nature of many of its demonic antics. But one morning, after ten years of its tricks, the spirit suddenly disappeared once and for all.
"This juggler did many of his tricks in order to purposely delude our minds," explained the master. "There was only one resort against the demon's tricks—the way of doing nothing. This means nothing to see, nothing to hear. Even myriad tricks must eventually be exhausted, but as to the method of doing nothing itself—it is boundless and can be employed forever!"
Commentary: If Tao Shu had tried to defend himself against the demon's tricks by resorting to his own skills of transformation, it would probably have resulted in an endless battle between two magicians. Only by adherence to doing nothing did it become possible to overcome the demon, negating its skill. In fact, the method of doing nothing can produce something everlasting, in full accordance with Lao Tzu's teaching that nonexistent produces existent. Everything has its limits, even the largest and strongest things are not immortal. As for nothing, it is unlimited because it is unformed, and owing to this fact, it can be used universally. In the Ch'an mind, it is just so with "emptiness," which proves to be the most useful and meaningful among the True things.
The Show of a Novice in Charge
"You are right, Master," was the reply. "I am a novice in charge."
"What place is in your charge?"
Hearing this, Yang Shan took several steps from west to east and then came to a dead stop. At this show, Wei Shan was very pleased.
Commentary: "In charge" refers to self-nature, and the true meaning of the master's first question was "Have you attained realization of the nature of the self, or not?" "Place" means Emptiness, the empty nature of all dharmas. Thus, Yang Shan risked losing this stance if he were to try to answer in spoken language. Once something is uttered, it is "off the track." The lesson here is that self-nature is something that cannot be talked about. It is everywhere, and cannot be differentiated through motion-motionlessness. The T'ang poet, Wei mo Chieh, once said:
It seems to be here yet not coming.
It seems to be there yet not going.
I wonder, what is it? And I answer myself:
It is here only because it never intends to come;
It is there only because it never intends to go.
It is the most invisible thing because everyone can see it.
Perhaps this is the clearest definition of self-nature humanly possible.
The Unit of Motion and Motionlessness
One day, while pushing a cart, Yin Feng was forced to a halt by his master, who was sitting on the road stretching a leg across it. The carter asked him to draw his leg back, to let the cart pass. Instead, Ma Tsu drew his body out across the road, saying, "I can only stretch out, never draw back."
Yin Feng was not going to back up either, so he said, "As for me, I can only advance, but never retreat." So saying, he pushed his cart through Ma Tsu's barrier and wounded his foot quite seriously.
As soon as the wounded master reached the monastery, he took down an ax and shouted, "Who was this idiot who wounded me on the road?! Come out!"
Yin Feng appeared before the master, putting his neck under the ax. As a result, Ma Tsu laid his ax down.
Commentary: In everyday life, when people say that a certain object is in motion and another one is motionless, it is due to the action of their own minds. Actually, all phenomena are created by our minds, but phenomena themselves do not make the distinction of being in motion or being motionless. Ch'an teaches people to clear from their minds any opposing concepts in order to attain perfect harmony and Enlightenment. The saying, "I can only stretch out, never draw back" meant "I am motionless and never in motion."
To counterbalance this, Yin Feng expressed his opposite conception, "I am in motion and never motionless." At first glance things are like this. But in reality, the master, at the cost of his own foot, tested his disciple on whether he was able to overstep the motion-motionlessness doctrine, acting spontaneously on his own, or not. In fact, Yin Feng's mind was already clear of any distinctions. He needed to pass through and he did it without respect for the celebrated master. No models or idols are needed by those who search for the Truth through their minds.
A Withered Tree, a Splendid Tree
"The one in splendor," replied Tao Wu.
"The brightness blinds the eyes," commented the master. He asked again, "Which is correct, a withered tree or one in splendor?"
"A withered one," answered Yun Yen.
"It is dominated by dullness," explained the master.
At this point they were joined by a monk, and Yao Shan asked him the same question.
"A withered tree complies with the withering of itself," the monk retorted, "a splendid tree follows its own splendor."
"No! No!" exclaimed the master, addressing his disciples.
Commentary: In ordinary people's thinking, all things can be differentiated by name and related to in terms of duality. In this case, "a tree in splendor," reflecting the positive concept of "is," was the answer chosen by Tao Wu. The master, however, didn't approve of this answer. On the other hand, "a withered tree," representing the negative concept, or "is not," was preferred by Yun Yen, but the master's reply indicated the equal delusion of Yun Yen's mind. Although the monk didn't choose either of the two opposing concepts, his answer assumed the existence of both and proved the fact that he wasn't released from the chain of rebirth and death. That's why the master couldn't accept the monk's answer, exclaiming, "No! No!" He did this not only to protest the error, but first and foremost to rouse his disciples' doubts, letting them come to an understanding on their own.
Worship of Buddha
