They take an empty fist as containing something real, and the pointing finger for the object pointed; When the finger is adhered to as the moon itself, all their efforts are lost; They are indeed idle dreamers lost in a world of senses and objects. 48. The Tathagata is interviewed when one enters upon a realm of no-forms, Such is to be really called a Kwanjizai (Avalokitesvara) When this is understood, the karma-hindrances are by nature empty; When not understood, we all pay for the past debts contracted. 49. A royal table is set before the hungry, but they refuse to eat; If the sick turn away from a good physician, how are they cured? Practise Zen while in a world of desires, and the genuine power of intuition is manifested; When the lotus blooms in the midst of a fire, it is never destroyed. Yuse (Yung-shih) the Bhikshu[11] was an offender in one of the gravest crimes, but when he had an enlightened insight into No-birth He instantly attained to Buddhahood and is still living in another world. 50. The doctrine of fearlessness is taught as loudly as a lion roars: What a pity that confused minds inflexibly hardened like leather Understand only that grave offences are obstructions to Enlightenment, And are unable to see into the secrets of the Tathagata's teaching. 51. Anciently, there were two Bhikshus, the one committing murder and the other a carnal offence: Upali's insight was like that of the glowworm, and ended only in tightening the knots of offence; But when they were instantly enlightened by the wisdom of Vimalakirti, Their griefs and doubts melted away like the frost and snow before the blazing sun. 52. The power of incomprehensible emancipation Works wonders as innumerable as the sands of the Ganga and knows no limits; [To him] the four kinds of offerings are most willingly made, By him thousands of pieces of gold are disbursed without involving anybody in debts; The bones may be crushed to powders, the body cut up to pieces, and yet we cannot repay him enough for what he does for us; Even a phrase [issuing from him] holds true for hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas. 53. He is the Dharma-king deserving the highest respect; The Tathagatas, as many in number as the Ganga-sands, all testify to the truth of his attainment; I now understand what this mani jewel is, And know that all those who accept it in faith are in correspondence [with it]. 54. As to seeing it, the seeing is clear enough, but no objects are here to be seen, Not a person here, nor the Buddha; Chiliocosms numberless are mere bubbles in the ocean, All the sages and worthies are flashes of lightning. 55. However rapidly revolves the iron-wheel over my head, The perfect brightness of Dhyana and Prajna in me is never effaced; The sun may turn cold. and the moon hot; With all the power of the evil ones the true doctrine remains forever indestructible. The elephant-carriage steadily climbs up the steepest hill, Before whose wheels how can the beetle stand? 56. The great elephant does not walk on the hare's lane, Supreme Enlightenment goes beyond the narrow range of intellection; Cease from measuring heaven with a tiny piece of reed; If you have no insight yet, I will have the matter settled for you. V. BASO (MA-TSU) AND SEKITO (SHIH-T'OU), TWO GREAT MASTERS OF THE T'ANG DYNASTY
Ma-tsu (Baso) whose posthumous title was the Zen Master of Great Quietude (ta- chi) was to be properly called Tao-i (Doichi). His family name was Ma, from the district of Han-chou. His teaching which was originally propagated in the province of Chiang-hsi proved of great influence in the Buddhist world of the time, and he came to be generally known as Ma the Father, that, Ma-tsu.
Historically, Zen Buddhism was introduced to China by an Indian monk called Bodhidharma during the South and North Dynasties, probably late in the fifth century. But it was not until the time of Hui-neng and Shen-hsiu that Bodhidharma was recognized as the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism in China; for this was the time when Zen to be properly so called came to establish itself as one of the strong Buddhist movements created by Chinese religious genius. The movement firmly took root with Ma-tsu (-788) and Shih-t'ou (700–790). The latter had his monastery in the province of Hu-nan, and thus Hu-nan and Chiang-hsi became the hot-bed of the Zen movement. All the followers of Zen in China as well as in Japan at present trace back their lineage to these two masters of the T'ang.
Shih-t'ou (Sekito) whose family name was Chen came from the district of Tuan-chou. His other name was Hsi- ch'ien. While still young, his religious feeling was strongly stirred against a barbarous custom which was practised among the Liao race. The custom consisted in sacrificing bulls in order to appease the wrath of the evil spirits which were worshipped by the people. Shih-t'ou destroyed many such shrines dedicated to the spirits and saved the victims. He probably acted quite decisively and convincingly so that even the elders of his village failed to prevent him from so rashly working against popular superstitions. He later embraced Buddhism, becoming a disciple of Hui- neng. The latter however died before this young man had been formally ordained as a Buddhist monk. He then went to Hsing-ssu (-740), of Chi-chou and studied Zen Buddhism. Hsing-ssu like Nan-yueh Huai-jang who was the teacher of Ma-tsu, was also a disciple of Hui-neng.
Before quoting Ma-tsu, let me acquaint you with some of Shih-t'ou's questions-and-answers (mondo = wen-to) as recorded in the Transmission of the Lamp.
Hsing-ssu one day asked: “Some say that an intelligence comes from the south of the Ling.”
T'ou: “There is no such intelligence from anybody.”
Ssu: “If not, whence are all those sutras of the Tripitaka?”
T'ou: “They all come out of here, and there is nothing wanting.”
