[The Original Koan]
While Layman Wujin was living at his private residence, there happened to be a year of famine. Some Daoists came to his gate seeking alms of rice. Wujin therefore urged each of them to recite the Diamond Sūtra. For each section recited, he gave one dou of rice; if they completed the recitation, he gave three shi and two dou of rice. He wished to form for them an affinity with prajñā, and thus spoke of giving both material wealth and the Dharma. Whenever monks came, he likewise urged them to recite Laozi, so that each side might know of the other's teachings. Such was the sincerity of his wish to protect the teachings.
[Sawing Apart a Scale Weight]
Layman Zhang Wujin, a former prime minister, had once been removed from office and was living at home in retirement. During this period, whenever there was a year of famine and Daoists came to his door seeking alms of rice, Layman Wujin asked them to read and recite the Buddhist Diamond Sūtra. For each section they recited, he gave them one dou of rice; if they completed all thirty-two sections of the sūtra, he gave them three shi and two dou of rice. Whenever Buddhist monks came to his door seeking alms of rice, Layman Wujin asked them to read and recite Laozi's Dao De Jing.
Layman Wujin did this so that they might come to understand each other's teachings. If one does not understand the deeper meaning of another tradition, yet rashly attacks it, one is not only like scratching an itch through a boot—unable to reach the itch—but also merely creates further karma of speech, thereby harming oneself instead.
Layman Wujin was not asking Buddhists to convert to Daoism, nor Daoists to convert to Buddhism. Still less was he seeking to merge the two teachings into one, or to subsume one teaching under the banner of the other. Rather, he wished for the various traditions to seek common ground while preserving their differences and to live together harmoniously. If one recklessly attacks other teachings, insisting that one's own teaching should unify the minds of all humanity, one will not only fail to achieve one's aim but ultimately harm oneself. To refrain from recklessly attacking other teachings is, in fact, to protect oneself.
Chan Master Dahui said that this was Layman Wujin's wish to protect the teachings. A colleague asked, “Which teaching was he protecting? Buddhism or Daoism?” Everyone, search your hearts and ask yourselves: Do we have the same question? If so, should we also read the Dao De Jing?
