PICTORIAL BIOGRAPHY OF THE VENERABLE MASTER

HSU YUN

Continued from issue #59

Composed by the Venerable Master Hua
Illustrated by a Student of Prajna
Translated by Disciple Bhiksu Heng Yo

RECTIFIES HIS APPEARANCE, CHANGES CLOTHES, AND PRACTICES THE T’IEN T’AI TEACHING #28

The Master was painfully pierced to the heart by the Venerable Ching's remark, and again requested instruction. The Elder Master replied, "As long as you listen to and obey my teachings, you may stay; if you do not, however, you will be required to leave." 
      The Master said, "Coming here specifically to draw near to the Venerable Master, how could I dare to be heedless?"

Then giving the Master robes and shoes, the Venerable Ching told him to shave his head and take a bath. He gave the Master work to do and taught him to look into the hua t'ou,1 "Who is dragging this corpse?" The Master diligently labored, and virtually ate and drank the contemplative teachings of the T'ien T'ai school.

The Gatha says:

Crossing the sea and scaling the mountains
He called on a lucid teacher;
            Donning the stars and wearing the moon",2
He visited a sage.
            Shaving his head to restore his face,
He resumed his proper bearing;
            With a single mind he investigated
'Just who is dragging this corpse?'