Overview
Story of Wei Ming, a revered Zen monk, portrayed as an underdog who transformed Zen succession and teachings through direct insight and inclusivity.
Context and Background
- Wei Ming: poor, illiterate farm boy from southern China; early teen laborer supporting ill mother.
- Period: Buddhism flourishing in 5th–7th century China; state-funded temples and monasteries.
- Monastic system: elite, akin to Ivy League; one patriarchal line (one master, one heir).
Awakening and Journey North
- Heard Diamond Sutra chanted at a marketplace; immediate awakening recognizing Buddha nature.
- Learned source was the Fifth Patriarch (Hung Shou) in northern China; arranged care for mother.
- Traveled roughly two weeks north to the patriarch’s monastery seeking training.
Entry to the Monastery
- At the door, declared intention “to become a Buddha”; faced prejudice about being a southern boy.
- Replied Buddha nature knows no distinctions; impressed the patriarch and gained entry.
- Hidden in the kitchen to avoid resentment; assigned to pound rice for two years.
- Secretly tutored every third night by the patriarch in teachings and meditation.
Poetry Contest and Insight
- Aging patriarch sought a successor; asked assembly for poems on enlightenment.
- Senior disciple Shen Xue composed a poem; posted publicly; others expected him to be heir.
- Patriarch judged it good for meditation but not a full expression of awakening; asked for revision.
- Wei Ming heard the poem recited, memorized it, meditated overnight, and offered a counter-poem.
Enlightenment Poems (Comparison)
| Author | Poem |
|---|
| Shen Xue | The body is like the Bodhi tree; the mind is like the mirror bright. Take heed to always keep it clean, and let no dust alight. |
| Wei Ming | Basically there is no Bodhi tree, nor a stand of mirror bright. Since all is void, where can the dust alight? |
- Wei Ming’s poem emphasized emptiness, non-attachment to body and mind, and dust (preferences, prejudices) having no place to settle.
Secret Transmission and Retreat
- Patriarch rigorously tested Wei Ming; conferred robe and bowl, naming him next patriarch.
- Anticipating turmoil, escorted him out secretly; sent him south to a cave to meditate.
- Advised retreat duration between three and twelve years to deepen understanding before teaching.
Confrontation with Monk Ming
- Monastic uproar followed; many searched unsuccessfully; Monk Ming, a former general, tracked him.
- Arrived at the cave, sword drawn, demanding robe and bowl as stolen property.
- Wei Ming calmly offered them without resistance; Monk Ming conflicted, unable to lift them.
- Interpreted as inner guilt’s heaviness; he requested teachings instead of the objects.
- Wei Ming declined mastery, urging return to the Fifth Patriarch; then posed a pivotal instruction: “Think neither good nor evil; show me your original face.”
Core Teachings and Philosophical Themes
- Original face koan: points beyond judgments and dualities to true nature.
- Variations: “Show me who you were before your parents were born”; “Think neither high nor low.”
- Developed “harmonizing the 36 pairs of opposites,” cataloging oppositions across categories.
- Emphasis: middle path between extremes (false/true, ignorant/learned, foolish/wise), living in the gray area.
Legacy and Institutional Change
- Discarded one-teacher-one-student succession; ordained 108 fully enlightened successors.
- Motivations: ensure Zen’s survival and flourishing amid threats, including from Taoist schools.
- Legacy credited for Zen’s continuity and current practice recognition.
Decisions
- Fifth Patriarch designated Wei Ming as successor based on demonstrated insight.
- Wei Ming intentionally expanded succession to 108 successors, ensuring broader transmission.