9. Zen and Supernatural Power.
Yoga1 claims that various supernatural powers can be acquired by
Meditation, but Zen does not make any such absurd claims. It rather disdains
those who are believed to have acquired supernatural powers by the practice of
austerities. The following traditions clearly show this spirit: "When Fah
Yung (Ho-yu) lived in Mount Niu Teu2 (Go-zu-san) he used to receive
every morning the offerings of flowers from hundreds of birds, and was believed
to have supernatural powers. But after his Enlightenment by the instruction of
the Fourth Patriarch, the birds ceased to make offering, because be became a
being too divine to be seen by inferior animals." "Hwang Pah
(O-baku), one day going up Mount Tien Tai (Ten-dai-san), which was believed to
have been inhabited by Arhats with supernatural powers, met with a monk whose
eyes emitted strange light. They went along the pass talking with each other
for a short while until they came to a river roaring with torrent. There being
no bridge, the master bad to stop at the shore; but his companion crossed the
river walking on the water and beckoned to Hwang Pah to follow him. Thereupon
Hwang Pah said: 'If I knew thou art an Arhat, I would have doubled you up
before thou got over there!' The monk then understood the spiritual attainment
of Hwang Pah, and praised him as a true Mahayanist." "On one
occasion Yang Shan (Kyo-zan) saw a stranger monk flying through the air.
When that monk came down and approached him with a respectful salutation, he
asked: 'Where art thou from? 'Early this morning,' replied the other, 'I set
out from India.' 'Why,' said the teacher, 'art thou so late?' 'I stopped,'
responded the man, 'several times to look at beautiful sceneries.' Thou mayst
have supernatural powers,' exclaimed Yang Shan, 'yet thou must give back the
Spirit of Buddha to me ' Then the monk praised Yang Shan saying: 'I have come
over to China in order to worship Mañjuçri,1 and met unexpectedly with
Minor Shakya,' and, after giving the master some palm leaves he brought from
India, went back through the air.'"2
It is quite reasonable that Zenists distinguish supernatural powers from
spiritual uplifting, the former an acquirement of Devas, or of Asuras, or of
Arhats, or of even animals, and the latter as a nobler accomplishment attained
only by the practisers of Mahayanism. Moreover, they use the term supernatural
power in a meaning entirely different from the original one. Lin Tsi (Rin-zai)
says, for instance: "There are six supernatural powers of Buddha: He is
free from the temptation of form, living in the world of form; He is free from
the temptation of .sound, living in the world of sound; He is free from the
temptation of smell, living in the world of smell; He is free from the
temptation of taste, living in the world of taste; He is free from the
temptation of Dharma,3 living in the world of Dharma. These are six
supernatural powers."4
Sometimes Zenists use the term as if it meant what we call Zen Activity, or
the free display of Zen in action, as you see in the following examples. Tüng
Shan (To-Zan) was on one occasion attending on his teacher Yun Yen (Un-gan),
who asked: "What are your supernatural powers?" Tüng Shan, saying
nothing, clasped his hands on his breast, and stood up before Yun Yen.
"How do you display your supernatural powers?" questioned the teacher
again. Then Tüng Shan said farewell and went out. Wei Shan (E-san) one day was
taking a nap, and seeing his disciple Yang Shan (Kyo-zan) coming into the room,
turned his face towards the wall. "You need not, Sir," said Yang Shan,
"stand on ceremony, as I am your disciple." Wei Shan seemed to try to
get up, so Yang Shan went out; but Wei Shan called him back and said: "I
shall tell you of a dream I dreamed." The other inclined his head as if to
listen. "Now," said Wei Shan, "divine my fortune by the
dream." Thereupon Yang Shan fetched a basin of water and a towel and gave
them to the master, who washed his face thereby. By-and-by Hiang Yen (Kyo-gen)
came in, to whom Wei Shan said: "We displayed supernatural powers a moment
ago. It was not such supernatural powers as are shown by Hinayanists."
"I know it, Sir," replied the other, "though I was down
below." "Say, then, what it was," demanded the master. Then
Hiang Yen made tea and gave a cup to Wei Shan, who praised the two disciples,
saying: "You surpass Çariputra1 and Maudgalyayana2 in your
wisdom and supernatural powers."3
Again, ancient Zenists did not claim that there was
any mysterious element in their spiritual attainment, as Do-gen
says1 unequivocally respecting his Enlightenment: "I recognized
only that my eyes are placed crosswise above the nose that stands lengthwise,
and that I was not deceived by others. I came home from China with nothing in
my hand. There is nothing mysterious in Buddhism. Time passes as it is natural,
the sun rising in the east, and the moon setting into the west."
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