Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings by Andy Ferguson Read Free Book Online Page B

day of the third month in the thirteenth year of the Kaihuang era during the reign of Sui Wendi [594]. He was buried seventy li [forty-two kilometers] northeast of Fuyang in Ci Province. 19 Later, the Tang dynasty emperor De Zong gave Huike the posthumous name “Dazu” [“Great Ancestor”].
    ([Later,] a Buddhist patron named Haoyue asked Zen master Changsha Jingcen, “An old worthy said that ‘karmic obstacles are fundamentally empty.’ I don’t understand why, when this is realized, there is still a ‘karmic debt’ that must be repaid. For example, in the case of the esteemed Second Ancestor, why did he have to repay a karmic debt?” Zen master Changsha replied, “Your Worthiness doesn’t understand fundamental emptiness.” Haoyue said, “What is fundamental emptiness?” Changsha said, “Karmic obstruction.” Haoyue said, “What is karmic obstruction?” Changsha said, “Fundamental emptiness.” Haoyue was silent. Changsha then recited a verse:
If something is fundamental, it doesn’t exist.
If something is annihilated, it doesn’t cease.
Nirvana and karmic retribution
Are of one inseparable nature.
     

JIANZHI SENGCAN
     
    JIANZHI SENGCAN (d. 606) was a student of Huike and the Third Ancestor of the Zen tradition. Few details are known about his life. According to the Transmission of the Lamp , Sengcan was forced by the political persecution of Buddhism during his era to remain out of sight, living inconspicuously among the general population.
    With so little reliable evidence about Sengcan’s life, some scholars doubt his existence. Yet the lack of evidence may be due to the severe suppression of Buddhism by the government during the years 574–77. According to Chinese historical records, the government of this era attempted to exterminate Buddhism by closing temples, destroying written records and monuments, and defrocking much of the Buddhist clergy.
    According to tradition, after receiving Dharma transmission from Huike, Sengcan lived on Mt. Huangong in Shuzhou to avoid the upheaval predicted by the twenty-seventh ancestor in India, Prajnadhara.

    Sengcan Jianzhi was the Third Ancestor. His surname is not known. He was a layperson when he first visited the Second Ancestor. After he received ordination and Dharma transmission, he lived in hiding on Huangong Mountain in Shuzhou. Later, when Emperor Zhou Wudi persecuted and destroyed the Buddhadharma, Sengcan lived on Sikong Mountain in Taihu County. Thereafter, for more than ten years, he had no permanent home. During that time people remained unaware of him. During the year Ren Zi, the twelfth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui dynasty [592], the novice monk Daoxin, only fourteen years old, came to pay respects to Sengcan.
    Daoxin said, “I ask for the master’s compassion. Please tell me of the gate of emancipation.”
    Sengcan said, “Who has bound you?”
    Daoxin said, “No one has bound me.”
    Sengcan said, “Then why are you seeking emancipation?”
    Upon hearing these words, Daoxin experienced great enlightenment. Daoxin then acted as Sengcan’s attendant for nine years. He later received ordination at Jizhou, then continued attending to Sengcan. Sengcan repeatedly tested Daoxin’s understanding of the sublime mystery, and when he knew he was ready, he passed to him the Dharma and robe, reciting this verse:
The flowers are planted when the ground is ready.
From this planting the flower blooms.
If no one plants the seed,
The flowers and ground are both extinguished.
     
    Sengcan then said, “Formerly, Great Teacher Ke passed me his Dharma. He then went to teach in Yedu, passing away after thirty years. Now I have received you as my Dharma successor. To where will it pass from here?”
    Sengcan then went to Mt. Luofu, where he spent two years. After that he went back to his former abode. For a period of several months, many nobles and commoners flocked to see him, and the temple received many benefactors. Sengcan expounded the