Jiashan and the Boat Monk

Text

The Boat Monk Chuanzi met Jiashan at a river crossing. He asked Jiashan, "In what temple do you stay?" Jiashan said, "I don't stay in a temple. Where I stay is not like anything." The Boat Monk said, "Not like anything—like what?" Jiashan said, "Not the Dharma before your eyes." The Boat Monk said, "A single phrase and you go on elaborating. Quick, get out!" And he capsized the boat. When Jiashan climbed back, the Boat Monk shouted, "Speak! Speak!" As Jiashan was about to open his mouth, the Boat Monk struck him with his oar. At this Jiashan was deeply awakened. Afterward Jiashan said: "I had a thousand sayings on the tip of my tongue. One blow from an oar—and they all became one."

license: public_domain

Attribution

• Respondent
  Chuanzi Decheng
• Speaker
  Jiashan Shanhui

Lineage: Qingyuan line

By Jiashan Shanhui

• The Place That Is Not Like Anythingsaying

From Blue Cliff Record

• Tianhuang's Bowl Washing
• The Rhinoceros Fan
• Don't Think
• The Condolence Visit
• The Seamless Tower
• Alive or Dead in Sitting
• All Sounds Are Buddha-Sound
• All Three Bodies of Buddha
• End-of-Summer Address
• Daguang's Laughing

Sources

• contentZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation

  Zen project editorial

  Blue Cliff Record, Case 23; Jingde Chuandenglu, Jiashan chapter

  Blue Cliff Record: Jiashan and the Boat Monk