Essays in Zen Buddhism · 59 of 66

The Meditation Hall and Monastic Life, Part 6

There is a period in the monastic life, exclusively set apart for mental discipline, and not interrupted by any manual labour except such as is absolutely needed. It is known as great “Sesshin” (Chê-hsin) and lasts a week, taking place once a month during the season called the “Summer Sojourn” and the “Winter Sojourn.” The summer sojourn begins in April and ends in August, while the winter one begins in October and ends in February. “Sesshin” means “collecting or concentrating the mind.” While this period is lasting, the monks are confined at the Zendo, get up earlier than usual, and sit further into the night. There is a kind of lecture every day during the period. Text books are used, the most popular of which are The Hekiganshu and Rinzairoku, the two being considered the most fundamental books of the Rinzai School. The Rinzairoku is a collection of sermons and sayings of the founder of the Rinzai Zen sect. The Hekiganshu, as has been noted elsewhere, is a collection of one hundred Zen “cases” or “themes” with critical annotations and poetical comments. It goes without saying that there are many other books used for the occasion. To an ordinary reader, such books generally are a sort of obscurum per obscurius. After listening to a series of lectures, he is left in the lurch as ever. Not necessarily that they are too abstruse, but that the reader is still wanting in insight into the truth of Zen.

The lecture is a solemn affair. Its beginning is announced by a bell, which stops ringing as soon as the master appears in the hall where what is known as “Teisho” takes place. While the master is offering incense to the Buddha and to his departed master, the monks recite a short dharani-sūtra called Daihiju, which means “the dharani of great compassion.” Being a Chinese transliteration of the Sanskrit original, mere recitation of the Sutra does not give any intelligent sense. Probably the sense is not essential in this case, the assurance is sufficient that it contains something auspicious and conducive to spiritual welfare. What is more significant is the way in which it is recited. Its monotone punctuated with a wooden time-keeper known as “mokugyo,” (Wooden Fish), prepares the mind of the audience for the coming event. After the Dharani which is recited three times the monks read in chorus generally the exhortatory sermon left by the founder of the monastery. In some places nowadays Hakuin’s “Song of Zazen” is often chanted. The following are translations of Hakuin and of Musō Kokushi, whose last exhortatory sermon is one of the most popular.

Muso Kokushi’s Exhortatory Sermon

I have three kinds of disciples: those who, vigorously shaking off all entangling circumstances, and with singleness of thought apply themselves to the study of their own [spiritual] affairs are of the first class. Those who are not so single-minded in the study, but scattering their attention are fond of book-learning, are of the second. Those who, covering their own spiritual brightness, are only occupied with the dribblings of the Buddhas and Fathers are called the lowest. As to those minds that are intoxicated by secular literature and engaged in establishing themselves as men of letters are simply laymen with shaven heads, they do not belong even to the lowest. As regards those who think only of indulging in food and sleep and give themselves up to indolence,—could such be called members of the Black Robe? They are truly, as were designated by an old master, clothes-racks and rice-bags. Inasmuch as they are not monks, they ought not to be permitted to call themselves my disciples and enter the monastery and sub-temples as well, even a temporary sojourn is to be prohibited, not to speak of their application as student-monks. When an old man like myself speaks thus, you may think he is lacking in all-embracing love, but the main thing is to let them know of their own faults, and, reforming themselves, to become growing plants in the patriarchal gardens.

Hakuin’s Song of Meditation

All sentient beings are from the very beginning the Buddhas: It is like ice and water; Apart from water no ice can exist, Outside sentient beings, where do we seek the Buddhas? Not knowing how near the Truth is, People seek it far away,—what a pity! They are like him who, in the midst of water, Cries in thirst so imploringly; They are like the son of a rich man Who wandered away among the poor. The reason why we transmigrate through the six worlds, Is because we are lost in the darkness of ignorance; Going astray further and further in the darkness, When are we able to get away from birth-and-death?

As regards the Meditation practised in the Mahayana, We have no words to praise it fully, The Virtues of Perfection such as charity and morality, And the invocation of the Buddha’s name, confession, and ascetic discipline, And many other good deeds of merit,— All these issue from the practise of Meditation. Even those who have attained it even for one sitting, Will see all their evil karma wiped clean; Nowhere they will find the evil paths, But the Pure Land will be near at hand. With a reverential heart, let them to this Truth Listen even for once. And let them praise it, and gladly embrace it, And they will surely be blessed most infinitely.

For such as, reflecting within themselves, Testify to the Truth of Self-nature, To the Truth that Self-nature is no-nature, They have really gone beyond the ken of sophistry. For them opens the gate of the oneness of cause and effect, And straight runs the path of non-duality and non-trinity. Abiding with the Not-particular in particulars, Whether going or returning, they remain for ever unmoved; Taking hold of the Not-thought in thoughts, In every act of theirs they hear the voice of Truth. How boundless the sky of Samadhi unfettered! How transparent the perfect moon-light of the Fourfold Wisdom! At that moment what do they lack? As the Truth eternally calm reveals itself to them, This very earth is the Lotus Land of Purity, And this body is the body of the Buddha.

The lecture lasts about an hour. It is quite different from an ordinary lecture on a religious subject. Nothing is explained, no arguments are set forward, no apologetics, no reasonings. The master is supposed simply to reproduce in words what is treated in the textbook before him. When the lecture ends, the Four Great Vows are repeated three times, and the monks retire to their quarters. The Vows are:

“How innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them all; How inexhaustible our evil passions are, I vow to exterminate them; How immeasurable the holy doctrines are, I vow to study them; How inaccessible the path of Buddhas is, I vow to attain it.”