yun's talk

MASTER HSING YUN'S TALK

Only Partial Agreement:
Ch'an Master Tung-shan Liang-chieh attained enlightenment under the guidance of Master Nan-ch'uan Pu-yuan. On the anniversary of the death of Tung-shan's former teacher, Master Yun-yen T'an-sheng, Tung-shan laid offerings on the altar as a commemoration. A novice monk asked, "What teaching did you obtain from your former teacher?" Tung-shan answered, "Even though I was his disciple, he didn't give me any instruction." "Then why do you still revere and make offerings to him?" "How do I dare to show him disrespect?" Tung-shan contemplated. "But you have attained enlightenment under the supervision of Master Nan-ch'uan," said the novice. "I don't understand why you still make offerings to Yun-yen." Gently, Tung-shan explained, "I don't venerate either his ethics or his Dharma. I simply respect him for not disclosing everything to me. Because of this, I think that he was kinder to me than my parents." The novice continued, "Since you make offerings to him, you must agree to his method of Ch'an." Tung-shan replied, "I partially agree." "Why don't you agree completely?" asked the novice. "Because if I do, I will disappoint him," said Tung-shan. Master Tung-shan Liang-chieh became enlightened when he saw his reflection in the water right after his teacher, Yun-yen, had passed away. His enlightenment verse was as follows: Guard against searching in other places; otherwise, you will become ever further estranged from yourself.
Today, when I strolled along the water, I found myself mirrored in it. The reflection was me,
But I was not the reflection. Due to self-attained realization, my mind is in harmony with my teacher's.

> You do not have the Buddha-Nature
> Form and Emptiness are the Same
> I-Hsiu Eating the Honey
> Night Roving
> Getting to the Root
> Before going up the Tree
< Only Partial Agreement

Although Tung-shan's enlightenment took place after the death of his teacher, he did not forget the favors he had received and made offerings on the anniversary of his teacher's death. He was grateful to the teacher for not having revealed everything to him and for giving him the opportunity to attain enlightenment on his own. If one is completely dependent on one's teachers, one will become lost. On the other hand, one should not become so independent that one refuses guidance. For without the finger pointing at the moon, how can one see it? Thus, the real meaning of Tung-shan's partial agreement with the teacher is that teachers should only serve as a guide to the student during the learning process.