Denkôroku, Case 4: The Venerable Upagupta

Teisho presented by Arno Hess on 15/06/2025 at the Pathway Zen Zenkai at Spring Hill, QLD, Australia.


Case

The Fourth Patriarch, Venerable Ubakikuta: He was an attendant of the Venerable Shônawashu for three years.
Finally he had his head shaved and became a monk. Once the Venerable Shônawashu asked, “Was it your body or
your mind [kokoro] that renounced the world [and became a monk]?” The master (Ubakikuta) said, “In fact, it was my
body.” The Venerable Shônawashu said, “How could the wonderful dharma of all buddhas have anything to do with
body or mind?” Thereupon the master came to a great enlightenment.

Verse

The house destroyed, the person extinct – neither inside nor outside.
Where have body and mind hidden their forms?

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