Emperor Dōkō's Headcloth

Banshō's commentary on the case

Zen Master Cunjiang of Xinghua in Weifu first studied under Rinzai. When Rinzai died, Xinghua became head monk under Sanshō and later visited Dajue. When opening his hall, he raised incense and said: “By rights this stick of incense should be for my elder brother Sanshō, but Sanshō was too isolated from me. By rights it should be for my elder brother Dajue, but Dajue was too distant from me. Better to offer it to our late teacher Rinzai.”⁴ A monk asked, “What happens when they come from the four directions and eight sides?” Xinghua said, “Strike the one in the middle.” The monk bowed. Xinghua said, “Assembly! Yesterday I attended a village meal. Halfway there I met a sudden violent wind and rain, but I took shelter in a spirit shrine and got through.” Later Tang Zhuangzong made an imperial progress north of the Yellow River. A monk asked, “What happens when the royal itinerary has a limit?” Xinghua said, “The carriage races five hundred li a day.” When the emperor returned to the traveling palace at Weifu, he summoned Xinghua. After granting him a seat and tea, he asked, “We have subdued the Central Plain and obtained one treasure. No one has yet answered its price.” Xinghua said, “May I briefly borrow Your Majesty's treasure to see it?” The emperor pulled out the two lappets of his headcloth with both hands. Xinghua said, “Who would dare answer the price of the sovereign's treasure?” The emperor was delighted and bestowed a purple robe and honorific title. Xinghua accepted neither. He also bestowed one imperial horse.⁵ Banshō says: First you must recognize the sovereign; further, you must know where the Central Plain is. Only then should I ask you where the treasure has gone. Gensha questioned, “Now say: did Xinghua approve of Dōkō, or not? If he approved, where was Xinghua's eye? If he did not, where was Dōkō at fault?” Banshō says: Subhuti did not understand the Diamond meaning; his question filled the world with doubt. Setchō said, “What the most honored has obtained can only be observed from the side. Had Xinghua not been an adept, he might often have answered with a high price.” Banshō says: It is exactly as though he came without fasting. Zhi of Suigan said, “Xinghua's move at the time could be called thoroughly drunk. How do you judge it now?” Banshō says: He judges the case after receiving a beating. Yue of Yunfeng said, “The true does not cover the false; the crooked does not hide the straight. Those with eyes should distinguish it.” Banshō says: He asks a blind fellow. Xin of Huanglong said, “For a time Xinghua acted on seeing the opportunity, but what can be done about his burying a reigning Son of Heaven? At the time he should simply have said, ‘Even if you obtained a pearl from a mussel, it has no place of use.’ That would have given the emperor another livelihood afterward and spared them from successively obstructing one another. “If someone asked today, how would you answer the price?” Banshō says: Seven times nine is sixty-three—collect! Among this company of old fellows, none dared name a price. Only Tendō assesses the object and sets its price with neither side deficient. Dōkō is an era name, just as the Dazhong sovereign was Emperor Xuanzong. Later Tang Zhuangzong reigned three years and in the cyclical year guiwei changed the era to the first year of Dōkō. Calling it “one treasure of the Central Plain” is already forcing a name. Ultimately, what should it be called? Great Tendō only says, “The sovereign's deepest intent speaks to one who knows the tone.” Look at Zhuangzong's military campaigns: from Zhending he subdued Zhongshan, took Yuyang together with Weibo, spurred his horse across the Yellow River, and the Liang house lost its state. A detached force pointed west, and Jiange did not hold. Therefore he called himself one who had obtained a treasure of the Central Plain.² It was only that, within the responsibility of a patch-robed monk, he had not met one who knew the tone. Without meeting one who could distinguish it, he would never open his fist. Xinghua inclined in complete sincerity and dared not fail the great treasure of heaven's storehouse. Mallow and sunflower incline toward the sun and thereby protect their roots. Thus Baozhuangzi, whose feet were cut off, did not equal the mallow.⁶ “He brings out the priceless treasure of the Central Plain” versifies pulling the headcloth lappets. The jewel in a wheel-turning king's topknot cannot be lightly entrusted. Among confrontations between sovereigns from ancient times to today, none has equaled Zhuangzong in skillfully using the moment: Buddhist business and human sentiment were both fulfilled at once. An official visited Guizong. Guizong lifted the two lappets of his cap and showed them, asking, “Do you understand?” The official said, “I do not.” Guizong said, “This old monk suffers from headaches. Do not blame me for not removing my cap.” The official had no words. Banshō says: Han Xin's merit was high—who could equal it? Turning around, he dismantled the plank road joining the clouds.⁷ The state of Zhao possessed the He clan's jade. King Zhao of Yan built a terrace, placed a thousand pieces of gold on it, and invited worthy people from beneath heaven; hence it was called the Golden Terrace.⁸ The verse also says: “The treasure of the Central Plain—one expanse of radiance, shining through heaven and mirroring earth.” Nansen said, “Do not make it precious; do not make it cheap. How will you buy it?” Therefore its price is difficult to determine. A golden-wheel king rules four continents; a silver-wheel king three; a copper-wheel king two; and an iron-wheel king one. The rest can be inferred from this. Though a golden-wheel king has seven treasures, he can illuminate only four continents. He does not equal the Central Plain's one treasure, which throughout the dharma realm in all ten directions is one expanse of radiance.³ How insufferable that Xinghua so easily said, “May I briefly borrow Your Majesty's treasure to see it.” Dōkō was the Son of Heaven of one reign and a great donor. He gave it to Xinghua. He can be called an adept sovereign who naturally had something present.⁵ Banshō often laughs at Sanjiao, who instructed the assembly, “In general, expounding Dharma must respond to time and season.” Later, living in a hermitage, he encountered a bandit holding a blade. The bandit asked, “Venerable, do you have precious goods?” Sanjiao said, “A monk's family treasure is not suitable for you, sir.” The bandit asked, “What treasure is it?” Sanjiao immediately shouted. The bandit did not understand and put him to the blade.⁹ Fayu versified: He built a thatched hut at Sanjiao's highest peak, yet could not keep the household treasure deeply concealed. Hastily opening the bag, he deceived the appraiser— why was Bian He's loss of his feet a mistake? The mistake was meeting Jie and Zhou while offering rites and music. This was unlike Xinghua and Zhuangzong, who did not damage the harmony. A monk said to Iron Wall Xiu of Yuantong at Fayun, “I know you have long kept a treasure in your bag. Today, before the mat, may I briefly borrow it to see?” Iron Wall said, “A principled person loves wealth but obtains it by the Way. Do not say Fayun cannot bring it out; you must know that Xinghua dared to negotiate.”