[f79] Jōshu (778—897) was one of the early masters of Zen in the T‘ang dynasty when it began to flourish with its vigorous freshness. He attained to a high age of one hundred and twenty. His sermons were always short and to the point, and his answers are noted for their being so natural and yet so slippery, so hard to catch.
[f80] Six Essays by Bodhi-Dharma[4.25] is the book in which the so-called writings of Bodhi-Dharma are collected. See also the Essay “[On Satori]” which follows.
[f81] For Tao-hsüan’s edition in the original Chinese, see [Note 4.28] in the Appendix.
[f82] This is the most significant phrase in Dharma’s writing. I have left it untranslated, for later this will be explained fully.
[f83] The author of this story or prefatory note is T‘an-lin (Donrin), who, according to Dr. Tokiwa, of the Tokyo Imperial University, was a learned scholar partaking in the translation of several Sanskrit works. He is also mentioned in connection with Yeka (Hui-k‘ê) in the biography of the latter by Tao-hsüan. If Donrin were more of a scholar as we can see by this identification than a genuine Zen master, it was quite natural for him to write down this “Meditation on Four Acts,” which mainly appeals as it stands to the scholarly interpretation of Zen. While the doctrine of Pi-kwan is emphatically Zen, there is much in the “Meditation” that lends itself to the philosophising of Zen.
[f84] Translated into Chinese during the Northern Liang dynasty which lasted A.D. 397–439. The translator’s name is lost.
[f85] 大乘壁觀功業最高
[f86] We read in Tao-hsüan’s Biographies that wherever Bodhi-Dharma stayed he taught people in his Zen doctrine, but as the whole country at the time was deeply plunged into scholastic discussions, there was a great deal of slanderous talk against meditation when they learned of Bodhi-Dharma’s message.
[f87] Is it possible that this passage has some reference to the Vajrasamādhi where Bodhisattva Mahābala speaks of a “flaccid mind” and a “strong mind”? The former which is possessed by most common people “pants” (or gasps or hankers) very much, and prevents them from successfully attaining to the Tathāgata-dhyāna, while the “strong mind” is characteristic of one who can enter upon the realm of reality (bhūtakoṭi). As long as there are “pantings” (or gaspings) in the mind, it is not free, it is not liberated, and cannot identify itself with the suchness of reason. The mind must be “strong” or firm and steady, self-possessed and concentrating, before it is ready for the realisation of Tathāgata-dhyāna—a dhyana going far beyond the reach of the so-called four dhyānas and eight samādhis.
[f88] This subject was treated in another place, though rather sketchily, and will be further elaborated later in an independent essay.