A monk said to Mazu, "What is the meaning of
Bodhidharma's
coming from the West?
Mazu replied, "At this
moment, what do you
mean by 'meaning'?"
Again the monk asked
the question, and Mazu struck him, saying, "If I didn't strike you,
people would laugh at me."  
Youmin Temple

Nanchang, Jiangxi, China

This is the Zen temple that Mazu, the
famous Tang Dynasty Zen master,
resided at for quite a while--located
right in the middle of modern
Nanchang city, capital of Jiangxi
Province.
Ma Tzu: The Empty Mirror
book by Osho,
using many stories of this famous
Chinese early Chan master Mazu
Daoyi.

    Zen Master Mazu Daoyi was one
    of the most famous and creative
    Chan masters in its history.  He
    was born in Sichuan Province in
    the small village of Shifang, just
    north of Chengdu.

    He lived and studied with
    Nanyue who had his temple,
    Fuyan Temple on Hengshan
    mountain in Hunan Province.
    Just down the road on this same
    mountain is the Nantai Temple,
    where Mazu's contemporary,
    Shitou (Sekito, J.)  had his
    "stonehead" location.

    After leaving Nanyue, Mazu
    traveled east to Jiangxi Province
    where he lived, taught, and
    died.  His stupa is located in
    Baofeng Temple.
Painting of Mazu resting on the base of
his stupa at Baofeng Temple.  
Youmin Si
Mazu stories--simplified Chinese
Mazu-Transmission of the
Lamp-traditional Chinese
Maps of
Youmin
Temple
location.
             oshobob  The Living Workshop                                         
                                                  Zen Temples in China
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