Shuzan's Three Phrases

Banshō's commentary on the case

The construction of three phrases began with Great Wisdom Hyakujō and was grounded in the Diamond Prajnaparamita. Hyakujō said, “Teaching words are all linked in three phrases, good at the beginning, middle, and end. At first you must directly teach someone to produce a wholesome mind. In the middle, break the wholesome mind. Only afterward is it called good wholesomeness. Thus, ‘A bodhisattva is not a bodhisattva; therefore it is called a bodhisattva’; and, ‘Dharma, not dharma, and not non-dharma’—it is all like this. “If you speak only one phrase, you cause beings to enter hell. If you speak all three at once, they enter hell by themselves; it has nothing to do with the teacher.³ “To say that present discerning awareness is one's own Buddha is the first good. Not to remain guarding present discerning awareness is the middle good. Not to produce an understanding of ‘not remaining and guarding’ is the final good.” Unmon once said, “Within heaven, covering heaven and earth; the eye of potential weighs to the smallest fraction without involvement in spring conditions. How do you receive it?” He answered for the assembly, “One arrowhead breaks through three barriers.” Although he had this meaning, he never established it as “the three phrases.” Later, Great Master Yuanming, personal name Yuanmi, ninth-generation successor at Tokusan in Dingzhou, ascended the hall and said, “Tokusan has three phrases: one phrase covers heaven and earth; one phrase follows waves and pursues currents; one phrase cuts off all streams.” Afterward Zen Master Dao of Mount Pu'an in Dingzhou versified the three phrases. On “covering heaven and earth”: Heaven and earth together with the ten thousand forms, hell as well as paradise: each thing is true vision; in every particular, function is unharmed. On “cutting off all streams”: Heap up mountains and pile up peaks— each and every one is entirely dust. If you still intend to discuss mystery and wonder, ice melts, tiles break, everything collapses. On “following waves and pursuing currents”: When an eloquent mouth and sharp tongue question, response to high or low does not fall short. It is just like medicine responding to illness: diagnosis depends upon the moment. Outside the three phrases, should the person concerned raise a chant, how could three phrases encompass it? If someone asks what matter this is: Nanyue and Tiantai. People often point to these verses as Unmon's work. This comes entirely from careless reading. Dao succeeded Yuanmi of Tokusan, and Yuanmi succeeded Unmon. Although Unmon had the sayings “within heaven, covering” and “one arrowhead, three barriers,” Master Yuanmi drew them out and Master Dao versified them. Only after three generations of ancestral elaboration did the three phrases become clear.² They are largely alike, with small differences, to Dayang's three phrases and to the three mysteries and three essentials. Shuzan instructed the assembly, “Realize the first phrase, and you become a teacher of buddhas and ancestors.” Ōbaku served as head-seat monk for Nansen. One day he occupied Nansen's seat. When Nansen arrived, he asked, “Head seat, since what year have you practiced the Way?” Ōbaku said, “Before the Buddha King Majestic Voice.” Nansen said, “You are still a descendant of old Master Wang. Get down.” Ōbaku withdrew and sat in his former place. Kyōsei said, “Vairocana has a teacher; the dharma body has a master.” This is called the person beyond buddhas and ancestors. For this reason Shuzan said realizing the first phrase makes one a teacher of buddhas and ancestors. Lingshu left behind a sealed box saying, “The head-seat monk in the hall is the eye of humans and gods.” That head seat was Unmon. For this reason Shuzan said realizing the second phrase makes one a teacher of humans and gods.⁴ When you hear Banshō say this, do not conclude that Nansen can be a teacher of buddhas and ancestors while Unmon can only teach humans and gods. Truly, one must not tell dreams before a fool. Banshō has merely raised one or two examples as models. As for one unable to save oneself, such a person does not enter the ancestral rank. What is worth discussing? The monk immediately asked, “Venerable, through which phrase did you realize?” There is a thorn in the rotten mud. Shuzan said, “After the moon sets at the third watch, pass through the marketplace.” This means the traveler remains beyond the green mountains. Tendō saw that no one dared put a mouth to this exchange. He therefore produced an interwoven verse right at the place where hands are probing and feet are pricked. Only after threading the skulls of buddhas and ancestors in one string can one be a teacher of buddhas and ancestors. One may say such a person passes out above Vairocana's crown, then returns to sit upon the transforming Buddha's tongue. “The palace clepsydra sinks into silence, secretly passing the arrow.” Yin Kui's method of water clocks says to make three vessels, each circular and one foot in diameter, set at different heights upon a square stand. A golden dragon's mouth pours water into channels on the stand. On the lid is cast a golden timekeeper in cap and robe, both hands holding an arrow. Armies also passed an arrow at night to transmit secret orders.⁵ This means that one who realizes before signs have divided can teach buddhas and ancestors. The moment one falls into the present time, this is secondary; pause briefly along the road of humans and gods. The Sutra on Contemplating the Mind Ground speaks of the lightning-flash samadhi. Patch-robed monks call it the place of sudden glimpse. One who is a person within it sometimes walks above the heads of buddhas and ancestors, sometimes travels the road of humans and gods, and sometimes moves among the herd of water buffalo, practicing among different kinds. Wang Jinggong's poem “Watching Actors” says: Among the actors in the playhouse, one is noble, another low. Their hearts know they are originally the same; therefore they have neither delight nor resentment.⁶ In the “Heaven and Earth” chapter of the Zhuangzi, the Yellow Emperor traveled north of Red Water, climbed Mount Kunlun, looked south, and on returning lost his dark pearl. He sent Knowledge to seek it, but Knowledge could not find it. He sent Sharp-Sighted Li Zhu, but Li Zhu could not find it. He sent Chigou, but Chigou could not find it. Then he sent Formless Image, and Formless Image obtained it. The Yellow Emperor said, “Extraordinary! Formless Image was the one who could obtain it.” In “Nourishing Life,” Cook Ding, carving an ox for Lord Wenhui, said, “The joints have spaces, while the knife blade has no thickness. Put what has no thickness into spaces, and the roaming blade has ample room. Thus, after nineteen years, the blade is as though newly issued from the whetstone.” Lord Wenhui said, “Excellent! Hearing Cook Ding's words, I have learned how to nourish life.”⁷ These two stories versify “After the moon sets at the third watch, pass through the marketplace.” The highest Way is continuous, close, and secret, like the palace clepsydra passing the arrow. A sincere heart works for others piece by piece, with the same roominess as the roaming blade and as Formless Image obtaining the pearl. People today see Tendō use the Zhuangzi and immediately equate Lao-Zhuang thought with the highest Way. They fail to realize that the ancients borrowed a road to pass through, a temporary scene along the way. If someone suddenly came forward and said, “Did Zhuangzi not know where Shuzan walked?” simply say to him, “After the moon sets at the third watch, pass through the marketplace.” Is that in an Outer Chapter or an Inner Chapter?