This morning, I want to go over this old koan with you. I've talked about this before. It's a very well-known koan from the Blue Cliff Record. And it's about Hyakujo, Pai-chan, and a monk. And as we know, Paichang was a very innovative kind of Zen master in the Tang Dynasty in China. He was a disciple of Baso. Baso means horse patriarch. It was predicted that a horse would come in a hundred years. present the true Dharma, and that was the horse that appeared was Baso, and Baso was a huge man, and it was said that he could touch his nose with his tongue, and that was a commanding presence.

[01:30]

Yakujo was his disciple, and Yakujo codified the Zen monastic rules. Of course, they're lost now, but the procedures in Zen monasteries still come from Hyakujo's Shingi, or his monastic, I don't want to say rules, but procedures. It appears that in Hyakujo's time, there was an emperor. The emperor in China was a kind of a dissolute person.

[02:38]

And the monastic life was influenced by his poor behavior. And so Hyakujo made this effort to bolster up the Zen monasteries by reminding them of what they were doing, what they were supposed to be doing. And therefore he codified the monastic rules. So here's the main subject. There is no introduction, which is usual in the booklet record. So you have my introduction. A monk asked Hyakujo, what is the most wonderful thing? And Jo said, I sit alone on this great sublime peak.

[03:44]

The monk made a bow, and Jo struck him. That's the story. And then the commentator, Setjo, has a verse. And he says, across the patriarch's field went galloping the heavenly horse, Baso's successor. Different, however, in their way of teaching, in holding fast and letting go. His actions were quick as lightning, always fitting, The monk came to tweak the tiger's whiskers, but his efforts made him a laughingstock. So the monk asked Hyakujo, what is the most wonderful thing? This seems like a kind of ordinary or not a bad question, but

[04:48]

There's in this question something of tongue-in-cheek. It's like a visitor comes and wants to know the main thing. What will the Master say if I ask him this question? It's kind of like poking to see what will come out. And Hyakujo answered him. Maybe he said too much. The monk's question is like, he wanted something wonderful and extraordinary. What is the most wonderful thing? It also could be construed as, what is the most extraordinary thing? And Hyakujo wasn't about to hand him something brilliant or extraordinary or special.

[06:06]

He wanted some brilliant answer. Please give me a brilliant answer, Hyakujo said, just being here. is extraordinary. Just, I sit alone, sitting alone on this Great Sublime Peak. Great Sublime Peak actually is the name of the mountain. Daiyuho is the mountain that, it's a kind of pun, the mountain that Hyakujo was residing at. So he said, just sitting on this great sublime peak. Of course, Hyakujo himself was the great sublime peak, but he was not self-conscious, so he referred to the mountain. Just sitting alone on this Mount Dayuho, great sublime peak.

[07:17]

That's the most wonderful thing. Alone, of course, as I've said many times, has two meanings. We usually think of alone as isolation. But basically it means at one. Alone means at one. I sit at one on this great sublime peak. So, Yakujo is expressing his daily activity. He wouldn't go beyond just expressing his ordinary mind, his ordinary activity. This is a

[08:22]

not an unusual kind of Zen response, Zen master's response to present the ordinary when asked for something extraordinary. Suzuki Roshi used to say, Zen is just living your life little by little, one moment at a time. That's all. and to appreciate each moment. The hardest thing, actually the most extraordinary thing, perhaps, is how to be ordinary, or how to bring to life each moment in an ordinary way. This seems to be where our biggest problems are.

[09:26]

When people come to talk to me, I usually talk to them about their daily life. And sometimes people say, I don't know what I'm supposed to talk about when I come here. Some big burning question, maybe. But actually, our life is, has burning questions. But because of our thinking and conceptualization and worries and problems that we create for ourself, it's really hard for us to see or appreciate the ordinary acts of our life moment by moment.

[10:34]

The drama of our life becomes overwhelming and blocks out the moment to moment vitality of our life. So, Hyakujo's life of moment-to-moment zazen is quite ordinary for him. I remember in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Suzuki Roshi talking about being in the monastery at Eheji, and how it seems unusual, a very unusual way of life. But once you are into this way of life, it's no longer unusual.

[11:45]

It's quite usual. And then when a visitor comes, the visitor says, oh, you live a very unusual way of life. But this just, from someone looking at it who doesn't have that way of life. Seems very unusual, but it's just usual. Sitting many, many periods of zazen a day and going about one's ordinary activity of study, studying the Dharma, becomes usual way of life. Sometimes when people come to practice and after practicing for a year or two they say, well what else is there? This has become so usual that it's no longer interesting. When it's no longer interesting then it really becomes practice at that point.

[12:48]

Master Dogen when he comments on this particular case says, the daily activity of Buddhists and ancestors is drinking tea and eating rice. And when you are totally stuffed with rice and cannot stomach another bite, then you really have true practice. So The monk asked Hakujo this question, what is the most wonderful thing? And Hakujo said, I sit alone on this great sublime peak. And the monk made a bow. He bowed down. And Hakujo went, poof. Why did he hit him? The monk, there are various ways to think about why he hit him, but they're all just variants.

[14:16]

Maybe the monk was arrogant or ostentatious, but the monk's bow He thought that he received something wonderful, which he did, but he didn't quite understand Hyakujo's meaning. So when he bowed, he thought, is that all? So his bow was not quite sincere. It didn't quite match Yakujo's response. So Yakujo finalized the response. But a blow from the teacher is not necessarily so bad.

[15:21]

Yakujo was expressing the reality of that situation through his blow. the monk was receiving Hyakujo, Hyakujo's true spirit. He's saying, if you don't get my true spirit from what I said, you can get it this way. But it's not meant to hurt the monk. It's a wonderful slap. And there's something actually quite, affectionate, actually, a kind of affectionate blow. And, you know, at the end he says, but his efforts made him a laughingstock. You can laugh at the monk, but I think that Hyakujo was laughing with the monk.

[16:33]

smiling because he appreciated the monk even though the question was not a brilliant question. But in the end, they connected. And that brought a smile to Yakujo's face. And it doesn't say what the monk did, but I'm sure the monk appreciated it very much. Then Master Setjo has a verse. across the patriarch's field when galloping the heavenly horse, Baso's successor, that's Hyakujo.

[17:38]

In other words, Hyakujo, the commentator always aggrandizes the teacher. He compares him to Hyakujo's, Baso's successor and makes him a horse too. And then he says, but different, however, in way of teaching, in holding fast and letting go. So this is an interesting point, because the teacher, Baso, who doesn't really figure into this, but although they came from the same stock, their ways of teaching are not the same. This is true with teachers and disciples. Every teacher will have a different way of presenting himself or herself or teaching.

[18:39]

But even though one comes from the other, it's just like your children are not like you. Fortunately or unfortunately. Even though you may want them to be, they're not. And they have their own way of doing things. But the family resemblance is there. even though the teaching methods are different, the reality or truth of their teaching is the same. And sometimes people will expect a teacher to be a certain way. They have a stereotype in their mind of what a Zen teacher is supposed to be like. And then they come, they look, No, it doesn't match my notes. I remember Suzuki Hiroshi talking about certain teachers and their method, their way of teaching was, looks like, the authentic Zen way, according to the books.

[20:01]

And he would call that the art of Zen, the art of Zen, that you make a kind of, someone makes a kind of play out of the historical role models and they make themselves a character, create a character within themselves of the stereotypes of a Zen master and then they can impress people. And people say, oh, that's a really good Zen master. He has all those characteristics that they talk about in the books. But he called that the art of Zen, creating something by putting on a show. So we should be careful not to create something like art of Zen or look to a teacher and check to see if they have those characteristics.

[21:18]

Everyone's way is different and we should discern the genuineness of a person through their own true actions. Then he continues to talk about Hyakujo. His actions were quick as lightning, always fitting. In other words, because Hyakujo has nothing in his mind or nothing at the bottom of his heart, but is simply open, he can act quick as lightning. He can respond quick as lightning because he has no barrier to responding. He has nothing blocking his response. He has no idea about who's in front of him. But as soon as the monk opens his mouth, he knows what to do.

[22:23]

The monk came to tweak the tiger's whiskers. In other words, he came to, when you pull on the tiger's whiskers, to see what the response is, right? There's an old saying, if you want to get the tiger's cub, you have to go into the tiger's cave. So you better be prepared for what happens when you go inside there. It's a dangerous place. But the monk didn't heed that warning. He just kind of went in and asked this question. And for Hyakujo, when you ask him a question, depending on who asks the question, he gives an appropriate response. When the monk asks the question, it's different than when an ordinary lay person would ask the question or someone who is not so committed.

[23:40]

But when the monk asks the question, it's a matter of life and death. So the monk had better be prepared to receive whatever he receives when he asks the question. That's the way these people responded to each other in those days. Nyogen Senzaki says, in the old days, Zen Zen masters built their temples on top of mountains and people had to climb the mountains in order to visit the temples. But at some point, the temples were just full of visitors and things started degenerating.

[24:52]

But if someone made the effort to climb the mountain, and those mountains in China are very steep, not easily accessible and to climb the mountain and ask a question you'd have to really have some good reason. The reason that I was talking about this case was a student came to see me in Dōkasan And when he sat down, he said, I realize that all I have to do is come here and sit down. And I said, yes, that's right. All you have to do is come here and sit down. People think I have to have a burning question.

[25:58]

or I have to have some question. Often people come, they'll sign up for Doksan, and after three weeks they come to see me. They said, I signed up for Doksan three weeks ago, but you know, my questions, I forgot what my question was. My question has been answered or something like that. So they just sit down and settle down. And this is the most important part, is actually coming in, sitting down, and settling down. Sometimes someone will come in often and start to sit down. And before they've even sat down, they got their question out or something out. What the teacher watches for is the behavior of the person as they walk through the door and how you handle yourself and how settled you are in yourself and what your demeanor is as you approach and relate.

[27:19]

The question may or may not be relevant or meaningful, too meaningful, What is important is where you are, moment to moment. Where are you on this moment? When you come in and you settle yourself and be very quiet, your question will come up. your question will come out of zazen, even though you don't know what you're going to say. I much prefer to have someone come to doksan, not even knowing what they're going to say. If you know what you're going to say, it probably doesn't mean so much. But when you sit down with nothing in your mind,

[28:24]

I much prefer that you just sit down with nothing in your mind and sit there for a moment and let your question arise out of that stillness. Then something can take place. And even if nothing's said, the quality of your life at that moment is what's most important. The information you get from me doesn't mean so much. I'm not there to give you information. Yakujo was famous for his saying, a day of no work is a day of no eating.

[30:00]

The monks in China In India, the monks were not allowed to do any work. They couldn't farm, they couldn't handle money. It was strictly at the mercy of donations. And of course, in China too, but Chinese are a different kind of people and more agrarian. the monks were kind of forced to work, which is not a bad thing, actually, work in the fields and do their own work, taking care of themselves. And Hyakujo, when he was very old, would still go out with the monks and work.

[31:04]

And he got so old that he could hardly get out there. But one day, the monks hid his tools so that he couldn't get out there, because they were afraid he'd keel over or something. But he refused to eat. He says, unless you give me back my tools, I'll stop eating. He's famous for a day of no work is a day of no eating. Very inspiring kind of teacher. Do you have any questions? Paul? Yes, be prepared. When the master hits the monk, isn't that part of tradition in practice, hitting as a way of awakening?

[32:26]

Yes, it is, but not all teachers hit. with a stick. Joshu, Master Joshu, was called the teacher with the golden lips. He hit you with his lips. Whereas other teachers would hit you with a stick. Just depends, you know. It is traditional, but because it's traditional doesn't mean that everyone used that method. Not according to our information, our limited information. No, not all teachers would use a stick. Some teachers are famous for using a stick and some teachers are famous for

[33:33]

being able to say with their mouth what they meant. And some teachers would not say anything or do anything as a way of communicating. Yes, Paul, I mean Mark. for you. I could say I'm there for you, but actually I'm just there. Mariam? Yeah, the question about what's the most wonderful thing and then the answer of sitting alone on a divine peak, that does sound wonderful.

[34:36]

Yes. Absolutely. If it's not there, then you don't have it. Sublime, sublime, sublime. Well, you can name your seat in the car, Sublime Peak, and let it remind you of where you are. Yes, it is.

[35:43]

I enjoyed what you said at the end about the stick being a place of connection, just because I have so many negative images about the stick, and I sort of felt that. I also wondered, if I come to you to tweak your whiskers, there's a lot of ego in that, and you can't answer the question. I wonder if you then say, just sitting here, going over the Bay Bridge, and I bow, or I'll be the monk now, I'll be you, I might give you the stick for that bow, because I haven't really given an answer, because it's so impossible, and you have to come a long time to know you shouldn't even ask a question, and maybe then it's like having all the rice you need, and know that sitting's enough, And it's kind of like, well, maybe I did give you the answer that has the art of the answer in it, but don't bow to that.

[36:46]

Right, don't bow to that. I'm not asking for that, because you can't get the answer in this situation, no matter what we do. I don't know if I agree with everything you said, but I do agree with the main thing of what you said. It's not to agree with, it's just another little flavor I saw in there. That's right. Yeah. Alan? Well, visualizing this exchange, as you describe it, and realizing it's very much like many other exchanges that we read of, and what I like about it is that the teacher and the student themselves at risk or at jeopardy with each other.

[37:47]

And it's interesting, as I'm visualizing, I realize, well, in order to hit them, they actually have to be very close, face-to-face, in a way, as we are in Dokusan. But also, an added element of risk and intensity is that they're doing this in public. Well, but there are two ways of doing shosan, which we don't do. One way is to stand at the end, at the other end from the teacher. The other is to come right up and kneel down and ask the question. And that's what was happening here. The reason I don't do it that way is because

[38:54]

I make the person stand as far away as possible so that everybody can hear the question. When the person comes up to you they say, so it's like sharing the question, you know. That's actually the biggest reason because as soon as the student gets close to the teacher then you can't hear what they're saying. It's so intimate Maybe we should all wear one of these. Yes, yeah, and it's quite common. That's the way it's often done in Japan, teachers sitting in a chair or standing, actually standing with a stick, with a kiyosaku.

[40:24]

And then the student comes up, kneels down, and asks the question, and is open for the blow. Yes? Well, I don't know whether they still do it, but in Marine Corps, officers used to have a swagger stick. Some would touch the troops with it, but others never would. They would always be in their armpits. were in their hand, but they had to carry it. So there's all different ways of asserting your authority. There are, yes. And sometimes it's authority, and at other times it, I don't know if I'd call it authority, but I guess it is, it's authority. That's an interesting question.

[41:27]

When I ask a question on a Saturday, do you consider it a matter of life and death? Yeah. Because I have to, when I answer your question or respond to your question, I have to go down to the bottom of my mind or the bottom of my heart to respond to you. So I would appreciate you doing the same when you ask the question. Andrea? Well, I was most interested in the alone part. I know. And what you meant by that. You know how Buddha said, I was talking about this with somebody the other night, I alone in the world, all alone. Yes. Well, as I said, there are two meanings.

[42:37]

One is isolation. That's the usual sense of alone. But etymologically, it's at one with. So it means not outside of anything. Everything is included in my big mind, in big mind. That's the other alone, at one. In Zazen, Zazen has both sides. You're sitting all alone, but actually, everything in the universe is included in Zazen. That's at one. So people, when they see you sitting, they say, oh, you're sitting all alone. But they don't realize that this all alone includes everything.

[43:40]

If zazen was just to isolate yourself, then it wouldn't be worth anything. Well, maybe I'm thinking about it too much. Maybe. It sounded like he was saying something more than that. Because he said, I'm just sitting alone here. Yeah. Well, it has both meanings. Both sides are present. I'm sitting by myself. Yes, but he's sitting with his big mind, which includes everything. Otherwise, he would just be isolating himself, or escaping, or something like that. Sazen is not an escape. It's a refuge, but it's not an escape. That's why Azaan also has two sides.

[44:42]

One side is confinement or withdrawing, and the other side is totally being present with everything. And that's actualized by coming to the zendo and sitting, and then expressing zazen in all of the activities of your life. Yes. His father, Revelle, was a French philosopher.

[45:35]

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