Records of Zen Master Dongshan 45. Dongshan's take on the wetness of water.

- 45 -

Once, while the Master (Dongshan) was crossing a river with Yunchu, the Master asked, "How deep is this river?"

"Not wet," replied Yunchu.1

"Vulgar fellow!"² said the Master.

"What would you say?"³ asked Yunchu.

"Not dry,"⁴ replied the Master.

1. Bringing the Eastern tongue to the West, he admits defeat.
2. Kicking him while he's down.
3. He tries bringing Dongshan in.
4. He keeps his coins, forever in the West to you.

---

Yunchu and Dongshan stand on opposite sides of the same line. This is indeed a case of "gathering in, letting go". Consider the 29th saying of the text when Dongshan and Shenshan see the white rabbit suddenly cross their path.

Shenshan stays in the East, saying:

"[the rabbit] is just like a white-robed commoner paying respects to a high minister."

Once again remaining to Shenshan's West, Dongshan says:

"(Remarking on the rabbit) After generations of serving as a high official, to temporarily fall into reduced circumstances."

If you say the rabbit and Dongshan share the same house, you deny Dongshan his right as owner, but if you say they dwell separately, you rob Shenshan of his sight.

Yunchu's water is not wet,, and yet Dongshan calls him vulgar. Dongshan lives where water is not dry. Which of these has the final say on this argument that lives on today?

Submitted June 19, 2019 at 03:03AM by NegativeGPA http://bit.ly/2FjZYOX