Recorded Sayings of Chan Master Xueqiao Xin (Volumes 1-6) (雪嶠信禪師語錄)

Discourse at Yunmen Temple in Yuezhou

The senior monk of Jingmen, having completed his retreat, came forward to request a formal teaching. For three years, he had kept his thatched gate closed, his mind free of concerns, yet never idle. Today, he finally opens a single path, stepping through mist and water into the deep mountains. Now that his retreat is over, one would expect him to wander freely among the hills, sipping tea by stone bridges, burning incense by mountain streams. Why, then, does he choose to enter the mountains again? Because the path ahead has yet to find its strength.

On the Teacher's Birthday, the Master Ascends the Hall for the End of the Retreat

The old man, ever since taking up residence at Yunmen, has not moved a single step, nor spoken a single word. Today, by fortunate coincidence, as the retreat ends, he opens the hemp sack of Elder Zhangting, releasing a hundred thousand million rays of radiant light. He draws in the monks from the five lakes and four seas as his companions, enabling the parents of countless past lives to transcend together to the blissful land.

With the whisk, he draws a circle and says, "Do you understand? The entire world of the ten directions is the gate of light of the Ancient Buddha Dipankara. The entire world of the ten directions is the gate of sovereign mastery of Shakyamuni. The entire world of the ten directions is the gate of liberation of Maitreya, the World-Honored One in Tusita Heaven. The entire world of the ten directions is the gate of prajna-paramita of Manjushri, the Prince of Dharma. The entire world of the ten directions is the gate of practice and vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. The entire world of the ten directions is the gate of the ocean of distinctions in all sutras. The entire world of the ten directions is the gate of birth and death for ordinary beings — the four modes of birth, the six realms, down to the subtlest of the subtle, insects, fleas, and lice."

Then he shouts, "Today, the retreat ends at Yunmen, just like a crab freed from its grass binding — it runs sideways, dashes straight ahead. Be very careful! If you happen to encounter the King of Insatiable Desire, do not say, 'I have come from the end of the retreat at Yunmen.' If you do say so, he will hit you with his staff and break your donkey's back. Do not say I did not warn you."

On the eleventh day of the tenth month in the year 1634, a large assembly gathered at Qianzhi Hermitage to invite Master Yufeng to ascend the hall and give a formal teaching. The Master declined, saying:

"Today, the great patrons, local gentry, and Layman Tang Qiyuan have taken the lead in this invitation, and Layman Min Peiqing has led the assembly in respectful request for me to appear in the world. But it is not only the great patrons and gentry who ask this—the monastics from all the mountains have also requested it. And it is not only they, but also the monastics of every house on this mountain who request it. And it is not only they, but also the founding patriarchs—Guoyi, Dajue, Wushang, Faji, Dahui Gao, Miaoxi Laoren, Biefeng, Tufeng, down through eighty-seven generations of abbots—who request it. And it is not only they, but also the protective deities of this mountain—the Dragon King of Guangze, the Shuangji Zhou Xuanling King, and the eighteen guardians of Lingshan—who request it. And it is not only they, but also the gods of mountains, earth, sky, forests, wind, seas, rivers, and all spirits who request it. And it is not only they, but also Brahma, Indra, Weituo, down through the gods of the Formless Realm, the Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception Heaven, and the thirty-three heavens—all the celestial multitudes—who request it. And it is not only they, but even the dried shit-stick, the three pounds of hemp, the cypress tree, the Qingzhou cotton shirt, and the flatcake—all request my appearance in the world.

But why should I appear in the world?

'The garden grows auspicious grass, Good things are better off without them.'

Don't all of you know that this mountain, the ancestral home of the Jingang lineage, has been silent for two hundred years—from the Tang and Song dynasties through the Xuande era of our present dynasty—with the ancestral path untraveled? It has only been thanks to the monastics of the various houses on this mountain that the halls and corridors have been restored to brilliance. But if you think that me appearing in the world to teach the Dharma and benefit sentient beings has anything to do with this—you're mistaken.

Look—who exactly is a 'sentient being'?

Remember what Master Yuantong Na said:

'The wind and moon of Chang'an span past and present— Which man walks blindly along the walls? In every home, Guanyin is present, There is a path through Chang'an for all.'

To appear in the world today seeking fame—I've been world-famous for a long time.

'Leading him by the hand won't make him walk— Only self-willingness brings true closeness.'

You can't force a cow's head down to make it eat grass.

The Master was silent for a long time, then said:

Once, Yunmen arrived at Xuefeng's estate and met a monk. He asked, 'Elder, are you going up the mountain today?'

The monk replied, 'Yes.'

Yunmen said, 'I'll give you a question to ask the abbot—but you mustn't say it came from anyone else.'

The monk agreed.

Yunmen said, 'When you reach the mountain and see the abbot in the hall, as soon as the assembly gathers, step forward, grab his wrist, stand there, and say, "Old man, you've got an iron cangue around your neck—why don't you take it off?"'

The monk did exactly as instructed. When Xuefeng saw him act this way, he came down from his seat, grabbed his chest and said, 'Speak quickly! Speak quickly!'

The monk was speechless. Xuefeng shoved him away and said, 'That wasn't your words.'

The monk said, 'They were someone else's words.'

Xuefeng said, 'Attendant! Bring the rope and staff!'

The monk said, 'It wasn't mine—a Chan master from Zhejiang at the estate told me to say it.'

Xuefeng said, 'Everyone, go to the estate and welcome the great teacher who leads five hundred students!'

The next day, Yunmen went up to Xuefeng's mountain. When Xuefeng saw him, he said, 'How did you manage to get to this point?'

Yunmen bowed his head.

And from that moment, they were in perfect accord.

So—if I were to appear in the world today, it would be like putting me in an iron bed, unable to move, at everyone's beck and call, like meat on a chopping block, sliced by anyone's whim. Why would you put me through such misery?

For thirty years, I've never been constrained. When hungry, I eat; when tired, I sleep. I wander freely in the forests, at ease and unattached. Why would you force me to appear in the world? Appearing in the world is the worst kind of karma—you'd be throwing me into hell!

Look—what is this talk of 'birth and death'? What is called birth and death?

You'd all be better off just going home. I, Yufeng, absolutely will not appear in the world. To show up and put on a show of spiritual powers—what good does that do anyone? It truly benefits no one.

Even if you cut off my head, I'd rather die headless than dance to your tune. Better to go home."

The assembly remained kneeling, refusing to rise. Layman Peiqing then said, "Although the Master has not yet ascended the seat to teach, his teaching is already complete."

On the thirteenth day, the assembly again requested teachings. The Master declined, saying, "The previous days' discourses are already concluded. Why trouble yourselves to come again?" The assembly said, "The World-Honored One only spoke after being requested three times." The Master replied, "The World-Honored One's eyes were blurry. Yet when He said, 'Stop, stop—no need to speak,' He had already revealed quite a bit. What's so extraordinary about that? In this monk's school, such a one would receive thirty blows of the staff." The assembly entreated him again and again. The Master said, "Taxes are not levied twice." Then he added, "A second offense will not be tolerated."

Thereupon he cited Master Miaozhan of Xuefeng's teaching to the assembly: "All dharmas are without distinction—Yunmen's flatbread, Zhaozhou's tea. At Yellow Crane Tower, a jade flute plays; in the fifth month, plum blossoms fall in River City. How shameful, Master Fushang of Taiyuan—at the fifth watch, drum and horn sound; at dawn, he plucks the pipa."

The Master continued, "There are also two lines on 'all dharmas are without distinction': the partridge and the old crow fight over food at the feeding platform, beaten into a tangled mess. 'With an appointment unkept past midnight, I idly tap the chess pieces, sending sparks from the lamp wick.' How shameful, the Baoshu Pagoda of West Lake—six bridges in misty rain, the setting sun slanting westward. Take care."

With that, the Master turned and withdrew. The assembly waited for a long while, then dispersed.

In the third year of the Chongzhen reign, on the third day of the third moon, the lay practitioner Huang Haian, who served as a judicial official, invited the master to give a sermon at Jingshan Temple.

With three shouts at the gate, he says, "There is only one gate, yet it is narrow and small." Raising the whisk, he points to the gate and says, "Could it be this very gate? Magnificent and grand, radiant and bright. Those who enter this gate are like lion kings." Then he shouts once more, and the two strong attendants bear witness.

In the Maitreya Hall, the master gave a shout and said, "If I call you Maitreya, you are also the Cloth-Bag Monk. If I call you the Cloth-Bag Monk, you are also Maitreya. In the end, how is this so? A single competition, two winners."

In the Hall of the Heavenly General Wei Tuo:

"General Wei, do you still remember the karmic conditions for which the monks of Duobao Temple on Bian Mountain in Huzhou earnestly appealed to you?"

Then he bowed and said:

"Two lines of tears upon the coral pillow—half are longing for you, half are resentment toward you."