After becoming an ordained monk, Danxia traveled to Jiangxi to visit Master Mazu, thanking him for his earlier guidance.
He strode directly into the main temple hall, climbed astride the statue of the Patriarch, and sat atop it. The shocked monks rushed to report this sacrilege to Mazu.
When Mazu arrived and saw Danxia, he recognized the Confucian scholar who’d requested ordination three years prior. Instead of scolding him, Mazu simply said: “My child is truly Tianran(Natural)!” He praised Danxia for “transcending ordinary and sacred, embodying a mind of pure spontaneity.” From then on, Danxia took “Natural” (Tianran) as his dharma name.
Cultural & Philosophical Notes
Shattering Sacred Idols:
Danxia’s act of sitting on a patriarch’s statue embodies Chan’s iconoclastic spirit. By desecrating a revered symbol, he demonstrates that true awakening requires destroying attachments.
“Natural” as Enlightenment:
Mazu’s exclamation “Natural!” recognizes Danxia’s uncontrived mind — a state beyond artificial distinctions (“ordinary vs. sacred”), free from Dualities.
The Master’s Eye:
While others saw blasphemy, Mazu saw enlightenment. This illustrates Zen’s core tenet: truth transcends ritual and form. A true teacher discerns the awakened heart beneath outrageous acts.
Leave a Reply