Shoyoroku Case 26: Yangshan Points to Snow — Discard the Illusion of Perfection and Live in Reality

Yangshan Huiji: Go Even Beyond Absolute Devotion to Transcendence

From Shoyoroku, Case 26: Yangshan Points to Snow

擧。仰山指雪獅子云。還有過得此色者麼。[仰山不覺平地喫交] 雲門云。當時便與推倒。[不奈舡何打破戽斗] 雪竇云。只解推倒不解扶起。[路見不平拔劍相助]

From Shoyoroku, Case 26: Yangshan Points to Snow Classical Chinese Original Text

擧（こ）す。仰山（ぎょうざん）、雪獅子（せっしし）を指（さ）して云（い）わく、還（かえ）つて此（こ）の色（いろ）を過（す）ぎ得（う）る者（もの）有（あ）り麼（や）と。[仰山（ぎょうざん）覺（おぼ）えず平地（へいち）に喫交（きっこう）す] 雲門（うんもん）云（い）わく、當時（そのかみ）便（すなわ）ち與（た）めに推倒（すいとう）せんと。[舡（ふね）を奈何（いかん）ともせず。戽斗（こと）を打破（たは）す] 雪竇（せっちょう）云（い）わく、只（た）だ推倒（すいとう）のみを解（げ）して扶起（ふき）を解（げ）せずと。[路（みち）に不平（ふへい）を見（み）て劍（けん）を拔（ぬ）いて相助（あいたす）く]

From Shoyoroku, Case 26: Yangshan Points to Snow Kanbun reading method of Classical

Case: Yangshan pointed to a snow lion and said: Is there anyone who can surpass this color? [Yangshan fell on flat ground without realizing it]
Yunmen: At that time, I would have pushed it over right away. [Being helpless with the boat, he broke the water bucket]
Xuedou: He only knows how to push it over, but he does not know how to help it up. [When he sees an injustice on the road, he draws his sword to help]

From Shoyoroku, Case 26: Yangshan Points to Snow Modern Meaning

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

• Yangshan Points to Snow (仰山指雪): A koan in which Yangshan Huiji points to a snow lion and asks if anyone can surpass that color.
• Snow Lion（雪獅子）: A snowman made in the shape of a lion (an imaginary creature based on the Asiatic lion).
• Kojo (向上): This is the action of going toward and going beyond the world of absolute equality (the state of enlightenment). This world is beyond all differences and distinctions.
• Koge (向下): This is the action of practicing in the world of relative distinction (the actual world). In this world, individual differences, good and evil, and other contrasts exist.
• Kojo-tei (向上底): This is “the world of absolute equality (the state of enlightenment) itself” which is beyond all differences. It also means the world itself that goes beyond that state.
• Taking a Step Beyond the Top of a Hundred-Foot Pole (百尺竿頭進一歩): This means taking one more step forward from the top of a hundred-foot pole, which symbolizes the highest point of enlightenment reached through practice, and applying it in the real world.
• Pure Dharmakaya (清浄法身): The body of the Buddha as pure truth itself without any stain.

What are the characters in Yangshan Points to Snow?: Yangshan Huiji, Yunmen Wenyan, and Xuedou Chongxian

Who was Yangshan Huiji?: A Zen master of all trades who freely used enso

• Birthplace and Original Family Name: A person from Huaihua in Shaozhou. His original family name was Ye.
• Childhood: At the age of 15, he wanted to become a monk, but his parents opposed it. Two years later (at the age of 17), he cut off two of his fingers, knelt before his parents, and vowed to seek the true Dharma to repay their deep love.
• Training History: At the age of 17, he was allowed to become a monk after cutting off his fingers, and he shaved his head under Master Tong  at Nanhua Temple in Shaozhou. Before receiving the full precepts, he traveled to various places. First, he studied under Danyuan (耽源) and gained a deep understanding. After that, he studied under Guishan Lingyou (潙山霊祐). Later, he went to Jiangling, received the full precepts, and studied the Vinaya. He also visited many high priests.
• Process of Enlightenment: When he visited Guishan Lingyou (潙山霊祐), Guishan asked him: “Are you a novice with a master, or a novice without a master?” Yangshan walked from west to east and stood there. Guishan knew he was extraordinary and gave him teaching. Yangshan asked: “What is the dwelling place of the true Buddha?” Guishan answered: “With the wonder of thinking without thought, reflect back on the endless spiritual flame. When thought ends and returns to the source, nature and form exist forever, reality and principle are not two, and the true Buddha is as it is.” Yangshan reached sudden enlightenment through these words. After that, he served Guishan for 15 years and received the proof of dharma transmission.
• Base of Activity: Mount Wangmang, Mount Yang (where many students gathered), Guanyin-in Temple, and Mount Dongping.
• Main Teaching: He presented the truth beyond words by drawing enso (a circle in the air) and combining it with Chinese characters (such as writing the character “Buddha” inside an enso). He compared his teaching place to a “General Store (a shop that has everything).” According to the ability and requests of his students, he freely gave both pure gold (the highest truth) and rat droppings (various means) to remove their attachments.
• Death: He died at the age of 77 (the number of years as a monk is not recorded). At Mount Dongping in Shaozhou, he recited a death poem that he wrote himself, sat holding his knees with both hands, and passed away. Later, his stupa was moved to Mount Yang.
• Posthumous Title: 智通禅師 (Zen Master of Penetrating Wisdom)
  • Stupa Name: 妙光の塔 (Stupa of Wondrous Light)(景徳傳燈録 卷第十一（No. 2076 道原纂） in Vol. 51).

Yangshan compared his teaching place to a “General Store (雑貨舗)” and the teaching place of the former master Shitou Xiqian to a “Pure Gold Shop (真金舗).” (景徳傳燈録 卷第十一（No. 2076 道原纂） in Vol. 51).

• Pure Gold Shop (真金舗): A strict Zen style without any compromise that directly shows only the highest truth (pure gold) itself.
• General Store（雑貨舗）: A flexible teaching style that freely gives various means (expedient means) up to the highest truth (pure gold) according to the ability and requests of practitioners to remove their attachments.

Who was Yunmen Wenyan?: A brainy Zen master who delivers a sharp, single word

• Birthplace and Original Family Name: He was from Jiaxing, Zhejiang province (currently Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province), and his secular family name was Zhang.
• Training History: He studied under 睦州道蹤 (陳尊宿, Muzhou Daozong, Chen Zunsu) in Muzhou and clarified the great meaning of Zen. He became a dharma heir of 雪峯義存 (Xuefeng Yicun).
• Base of Activity: He succeeded 霊樹如敏 (Lingzhu Rumin) in Shaozhou (Guangdong Province) and became the abbot. He lived at Guangtai Temple on Mount Yunmen in 韶陽 (Shaozhou), and was also called 韶陽禅師 (Zen Master Shaozhou). Later, Yunmen became the founder of 雲門宗 (Yunmen school).
• Posthumous Title: 匡真禅師 (Master of Righteous Truth)(景徳傳燈録 卷第十九（No. 2076 道原纂） in Vol. 51).

Who was Xuedou Chongxian?: The Restorer of the Yunmen School Who Laid the Foundation for Hekiganroku with Brilliant Poetry

• Birthplace and Original Family Name: A person from Suining Prefecture (Tongchuan Prefecture, Sichuan Province). His original family name was Li.
• Training History: After becoming a monk and receiving the full precepts, he traveled to the south and first studied under Zhimen Guangzuo (智門光祚).
• Process of Enlightenment: Under Zhimen, Xuedou asked: “When not a single thought arises, how can there be any fault?” Zhimen called him closer. When Xuedou stepped forward, Zhimen immediately struck his mouth with a fly whisk (hossu). As Xuedou opened his mouth to speak, Zhimen struck him again. Under these blows, Xuedou attained great enlightenment in a flash of clarity.
• Base of Activity: Cuifeng (Mount Cuifeng) and Zhisheng Temple on Mount Xuedou in Mingzhou (present-day Ningbo, Zhejiang Province).
• Main Teaching: Possessing outstanding poetic and literary talent, he compiled the main cases and verses, which later became the foundational text for the famous Zen classic Hekiganroku (『碧巌録』).
• Death: Passed away on June 10 in 1052. Age at death: 73.
• Posthumous Title: 明覚大師 (Great Master of Luminous Awakening)(續傳燈録 巻二)(禪林僧寶傳 卷第十一)。.

Dharma Lineage

• 馬祖道一ー百丈懷海ー潙山靈祐ー仰山慧寂
• 德山宣鑑ー雪峰義存ー雲門文偃ー香林澄遠ー智門光祚ー雪竇重顯

Chronological Order

• Yangshan Huiji’s Snow Lion Koan: Around 850–880
• Yunmen Wenyan’s Comment: Around 890–940
• Xuedou Chongxian’s Comment: Around 1010–1050
• Wansong Xingxiu’s Comment: Around 1223

What is Yangshan’s Snow Lion?: A symbol of absolute devotion to Kojo (向上, transcendence)

Now, let us move into the main case. On a snowy day, Yangshan Huiji pointed to a snow lion in the garden and asked his monks, “Is there anyone who can surpass this color (the realm of pure purity)?” A snow lion is a lion-shaped figure built by gathering and packing snow, equivalent to a snowman. Since it was common sense even in those days that snow is the purest white, when asked if anything could surpass the whiteness of snow, the monks seemed stripped of their conventional concepts and no one answered.

Thereupon, Yangshan indicates that because the snow lion represents ultimate whiteness and embodies the Pure Dharmakaya, one must pass beyond this absolute single-colored realm of transcendence, and look at what lies even beyond transcendence. Transcendence refers to the action of going toward and going beyond the world of absolute equality (the state of enlightenment), which is beyond all differences and distinctions. It is said: “When you have climbed to the top of a hundred-foot pole, take one more step forward.” Taking a step beyond the top of the pole would mean falling off. Yet, he tells us to let go of our hands and see.

At this point, Wansong Xingxiu (万松行秀) comments: [Yangshan fell on flat ground without realizing it.] This is a sarcastic banter implying that Yangshan himself seems unaware of how he is clinging tightly to the snowy ground, thinking, “Could there be anything whiter than snow? Snow is surely the whitest.” On the surface, Wansong uses a teasing tone toward Yangshan. However, this is a warning to us not to cling to the top of the hundred-foot pole (the realm of reached enlightenment).

Even if we are told not to cling to the realm of enlightenment known as the absolute single-colored realm of transcendence, many people have not even reached that point. Although it is said to take a step further after climbing to the top of a hundred-foot pole, it is ordinary that we have not even finished climbing to the top of the pole, so it does not quite resonate with us.

What is Yunmen’s Pushing It Over?: Breaking Through Enlightenment

However, at a later date, when Yunmen Wenyan heard that there had been a discussion about the snow lion at Yangshan’s place, he said, “At that time, I would have pushed it over right away.” It is said he felt great regret, thinking: “If I had been with Yangshan at that time, before he even finished saying ‘something whiter than the snow lion…’, I would have pushed the snow lion over myself.”

Thereupon, Wansong commented: “[Being helpless with the boat, he broke the water bucket]” This directly quotes the line “不奈舡何打破戽斗” from the book 『空谷集」 (Empty Valley Collection), meaning that even though water is filling up the boat, one breaks the water bucket, making it impossible to manage the boat at all.
Although gold dust is considered valuable, if either gold dust or mud gets into your eye, it becomes dust that blocks your vision. The same applies to the pure white snow lion—it is not good simply because it is pure white. One cannot attain true freedom unless one reaches a state where whether it is gold or mud no longer matters. In other words, unless you smash the snow lion and leap from the top of the hundred-foot pole, you can never be free from either the snow lion or the top of the hundred-foot pole.
Therefore, simply smashing the snow lion alone will not open a true path forward, nor will it bring about the dynamic adaptability to respond freely according to the situation.

What is Xuedou’s Helping It Up?: Transcendence = Descent

Further on, Xuedou said, “He (Yunmen) only knows how to push it over, but he does not know how to help it up (again).” Pushing it over represents one side: smashing the snow lion to break through enlightenment. On the other hand, helping it up means freely applying the power of enlightenment according to the situation after smashing the snow lion.

Freely applying enlightenment after smashing the snow lion and leaping from the top of the hundred-foot pole means applying enlightenment to the real world. This is called descent. The world of enlightenment is a realm beyond words where there is neither good nor evil, nor white nor black. However, in the real world, individual differences and contrasts such as good and evil do exist. Therefore, descent refers to the working of putting the achievements gained through practice into action with a full understanding of these real-world distinctions.

Yangshan demonstrated transcendence, Yunmen supplemented Yangshan’s suggestion as the standpoint of aiming for further heights, and Xuedou elevated Yunmen’s intention even further, adding the profound meaning that “the transcendence of aiming for heights is none other than descending to work in the real world.” Therefore, through the collaboration of these three masters (Yangshan, Yunmen, and Xuedou), this single koan achieves complete perfection.

Wansong’s comment, [When he sees an injustice on the road, he draws his sword to help], quotes “路見不平” (seeing injustice on the road) from the evaluation of Case 100 in Hekiganroku. Likening Xuedou to a swordsman, while Yunmen roughly pushed over Yangshan’s riddle, which leaned too heavily toward transcendence, Xuedou stepped in to check Yunmen and assist Yangshan(佛果圜悟禪師碧巖録 卷第十（No. 2003 重顯頌古、克勤評唱） in Vol. 48).

What is the core of Yangshan Points to Snow in Shoyoroku Case 26?: Transcendence is none other than descent

• Yangshan urged practitioners to go even beyond a single-minded focus on transcendence.
• Yunmen Wenyan demonstrated the breaking through of a single-minded focus transcendence.
• Xuedou Chongxian showed that transcendence is none other than descent.

My Experience: The Snow Lion is My Perfect Teeth

This koan discusses what comes after enlightenment, so it is at a fairly advanced level. Therefore, I would like to use my own experience with tooth decay as an example. Over two years ago, I developed a cavity and had to have a tooth shaved down. I agonized over it, wondering why I didn’t do this or that, and what I would do if things got worse. The reason I regretted it so much was that I held onto the illusion that I once had perfect teeth (a snow lion). Thanks to my regret and researching methods to prevent tooth decay night after night, I was able to reach a method that would likely prevent further cavities. Therefore, to prevent further decay, I strictly enforced the following habits:

• Eat only one meal a day, completed before noon.
• Time each meal and finish within 30 minutes.
• Use dental floss and carefully brush my teeth for five minutes.
• Absolutely no snacking between meals.
• Drink no juice and eat no sweet foods.
• Periodically use plaque-disclosing liquid to check my tooth brushing.

This is striving thoroughly for higher heights (Kojo) toward an ideal state (perfect teeth / the snow lion).

Thanks to that illusion, I was able to acquire my current lifestyle habits, but the regret would not stop. Therefore, while maintaining the lifestyle habits I had acquired, I decided to discard such illusions and accept and act upon only the reality right before me—that my tooth is shaved down, but it does not particularly hurt (breaking through the snow lion).

I myself think my efforts are exaggerated, and a dentist would likely say, “There is no need to go that far.” Also, if I were to tell this story in a training dojo, the practicing monks would turn pale and say, “That is a tough training.” Even in a training dojo, sweet foods are not forbidden. It means that I am no longer capable of living a typical family life, company life, or monastery life—in other words, a normal social life.

Fortunately, I have no family, and at work, I lead a life where I simply do my job and am then released (without social gatherings like drinking parties), which allows me to carry out these efforts. However, there are many opportunities to receive sweets as souvenirs at work. I do not eat them on the spot, but I gratefully accept them as part of my single daily meal, express my gratitude the next day. Knowing that sweet things are bad for teeth, sweet things are assumed to exist in society, so one cannot get by if one rejects them completely (Koge).

By the way, what is interesting is that as I practiced while thinking about my own teeth, it naturally aligned with the strict Buddhist precepts (finishing one meal a day before noon). Some people laugh at this as superstition, but I am very happy to be able to rationally show that “it is also for the sake of my teeth.” [However, it is indeed going too far.]

How Can Zen Teachings Be Applied to Modern Life?: It is Important to First Focus on Kojo (Transcendence)

When I was at dojo, there was a sermon like this. It said: “If everyone is happy, precepts are unnecessary,” “Leave everything to others,” and “Anything is fine.” This speaker laughed at the strict Buddhist precept (eating only one meal a day, completed before noon) as ridiculous. To be sure, it sounds plausible on the surface, but when I actually tried practicing it, I realized it was impossible. I would like to explain this using teeth as an analogy.

The person who gave this sermon at dojo actually had full dental implants done by a famous doctor. This carries quite an important implication, because someone like me with no backing cannot afford millions of yen for full implants. If someone only has to live by listening to their parents, the social system and their family will protect them, and even if their teeth go bad, they can simply leave everything to the dentist and spend money to fix it. However, in my case, I have no family and cannot afford to pay that much to a dentist, so I need to question the dentist and manage things myself. Therefore, precepts—such as practicing moderation in eating and living an orderly life—become necessary.

Furthermore, regarding working toward Koge (descent) beyond Kojo (transcendence), sermons at dojo often claimed, “In the end, anything is fine.” Using teeth as an analogy, this is like taking only the part I wrote—“ I gratefully accept them as part of my single daily meal, express my gratitude the next day”—and arguing, “Since you eat sweet things in the end anyway, discipline is not needed.” Well, since they can just get implants in the end, they don’t care when they eat sweet things, and they don’t even need to brush their teeth. This is the essence of the argument for the unnecessariness of Mahayana Buddhist precepts in Japan.

We must be careful that when a monk gives a sermon, its meaning changes depending on whether that monk has backing, or is protected by their hereditary status. In any case, it is essential for beginners to focus first on Kojo (restraining the frequency of meals and training in tooth brushing), without worrying about Koge (gratefully accepting gifts and offering thanks the next day).