Thông Tuệ’s Stories about Famous Monks also mentioned that thiền
master Vô Ngôn Thông once was the abbot of Hoa Nam Temple, Thiều Châu, where
the Sixth Partriarch used to reside. It was there that Vô Ngôn Thông taught the Dharma to Ngưỡng Sơn Huệ Tịch, who was
then a seventeen-year-old novice.
It was recorded in Thuyền Uyển Tập Anh that,
one day, Vô Ngôn Thông said to Ngưỡng Sơn: “Please bring the chair over here
for me.” After the latter moved the chair over, the former said,” Now, bring it
back.” Ngưỡng Sơn
did accordingly. Vô Ngôn Thông then
said,” Is there anything on this side?” “Nothing.” “Is there anything on the
other side?” “None, either.” “Younger
brother?” “Yes?” “Now you may go.” Such exchanges were Vô Ngôn Thông’s tests to
Ngưỡng Sơn. Ngưỡng Sơn also studied the
Dharma with Ðàm Nguyên, Ứng Chân, and Quy Sơn.
Later Ngưỡng Sơn Huệ Tịch and his master, Quy Sơn Linh Hựu, founded one
of the five famous thiền schools in
China, called Quy Ngưỡng School (a
combination of the master and the disciple’s name).
Founding the Famous Thiền School in Vietnam
In the 15th Nguyên Hòa Year under the Tang Dynasty (i.e., in 820),
Vô Ngôn Thông traveled from Canton to Giao Châu, Việt Nam, and stayed at Kiến
Sơ Temple, Phù Ðổng Village, Tiên Du District, Bắc Ninh Province. It was a newly built temple whose abbot was
Lập Đức.
No record was found about the reason why thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông left Canton
for Việt Nam. Based on what he told the
disciple whom he decided to entrust the lineage transmission, the reason of his decision to leave the North and to go
to the South was to find a disciple who was worthy for the transmission.
At Kiến Sơ, besides mealtimes, thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông spent most of his
time sitting in meditation, facing the wall, and never said a word. Many years had passed, and nobody paid any
attention to him. Only Lập Ðức
recognized his special manners and behaviors, and thus devotedly took care of
him. Thanks to this care taking, Lập
Ðức absorbed the sacred thiền of Vô Ngôn Thông's lineage, and was accepted as his disciple
with the name Cảm Thành.
Later Cảm Thành became the disciple who continued the lineage,
and founded one of the most famous thiền school in Việt Nam, the Vô Ngôn Thông. It was said that thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông demised in
826, six years after he left Canton for Kiến Sơ Temple. Before he passed away, he called Cảm Thành
in, and said:In ancient time, the Buddha came to this life with a great purpose. After He had completed His Dharma responsibilities, He entered Nirvana. He entrusted the True Mind, that is, the True Dharma Eye, the True Nature of Emptiness, and the Tam MuộI Method, to His disciple Mahākāśyapa (Ma Ha Ca Diếp), who became the First Partriarch. Thus the Dharma was transmitted from one generation to another, from Bodhidarma, who left India and went through many difficulties to pass down Dharma transmission, to the Sixth Partriarch in Tào Khê, who realized the True Nature which Bodhidharma had passed down to the Fifth Partriarch Hongren (Hoàng Nhẫn). At that time, because humans did not understand well and have deep faith yet, the transmission had to be in the rope-and-bowl form. Gradually with growing profound faith, it was no longer necessary to rely on such forms, but just between the master’s mind and the disciple’s. Nam Nhạc Hoài Nhượng had passed down the transmission to Mã Tổ Ðạo Nhất, who passed down to Bách Trượng Hoài Hải. I received the transmission from Bách Trượng, and had stayed in the north long enough trying to find a disciple to continue the lineage, but had not found one, so I decided to go south and search. Now I have found you. This must be the result of ripe factors; therefore, listen to my gatha carefully:
From the immense four directions, free to talkAbout our ancestors, who originally came from IndiaPassing down the Dharma Eye treasure, called "Thiền"A five-petal flower, a long-lasting seedA thousand secret words, ten thousand true statementsClaim it our school; name it thiềnIndia is here; this is India!There is only one from time immemorial, under the sun and the moon across the mountain
Attachment is doomed; do not blame BuddhasAn inch of mistake; a hundred or a thousand lossesObserve again; do not deceive the youngerDo not ask me any more. I am ‘Vô Ngôn’.”
(Vô Ngôn: quiet; taciturn; not relying on words)
Then he passed away with his palms together.
Cảm Thành cremated the body, and collected the ashes to put into a vase
and worshiped it in a stupa on Tiên Du Mountain. Although Vô Ngôn Thông passed away, his wish to find a disciple
who understood the Mahayana tradition and who could continue his lineage in
Việt Nam had come true.
From Cảm Thành in the 9th
century to the 13th century Vô Ngôn Thông thiền school had become
one of the major thiền schools thriving and influenctial in the history of
thiền Buddhism in Việt Nam. Many
well-known Vietnamese monks such as Mãn Giác, Thông Biện, Minh Không,… were
excellent disciples from Vô Ngôn Thông thiền school.
Bằng Hư. The Story about the Founder Partriarch of the Famous Vô Ngôn Thông Thiền School in Việt Nam. (Chuyện về sư tổ sáng lập dòng thiền Vô Ngôn Thông nổi danh Việt Nam)
http://www.daophatngaynay.com/vn/phatgiao-vn/con-nguoi-vn/9542-Chuyen-ve-su-to-sang-lap-dong-thien-Vo-Ngon-Thong-noi-danh-Viet-Nam.html
