Unmon's One Treasure

Banshō's commentary on the case

Great Master Unmon loved to make this kind of maneuver: amid intense bustle and a hundred commotions, he would withdraw halfway down the road. One day, instructing the assembly, he cited Sengzhao's Baozang lun. Given in full, it should say: Within heaven and earth, between the four directions and all time, there is one treasure, hidden in form-mountain. The knowing faculty illuminates emptily; inside and outside are open and empty. Silent and free from views, its functioning is darkly mysterious.² Setchō picked it up and said: “Within heaven and earth, between the four directions and all time, there is one treasure hanging on the wall. For nine years Bodhidharma did not dare look straight at it. If patch-robed monks today want to see it, strike them straight across the spine with the staff.”⁴ National Teacher Yuantong said, “He was truly a descendant of Tokusan.” The original record asks, “Bring the triple gate and put it on the lantern—what does this mean?” Unmon answered on everyone's behalf, “Pursuing things, the mind shifts.” He also said, “Thunder rises and clouds gather.” Foguo said: “Kumarajiva was Master Sengzhao's teacher. Buddhabhadra of Waguan Monastery—whose name translates as ‘Awakened Worthy’—was a teacher in the succession. The Inexhaustible Lamp lists Sengzhao among Buddhabhadra's successors. Buddhabhadra succeeded Buddhasena of India. Buddhasena and Bodhidharma studied together under Prajnatara, the twenty-seventh ancestor. On the day Sengzhao was to be executed, he requested a seven-day reprieve and composed the Baozang lun.”² Unmon took this up to instruct the assembly. He could not explain principles and meanings to you as though you were scripture lecturers. He only wanted you to add a footnote of your own. “Take up a lantern and carry it into the Buddha hall” can be fathomed by ordinary thought. Can ordinary thought fathom “bring the triple gate and put it on the lantern”? A teacher true to the fundamental never binds people with a substantial dharma. Therefore Setchō said, “Within is one treasure hanging on the wall.” If Tendō had not borrowed it for use, it would almost have become stagnant merchandise. Water returns to the great sea and its waves are still. Clouds reach Cangwu and the weather is tranquil. Therefore it is said, “When trading abuse, I grant you the reply; when spitting face to face, I grant you the thrown water.” This is Unmon “rolling up the lingering thoughts, weary of ornate affairs.” The word hua has two uses: first, to discard ornament and take the real; second, to be weary of busy, flourishing complexity. “Returning, where is one's living place?” The preceding line versifies the Baozang lun; this line versifies Unmon's added words. Where will you grope for it? If you stop the working and wait in thought, one thought lasts ten thousand years. Even if your axe handle rots away, this is still slow play and dull movement.⁵ An earlier verse on Yanyang visiting Jōshū already gave the original story of the Ranka woodcutter. The earlier verse on Seppō's final phrase also gave the story of Master Gourd hanging from the tree: Fei Changfang saw Master Gourd selling medicine at a single, nonnegotiable price. The master hung his gourd in a tree and would jump into it. Changfang saw this from an upper story, knew he was no ordinary person, and began sweeping for him and offering food without expecting thanks. After a long time Master Gourd knew his faith was sincere and told him, “Come at sunset when no one is present.” He then told Changfang to follow him and jump in. Changfang obeyed and entered the gourd. Inside he saw towers, multicolored double gates, and dozens of attendants on either side.⁶ The first line versifies the Baozang lun and the second Unmon's words. In the next pair, the first versifies brightness and the second whiteness. Though the words and their meaning are bright and clear, how many people can recognize them? Unmon penetrates their transformations and points out one living road. “The cold fish against the bottom does not swallow the bait” uses the Boatman's line, “The night is still, the water cold, the fish do not feed.” Golden waves, cassia shadow, and the bright moon filling the boat are alternative names and images for the moon.⁷ Tendō said, “Clear light dazzles the eyes as though one had lost the way home.” Jōshū said, “This old monk is not within clarity.” Therefore, “interest exhausted, the clear song turns the raft around.”⁸ Now say: where does it go? Deep at night, it does not lodge in the reed-filled bay; it turns out beyond the middle and both ends.