it is called good in the beginning, middle, and end. "Can thoroughly investigate" is the ultimate reality of all dharmas. The ultimate reality of all dharmas is such appearance. Such appearance is "can thoroughly investigate" such nature. Such nature is "can thoroughly investigate" such essence.

Such essence is "can thoroughly investigate" such power. Such power is "can thoroughly investigate" such activity. Such activity is "can thoroughly investigate" such cause. Such cause is "can thoroughly investigate" such condition. Such condition is "can thoroughly investigate" such effect. Such effect is "can thoroughly investigate" such retribution. Such retribution is "can thoroughly investigate" the fundamental and ancillary, complete equality.

The expression of fundamental and ancillary, complete equality is precisely the suchness of realization. Therefore, the fruit of fruition is not the fruit of cause and effect. For this reason, the fruit of cause and effect must be precisely the fruit of fruition. Because this fruit mutually obstructs appearance, nature, essence, and power, the appearance, nature, essence, power, etc., of all dharmas, however immeasurable and boundless, are ultimate reality. Because this fruit does not obstruct appearance, nature, essence, and power, the appearance, nature, essence, power, etc., of all dharmas are together ultimate reality.

When these appearance, nature, essence, power, etc., are left to the mutual obstruction of effect, retribution, cause, condition, etc., there is an eighty or ninety percent Way. When these appearance, nature, essence, power, etc., are left to the non-obstruction of effect, retribution, cause, condition, etc., there is a one hundred percent Way. What is called such appearance is not one appearance. Such appearance is not one suchness. It is immeasurable, boundless, inexpressible, unfathomable suchness.

One should not take hundreds and thousands of measures as the measure; one should take the measure of all dharmas as the measure; one should take the measure of ultimate reality as the measure.

The reason is: only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate reality of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate nature of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate essence of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate power of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate activity of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate cause of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate condition of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate effect of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate retribution of all dharmas, only a buddha together with a buddha can thoroughly investigate the ultimate fundamental and ancillary, complete equality of all dharmas.

Because there is such principle, the buddha lands in the ten directions are only "only a buddha together with a buddha"; furthermore, there is not a single one or half a one that is not "only a buddha together with a buddha." "Only" and "together with" are, for example, like essence possessing essence, appearance verifying appearance. It is also like taking nature as essence and preserving nature. Therefore it is said, "I and the buddhas of the ten directions can know this matter." Thus, the very moment of "can thoroughly investigate" and the very moment of "can know this" are equally the being-time of each face.

If I were the same as or different from the buddhas of the ten directions, how could I realize the expression of "and the buddhas of the ten directions"? Because there are no ten directions on this head, the ten directions are this head. Therefore, to say that ultimate reality appears in all dharmas is: spring enters the flowers, people meet spring. The moon illuminates the moon, people meet themselves. Or when people see water, it is equally the principle of mutual appearance.

Therefore, studying ultimate reality with ultimate reality is succeeding in the Dharma from buddha to buddha. This is conferring prediction on all dharmas with all dharmas. It is transmitting the Dharma for the sake of "only a buddha" by "only a buddha," and succeeding in the Dharma for the sake of "together with a buddha" by "together with a buddha." Therefore there is birth and death, coming and going. Therefore there is arousing the mind, practice, awakening, and nirvana. Raising up arousing the mind, practice, awakening, and nirvana to investigate and receive the true human body of birth and death, coming and going, one holds fast and lets go.

Taking this as the life vein, flowers bloom and bear fruit. Taking this as the marrow, there are Mahākāśyapa and Ānanda. The such appearance of wind, rain, water, and fire is precisely thorough investigation. The such nature of blue, yellow, red, and white is precisely thorough investigation. By this essence and power, one turns from ordinary to sage; by this effect and retribution, one surpasses buddha and transcends ancestor.

By this cause and condition, there is grasping earth to make gold; by this effect and retribution, there is transmitting the Dharma and handing over the robe.

The Way of the Tathāgata is expounded as the seal of true reality. It should be said that it is practiced as the seal of true reality. It is heard as the seal of true nature. It is realized as the seal of true essence. One should investigate in this manner and exhaustively penetrate in this manner. Its essential principle is, for example, like a pearl rolling across a tray, like a tray rolling across a pearl.

The Buddha Nikkō Tōmyō said, "The meaning of the true aspect of all phenomena, I have already expounded for you all." In studying this expression, one must investigate that the buddhas and ancestors invariably take the exposition of the meaning of the true aspect as the one great matter. The buddhas and ancestors open and expound the meaning of the true aspect together with the eighteen realms. It is the speaking of the nature, essence, power, and so on of the true aspect that is the body-mind before, the body-mind after, and precisely when the body-mind is.

Not exhausting the true aspect, not explaining the true aspect, not realizing the true aspect, or not failing to realize the true aspect—this is not to be a buddha or ancestor. It is to be of the party of demons and beasts.

The path of Shakyamuni Buddha, and the supreme perfect enlightenment of all bodhisattvas, all belong to this sutra. This sutra opens the gate of skillful means and reveals the true reality. That is to say, all bodhisattvas are all buddhas. Buddhas and bodhisattvas are not different categories. There is no senior or junior, no superior or inferior. This bodhisattva and that bodhisattva are not two persons, not self and other. Although they are not separate individuals across past, present, and future, becoming a buddha is the dharma standard of practicing the bodhisattva path.

One becomes a buddha at the initial arousing of the mind, and one becomes a buddha at the wondrous stage of enlightenment. There are bodhisattvas who have become buddhas countless hundreds of thousands of billions of times. To say that after becoming a buddha one abandons practice and has nothing further to do is the view of an ordinary person who does not yet know the Way of the buddhas and ancestors. That is to say, all bodhisattvas are the original ancestors of all bodhisattvas. All buddhas are the original teachers of all bodhisattvas.

This unsurpassed enlightenment of the buddhas, whether cultivated and realized in the past, cultivated and realized in the present, or cultivated and realized in the future, whether the body realizes first and the mind later, or the mind first and the body later—its beginning, middle, and end are all this sutra. That which belongs and that to which it belongs are equally this sutra. At this very moment of suchness, it is this sutra that verifies all bodhisattvas. The sutra is not sentient, the sutra is not insentient. The sutra is not conditioned, the sutra is not unconditioned.

Nevertheless, when one verifies enlightenment, verifies the person, verifies the true reality, and verifies this sutra, one opens the gate of skillful means. The gate of skillful means is the unsurpassed merit of buddhahood. The dharma abides in its dharma position; the worldly aspect is eternal. The gate of skillful means is not a temporary device; it is the study and practice that fills the worlds of the ten directions. It is taking up the true reality of all dharmas and engaging in study and practice.

When this gate of skillful means appears, though it covers and fills the worlds of the ten directions, unless one is all bodhisattvas, it is not one's realm. Xuefeng said, "The whole great earth is a gate of liberation, yet people dragged along will not enter." Therefore, know that even if the whole earth and all realms are a gate, entering and exiting is not easy. The entering and exiting is not large. Dragged in, one does not enter or exit. Not dragged, one does not enter or exit. Those who step forward will surely err. Those who step back will surely stagnate. Furthermore, what then? If one raises a person to enter and exit the gate, the gate becomes ever more distant.

If one raises the gate for the person to enter, there is a distinction of entering and exiting. To open the gate of skillful means is to reveal the true reality. To reveal the true reality is to cover the moment, severing the beginning, middle, and end. The principle of the true opening of the gate of skillful means is to open the gate of skillful means throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

At this very moment, if one directly gazes upon the worlds of the ten directions, there is an appearance never seen before. That is to say, one takes up the worlds of the ten directions, one piece, two pieces, three items, four items, and makes them open the gate of skillful means. Therefore, although it appears uniformly as opening the gate of skillful means, it seems that these many worlds of the ten directions have obtained a small portion of opening the gate of skillful means and made it their present face. Such a refined style is, nonetheless, the power of belonging to the sutra.

To reveal the true reality is to have the words and phrases of the true reality of all dharmas heard throughout all realms; it is to attain the Way throughout all realms. It is to have the principle of the true reality of all dharmas apprehended by all people; it is to have it appear in all dharmas. Therefore, the unsurpassed enlightenment of the forty buddhas and forty ancestors all belongs to this sutra. It belongs to this sutra; this sutra belongs. The supreme enlightenment of the sitting mat and meditation board all belongs here.

Holding up a flower and breaking into a smile, bowing in respect and attaining the marrow—all equally belong to this sutra; they are what belongs to this sutra. It opens the gate of skillful means and reveals the true reality.

However, in recent times, the reckless fellows in the great Song dynasty do not know the place of falling, and do not see the treasure ground. They treat the words of true reality as if they were empty talk, and further, they cite the sayings of Laozi and Zhuangzi. Using this, they say that these are all the same as the great Way of the buddhas and ancestors. They also say that the three teachings must be in agreement. Some say the three teachings are like the three legs of a tripod; if even one is missing, it will topple. The extreme foolishness of this is such that there is nothing to take as an example.

Even if there are fellows who speak such words, they must not be permitted to have heard the Buddha-Dharma. Why is this? Because the Buddha-Dharma takes India as its origin. During his eighty years in the world, teaching the Dharma for fifty years, he flourished in transforming humans and gods. He transformed all beings, causing them all to enter the Buddha-Way. Since then, it has been authentically transmitted through twenty-eight ancestors. This is considered the flourishing, the most subtle and supreme. All the non-Buddhist paths and heavenly demons have been entirely subdued.

The humans and gods who attain buddhahood and become buddhas are beyond count. Yet, even before Confucianism and Daoism were brought to the land of China, there was no talk of any insufficiency in the Buddha-Way. If it were decisively so that the three teachings are in agreement, then when the Buddha-Dharma appeared in India, Confucian and Daoist teachings and such should have appeared simultaneously there as well. Yet, the Buddha-Dharma is "in heaven and on earth, I alone am the honored one." One should reflect on the matter of that time; one must not forget or mistake it.

The words "three teachings in agreement" do not even reach the level of a small child's speech; they are fellows who destroy the Buddha-Dharma. Such fellows alone have become numerous. Some appear as guides for humans and gods, some have become teachers to emperors. This is the time of the decline and shallowness of the Buddha-Dharma in the great Song. My late teacher, the ancient buddha, deeply warned about this matter. Such fellows are seeds of the two vehicles and non-Buddhist paths. Such types do not even know that true reality should exist, and already two or three hundred years have passed.

They only say that by studying the true Dharma of the buddhas and ancestors, one should escape from transmigration through birth and death. Or, many do not even know what it is like to study the true Dharma of the buddhas and ancestors. They merely think of it as the formal training of residing in a monastery. It is pitiable, this abandonment of the Way of the ancestors. It is something greatly lamented by venerable elders who possess the Way. The sayings produced by such fellows must not be listened to; it is pitiable.

Master Yuanwu says, "Coming and going in birth and death—this is the true human body." One should take up this expression and, knowing oneself, investigate the Buddha Dharma. Master Changsha says, "The entire ten-direction world is the true human body. The entire ten-direction world is within one's own luminous light." The elders and senior monks throughout the great Song country today do not even know such expressions as a principle to be studied, much less do they study them. If they were to bring them up, they would only blush and be left speechless.

My late teacher, the ancient buddha, said, "Nowadays, the elders in various places have no illumination of the ancient, no illumination of the present. They have never possessed the principle of the Buddha Dharma. When the entire ten-direction world is equally raised like this, how could they know it? It seems they have never even listened over there." After hearing this, I questioned the elders in various places, and truly few had listened to it.

It is pitiful that they defile their office with empty talk.

Master Ying'an Tanhua, incidentally instructing Dehui Dade, said, "If you wish for easy understanding, just turn to the place of arising mind and moving thoughts within the twelve hours. Only, by immediately taking up this moving thought, directly and suddenly penetrate that it is ungraspable like great empty space; also, that empty space has no form or measure. When this is thoroughly penetrated, inside and outside are one thusness, knowing and object both vanish, mysterious understanding is entirely lost, and the three times are equal.

Arriving at this ground is called the idle wayfarer of ceasing learning and non-doing." This is a phrase the old man Ying'an exerted his strength to utter. This is merely like chasing a shadow without knowing rest. When inside and outside are one thusness, could there be any buddhadharma? What is this inside and outside? Also, to take empty space as having form and measure is the speaking of the buddhas and ancestors. What is called empty space? I consider that Ying'an does not yet know empty space, does not see empty space, does not grasp empty space, does not sing of empty space.

Speaking of arising mind and moving thoughts, there is a principle that mind has not yet moved. How could there be arising mind within the twelve hours? Within the twelve hours, mind cannot come or enter. The twelve hours do not come within the twelve minds; how much less could there be arising mind? What is meant by moving thought? Does thought move or not move? Does it do moving and not moving, or does it not do moving and not moving? What is the 'doing what' of moving? And what is the 'doing what' of not moving? What is called thought? Does thought exist within the twelve hours? Do the twelve hours exist within thought? Could it exist when it is not at either end?

To say that if you turn to the twelve hours it will be easy to understand—what thing should be easily understood? Speaking of easy understanding, does it refer to the Way of the buddhas and ancestors? If so, because the buddha-way is neither easy to understand nor difficult to understand, Nanyue and Jiangxi long followed a master and practiced the Way. Speaking of suddenly penetrating the ungraspable—he has not yet dreamt of the Way of the buddhas and ancestors.

How could such capacity be worthy of the place of wishing for easy understanding? I have measured and known that he has not yet fully investigated the great Way of the buddhas and ancestors. If buddhadharma were like this, how could it have reached the present day? Ying'an is still like this. If we seek among the present elders of the various mountains one like Ying'an, we would not meet one even in countless eons. Even if our eyes were to gaze upward, we would not see an elder equal to Ying'an. Many recent people approve of Ying'an. However, it is difficult to approve that buddhadharma reached Ying'an. He should only be said to be a junior in the assembly, ordinary. Why?

Because Ying'an has the vigor that should be known by people. The fellows of the present time cannot know people because they do not know themselves. Although Ying'an is said to be unfulfilled, he has learning of the Way; the present elders have no learning of the Way. Although Ying'an hears good words, they do not enter his ear; he does not see with his ear. They do not enter his eye; he only does not hear with his eye. Although Ying'an was like that in the past, perhaps now he has self-awakening.

The present elders of the various mountains of Great Song do not observe Ying'an's inside and outside; their voices and appearances are all not the realm. With such fellows, the true aspect spoken by the buddhas and ancestors is the Way of the buddhas and ancestors; even if it is not the Way of the buddhas and ancestors, it cannot be known. Therefore, the fellows of the elders' arbitrary views over the last two or three hundred years are all those who have not seen the Way come, the true aspect.

Our late master, the Ancient Buddha of Tiantong, one night in the abbot’s quarters during a fusetsu discourse, said: “Tonight at Tiantong there is a calf; the yellow-faced Gautama holds up true reality. If you wish to buy it, how can there be a fixed price? A single call of the cuckoo, above the solitary cloud.” Since it is thus, the venerable elders who are accomplished in the Buddha Way speak of true reality. Those who do not know the Buddha Dharma and have not trained in the Buddha Way do not speak of true reality. This expression of the Way occurred around the third month of spring in the second year of Baoqing of the Great Song, the cyclical year bingxu.

As the night reached nearly the fourth watch, three beats of the drum were heard from the upper quarters. Taking my sitting mat and donning my kāṣāya, I exited through the front gate of the meditation hall; the board for entering the room was hung. First following the assembly, I arrived at the Dharma Hall. Passing along the western wall of the Dharma Hall, I ascended the western steps of the Hall of Quiescent Light.

Passing before the western wall of the Hall of Quient Light, I ascended the western steps of the Great Storehouse of Illumination. The Great Storehouse of Illumination is the abbot’s quarters. Coming from the south of the western screen to the vicinity of the incense stand, I offered incense and made prostrations. Thinking the assembly would be lined up here in goose formation for entering the room, not a single monk was visible. The curtain of the Sublime High Seat was lowered, and faintly the Dharma voice of the abbot great monk could be heard.

At that time, the senior monk Zukun from Xichuan, the ino, arrived and likewise finished offering incense and making prostrations; peeking secretly at the Sublime High Seat, the full assembly stood crowded together, regardless of east or west side. At that time there was a fusetsu; secretly entering and standing at the rear of the assembly, I listened. The circumstances of Zen Master Fachang of Damei taking up residence on the mountain were raised. At the point about wearing lotus leaves and eating pine needles, many in the assembly shed tears.

The circumstances of Śākyamuni Buddha’s ango on Vulture Peak were raised in detail. Many of those listening shed tears. The ango at Tiantong Mountain was near, and now in springtime, it is neither cold nor hot, a good season for sitting meditation. Brothers, why not sit in meditation? Having discoursed thus, there was now a verse. Finishing the verse, striking once the right edge of the Zen chair with his right hand, he said: “You may enter the room.” In the entering-the-room talk he said: “The cuckoo cries, the mountain bamboo splits.” There was such an entering-the-room talk; there was no other talk.

Although the assembly was large, no one offered a concluding verse; they were merely awestruck. This ceremony of entering the room did not yet exist in other places. Only our late master, the Ancient Buddha of Tiantong, performed this ceremony. At the time of the fusetsu, chairs and screens were arranged around, and the great assembly stood like clouds. Just as they were, standing like clouds, when a monk at his convenience entered the room, the person who finished entering the room would, as usual, exit through the abbot’s door.

Those who remained simply stood as before, so the dignified conduct and movements of the person entering the room, together with the demeanor of the abbot monk and the entering-the-room talk, were all seen and heard. This ceremony did not yet exist in other places elsewhere. Other elders likely did not have this ceremony. At other times for entering the room, one would strive to enter before others. In this entering the room, one would strive to enter after others. This difference in people’s minds and the Way must not be forgotten. From then until reaching the first year of Kangen in Japan, the cyclical year guimao, a full eighteen years passed swiftly within the scenery.

From Tiantong to this mountain, I do not recall how many mountains and waters there were, but the true reality of the beautiful words and extraordinary phrases has been engraved in my body, mind, bones, and marrow. That fusetsu and entering the room, I think, are difficult for many in the assembly to forget. That night, a faint moon barely spilled from the tower, and although the cuckoo cried incessantly, it was a night of serene silence.

Master Xuansha Zongyi, while attending an assembly, heard the sound of a swallow and said, "You profoundly discuss true reality and skillfully expound the essential point of the dharma." Then he stepped down from the seat. Later, a monk sought instruction, saying, "I do not understand." The master said, "Go away. No one would believe you." The so-called "profoundly discuss true reality" means that the swallow alone profoundly discusses true reality, and Xuansha must have heard it. However, it is not exactly so. While attending the assembly, there is hearing the sound of the swallow.

It is not the swallow profoundly discussing true reality, nor is it Xuansha profoundly discussing true reality. Although it does not straddle both ends, right at this very moment, it is precisely "profoundly discuss true reality." For a while, one should thoroughly investigate this episode. There is attending the assembly, there is hearing the sound of the swallow, there is the utterance "profoundly discuss true reality, skillfully expound the essential point of the dharma," and there is stepping down from the seat.

Later, there is a monk seeking instruction, saying, "I do not understand." There is the master saying, "Go away. No one would believe you." "I do not understand"—this is not necessarily seeking instruction about true reality, yet it is the lifeblood of the buddhas and ancestors, the very marrow of the Shōbōgenzō. Know this: even if this monk, seeking instruction, were to say "I understand" or "I can explain it," Xuansha would surely say "Go away. No one would believe you." It is not said because he seeks instruction about not understanding what is understood.

Truly, even if it were not this monk, even if it were Zhang or Li, even if it were the true reality of all dharmas, at the very time and place where it directly communicates with the straightforward lifeblood of the buddhas and ancestors, the practice of true reality manifests in just this way. It has already manifested within Qingyuan's assembly. Know that true reality is the authentic lineage transmitted directly from master to disciple. All dharmas are the thorough investigation that is "only between buddha and buddha"; "only between buddha and buddha" is such form and marks.