Category: Zen

Rinzai was planting pine trees. Obaku asked him, “Why do you plant so many pines in this remote mountain monastery?” Rinzai answered, “Firstly, they provide good scenery around the monastery gate, and then they are for the benefit of those who come after us,” and struck the ground three times with his hoe. Obaku said, “Although this may be so, I’ll still give you thirty blows of my stick to taste.” Again, Rinzai struck the ground three times with his hoe, sighing deeply. Obaku said, “Through you, our school will flourish throughout the world.”

Commentary:

When Obaku asked Rinzai why he planted so many pines in this remote mountain monastery, he was asking him if he knew that not only the act of planting trees, but also the trees he was planting were the function of the true-Self. Rinzai told Obaku the reason why he was planting trees and made a final answer to Obaku’s question by striking the ground three times with his hoe, by which he meant that everything, including the conversation between them and the act of planting trees, was part of the true-Self, just as striking the ground with his hoe was. Seeing this, Obaku asked for another answer by saying, “Although this may be so, I’ll still give you thirty blows of my stick to taste.” Rinzai didn’t hesitate to respond again by striking the ground three times with his hoe, sighing deeply. Obaku approved his enlightenment.

Student: “Why did Rinzai strike the ground three times?”

Master: “Because you don’t see what he really did.”

Student: “What did he really do?”

Master: “I am showing it now.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. Our views are neither truly our own nor simply inherited, but rather a combination of them. No one can be free from the influence of the environments and societies we live our lives in. We produce our views depending on where we live, how we were brought up, how we were educated and what we believe in, together with the information we are given and the context of our viewing.

We see things from these views and create new views. This is why each of us can have different perspectives about the same thing, or the same problem. These views can change through time and circumstance. These views are referred to as illusions in Buddhism.  The capacity to see and hear things without being influenced by these illusions is referred to as enlightenment.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Master Yabo said, “Don’t try to make it even by cutting it. This will make it much more uneven.

Even though you try to cut it, it won’t break.”

Student: “How can we make it even?”

Master: “Leave it alone.”

Commentary:

Don’t mistake the even for the uneven.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

Later, Issan mentioned this story to Gyosan and asked him, “At that time, was it from Daigu or from Obaku that Rinzai acquired his strength?” Gyosan said, “He not only knew how to ride the tiger, but he also knew how to grab its tail.”

Commentary:

Issan tested Gyosan, his student by asking whether Rinzai had attained his enlightenment from Daigu, or Obaku. Gyosan made a beautiful answer without being deluded by Issan’s words by saying, “He not only knew how to ride the tiger, but he also knew how to grab its tail.” Gyosan meant that Rinzai, having transcended the illusions of Daigu and Obaku, could not only see the true-Self clearly but also reveal it at his will.

Student: “How can I ride the tiger?”

Master: “Can you dismount from it?”

Student: “How can I grab its tail?”

Master: “Let go of it.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. It is not physical light that comes from fire, or electricity but the ability to see and hear things as they are without attaching any names to them. To those who can see things as they are, there is no distance and no difference between darkness and lightness. Seeing what is before their eyes is not different from seeing what is thousands of miles away, nor is seeing darkness different from seeing light. So, the Buddha’s light is another name of the eye of wisdom, enlightenment.

Student: “What is the eye of wisdom?”

Master: “It can see behind you without turning your head.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A monk asked Joshu, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?” Joshu said, “A cypress in the garden.” The monk said, “Please, don’t teach people with something outside.” Joshu said, “I never teach people with something outside.” The monk asked again, “Then, what is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?” Joshu said, “A cypress in the garden.” Later after Joshu’s death, a monk asked Gakchulja, one of Joshu’s students, “They say that your master Joshu said, ‘A cypress in the garden’. Is it true?”  The student said, “No, my late master never said such words.”  The monk said, “However, all people say that your master Joshu said, ‘A cypress’ as an answer to the question ‘What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?’ Why do you say that he didn’t say such words?” The student answered politely, “Please don’t defame my late master. He never said such words.”

Student: “Joshu’s student said that Joshu had not said ‘a cypress’, and the monk argued that Joshu had said it. Who is right?”

Master: “It is the one who didn’t say.”

Student: “Who is it?”

Master: “It is the one who heard.”

Commentary:

One who hears what cannot be heard doesn’t say a word.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

The master left Daigu and returned to Obaku who, seeing him come, remarked, “When will there be an end to the comings and goings of this fellow?” Rinzai said, “It is only because of your grandmotherly kindness.” Then, after the usual courtesies, he stood to attend to Obaku. The latter asked where he had come from and the master replied, “The other day you were kind enough to send me to Daigu for an interview.” Obaku asked, “What did Daigu say?” Rinzai then related what had happened, whereupon Obaku said, “How can I wait for this fellow to come here and give him a harsh blow?” Rinzai said, “You don’t have to wait for him to come. Give it to him right now!” and punched Obaku accordingly, who said, “This madman who comes here to stroke the tiger’s whiskers.” Rinzai gave a Katsu and Obaku called, “Attendant, bring this madman into the monks’ quarters.”

Commentary:

With the words ‘When will there be an end to the comings and goings of this fellow?’ Obaku was testing the result of Rinzai’s trip to Daigu. Although their literal meaning is ‘If you spend time coming and going only following words, when can you finish your practice?’, Obaku was asking Rinzai if he knew that these words were the function of the true-Self. Rinzai, aware of Obaku’s intention, didn’t hesitate to respond by saying, “It is only because of your grandmotherly kindness.” Rinzai not only expressed his gratitude to Obaku but also revealed the true-Self. With the phrase ‘How can I wait for this fellow to come here and give him a harsh blow?’ it may appear as if Obaku blamed and found fault with Daigu, but Obaku was testing Rinzai’s enlightenment. He was asking Rinzai if he knew that this fellow, seemingly referring to Daigu, was the true-Self because everything is the true-Self. Conscious of Obaku’s intention, Rinzai said, “You don’t have to wait for him to come. Give it to him right now!” because he knew that Obaku meant the true-Self by ‘this fellow’ and so revealed the true-Self by punching him. Rinzai showed that his hitting Obaku was not different from Obaku’s hitting Daigu when everything is one as the true-Self. Obaku approved Rinzai’s enlightenment by saying, “This madman who comes here to stroke the tiger’s whiskers.”

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A. According to the Avatamsaka Sutra, all forms, everything is an expedient the Buddha presents sentient beings with. This is why ancient masters would say that we could attain enlightenment if we can simply see or hear only a single thing as it is. In other words, there is no other true-Self than what we see and hear every day.

Everything we see and hear every moment is the form and the sound of the true-Self. It is not because the true-Self hides itself, but because we are deluded by illusions that we don’t recognise it. The best expedient I recommend is to try to see and hear things as they are, that is, to see and hear things without attaching any names to them. If you can see just a single thing as it is, that is the end of your practice.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

A monk asked Joshu, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?” Joshu said, “A cypress in the garden.” The monk said, “Please, don’t teach people with something outside.” Joshu said, “I never teach people with something outside.” The monk asked again, “Then, what is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?” Joshu said, “A cypress in the garden.” Later after Joshu’s death, a monk asked Gakchulja, one of Joshu’s students, “They say that your master Joshu said, ‘A cypress in the garden’. Is it true?”  The student said, “No, my late master never said such words.”  The monk said, “However, all people say that your master Joshu said, ‘A cypress’ as an answer to the question ‘What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?’ Why do you say that he didn’t say such words?” The student answered politely, “Please don’t defame my late master. He never said such words.”

Student: “If you had been in Joshu’s student’s shoes, what would you have said if you had been asked what Joshu had said?”

Master: “I would have said, ‘He didn’t say a word’.”

Commentary:

The Buddha said, “Not a word did I say” but this doesn’t mean that he was dumb.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

The master went to Daigu, who asked where he had come from. The master replied that he came from Obaku. Daigu asked, “And what did Obaku have to say?” Rinzai replied, “I asked him three times what the essence of Buddhism was, and three times he beat me. I do not know whether I was at fault or not.” Daigu said, “When Obaku, like a good old grandmother, has taken all this trouble over you, you still come here asking me whether you were at fault or not?” Upon hearing these words, Rinzai had the great awakening, and said, “After all, there is nothing much to Obaku’s Buddha-Dharma.” Daigu grabbed him and said, “You little devil still wetting your bed! You come here saying you do not know whether you were at fault or not, and now you say that after all there is nothing much to Obaku’s Buddha-Dharma. What have you seen? Speak quickly, speak quickly!” Rinzai, while Daigu was still grabbing him, gave him three punches to the ribs. Daigu released him and said, “Your master is Obaku. This has nothing to do with me.”

Commentary:

Daigu’s comment ‘When Obaku, like a good old grandmother, has taken all this trouble over you, you still come here asking me whether you were at fault or not?’ means, “Obaku, like a good old grandmother, has so much compassion for you that he answered your question by revealing the core of Buddhism instead of using words for the purpose of making you feel the essence of Buddhism in person. However, you still mistake his kind teaching as a rod and ask me whether you were at fault or not.” Upon hearing these words, Rinzai realised that they were the function of the true-Self and that they were not different from Obaku’s hitting. After enlightenment, when Rinzai said, “After all, there is nothing much to Obaku’s Buddha-Dharma”, he didn’t mean to belittle Obaku but meant to reveal the true-Self by saying, “Now I know what Obaku showed me. There is nothing special since I already have it.” Then, Daigu, to reconfirm Rinzai’s enlightenment, asked him, “What have you seen? Speak quickly, speak quickly!” Rinzai lost no time in responding to the question by revealing the true-Self through giving him three punches to the ribs. Feeling confident of Rinzai’s enlightenment, Daigu sent him back to Obaku, telling him that his enlightenment should be attributed to Obaku, not to him and that Obaku was his master.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway