![]() Case 14 of the Hekiganroku or Blue Cliff Records is this koan involving the
Chinese Chan Master Yunmen.
A monk asked Yunmen, What did the Buddha Teach throughout his
lifetime?
Yunmen said, A right word.
If the Buddha had heard this koan, he might not have understood what it
means let alone have been able to easily pass through the questions and answers
involved in studying and practising it. What Yunmen meant though was simply that
throughout his lifetime, in every moment, the Buddha knew what to say or do or not
say or do to work for the liberation of beings. What is appropriate or inappropriate
depends upon the particular time, the place, the person, and the amount. Being
attuned to these is called skilful means. How the Buddha taught was through skilful
means and what he taught was itself skilful means. He taught how to work skilfully
with experiences and experiencing and he taught it as clearly and skilfully as he
could. The Mahayana sutras put this in mythological terms, saying that when the
Buddha spoke, whomever heard him understood his words in their own language.
Master Yunmen however skilfully and simply says, A right word.
This koan is a very succinct and beautiful example of the practice of the
eightfold path not only by the Buddha, but also by Yunmen. A wonderful answer to
an important question.
The Buddha embodied what he had realized and practised moment after
moment. Zen is the historical Transmission of this embodying and actualizing the
Dharma through a succession of Teachers and students. The heirs of this Lineage
and their lives are thus naturally part of our own practice of the Way. Much of Zen
Teaching is conveyed for us through the verses, the words and phrases, and even
the records of specific events in the lives of these Awakened Ancestors because Zen
must be embodied by us through our own continuous practice. In order to fulfill the
Way and realize for ourselves what the Buddha and all Buddhas have realised, we
need to be able come to understand what the Awakened Ancestors of the Lineage
were saying and doing. We have to be able to understand what they understood, to
realize what they have realized. And we too have to embody what they actualized.
Through the year 1242 Dogen zenji composed a very long essay, so long that
the text of Gyoji occupied two fascicles or scrolls and so has come down to us in two
parts. There are some differences in emphasis between the two parts of the text but
throughout there is one common thread: continuous practice. There are stories to be
told. Dogen drew upon the various Song dynasty Chinese Transmission of the Lamp
histories such as the Jingde Chuandenglu to decant the tangy flavours of the lives of
various Chan Ancestors for us to taste their continuous practice. There are themes
such as simplicity, ardour, exertion, a kind of romantic view of poverty and frugality.
Dogens often imprudent and outspoken criticisms of the Japanese court, nobility,
and society appear. There are tales of legendary emperors, of ocean voyages, of
remote hermitages deep in the jagged spires and hidden valleys. Dogen praises and
extols, and he also berates and cajoles. Often he simply cites examples and tells
stories. Sometimes he comments at length. Many of the Awakened Ancestors he
points out are within his own Lineage, which is our own as well. And a great many
other exemplars are not. The text is perhaps not as subtle or intricate in subject and
style as are many other of his texts such as Genjokoan, Uji, Immo, Ikka
Myoju and so on. But it is certainly deeply felt and has one intention: that you
recognize and take responsibility for realizing the Dharma and that you yourself turn
the Wheel of the Way.
Dogen speaks as someone whose understanding of the Dharma is not merely
based on taking up this or that stance but is grounded in the realized-practice of
zazen. And he brings forth the voices and stories of others who have also sat not just
|