A monk once asked Unmon, “The radiance serenely illuminates the whole vast universe . . .” Before he could finish the first line, Unmon suddenly interrupted, “Aren’t those the words of Chōsetsu Shūsai?” The monk replied, “Yes, they are.” Unmon said, “You have slipped up in the words.”
Afterwards, Zen Master Shishin brought the matter up and said, “Tell me, at what point did he slip?”
If, as regards this case, you have grasped Unmon’s lofty and unapproachable activity and how the monk slipped up in his words, you are worthy to become a teacher of men and heavenly beings. If you are not yet clear about it, you have not even saved yourself.
Angling in a swift stream,
Those greedy for bait will be caught;
If you open your mouth even a bit,
Your life will be lost.
There are three names in this koan, Master Unmon, Chōsetsu Shūsai, and Master Shishin. You have met Unmon before in Cases 15, 16, and 21. If you want to read about his life again, please refer to Case 15. Shishin Goshin, a Zen master of the Ōryū branch of Rinzai, is the Dharma successor of Master Soshin. It was while he was under Soshin’s guidance that he attained great enlightenment upon hearing the sound of the kyōsaku. He named himself Shishin, which means dead mind.
Now a word about Chōsetsu Shūsai, the author of the verse the monk began to quote. His family name is Chō. Setsu is his first name and literally means unskillful. Shūsai means an able student or a bright boy, but in ancient China it had a different meaning. It meant the man who has passed the government’s examination for screening applicants to high official positions.
In the beginning Chōsetsu went to Master Zengetsu for guidance in Zen but was later persuaded by his teacher to go to Master Sekisō. He did this and was asked by his new teacher to give his name. Chōsetsu told him, “My family name is Chō and my given name is Setsu.” Remember that setsu means unskillful. Sekisō said to him, “Though you may try to discover the substance of skillfulness, it can never be found. You say your name is Setsu. But where is unskillfulness?”
What Sekisō meant was, “Where is Setsu? Where is your substance? Where is your essential nature?” At this, Chōsetsu was suddenly enlightened. For the first time he realized a world where there is neither skillfulness nor unskillfulness. Setsu is nowhere. His whole substance is void. He expressed his enlightenment in the following verse:
The radiance serenely illuminates the whole vast universe,
Saints, common mortals, and other living creatures—all dwell in one house.
When no thought arises, total oneness is completely manifested;
If the six organs move even a little, it is covered with clouds.
If you want to cut off delusive passions and thoughts, the sickness increases all the more;
If you want to go towards absolute reality, this too is wrong.
In following the relations of the world there is no hindrance;
Both nirvana and life-and-death are no more than empty flowers.
To return to the koan, a monk wanted to ask Unmon a question by quoting from this verse. Before he could finish the first line, Unmon suddenly interrupted and said, “Aren’t those the words of Chōsetsu Shūsai?”
The monk said, “Yes, they are.”
Unmon said, “You have slipped up in the words.”
Later Master Shishin took up this case and asked the assembly of his disciples, “Tell me, at what point did he slip up in the words?” You must give me the answer in the dokusan room. I’ll give you a bit of a hint. This monk was asking for light when he was already in the light. It is just like a man hunting for his house when he is already in it. Or like the man who is living in his own house and, not knowing it, pays the rent.
When he quoted from Chōsetsu’s verse, “The radiance serenely illuminates the whole vast universe . . .” the monk was thinking of these words as Chōsetsu’s poem. He was, so to speak, looking for the radiance outside of himself. Without a moment’s delay, Unmon gave a thrust saying, “Aren’t those the words of Chōsetsu Shusai?” which means, “Isn’t that a borrowed feather?”
The stupid monk answered, “Yes.”
Unmon could only reply, “You have slipped up in the words.”
We must all see our own radiance within ourselves. The flowers, the grass, the wall, the pillar, they are the radiance of the eye. The ticking of the clock, the barking of the dog, the hacking of a cough, these are the radiance of the ear. It’s cold! It’s hot! Ouch! It’s itchy! These are the radiance of the body. To be glad, sad, full of love, or full of hate, all these are the radiance of the mind. Every radiance is nothing other than the radiance of our true self. How will you answer when you realize Unmon’s question?
“If, as regards this case, you have grasped Unmon’s lofty and unapproachable activity and how the monk slipped up in his words, you are worthy to become a teacher of men and heavenly beings. If you are not yet clear about it, you have not even saved yourself.”
Unmon’s way of guiding his disciples is lofty and unapproachable. He interrupted the monk’s words before he could finish quoting the first line. I hope you will be able to appreciate the extremely high standard and inimitable skill of Unmon’s way of teaching. His examination is very sharp and as quick as a flash of lightning. No one, not even Buddhas and patriarchs, can approach him.
Angling in a swift stream,
Those greedy for bait will be caught;
If you open your mouth even a bit,
Your life will be lost.
“Angling in a swift stream” refers to Unmon’s abrupt interruption. The monk was caught when he replied, “Yes.” He is still not enlightened and is searching for the radiance outside of himself. That is being greedy for bait.
“If you open your mouth even a bit, your life will be lost” means that as long as you have any concepts about radiance and try to explain it intellectually, your essential life will be lost. The only way to avoid being caught by the angler in the swift stream is to attain enlightenment.