One day as the monks on Mt. Xiang chanted the Lotus Sutra, Hongzhi was instantly enlightened upon hearing the phrase, “Your eye that existed before your parents' birth sees everything in three thousand realms.” He then went to the abbot [Facheng] to declare his awakening.
Facheng pointed to a box of incense and said, “What is the thing inside?”
Hongzhi said, “What do you mean?”
Facheng said, “What is in the place of your awakening?”
Hongzhi used his hand to draw a circle in the air and then made the gesture of throwing it behind him.
Facheng said, “What limit is there for old fellows making mud balls?”
Hongzhi said, “Wrong.”
Facheng said, “You've attained it when you don't see others.”
Hongzhi said, “Yes. Yes.”
Hongzhi then traveled on to practice with Danxia Zichun.
Danxia asked, “What is the self that exists before the empty kalpa?”
Hongzhi said, “A frog at the well bottom swallows the moon. Despite the night, three times the window blind was illuminated.”
Danxia said, “Don't say any more.”
Hongzhi started to speak, but Danxia hit him with his whisk and said, “Don't say it!”
Upon hearing these words Hongzhi was liberated. He then bowed.
Danxia said, “Can't you say something?”
Hongzhi said, “Today I've been robbed and lost my money.”
Danxia said, “Without rest I've hit you. Now it's finished.”
- Zen's Chinese heritage: the masters and their teachings
by Andy Ferguson
Submitted January 10, 2020 at 09:01AM by madewithsticks https://ift.tt/35G5Qwr
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