Sit like a dead tree stump

DS Poem:

Sit like a dead tree stump

I thought of mourning the tree, Then I thought of sitting Like a dead tree stump. That was what the Zen Master recommended. Now it represents something more useful to me. Symbolism makes a difference. DS Poem April 4, 2018 Book Two The Dust of Annihilation

page 272

Xuansha Shibei (835-908) was a disciple of Xuefeng Yicun

After Xuansha became the abbott at Mt. Xuan Sha, he entered the hall and addressed the monks, saying, “Buddha’s way is vast and serene. There is no path on which to travel there. There is no gate of liberation. There are no thoughts about a ‘person of the Way’. There are no ‘three worlds.’ Therefore one cannot transcend or ‘fall into.’ Setting something up runs counter to the truth. Negation is a formation. Movement gives rise to the root of birth and death. Stillness is the province of falling into delusion. When movement and stillness are both accepted, buddha nature is concealed. With respect to worldly affairs or states of mine, you should be like a cold dead tree. Then you will realize the great function and not forfeit its grace. All forms will be illuminated as if in a mirror. Brightness or obscurity will not confuse you. The bird will fly into emptiness, it will not be apart from empty form. Then in the ten directions there will be no form and in the three worlds there will be no traces.’

page 272

Zen’s Chinese Heritage

by Andy Ferguson

Page 278

Changqing Huileng (854-932 was a disciple of Xufeng Yicun. …

He instructed Changqing to practice meditation in the hall as if he were a “dead tree stump”

page 279

page 236

Daguang Juhui (836-903) was a disciple of Shishuang Qingzhu. Shishuang was an eminent “dead tree” in Shishuang’s “dead tree hall”, so named because Shishuang’s disciples constantly sat in meditation (resembling tree stumps). page 236