Jiashan Shanhui was a student of the sutras and was a recognized “lecture master.” He attracted large audiences to his presentations. At one of these, a listener asked, “What is the Dharmakaya?”
“It’s without form,” Jiashan
said.
“What then is the true eye of
the Dharma which, it is claimed, Buddha passed onto Mahakasyapa?”
“It’s without flaw.”
Daowu Yuanjie was in the lecture
hall when this exchange took place, and he laughed out loud.
Jiashan demanded, “Why are you
laughing?”
“You might understand the
sutras, but you still need a master to guide you to the discovery of your Buddha-nature.”
“Go see the Boatman Monk. He hasn’t a tile to cover his head nor a
speck of earth to stand upon.”
Jiashan gave up lecturing and
sought out Chunzi Decheng. It was a long
journey, and Jiashan’s traveling clothes were dusty and soiled by the time he
finally came to the ferryman. When
Chunzi saw Jiashan approaching, he shouted, “Monk, at what monastery do you
reside?”
“I’m not a resident of any
monastery otherwise I wouldn’t look like this.”
“So what do you look like?” the
Boatman Monk asked.
“I’m beyond sight and sound and
consciousness.”
“Is that so?” Chunzi said, then
he took hold of Jiashan and pushed him into the river, holding his head under
water for a long while before letting him up.
“Speak now!” Chunzi demanded, but as soon as Jiashan opened his mouth,
the ferryman plunged him into the water yet again. “Speak!” Chunzi shouted. Jiashan tried again and was submerged a third
time. On this occasion, he came to
awakening, and when Chunzi let him up, he bowed in gratitude.
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