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| Gye Mun Sunim JDPS, Abbot, Kwan Yin Chan Lin, Singapore |
One day, the Master Jianyuan Zhongxing followed Zen Master Daowu to a devotee’s family home to conduct a funeral service. Placing his hand on the coffin, the Master asked, “Alive? Dead?” Daowu answered, “I will not say dead or alive.” The Master asked, “Why won’t you say?” Daowu answered, “I won’t say! I won’t say!”
After the funeral
the Master and Daowu headed back to the temple together. On the way back the
Master demanded, “Venerable, you have to say something to Zhongxin today. If
you don’t, I’ll hit you!” Daowu answered, “Feel free to hit me if you want, but
I will not say dead or alive.” The Master then punched Daowu several times.
Daowu returned to the temple by himself, asking the Master to leave him. If the
others at the temple knew what had happened, they would not have let the Master
off so easy.
The master took
his leave of Daowu and went to see Zen Master Shishuang. After relating the
whole incident to Shishuang, the Master asked, “Venerable, please say
something.” Shishuang answered, “Don’t you see? Daowu said, ‘I will not say
dead or alive’.” At this, Daowu had a great awakening. He then prepared a feast
to repent for his wrong doing.
Today, we
commemorate the 10th year since the passing of Zen Master Seung Sahn. I am
sharing this kong-an with the great adepts gathered here today — please have a
go at it. Zen Master Seung Sahn entered Nirvana ten years ago. His form body is
long gone, but what about his Dharma body? Is it dead? Is it alive?
Gathering at the Whole World is a Single
Flower Conference, Zen students of the ten directions attain WU WEI!
