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Made you look! This is all about turning heads. We've all come across these:

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"What good is someone who turns his head when called?" (BCR)

"If one does not turn his head when called, don't mistakenly suspect him." (Treasury)

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Master Ma, the enlightener of scores of people, maybe we can call him the OG of the good old Tang days, such was his influence and the legacy of his students and their students, appears to be a prolific caller, to demonstrate, I cite these three, look!

Strike One

汾州無業禅師参祖。祖覩其状貌瑰偉、語音如鐘、乃曰、巍巍仏堂、其中無仏。業礼跪而問曰、三乗文學、粗窮其旨。常聞禅門即心是仏、実未能了。祖曰、只未了底心即是、更無別物。業又問、如何是祖師西来密伝心印。祖曰、大徳正閙在。且去別時来。

Zen Master Wuye of Fenzhou came to see Mazu. Observing his dignified and commanding appearance, and hearing his speech thundering out like a temple bell, Mazu said, “A towering Buddha-temple with no Buddha inside.” Wuye bowed low on his knees and asked, “I’ve studied nearly all of the scriptures and have a basic grasp of their meaning, but I still can’t understand what is meant by the Zen saying, ‘It’s mind, it’s Buddha.’” Mazu said, “The very mind that can’t understand is itself the Buddha; there’s nothing more besides that.” Wuye asked again, “And just what is the ‘mind-seal’ secretly transmitted by Bodhidharma when he came from the West?” Mazu replied, “Virtuous priest, you’re trying too hard. Why don’t you go, and come again some other time?”

As soon as Wuye had gotten up to leave, Mazu called him. “Virtuous priest—”

Wuye looked back at him.

“What is this?” said Mazu.

Wuye was suddenly enlightened, and bowed reverently.

“This dimwit! What’s he bowing for?” said Mazu.

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Strike Two

有講僧来問曰、未審禅宗伝持何法。祖却問曰、座主伝持何法。主曰、忝講得経論二十余本。祖曰、莫是獅子児否。主曰、不敢。祖作嘘嘘声。主曰、此是法。祖曰、是甚麼法。主曰、獅子出窟法。祖乃默然。主曰、此亦是法。祖曰、是甚麼法。主曰、獅子在窟法。祖曰、不出不入、是甚麼法。主無対。遂辞出門、祖召曰、座主。主回首。祖曰、是甚麼。主亦無対。祖曰、這鈍根阿師。

A scholar-priest came to visit and asked, “Exactly what sort of teachings are transmitted in Zen, anyway?” Mazu responded by asking, “What sort of teachings do you transmit, Lecture Master?” “I lecture on a little over twenty sutras and commentaries.” “So, you’re a lion!” “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,” said the lecture master. Mazu gave a deep, guttural shout. “That’s a teaching,” said the lecture master. “What sort of teaching?” asked Mazu. “The lion coming out of the cave.” Mazu was silent. “This is also a teaching.” “What sort of teaching?” asked Mazu. “The lion in the cave.” “And that which neither goes out nor comes in—what sort of teaching would that be?” asked Mazu. The lecture master had no reply.

The lecture master said farewell and was about to go out through the doors when Mazu called after him: “Lecture Master—”

The lecture master turned around.

“What’s this?”

The lecture master had no reply.

“This crazy monk!” said Mazu.

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Strike Three

亮座主参祖。祖問曰、見説座主大講得経論、是否。亮云、不敢。祖曰、将甚麼講。亮云、将心講。祖曰、心如工伎児、意如和伎者。争解得経。亮抗声云、心既講不得、虚空莫講得麼。祖曰、却是虚空講得。亮不肯、便出、将下階。祖召云、座主。亮回首、豁然大悟、便礼拝。祖曰、這鈍根阿師、礼拝作麼。亮帰寺、告聴衆曰、某甲所講経論、謂無人及得、今日被馬大師一問、平生工夫氷消瓦解。径入西山更無蹤跡。

Lecture Master Liang came to see Mazu. Mazu asked him, “I hear that your lectures on the scriptures and commentaries are quite good. Is this true?” “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,” said Liang. “And what do you use to lecture?” “I use my mind to lecture.” Mazu said, “The mind is like an actor, and thought like a clown. How can you explain the scriptures?” Liang replied angrily, “If the mind can’t lecture, then I suppose you’d suggest that nothingness can?” “In fact, nothing is quite good at lecturing,” said Mazu.

Unable to assent, Liang went out and started down the stairs.

Mazu called after him. “Lecture master—”

Without a thought, Liang turned to face him, and was suddenly enlightened.

He immediately bowed reverently.

“This crazy monk! What’s he bowing for?” said Mazu.

Liang returned to his temple and addressed the monks there. “I thought that no one could better me when it came to lecturing on scriptures and their interpretations, but today, one word from Master Mazu has smashed to pieces all that I’ve done up until now.” Liang immediately retired to the Western Mountains and was never heard from again.

^{The Sayings of Zen Master Mazu Daoyi}

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There are of course others like this, like Wuyi (good tea from those mountains) and Shitou:

When Wuyi first went to Shitou's place, he said, "If we agree in a single statement, I'll stay; if we don't agree, I'll leave." Shitou remained seated. Wuyi then left. Shitou called to him. Wuyi turned his head. Shitou said, "From birth to death, it's just this; why are you turning your head and revolving your brain?" Wuyi was greatly enlightened at these words; he then broke his staff.

^{Treasury #421}

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Foyan has a whole lecture on head turners: Just This.

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My Coins:

When someone calls a name, there's usually an immediate and automated response that does not rely on intellectualisation. Is the Buddha-Mind on full display in this pure moment of response, leaving all these learned fellas lost for words, smitten and bowing?

Submitted October 19, 2020 at 08:39AM by Coinionaire https://ift.tt/35fd1O1