THE MEDITATIONHALL AND THE MONKS LIFE
"Iamgatheringtheholysariras^fromtheburntashes."
"How,"saidthekeeper,"canyougetsarirasfromawooden
Buddha?"Tankaretorted,"Iftherearenosarirastobefoundinit,may
IhavetheremainingtwoBuddhasformyfire?"
Theshrine-keeper later lostbothhis eyebrowsforremon-
strating against this apparent impiety of Tanka, while the
Buddha'swrathneverfellonthelatter.
ThoughIamdoubtfulofitshistoricaccuracy,thisstoryis
notableandallZenmastersagreeastothespiritualattainments
ofthisBuddha-desecratingTanka.Whenamonkonceaskedhis
masteraboutTanka'sideaofburningastatueofBuddha,the
masterreplied:"WhencoldwesitzmDundthehearthwithfireburning."
"Whenhotwegotothebamboo-grovebythestream."
"Washethenatfaultornot?"
WhateverthemeritofTankafromapurelyZenpointof
view,there isno doubtthat such deedsofTankaarcto be
regardedashighlysacrilegiousandtobeavoided byallpiousBuddhists.Thosewhohavenotyetgainedathorough under-
standingofZenmaygotoalllengthsofcommittingeverymanner
ofexcessandevencrime—thisinthenameofZen;andforthis
reasontheregulationsofthemonasteryareveryrigidthatprideofheartmaydepartandthecupofhumilitybedrunktothedregs.
WhenShuko(Chu-hung)oftheMingdynastywaswriting
abookonthetenlaudabledeedsofamonk,oneofthoseself-assertivefellowscametohim,saying
:"WhatistheuseofwritingsuchabookwheninZenthere
isnoteventheatomofathingtobecalledlaudableornot-
Uudable?"Shukoanswered,"Thefiveaggregates{skandha)areentang-
ling,andthefourelements[mahabhuta)growrampant,andhow
canyousaytherearenoevils?"Themonkstillinsisted,"Thefourelementsareultimatelyall
emptyandthefiveaggregateshavenorealitywhatever."^Sarira{AariinJ.andiht-UinC.)literallymeansthe"body",butin
Buddhismitisakindofmineraldepositfoundinthehumanbodyafter
cremation.ThevalueofsuchdepoaiuisunderstoodbytheBuddhiststo
correspondtothesaintlinesoflife.