Ch:
Jingping tidao. Also reads jouhei toutou. A painting subject of the Tang
dynasty Zen priests Izan Reiyuu い山霊祐 (Ch: Weishan Lingyou)
and Hyakujou Ekai 百丈懐海 (Ch: Baizhang Huaihai). According to accounts in the Record
of The Transmission of The Lamp (Jp: KEITOKU DENTOUROKU 景徳伝灯録, Ch: Jingde
Chuandenglu; 1004) and the MUMONKAN 無門関 (Ch: Wumenguan; 1229), when Hyakujou
had to choose an abbot for a newly designated temple, he gathered the priests
of his temple and told them that the man who exhibited the greatest wisdom would
be picked for the post. He then pointed to a water-jar and asked the monks to
tell him what it was without calling it a water-jar. Various monks, including
the most senior priest who was the conventional choice for the position, gave
a range of answers, although none of them pleased Hyakujou. Finally Izan walked
up to the water-jar and kicked it over with his foot. He was immediately selected
to found the new temple. The story is illustrated in a painting by Kanou Motonobu
狩野元信 (1476-1559) at Ryouanji 龍安寺, Kyoto. |