Dharma Combat - History

History

The first known recorded examples of Dharma combat occurred during the “Classical” period of Zen history. Stretching roughly from 765 to 950 C.E., this period saw the rise of many Zen masters whose work is still widely studied in modern Zen Buddhism today.

One of these masters was Línjì Yìxuán (Rinzai Gigen in Japanese). Linji died in 866 and was the founder of the Linji school of Zen Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty in China. Many examples of dharma combat can be found in the collection of sayings by and about Línjì. On occasions the Dharma combat of Linji even extended to physical handling, as in the following example:

From the High Seat, the master said: "Upon the lump of red flesh there is a True Man of no Status who ceaselessly goes out and in through the gates of your face. Those who have not yet recognized him, look out, look out!"

A monk came forward and asked: "What is the True Man of no Status?"

The master descended from the meditation cushion, grabbed (the monk) and said: "Speak, speak!"

The monk hesitated. The master released him and said: "What a shit-stick this True Man of no Status is!" Then he withdrew to his quarters.

—Línjì Yìxuán, The Zen Teachings of Rinzai

In another example, he recounts a question from Ma-yu: "Of the eyes of the thousand-armed bodhisattva of compassion, which is the true eye?" Línjì repeats the question, adding "Answer me! Answer me!" Then, Ma-yu "dragged the Master down from the lecture seat and sat in it himself."

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