April 1965
Originally offered: April 1st, 1965 | Modified October 27th, 2009 by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
SRC0076
MODEL SUBJECT NO. 84
FROM THE BLUE CLIFF RECORDS
YUIMA”S “THE LAW GATE TO THE ONE AND ONLY”
The Hekigan Roku, translated into English by R.D.M. Shaw under the title of the Blue Cliff Records,[1] is a famous collection of 100 kōan stories compiled by Setchō Juken (A.D. 980–1052), who added an “Appreciatory Word” to each one. A later Zen Master, Engo Kokugon (A.D. 1063–1135) added his “Introductory Word” as a kind of Preface to each Main Subject. The following is a translation and commentary of Main Subject No. 84 by Reverend Suzuki.
YUIMA”S “THE DOCTRINE OF ATTAINING NON-DUALITY”
This Model Subject is about the Yuima-gyō (the Vimalakīrti-nirdesha Sūtra). This sūtra is as famous as the Shoman-gyō (the Srimala-simhanada Sūtra). Both sūtras relate stories reputed to have taken place during the time of Shākyamuni Buddha, and both have great Mahāyānistic spirit. The hero of the Yuima-gyō, Yuima, was a koji (a householder or lay Buddhist), while the heroine of the Shoman-gyō was a daughter of King Hashinoku (Prasenajit) and empress of a king in a neighboring country. She became an adherent of Buddhism and received juki (recognition as one who will achieve Buddhahood), and gave her people a sermon about Mahāyāna Buddhism in the presence of Buddha.
When Yuima was ill, Buddha told his disciples and Bodhisattvas to visit him in his sickbed, but no one could accept the order because they had had a bitter experience with the lay Buddhist before. And his illness was a very unusual one: he was suffering the suffering of all sentient beings.
Monju-bosatsu (Mañjushrī), the Bodhisattva of the Zendō (Zen practice hall), at last came to visit him accompanied by thirty-one fellow bodhisattvas. Monju-bosatsu found Yuima in a large vacant room. When he asked what Yuima”s illness was, Yuima said that he was suffering from the same illness of all sentient beings and because sentient beings suffer he suffers. He said that he wanted to provide a perfect remedy for all who suffer from ignorance and passion. After asking questions and giving answers to each other, they revealed how to attain a true understanding of the non-duality of phenomena.
To these two typical Mahāyāna sutras and to Myōhō-renge-kyō (the Saddharma-pundarīka Sūtra), the famous Japanese prince Shōtoku (574-622) who built Horyu-ji, (the oldest wooden temple in the world), wrote a commentary and delivered lectures to the Empress Suiko. This is regarded as one of the three best commentaries in India, China, and Japan. The prince set up the constitution of old Japan based for the first time on the spirit of those sūtras.
The ninth section of Yuima-gyō is entitled, “Doctrine of entering into non-duality,” and this is also the title of our Model Subject No. 84.
Introductory Words:
Introducing, Engo says: There is nothing to be decided upon as right (unattachment) or wrong (non-discrimination). If we get away from right or wrong and forget all about attaining or losing, we will become utterly naked and independent. Now what is in front of us and what is behind us
Some monk may come out say: In front of us there are the Worship Hall and the Temple Gate, and behind us there are the Sleeping Room and Sitting Room of the Head Monk (Hojo). Can you tell me that this monk has open eyes or not
If you can, I will allow you to see men of old (Yuima and Mañjushrī).
Note:
Hōjō: Literally hōjō means a ten-foot square room in Chinese or Japanese. It now means the sitting room of the resident monk or priest. Sometimes we address the resident monk or priest himself as hōjō. The source of this Zen Buddhist custom originated in a very dramatic story about Yuima of this sub…
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