The Ch'an Shout

By Ch'an Master Chi Ch'eng Also Called Chinyin

From The Imperial Selection of Ch'an Sayings, Translated by Upasaka Lu K'uan Yu (Charles Luk)

Ch'an master Chi Ch'eng and three eminent Ch'an masters, Yuan Wu, Fa Chen and Tz'u Shou, were invited to a vegetarian dinner at Governor Ch'en Liang Pi's residence where ten learned Dharma-masters and a thousand monks of the Ch'an sect and of other schools were also present. Emperor Huei Tsung of the Sung dynasty (1101-26) availed himself of the occasion to come incognito to listen to their discussions.

There was among the guests a Dharma-master who was well-versed in the Hua Yen (Avatamsaka) teaching and was regarded as a skilful interpreter of (Patriarch) Hsien Shou's doctrine. Said he to the guests: "The Buddha set up a Dharma which consists in wiping out gradually, from the stage of Hinayana to that of Perfect Teaching, all concepts of is and is not to realize true permanence for the achievement of myriads of sublime virtues and the final attainment of Buddhahood. I have heard that a mere Ch'an shout can turn worldlings into Saints; this seems to contradict the sutras and treatises. If a shout can pass through all the five stages of our Hua Yen school, I shall concede that it is right, otherwise it is just heresy."

All the Ch'an monks looked at Chi Ch'eng who said: "The Venerable Dharma-master's query does not require an answer from the three great Ch'an masters, and though I am the youngest among them, I shall be able to clear away his delusion." He then called the Dharma-master who answered: "Yes." Chi Ch'eng said: "According to the Venerable Sir's interpretation of the Hua Yen Teaching, Hinayana deals with existence, Mahayana in its primary stage, with non-existence; Mahayana in its final stage, with the doctrine of neither existence nor non-existence; the Sudden school, with the identity of existence and non-existence; and the Perfect Teaching, with reality without existence yet existing and without non-existence yet non-existent. As to our sect's One-shout, it can pass through not only these five Hua Yen stages, but also all kinds of arts, crafts and philosophies."

He then gave a thundering shout and asked the Dharma-master: "Did you hear?" The Dharma-master replied: "Yes." Chi Ch'eng said: "As you heard it, it stands for is and passes through the Hinayana teaching."

A little later he asked: "Do you hear?" The Dharma-master replied: "I do not." Chi Ch'eng said: "If you do not hear, it stands for is not and passes through the Mahayana's primary stage."

He then looked at the Dharma-master and said: "At first, when I gave a shout, you said you heard it, and as my voice has vanished, you now say you do not hear it. When you say that it is not heard now, it really was heard before and when you said that it was heard before, it is not now. So that which neither is nor is not passes through the Mahayana's final stage.

"When I first gave a shout, its existence was not really existence for it is its (present) non-existence that reveals its (previous) existence. As I do not give a shout now, its non-existence is not really non-existence for it was its (previous) existence that revealed its (present) non-existence. This is identity of is and is not and passes through the Sudden school.

"You should know that that shout of mine is (now) not used as a shout¹ and is beyond both is and is not. It is above all feelings and explanation. When you speak of is it does not set up a particle of dust and when you speak of is not, it embraces boundless space. It intermingles with hundreds, thousands and hundreds of thousands of shouts; hence its ability to pass through the Perfect Teaching."

Thereupon the Dharma-master rose from his seat to bow his thanks. Chi Ch'eng again said: "Not only can this shout pass through the five Hua Yen stages, but even speech, silence, motion and stillness, all times from the past to the present, boundless space in the ten directions, the vast variety of phenomena, the six realms of existence and four forms of birth, all Buddhas of the three times, and Saints and Sages, the 84,000 Dharma-doors to Enlightenment, hundreds and thousands of states of Samadhi and countless profound meanings accord with the noumenon and fundamental quality and are of the same substance as all phenomena in the universe; this is the Dharmakaya. As the three realms of existence come from the mind and all things are created by Consciousness, the uniformity of the four seasons and of the eight annual divisions² and the sameness of the positive and negative principles are called the nature of Dharma (Dharmata). Hence the Avatamsaka Sutra says: "The nature of Dharma is omnipresent; the material and immaterial as well as sound and form are contained in a particle of dust which comprises the four profound meanings.³ The unimpeded interaction of noumenon and phenomenon obtains everywhere for they enter each other without differentiation and mix with each other without unity; all this is covered by this one-shout. But this is still an expedient set up to convert people and serves as a temporary rest, but they have not yet arrived at the Treasure House. For you are not clear about our Patriarch's sect which aims at Transmission from Mind to Mind and Sealing of Dharma by Dharma, without setting up Scriptures, for the perception of self-nature and attainment of Buddhahood. There still is the Upward Path⁴ which no Saints will transmit to you."

The Dharma-master asked: "What is the Upward Path?" Chi Ch'eng replied: "Look downward⁴ to awaken to it." The Dharma-master asked: "What is the Treasure House?" Chi Ch'eng replied: "This state is beyond your reach." The Dharma-master said: "May the Venerable Master be compassionate enough to reveal it to me." Chi Ch'eng replied:

"Even, the ocean may undergo a change

But I shall never disclose it to you."

The Dharma-master was speechless and then left. The emperor was greatly pleased with Chi Ch'eng's erudition which was admired by all those present.
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1. See also Chan and Zen Teaching, second series, pp. 96-7 for detailed explanation of Lin Chi's four kinds of shouts.
2. The four seasons, two equinoxes and two solstices.
3. According to the Hua Yen doctrine, the realm of Dharma (Dharmata) comprises: (1) the phenomenal realm, with differentiation; (2) the noumenal realm, with unity; (3) the realm of both the noumenal, and phenomenal which are interdependent; and (4) the realm of phenomena which are also interdependent.
4. The Upward Path is the transcendental Path. To look upward or downward is a Ch'an idiom. To look downward is to look into externals which spring from the mind and trace them back to their source for the realization of self-mind and perception of self-nature. To look upward is to look into the Absolute which is inexpressible and beyond the comprehension of deluded people. It is, therefore, futile to teach the Absolute which is indescribable and can be realized only by personal experience; hence Chi Ch'eng says: "No Saints will transmit it to you" and "I shall never disclose it to you."