Upon meeting Shitou, Daowu asked, “By what method do you reveal liberating wisdom to people?”
Shitou said, “There are no slaves here. From what do you seek liberation?”
Daowu said, “How can it be understood?”
Shitou said, “So you’re still trying to grasp emptiness?”
Daowu said, “From today I won’t do so again.”
Shitou then said, “I’d like to know when you came forth from ‘that place.’”
Daowu said, “I haven’t come from ‘that place.’”
Shitou said, “I already know where you’ve come from.”
Daowu said, “Master, how can you slander people in this way?”
Shitou said, “Your body is revealed here now.”
Daowu then said, “Although it is thus, how will your teaching be demonstrated to those who come later?”
Shitou said, “Please tell me, who are those who come later?”
Upon hearing these words Daowu instantly experienced great enlightenment, dissolving the mind he had attained from the words of his previous two teachers.
Later, Tianhuang lived on Mt. Ziling at Dangyang City in Xingzhou. The practitioners who came to study under him were pressed shoulder to shoulder, his reputation even reaching to the capital city where he was known among men and women.
At that time, the head of Chongye Temple had told the local garrison commander about Tianhuang. The commander invited Tianhuang into the city for a visit. At the edge of town was Tianhuang Temple. It was quite famous, but because of a bad fire it had been destroyed. The chief monk there, named Lingjian, planned to rebuild it. He said, “If honored master Daowu were to become abbot it would certainly benefit us.”
So late at night, Lingjian went to see Daowu, and beseeching him to take the position of abbot, he brought him to the site of the temple by sedan chair.
During this time a duke of the Jiangling region, Pu Shepei, would sometimes come to inquire about Dharma, kowtowing and paying elaborate respects to Daowu. The master would not go out to receive him or accompany him when he departed. Whether noble or mean, guests would all sit with their hands folded in front of them in respect. Duke Pu Shepei returned often to pay respects to Daowu in this manner. Due to this, Daowu’s reputation spread and the Dharma of Shitou flourished.
*
Tianhuang Daowu met Longtan. Longtan asked, “What is the affair that has been passed down through generations?” Daowu said, “None other than knowing from where you come.” Longtan said, “How many are there who can gain this wisdom eye?” Daowu said, “Short grasses easily become tall reeds.”
*
A monk asked, “How does one speak of the great mystery?”
Daowu said, “Don’t say ‘I have realized the Buddhadharma!’”
The monk asked, “How do you deal with students who are stuck?”
Daowu said, “Why don’t you ask me?”
The monk said, “I just asked you.” Daowu said, “Go! This isn’t the place where you’ll find relief.”
*
In the fourth month of the [year 807] Tianhuang became ill. He instructed his disciples to announce that he would soon pass away. At the end of summer, the general public was inquiring about his illness.
Suddenly, the master called for the head cook, who came and sat down before him.
Tianhuang said, “Do you understand?”
The cook said, “I don’t understand.”
Tianhuang picked up a cushion and threw it down on the ground. He then passed away.
The master was sixty years of age and had been a priest for thirty-five years. On the fifth day of the eighth month of that year, the master’s stupa was constructed east of the city.