The World-Honored One Points to the Earth
Record of Going Easy, Case 4, in Full
Above, you’ll find my reading of the fourth case in The Record of Going Easy without annotations. You’ll find annotations below in the text version of the full case explaining unusual terms and identifying the various Zen masters.
In case this is your first reading here (and a reminder, if not), The Record of Going Easy was compiled by Hóngzhì Zhēngjué (1091-1157; referred to as Tiāntóng in this text) who also wrote a verse for each case - both of these are bolded. The introduction, commentaries, and capping phrases were written by Wànsōng Xíngxiù (1166–1246). Both were great teachers in the Cáodòng/Sōtō lineage of Zen. Below, the capping phrases are indented and italicized. The translation and annotations are my work.
Comments and questions are welcome.
For a quick look at the case, see:
For my interview with Teshin Sweger Roshi, see:
"Living From Within the Bright Light"
I recently enjoyed interviewing Teshin Matt Sweger Roshi about koan work and The Record of Going Easy, Case 4: “The World-Honored One Points to the Earth.”
Case 4: The World-Honored One Points to the Earth
(in full)
Presenting to the assembly, saying:
Holding up just one piece of dirt, you get the whole great earth. With a single horse and spear, opening up new territory, extending the land.1 Who can be the master everywhere, meeting karma at the source?
舉
The World Honored One, walking with the assembly,
Turning on their heels, following him.
pointed his finger to the earth and said, “Here is an appropriate place to found a monastery.”
It’s unsuitable to break ground above Tàisuì.2
Indra took one stem of grass, stuck it in the earth, and said, “Indeed, the monastery is already founded.”
Building will be difficult.
The World Honored One smiled.
Reward and punishment are clear.
The teacher [Wànsōng] said,
The World Honored One covered mud with his hair and offered flowers to Dīpaṃkara Buddha.3 The Buddha pointed to the place his hair was spread and said, “A stūpa should be constructed on this spot of earth.”
At that time, there was a worthy senior official present who stuck a flag in the earth, pointed to the place, and said, “The stūpa is already built.” All the devas then scattered flowers, admiring and praising the Buddha offspring’s great wisdom.4
The story Tiāntóng cites is very much the same. I, Wànsōng, say, the great achievement of the World Honored One is transferred to Dīpaṃkara. Afterwards, there is the senior householder who took responsibility to receive it. Now I’ll hand it over to Tiāntóng who must harmonize his words and accord.
Verse
On the tips of the hundred grasses, spring without boundary.
Like at Jiáshān.5
Trusting the hand that grasps, coming to use it intimately.
Entering the desolate field of no choice.
Accomplishing a sixty-five-foot golden body of virtue.
How are you?6
Hand-in-hand, leisurely entering the red dust.
Joining in the fun.
Within the dust, holding the authority.
One morning you will hold the authority.
A guest arrives from uncivilized lands.
Take care when the imperative arrives.
Everywhere life is sufficient in its share.
Not gained from people.
Not resenting the schemes of inferior people.
A face with no shade of shame.
The teacher [Wànsōng] said,
Tiāntóng first used four lines and praised the kōan, then he expanded and extended the gist. Zhàozhōu picked up one blade of grass and made use of it as a sixteen-foot golden body. The World Honored One pointed out the wind. Indra trusted what was at hand. Tiāntóng’s verse manifests mixing with the human world, not only with the ancient sages. Thus, now within the dust, you become the host. The guest is from uncivilized lands.
Yet say, the noble Prince Consort Liú established a temple to repay his debt of gratitude. Is this the same or different from Indra sticking a blade of grass in the earth?
The teacher [Wànsōng] raised his whisk and said, one day for a monk is as timeless as one thousand years.
From Koun Yamada Roshi’s commentary: “What is this line talking about? It is talking about the matter of Mu. Riding the horse with a spear in hand is the practice of Mu. With the single spear of Mu we plunge into the fray, thus opening up the land, that is, ridding ourselves of all delusions and gaining a firm grasp on the essential world. Such a matter is not so rare and can be achieved. Although many have come to kensho, it is difficult indeed to harmonize that true self with one’s personality and truly personalize it. And what happens when we succeed in making that experience part and parcel of our entire personality? You are the master wherever you go.”
Tai Sui, MDBG: “[...] god of the year; archaic name for the planet Jupiter. Nickname for the most powerful person in the area.”
Dipamkara Buddha, DDB: “The twenty-fourth predecessor of Śākyamuni, who appears when the Buddha preaches the themes of the Lotus Sutra. In a lifetime as Māṇava Bodhisattva during Śākyamuniʼs second incalculable eon of practice, when Śākyamuni offered him five (or seven) lotus stalks, he assured Śākyamuni that he would attain Buddhahood, and was thereupon designated as a coming Buddha. His name means 'light-causer.'”
Buddha offspring, 庶子, literally, “secondary son” referring to the son of a concubine, but refers to Shakyamuni here, which is a bit unusual as “secondary son” usually refers to shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. In any case, the offspring of Dipamkara Buddha.
Jiashan Shanhui (805-881), an eleventh-generation successor in China of Chuanzi Decheng (aka, the Boat monk). Jiashan appears in Case 68 and is asked, “How is it when getting rid of the dust to see Buddha?”
How are you? 不審, DDB: “A term of greeting between monks. ‘How are you?’ ‘Good day’ Lit. ‘I do not take the liberty of inquiring into your condition.’ Yokoi identifies this as Song dynasty slang.”
Really interesting discussion about the nature of an individual's dis-ease (dukkha?) and how that conditions whether koan practice is appropriate. It seems like the Great Doubt actually precedes the koan work, which then makes the Doubt impossible to ignore.