Ch'an Master Xuetang Discerns the Genuine from the Fake!

[Shi Da Dao]

Linji Ch'an Master Xuetang (雪堂) was humane and compassionate, sincere and sympathetic. He revered the wise and honoured the able. Humorous small talk and mundane utterances seldom left his mouth. He abided in the 'perfected moment' and was not aloof or difficult to approach. When strictness was called for - he was not overly-harsh or angry - but retained a pure mind (within) together with a disciplined and awe-inspiring bearing (without)!

He once said 'When the Ancestors cultivated the Way - they were indifferent to outside things and did away with habitual cravings - until they thus got to the point where they forgot about authority and rank, and left the realm of sound and form behind. This is how they appeared to develop abilities without study!'

'Things are different today. Contemporary students now exert all their cleverness but in the end are helpless. Why is this? Continuing to 'stir' the mind and add to its daily 'churn' only hinders the revealing process related to the perception of the empty mind ground. If you are not firm in your practice and cannot 'still' the mind - then you will just remain a dilettante.!'

Biography (c. 13th-14th Century CE - Active During the Yuan Dynasty)