Mountain Teachers

[Guest guest]

Zen Masters sometimes built monasteries

on a mountain, and took the mountain's name.

This was the case with Huang Po and his

teacher.

 

Daiyu was chopping wood with some

monks, when his head monk Huang

Po entered the monastery gate.

 

" Where do you come from? " asked Daiyu.

 

P: This is a question that Zen masters asked

often of students to test their knowledge of

their true nature.

 

" I was gathering mushrooms at the foot

of mount Daiyu. " replied Huang Po. "

 

Huang Po answers the question literary to

challenge his master to be more original.

 

" Did you see the tiger there? " asked Daiyu.

 

At this, Huang Po dashes at his master and

bites his shoulder. Daiyu grabs him by

the waist and beginngs singing and twirling

Huang Po around. Huang Po joins in the

singing and dancing.

 

P:To understand how outrageous this behavior

was, we have to recall how stratified social roles

were in ancient China. Confucianism dictated

a strict protocol between elders and juniors,

and teachers and pupils. To deviate from such

code was to step outside Chinese society itself.

 

Huang Po's later teachings follow this pattern of

doing away with costume and law.

 

" Those that are not affected by things and

happenings are Buddhas; but those who are

not affected by intellect and emotions have

no use for the Dharma. " he said.

 

Pete