What is the Shoyoroku? — Zen for Living as Your True Self, Beyond Social Values

What is the 従容録 (Shoyoroku)?

Key Point: Although Zen teaches 不立文字 (Furyu Monji, not depending on words), students talked with each other to learn the truth. The 従容録 (Shoyoroku) is a book that collects these talks, which are called 公案 (Koan). 万松行秀 (Wansong Xingxiu) compiled the Shoyoroku by using the 碧巌録 (Hekiganroku) as a model.

The History of Zen

釈迦牟尼 (shakyamuni) found the truth in India. His teachings were passed down for a long time. 菩提達磨 (Bodhidharma) was the 28th teacher from shakyamuni. He went from India to China. He taught that words and letters are not the most important things. This was the beginning of Zen.

Zen Questions and Answers

Many students traveled around China. They looked for great teachers. They talked with each other to learn the truth. These talks are called 禅問答 (Zen questions and answers). It is also called 公案 (Koan). The 従容録 (Shoyoyoku) is a book that collects these talks.

The Origin of the Shoyoroku

The formal name of this book is very long. It is “The Record of the Shoyo-an, with Comments by Old Man Wansong on the Poems of Teacher Tiandong Jue.” The time was a period of change from the end of the Southern Song to the Yuan. The Mongol Empire started at that time. A famous official named Yelü Chuzai was interested in Zen. He asked a teacher named Wansong Xingxiu to make a book. He lived in a place called Shoyo-an. He finished the Shoyoroku and organized the ideas of Zen.

The importance of the Shoyoroku

An older teacher named 宏智正覚 (Hongzhi Zhengjue) wrote 100 verses first. Then, Wansong added explanations to them. Wansong Xingxiu compiled the Shoyoroku by using the Hekiganroku, a famous book compiled by 雪竇重顕 (Xuedou Chongxian), as a model.

In history, the Hekiganroku is often seen as more important. This is because the Shoyoroku was made later. However, both books are based on the ideas of great teachers. We should not say which is better. Both books are very important for Zen.

The Structure of the Shoyoroku

Key Point: The Shoyoroku follows the model of the Hekiganroku. It consists of five parts: Jishu (Introduction), Honsoku (Main Case), Ju (Verse), Jakugo (Short Comment), and Hyosho (Commentary). Zen is something students must study by themselves. We must not rely on easy explanations.

The Shoyoroku follows the model of the Hekiganroku. Each part has a clear role.

1. 示衆 (Jishu,Introduction)

Wansong Xingxiu talked to his students first. This part is the introduction to the main story.

2.  本則 (Honsoku,Main Case)

This is the most important part. It tells stories about old teachers and how they found the truth. These stories are also called Koan or Kosoku.

• Kosoku means stories of old teachers. Originally, “Kosoku” is more suitable for the meaning.

• Koan means official papers of the government. Today, many people use the word Koan because it sounds more serious. In these stories, the word “拳 (Ko)” is used at the beginning. It shows that the writer respects the old stories. However, I omit this in my article because “clarity” is the most important thing.

3. 頌 (Ju,Verses)

Hongzhi Zhengjue wrote verses about the Honsoku. Sometimes he praised the stories, and sometimes he criticized them. In China, writing verses was very popular. These poems are as beautiful as the works of famous poets like Li Bai and Du Fu.

4. 著語 (Jakugo,Short Comments)

Wansong Xingxiu added short comments to the stories. Some of them are like “jokes” or “quick replies.” In the Song Dynasty, Zen became popular among smart people like officials and poets. Wansong added these comments to help them understand Zen in an interesting way.

5. 評唱 (Hyosho,Explanation)

This part explains the whole story. In Zen, teachers usually do not “teach” or “explain” everything because students must find the truth by themselves. However, the Hyosho in this book is very kind and helpful. But remember, we must not be lazy. We should always try hard to learn by ourselves.

The Core

• You should study books (words), and you should also have real experiences (no words). 
• It is true that Zen looks for the truth beyond words and letters. However, this does not mean that we do not need books.
• Many Zen masters studied the books very hard and talked with each other. After that, they finally reached the idea of not depending on words.

My Experience: Tips for Applying the Difficult Shoyoroku to Modern Life

Key Point: The original Shoyoroku is written entirely in classical Chinese, which is difficult to understand. I struggled with it during my time as a monk. My goal for this blog is to explain the main cases in a simple and clear way for everyone.

I first saw the Shoyoroku at a Zen dojo. It was written in difficult Chinese characters. To be honest, I could not understand it at all, and I felt very sleepy. However, the teacher there taught us very hard. Little by little, I began to understand the meaning.

While I was practicing Zen at the temple, I had an idea. I wanted to explain the main points of this book in a simple way. There are already some books and websites about the Shoyoroku. But there are not many websites that explain all 100 stories.

Later, I became a leader of the students. I had a special ceremony. In the ceremony, we practiced Zen questions and answers from the Shoyoroku. It was a formal ceremony. However, Zen questions are originally for each person to think about and use in their own lives.

So, I decided to share the stories on the internet. My concept is “Anywhere can be a place for Zen.” My goal is to make them easy to understand. I will focus on the 本則 (Honsoku,main cases), but I will also talk about my own experiences. If you want to study more deeply, please check the reference books below.

Zen Tips for Modern Life: Mastering Words, Beyond Words

Key Point: Although Zen values experiences without words, it also uses words to approach the truth. The Shoyoroku is a great collection of these ideas. In this blog, I will explain the core ideas of the Shoyoroku simply, based on my own experiences.

Since old times, Zen has looked for the true way of humans. It is different from the rules of society. In Zen, real experiences are very important. But Zen also uses words to find the truth. The Shoyoroku is a great collection of these ideas.

In this blog, I will explain the core ideas of the Shoyoroku simply. I will also share my experiences. I hope this helps you.