Shoyoroku Case 23: Luzu Faces the Wall — Truth Cannot Be Realized through Words, But No One Can Understand It Without Words

Luzu Baoyun: Truth Cannot Be Grasped Through Words

From Shoyoroku, Case 23: Luzu Faces the Wall

擧。魯祖。凡見僧來便面壁。　[相見了也]南泉聞云。我尋常向他。道空劫以前承當。[不考自招]佛未出世時會取。[和尚會也未]尚不得一箇半箇。[只爲漏栓索]他恁麼驢年去。[忙者不會]

From Shoyoroku, Case 23: Luzu Faces the Wall Classical Chinese Original Text

舉（こ）す。魯祖（ろそ）、凡（およ）そ僧（そう）の来（きた）るを見（み）れば面壁（めんぺき）す。［相見（しょうけん）了（りょう）也（や）］ 南泉（なんせん）聞（き）いて云（い）わく、我（わ）れ尋常（よのつね）他（た）に向（むか）って、空劫（くうごう）以前（いぜん）に承当（じょうとう）し。［考（かんが）へざるに自（みずか）ら招（まね）く］ 佛（ぶつ）未（いま）だ出世（しゅっせ）せざる時（とき）に會取（えしゅ）せよと道（い）うすら、［和尚（おしょう）は會（え）するや也（ま）た未（いま）だしや］ 尙（な）ほ一箇（こ）半箇（はんこ）だも得（え）ざるに。［只（た）だ栓索（せんさく）を漏（も）らすが爲（た）めなり］ 他（た）恁麼（いんも）ならば驢年（ろねん）にし去（さ）らん。［忙者（ほうしゃ）は不㑹（ふえ）］

From Shoyoroku, Case 23: Luzu Faces the Wall Kanbun reading method of Classical

Case: Luzu faced the wall whenever he saw a monk coming. [They have already met each other]
Nanquan heard this and said,
Nanquan: I usually tell him to realize the truth before the empty kalpa. [He confessed even though no one asked him]
Nanquan: Understand it before the Buddha appeared in the world. [Does the master himself understand it?]
Nanquan:  But not even one or half a person has realized it. [This is because he made a mistake instead.]
Nanquan:  With his way, he can never achieve anything. [Impatient people cannot understand it.]

From Shoyoroku, Case 23: Luzu Faces the Wall Modern Meaning

Glossary: What are the Buddhist and Zen terms used in this article?

• Luzu Faces the Wall (魯祖面壁): A koan in which Nanquan Puyuan raises a critical question regarding Luzu’s practice of facing the wall.
• Facing the Wall (面壁): The practice of sitting in Zen meditation (zazen) while facing a wall. It is said that 達磨 (Bodhidharma) spent nine years facing the wall at Shaolin Temple.
• Dualistic Opposition (二見対待): A perspective that divides and contrasts things into two categories, such as “right or wrong.”
• Face-to-Face Dialogue (相見問答): A Zen dialogue where two people meet face-to-face to exchange questions and answers, testing each other’s understanding.
• Original Face (本来の面目): A core Zen concept referring to a person’s true, original self. It represents our pure self as it is, untouched by external factors such as social roles, the opinions of others, or language.
• Furyu Monji (No Dependence on Words and Letters / 不立文字): A fundamental Zen teaching which asserts that the ultimate truth cannot be grasped through words or scriptures. Instead, it can only be realized through direct, personal experience. This philosophy is traditionally attributed to Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen.
• The Empty Kalpa (空劫): The empty kalpa is one of the “four kalpas” (四劫), which represent the cyclic stages of the universe from its birth to its ultimate dissolution. These four stages consist of:
  1. The kalpa of formation (成劫): when the universe is newly formed.
  2. The kalpa of preservation (住劫): when the world is maintained and living beings exist.
  3. The kalpa of destruction (壞劫): when the world is progressively destroyed.
  4. The empty kalpa (空劫): when nothing exists.
     Once the old universe is completely destroyed and reduced to nothingness, a new universe is born again to repeat the cycle.
• Before the Empty Kalpa (空劫以前): Literally, this term refers to the time even before the empty kalpa—the period of total void and nothingness that remains after the previous world has perished. In the world of Zen, however, it does not merely denote a chronological time. Instead, it symbolizes human beings’ original, true self (Buddha-nature, “Original Face”) in its as-is state, prior to the arising of any words, concepts, or the dualistic distinction between self and others (conceptual differences).
• Rhetorical question (反語): Rhetorical questions use a question form to express a strong point in classical Chinese literature.Example: Who will not die? = Everyone will die someday.

What are the characters in Luzu Faces the Wall: Luzu Baoyun and Nanquan Puyuan

The characters of this case are Luzu Baoyun (魯祖宝雲) and Nanquan Puyuan (南泉普願).

Who was Luzu Baoyun?: A silent Zen master who faced the wall and spoke with his back

• Process of Enlightenment: He was a direct Dharma heir of Mazu Daoyi (馬祖道一). Mazu Daoyi was a famous Zen monk of the Tang dynasty. Luzu was like an older brother to Nanquan Puyuan because they studied under the same master.
• Main teachings: He only faced the wall to answer. However, he sometimes preached with many words, or answered questions in dialogues.
• Base of activities: He lived on Mount Luzu in Chizhou. This area is near present-day Guichi City in Anhui Province. Dongshan Liangjie (洞山良价) visited Luzu when Dongshan was young.(景徳傳燈録 卷第七（No. 2076 道原纂） in Vol. 51).

Who was Nanquan Puyuan?: The Eccentric Zen Master Who Cut Through Delusion

• Birthplace and Original Family Name: His original family name was Wang. He was born in Xinzheng, Zhengzhou. He called himself Master Wang.
• Training History: In the second year of Zhide of the Tang dynasty (757), he became a monk under Zen Master Dahui on Mount Dawei. At the age of 30, he received the full precepts at Songyue. He studied the Vinaya of the Xiangbu. He deeply mastered the precepts (vini). He visited various places to listen to lectures on the Lankavatara Sutra (楞伽経) and the Flower Garland Sutra (華厳経). He also mastered the Three Treatises (the Middle Treatise, the One-Hundred-Verse Treatise, and the Twelve-Gate Treatise).
• Process of Enlightenment: Under Mazu Daoyi, he forgot his attachment to words. He obtained the state of perfect freedom (playful samadhi).
• Base of Activity: In the 11th year of Zhenyuan of the Tang dynasty (795), he built a hermitage in Chiyang. After that, he did not go down Mount Nanquan for over 30 years. At the beginning of Taihe (around 827), he went down the mountain. This was because Governor Lu Geng of Xuancheng and others invited him. He greatly spread his Zen style.
• Main Teachings: Mazu Daoyi taught, “The mind itself is Buddha.” Against this, Nanquan taught, “It is not mind, it is not Buddha, and it is not a thing.” He also taught, “The mind is not Buddha, and wisdom is not the Way.” He tried to break people’s delusions.
• Death: He died early in the morning on December 25 of the eighth year of Taihe of the Tang dynasty (834). Before his death, he said, “Stars are dim and a lamp is like an illusion. This state has continued for a long time. Do not say that I come or go.” He also said, “One hundred years later, I will become a water buffalo at the foot of the mountain.” He was 87 years old. He was a monk for 58 years.(景徳傳燈録 卷第八（No. 2076 道原纂） in Vol. 51)。

Who was Bodhidharma?: The founder of Zen who practiced facing the wall for nine years.

• Birthplace and Original Family Name: He was the third son of King Xiangzhi of South India. His original caste name was Kshatriya. His original name was Bodhitara.
• Training History: He met Prajnatara. Prajnatara was the 27th patriarch from Shakyamuni. Prajnatara saw his talent and gave him the name “Dharma” (which means “great understanding”).
• Base of Activity: He served Prajnatara for 40 years. After his master died, he followed his master’s last will. His master predicted, “67 years after I leave this world, go to China and give the medicine of the Great Dharma”. It took three years by sea. He arrived at Nanhai (Guangzhou) in the Liang dynasty. After he left Emperor Wu of Liang, he entered Shaolin Temple on Mount　Song in the Wei dynasty. He sat silently facing the wall all day.
• Death: He died on March 8 in the 10th year of Xiantong of the Tang dynasty (869). He was 63 years old. He was a monk for 42 years.
• Posthumous Title: 円覚大師 (Master of Complete Enlightenmen)(景徳傳燈録 卷第十五（No. 2076 道原纂） in Vol. 51).

Dharma Lineage Chart

• 般若多羅ー菩提達磨…馬祖道一ー魯祖宝雲
• 般若多羅ー菩提達磨…馬祖道一ー南泉普願

What is Luzu’s Zen Dialogue?: Practicing Zazen Facing the Wall

Now, let us enter the main case. They say that Luzu always practiced zazen facing the wall when a monk came. Unlike other Zen masters, he rarely preached teachings with words, and he rarely gave sticks or shouts. With this way, they cannot have face-to-face dialogue or anything else. However, Wansong Xingxiu (万松行秀) says, “[They have already met each other]” at the point where Luzu practices zazen silently. They did not exchange any greetings, but people say that their greetings are already finished. Now, what is the meaning there?

What is Nanquan’s True Intent?: Realize Original Face

However, Nanquan heard this story of Luzu. Nanquan said, “I usually tell him (monks) to realize the truth before the empty kalpa.”
To “realize the truth before the empty kalpa” means to understand and realize this original state. This state is before the empty kalpa. At this time, all things and phenomena do not exist yet. There are no signs or traces of them. This is the state before our parents were born. This is Original Face. In this state, there are no deluded people. Therefore, Buddhas do not need to appear in the world to teach people. There is no delusion, no enlightenment, no life, no death, and no nirvana.
However, monks still focus their minds on conceptual differences. They fall into Dualistic Opposition of subject and object. Therefore, not even one or half a person understands and realizes this Original Face.
Therefore, Nanquan says that Luzu’s way will end in vain forever. This is because Luzu only practices facing the wall like this, and Luzu does not preach any words or teachings.

What is Luzu’s Facing the Wall in the End?: No One Can Understand It with No Dependence on Words and Letters

Wansong Xingxiu makes comments on Nanquan’s thoughts. [He confessed even though no one asked him] means this: “What is the matter, Master Nanquan? No one asked you about before or after the empty kalpa. Why are you so excited and making a fuss by yourself?”

[Does the master himself understand it?] means this: “You tell people to understand it before the Buddha appeared in the world. But where were you and what were you doing at that time? Did you really understand it yourself?”

[This is because he made a mistake instead] means this: “The reason why not even one or half a person realizes it is that there is a mistake in Master Nanquan’s way of teaching with words. Because Nanquan has a weak point, no one can really get enlightenment.”

[Impatient people cannot understand it] means this: “People who really obtained the truth are silent. However, people who have not obtained it yet make a noise to get it. Nanquan says, ‘With his way, he can never achieve anything.’ But does Nanquan say this because Nanquan cannot understand Luzu’s depth?”

At first sight, these comments seem to abuse Nanquan. However, actually, both Nanquan and Wansong are using rhetorical expressions. Rhetorical expression is a technique of classical Chinese writing to emphasize their opinions by asking questions.

Wansong says this: Nanquan’s words seem to criticize Luzu’s Facing the Wall. However, actually, Nanquan praises Luzu. This is because Luzu directly transmits the true Buddha-dharma of the patriarchs. Therefore, Wansong’s comments are also rhetorical. They are a way to make people understand the true Zen teachings by giving them a painful experience.

In the end, the story of Luzu’s Facing the Wall is Nanquan Puyuan’s critical question. Luzu’s Facing the Wall is like Bodhidharma’s nine years of Facing the Wall. It is the ultimate no dependence on words and letters that directly expresses the Original Face. However, ordinary monks rely on words. Nanquan’s critical question is that these monks can never understand the function of just sitting.

What is the core of Luzu’s Facing the Wall in Shoyoroku Case 23?: No One Can Understand with No Dependence on Words and Letters

• Luzu answered the monks by facing the wall.
• Luzu’s facing the wall is the ultimate no dependence on words and letters and It directly expresses the Original Face. 
• Nanquan raised a critical question about Luzu’s facing the wall, noting that no one could understand it if Luzu only sat.

My Experience: Words are Transmitted with Slight Differences

When I explained this koan, I had a worry. Usually, I take classical Chinese texts from classics. Then, I translate them with AI. After that, I compare them with reference books from the Meiji period to the early Showa period, and then I write articles.
However, there was a problem about the word “他” (him) in “I usually tell him (我尋常向他)” in this main case. The AI translated that “他” meant Luzu. On the other hand, the reference books wrote that “他” meant the training monks. I worried for a while. My blog is not for scholars. Therefore, I decided to choose clarity. I interpreted that “他” meant the training monks. I thought that some people might send me unwanted questions. They might say, “I translated the text with AI, and your translation is wrong.”
To tell the truth, when we put thoughts into words, they already deviate slightly from our original intention. When people hear them from others, they deviate again. When they become books, they deviate. When they are translated, they deviate.
In the first place, research in the humanities is based on the idea that there are various interpretations. However, we must not interpret and write freely as we like. Therefore, we clearly write down which classics and books we used for our interpretations. I also write them clearly on my blog. If I reply to all of these questions, I will lose my time to write articles.
Some people might say, “Does this not violate the principle of democracy that reflects various opinions?” However, if you have your own opinion, you should study the classics by yourself. You should practice zazen and realize the truth by yourself first. Then, we can have a very good discussion. Furthermore, you should start your own blog. You should show your opinions there. I think that this is the best way to contribute to democracy.
Zen masters of the Tang dynasty had strong personalities. Each master tried to express in words what they could not write. They also tried to express them with gestures instead of words.
However, training monks make their own interpretations as they like. They say many different things endlessly. The masters do not have enough time to explain everything to everyone. In addition, the monks cannot understand it anyway. Therefore, the masters act like Nanquan or Luzu. Nanquan cut a cat, and Luzu practiced zazen facing the wall all the time. Ordinary people seem to feel that Zen is unkind because they can not receive detailed step-by-step help.

How Can Zen Teachings Be Applied to Modern Life?: In the World Expressed by Words, There is No Absolute Correct Answer

I make a living by teaching at a cram school. The children, teachers, and parents who send them there think that entering a famous university is the correct answer. I am a mature adult now. Therefore, I do not argue about it. I am grateful that I can make a living with this job. I teach them while accepting their idea as the correct answer.

Then, one of my students decided to take an entrance exam for a famous high school. I am like this (I do not encourage the student to take exams for famous high schools; I only teach academic subjects). Therefore, the student probably became anxious. I heard that the student decided to go to another prep school too. I think this is a good thing. It is wonderful that my dear student takes an exam for a famous high school. To tell the truth, I cannot make an irresponsible promise to make this student pass such a high-level high school because the future is uncertain.

My job is to explain carefully how to read long English texts of high school entrance exams, and how to solve problems of quadratic functions and volumes of solid figures. This is hard work. However, we must do this without saying other unnecessary things. How can anyone say that students can pass without doing this?

In this way, most of our society is made of lies. And we live in this society after understanding this.