Shoyoroku Case 17: Fayan's Hair's Breadth — The Buddha Way Is Undifferentiated, Yet the Path of Practice Has Distinctions, Directly Manifesting the Undifferentiated

Fayan Wenyi: There is difference in non-difference, and there is true practice in the true nature

From Shoyoroku, Case 17: Fayan’s Hair’s Breadth

擧。法眼問脩山主。毫厘有差天地懸隔汝作麼生會。[誰敢動着]
脩云。毫厘有差天地懸隔。[闘百草有甚麼難]
眼云。恁麼又争得。[鐵山横在路]
脩云。某甲只如此和尚又如何。[捩轉鼻頭]
眼云。毫厘有差天地懸隔。[將謂別有]
脩便禮拜。[將錯就錯]

From Shoyoroku, Case 17: Fayan’s Hair’s Breadth Original

Fayan: If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart. How do you understand this? [Who would dare to move it?]
Master Xiushan: If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart. [What is so difficult about a grass-matching game?]
Fayan: How can you understand it so easily? [It is like an iron mountain blocking the road and standing in the way.]
Master Xiushan: I only understand it in this way now. What is your opinion, Master? [Twisted the nose.]
Fayan: If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart. [I thought there was something else.]
Master Xiushan immediately bowed. [Letting a mistake pass as a mistake.]

From Shoyoroku, Case 17: Fayan’s Hair’s Breadth Modern Meaning

The characters in Fayan’s Hair’s Breadth: Fayan Wenyi and Master Xiushan

Key point: The characters are Fayan Wenyi and Master Xiushan. Both of them are successors to the teaching of Dizang Guichen. Fayan Wenyi is the founder of the Fayan school.

The main case is a koan between Fayan Wenyi and Xiushan. Both of them are Dharma successors of Dizang Guichen. They already appeared in Case 12.

Who was Fayan Wenyi?: The founder of the Fayan school

• He came from the Lu family, and he became a Buddhist monk at the age of seven.
• He studied Buddhist precepts and other subjects, but he changed his study to Zen.
• He studied under Dizang Guichen, and he became his true successor.
• He lived at Qingliang Mountain in Shengzhou, Jiangsu Province.
• He is the founder of the Fayan school.
• His posthumous title is 大法眼禅師 (Zen Master Great Dharma Eye), and his second posthumous title is 大智蔵大導師 (Zen Master Great Preceptor of the Wisdom Treasury).

Fayan Wenyi preached the Dharma morning and evening at Qingliang Temple. There were more than fifty students in his school who left their names to later generations.

What is the Fayan school?: using plain words and guiding them patiently

• The lineage of the Fayan school is 雪峰義存 (Xuefeng Yicun), 玄沙師備 (Xuansha Shibei), 地蔵桂琛 (Dizang Guichen), and 法眼文益 (Fayan Wenyi).
• The teaching style of the Fayan school is teaching according to the capacity of the listener. It uses plain words and guides people patiently, without using violent methods like 臨済義玄 (Linji Yixuan) or 徳山宣鑑 (Deshan Xuanjian).
• The main principle of the Fayan school is that all phenomena in this world are only illusions and projections created by one’s own mind (三界唯心, 万法唯識).
• It resonates deeply with 参同契 (Sandokai)by 石頭希遷 (Shitou Xiqian), and it embodies the world of 華厳経 (the Avatamsaka Sutra) in Zen.

出典：『人天眼目』巻之五「宗門雜録」拈花（宋・智昭集）｜SAT大蔵経 No. 2006

Teaching someone by matching their timing instead of just explaining things is called 啐啄同時 (Saitakudoji). It is like the moment when a baby bird tries to break out of its egg from the inside, and the mother bird pecks the shell from the outside to help it break.（出典：『佛果圜悟禪師碧巖録』卷第一（佛果圓悟禪師評唱・重顯頌古）｜SAT大蔵経 No. 2003）。

Who is Master Xiushan?: a fellow disciple of Fayan Wenyi

• Master Xiushan and Fayan Wenyi were fellow disciples under the same teacher.
• Master Xiushan lived at Longji Mountain in Fuzhou.
• His dharma name was 紹脩 (Shaoxiu).

In Zen tradition, people sometimes use only the last character of a name, like 脩 (Xiu). “Master Xiushan” means the master of the mountain whose name is Xiu. The name “Master Xiushan” is a later name, so he was not called Master Xiushan at that time.

This dialogue in the koan is a conversation from that time, when Master Xiushan and Fayan Wenyi met Dizang Guichen (Case 12) and practiced together to improve each other.

Chronological Order

• Related Articles: Shoyoroku Case 20: Dizang’s Intimacy — Exhausting one’s knowledge leads to not-knowing (Dialogue between Dizang and Fayan during the rain) around 915-928
• This Article: Shoyoroku Case 12: Dizang Plants Rice — Zen Beyond Just Sitting, and the Person Who Completed Training (Dialogue between Dizang and Master Xiushan after the journey) around 915-928
• Related Article: Shoyoroku Case 27: Fayan Points to the Screen — Face the Genjokoan and Manifest Your Original Face around (Dialogue which Fayan points to the screen.)940-958
• This Articles: Shoyoroku Case 17: Fayan’s Hair’s Breadth — The Buddha Way Is Undifferentiated, Yet the Path of Practice Has Distinctions, Directly Manifesting the Undifferentiated (Dialogue between the grown-up Fayan and Master Xiushan) around 940-958
• Related Articles: What is the Shoyoroku? — Zen for Living as Your True Self, Beyond Social Values (Wansong Xingxiu completes the Shoyoroku.) around 1223

What does “If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart” mean?: It is a phrase from 信心銘

Key point: Fayan asked Master Xiushan how he understood the phrase from 信心銘 (Shinjinmei, Faith-Mind Inscription), “If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart.” Master Xiushan simply repeated the phrase back to him.

Now, let us move on to the main case.

Fayan asks Master Xiushan, “They say, ‘If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart.’ How do you understand this?”

This phrase is from the Faith-Mind Inscription. It means, “Even a tiny difference makes a huge gap.” Fayan asks, “How do you understand this?” 万松行秀 (Wansong Xingxiu) comments, “[Who would dare to move it?]” He means that Fayan is asking an obvious thing to test Master Xiushan’s realization, but no one is surprised by such a thing. At that time, reading and understanding the Faith-Mind Inscription would be a common rule for Zen students.

At that time, reading and understanding the Faith-Mind Inscription must have been a common rule for Zen students.（出典：『信心銘』（僧璨作）｜SAT大蔵経 No. 2010）。

In response to Fayan’s question, Master Xiushan repeated the exact same phrase like a parrot: “If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart.” He seemed to be saying, “That is already obvious!”

What is 毫釐 (毫厘)?: Units of currency in ancient China

Key point:  毫厘 (Gouri) is an ancient Chinese unit of money. 毫 (Gou) is one-thousandth, and 厘 (Ri) is one-hundredth of a coin.

毫厘 (Gouri) is an ancient Chinese unit of money: 毫 (Gou) is one-thousandth, and 厘 (Ri) is one-hundredth of a sen. Also, I learned this for the first time today, but “Gouri” has come to be used in Japanese to mean “a very tiny amount” or “a slight difference.” It means that since one-thousandth or one-hundredth of a sen is truly tiny, it represents an infinitesimal amount.

（出典：『デジタル大辞林』（小学館／コトバンク）「毫厘」より）。

Viewed from the perspective of Buddhist practice, the Great Way of enlightenment permeates the entire universe, leaving no room for delusion. However, because practitioners are self-centered, they think too much about unnecessary things and become deluded, ending up as far apart from the Great Way of enlightenment as heaven and earth. Therefore, even a Gouri (a tiny difference) cannot be taken lightly—this is the core message of the Faith-Mind Inscription.

What is the difference between differentiation and non-differentiation?: Whether or not things are individually distinguished

Key point: 差別 (Shabetsu, differentiation) and 無差別 (Mushabetsu, non-differentiation) are Buddhist terms. Unlike modern social human rights issues involving superiority, inferiority, or unfair treatment, they simply refer to whether or not there are individual distinctions.

Master Xiushan understood the verse just as it was, but having no other way to express it, he simply parroted it back. Because of this, it lacked a certain earnestness. Regarding this, Wansong remarked, [What is so difficult about a grass-matching game?] This means it is just like children playing grass-matching: if the other person presents a violet, you just present a violet as well. There is nothing difficult about it at all. However, Fayan’s question-and-answer exchange is not something easy like a grass-matching game—such is the meaning. This “grass-matching,” also known as herbal combat (闘草), was an ancient Chinese game on the fifth day of the fifth month where people would match various grasses and judge their superiority or inferiority.（参考：国民文庫刊行会 編 (1928–1932) 『続国訳漢文大成 文学部 第22巻』 国民文庫刊行会。）

Also, the terms 差別 (differentiation) and 無差別 (non-discrimination) will appear from here on. These do not carry the socially fixed meanings of superiority, inferiority, or unfair treatment, but simply mean whether or not there are individual distinctions.

Also, the terms 差別 (Shabetsu, differentiation) and 無差別 (Mushabetsu, non-differentiation) will appear from here on. These do not carry the socially fixed meanings of superiority, inferiority, or unfair treatment, but simply mean whether or not there are individual distinctions. In Japan, the word 差別 (Sabetsu, discrimination) has nuances such as racial discrimination or gender discrimination. This is different from the Buddhist topic this time.

What is the true intention of Fayan Wenyi?: It is that there is a hair’s breadth of difference in the place where you think there is no difference.

Key Point: Master Xiushan repeated Fayan’s words. Fayan asked him how he could understand it so easily. Fayan pointed out that there is a hair’s breadth of difference where Master Xiushan mistakenly believes the great way of Buddhist practice has no difference. Master Xiushan objected, asking, “What is your opinion?”

On the other hand, Fayan’s state of mind is clear. Even if they are close Dharma brothers, he does not show mercy, saying, “How can you understand it so easily?” He broke Master Xiushan’s pride in his understanding. For Fayan, the teachings of the greatest way being without difficulty and being equal without differences, which are taught in the Faith-Mind Inscription, are already understood premises. However, he means that Master Xiushan overlooks the fact that there is discrimination within this non-discrimination, and that wonderful practices such as the awakening of the mind, spiritual practice, enlightenment, and Nirvana exist within the true essence.

In short, Fayan pointed out that there is a hair’s breadth of difference in the place where you think there is no difference. Wansong added a comment that [it is like an iron mountain blocking the road and standing in the way]. This means that Master Xiushan had safely come this far along the great way and firmly believed that this was the path of enlightenment, but then Fayan appeared and demanded an explanation because he looked suspicious. There was a barrier that could not be overcome by logic, and Master Xiushan became unable to move forward.

As Fayan expected, Master Xiushan said, “I only understand it in this way now. What is your opinion?” This was because Master Xiushan still had some points that he could not fully accept. However, Master Xiushan did not just take the criticism quietly, but tried to argue back, saying, “What about your opinion?” Wansong added a comment, [Twisted the nose]. This is a critique meaning that this is the momentum of Master Xiushan twisting Fayan’s nose right back, and wondering if this will turn out to be an interesting sumo match.

What is a hair’s breadth of difference?: There is no right or wrong in the supreme way

Key Point: Fayan said, “If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart,” meaning that since the Buddhist way should be just like this for everyone, the very fact that each person has their own opinion might be a hair’s breadth of difference. Master Xiushan noticed this hair’s breadth of difference and understood it.

The way should be just like this for Master Xiushan, for Fayan, for the Buddha, and for everyone. The very act of thinking, “What about your opinion, Master?” is what we call a hair’s breadth of difference. Therefore, Fayan said, “If there is a hair’s difference, the heaven and the earth are far apart,” as if to say, “That is it, that is wrong.” This is exactly the same phrase that Master Xiushan answered earlier. The way this phrase resonates depends on the capacity of the person who uses it and the person who accepts it.

Wansong added, [I thought there was something else], meaning that when Master Xiushan asked Fayan, “What about your opinion?”, he must have thought there was some special truth, but did he realize that thinking so was the mistake from the beginning? Wansong said this toward Master Xiushan. Thus, Fayan’s words had no special elaborations, but Master Xiushan heard the echo of the words, realized that there was a hair’s breadth of difference, and bowed.

Wansong said, [Letting a mistake pass as a mistake]. This means that everything is a mistake—this is a mistake, that is a mistake, bowing is a mistake, not bowing is a mistake, realizing the hair’s breadth of difference is a mistake, not realizing it is a mistake, and everyone is mistaken from the beginning—so we should accept the mistake as a mistake just as it is and leave it alone. In short, this expresses a state where things cannot be divided into two. It means that there is no right or wrong in the supreme way.

The Core of Fayan’s Hair’s Breadth: The Buddhist way is a path without difference for everyone, but spiritual practice has differences

• The Buddhist way is an undifferentiated path that is just like this for everyone.
• There are differences in the practice of the Buddhist way.
• 信心銘 (Shinjinmei, Faith-Mind Inscription) states that although the Buddhist way cannot possibly be strayed from, practitioners become lost, so that they end up as far apart from the great path of enlightenment as heaven is from earth. Therefore, even a hair’s breadth of difference (a minute discrepancy) is so significant that it cannot be taken lightly.

My personal experience: What is the hair’s breadth of difference between monastic life and lay life?

Key Point: There is no difference in the path walked between monastics and laypeople, but in terms of how one walks it, there is a decisive difference, a hair’s breadth of difference, and a gap as vast as heaven and earth.

Although Mahayana Buddhism often teaches that laypeople can attain enlightenment just as monastics do—since everything ultimately rests in the palm of the Buddha—my own experience reveals a clear difference between monastic life and lay life. This difference lies not in our fundamental existence, but in the scope and nature of our actions.

What is fascinating is that the major shift did not happen when I received monastic ordination and became a monk, but rather afterward, when I left the training hall and resolved to walk my own path alone. Of course, deciding to go it alone improved the precision of my precepts and the quality of my zazen. Above all, however, that personal resolve to stand on my own two feet had a far greater impact than the formal ceremony of monastic ordination.

Generally speaking, it is said that laypeople can aim for enlightenment just as monastics do. To be sure, there is no difference in the path being walked, but when it comes to how one walks it, there is a decisive difference, a hair’s breadth of difference, and a gap as vast as heaven and earth.

Zen Tips for Modern Life: There is no right or wrong in the Way, but one makes choices according to each moment.

Key point: In the arena where we stand, there is no right or wrong, but the crucial part is making the choice of how to act.

Wansong Xingxiu added a comment stating that there is no right or wrong in the supreme Way. The judgment of right or wrong—such as “How should I live rightly?” or “Was my choice correct?”—is a socially constructed concept created after we are born. Therefore, in the stage before our parents were born (父母未生以前の本来の面目, our original face before our parents were born), there is no judgment of right or wrong.

For example, Japan has many Buddhist schools. While each school proclaims itself to be orthodox, when speaking practically, I think there is ultimately no right or wrong among them. What matters most is choosing which school suits you best.

To give another example, quite a few people use difficult Zen phrases like “our original face before our parents were born” to preach that “anything is fine, just as you are (just as you are right now).” However, “just as you are” refers to the movement of stars in the universe that has existed since before our parents were born (before the emergence of humankind), including the movement of the earth contained within it. We have acquired unique concepts separate from those movements and are carrying out our social lives. Therefore, using Zen terms to affirm our current selves living within social society is an incorrect usage. In other words, while there is no right or wrong in the arena where we stand, what is important is making the choice of how to act.