V. BASO (MA-TSU) AND SEKITO (SHIH-T'OU), TWO GREAT MASTERS OF THE T'ANG DYNASTY
Ma-tsu (Baso) whose posthumous title was the Zen Master of Great Quietude (ta-chi) was to be properly called Tao-i (Doichi). His family name was Ma, from the district of Han-chou. His teaching which was originally propagated in the province of Chiang-hsi proved of great influence in the Buddhist world of the time, and he came to be generally known as Ma the Father, that, Ma-tsu.
Historically, Zen Buddhism was introduced to China by an Indian monk called Bodhidharma during the South and North Dynasties, probably late in the fifth century. But it was not until the time of Hui-neng and Shen-hsiu that Bodhidharma was recognized as the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism in China; for this was the time when Zen to be properly so called came to establish itself as one of the strong Buddhist movements created by Chinese religious genius. The movement firmly took root with Ma-tsu (-788) and Shih-t'ou (700–790). The latter had his monastery in the province of Hu-nan, and thus Hu-nan and Chiang-hsi became the hot-bed of the Zen movement. All the followers of Zen in China as well as in Japan at present trace back their lineage to these two masters of the T'ang.
Shih-t'ou (Sekito) whose family name was Chen came from the district of Tuan-chou. His other name was Hsi-ch'ien. While still young, his religious feeling was strongly stirred against a barbarous custom which was practised among the Liao race. The custom consisted in sacrificing bulls in order to appease the wrath of the evil spirits which were worshipped by the people. Shih-t'ou destroyed many such shrines dedicated to the spirits and saved the victims. He probably acted quite decisively and convincingly so that even the elders of his village failed to prevent him from so rashly working against popular superstitions. He later embraced Buddhism, becoming a disciple of Hui-neng. The latter however died before this young man had been formally ordained as a Buddhist monk. He then went to Hsing-ssu (-740), of Chi-chou and studied Zen Buddhism. Hsing-ssu like Nan-yueh Huai-jang who was the teacher of Ma-tsu, was also a disciple of Hui-neng.
Before quoting Ma-tsu, let me acquaint you with some of Shih-t'ou's questions-and-answers (mondo = wen-to) as recorded in the Transmission of the Lamp.
Hsing-ssu one day asked: “Some say that an intelligence comes from the south of the Ling.”
T'ou: “There is no such intelligence from anybody.”
Ssu: “If not, whence are all those sutras of the Tripitaka?”
T'ou: “They all come out of here, and there is nothing wanting.”
Shih-t'ou, “Stone-head”, gains his name because of his having a hut over the flat surface of a rock in his monastery grounds in Heng-chou. He once gave the following sermon: “My teaching which has come down from the ancient Buddhas is not dependent on meditation (dhyana) or on diligent application of any kind. When you attain the insight as attained by the Buddha, you realize that Mind is Buddha and Buddha is Mind, that Mind, Buddha, sentient beings, Bodhi (enlightenment), and Klesa (passions) are of one and the same substance while they vary in names. You should know that your own mind-essence is neither subject to annihilation nor eternally subsisting, is neither pure nor defiled, that it remains perfectly undisturbed and self-sufficient and the same with the wise and the ignorant, that it is not limited in its working, and that it is not included in the category of mind (citta), consciousness (manas), or thought (vijnana). The three worlds of desire, form, and no-form, and the six paths of existence are no more than manifestations of your mind itself. They are all like the moon reflected in water or images in the mirror. How can we speak of them as being born or as passing away? When you come to this understanding, you will be furnished with all the things you are in need of.”
Tao-wu, one of Shih-t'ou's disciples, then asked: “Who has attained to the understanding of Hui-neng's teaching?”
T'ou: “The one who understands Buddhism.”
Wu: “Have you then attained it?”
T'ou: “No, I do not understand Buddhism.”
A monk asked: “How does one get emancipated?”
The master said: “Who has ever put you in bondage?”
Monk: “What is the Pure Land?”
Master: “Who has ever defiled you?”
Monk: “What is Nirvana?”
Master: “Who has ever subjected you to birth-and-death?”
Shih-t'ou asked a monk newly arrived: “Where do you come from?”
“From Chiang-hsi.”
“Did you see Ma the great teacher?”
“Yes, master.”
Shih-t'ou then pointed at a bundle of kindlings and said: “How does Ma the teacher resemble this?”
The monk made no answer. Returning to Ma the teacher, he reported the interview with Shih-t'ou. Ma asked: “Did you notice how large the bundle was?”
“An immensely large one it was.”
“You are a very strong man indeed.”
“How?” asked the monk.
“Because you have carried that huge bundle from Nan-yueh even up to this monastery. Only a strong man can accomplish such a feat.”
A monk asked: “What is the meaning of the First Patriarch's coming from the West?”
Master: “Ask the post over there.”
Monk: “I do not understand you.”
Master: “I do not either, any more than you.”
Ta-tien asked: “According to an ancient sage it is a dualism to take the Tao either as existing or as not-existing. Please tell me how to remove this obstruction.”
“Not a thing here, and what do you wish to remove?”
Shih-t'ou turned about and demanded: “Do away with your throat and lips, and let me see what you can say.”