[Original Koan]

Chan Master Tan of Xingjiao in Xuanzhou was a native of the Niu family of Wenzhou. His family trade was silversmithing. Once, while polishing a silver vase, he suddenly awakened. He then left home, received full ordination, and traveled in search of teachers. He was the Dharma heir of Guangzhao of Langya.

When Chan Master Huai was abbot of Xingjiao, Tan served as head seat. When Huai accepted another appointment and wished to recommend Tan as his successor, Diao Jingchun, the governor of Wanling, was then in office. Fearing that Diao might be influenced by outside opinions, Huai prayed before Avalokiteśvara: “If Head Seat Tan’s Dharma eye is clear and he is fit to serve as abbot, may Scholar Diao be shown a dream.” That night, Diao dreamed of an ox sitting on the Dharma seat at Xingjiao. At dawn, Huai went to bid farewell to the governor. Diao told him of his dream from the night before. Huai laughed loudly. When Diao asked why, Huai said, “Head Seat Tan’s surname is Niu [Ox], and he was also born in the Year of the Ox.” Diao then took his seat and issued an invitation to him.

When Tan accepted the invitation and ascended the Dharma seat, Shengzong, a fundraising monk from Xuedou, stepped forward and asked, “Before the Buddhas appeared in the world, everyone’s nostrils reached the sky. After they appeared in the world, why is there not the slightest news?” Tan said, “Before Chicken-Foot Peak, the wind is quiet.” Shengzong said, “Not yet. Say more.” Tan said, “Heavy snow fills Chang’an.” Shengzong said, “Who here knows this, making me recall Nanquan?” He flicked his sleeves and returned to the assembly without bowing again. Tan said, “The new Xingjiao has suffered a setback today,” and returned to the abbot’s quarters.

Tan sent someone to invite Shengzong to his quarters and said, “Just now I gave an incorrect response. Before the assembly of humans and devas, why did you not bow and cover it over?” Shengzong said, “There is gold beneath the knees of a great man. How could I bow to an eyeless elder?” Tan said, “I have something else to say.” Shengzong then repeated the earlier exchange. When he came to “Not yet. Say more,” Tan said, “I have thirty blows, entrusted to you for striking Xuedou!” Shengzong then bowed.

[Sawing Apart a Steelyard Weight]

Chan Master Tan of Xingjiao was a descendant in the Linji school lineage (Linji Yixuan → Xinghua Cunjiang → Nanyuan Huiyong → Fengxue Yanzhao → Shoushan Shenging → Fenyang Shanzhao → Langya Huijue → Xingjiao Tan). His lay surname was Niu. Originally a silversmith from Wenzhou, he was stirred into the affinity for liberation from former lives while tempering and polishing vessels. “He immediately left home, studied under Langya, and their exchange of pivotal words brought sudden accord. Later, he relied on Chan Master Huai of Tianyi …” (Compendium of the Five Lamps).

When Chan Master Tianyi Yihuai of the Yunmen school (Yunmen Wenyan → Xianglin Chengyuan → Zhimen Guangzuo → Xuedou Chongxian → Tianyi Yihuai) was abbot of Xingjiao Chan Monastery, Chan Master Tan was the head seat. Later, Master Huai was to become abbot of another Chan monastery and wished to have Master Tan succeed him as abbot of Xingjiao Chan Monastery, because he considered Head Seat Tan’s Dharma eye to be clear.

Master Huai had none of the narrow and inferior prejudices of sectarianism; he valued only clarity of the Dharma eye. At the time, Grand Academician Diao Jingchun was the governor of Wanling and had authority over this matter. Fearing that Scholar Diao would invite someone else, Master Huai prayed to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva: “If Head Seat Tan’s Dharma eye is clear and he is fit to serve as abbot, may Scholar Diao be shown a dream.”

The next day, Master Huai went to bid farewell to Governor Diao. Governor Diao said, “Last night I had a dream: I dreamed that an ox was sitting on the Dharma seat of Xingjiao Chan Monastery.” Master Huai laughed heartily and told Governor Diao, “Head Seat Tan’s surname is Niu [Ox], and he was also born in the Year of the Ox.” Governor Diao immediately sat down and wrote an invitation, inviting Chan Master Tan to become abbot of Xingjiao Chan Monastery.

Chan Master Chengxin Shengzong (Zong) was a Dharma brother of Chan Master Tianyi Yihuai and also an heir of Xuedou. When Master Tan succeeded as abbot, he was rather dissatisfied. The Linji school was like lightning and sparks, its pivotal responses swift; the Yunmen school was like fluttering red banners, grand in spirit. Their house styles differed, so it was only natural that Shengzong was dissatisfied.

On the day the new abbot ascended the Dharma seat, Shengzong stepped forward to challenge him: “Before the Buddhas appeared in the world, everyone’s nostrils reached the sky. After they appeared in the world, why is there not the slightest news?” This implied: many people could serve as abbot here.

Since you have become abbot, why is there neither lightning and sparks nor fluttering red banners? At such a moment, Chan Master Tan did not wish to argue with him at length, so he replied, “Before Chicken-Foot Peak, the wind is quiet.” Kāśyapa guarded Śākyamuni Buddha’s Dharma robe and entered samādhi on Chicken-Foot Mountain; naturally, there would be gentle wind and soft rain.

This reminded him: they were all of one Chan lineage, so contention was inappropriate. Why not let “the wind be quiet”? Yet Shengzong would not let the matter go and pressed him further: “Not yet. Say more!” This is not right—say it again! He insisted on seeing the real thing. Chan Master Tan said, “Heavy snow fills Chang’an.”

This meant that if they continued to contend in this way, it would be like snow falling from the sky: not only would it chill the guests who had come to offer congratulations, but it would also leave the entire monastery uneasy. Shengzong still remained unconvinced: “Who here knows this, making me recall Nanquan?”

This meant: Why fear disorder? How would outsiders know what happens here? Why are you not as forthright and decisive as Nanquan when he cut the cat? Having said this, he flicked his sleeves and returned to the assembly, without bowing again. What an awkward situation! Did you not want to see the real thing? That would be easy enough: he could simply strike you, and then you would see where the fault lay. But to strike him at that point would have been like a hawk already past Silla: the staff could no longer come down. Chan Master Tan could only say, “The new Xingjiao has suffered a setback today.” Having said this, he returned to the abbot’s quarters.

After returning to his quarters, Chan Master Tan sent for Shengzong and said to him, “Just now I gave an incorrect response. Before the assembly of humans and devas, why did you not bow and cover it over?” This was still to give priority to harmony, a final attempt at persuasion.

Yet these words concealed a needle in cotton: Where was the error? The error was that I did not strike you! Had Shengzong turned around at this point, all would have been well for both sides. But he still would not yield and instead replied, “There is gold beneath the knees of a great man. How could I bow to an eyeless elder?”

In fact, how could your Dharma brother have misjudged a person? How could he be an eyeless elder? Since this was so, Chan Master Tan ceased to be polite: “I have something else to say.” He was luring him onto the hook.

Shengzong noticed nothing and actually “repeated the earlier exchange.” When he reached “Not yet. Say more,” Chan Master Tan suddenly cut him off: “I have thirty blows, entrusted to you for striking Xuedou!” I had long had thirty blows; by not striking you, I had merely deposited them with you. Now they should be administered to your teacher! I will no longer serve as abbot here—

either we can go reason the matter out before your teacher and see whether he deserves the blows, and how he has taught his disciples. Only then did Shengzong realize the seriousness of the matter. He could not persist in acting willfully, so he immediately bowed to Chan Master Tan.

Thus, a dispute was settled. After the lightning and sparks, here “the wind was quiet.”

[The following content comes from a forum]

Ha ha! This case has appeared at exactly the right time. Lion 17:29:37 6/12/02 (70)

You are mistaken. Bag 18:35:08 6/12/02 (18)

You bag, why not save a little face for others? Lion 21:26:59 6/12/02 (no content)

Ha ha! Yuanzhi 10:41:02 6/30/02 (100)

Who wants face? manman 21:43:52 6/12/02 (no content)

Certainly not you! Lion 22:32:57 6/12/02 (no content)

As though you were about to eat me. manman 23:01:41 6/12/02 (14)