The Recorded Sayings of Chan Master Dahui Pujue (eBook)

The Seventh Letter

0919c04

Reply to Vice Grand Councillor Li (Hanlao) 31

Question letter appended, (as follows):

Overjoyed to have approached and knocked on the master’s room, a concealed stupidity manifested as a blockage of ignorance. Then suddenly there was an entrance to understanding this. Looking back at the dull, obtuse roots of consciousness, the learning and understanding of a whole lifetime seems to have completely fallen into deluded views. Taking here, discarding there, as if walking through brambles wearing a ruined silk garment, just getting myself entangled. Today, with one laugh, suddenly this is set free. The happiness is palpable! Were it not for the great Chan craftsmen, how could it have come to this?

Since arriving in the city,32 getting dressed, eating and drinking, embracing the children or playing with the grandchildren, all these activities go just as of old. Yet, having lost the constraint of blocked delusions, this is also not a thought to be made anything special of. As for the rest of old blocked habitual tendencies, these too seem to have become slightly lighter in weight, but one would not venture to forget the words of exhortation at parting!

On pondering over this repeatedly, though having entered the gate for the first time, still the great Dharma is not yet clear. In responding to situations, receiving beings and dealing with affairs, these are not yet able to be free of hindrances.

It is hoped therefore that there might be further hints of instruction to facilitate an arrival at the final place, so that there be no blemish on the Dharma seat.

Master Dahui’s Reply

0919c14

According to your esteemed letter,33 ‘arrived in the city, putting on clothes, eating and drinking, embracing the children or playing with the grandchildren, all these activities go just as of old. Yet, having lost the constraint of blocked delusions, this is also not a thought to be made anything special of. As for the rest of the old blocked habitual tendencies, these too seem to have become slightly lighter in weight.’

Repeatedly reading these words gave rise to capering high spirits, for this is proof of practice in the Buddha-dharma. Were it not that to be counted a great man is to definitively settle everything in one laugh, then it would be impossible to acknowledge that the fruits of our Chan School possess subtleties not transmissible. If that were not the case, then the Dharma-gate of the two words ‘doubt’ and ‘anger’ would never ever be destroyed. Even with the Great Void functioning as the mouthpiece of abbot Yunmen, with grasses, trees, tiles and stones all emitting bright rays in aiding a discourse on the principles of the Dao, still, would it be of any use? My conviction is therefore that these causal conditions cannot enable transmission nor be learned. It is necessary to verify [these matters] for oneself, to awaken by oneself, to come to one’s own affirmation, one’s own felicitousness in order to penetrate through definitively.

Today sir, with one laugh a sudden stop is put to that which is attainable. What more is there to say? The Old Master of Golden Visage (Shakyamuni) said, ‘Do not seize on the words uttered by living beings, for they are all things empty and foolish. Furthermore, although not relying on words explaining the Dao, do also not rely on those of no words spoken either.’34

As expressed in the letter, since having put to rest the constraints of blocked deluded feelings, yet not taking this as something strange or special, then this squares inwardly with the utterances of the Old Master of Golden Visage. These words conform to the Buddha-word and departing from these words is the talk of Mara.

This mountain rustic once made a great vow that he would rather offer this body to suffer in hell on behalf of all sentient beings than ever, with this mouth, use the Buddha-dharma in order to render people deluded or to blind the eyes of men.

Since the gentleman has come to such a state [of unconstraint], he knows for himself that this matter is not to be gained from others. Quite simply, just carry on with this, for really, there is no need to question whether the great Dharma is clarified or not clarified, whether the response to circumstances is obstructed or unobstructed. If these kinds of thoughts are entertained then it is not carrying on as before.

It has been heard that after the summer meditation retreat it was again possible to go into the world and this is exceedingly satisfying to the ailing monk’s frame of mind: if there were a hurried high-pitched seeking without respite that would not be the right thing. The other day the gentleman was observed to be in a genuine state of joyfulness, so fearing to fall foul of words, venturing to speak would have been an intrusion. Now the joyous state is established, so it is possible to venture pointing out a matter here: to reach completion is really not easy. There will necessarily arise, for the first time, a state of contrition. Often those of meritorious roots of wisdom acquire the joyous state without the expenditure of effort, thus engendering a facile understanding, which does not easily motivate to practice. Many will be snatched away by the force of objects outside, unable to gain control. Long periods pass withdrawn into delusion, with no way to come out of it, the strength of the Way being incapable of overcoming the power of karma, so that Mara obtains his advantage. Certainly it will be Mara who assimilates and supports them. Approaching the end of life, there will likewise be no strength available.

A thousand, ten thousand times seize hold of my quote of the other day, ‘As to principle, it is suddenly awoken to, imposing, on the awakened, a complete meltdown. But karma-producing activities are only gradually eliminated one by one.’35 Walking, standing, sitting or reclining, this should really not be forgotten. As for the rest, there were various pronouncements by the ancients, all of which cannot be taken as substantiated, yet could also not be taken as false. After a long time of ripening there will be a spontaneous, silent harmonising with one’s own original heart. Then there will be no need to additionally search the exotic or something better and strange.

Ven. Shuilao of former times, whilst collecting canes, asked Mazu, ‘What is the meaning of the patriarch coming from the west?’ ‘Come closer and I will tell you,’ replied Mazu. Shuilao then approached and Mazu pushed him in the chest so that he fell over. Shuilao automatically got up, clapped his hands and laughed. ‘What principle of the Dao have you seen into to laugh like that?’ asked Mazu. Shuilao answered, ‘The countless meanings of hundreds of thousands of subtle Dharma-gates are at this moment on the tip of a hair, an exhaustive understanding of their root and source.’ Mazu administered to him no further.36

Xuefeng, knowing that Gushan’s causal conditions were ripe, suddenly grabbed him by the lapels one day, held him and asked, ‘What is it?’ Gushan was then released into awakening, [even] the thought of awakening being forgotten. With a slight smile he merely raised his hands, waved them about and that was all. Xuefeng said, ‘Do you regard that as a principle of the Way?’ Gushan waved his hands once more and said, ‘What principle of the Way would that be?’ Xuefeng then went no further.37

Chan master Mengshan Daoming was in pursuit of layman Lu (Sixth Patriarch Huineng). Arriving on top of Dayu Mountain with the intention of confiscating the robe and bowl, honourable Lu cast them on a rock and said, ‘This robe is the seal of faith, is it to be fought over? If your honour wishes to have charge of it, then take it and leave.’ Ming lifted it but it didn’t move. ‘My search is for the Dharma,’ he said, ‘it is not for the sake of the robe and bowl. May the layman please reveal it.’ Honourable Lu said, ‘Thinking neither of good nor of bad, at this very moment, what is the senior monk’s original face?’ Ming immediately had a great awakening. Perspiring profusely and weeping whilst making prostrations, he said, ‘Apart from these hidden words and the hidden meaning, is there still a further meaning to point to?’ Honourable Lu replied, ‘Those words I just spoke for you have really no hidden meaning. If you turn the light to shine inwards, you yourself are this [original] face. Hidden is actually you within. Were I able to reach it by speech, then that would not be hidden.’38

Take the causal situation of these three Dharma-heirs’ stories and compare them with the gentleman’s release from doubt in one laugh – is it superior or inferior? Please judge for yourself and see, are there still other strange principles of the Way? If there are more, then clearly it would seem that there was no release from doubt. Just acknowledge the activities of the Buddha, without feeling gloomy that a Buddhist does not liberate through talking.

The warriors of ancient times who had come to the Way, having themselves become whole, went on to develop themselves further by responding to causal conditions in order to connect with beings. They were like a bright mirror on a stand or a brilliant jewel in the hand. When a foreigner came along, a foreigner was reflected; when a Chinese came along, a Chinese was reflected.39 This was not a manifestation of...