Zhixian [Guanxi] of China was a revered teacher in the lineage of Linji. Once Linji saw Zhixian approaching and grabbed him.
Zhixian said, "I understand it."
Linji let him loose and said, "You are free to have a meal here."
Thus Zhixian became a student of Linji.
After leaving Linji, he went to see a Moshan.
She said, "Where are you from?"
Zhixian said, "From the entrance."
Moshan said, "Why don't you close it off?"
Zhixian was silent. He made a bow and expressed himself as a student of Moshan's. Then he asked, "How is Moshan [Mount Mo]?"
Moshan said, "It does not show its peak."
Zhixian said, "Who is the person inside the mountain?"
Moshan said, "It is beyond man and woman."
Zhixian said, "How come you don't change?"
Moshan said, "I am not a wild-fox spirit. Why should I change?"
Zhixian bowed. Then he aroused the aspiration for enlightenment and worked as head of the garden for three years.
Later he became the abbot of a monastery and said to the assembly, "I received half a ladle [of gruel] at Old Man Linji's and another half at Old Woman Moshan's. So I had a full ladle and have been satisfied up to this moment.
This exchange was in The Essential Dogen edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi, Peter Levitt.
In this section Dogen was going on about men and women, and how it doesn't matter. He said there are wholesome women, there are unwholesome men, etc. Man or woman, it doesn't matter, the emptiness is the same.
Why are men special? Emptiness is emptiness. Four great elements are four great elements. Five skhandas are five skandhas. Women are just like that. Both men and women attain the way. You should honor attainment of the way. Do not discriminate between men and women. This is the most wondrous principle of the buddha way.
Before becoming free from delusion, men and women are equally not free from delusion. At the time of becoming free from delusion and realizing the truth, there is no difference between men and women.
Submitted June 22, 2017 at 09:32PM by Dillon123 http://ift.tt/2rVxOVW
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