Blue Cliff Record Photographs
The Blue Cliff Record Photographs, pairs one hundred koans with one hundred photographs.
The blue Cliff Record is a classic Chan collection of a hundred cases that cannot be settled by explanation. This body of work answers each case with an image rather than a commentary. It is made in collaboration with Kogen Jamie Howell, a lay Zen teacher, and with San Francisco Zen community. Teacher and camera meet the same material: a pointed situation, a world already complete, nothing extra to add.
The photographs do not illustrate the koans. They stand beside them, one hundred to one hundred, as another way of facing what the record places before us.
Titles of cases and commentaries present in the book, are omitted here.
1st Case
Emperor Wu of Liang asked Great Master Bodhidharma, “What is the true meaning of the holy dharma?”
Bodhidharma said, “It’s empty not holy.”
The Emperor asked, “Who is this who stands before me?”
Bodhidharma said, “I don’t know.”
The Emperor did not understand. Bodhidharma crossed the Yangtze River and departed for the north.
Later the Emperor asked Master Baozhi about this exchange. Master Baozhi said, “Does Your Majesty still not know who that man is?”
The Emperor said, “I don’t know.”
Master Baozhi said, “He is the Great Being Avalokiteśvara, transmitting the Buddha’s mind seal.”
The Emperor had misgivings. He was going to dispatch a messenger to ask Bodhidharma to return. Master Baozhi said, “Your Majesty, do not think you can fetch him back with a messenger. Every person in the land could go and he would still not turn around.”
2nd Case
Zhaozhou taught the assembly, “The Ultimate Patha is not difficult if you avoid picking and choosing. As soon as there’s talking, it’s ‘picking and choosing’ and it’s ‘pure clarity. Yet this old monk does not abide in pure clarity. Do you cherish it or do you not?”
A monk asked, “Since you do not abide in pure clarity, what do you cherish?”
Zhaozhou replied, “I also don’t know.”
The monk said, “Since you don’t know, Master, why say you don’t abide in pure clarity?”
Zhaozhou said, “Inquire and straightaway you receive. Make a bow and
withdraw.”
3rd Case
Great Master Ma was ill. The abbot asked him,“Master, how are you today?”
Great Master Ma said, “Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha.”
4th Case
Deshan arrived at Guishan’s temple. He carried his pack with him into the Dharma Hall, where he crossed from east to west and from west to east. He peered around the hall and said, “Nothing. Nothing.” He immediately walked out.
(Xuedou commented, “Completely exposed.”)
But reaching the monastery gate, Deshan said, “I shouldn’t be too hasty.” He promptly changed into his formal robe and reentered the Hall for an audience. As Guishan was taking his seat, Deshan held up his sitting mat and said, “Master!” Guishan reached for his ceremonial fly whisk, but Deshan immediately shouted, shook out his sleeves, and exited.
(Xuedou commented, “Completely exposed.”)
Deshan turned his back on the Dharma Hall, put on his straw sandals, and left.
That evening, Guishan asked the head monk, “Where’s the new fellow?” The head monk answered, “After you met him, he turned his back on the Dharma Hall, put on his straw sandals, and left.”
Guishan said, “Someday that gentleman will climb the summit of a lonely peak. He’ll build a thatched hut and will never stop ragging the Buddhas and cursing the Patriarchs.”
(Xuedou commented, “Frost on top of snow.”)
5st Case
Xuefeng taught the assembly, “Pick up the whole great earth in your fingers, and it’s as big as a grain of rice. Throw it down before you.
“If, like a bucket of lacquer, you don’t understand, I’ll beat the drum and call out the search party.”
27th Case
A monk asked Yunmen, “When the tree withers and the leaves fall, what then?”
Yunmen said, “The body is exposed in the golden wind.”
28th Case
Nanquan was paying his respects to the Nirvana Master of Baizhang Mountain.
Baizhang asked him, “Did the sages of the past have a dharma teaching they
didn’t share?”
Nanquan said, “They did.”
Baizhang said, “What is the dharma teaching they didn’t share?”
Nanquan said, “Not mind, not Buddha, not anything.”
Baizhang said, “You just said it.”
Nanquan said, “I’m like that. Master, what about you?”
Baizhang said, “I’m no sainted holy man. How would I know if there’s a
teaching or not?”
Nanquan said, “I don’t know.”
Baizhang said, “I’ve already explained it to death.”