The Story of Dae Ju

Zen Master Ma-tsu Tao-i, the 35th patriarch, had many students, 139 of whom received the transmission of the Dharma.

One student, Dae-Ju, when he first arrived, was asked by Ma-tsu, ''Where are you coming from, and what do you want?''

"I come from Won-Ju, and I want to understand Buddhism and to attain Satori. Please teach me.''

Ma-tsu replied, ''Within yourself you have a treasure. So why do you keep searching outside yourself? I am nothing, and so there is nothing I can teach you.''

Dae-Ju asked, "Then, what is this treasure within myself?''

Ma-tsu smacked his lips two times and said, "Now, I questioned you, and you answered by questioning me. This answer is your treasure. This treasure is already one with the Universe. Using all things in the Universe is freedom. So, life and death are freedom. Your treasure is infinite in time and space. "

Dae-Ju, hearing this, like lightning attained Satori. He stood up, walked around Ma-tsu, and bowed to him.

Dae-Ju sat Zen for six years without speaking. He then went back to Won-Ju, established a large temple, taught many students, and wrote many books about Zen.

Ma-tsu, hearing of Dae-Ju's deeds, went to see him, and said, ''You are a great Zen Master. Your treasure is like a light lighting up the darkness of the Universe." Thus, Ma-tsu expressed his admiration for Dae-Ju.

One day, a Sutra Master came and he questioned Zen Master Dae-Ju. "I understand that you have attained Satori. What is Zen?''

Dae-Ju said, "Zen is very easy. It is not difficult at all. When I am hungry, I eat; when I am tired, I sleep.''

The Sutra Master said, "This is doing the same as all people do. Attaining Satori and not attaining are then the same.''

"No, no, people on the outside and on the inside are different.''

The Sutra Master said, ''When I am hungry, I eat. When I am tired, I sleep. Why is the outside different from the inside?"

Dae-Ju said, "When people are hungry, they eat. Only the outside, the body, is eating. On the inside, they are thinking, and they have desire for money, fame, sex, food, and they feel anger. And so when they are tired, because of these wants, they do not sleep. So, the outside and the inside are different. But when I am hungry, I only eat. When I am tired, I only sleep. I have no thinking, and so I have no inside and no outside.''

The Sutra Master bowed respectfully, and became Dae-Ju's student.