Inner Peace Amidst Outer Violence...

[Shi Da Dao]

In the old days, Ch’an Master Shantang fled to the Hermitage in Yunmen, together with Ministry President Han Zicang. Ch’an Master Watan, and one or two other Ch’an adepts, in an effort to avoid the violence associated with the civil war of the 1130s CE. Layman Han asked Master Watan ‘Recently, I heard you were captured by soldiers of the rebel leader Li Cheng. What were your plans of escape?’

Master Watan replied ‘I had been captured and tied-up. I was then starved for days on end, until I thought to myself that I would definitely die. Then it happened that there was a snowfall so heavy that it buried the building and caused the walls of our prison to collapse! That night, and due entirely to natural conditions, over a hundred people escaped!’

Layman Han asked ‘When you were bound and suffering – how did you cope with it?’

Master Watan listened – but chose to reply with ‘silence’ - an answer Layman Han did not understand. After Layman Han asked a second time, Master Watan replied ‘This is quite trivial and not even substantial enough to discuss! For people like us – all we do is cultivate the ‘Way - what is difficult about this? We always pursue the right course of action and our continuously prepared for death! As this is the case, there is nothing left to fear.’

Layman Han understood this verbal answer and nodded. This is how it is known that the Ch’an ancestors possessed an iron-will and never once gave-in to inner weakness or outer harshness!

Collection of the Herdsman