Caoshan Benji
Mt. Caoshan Origin Silence
Japanese, Sozan Honjaku
| born: 840 died: 901 61 years place: China |
| Chan master: Dongshan Liangjie (J. Tozan Ryokai) Chan disciples: 16 recorded as masters |
Together with his master Dongshan, Caoshan goes
down in history as co-creating the Caodong School (J.
Soto) of Chan (the name is literally a combination of
the "mountain names" of both), one of the 5 "houses"
of classical Zen in China. He came from the area of
modern Quanzhou, Fujian. Named his temple location
Mt. Cao in the Fuzhou district after Huineng's temple
in Guangdong. Started another temple at Mt. Heyu,
and named that one Caoshan too.
down in history as co-creating the Caodong School (J.
Soto) of Chan (the name is literally a combination of
the "mountain names" of both), one of the 5 "houses"
of classical Zen in China. He came from the area of
modern Quanzhou, Fujian. Named his temple location
Mt. Cao in the Fuzhou district after Huineng's temple
in Guangdong. Started another temple at Mt. Heyu,
and named that one Caoshan too.
| stories: Osho Zen: The Quantum Leap from Mind to No-mind, ch. 12 Zen: The Diamond Thunderbolt, ch. 3 |
Chinese simplified:
| oshobob The Living Workshop |
| Zen Masters |
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Sozan once said to Shie Doja, "Aren't you `Paper Clothes the Pilgrim'?" Shie Doja answered, "I am not worthy of being so." Sozan asked, "What is the thing beneath paper clothes?" Shie Doja said, "When just a leather garment is put on the body, all things are of their suchness." Sozan said, "What is the activity beneath paper clothes?" Shie Doja came near him, did as he was asked, and died standing up. Sozan said, "You have expounded the going, but how about the coming?" Shie Doja suddenly opened his eyes and asked, "How about when a spiritual nature does not borrow a placenta?" Sozan said, "This is not yet wonderful." Shie Doja asked, "What is wonderful then?" Sozan said, "Not-borrowing borrowing." Shie Doja thereupon said, "Be happy, be well!" and died, sitting. Sozan made a verse:
formless body. Do not believe, unreasonably, that it is far off or near! Thoughts of difference becloud the original form. A mind at variance with itself cannot be in harmony with the way. When emotion distinguishes phenomena, we fall into materiality. When intellect judges the manifold, we lose the reality. If you understand perfectly the meaning of these words, you are without doubt beyond danger like those of ancient times. This is my whole effort to introduce you to this same experience of the ancient buddhas, because it does not belong to time. It is a question of diving deep into yourself. The buddha is hiding in the paper bag. The paper bag may be of any shape: it may be male, it may be female; it may be young, it may be old; it may be black, it may be white...it does not mean anything to the inner consciousness. All distinctions are meaningless... --Osho Zen: The Quantum Leap From Mind to No-Mind, ch. 12 |