Shuzan's New Bride

Banshō's commentary on the case

Zen Master Shengnian of Baoying in Ruzhou was a native of Caizhou whose family name was Di. He studied with Fuketsu. Fuketsu instructed the assembly: “Long ago the World-Honored One looked toward Kāśyapa with blue-lotus eyes. At precisely that time, say—what did he speak?” Shuzan immediately went down and departed. The attendant entered the room and asked for instruction: “Why did Nian Fahua not respond to the Reverend?” Fuketsu said, “Nian Fahua understands.”³ The next day Shuzan and Garden Head Zhen—Zhen of Guanghui in Ruzhou—went up together and stood in attendance. Fuketsu asked, “What is the World-Honored One's speaking without speaking?” Zhen said, “The turtledove calls in the treetop; its intent lies in the hemp field.” Fuketsu said, “Why make so much foolish merit? Why not investigate the words thoroughly?” He then asked Shuzan, “What about you?” Shuzan said, “Movement and expression raise the ancient road; they do not fall into the mechanism of still silence.” Fuketsu said to Zhen, “Why did you not observe how Nian Fahua gave his phrase?” After Shuzan emerged into the world, he ascended the hall and said: “If you want intimacy, do not bring a question. The question is in the answer; the answer is in the question. If you bring a question, this old monk is beneath your feet. If you begin deliberating, there is no connection.” One day he held up a bamboo spatula and said, “If you call it a bamboo spatula, you touch it. If you do not call it a bamboo spatula, you turn away from it. All of you—what do you call it?” Reverend Sheng of Yexian snatched it, broke it into two pieces, threw them down the steps, and instead asked, “What is it?” Shuzan said, “Blind Xian!” Yexian immediately bowed.⁴ The various regions call this the turning-away and touching barrier. A common proverb says: Upside down, upside down— the new bride rides the donkey; her mother-in-law leads it. Foguó's verse says: Shuzan had a saying transmitted past and present; do not call this saying merely upside down. The new bride rides the donkey away drunk; people of the time laugh the mother-in-law to death for leading it. It is not as delightful as Tendō's verse. The teacher raised Yuantong Xiu's “Iron Wall” verse: Why labor to comb one's hair three times each day? Once the roots are tied firmly, stop. In the end one yields to her good flesh and bones; without rouge or powder, she is still graceful. Shuzan's answer uses no decorative embellishment. Mother-in-law and bride naturally possess poised and skillful bearing. It is like Xishi suffering pain in her heart: holding her breast and frowning increased her beauty. An unattractive woman imitated the frown and increased her ugliness.² This rebukes those devoted to learning of mouth and ear who do not work at wondrous awakening. With one whole mind they too intend to make themselves graceful, but their four limbs and eight vessels refuse to cooperate.⁵