Yunyan Tansheng

Yunyan Tansheng was a student of Baizhang Huaihai and the teacher of Dongshan Liangjie, the founder of the Caodong/Soto school. He is particularly famous for one crucial exchange with Dongshan that planted the seed of Dongshan's awakening. Dongshan asked him what a non-sentient being preaches the Dharma with. Yunyan said: "Non-sentient beings always preach the Dharma." When Dongshan asked who hears this, Yunyan said: "The non-sentient beings hear." Dongshan asked: "And do you hear?" Yunyan said: "If I heard, you could not hear my teaching." Dongshan asked what scripture this teaching came from, and Yunyan said: "Have you not seen? In the Amitabha Sutra it says: 'Water birds, tree groves, all without exception proclaim the Buddha and the Dharma.'" This exchange led Dongshan to his famous awakening when crossing the stream.

Yunyan was known for making straw sandals, a simple craft that he employed as a teaching vehicle. His responses were often enigmatic, pointing to the Dharma-preaching of mountains and rivers and the non-sentient world—a teaching that resonates deeply with the Caodong emphasis on the pervasion of Buddha nature throughout all of reality.