The Zen rebels: obscure hermits and existential reformers. Xiangyan Zhixian (part 2)

(Xiangyan Zhixian Image from https://terebess.hu)

As Buddhism spread throughout China into the eighth and ninth centuries, it was not without its adversity.    With the various schools of Chinese Buddhism attaching themselves to the Imperial courts at the time, they were of course vulnerable to this political upheaval and subsequent collapse of the various Dynasty's and their control over regions.  Throughout the turmoil of Chinese political history, it was within eighth century where the oppression of Buddhism began as a decree by Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty.  To which, the Confucians who required to remain as the dominant philosophical and religious order for the Emperors of that time, ensured the persecution of what they viewed as a religion founded by a "Barbarian", chastising it as a "Foreign" religion which they over emphasized a paranoid fear that traditional Chinese customs, of which they argued were Taoism and Confucianism upheld, were being eroded.  Ironically, this only solidified Ch'an Buddhism as it implemented so many aspects of Taoisms and Confucius teachings.  With the persecution and the destruction of temples and the removal of its influence of Buddhism on Chinese society at the time, it had a reverse effect on the "One Vehicle School", which we know as Ch'an (Zen).  As it taught that realization from symbolism, statues and even words of the Buddhist teachings are all irrelevant.  As the human nature, seen as Buddha nature, can only be achieved from within ones own mind.  So therefor there is no need for a temple to worship in or symbolic statues, nor even the reciting of the sutras.  Like the early images of Bodhidharma facing the cave wall in deep meditation, it is a rejection and acceptance of the Buddha nature and the self.   Thus, many centuries later we see the beginning of the hermit Zen masters.  Rebels, maybe even reformers without officially being conscious of it, as Zen began to make its way into Japanese culture from China.

Xiangyan Zhixian was a Zen monk who existed within the tumultuous period between 7th and 8th Centuries of what we now know are the persecution of Buddhism in China, studding under the Ch'an master Wei-shan.  Xiangyan  also known in Japan as Kyōgen Chikan, is representative of the monk in which there were countless young men (and women) who joined Buddhist monasteries, desperate to attain enlightenment.  Reading the sutras, reciting the various embodiment/s of Buddhism.  But, without the instant satisfaction of self realization.  It sets in motion, from the linage of the Zen masters, that brings it back to the simple idea or perspective, that enlightenment one cannot search, despite the hoarding of knowledge.  At this time of insatiability of Buddhism in China, whether it will survive the various changes of Dynasties and Rulers of the time.  Also, to note the authorities beginning with the Tang Dynasty, wanted to clamp down on Buddhism, by the increasing of taxes and making it harder for the monks to train their disciples and continue on the transmission onto the next Master in line.  Only ensued the mental conflict of these disciples, both internally and externally to which Xiangyan subscribes.  So, we see that the early formation of Zen in China that these internal conflicts or more so dilemmas of what is the self, establishes the required challenge for aspiring monks to attain enlightenment.  This in turn set down the foundation for the Zen Philosophy.  That, enlightenment through the Zen principles, is neither easy nor hard.  

And this is exactly how Xiangyan Zhixian became enlighten.  A keen scholar of the sutras and teachings of Zen Buddhism, yet, with his intellect and desire to understand what is transcribed in Zen, enlightenment seemed always illusive for him.  As he found out, from a discussion with his master (Guishan) that enlightenment can never be found in words or books. 

"One day, Guishan said to Xiangyan, “I’m not asking you about what’s recorded in or what can be learned from the scriptures! You must say something from the time before you were born and before you could distinguish objects. I want to record what you say.”

Xiangyan was confused and unable to answer. He sat in deep thought for a some time and then mumbled a few words to explain his understanding. But Guishan wouldn’t accept this. 

Xiangyan said, “Then would the master please explain it?” Guishan said, “What I might say would merely be my own understanding. How could it benefit your own view?” 

Xiangyan returned to the monks’ hall and searched through the books he had collected, but he couldn’t find a single phrase that could be used to answer Guishan’s question. 

Xiangyan then sighed and said, “A picture of a cake can’t satisfy hunger.” He then burned all his books and said, “During this lifetime I won’t study the essential doctrine. I’ll just become a common mendicant monk, and I won’t apply my mind to this any more."

He left his master unable to fulfill his enlightenment, probably a common aspect of monks who couldn't reach that point of breaking through, as they would say "penetrating" the mind.  Through that despair and solitude becomes a necessary discipline.  Xiangyan wandered many years building a small hut.  This is where, through his own vocation of the self, emptying his mind.  Being still, he achieved enlightenment.

"One day as Xiangyan was scything grass, a small piece of tile was knocked through the air and struck a stalk of bamboo. Upon hearing the sound of the tile hitting the bamboo, Xiangyan instantly experienced vast enlightenment."

For Xiangyan, a scholar and a man of great intellect, who had exiled himself within his  disappointment of not penetrating his own mind, found the sound, as simple as it is, of a piece of tile hitting the bamboo.  And in that moment, where everything he had searched for within the his Zen knowledge became secondary in such a simple and perfect manner.    He then comprised this verse for his Master:

"With one stroke, all previous knowledge is forgotten. 

No cultivation is needed for this. 

This occurrence reveals the ancient way 

And is free from the track of quiescence. 

No trace is left anywhere. 

Whatever I hear and see does not conform to rules. 

All those who are enlightened Proclaim this to be the greatest action."

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(Adrian Glass)