THE MASTER WAS FROM JEN CHOU. HIS FAMILY NAME WAS WEI. WHEN HE WAS NINETEEN HE WENT TO MAO SHAN AND LEFT THE HOME LIFE. This Dharma Master is called by the name of the place he was from, rather than by his ordained name, out of respect. He entered the Way as a virgin youth--that's the very best way to do it. ON THE NORTHERN FACE OF NYU T'OU MOUNTAIN HE FOUND A CAVE AND SAT IN MEDITATION THERE, CONTEMPLATING HIS MIND.

      EVENTUALLY THE FOURTH PATRIARCH HAPPENED BY AND ASKED THE MASTER, "WHO IS CONTEMPLATING ? WHAT IS THE MIND?" Master Fa Yung didn't know he was being addressed by the Fourth Patriarch. He just knew that he didn't have an answer for the questions, so THE MASTER DIDN'T REPLY. He didn't know what to say. THE PATRIARCH ACCOMPANIED HIM BACK TO HIS CAVE. THE PATRIARCH SAW THE TIGERS AND WOLVES SURROUNDING THE PLACE. Ordinarily the wild beasts would gather while the master sat in meditation and accompany him in his cultivation. THE PATRIARCH PRETENDED TO BE FRIGHTENED OF THEM.

      Still not aware of whom he was talking to, THE MASTER SAID, "DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT LEFT?" meaning, fear. THE PATRIARCH DIDN'T REPLY BUT SIMPLY WROTE THE CHARACTER "BUDDHA" ON THE MASTER'S MEDITATION SEAT. THIS UNNERVED THE MASTER, WHO DARED NOT SIT UPON THE WORD. THE PATRIARCH SAID, "DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT LEFT?" He threw the question right back at the Master. "It's just a word. What are you afraid of?" THE MASTER BOWED AND ASKED HIS BENEFACTOR TO SPEAK THE ESSENTIALS OF DHARMA FOR HIM.

      The Patriarch then told him about the essence of the Middle Way. He also said, "I HAVE RECEIVED THE DHARMA DOOR OF THE SUDDEN TEACHING FROM GREAT MASTER TS'AN, the Third Patriarch. I NOW PASS IT ON TO YOU. IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE A VERY BROADMINDED AND SINCERE PERSON WHO WILL SUCCEED YOU IN THE TEACHING. You are an intelligent person, You should continue to follow the Dharma and in the future you will have a lot of disciples. THE DHARMA FLOURISHED WIDELY IN HIS TIME. LATER HE MET THE SENIOR SEATED CHIH YEN AND BEQUEATHED THE DHARMA SEAL TO HIM. THE YEAR AFTER THAT ON THE THIRTEENTH OR THE FIRST MONTH, HE PASSED AWAY WITHOUT ILLNESS.

      A VERSE IN HIS PRAISE SAYS:

      HE SAT IN STILLNESS ON AN ISOLATED MOUNTAIN.
      THE BIRDS AND BEASTS WERE HIS FRIENDS.
      IN HIS FORTUNATE ENCOUNTER WITH
      ANOTHER EXPERT,
      HIS MEDITATION SEAT SEVERED HIS
      ATTACHMENT TO BUDDHAS AND PATRIARCHS.
      THE WOLVES FOLLOWED HIM: THE
      TIGERS TRACKED HIM.
      HE WAS LIKE THE SUN IN MID-HEAVEN.
      THOSE OF YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW
      WHO LEARN OF HIM
      ARE DRAWN TO THE HOST OF THAT OLD HUT.

      ANOTHER VERSE IN PRAISE SAYS:

      AT NYU T'OU HE SAT STILL CONTINUALLY CONTEMPLATING HIS MIND.
      THE FOURTH PATRIARCH HIMSELF CAME
      FOR A VISIT TO THIS PERSON.
      THE TIGERS, WOLVES AND OTHER
      FEROCIOUS BEASTS ALL GATHERED 'ROUND.
      THE CRANES, SWALLOWS, AND OTHER AUSPICIOUS BIRDS TOGETHER HEARD THE SUTRAS.
      THE WORD "BUDDHA" WASN'T EMPTY YET
      AND HE FOUND HIS ATTACHMENT.
      HIS CONDITIONS WITH THE DHARMA WERE
      EXCEPTIONAL AS WAS HIS VIGOR.
      WITHOUT ANY SICKNESS HE LEFT THE WORLD,
      TRULY FREE AND AT EASE.
      WITH A WORD AND A SMILE HE WENT TO REBIRTH:
      LEAVING FOR POSTERITY HIS LOFTY STYLE.

The Master found a quiet place to meditate and the Fourth Patriarch observed the causes and conditions and came to teach and transform him when he was ready. The animals were drawn to the Master. It was like in the Pure Land where "there are always rare and wonderful vari-colored birds; white cranes, peacocks, parrots, and egrets, kalavinkas, and two-headed birds." Although he was detached and felt no fear when these birds and beasts drew near, he still got scared at the idea of sitting on the word "Buddha."

      "The word for Buddha is empty," was the Patriarch's point, "It's just something we say. Since it's empty, you can sit on it." But you have to realize where the Patriarch was coming from. He wasn't like people of "side doors and outside ways" who go around advocating "Everybody is Buddha." I ask them, if that's the case, then why is it your greed, hatred, stupidity, pride and doubt are still so much in evidence? No, what they say is just slander of the Buddha. When the word Buddha really is empty it will happen naturally as a result of achieving non-attachment.

      Before having been certified to that state, one who advocates that "Everybody is Buddha, so we can all just do as we please," is simply denying cause and effect and as a result, will certainly fall into the hells.

      Ch'an Master Fa Jung had tremendous conditions with people and influenced them to take refuge with the Triple Jewel. But he didn't get lazy himself in the process. He remained vigorous throughout his life. Since he cultivated so well, when it came time to go he did so in comfort. He went to the Pure Land white having a pleasant conversation--he was just that free and independent. His was true cultivation. He had no obstacles, no greed, and was not the least bit upside-down.
He fulfilled his expectation:

      May my body be without sickness or suffering,
      May my mind be devoid of greed and attachment.
      May my thoughts not be upside-down,
      So that I am as if in Ch'an samadhi.
      May the Buddhas and assembly of sages
      Come to greet me with a golden dias in their hands.
      And that instant, may I be born in
      the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
      When the flower opens, may I
      see the Buddha and hear the
      Buddha-Vehicle,
      So that I suddenly open the wisdom of a Buddha
      And then may I vastly take living beings across
      To fulfill the Bodhi-vows.