CHAPTER 19

Neo-Confucianism and the Sayings
and Doings of the Zen Masters

The previous quotations from Master Ming-chiao were concerned with the influence of Zen on the neo-Confucian thought of the Sung dynasty. Now I will select several examples of the sayings and doings of other Zen masters to bring to the attention of those who are researching Zen study and the neo-Confucian schools of the Sung and Ming dynasties. It is important not to take lip-service Zen or the subtle charm of Zen witticisms as the ultimate principle of Zen.

The Example of Master Yuan-t'ung Na

When Master Ta-chiao Lien first went to Mount Lu, Zen Master Yuan-t'ung Na, seeing him once, treated him as a person of great capacity for enlightenment. Someone asked Yuan-t'ung how he recognized Ta-chiao. Yuan-t'ung replied, "This man is balanced and upright, not biased. Whether active or at rest, he is noble and dignified. Furthermore, in his study of the Way his actions are appropriate, and his words are simple yet logically complete. Whenever people have endowments like this, seldom do they fail to become vessels of enlightenment."

In 1134 the emperor of China sent a court messenger with a letter to Master Yuan-t'ung Na, summoning him to become abbot at the great monastery Hsiao-tzu. Yuan-t'ung claimed to be unwell and did not rise to the summons. Instead, he sent a message that Ta-chiao was worthy to respond to the imperial command.

Someone said to Yuan-t'ung, "The emperor shows reverence for the virtue of the Way, and his benevolence covers the land. Why do you insist on refusing?"

Yuan-t'ung said, "I am unworthy of monkhood, and my seeing and hearing are not clear. I am lucky to rest in the forest, eating vegetables and drinking water. There was that which even the Buddhas and patriarchs did not do, to say nothing of others. An ancient philosopher said, 'It is hard to live long with a great name; when will there ever be contentment?' Therefore the great poet Su Tung-p'o once said, 'If you know peace, then you thrive; if you know contentment, then you are rich.'"

Avoiding fame to perfect modesty and integrity, good in the beginning and good at the end; this was realized in Yuan-t'ung Na.

The Example of Old Man Shun

Ta-chiao said, "Old Man Shun was simple and straightforward by nature. He did not know about such things as weights and measures and the prices of goods. He had a daily routine that he never lessened or varied. Even things like lighting the lamps and sweeping the ground he did all by himself. He once said, 'An ancient has admonished us, "A day without work, a day without food." Who am I!' Even as he grew old, his will became increasingly firmer. Someone asked him why he did not employ a servant. Old Man Shun answered, 'In the cold and heat my rising and sitting is irregular, and I do not want to trouble anyone.'"

Old Man Shun said, "In transmitting and upholding this Way, what is important is true reality in everything. Distinguishing false from true, getting rid of deluded feelings, is reality in governing the mind. Knowing cause and effect, understanding fault and merit, is reality in practical behavior. Spreading the virtues of the Way, receiving those who come from all quarters, is reality in abbothood. Assessing talents and capabilities to nominate officials in charge of duties is reality in employing people. Examining words and deeds, determining whether or not they are appropriate, is reality in seeking the wise. If one does not maintain reality but only flaunts empty repute, there is no benefit for truth. Therefore in people's behavior it is only essential to be sincerely genuine; if you keep to this without changing, then even safety and danger can be as one."

The Example of Master Fu-shan Yuan

Master Fu-shan Yuan said, "The ancients associated with guides and selected companions, never letting themselves slack off at any time. They were never hesitant to work hard, immersing themselves in common labor, even doing chores like husking grain and preparing food. I experienced this fully in the course of my own apprenticeship. However, as soon as there is any consideration of whether you will get any profit or incur any loss, as soon as there is any comparison of gaining and losing, then there will be no end of wavering and compromise. And as long as you are personally not upright, how can you learn the Way?"

The Example of Master Wu-tsu Fa-Yen

Master Wu-tsu Fa-Yen observed, "In the monastic communities of present times, when students of the Way do not become known and are not trusted by people, it is usually because their conduct is not purely good and their efforts for people are not truly appropriate. They may suddenly grab for fame and profit, showing off their embellishments all over. So they are criticized by those in the know. This obscures the essential wonder of truth. Even if such people have buddhistic virtues, when heard or seen they will be doubted and mistrusted. If you have a roof over your head someday, you should remember this to make yourself work."

Wu-tsu Fa-yen continued, "When my teacher's teacher was first living at Yang-ch'i, the old building had broken beams and was barely enough to give shelter from the wind and rain. One winter night, snow and sleet covered the benches, so that there was no place to sit. The monks earnestly asked him to let it be repaired, but the old master put them off, saying, 'Buddha said, "In the time of the eon of decline, even the high cliffs and deep valleys are changing and inconstant. How can you have it all completely as you wish, seeking satisfaction for yourself?" You have all left home to study the Way, but your behavior is frivolous. You are already forty to fifty years old; how can you have leisure time to be concerned with a fine building?' And after all he did not consent."

Wu-tsu Fa-yen also said, "The ancients liked to hear about their own errors; they delighted in doing good; they were great in magnanimity, generous in concealing others' wrongs, humble in association with companions, diligent in helping and saving people. They did not let gain and loss divide their minds. Therefore their light was great, shining throughout all time."

The Example of Master Pai-Yun

Pai-yun said to Wu-tsu, "Many Zen followers with knowledge and ability see what has already happened but cannot see it before it happens. Cessation and contemplation, concentration and wisdom, guard beforehand. Doing, stopping, allowing, and extinction are noticed after they have already happened. Therefore it is easy to see what doing, stopping, allowing, and extinction use; while it is hard to know what cessation and contemplation and concentration and wisdom do. But the determination of the ancients was on the Way. They cut off thoughts before they sprouted. Even if there is cessation and contemplation, concentration and wisdom, doing, stopping, allowing, and extinction, all of it is a question of process. Therefore it has been said, 'If there is any talk about beginning and end, it is all self-deception.' This saying is that of an ancient master who saw all the way through and did not deceive himself."

The Example of Master Hui-t'ang

One day Hui-t'ang saw that Huang-lung appeared unhappy, so he asked him why. Huang-lung said, "I haven't found anyone yet who can be the accountant for the monastery."

Hui-t'ang then recommended the assistant superintendent Kan. Huang-lung shook his head, "Kan is still rough; I am afraid that petty people might intrigue against him."

Hui-t'ang suggested, "Attendant Hua is rather honest and prudent." Huang-lung considered, "Although Hua is honest and prudent, he is not as good as Hsiu, supervisor of the estate, who has capacity and faithfulness."

Ling-yuan once asked Hui-t'ang, "When Huang-lung needed an accountant, why did he give it so much thought?"

Hui-t'ang said, "Those with nations and those with families always have made this basic. Was it only Huang-lung who was like this? The ancient sages have also enjoined this."

Hui-t'ang explained to the imperial chamberlain Chu Shih-ying, "When I first entered the Way, I relied on myself very readily. Then after I saw my teacher Huang-lung, I retreated and considered my daily activities. I found that much in them was contradictory to the principle. So finally I worked on this for three years. Even in extreme cold and humid heat my will was unbending. Only after that did I finally manage to accord with the principle in all events. And now, every move I make is the living meaning of Zen."

Chu Shih-ying asked Hui-t'ang, "If a cultivated man unfortunately makes a minor mistake, people who see or hear of it point it out unceasingly. Yet petty people do bad things all day long, but nobody considers it that way. What is the reason for that?"

Hui-t'ang replied, "The virtues of a cultivated man are comparable to a beautiful jade. If there is a flaw inside, it will inevitably show on the outside, so those who see it mention the anomaly, and cannot help pointing it out. As for petty people, everything they do in the daily activities is bad, so what is the need to speak of it?"

Another time he said, "The Way of sages is like sky and earth nurturing myriad beings, nothing left unprovided by the Way. The ways of ordinary people are like rivers, seas, mountains, streams, hills, valleys, plants, trees, and insects: each fulfills its own measure, and that is all. They do not know outside of that what is complete in everything. But could the Way be two? It is just that there turn out to be great and small because of depth and shallowness of realization."

Hui-t'ang also said, "What has been long neglected cannot be restored immediately. Ills that have been accumulating for a long time cannot be cleared away immediately. One cannot enjoy oneself forever. Human emotions cannot be just right. Calamity cannot be avoided by trying to run away from it. Anyone working as a teacher who has realized these five things can deal with the world without being troubled."

The Example of Master Huang-lung

Huang-lung said, "Essential to leadership is winning the community. Essential to winning the community is seeing into the hearts of the people. An ancient Buddha said, 'Human hearts are fields of blessings for the world, since this is where the path of reason comes from.' Therefore, the question of whether the time is obstructed or tranquil, whether something is deleterious or beneficial, always depends on human hearts. What is in people's hearts may be communicated or blocked; thence do obstruction and tranquility arise. Things are done with more or less care; thence do deleterious and beneficial conditions come about.

"Only sages can communicate with the hearts of all under heaven. Therefore in the hexagrams of the I Ching, when the sky trigram is below and the earth trigram is above, the resulting hexagram is called tranquility. When sky is above and earth is below, this hexagram is called obstruction. Symbolically, decreasing above and increasing below is called prosperity, while decreasing below and increasing above is called decline.

"Now if the sky is below and earth above, their positions are certainly contrary, yet it is called tranquility, because above and below are intermingling. If the host is above and the guest is positioned below, their meanings are certainly in accord, yet that is called obstruction, because above and below do not intermingle.

"So when heaven and earth do not intermingle, beings do not grow. If human hearts do not communicate, things are not harmonious. The meanings of decline and prosperity, decrease and increase, harm and benefit, also come from this. If people who are above others are able to control themselves and thereby be generous with those below, those below will gladly serve those above. Would this not be called beneficial? If those above slight those below and indulge themselves, those below will surely resent and oppose those above. Would this not be called deleterious?

"Thus when those above and those below intermingle, then there is tranquility; when they do not intermingle, then there is obstruction. Those who lessen themselves are a benefit to others; those who aggrandize themselves are harmful to others.

"How could the winning and losing of hearts be a simple matter? Ancient sages likened the human being to a boat, heart being the water: the water can carry the boat, and it can also overturn the boat. When the water goes with it, the boat floats, and when the water goes against it, the boat sinks.

"Therefore, when a leader wins people's hearts there is flourishing, and a leader that loses people's hearts is abandoned. Winning them completely means complete flourishing; losing them completely means complete rejection.

"So when both are good there are many blessings, and when both are bad the calamity is severe. Good and bad are of the same kind, just like pearls on a thread; flourishing and decline happen in this pattern, clear as the sun in the sky. This is a basic guide throughout the generations."

Huang-lung also once cautioned Wang An-shih, "Whatever you set your mind to do, you should always make the road before you wide open, so that all people may traverse it. This is the concern of a great man. If the way is so narrow as to be impassable, not only will that cause others to be unable to go on it, you yourself will have no place to set foot either."

He continued, "In what people say and leave unsaid, in what they do and leave undone, if they can say of themselves that they do not deceive heaven above, do not deceive other people outside, and do not deceive their own minds within, this can truly be called achievement. Still remaining careful about the hidden and the subtle when alone, if they find that there is ultimately no deception going on at all, then this can be called attainment."

Huang-lung told the recluse P'an Yen-chih, "The learning of sages and saints cannot be accomplished without care; it is essential to build it up cumulatively. Only by concentration and diligence, setting aside habitual desires, practicing it tirelessly, then extending and fulfilling it, is it possible to consummate that which is most sublime in the world."

P'an Yen-chih heard that Huang-lung's way of teaching was strict, so he asked him about the essentials. Huang-lung replied, "When the father is stern, the son is respectful; the guiding lessons of today are the models of the future. It is like leveling the ground, lowering where it is high and evening where it is concave. When they are going to climb up a mile-high mountain, I go along with them. When they get worn out and wind up in the abyss, I also accompany them. When their cleverness is used up and their illusions are ended, then they stop by themselves." He went on, "Cuddling and coddling are the means by which spring and summer give birth and nurture. Frosting and snowing are the means by which autumn and winter complete and mature. I want to say nothing, but how can I?"

The Example of Master Shui-an

Master Shui-an observed, "The I Ching says, 'An ideal person thinks of trouble and prevents it.' Therefore people of ancient times thought of the great trouble of birth and death and prevented it with the Way, until eventually the Way waxed great and was transmitted for a long time. People nowadays think that the vast distances of the search for the Way do not compare to the urgent immediacy of material interests. Because of this they view everything that passes in front of them through their habits of useless extravagance, calculating down to a hair tip, with opportunistic plans in their hearts. Therefore none can serve as guides for the whole year round, much less for considerations of life and death. This is why students are getting worse day by day, the communities are degenerating day by day, their unifying principles decline day by day, until they have reached a state of prostration and confusion from which they can hardly be saved. We must be aware."