Shitou Xiqian
Jap., Sekito Kisen
Stone Head Rare Change
| born: 700 died: 790 90 years place: China |
| Chan master: Qingyuan (J. Seigen), Huineng (J. Eno), Nanyue (J. Nangaku) Chan disciples: Yaoshan (J. Yakusan), Danxia Tianran (J. Tanka Tennen), Tianhuang, Dadian, Zhaoti, Changzi, ... |
Shitou is considered to be, along with Mazu, one
of the most important Zen masters in its history.
This stems from the fact that all Zen lineage, except
for the early lines that died out, emanated from
these two masters.
of the most important Zen masters in its history.
This stems from the fact that all Zen lineage, except
for the early lines that died out, emanated from
these two masters.
Originally from the Guangdong area of old China,
Shitou's surname was Chen. After studying with
the 6th Ancestor Huineng as a youth, he gravitated
to Qingyuan after Huineng died. Shitou ended up
on Nanyue Hengshan in Hunan Province, just a
stones throw away from Master Mazu's place,
though there is no record of the two ever having
met. See this page for more on Shitou's Nantai Zen
Temple with modern photos--2006.
Shitou set up his hut on a stone ledge, thereby
receiving his name in Zen history. This was at
Nantai Zen Temple on Hengshan Mountain. His
famous contemporary Mazu was already probably in
Jiangxi Province at this time, and the two are
recorded as sending disciples back and forth to
each other.
Shitou's surname was Chen. After studying with
the 6th Ancestor Huineng as a youth, he gravitated
to Qingyuan after Huineng died. Shitou ended up
on Nanyue Hengshan in Hunan Province, just a
stones throw away from Master Mazu's place,
though there is no record of the two ever having
met. See this page for more on Shitou's Nantai Zen
Temple with modern photos--2006.
Shitou set up his hut on a stone ledge, thereby
receiving his name in Zen history. This was at
Nantai Zen Temple on Hengshan Mountain. His
famous contemporary Mazu was already probably in
Jiangxi Province at this time, and the two are
recorded as sending disciples back and forth to
each other.
| stories: Osho This, This, A Thousand Times This: The Very Essence of Zen, ch. 5 Zen: The Quantum Leap From Mind to No-mind, ch. 4, ch. 9 Zen: The Solitary Bird, Cuckoo of the Forest, ch. 6, ch. 15 Zen: The Diamond Thunderbolt, ch. 11 Ma Tzu: The Empty Mirror, ch. 7 No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity, ch. 12 God is Dead: Now Zen is the Only Living Truth, ch. 1, ch. 2, ch. 3, ch. 4, ch. 5, ch. 6, ch. 7 I Celebrate Myself: God is No Where, Life is Now Here, ch. 1, ch. 2, ch. 3, ch. 4, ch. 5, ch. 6, ch. 7 The Zen Manifesto: Freedom from Oneself, ch. 4, ch. 6, ch. 8 |
| oshobob The Living Workshop |
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| Shitou's Song of the Grass Hut: I make a grass hut in which inside there is no worldly treasure. I eat and sleep naturally and easily. When I made the hut, the reeds were new. When the hut gets torn, I cover it with reeds again. The person living in the hut is always there. He does not belong to inside or outside. I do not live where ordinary people live; I do not love what ordinary people love. Although the hut is small, it contains the dharma world. A man of Zen understands it well. Bodhisattvas of the supreme vehicle have no doubt about it, but the mediocre are bound to be dubious. If I were asked whether this hut breaks down or not, I would say that the subject is originally both in the breakable and unbreakable. I don't live in the north or south or the west or east. The foundation of the hut is the most solid. Under the green pine tree, in the hut's bright window – even a golden palace can't compare. If I cover myself with the old quilt, everything settles. Then I don't understand anything. Living in this hut, I stop looking for any solutions. Who would put them proudly in the show window for the people to buy? When evening comes and the sun is setting, I come back to the hut. My being is so vast that there are no divisions. Meeting with the intimate teachings of the ancestral master, I made a hut with grasses and don't think of leaving. I just let the hundred years go as they pass by. If I move with my hands open, there is no problem. A thousand words, ten thousand solutions, only keep you in ignorance. If you want to know the immortal person in the hut, why do you go away from this skin bag? The foundation is on a rock. You know Shitou – he used to remain on a rock, that's why he became famous as Stonehead. A completely shaven head that looked like a stone, and he was always sitting on a stone. And it was the master Nanyue who ordered his people to make a hut for him – around him, because he was a strange fellow, he would not even move. So the foundation was really strong. It was a flat rock, and he remained sitting while Nanyue's people were making the hut around him. He did not say anything – whether to make it or not to make it, he did not take any note. A man reported to Nanyue: "That fellow is very strange. We are making a hut around him, and he does not even inquire what we are doing." Nanyue said, "I know him. Even when he was not enlightened he was very strange. And now that he is enlightened, he is the strangest man. But you finish the job; don't be bothered by him, and don't be afraid of him. He is a very soft-hearted man, just his head is like a stone, hard..." --Osho I Celebrate Myself: God is No Where, Life is Now Here, ch. 4 |
Chinese simplified: 石头希迁
| Note: In his original English talks, Osho used the Japanese pronunciations of the Chinese names used in these stories, to a large extent. In his books the names were romanized using Japanese romaji. In the instances where Osho used the original Chinese names, they were romanized in the books using the old Wade-Giles system, now seen very infrequently in world wide usage. The stories shown on this website will attempt to revert to the more accurate original Chinese identification, using modern Chinese pinyin romanization, if the people and places are Chinese. If they are Japanese, then Japanese romaji will be retained. |