Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Wu Yantong (Chinese: 無言通, known in Vietnam as Vô Ngôn Thông, 759?-826 C.E.) was a Chinese Buddhist monk influential in the propagation of Buddhism in Vietnam.

Born into a wealthy family, upon coming of age he renounced that lifestyle for a monastic life and eventually realized satori or enlightenment.

Around 820 CE, he crossed the border of southern China and arrived at Phù Đổng village (which is where Phù Đổng Thiên Vương of the legend had been born) to reside in Kiến Sơ Temple in Bắc Ninh, Northern Vietnam. There he only sat facing the wall to meditate (wall-contemplation or bích quán or diện bích – nhìn tường) like Boddhidharma, the Indian monk who had introduced Zen Buddhism to China around 520 CE and had faced the wall for 9 years to meditate at Shaolin Temple.

No one knew anything about Wu Yantong. The temple abbot, Cẩm Thành, quietly knew he was a high monk who had attained enlightenment and so treated him with much respect. Near the time of death, Wu Yantong called Cẩm Thành in and read for Cẩm Thành the parting poem:

一切諸法皆從心生 心無所生法無所住 若達心地所住無礙 非遇上根慎勿輕許

Nhất thiết chư pháp giai tòng tâm sinh Tâm vô sở sinh pháp vô sở trụ Nhược đạt tâm địa sở trụ vô ngại Phi ngộ thượng căn thận vật khinh hứa.

Tất cả các pháp đều từ tâm sinh Tâm không chỗ sinh, pháp không chỗ trụ Nếu đạt đất tâm chỗ trụ không ngại Không gặp thượng căn dè dặt chớ dạy.

After reading, he put his palms together and expired. Cẩm Thành cremated him and built a shrine tower for him on Tiên Du Mountain  (wiki).

English translation of the poem:

All dharmas arise from the heart
The heart has no birth, dharma has no dwelling
If you know your heart earth, dwelling is no hindrance
Except when meeting a superior character, be careful not to accept (as student)

TĐH translated

• All dharmas arise from the heart

Dharmas, chư pháp, means all things in the universe and in the heart. They all arise from the heart. Here we can see that Buddhist cosmology (for the universe) and Buddhist psychology (for our heart) are the same and one. Everything comes from our heart. That is the subjective way to look at life and the world, because there simply is no objective way. When we look, there must be someone doing the looking. A vision is always a vision of someone. If there is no one, then there is no vision. So, all visions are subjective. Everything we see arises from our mind.

• The heart has no birth, dharma has no dwelling

We translate “tâm” into “heart” to focus on the emotional side of thinking. But “heart” in Buddhism is the entire system of thinking, including both the mind and the heart, both logic and emotion. So, sometime people translate tâm as mind/heart.

“The heart has no birth” means our heart is what gives birth to [our vision of] our universe. Nothing exists before our heart. Before our heart, there is no subject to do the looking and the seeing for us. This philosophy focuses on our heart as the beginning of our universe.

Dharma has no dwelling. Please note, Dharma, beside the meaning of “things”, also means “Buddhist teaching.” Everything, including the teachings, has no permanent place to dwell in. Nothing attaches to anything. Everything is moving and fleeting. Therefore, we don’t want to attach to anything. That is non-attachment, non-grasping, vô chấp.

• If you know your heart earth, dwelling is no hindrance

“Tâm địa” (heart earth) is another term for “tâm”. “Địa” (earth) is considered mother of everything, giving birth to everything, so earth is very similar to heart.

If you know your heart – the mother of all things – then no dwelling will hinder you, because you heart naturally has true wisdom, nothing can attach to it and hinder it. Your heart attaches to nowhere, dwelling in no place.

• Except when meeting a superior character, be careful not to accept (anyone as student)

Don’t just teach Zen to anyone. Only people with superior character or capability can learn Zen.

In summary, tâm là chủ. Our heart is the chief. Reach your heart and you will be enlightened. Then nothing can hinder you. No dwelling place can be your hindrance.

Wish we all reach our heart.

With compassion,

Hoành

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Trần Đình Hoành
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