Venerable Monk Xu Yun – Ten Difficulties of Practice

[Shi Da Dao]

Dharma-Talk Concerning ‘Expedient Means’ Given on Mount Yunju

May 18th (July 7th), 1955

(Translated by Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD)

Translator’s Note: Within Master Xu Yun’s biography for the year ‘1955-1956’, he is recorded as being 116-years-old. This text is a Dharma-Talk given by Master Xu Yun at the Zhenru Temple on Mount Yunju – which does not appear in his early biography known in the West as ‘Empty Cloud’ (and translated into English by Charles Luk) - but probably appears in the much longer versions of Xu Yun’s biography now extant within Mainland China. I was directed to this story through a Chinese-language article uploaded onto the Chinese-language internet (via the ‘Baidu’ search engine). Interestingly, Master Xu Yun exhibits a keen sense of humour and despite other Western authors attempting to paint the 1950s as a negative or depressing time for Master Xu Yun, the content of this article suggests otherwise. Why was it omitted from the early English translation? Of course, it is not the only omission, as Charles Luk also left-out negative comments stated by Master Xu Yun regarding certain aspects of Tibetan Buddhism (in 1888), as well as a letter written by Master Xu Yun to the Nationalist Dictator Chiang Kai-Shek (in 1943) – severely criticising the presence of missionary Christianity in China. Xu Yun’s biographers also omitted the (1928) Nationalist destruction of the ancient Shaolin Temple! Why would Xu Yun not lament the destruction of a very important temple not only for the founding of Ch’an Buddhism in China, but also for the development of the (later) Cao Dong lineage? There are also a number of doubts regarding the supposed beating Cen Xue Lu (Xu Yun’s ‘Nationalist’ Chinese-language biographer) asserts happened in the early 1950s. My research in this area suggests this event did not happen, etc. Indeed, the thrust of the offensive letter Master Xu Yun received and discussed in this Dharma-Talk, sounds very similar in its threatening tone to these ‘sinister’ stories – as if Master Xu Yun is not ‘supporting’ a resistance movement and an attempt is being made to bring him into line. In this respect, the content of this text is highly valuable as ‘evidence’ that implies that his biography has been subject to ‘political’ editing at some point between leaving his hands in Mainland China – and arriving into the hands of Cen Xue Lu in Hong Kong. Between these two events there was ample time for the text to be ‘altered’ with neither party knowing. Within contemporary China, periodic calls are put-out for everyone who possesses any stories about Master Xu Yun to come forward and contribute toward the constructing of a ‘new’ and ‘complete’ biography. Other than my work on the RHACS and ICBI forums – this extra work remains ‘unknown’ in the West.ACW (26.10.2020)

The text entitled ‘Ch’an Gate Daily Recitation’ (禅门日诵 - Chan Men Ri Song) contains ten poems written by the Great Master Han Shan (Da Shi Han Shan) - this includes the song entitled ‘Wastefulness and Idleness’, etc. This text discusses ten difficult practices, situations and circumstances associated with monastic practice, but which also has important implications for lay-practitioners. As dedicated Ch’an practitioners – you must never be ‘wasteful’ of any single thing – and you must never be ‘idle’! If you are useless and idle you will generate hellish karma and cause endless pain and suffering for yourself and those who rely upon your purity of character and precision of practice! I can tell you now that such hellish karma leads to an early and unnatural death! The ten difficult things are as follows:

1) Difficulty in understanding the need for Buddhist morality.

2) Difficulty in keeping the vows associated with Buddhist morality.

3) Difficulty in meeting qualified masters.

4) Difficulty in cultivating non-attachment to delusional worldly activities.

5) Difficulty in realising the empty mind ground – the true essence of reality.

6) Difficulty in ‘penetrating’ and ‘realising’ the ‘Dao’ (道) or ‘Way’.

7) Difficulty in preventing the mind from wandering and the leakage of inner energy.

8) Difficulty in generating conviction in the mind (for the effectiveness of the Dharma).

9) Difficulty in developing ‘respect’ for the efficacy of the mind.

10) Difficulty in comprehending and understanding the Buddhist Sutras.

The ancient sages are truly great-beings. Although some people compare my meagre abilities to the masters of the times long gone, I must say that I dare not claim such a status for myself, even though I am aware that others think I am an ancient practitioner who keeps the morality. I strictly keep the Vinaya Discipline – that is all I can allow as a true description of my life. On the other hand, there are also those who tell deliberate lies about me, who say that I do not keep the Vinaya Discipline and ‘pretend’ to be a ‘holy-man’. How strange these extremes have become! I am an ‘ancient master’ or a ‘useless layabout’! In reality, we can only truly understand that which we experience for ourselves – like drinking water and knowing directly whether it is ‘cold’ or ‘hot’. The ancients say: ‘It is easy to draw a living tiger but not its hidden bones – just so we may know a person’s face but never their heart.’ Who can truly see into my heart? Who knows what I am ashamed of? If you wear the robe and do not practice the Dharma honestly and correctly, then you are cheating the Buddha and receiving benefits you are not entitled to. In such a situation, you are generating a hellish karma which will come back to haunt you when your bad deeds reach fruition. Even if you practice sincerely but do not ‘cut-off' the ‘karmic-root’ in the mind, then you will probably experience difficult times on occasion, but these will pass and make you stronger. If you do not follow the Buddhist morality properly, then every bad experience simply descends into a quagmire of endless suffering from which there is no escape. The ancient sages and ancient Buddhas all pass-on their lineages which are nothing but marks of a purified mind and body. What else could they be? Your Ch’an practice must prepare you for becoming a vehicle that can accept, protect and perpetuate this transmission. This is exactly how I was taught to practice Ch’an and the context within which I discuss my own path.

The day before yesterday, I received the following ‘unsigned’ letter that criticises myself. It reads:

‘There are people who pretend to be a Master and a bad smell stays in the air. Even if he is full of knowledge and understanding, he cannot respond to his duties. This is true despite the fact that such a person attracts a large number of dignitaries and has hundreds of different disciples. Simply having a famous name is not enough. It is as if there is a ‘secret precept’ that is not passed-on to ordinary people or even devout people – but only the chosen few who are often as unworthy of those who transmit the teaching. This must involve the generation of hellish retributory karma. A ‘Master’ in name only, produces disciples who are ‘students’ in name only. As such, there is a mutually reinforcing bad karma premised upon the self-supporting bad behaviour. How can this corruption be ‘passed-on’ as if it is a ‘real’ spiritual lineage? This is the unfortunate situation:

1) When a corrupt monk does not shave his head – but lets his hair grow and does not follow the Vinaya Discipline – then he generates a hellish karma that betrays the past and sullies the future.

2) It is common knowledge that the monk named ‘Cloud Gate’ (云门 - Yun Men) was killed. This happened because this monk was corrupt and used to ‘masturbate’ and continuously break the Vinaya Discipline. Because of this – three monks have ‘gone missing’ and at least one monk is known to have died. These tragedies have happened because this monk is corrupt, sets a bad example and has generated this hellish karma.

These are the two main areas of corruption. They are enough to prove that the Master's merits and demerits are profound.’

Confucius (孔子说 - Kong Fu Si) said: ‘Fortunately for myself (‘Qiu’ - ‘丘’ - his first-name) - if you have a past – then everyone will know about it.’ This letter has taught me a lesson about humility and I should be grateful for the chance to exercise understanding and forgiveness. It is a shame that this author has not signed this letter he has taken such trouble to write, or that he has not given a return address. Confucius also said: ‘A Master should pray sincerely at least once in his life – just in case there is a God.’ I wrote to Master Xin Wen (心文) of Hangzhou to see if he could help me ascertain who sent me this letter. He replied: ‘Even a Great Master who upholds a genuine lineage will still have to experience his own ‘fate’ on occasion.’ He also commented: ‘A genuine scholar understands the difference between the ‘dragon’ and the ‘elephant’. Each is useful and each knows its place and purpose. A Great Master is one who can clearly ‘see this’.’ The author of this letter is of the opinion that my character is impure and that I am not qualified to teach the Dharma or transmit the lineages of the Five Schools. As I am now 116-years-old, this information has come as something of ‘shock’ to me! How dare I presume to spread the Dharma and transmit the lineages?

Of course, when it comes to monks growing beards, this is an issue that was not quite clear to me in my youth. When I first became a monk (in 1859) I did not understand the rules about beards and hair growth and hair-tying, etc. After having my head shaved – I now have my head shaved and wash my feet once a year on New Year’s Eve. Although I wash – I do not like to take my robe off and expose my body. This is why I do not bath like a lay-person. For a Buddhist monk, sitting in a hot bath is an extravagance. I allow my beard to grow with my hair and only shave it once a year. As I am indifferent to hair-growth – and have spent months sat in unmoving meditation – my beard and hair has just naturally grown without any volitional preference. And although it is the Buddhist Rules that the hair and beard should be regularly shaved – my indifference does not generate any bad karma. It is an expedient skilful means as I am meditating with no interest of the functioning processes associated with my physical body. Within Indian culture the holy shave their head and beards - but within the Chinese traditions – the elderly sages always grow long white eyebrows, long white hair and long white beards. This type of hair-growth signifies the possession of ancient wisdom and spiritual maturity. As for the death of the monk ’Yun Men’ - I know nothing about it – and neither do I know about the situation behind any monks who have gone missing. Even in the past, many Patriarchs died because of their merits – rather than any presumed corruption. Some good people are killed by those corrupt individuals who resent their spiritual purity.

I am very old now. Not only this, but I have also been very ill for quite some time. These two things are no grounds for disgrace. I am not a young man and am not able to move through the world like a young man. I keep one eye on the empty mind ground, and one eye on the changing circumstances of the physical world. I am non-attached to void, and unhindered by the presence of the physical world. Eventually, my body will fall away and I will be no more. Again, there is no disgrace in being honest and exact. My Dharma-Words exist to free you all in the Ten Directions – they do not exist to make me famous. Words of fame and reputations of popularity are all ‘empty’ and possess no spiritual worth or Dharmic purpose. Everyone must work hard, clear their minds, discipline their bodies and realise their minds – what more is there to be done?

An ancient text describes an interesting story attributed to Grandmaster Cheng Chui (秤锤祖师 - Cheng Chui Zu Shi) of Yunnan. During the Ming Dynasty there was a man surnamed ‘Cai’ (蔡) who lived in Kunming. His parents passed away and he inherited property and gardens. He lived a very good life, but worked hard whilst remaining thrifty - growing vegetables and selling the excess for a modest profit. His wife was young and very beautiful, but was lazy and behaved in a manner that attracted the attention of other men. Eventually, she had an affair with a wild man, although Cai knew about this indiscretion, he did not discuss the situation with her. As time passed, she became more daring, and had no fear of liaising with the wild man every day. One day, Cai went out to sell vegetables very early. He expected that the wild man would buy some wine and meat to take home after he had met his wife. At this time, however, the cheating couple got the timing wrong, and the wild man had not yet left his wife, so he had to hide in the bed. When Cai entered the kitchen (sensing the situation) to prepare food, his wife felt embarrassed, so she washed her face and helped her husband prepare food. When the food was ready, Cai asked her to set the table. She set only two places, but Cai asked her to set up three places: because ‘Today, I have a treat for you.’ She set the third place and Cai asked her to share a drink with him. Cai asked: ‘Where is the guest?’ His surprised wife answered: ‘What guest? Don’t be so silly!’ Cai respond: ‘The guest hiding in our bedroom,’ She said: ‘Don't talk nonsense, there is no guest in our bedroom.’ Cai said: ‘It doesn't matter, don't be afraid, I forgive you both and ask you to invite him out. If he doesn't come out, I will assume he is a burglar trying to attack. In that case, I will defend you and kill him with a knife!’ His wife had no choice but to call the wild man to come out. Cai invited the wild man to the table, and friendly toasted with him. The wild man thought it was poisonous and didn't dare to drink it, so Cai drank it first, and then asked him to drink, so the wild man drank with relief. When he was full of food and wine, Cai bowed his head to the wild man three times and said: ‘today is a good day. My wife is young and beautiful and you both love one another. Very Well. I give her to you with my blessing and I also grant you my property and land as a gift of good will.’ The wild man and the wife both refused – but Cai raised the knife and threatened to kill them both if they did not accept his offer. Because of this, they both had to accept the offer.

Cai left his home and wife empty-handed and went to the Xilin Temple [西林庵 - Xi Lin An] (on Mount Changsong) to become a monk. While practicing self-cultivation and growing vegetables, he worked hard to gain insight. Meanwhile, now that the wild man was rich and comfortable, he became lazy and unproductive. Once Cai had left, the wild man started beating and abusing the wife. She regretted having an affair and realised how corrupt the character of this wild man was! By comparison, she now understood how good the character of Cai actually was! She ran away from the wild man, and found her way to the Xilin Temple in an attempt to ask Cai to come back as her husband, but when she found him, he sat in quiet meditation and did not even acknowledge her presence, or hear her desperate and begging words! Later, the wild man had wasted all the family wealth and because he had not cultivated the land, there was no food grown. The wife now had to go out and ‘beg’ for food just to survive! In all this suffering, she thought about how kind Cai had been. Despite her poverty she begged enough money to purchase a golden carp and prepared it just for Cai. When she took it to the Xilin Temple – Cai quietly accepted it. Cai said: ‘As I have ‘received’ your love – I will now release this fish as a means to generate good karma for you.’ The surprised wife said: ‘But the fish is dead – how are you going to release it?’ Cai gently lifted the fish and carefully placed it in the water where it immediately returned to life and happily swam around!

​Even today, there are still fish swimming about (where this happened) in the historic site of the Kunming Black Dragon Pool. Interestingly, Cai lived like a Buddhist monk and achieved a deep and profound enlightenment through his self-cultivation – but he never ordained as a monk! He was a very dedicated layman who took no notice of the past or the present, and simply ‘looked within’ with a pin-point accuracy of investigation. He firmly concentrated upon the training at hand and did not allow his mind to wander or deviate from the self-cultivation method. We must follow the example of Cai and practice hard to cultivate the holy fruit!

©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2020.


Original Chinese Language Text:

dy.163.com/article/FNJMCOOL0521VQK7.html

虚云老和尚：修行有十件难事
2020-09-28 · 平常新语
　　云居山方便开示
　　五月十八日（1955年7月7日）
　　《禅门日诵》上载有憨山大师《费闲歌》十首，讲十件难事。这十件事办不到，就是空费力，这就是闲无用，故曰费闲歌。若把这十事做到，就了生死。
　　十件难事是：体道难、守规难、遇师难、出尘难、实心难、悟道难、守关难、信心难、敬心难、解经难。我与古人一比，自知惭愧，不敢多舂壳子。别人把我当古董看待，以为我有道德。我不敢多说话，别人认为我装憨。此事如人饮水，冷暖自知，并非我客气。古人说：“画虎画皮难画骨，知人知面不知心。”我内心的惭愧谁能知道呢？我骗佛饭吃，比你们多几年。你们不相信苦恼业障，我的苦恼又说不出，现在只吃空饭，讲话也讲不好，讲的又不是自己的，只是前人的典章，或诸方的口水，都是眼见耳闻的，自己肚里一点也没有。古圣先贤，千佛万佛，传一心印，不说一语，佛祖相传，无非如此。古人说得到，行得到。别人不知我的苦恼，还以为我了不得。明眼人会说我：“你何不自己讲讲自己？”
　　前天杭州某人来一封隐名信指责我说：“抑其有以宗匠自命者，咸多墨守偏空，纵有满腹知解，对本分上一点不能相应。阿附权贵，广收门徒，虽名喧一时，亦不足重……故有秘戒，不许滥传于不道不明不圣不贤之人。若遇其人而不传，则必受其殃。若传非其人，亦受其殃。未审大师遇有应传而不传，不应传而传者之事否？ （按：传者，传法也。） ……一、和尚蓄发，沙门败类，开千古破戒之风，留后人讥讽之玷；二、云门罹难，不明事机，徒以宿业果报而自慰，造成三僧失踪，一僧身亡，空前未有之惨闻。有此二事。足以证明大师功过深浅矣。”孔子说：“丘也幸，苟有过，人必知之。”这封信指责我，就是我的善知识，我很感谢他，可惜他的信不署名，又没有回信地址。他说：“盖以大师之神明，当可知也。倘有缘分，请一回示为祷。”因此我写信到杭州托心文法师打听这封信是谁写的，想和他通个信。他说我“以宗匠自命”，又说“就学人所知者，其能行解相应作法门之龙象者，不愧为人天眼目者，舍大师其谁能当之”等语。他最初责我以宗匠自命，我何尝敢以宗匠自命？继又赞叹我舍大师其谁能当之。这些话我实不敢当。问我传法之事，我自己应不应得法也不知，那里敢说传不传呢？
　　谈到和尚蓄须这件事，旁人对我是不清楚的。我初出家时，误学头陀留须发、带金箍，那时不明教理，早就错了。后来被善知识一骂就剃了。以后每年剃一次头，每逢除夕洗一次脚，平生不洗澡。既然一年才剃一次头，平常不剃头就不剃胡子。我不是有意养胡子的，照佛制度，应该剃除须发。中土风俗，以须眉男子为大丈夫相，认为身体发肤受之父母，所以中土祖师亦有顺俗留胡子的。说到云门罹难，责我不明事机，这事亦与我无干。谁失踪，谁身亡，我也不知，古来酬还夙业果报而罹难的祖师很多。
　　以上的话，由于我放不下而说的。平常会说古人的话来劝人，遇到境界，自己就打不开，真所谓“能信不行空费力，空空论说也徒然”。我长年害病，无力行持，不能如古人那样要死就死，要活就活，来去自由。初发心同参们，不要提我的虚名，不要听我的空话，要各人自己努力。自不努力，向外求人，都靠不住的。行持不限出家在家，都是一样。
　　讲个典章你们听。云南有一位秤锤祖师，明朝人，姓蔡，住昆明小东门外。父母去世，遗下财产田园，生活过得很好，勤俭劳动，自种菜蔬出卖作零用。妻年轻貌美，好吃懒作，和野汉子私通，蔡虽明知此事也不说她。日子久了，她更胆大，天天和野汉子私通，毫无顾惧了。有一天，蔡很早就出门卖菜，预计野汉尚未离家，就买好酒肉带回家。这时野汉尚未离去，只好躲在床上。蔡入厨弄饭菜，妻觉得不好意思，就去洗脸并帮丈夫弄饭菜。饭菜弄好了，蔡叫她摆碗筷，她摆了两套碗筷，蔡叫她摆三套：“我今天请客。”她摆好了，蔡叫她请客出来喝酒。她说：“客在哪里？”蔡曰：“在房里。”她说：“你不要说鬼话，房里那有客。”蔡说：“不要紧，不要害怕，你请他出来好了。若不出来，我就给他一刀。”妻不得已，就叫野汉子出来。蔡请野汉子上座，向他敬酒。野汉子以为有毒不敢喝，蔡先喝了，再请他喝，野汉子才放心。酒菜吃饱了，蔡向野汉子叩头三拜，说：“今天好姻缘，我妻年轻，无人招呼，得你照顾很好。我的家财和我的妻，都交给你，请你收下吧。”妻和野汉子都不肯，蔡持刀说：“你们不答应，我就要你们的命。”二人没法，只好答应下来。
　　蔡于是只身空手出门，往长松山西林庵出家，一面修行，一面种菜，后来用功有了见地。再说野汉子财色兼收以后，好吃懒做。老婆天天挨打挨骂，吃不消。她悔恨了，跑到西林庵请蔡回家，想重寻旧好，蔡不理她。后来野汉子把家财吃光了，弄到她讨饭无路。她想起蔡的恩情，想报答他。蔡平时好吃昆阳的金丝鲤鱼，她就弄好了一盘金丝鲤鱼，送到西林庵给蔡吃。蔡收下说：“我领了你的情了，这些鱼我拿去放生。”妻曰：“鱼已煮熟了，不能放生。”蔡即将鱼放在水里，鱼都活了。直到现在，昆明黑龙潭古迹，还有这种鱼。蔡是俗人，对妻财子禄能放得下，所以修道能成功。奉劝各位，都把万缘放下，努力修行，期成圣果吧！
　　（《虚云和尚全集》）