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Book of Equanimity:

Yang-shan's Mind and Environment

The Case:

Yang-shan asks a student, "What is your native place?"

The student says, "I come from Yu Province."

Yang-shan says, "Do you consider the inside of it?"

The student answers, "I always do."

Yang-shan: "That which thinks is consciousness, that which is thought about is the environment. Within it there are mountains, rivers and the great earth, towers, palaces, people, animals and other things. But reflect upon the mind that thinks. Are there are lots of things there?"

The student: "I don’t see anything at all there."

Yang-shan: "That’s correct, as far as the degree of belief is concerned but as for the degree of being human, it is not enough."

The student: "Your Reverence, do you have some special advice?"

Yang-shan: "It’s not good enough as long as you say there is nothing in particular. From now on meditate on sitting down and wearing clothes."

The Poem:

All embracing with no outside,

penetrating without being obstructed,

gates and walls like cliffs, doors and locks.

When the wine is always sweet, it lays out the guests.

Though the meal is filling, it ruins the farmers.

Bursting out of the clear sky,

the garuda takes wing on the wind,

treading over the blue sea.

Thunder follows the roaming dragon.