AN INTRODUCTION TOZEN BUDDHISM
oftheworld.TheSixthPatriarchissaidtohavelivedamongthe
mountaineersforfifteenyearsafterhehadlefttheFifthPatriarch.Hewasquiteunknownintheworldwhenhefirstreturnedto
hearalecturebyInshu(Yin-tsung).Chu(Chung),thenational
teacher,spentfortyyearsinNang-yangandnevershowedhimselfoutinthecity.Buthisholylifebecameknownfarandnear,and
attheearnestrequestoftheEmperorhefinallylefthis hut.
Yisan(Kuei-shan)spentseveralyearsinthewilderness,livingon
nutsand befriending monkeysand deer. Hewas foundout,
however,andgreatmonasterieswerebuiltabouthisanchorage,
andhebecamethemasterofonethousandandfivehundred
monks.Kwanzan,thefounderofthegreatMyoshinjiinKyoto,livedatfirst aretiredlifeinMinoProvince,workingforthe
villagersasadaylabourer.Nobodyrecognizedhimuntiloneday
anaccidentdisclosedhisidentityandtheCourtinsistedonhis
foundingamonasteryintheCapital.
InthebeginningofhiscareerHakuinwasthekeeperofa
desertedtempleinSuruga,whichwashissoleheritageinthe
world.Wecanpicturetoourselvestheextentofitsdilapidation
whenwe read this account: "There wereno roofs properly
speaking,andthestarsshonethroughatnight,norwerethere
anydecentfloors.Itwasnecessarytohavearain-hatandtowear
highgetasifitrainedwhenanythingwasgoingoninthemain
partofthetemple.Allthepropertyattachedtothetemplewas
in the handsofcreditors, and thepriestly belongingswere
mortgagedtothetrades-people...."
ThehistoryofZengivesmanysuchexamplesofgreatmasters
whoemergedintotheworldafteraperiodofretirement.The
ideaisnotthepracticeofzisceticism,butisthe"maturing",as
hasbeenproperlydesignated,ofone'smoralcharacter.Many
serpentsandaddersarewaitingattheporch,andifonefailsto
tramplethemdowneflfectivelytheyraisetheirheadsagain,and
thewholeedificeofmoralculturebuiltupinvisionmaycollapse
eveninaday.Antinomianismisalsoapitfallforthefollowersof
Zen,againstwhichconstantvigilisneeded.
Insomerespects,nodoubt,thiskindofmonasticeducation
thatprevailsintheZendoisbehindthetimes;butitsguiding
principles,suchasthesimplificationoflife,restraintofdesires,