People who attain enlightenment are often highly intelligent individuals. But this is not always the case.
However, there are examples of individuals who attained great enlightenment despite not being particularly intelligent. During the Tang Dynasty, there was a very devout but ordinary monk.
This monk firmly believed, "It is difficult for someone as foolish as I am to succeed in Zen meditation. It is unlikely that I will attain enlightenment in this lifetime, so I will accumulate merit by reciting sutras daily and form a connection to enlightenment in my next life."
From then on, he devoted himself to reciting a short dharani known as "Gutei... Butsumo Juntei Dharani," which consisted of just three lines.
His long and diligent practice became well known in the surrounding area, and people began calling him "Gutei Oshō" after the dharani he chanted.
One day, an old nun visited while on a pilgrimage. This woman was not just any nun—she was an accomplished practitioner who had reached great enlightenment and was a strict, intimidating figure. Knowing nothing about her, Gutei Oshō warmly welcomed her, saying, "Please, take your rest."
The nun, however, abruptly and arrogantly demanded, "If you are a monk, then say a word of the Dharma (enlightenment). If you can say something appropriate, I will rest." Caught off guard, Gutei Oshō was utterly speechless, overwhelmed by the nun's forceful demand.
Seeing this, the nun scoffed, "You're not worth my time," and promptly left. Gutei Oshō was humiliated and felt deeply ashamed of his own inadequacy. "Ah, I have been living my life all wrong!"
He resolved, "I will go on a pilgrimage and seek a true teacher! I must start over from scratch." That very night, a mountain god appeared in his dream and said, "Gutei Oshō, you do not need to go on a journey. Soon, a living bodhisattva will come to you."
One day, a Zen monk on pilgrimage visited. His name was Tenryū Oshō.
Gutei Oshō welcomed him joyfully and told him about the incident with the old nun. "What exactly was my mistake?" he asked.
In response, Tenryū Oshō silently raised a single finger. In that instant, Gutei Oshō was suddenly and completely enlightened! His long-cherished wish was fulfilled without having to wait for his next life. His years of single-minded sutra chanting had not been in vain.
From that time on, Gutei Oshō lived a joyful life, and whenever anyone asked him a question, he would simply raise one finger.
When Gutei Oshō was on his deathbed, he said, "The Zen of the one finger, which I inherited from Tenryū Oshō, is an inexhaustible treasure no matter how much you use it. It is endless and boundless." And with those composed words, he passed away peacefully.
Gutei Oshō is often cited in Zen teachings as a prime example of Zen’s essence.
The cold treatment by the old nun, in fact, cleared away unnecessary intellectual distractions and prepared Gutei Oshō to receive enlightenment. It was the slight stimulus from Tenryū Oshō that sparked his realization.
It is said, "He chanted just three lines of a dharani, and his name has remained for a thousand years."
Additionally, Tenryū Oshō was a disciple who inherited the Dharma from the Zen master Damei Fachang.
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Kenshō: Realization, or enlightenment. Seeing into one's true nature.
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Hossu: A disciple who has been given enlightenment by their teacher.
