Zen Koan – Cookies of Zen – Case 8 – Zen Master Deok-San’s Bowl!

One day Zen master Deok-San (Te-Shan Hsuan-Chien 781 - 867) was on the way to the dining room when he met Sul-Vong (Hsueh-Feng 822 - 908), who was in charge of the kitchen. "The bell and drum have not yet been hit, where are you going?" As soon as master Deok-San heard this question, he returned to his room. Later, Sul-Vong told this story to his elder brother's disciple, Amdu (Yen-T'ou) who replied, "Oh, our Venerable master Deok-San still has not realized the final phrase."

Later, Venerable master Deok-San heard this story and called his attendant to bring Amdu to him. Master said to Amdu, "You do not believe in me, your teacher?" Amdu whispered something in master Deok-San's ear, telling him what he had meant. Finally, master Deok-San was satisfied. The following day, Deok-San's dharma talk was different from any before. Amdu clapped his hands ans said, "Now, the most pleasant thing is that old master realized the final phrase. From now on, no one would dare to challenge him. But it won't be more than three years."

How to Study this Koan

One day in the Sudok-Sa Temple on Dok-Sung Mountain, Hae-Gong who was the lifetime attendant of Venerable Master Mann-Gong, asked Venerable Master Hye-Am about the Deok-San's bowl Koan. Venerable master Hye-Am replied, "I wouldn't dare even to try to talk about such a Koan yet." Then Hae-Gong sunim said, "Why is it so hard for you sir? Just look at it as Amdu's display." Hearing him, master Hye-Am reconsidered to himself. It has been said, 'How can there be possibly be a Buddha of no Self-manifesting action? How can there possibly be a Patriarch who speaks untruthfully?'

Now, accordingly, I will discover the real essence of this Koan. Venerable master Hye-Am then privately held winter retreat. One day, the whole essence of the Koan, Deok-San's Bowl, was clear to him.

Dialogue

Sometime later in the Korean Son Academy, he accidentally met the master Hyang-Gok, dharma successor of Venerable master Hye-Wol, who at the time had been giving a dharma talk about Deok-San's Bowl. He asked him, "What is the final phrase of Amdu?" In return master Hyang-Gok replied, "Who is right between Deok-San and Amdu?" Master Hye-Am responded. "Say, 'I know,' if you know, and say, 'I don't know,' if you don't know. Nobody asked you who is right or wrong between Deok-San and Amdu."

Zen Master Hye-Am

One should discover the final phrase out of this Deok-San's Bowl Koan. If one asked me the final phrase, I would say:

Eye cannot be seen by itself. Ear cannot be heard by itself.