Shen Xiu was born in 605, but little more is known of his childhood. In 618, at age 14, he joined his first Buddhist congregation at Tian Gong Temple in Loyang, located in today's Henan Province in central China.

Shen Xiu's life in the temple began humbly under the direct supervision of the abbot. In the beginning, the boy's main responsibility was to fetch water from a nearby creek for the temple. He performed his duties faithfully, without complaint. The abbot of the temple then assigned him kitchen duty, cooking and cleaning up after the monks. Although assigning such laborious tasks might appear harsh, the abbot had the welfare of the young novice in mind. The physical regimen prescribed by the abbot helped train Shen Xiu's body as well as his mind. The abbot also encouraged him to listen to his sermons and read the sutras every day. This greatly deepened his understanding of Buddhism. Within just a few years, Shen Xiu had become the most erudite monk in the temple. He was just 22 years old when he was formally ordained as a monk in 626.

Shen Xiu progressed so rapidly in his understanding of Buddhism that soon the Tian Gong Temple had no more to offer him. But where could he go? Who should he choose as his master? These questions troubled the young monk deeply. No matter how he tried to resolve them, the answers eluded him. Eventually, he realized that patience was necessary. When the time came and all the conditions were ripe, he would find his master.

Shen Xiu was patient for many years, waiting for just the right time. In 656, just after turning 52 years old, he finally heard a name: Hong Ren. The name of the fifth Ch'an patriarch and abbot of Dong Shan Temple triggered something within Shen Xiu. "He's the one!" he thought. Wasting no time, he reported to his abbot his decision to seek Hong Ren, and then he set out to pursue his goal.

When Hong Ren (602-675) was around seven years old, he began following his own master, Dao Xin (道信), the fourth Ch'an patriarch (see his story in the Winter 2005 issue of our Tzu Chi Quarterly). Hong Ren succeeded his master as the fifth Ch'an patriarch when Dao Xin passed away in 651.

When Shen Xiu arrived at Dong Shan Temple, he was welcomed by Master Hong Ren. Hong Ren asked him, "Why have you come here?" Shen Xiu replied, "I have come to wash your feet." He then poured some water into a basin, placed it on the ground before Hong Ren, and prepared to cleanse his feet.

To everyone's surprise, Hong Ren suddenly kicked the basin away and said to Shen Xiu angrily, "My whole body is crystal clear. Why do my feet need to be washed?" Shen Xiu fully realized that the great master was simply testing him, to see if he could remain calm in an embarrassing condition. Reacting quickly, Shen Xiu immediately prostrated himself before Hong Ren and pleaded, "Master, please accept my respect for you." Hong Ren nodded his head. He was satisfied with the monk's appropriate reaction. He said, "You have done well. Now get up and go fetch water for the kitchen."

Without delay, Shen Xiu rose and went to draw water for the kitchen. Hong Ren had just accepted Shen Xiu as his disciple.

Hong Ren was wise to have accepted Shen Xiu. The 52-year-old monk would soon become one of his greatest disciples. Nevertheless, Shen Xiu never lost the humility forged in his youth. He soon was well liked by all the monks in Dong Shan Temple.

One day when Shen Xiu was teaching a group of younger monks, a monk rushed into the classroom and asked him to go immediately into the main hall. It seemed that Master Hong Ren was very angry with a visitor and was scolding him. Shen Xiu was puzzled at hearing about his master's strange behavior--he had never been angry with anyone before. Out of curiosity, Shen Xiu hastened to the main hall to see what was going on.

When he entered the main hall, he saw that many monks had already assembled to watch the events unfold. They stepped aside, allowing him to move further into the main hall. Stepping closer, he saw a young man dressed in rags kneeling before Hong Ren.

Hong Ren said to the young man sternly, "You're nothing but a barbarian from the south! You don't even possess a buddha-nature! What do you know about Buddhism?"

The young man calmly replied, "Master, people differ in their origins, but all are equal in their buddha-nature."

This answer impressed Hong Ren and Shen Xiu, but Hong Ren was not ready yet to show his approval of the young man. Speaking to the kneeling man in rags, he said, "If that is your answer, then get up and go to work in the kitchen."

After the young man had left, everyone started murmuring among themselves, discussing the strange turn of events. Everyone present was startled at Hong Ren's change of attitude regarding the young man. They had expected he would kick the man out of the temple, but it turned out that he had accepted the young man as a new disciple!

Shen Xiu was about to ask Hong Ren a question or two about the young man, but he noticed his master shaking his head to him, hinting that the questions should wait. He decided to wait until nightfall, after everyone was asleep, to approach Hong Ren with his inquiries.

In the meantime, Shen Xiu asked one of the monks in the room, "What happened earlier?"

The young novice replied politely, "Master Shen Xiu, all I know is that this man came from the south. His name is Hui Neng (惠能). He said he came here to learn from the Master. You saw everything else that happened."

This raggedly clad young man, Hui Neng, would one day become the sixth Ch'an patriarch in China (see his story in the Summer 2000 issue of our Tzu Chi Quarterly).

Later that night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Shen Xiu slipped out of his room and walked quietly to Hong Ren's room. Light was still visible under the door. He smoothed the wrinkles from his clothes and tapped lightly on his master's door. Hearing him say, "Come in," Shen Xiu pushed open the door and entered the room.

After prostrating himself before Hong Ren, Shen Xiu got up and asked, "Master, the young man who came this morning..." But before he could finish the question, Hong Ren interrupted him. "Do you know why I discouraged you from asking me questions about this man earlier?"

Shen Xiu replied, "Yes, Master; I believe it was because he has a good grasp of Ch'an."

Hong Ren sighed and said, "Yes, he has a high level of perception of Ch'an, but that may also get him killed."

The answer startled Shen Xiu. He couldn't understand why an understanding of Ch'an could be lethal. Puzzled, he asked, "Master, could you please elaborate a bit more?"

Hong Ren replied, "Ever since Master Bodhidharma came to China from India, each patriarch has handed down the title of Ch'an patriarch to only one person. However, my master Dao Xin changed that; he branched out the lineage to someone else. He felt that the Ch'an legacy couldn't be limited to just one patriarch. In fact, he believed that anyone who is capable of attaining enlightenment should be regarded as a patriarch as well."

Hong Ren sighed and continued, "This is a good thing, but this belief may also cause quite a lot of discord. You see, although most of my disciples are here to really learn about Buddhism, some are here seeking only my title. If those self-serving monks discovered that there may be more than one heir to that title, they may try and eliminate their competition. Hui Neng's deep understanding of Ch'an may be perceived as a threat. His life could be in danger."

Understanding why Hong Ren had downplayed the interaction with Hui Neng earlier, Shen Xiu tried to reassure him. "Master, please don't worry about this. I'll do my best to protect Hui Neng."

Hong Ren nodded his head. "Thank you, your pledge puts my mind at ease. Now I can relax."

Not long after that, Hong Ren began to worry about who should be named his successor. Quite a few of his disciples were good at expressing their views on Ch'an and Buddhism, but if he did not choose his successor wisely, conflicts would ensue. He considered their personalities, but he still could not determine who was most worthy. There was one more problem: anyone with enough ambition for the title would certainly stop at nothing to seize it. Such unmitigated ambition would almost certainly put the successor in mortal danger.

Hong Ren considered Hui Neng a prime candidate for the coveted title. Hui Neng spoke enlightening words from time to time, indicating he had a high level of understanding. In fact, it seemed that he had more insight than many of Hong Ren's top disciples, including Shen Xiu. But, if he bestowed the title on Hui Neng, commotion among his disciples was sure to follow. Many of the disciples in the temple belittled Hui Neng and didn't like him at all. Hong Ren wanted to choose the best person to be his successor, but he also wanted to preserve harmony within the temple. How could this be accomplished?

Hong Ren devised a strategy that he felt would lead to a worthy successor with a minimum of controversy. He would put forward a question, and the disciple with the most perfect answer would be named the next patriarch. Hong Ren felt this method would guarantee a successor without causing much discord.

With this plan in mind, he called for an attendant, and ordered, "Tell everyone to gather; I have an important announcement to make."

The attendant hurried to strike the large drum and ring the bell in the main hall. The sounds alerted all the monks in the temple that something important was taking place. They rushed to the main hall and sat down on cushions. Everyone was curious as to what was going to happen next.

Hong Ren entered the main hall, glanced around, and then sat down before the gathered monks. "I'm getting old," he said, "so it's about time to hand over my job of promoting Buddhism to one among you."

At this pronouncement, some of the younger disciples started to weep. The older monks, like Shen Xiu, remained calm and revealed no emotion at all.

Hong Ren continued, "Many of you have been following me for years! How can you still be so concerned about my own life and death? Death is as normal as the sunrise and the sunset. If you can't see past it, then you shouldn't have come to me at all."

Silence fell over the gathered monks as they waited for their master to continue. "Now it's time to pass on to my successor the essence of the Buddha's teaching, as well as the robe and the bowl that Master Bodhidharma brought from India." This caused quite a stir among the crowd, as they were unprepared to hear this news. They waited expectantly to hear the name of the new Ch'an patriarch.

But instead of announcing the name of his successor, Hong Ren continued, "Now I want each of you to write your understanding of Buddhism in a poem and hand it in to me. Whoever writes the best shall be chosen as my successor."

By this time, the Ch'an school of Buddhism had become very popular in China. The news that Hong Ren would soon pass away and that he had decided to pick his successor was a bombshell in the Buddhist circles. For his disciples, the news was especially sad. No longer would they be able to listen to his sermons or see him in person.

Of course, the most urgent topic of concern was who would be named Hong Ren's successor. The monks of the temple talked endlessly among themselves about it.

"Are you going to write a poem?" one asked.

"Me? Are you kidding? I don't even have the faintest idea of what Buddhism is. How can I write a poem?"

"I've only been here for a month. What am I going to write?"

"I know that whatever I write will make people laugh!"

"I'm not qualified. The only person qualified is Master Shen Xiu."

Shen Xiu's name was mentioned frequently in these conversations. Everyone seemed to agree that he was the most logical choice. Shen Xiu was humble and well liked by the monks in the temple. He also had a very deep and penetrating knowledge of Buddhism. In fact, he taught the junior monks every day. Many monks felt that since Shen Xiu was their teacher, they couldn't compete against him. There was a consensus that he was not just the best choice, but that he was the only choice.

These expectations troubled Shen Xiu. If he didn't write a poem, he would disappoint many monks, especially those whom he taught. He would also disappoint his master. If he wrote one, it might seem to others that he was after the title and the robe, but he really had no desire for those. After pondering deeply over the matter, he decided to write his poem and let his master decide. But then, what should he write?

One night, unable to sleep, he left his room for a late-night stroll. The air was fresh, there were no clouds, and the moon and stars were very clear and bright in the sky. The peaceful surroundings relaxed him, so he sat down on a rock, closed his eyes, and began to meditate. Suddenly, as if a light flashed inside his head, the answer appeared. At once, he got up, returned to his room, and began to write:

The body is like the bodhi tree
And the mind like a bright mirror.
Constantly and diligently we wipe it,
Lest it should collect any dust.

When he had finished, Shen Xiu felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. As soon as he submitted his writing to Hong Ren, the matter would be resolved and he could relax. He decided to take his poem to his master right way, but the closer he came to Hong Ren's room, the more anxious he became. His heart began racing, as though he was about to commit a crime or a dreadful sin. He became so nervous that he couldn't knock on his master's door! Finally, he retreated to his room, still clutching his poem.

This went on for four consecutive days. Shen Xiu felt that he couldn't go on like that anymore. On the fourth night, he decided to write his poem on the wall next to his master's room. Hong Ren would be sure to see it as he left his room the next morning.

Early the next morning, a monk passing by Hong Ren's room discovered the poem written on the wall. Word of the discovery quickly spread and caused a huge stir among the monks. A large crowd gathered outside the room to read it. Everyone wondered who could have written it. When Hong Ren came out of his room, the group of disciples parted so their master could come near and read it.

Hong Ren read the poem quietly. He believed that Shen Xiu was responsible. He turned around and looked at his disciples with a smile, "If you do as the poem describes, you won't fall in disgrace to hell. Therefore, you have to memorize it by heart."

From then on, everyone in the temple started reading and memorizing it.

It wasn't long before news of the poem reached Hui Neng. When he approached the wall, he asked someone, "What's going on here?"

A low-ranking official surnamed Zhang said to him, "Master Shen Xiu wrote the poem on the wall, and Master Hong Ren told us to memorize it."

Hui Neng was illiterate, so he asked, "What does it say?" Zhang read the poem to him. After listening to it, Hui Neng remained quiet and showed no reaction at all. Then he turned to Zhang and said, "I also want to write a poem. Could you help me with it?"

Zhang was surprised at the request. Like everyone else, he thought of Hui Neng as an inferior person--he was from southern China and couldn't even read! Zhang wouldn't have expected this "barbarian," as the master called him when he first came to the temple, to have anything to write about. Zhang was curious as to what Hui Neng would write, so he agreed. "Sure, I'll get the brush and ink ready," he said.

When Zhang had returned with the brush and ink, Hui Neng began dictating his own poem, which Zhang wrote on the wall:

The Bodhi does not exist in the form of a tree,
Neither is the mind a mirror.
Nothing actually exists there,
So where can the dust collect?

Quickly, word spread that there was a new poem written next to Shen Xiu's. Just as before, a huge crowd gathered around to read and discuss it. Hong Ren came out of his room when he heard the commotion. After reading it, he took off one of his shoes and scraped away the poem. Turning to the crowd of assembled monks, he announced, "If you have any further reflections, write it down on a piece of paper and hand it in to me. Otherwise, just follow the first poem." Then he dispersed the crowd and returned to his room.

Some monks who had read Hui Neng's poem felt that Hui Neng had a better understanding of Ch'an than Shen Xiu. However, when they saw the master's reaction, they figured they were wrong, so they went back to Shen Xiu's poem again.

The following night, Hong Ren summoned Shen Xiu to his room and said to him, "You wrote the first poem, right?"

Shen Xiu prostrated himself before his master and said, humbly and nervously, "Yes, Master."

Hong Ren added, "You wrote it well, but you still haven't attained enlightenment; you're still at the door to enlightenment, not inside it."

Shen Xiu felt embarrassed and didn't know what to say. Hong Ren continued, "Do you know why I erased Hui Neng's poem? If I claimed that his poem was better than yours, people who don't like him might have tried to kill him. I had to erase his poem to save him."

Shen Xiu was shocked to hear this. He then asked his master, "Master, does this mean that Hui Neng is your successor?"

Hong Ren nodded his head and replied, "Yes, I gave him the robe and the bowl earlier. He has already left to hide in the south. However, there is one thing I am worried about. If Hui Neng's disciples decide to stir up an argument with your disciples about whose Ch'an is the best or about the true lineage, that wouldn't be good for anyone."

Shen Xiu nodded his head, understanding the concerns of his master. To try and help alleviate Hong Ren's fear of a future conflict, he assured, "Master, I'll teach my disciples well."

Soon, Hui Neng had established himself in southern China as the sixth Ch'an patriarch. This was the beginning of the split of Ch'an in China into the Southern and the Northern Ch'an sects. Shen Xiu would go on to lead the Northern sect.

The next morning, Hong Ren announced that he had given Hui Neng the robe and proclaimed him to be the next patriarch of the Ch'an sect. As expected, many monks were very angry with his choice, because they felt Shen Xiu should have been chosen. Some of them even set out after Hui Neng in order to retrieve the robe.

Despite the chaos, Shen Xiu remained as calm as ever. He felt that his purpose in the temple was to seek enlightenment, not the robe. If the robe was not destined for him to possess, he knew that no amount of effort could bring it to him.

The disciples who went after Hui Neng and the robe were not successful. They returned to the temple, looking disappointed. Their failure, however, delighted Shen Xiu. He knew that Hui Neng had successfully escaped.

Hong Ren passed away in 674, and Shen Xiu left the temple soon after. He traveled around the countryside, and finally settled down in Yu Quan Temple on Mount Yu Quan, located in today's Hubei Province in central China. He didn't live in the temple, however. Some admirers built a simple abode nearby for him. As news gradually spread that Shen Xiu was residing on Mount Yu Quan, he was besieged by visitors seeking to learn from him. Some even joined the monastic order and became his disciples.

Shen Xiu's fame traveled far and wide and finally reached the royal palace in the capital. This was during the Zhou Dynasty (690-705), under the rule of Empress Wu Ze-tian (武則天). She was the wife of Emperor Gao Zong (唐高宗), the third emperor of the former Tang Dynasty. After the emperor died, her ambition drove her to seize the position from her son and proclaim herself the ruler of a new dynasty, the Zhou.

In 700, the empress summoned Shen Xiu to the royal palace because she wished to receive instruction on Ch'an. By this time, Shen Xiu was so famous that people lined up on both sides of the street to welcome him.

At that time, it was expected that all visitors, even the top ministers, would climb down from their sedans or carriages at the front gate of the palace and walk into the main hall. But when Shen Xiu's sedan reached the front gate of the palace, it didn't stop there. Instead, it went right on through the gate and straight into the main hall! Clearly, Shen Xiu was already receiving the most favorable treatment from the empress. Once the sedan entered the main hall, the empress and all the ministers prostrated themselves before the aging monk to show their respect to him. This shocked everyone, since in China the emperor or empress never knelt down before any person.

The empress asked Shen Xiu to reside in a temple within the palace, so she could question him on Buddhism anytime she wanted. One day, she asked him, "Master, I heard that Master Hui Neng is promoting Ch'an in southern China. Is his teaching worthy?"

Shen Xiu replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. Hui Neng is a most extraordinary monk. He attained enlightenment without any instruction from Master Hong Ren. In addition, the Master personally handed over his robe and bowl and the essence of Buddhism to him. This shows that Master Hui Neng is indeed the true patriarch of Ch'an. I feel unfortunate that I never had a chance to learn from him."

Empress Wu was delighted when she heard this. She quickly ordered an attendant to write a letter to summon Hui Neng to the palace. To the surprise of the empress, Hui Neng humbly declined the invitation. Shen Xiu also wrote a letter inviting him to come, but Hui Neng politely rejected the offer again.

In 705, the crown prince and his supporters overthrew the Zhou Dynasty and restored the Tang Dynasty. The empress was placed under house arrest, destined to never step outside of her house again.

Although Empress Wu was under house arrest, Shen Xiu was still free to go and see her. One day, the empress asked the monk, "Master, I've been learning Buddhism for so many years. Why is it that I still require more cultivation?"

"Your Majesty, it is because you can't calm your mind. You worry too much."

The empress replied, "Oh?"

Shen Xiu continued: "The mind is the foundation of all things. If you understand your mind, you understand everything."

"But how can I understand my mind?"

"You have to carry out your spiritual cultivation mindfully."

"Can you explain that more clearly?" asked the once powerful empress.

"Everyone's troubles are caused by the Three Poisons and the Six Thieves. The Three Poisons refer to greed, anger and delusion. The Six Thieves refer to the six things that create trouble for us: appearance for the eyes, sound for the ears, smell for the nose, taste for the tongue, touch for the body, and phenomena for the mind. The Three Poisons and the Six Thieves steal control away from you and make you 'insane' in a kind of way. For instance, if we see something beautiful and can't control our desire, we will become greedy in trying to possess it. We will pursue it no matter what the cost. As you can see, greed springs forth from the mind. In a sense, you lose your mind when you become greedy. To prevent this, you have to remain self-controlled at all times, such as when you see something, hear something, or smell something. If you can control your mind by getting rid of the Three Poisons and the Six Thieves, you will be free from all suffering."

"Master, at my age, isn't it too late for me?" asked the empress.

"No, it isn't. Every moment of spiritual cultivation is meaningful. It is never too late to cultivate one’s spirituality. Besides, Your Majesty, you have been engaged in cultivation for a long time, haven't you?"

"By your question, do you mean to imply that my past spiritual cultivation is still valuable?"

"Yes! You've just been blinded by the delusions in your mind."

"I understand!" exclaimed the empress as realization dawned within her. "Why didn't you tell me these things earlier, right after your arrival? It might have helped me sooner!"

"Well, the time wasn't right," replied the old monk with a smile.

The empress did not realize that when she still ruled the empire, she had neither the time nor the heart to listen to Shen Xiu's wise words; she was too preoccupied with the politics and the conflicts around her to pay attention. It was only after she had lost the power, the title, and everything else that she was able to comprehend the essence of Buddhism in relation to her glorious past.

After Empress Wu passed away in 705, Shen Xiu fell seriously ill. In 706, his condition worsened. He seemed to be dying. One day, he gathered his disciples around him. "I'm going now. Do you have anything you want to say to me?"

None of his disciples could say anything. Shen Xiu said to them, "After I die, you have to be more diligent with your spiritual cultivation. You aren't doing it for me or for yourself, but for the public. Make the most of it!"

Then he recited a sutra until his body gradually became cold.

The news of Shen Xiu's death quickly spread throughout China. On the day he was cremated, the streets leading to the crematory were literally packed with people. Lay people, government officials, and other monks came to pay their respects.

The solemn procession bearing Shen Xiu's body started from the palace. As it moved forward, another group of people suddenly fell in behind the procession. Under a huge yellow umbrella, it was the emperor himself! He was among those paying his respects to the venerable monk! The crowds were surprised by the emperor's appearance. It showed how highly he regarded Shen Xiu.

When the procession had almost arrived at the crematory, the emperor was persuaded by his ministers to return to the palace. He had other important business to attend to, but that did not decrease the significance of his presence. Before he turned to leave, the emperor ordered that a stone stele was to be erected in Yu Quan Temple and a magnificent stupa built on the top of Mount Songyangfu to commemorate the great monk.