Patriarch's Hall Collection: Sutra teacher v/s Zen Master v/s Zen Master

Anderl's 祖堂集 Zutang ji, Patriarch's Hall Collection, https://terebess.hu/zen/Zutangji.html

Once the master [Nanyang Huizhong (675-775)] and [sutra teacher] Zican were discussing doctrinal issues together, and after each of them had ascended their seats, the dharma-master said: 'I request that you postulate a proposition and I will refute it then. '

The master said: 'How could there be such a thing/matter'?" The dharma-master said: 'I then ask [you] to postulate a proposition. "

The master said: 'I have already postulated a proposition. " The dharma-master said: 'What proposition did you postulate'?"

The master said: 'If you really do not understand it, then it is not your sphere (of perception) [it is beyond you].

Changqing [Changqing Huileng (854-932) from Xuefeng] commented on this, saying: "The proposition of the master has been refuted. "

  

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(Welcome link) (ewk^who?) note: One of Anderl's translation notes is from what I rewrote as [sutra teacher]... Anderl's has it "dharma master", and then writes:

'Dharma-masters' often function as punching bags in Chän texts and their 'inferior' knowledge based on scriptural studies is often contrasted to the 'superior' wisdom of Chån masters supposedly based on direct insight. Together with the 'vinaya-masters' [monastic regulations experts] they play an important part in the rhetorical structure of Chån texts as target of criticism and ridicule.

For those of you following along at home, Anderl is reminding us that sutra teachers and monastic lawyers are ridiculed by Zen Masters... that's common knowledge, people.

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The second more interesting bit is Changqing's comment... is he talking about:

1. Master Huizhong's proposition was refuted by the sutra teacher?
2. Master Huizhong's proposition was refuted by the outcome of the dharma combat?
3. Master Huizhong's proposition is refuted by Changqing's statement of refutation
4. A metaphorical master, and a generic proposition, has been refuted by a statement to that effect?
5. Fun!

Oh, and PS. Doesn't this Case sound like interfaith dharma combat? Or is #3 above just an example of don't show a sword fighter your poem?

Submitted May 27, 2020 at 08:57PM by ewk https://ift.tt/3gqasgB