Volume 4 of Master Tianyin's Recorded Sayings - Section 4

Compiled by Dharma Heir Tongxiu

Addressing the Assembly

A teaching for the assembly: Once, Linji visited Pingtian. Along the way, he encountered an old woman plowing with an ox. Linji asked her, “Which way leads to Pingtian Village?” The woman hit her ox with a stick and said, “This beast! It’s been wandering all over the place and now doesn’t even know the road home.” Linji said, “I’m asking you: Which way goes to Pingtian Village?” The woman replied, “This beast—he’s five years old and still useless!” Linji then thought, *“To see the person, first observe their means”*—and he sensed the opportunity to pull out nails and extract wedges.

Linji arrived at Pingtian’s place. Pingtian asked him, “Did you see the old woman I’m referring to?” Linji said, “I’ve already taken her in.” Pingtian asked, “Where have you come from recently?” Linji said, “From Huangbo in Jiangxi.” Pingtian said, “I knew you must have met a true master.” Linji replied, “I’ve come especially to pay respects to you, Master.” Pingtian said, “We’ve already met.” Linji retorted, “Not quite—the etiquette of host and guest calls for three bows.” Pingtian said, “Since it’s host-guest protocol, then bow.”

The master’s comment: “My old Linji truly had the grand and direct manner of a great person. He simply asked plainly along the way, while that old woman, baring teeth and claws, gently offered, ‘To see the person, first observe their means’—implying the work of removing nails and wedges. Tell me: Was he praising her, or covering for her? But when Pingtian asked, ‘Did you see the old woman?,’ Linji calmly replied, ‘I’ve already taken her in.’ Pingtian thus had to switch tactics. Do you see? Pingtian’s question, ‘Did you see that old woman?’—was that a test or a show-off? If you want to understand the principle of host and guest, these two great elders give you a perfect example. Still, the ‘White-Handed Thief’s moves are completely hidden. Tell me, what is the ‘White-Handed Thief’s move?’” Then he suddenly gave a shout!

The teacher addressed the assembly, telling this story:

The meditation master of Wanzhou in Zhenzhou and the meditation master of Baoshou were studying together. One day, the Wanzhou master went to visit Baoshou. Baoshou was sitting and did not get up. Wanzhou then spread out his sitting mat. Baoshou got down from his meditation platform, and Wanzhou immediately sat down on it. Baoshou then returned to his abbot’s quarters and closed the door. Wanzhou continued sitting there, unwilling to leave. The temple administrator said, “The abbot has closed his door. Please go to the kitchen for some tea.” Wanzhou then returned to his own monastery.

The next day, Baoshou went to visit Wanzhou. Wanzhou also sat and did not get up. Baoshou spread out his sitting mat. Wanzhou got down from his platform, and Baoshou also sat down on it. Wanzhou then returned to his abbot’s quarters and closed the door. Baoshou took some ash from the attendant’s room and drew a circle of ash around the abbot’s quarters three times. Then he left. Wanzhou opened the door, saw it, and said, “I didn’t do it that way, but he did it that way.”

The teacher commented: “These two great masters charged and clashed like two tigers meeting, each showing their claws. Neither suffered the slightest loss. Truly, they were worthy models for all who study together. Unlike people today—the moment they show their claws, they wound themselves and fumble, only trying to deceive others without realizing that onlookers are laughing at them.

Faji [the teacher himself] is now being foolish and telling you all this—that is also wounding myself and fumbling. Do you still know where the true point lies?

[Long pause]

If not for the wild geese that came last night, how could we see the autumn of the sea gate?”

The Master addressed the assembly: "Just like that, we’ve passed the first of May, and now it’s the first of June again. What about your own true nature—the fundamental matter that is your birthright? Each of you must personally see it for yourselves, at least once. If you don’t see it for yourselves, then no matter how much learning or study you pursue, one day you’ll just end up in confusion and regret. Don’t say the old monk didn’t warn you."