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Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1986a · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

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1.1

Preface to the Recorded Sayings of Great Master Dongshan

The Way between East and West is remote; it was personally transmitted through only two or three, and as the transmission gradually spread, the true became mingled with the false. At a time when falsehoods arose together, who but the Patriarch of Dongshan alone remained purely authentic? From his early days questioning his master about having no eyes or ears, to his rise at Nanquan's memorial feast; from strangely hearing the insentient expound [the Dharma] with the eye, to his careful inquiry into Boyan's name; from his uninterrupted ease at Yunyan, to stamping out the reflection while crossing the water; from reproving Yunju over the path of heavenly offerings, to ultimately holding the foolish feast—these several events showing his coming and going truly make him a teacher and model rare in the world. His words, phrases, and passages were scattered among the collections of various houses, and occasionally there were anthologies, yet they were defective. During the Genbun era, the veteran Chan master Genkei painstakingly compiled them under the title Recorded Sayings of Dongshan and had the blocks carved at Baihualin, which may well be called rectifying the affairs of the ancestral lineage. However, the road to the capital is ten thousand li, making it difficult to pay reverence and request it due to lack of means. In the autumn of the past year Gengchen, the assembly of disciples at Jixiang Chan Monastery in Jiangdu urged me to collate it again, likewise not forgetting our ancestral house. Soon after, they requested a statement from this old monk, so I told them: 'Ah, Patriarch Dong! How true, how profound, how complete, without bias, and hitting the mark! Truly washed in the Yangzi and Han and sun-dried in the autumn sun, he can be seen only with the mind of the Way, not with the human mind. If one comes to that which cannot be fathomed, cannot be measured, cannot be displaced, standing independent without self, then beneath Shaolin there is indeed only this one person, as Zanning said!'

1.3

On an auspicious day in the first month of the eleventh year of Hōreki, the xin-si year [1761], Inshigetsu burnt incense and respectfully inscribed this.

1.4

Collated by his distant descendant, the Śramaṇa E'in.

1.5

When the Master was young, he followed a master. While reciting the Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya, he came to the passage 'no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind.' He suddenly touched his face with his hand and asked his master: 'I have eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and so forth; why does the sūtra say they do not exist?' His master was astonished and marvelled at him, saying: 'I am not your teacher.' He immediately directed him to Mount Wuxie to pay reverence to Chan Master Lingmo.

1.6

When the Master went on pilgrimage, he first visited Nanquan, arriving just when the memorial feast was being held for Mazu's anniversary. Nanquan asked the assembly: 'Tomorrow we offer a feast for Mazu; I wonder if Mazu will come or not?' The assembly had no answer. The Master then stepped forward and replied: 'As soon as he has a companion, he will come.' Nanquan said: 'Though this lad is young, he is very worthy of being carved and polished.' The Master said: 'Upādhyāya, do not debase the fine into the base.'

1.7

The Master went to Guishan and asked: 'Recently I heard about National Teacher Zhong of Nanyang's huatou on insentient beings expounding the Dharma, but I have not fathomed its subtleties.' Guishan said: 'Ācārya, do you still remember it?' The Master said: 'I remember.' Guishan said: 'Try reciting it once for me to see.' The Master then recounted: 'A monk asked: "What is the ancient Buddha's mind?" The National Teacher said: "Walls, tiles, and rubble are it." The monk said: "Are not walls, tiles, and rubble insentient?" The National Teacher said: "They are." The monk said: "Do they also know how to expound the Dharma?" The National Teacher said: "They expound it constantly, expound it ablaze, without cessation." The monk said: "Why do I not hear it?" The National Teacher said: "You yourself do not hear it, but you must not hinder those who do." The monk said: "I wonder who gets to hear it?" The National Teacher said: "The noble ones get to hear it." The monk said: "Does the upādhyāya hear it?" The National Teacher said: "I do not hear it." The monk said: "Since you do not hear it, how do you know that insentient beings can expound the Dharma?" The National Teacher said: "Fortunately, I do not hear it. If I heard it, I would be equal to the noble ones, and you would not hear me expound the Dharma." The monk said: "If so, then sentient beings have no share in it?" The National Teacher said: "I expound it for sentient beings, not for the noble ones." The monk said: "What about after sentient beings hear it?" The National Teacher said: "Then they are not sentient beings." The monk said: "What canonical teaching does insentient beings expounding the Dharma rely on?" The National Teacher said: "Manifestly, words not grounded in the canon are not what a gentleman speaks. Have you not seen the Avataṃsaka Sūtra saying: 'Lands expound it, sentient beings expound it, everything in the three times expounds it'?"' When the Master finished recounting this, Guishan said: 'I also have it here, but one rarely encounters such a person.' The Master said: 'I am not yet clear; I beg the master to instruct me.' Guishan held up his fly-whisk and said: 'Do you understand?' The Master said: 'I do not understand. Please, Upādhyāya, explain.' Guishan said: 'The mouth born of father and mother will never explain it to you.' The Master said: 'Is there anyone else of your time who seeks the Way?' Guishan said: 'From here to You County in Liling, where the stone chambers join together, there is the person of the Way, Yunyan. If you can brush through the grass to look for his wind, he will surely be respected by you.' The Master said: 'I wonder how this person is?' Guishan said: 'He once asked this old monk: "When a student wishes to serve the master and go, how is it?" This old monk told him: "You must completely cut off leakages before you can attain it." He said: "Would that not disobey the master's instruction?" This old monk said: "Above all, you must not say that this old monk is here."' The Master then took leave of Guishan and went straight to Yunyan. Having related the previous encounter, he asked: 'What kind of person gets to hear insentient beings expounding the Dharma?' Yunyan said: 'The insentient get to hear it.' The Master said: 'Does the Upādhyāya hear it?' Yunyan said: 'If I heard it, you would not hear me expound the Dharma.' The Master said: 'Why do I not hear it?' Yunyan held up his fly-whisk and said: 'Do you still hear it?' The Master said: 'I do not hear it.' Yunyan said: 'When I expound the Dharma, you do not even hear it; how much less insentient beings expounding the Dharma?' The Master said: 'What canonical teaching does insentient beings expounding the Dharma accord with?' Yunyan said: 'Have you not seen the Amitābha Sūtra saying: "Waterbirds and groves of trees all recite the Buddha and recite the Dharma"?' Thereupon the Master had an awakening, and he uttered a gāthā: 'How wondrous! How wondrous! / Insentient beings expounding the Dharma is inconceivable. / If one listens with the ears, it is difficult to grasp in the end; / only when heard at the eye can it be known.'

1.8

The Master asked Yunyan: 'I have residual habits that are not yet exhausted.' Yunyan said: 'What have you ever done?' The Master said: 'I do not even practice the noble truths.' Yunyan said: 'Are you still joyful or not?' The Master said: 'Joyfulness is not absent—it is like finding a bright pearl atop a dung heap.'

1.9

The Master asked Yunyan: 'When one wishes to meet face to face, how is it?' Yunyan said: 'Inquire of the receptionist.' The Master said: 'I am inquiring right now.' Yunyan said: 'What did he say to you?'

1.10

Yunyan brought up an inquiry to the Master: 'Yaoshan asked a monk: "I hear that you can divine the true and the false." The monk said: "I would not dare." Yaoshan said: "Try divining this old monk to see." The monk had no reply. What would you say?' The Master said: 'Please give me the Upādhyāya's date of birth.'

1.11

At Yaoshan's evening assembly, no lamp was lit. Yaoshan gave this instruction: 'I have a sentence; when a bull gives birth to a calf, I will tell it to you.' At that time, a monk said: 'The bull has given birth to a calf; it is merely that the Upādhyāya does not say it.' Yaoshan said: 'Attendant, bring a lamp!' The monk drew back and slipped into the assembly. Yunyan related this to the Master. The Master said: 'That monk understood, but he was simply unwilling to bow.'

1.12

Yunyan went to Guishan. Guishan asked: 'Is the person of great protection and maintenance one with that, or are they two?' Yunyan said: 'Is the silk on one loom a single piece or two pieces?' When the Master heard this, he said: 'Like a person grafting a tree.'

1.13

One day Yunyan addressed the assembly: 'There is a son of a household whom, whatever you ask, cannot fail to answer.' The Master asked: 'How many scriptures are in his house?' Yunyan said: 'Not a single word.' The Master said: 'How did he come to know so much?' Yunyan said: 'Day and night he has never slept.' The Master said: 'Would it be permissible to ask him about a certain matter?' Yunyan said: 'He could speak of it, but he does not.'

1.14

While Yunyan was making shoes, the Master approached and said: 'I beg for eyes from the master; I wonder if I may have them or not?' Yunyan said: 'To whom did yours go?' The Master said: 'Liangjie has none.' Yunyan said: 'Even if you had them, where would you place them?' The Master was silent. Yunyan said: 'Is the one begging for eyes an eye?' The Master said: 'It is not an eye.' Yunyan shouted at him.

1.15

Yunyan asked a nun: 'Is your father alive?' She said: 'He is alive.' Yunyan said: 'How old is he?' She said: 'Eighty years old.' Yunyan said: 'You have a father who is not eighty years old; do you know him?' She said: 'Could it be the one who comes like this?' Yunyan said: 'That is still the child and grandchild.' The Master said: 'Even the one who does not come like this is still the child and grandchild.'

1.16

The director of the monastery returned from visiting the stone chambers. Yunyan asked: 'You went all the way inside the stone chambers; why did you turn right back?' The director was silent. The Master spoke in his place: 'Someone had already occupied it.' Yunyan said: 'Why did you go again?' The Master said: 'Human relations must not be cut off.'

1.17

The Master took leave of Yunyan. Yunyan said: 'Where are you going?' The Master said: 'Although I am leaving the Upādhyāya, I have not determined where to stay.' Yunyan said: 'Are you not going to Hunan?' The Master said: 'No.' Yunyan said: 'Are you not returning to your hometown?' The Master said: 'No.' Yunyan said: 'When will you return?' The Master said: 'I will return as soon as the Upādhyāya has a dwelling place.' Yunyan said: 'From this parting on, it will be hard to see each other.' The Master said: 'It will be hard not to see each other.'

1.18

When about to depart, the Master further asked Yunyan: 'After the Upādhyāya's hundred years, if someone suddenly asks: "Can one still depict the master's true likeness?" how should I respond?' Yunyan said: 'Simply tell him: Just this is it.' The Master was silent for a long while. Yunyan said: 'Ācārya Jie! Taking charge of this matter requires great care and precision.' Later, when crossing the water and seeing his reflection, he was thoroughly awakened to the former meaning, whereupon he composed a gāthā: 'Avoid by all means seeking from another, / which is distant and estranged from me. / I now go alone, / and everywhere I meet him. / He now is truly me, / I now am not him. / One must understand in this way / to finally accord with suchness.'

1.19

While attending on Yunyan, Yunyan asked: 'What is Jie's miraculous activity of supernatural powers?' The Master folded his hands, stepped forward, and stood. Yunyan asked again: 'What is the miraculous activity of supernatural powers?' The Master then bid farewell and walked out.

1.20

The Master went to call on Chan Master Baoyun of Luzu. He bowed and stood in attendance, went out after a short while, and then entered again. Luzu said: 'Just so, just so. Why is it like this?' The Master said: 'There are many people who do not agree.' Luzu said: 'Why should I take to your eloquent tongue?' The Master then bowed and served him for several months. A monk asked Luzu: 'What is wordless speech?' Luzu said: 'Where is your mouth?' The monk said: 'I have no mouth.' Luzu said: 'With what do you eat rice?' The monk had no reply. The Master answered on his behalf: 'He is not hungry; what rice would he eat?'

1.21

The Master went to Nanyuan (Chan Master Daoming). Just as he stepped up into the Dharma hall, Yuan said, "We have already seen each other." The Master immediately stepped down. The next morning he went up again and asked, "Yesterday I already received the Upādhyāya's compassion; where was it that I had already seen you?" Yuan said, "Mind after mind without interruption, flowing into the sea of the nature." The Master said, "I almost let it slip by."

1.22

When the Master took leave of Nanyuan to depart, Yuan said, "Study the Buddhadharma widely, and broadly benefit [beings]." The Master said, "I do not ask about studying the Buddhadharma widely; what is broadly benefiting [beings]?" Yuan said, "Not running counter to a single thing—that is it."

1.23

The Master arrived at Beishu. Bei asked, "What have you come to do?" The Master said, "To draw close to the Upādhyāya." Bei said, "If it is drawing close, what is the use of moving your two lips?" The Master had no reply. Caoshan later heard of this and said, "One son has intimately attained it."

1.24

The Master paid homage to Upādhyāya Xingping of the Capital district. Ping said, "Do not pay homage to this old decayed fellow." The Master said, "I am paying homage to what is not an old decayed fellow." Ping said, "That one does not accept homage." The Master said, "That one has also never paid homage." The Master then asked, "What is the mind of the ancient Buddhas?" Ping said, "It is your very mind." The Master said, "Even though it is so, it is still a place of doubt for me." Ping said, "If that is so, then go ask a wooden man." The Master said, "I have a single sentence that does not borrow the mouths of the sages." Ping said, "Try to speak it and let us see." The Master said, "It is not I."

1.25

The Master took leave of Upādhyāya Ping. Ping asked, "Where are you going?" The Master said, "Drifting with the flow without fixed abode." Ping asked, "Is it the dharmakāya that drifts with the flow, or the sambhogakāya that drifts with the flow?" The Master said, "I do not understand it in either way at all." Ping then clapped his hands. Baofu said, "Dongshan is in a class of his own." He also said as an alternative: "How many people have been found?"

1.26

The Master arrived at Shushan. Shu said, "You are already presiding over a quarter; what have you come here to do again?" The Master replied, "Liangjie cannot help having doubts, so he specially came to see the Upādhyāya." Shan called out, "Liangjie!" The Master responded, "Yes?" Shan said, "What is it?" The Master was silent. Shan said, "A fine Buddha, only lacking brilliance."

1.27

When the Master was at Letan, he saw that Head Monk Chu said: "How marvelous! How marvelous! The Buddha-realm and the realm of the Path are inconceivable." The Master then asked, "The Buddha-realm and the realm of the Path I do not ask about; but who is the person speaking of the Buddha-realm and the realm of the Path?" Chu was silent for a long time without reply. The Master said, "Why do you not speak quickly?" Chu said, "Striving will not do." The Master said, "You have not even spoken yet; why talk of striving not doing?" Chu had no reply. The Master said, "'Buddha' and 'Path' are both mere names and words; why not cite the teachings?" Chu said, "What do the teachings say?" The Master said, "'Grasping the meaning, forget the words.'" Chu said, "You are still taking the meaning of the teachings into your mind as an illness." The Master said, "How great or small is the illness of speaking of the Buddha-realm and realm of the Path?" Chu again had no reply. The next day he suddenly passed away. At the time, they called the Master 'Jie Who Questioned the Head Monk to Death.'

1.28

While the Master was travelling with Senior Uncle Mi, he saw vegetable leaves in a mountain stream. The Master said, "In these deep mountains there are no people; why are there vegetable leaves flowing down with the current? Could there be a person of the Way dwelling here?" They discussed it and, parting the grass, walked five to seven li along the stream. Suddenly they saw a man of gaunt frame and unusual appearance; it was Upādhyāya Longshan (also called Yinshan). Putting down their packs, they bowed in greeting. Shan said, "There are no paths on this mountain; from where did the ācāryas come?" The Master said, "Setting aside that there are no paths, from where did the Upādhyāya enter?" Shan said, "I do not come from clouds and waters." The Master asked, "How long has the Upādhyāya lived on this mountain?" Shan said, "Springs and autumns do not concern me." The Master asked, "Did the Upādhyāya live here first, or did this mountain live here first?" Shan said, "I do not know." The Master asked, "Why do you not know?" Shan said, "I do not come from humans or devas." The Master asked, "What principle did the Upādhyāya attain to come dwell on this mountain?" Shan said, "I saw two mud oxen fighting into the sea, right up until today with all news cut off." Only then did the Master don his full vestments and bow, and then asked, "What is the guest within the host?" Shan said, "Green mountains covered by white clouds." The Master asked, "What is the host within the host?" Shan said, "Year in, year out, never stepping out the door." The Master asked, "How far apart are host and guest?" Shan said, "Waves on the water of the Great River." The Master asked, "When guest and host meet, what words are spoken?" Shan said, "A clear breeze brushes the bright moon." The Master took his leave and withdrew.

1.29

One day the Master was crossing a stream with Senior Uncle Mi. The Master said, "Do not misplace your footing." Uncle said, "If one misplaces it, one cannot cross." The Master asked, "What about when one does not misplace it?" He said, "Crossing the water with the elder."

1.30

The Master was hoeing a tea garden with Senior Uncle Mi. The Master threw down his mattock and said, "Today I am exhausted, with not a bit of strength." Uncle said, "If you have no strength, how can you speak like that?" The Master said, "You take the one with strength to be it."

1.31

While crossing a stream with Senior Uncle Mi, the Master asked, "What about the matter of crossing the stream?" Uncle said, "Not wetting the feet." The Master said, "An old man speaking words like this!" Uncle said, "How would you say it?" The Master said, "The feet are not wet."

1.32

Senior Uncle Mi was once holding a needle, and the Master asked, "What are you doing?" Uncle said, "Holding a needle." The Master asked, "What about holding a needle?" Uncle said, "Stitch by stitch resembles each other." The Master said, "Travelling together for twenty years, to speak words like this! How could there be such effort?" Uncle said, "How would the elder speak of it?" The Master said, "Like the principle of fire erupting across the great earth." Another day, he asked the Master, "Of all that good friends understand, there is none they have not trodden; I beg the Master for a word on the direct cut." The Master said, "Senior Uncle, how could your mind seek merit?" At this Uncle had a sudden awakening, and his utterances became extraordinary.

1.33

While the Master was walking with Senior Uncle Mi, they suddenly saw a white rabbit run past. Uncle said, "How splendid!" The Master asked, "How so?" Uncle said, "Much like a commoner being appointed prime minister." The Master said, "An old man speaking words like this!" Uncle said, "How would you say it?" The Master said, "Generations of official robes and hairpins, fallen on hard times for a moment."

1.34

The Master crossed a wooden bridge with Senior Uncle Mi. The Master crossed first, picked up the wooden bridge, and said, "Come across!" Uncle said, "Ācārya Jie!" The Master then put down the wooden bridge.

1.35

The Master met an official. The official said, "Your disciple plans to write a commentary on the Third Patriarch's Xinxinming." The Master said, "As soon as there is right and wrong, in confusion you lose your mind—how can you write a commentary?" Fayan said on his behalf: "If so, your disciple will not write a commentary."

1.36

The Master went with Senior Uncle Mi to the place of Chan Master Baiyan Zhe. Yan asked, "Where have you come from?" The Master said, "From Hunan." Yan asked, "What is the surveillance commissioner's surname?" The Master said, "I did not get his surname." Yan asked, "What is his given name?" The Master said, "I did not get his given name." Yan asked, "Does he still handle administrative affairs?" The Master said, "He has his administrative staff." Yan asked, "Does he still go out and come in?" The Master said, "He does not go out or come in." Yan said, "How can he not go out or come in?" The Master flipped his sleeves and left. Early the next morning, Yan entered the hall and summoned the Master. The Master stepped forward. Yan said, "Yesterday's response, the Senior's words did not satisfy this old monk's mind, keeping me uneasy all night. Today I ask the Senior to provide an alternative turning word. If it satisfies this old monk's mind, I will prepare morning gruel and accompany you through the summer retreat." The Master said, "Please ask again, Upādhyāya." Yan said, "What about not going out or coming in?" The Master said, "Too exalted!" Yan then prepared the gruel and they passed the summer retreat together.

1.37

While the Master was walking with Senior Uncle Mi, he pointed to a cloister by the roadside and said, "Inside there is someone speaking of mind and speaking of nature." Uncle said, "Who is it?" The Master said, "Questioned by you, Senior Uncle, he is driven ninety percent toward death." Uncle said, "Who is the one speaking of mind and speaking of nature?" The Master said, "Within death, he finds life."

1.38

While the Master was making offerings before the portrait of Yunyan, a monk asked, "Our late master said, 'Just this is it.' Could it be just this?" The Master said, "Yes." The monk said, "What is the meaning?" The Master said, "At that time I almost misunderstood our late master's meaning." The monk said, "I wonder, did our late master know that it exists or not?" The Master said, "If he did not know that it exists, how could he have spoken thus? If he knew that it exists, how could he have been willing to speak thus?" Changqing said, "Since he knew that it exists, why did he speak thus?" He also said, "Only when raising a child does one know a father's benevolence."

1.39

On Yunyan's memorial day, the Master held a feast. A monk asked, "What instruction did the Upādhyāya receive at Yunyan's place?" The Master said, "Although I was with him, I received no instruction." The monk said, "Since you received no instruction, what is the use of holding a feast?" The Master said, "How would I dare go against him?" The monk said, "The Upādhyāya began his career under Nanquan; why then do you hold a feast for Yunyan?" The Master said, "I do not value our late master's virtue or Buddhadharma; I only value that he did not explain it away for me." The monk said, "The Upādhyāya holds a feast for the late master; do you approve of the late master or not?" The Master said, "Half approve, half disapprove." The monk said, "Why not completely approve?" The Master said, "If I completely approved, I would be failing our late master." The monk asked, "If one wishes to see the Upādhyāya's original master, how can he be seen?" The Master said, "If your years of age are similar, there will be no obstruction." The monk was about to speak further. The Master said, "Without treading on previous footprints, please ask another question." The monk had no reply. Yunju said on his behalf: "If so, one cannot see the Upādhyāya's original master." A monk asked Changqing, "What is one whose years of age are similar?" Qing said, "The ancients spoke thus; what are you seeking here, ācārya?"

1.40

Because an official offered a feast and made a donation of pure wealth, requesting the Master to read through the Great Canon of Sūtras, the Master stepped down from his meditation seat and bowed to the official; the official bowed to the Master. The Master led the official around the meditation seat once, bowed to the official, and after a long pause said, "Do you understand?" The official said, "I do not understand." The Master said, "I have read through the Great Canon of Sūtras for you; why do you not understand?"

1.41

Taking the high seat, [the Master] said, "Is there anyone who does not repay the four debts of gratitude and the three realms of existence?" The assembly had no reply. He also said, "If one does not realize this meaning, how can one transcend the afflictions of beginning and end? Mind after mind must not touch things, step after step must have no place, constantly without interruption—only then does one attain accord. You must apply effort directly; do not pass your days in vain." A monk asked, "When cold and heat arrive, how should one avoid them?" The Master said, "Why not go to the place where there is neither cold nor heat?" The monk said, "What is the place where there is neither cold nor heat?" The Master said, "When it is cold, it freezes the ācārya to death; when it is hot, it scorches the ācārya to death."

1.42

Ascending the hall, he said: "When the teachings of the patriarchs and Buddhas appear like mortal enemies, only then do you have a share in investigating and learning. If you cannot penetrate the patriarchs and Buddhas, you will be deceived by them."

1.43

Ascending the hall, he said: "Sit through the master, not falling into second views." Beiyuan came out from the assembly and said: "One must know that there is one person who does not join as a companion." The Master said: "That is still a second view." Beiyuan thereupon overturned the meditation seat. The Master said: "Venerable brother, what are you doing?" Beiyuan said: "Wait until my tongue rots away, and then I will speak to you, upādhyāya."

1.44

At morning instruction, Shushan Ren came forward and asked: "Regarding words not yet spoken, I ask the Master for your instruction." The Master said: "Without consent, no one approves." Shushan said: "Can it still be intimate or not?" The Master said: "Right now, can you be intimate with it?" Shushan said: "If one cannot be intimate with it, there is nowhere to conceal it."

1.45

Ascending the hall, he said: "If you wish to know this matter, you must be like a withered tree putting forth blossoms; only then will you accord with it."

1.46

Shushan asked: "How is it when in all places there is no discord?" The Master said: "Ācārya, this is an affair on the side of merit. Fortunately, there is merit without effort; why do you not ask about that?" [Shushan] said: "Is not merit without effort the person on that other side?" The Master said: "Many people would laugh at you for asking in such a way." [Shushan] said: "If so, then is one far off and secluded?" The Master said: "Secluded, not secluded, not non-secluded." [Shushan] said: "What is being secluded?" The Master said: "To call him a person of that side will not do." [Shushan] said: "What is being not secluded?" The Master said: "There is nowhere to distinguish."

1.47

At evening instruction, no lamps were lit. A monk came forward to ask a question. After he withdrew, the Master ordered an attendant to light a lamp, and then called forth the monk who had just asked the question. The monk came forward. The Master said: "Bring three ounces of powder and give it to this senior monk." The monk flicked his sleeves and withdrew. From this he awakened to the profound purport, and thereupon exhausted all his robes and property to provide a meal. After three years, when taking his leave, the Master said: "Take care." Xuefeng was standing in attendance at the time and asked: "Just as this monk takes his leave and departs, when will he return?" The Master said: "He only knows to go away once; he does not understand returning again." That monk returned to the hall and passed away sitting upright beside his robes and bowl. Xuefeng reported this up to the Master. The Master said: "Even though it is like this, he is still three lifetimes behind this old monk."

1.48

Ascending the hall, he said: "There is a person who, among thousands and tens of thousands of people, turns his back to not a single person, nor faces a single person. Tell me, what kind of face does this person possess?" Yunju came forward and said: "I am going to the monks' hall."

1.49

The Master instructed the assembly, saying: "Only when you have embodied the matter beyond the Buddha do you have a small bit of speech and conversation." A monk then asked: "What is speech and conversation?" The Master said: "When speaking, the ācārya does not hear." [The monk] said: "Does the upādhyāya still hear or not?" The Master said: "Wait until I do not speak, and then it is heard." The monk asked: "What is a proper question and proper answer?" The Master said: "It is not spoken from the mouth." [The monk] said: "If someone asks, does the Master still answer or not?" The Master said: "They have also never asked." [The monk] asked: "What is meant by 'that which enters through the gate is not the treasure'?" The Master said: "It would be best to stop."

1.50

A monk asked: "When the upādhyāya appears in the world, how many people approve?" The Master said: "Not a single person approves at all." [The monk] said: "Why does not a single person approve at all?" The Master said: "Because each one has a bearing like a king."

1.51

Ascending the hall, he said: "The Way has no mind to accord with people; people have no mind to accord with the Way. If you wish to understand the meaning within this: one is old, one is not old." Later, a monk asked Caoshan: "What is the one that is old?" Caoshan said: "Not supporting." [The monk] said: "What is the one that is not old?" Caoshan said: "A withered tree." The monk also brought this up to Xiaoyao Zhong. Zhong said: "The three obediences and the six principles of poetry." He also said: "This matter must be wondrously understood; the matter lies in its wonder, the essence lies in the place of wonder."

1.52

At the conclusion of the summer retreat, he ascended the hall and said: "At the beginning of autumn and the end of summer, brothers, whether going east or west, you must go straight to the place where for ten thousand miles there is not an inch of grass." After a long pause, he said: "Just as for the place where for ten thousand miles there is not an inch of grass, how do you go?" Looking left and right, he said: "If you wish to know this matter, you must be like a withered tree blooming with flowers; only then will you accord with it." A monk went to Shishuang. Shishuang asked: "What phrases does the upādhyāya show the disciples?" The monk cited the previous talk. Shishuang said: "Did anyone offer a turning phrase?" [The monk] said: "No." Shishuang said: "Why didn't they say, 'Stepping out the door, it is just grass'?" The monk returned and related this to the Master. The Master said: "These are the words of a good spiritual friend to fifteen hundred people; how many such people can there be within the Great Tang country?" Later, Ming'an said: "Even if you do not step out the door, grass is still sprawling everywhere."

1.53

Ascending the hall, he said: "How is it when facing towards? How is it when serving? How is it when making effort? How is it when sharing effort? How is it when effort upon effort?" A monk asked: "What is facing towards?" The Master said: "How is it when eating rice?" He also said: "Having gained strength, one must forget satiety; ceasing provisions, one is no longer hungry." [The monk] said: "What is serving?" The Master said: "How is it when turning one's back?" He also said: "Only knowing the nobility of crimson and purple, you turn your back on the original person." [The monk] said: "What is effort?" The Master said: "How is it when laying down the mattock?" He also said: "Releasing one's hands and sitting upright, leisurely in the secluded place of white clouds." [The monk] said: "What is sharing effort?" The Master said: "Not obtaining form." He also said: "Plain powder can hardly submerge traces; in Chang'an one does not dwell for long." [The monk] said: "What is effort upon effort?" The Master said: "Not shared." He also said: "Blended completely with nowhere to conceal; beyond this, what more is there to seek?" (The verses are recorded below.)

1.54

The Master said to the assembly: "Intending with the mind is violating the precepts; relishing flavor is breaking the fast." He also said: "Intending with the mind is already an error; how much more so when there are words!"

1.55

Instructing the assembly, he said: "Only when you know there is a person beyond the Buddha do you have a share in speech and conversation." At that time, a monk asked: "What is the person beyond the Buddha?" The Master said: "Not Buddha." Baofu gave an alternative turning phrase: "Buddha is not?" Yunmen said: "He cannot be named, nor can he be depicted; therefore it is said 'not'." Fayan gave an alternative turning phrase: "Expediently called Buddha." The Master also said: "A hero unstained amidst the dust." Yunmen said: "A staff is simply called a staff; all things are simply called all things."

1.56

A monk asked: "What is the mysterious within the mysterious?" The Master said: "Like a dead man's tongue."

1.57

A monk asked: "What is the master of Vairocana's dharmakāya?" The Master said: "Stalks of rice and stems of millet." [The monk] asked: "Among the three bodies, which body does not fall into numbers?" The Master said: "I am constantly earnest about this." A monk asked Caoshan: "The late master said: 'I am constantly earnest about this.' What was the meaning?" Caoshan said: "If you want your head, then cut it off." He also asked Xuefeng; Xuefeng struck him across the mouth with his staff and said: "I have also been to Dongshan!"

1.58

While the Master was washing his bowl, he saw two crows fighting over a frog. A monk then asked: "Why has it come to such a state?" The Master said: "Only for the ācārya's sake."

1.59

A senior elder in the assembly had gone to Yunyan and returned. The Master asked: "What was it like when you went to Yunyan?" The senior elder said: "I didn't understand." The Master spoke in his place: "Piled up and massive." Another senior elder held up the corner of his kāṣāya robe and asked: "Before father and mother gave birth, was there still this?" The Master said: "Could it be that right now it exists?" The senior elder shook his hand.

1.60

While the Master was inspecting the paddy fields, Senior Monk Lang was leading an ox. The Master said: "This ox must be watched closely, for fear it will eat the rice plants." Lang said: "If it is a good ox, it should not eat the rice plants."

1.61

The Master asked a monk who was lecturing on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra: "'It cannot be known by wisdom, cannot be recognized by consciousness'—what kind of speech is this called?" [The monk] said: "Speech praising the dharmakāya." The Master said: "Calling it the dharmakāya is already praise."

1.62

Instructing the assembly, he said: "The entire great canon of teachings is just the character zhi (之)."

1.63

Offering words of guidance, he said: "Even if you say 'originally not a single thing exists', you still do not deserve his bowl bag." A monk then asked: "'Diligently wipe it from time to time'—why did he not obtain his robe and bowl? I do not know, what kind of person ought to obtain them?" The Master said: "One who does not enter through the gate." [The monk] said: "Just as for one who does not enter through the gate, does he still obtain them or not?" The Master said: "Even though it is so, one cannot but give them to him."

1.64

Offering words of guidance, he said: "Even if you say 'originally not a single thing exists', you still do not deserve his robe and bowl. Here, one must present a turning phrase. Tell me, what phrase can be presented?" There was a senior monk who presented ninety-six turning phrases that did not satisfy the Master's intention; only the very last turning phrase satisfied the Master's intention. The Master said: "Ācārya, why didn't you say so earlier?" Another monk listened secretly, but missed only that final turning phrase, and thereupon asked the senior monk for instruction. The senior monk refused to say. For three years he attended upon him with towel and pitcher, yet the senior monk never cited it for him. The senior monk fell ill, and the monk said: "For three years I have asked you to cite the previous words, but have not received your compassion. If I cannot obtain it by good means, I will take it by bad means." He then took up a knife and faced him, saying: "If you do not cite it for me, I will kill you right away, senior monk." Terrified, the senior monk said: "Ācārya, wait a moment; I will cite it for you." He then said: "Even if you bring it forward, there is nowhere to put it." The monk bowed in thanks.

1.65

During general work, the Master went around inspecting the dormitories. Seeing a monk not attending the general work, the Master asked: "Why didn't you go?" The monk said: "I am unwell." The Master said: "When you are normally healthy, when have you ever gone?"

1.66

The Master asked a monk: "Where have you come from?" The monk said: "I have come from wandering the mountains." The Master said: "Did you reach the summit?" [The monk] said: "I reached it." The Master said: "Was there anyone on the summit?" [The monk] said: "No one." The Master said: "If so, then you did not reach the summit?" [The monk] said: "If I did not reach the summit, how would I know there was no one?" The Master said: "I always suspected this fellow."

1.67

During the winter solstice, while eating fruit with Head Monk Tai, he asked: "There is one thing that supports heaven above and supports earth below, black like lacquer, constantly in active function, yet cannot be contained in active function. Tell me, where is its fault?" Tai said: "The fault is in active function." (Tong'an Xian gave an alternative: "I do not know.") The Master called an attendant to remove the fruit table.

1.68

A monk asked: "What may that which goes and comes right now be called?" The Master said: "It cannot be, it cannot be."

1.69

A monk was unwell in the Nirvāṇa Hall and wished to see the Master; the Master thereupon went. The monk said, "Why does the upādhyāya not save a son of a good family?" The Master said, "Whose family's son are you?" He replied, "I am a son of a family of great icchantikas." The Master remained silent for a long while. The monk said, "How is it when the four mountains press in upon one?" The Master said, "A few days ago, this old monk also passed beneath someone's eaves." The monk said, "Does it interpenetrate or not interpenetrate?" The Master said, "It does not interpenetrate." The monk said, "Where do you instruct me to go?" The Master said, "Go into the millet field." The monk gave a sigh, said, "Take care," and passed away seated. The Master struck his head three times with his staff and said, "You only know how to go thus, you do not know how to come thus."

1.70

The Master visited a sick monk. The monk said, "How is it when fire and wind scatter and part?" The Master said, "At the time of coming there was not a single thing; at the time of going, let it take its own course." The monk said, "What can be done about this emaciation and disease?" The Master said, "You must know that there is one who is not sick." The monk said, "Who is the one who is not sick?" The Master said, "If you realize it, there is not an inch [of difference]; if you do not realize it, you are separated by mountain ridges." The monk said, "Is one still permitted to calculate the journey ahead?" The Master said, "Although it is black as lacquer, its establishment is right in the present time." The Seven Masters of Jingzhao had a monk ask the Master, "Ultimately, how is that one?" The Master said, "Only if you ask him will you get it."

1.71

The Master instructed the assembly, saying, "I have three paths to receive people: the bird's path, the dark path, and the open hand." A monk asked, "The Master constantly teaches students to travel the bird's path; I wonder, what is the bird's path?" The Master said, "Not meeting a single person." The monk said, "How does one walk it?" The Master said, "Underfoot there must simply be no self-interest." The monk said, "Just as one walks the bird's path, is that not the original face?"

1.72

The Master said, "Ācārya, why are you upside-down?" The monk said, "Where is this student upside-down?" The Master said, "If not upside-down, why then take a slave for the master?" The monk said, "What is the original face?" The Master said, "Not walking the bird's path."

1.73

The Master asked a monk, "Where have you come from?" The monk said, "From making shoes." The Master said, "Did you understand by yourself, or rely on another?" The monk said, "I relied on another." The Master said, "Did the other give you instruction?" The monk had no reply. Zhaozhou said in place of the monk, "If granted, then I do not go against it."

1.74

The master of a hermitage was unwell; whenever he saw a monk he would say, "Save me, save me!" Most replies did not tally. The Master then went to visit him. The master of the hermitage also said, "Save me." The Master said, "Save you with what?" The master of the hermitage said, "Are you not the grandson of Yaoshan and the true son of Yunyan?" The Master said, "I dare not presume so." The master of the hermitage joined his palms and said, "Everyone, see me off," and thereupon passed away. A monk asked the Master, "Where has the deceased monk gone upon passing away?" The Master said, "A stalk of cogon grass after a fire."

1.75

Senior Monk Yi asked, "Does suchness everywhere reside in front, or does non-suchness everywhere reside in front?" The Master said, "Suchness everywhere resides in front, and non-suchness everywhere also resides in front." Yi said, "Does suchness everywhere distinguish superiority and inferiority, or does non-suchness everywhere distinguish superiority and inferiority?" The Master said, "Suchness everywhere distinguishes superiority and inferiority, and non-suchness everywhere also distinguishes superiority and inferiority." Yi said, "How is this and that distinguished?" The Master said, "It is also distinguished, and not distinguished." Yi said, "What is distinguished?" The Master said, "Suchness everywhere." Yi said, "What is not distinguished?" The Master said, "Non-suchness everywhere." Yi said, "Could it be the matter concerning the entire body and not the entire body?" The Master said, "It is not this principle." Yi said, "What principle is it?" The Master said, "It is the principle of suchness everywhere and non-suchness everywhere." He also said, "Senior Monk Yi, do you wish to know? It is just like an eighty-year-old woman marrying a three-year-old boy; although she is advanced in years, she is summoned and commanded by the three-year-old boy and has no freedom." Later, a monk brought this up and asked Caoshan, "What is the eighty-year-old woman?" Caoshan said, "Profuse white hair, snow covering the head." The monk said, "What is the three-year-old boy?" Caoshan said, "Not acting as master." The monk said, "Why does he not act as master?" Caoshan said, "Have you not heard it said: a three-year-old boy cannot be surpassed by anything?" The monk said, "Since she is an eighty-year-old woman, why does she marry the three-year-old boy?" Caoshan said, "Only when one is just like an eighty-year-old woman does one begin to know how to honor and serve him."

1.76

The Master saw Senior Monk You coming, and immediately stood up and stepped behind the meditation bench. You said, "Why does the upādhyāya avoid this student?" The Master said, "I thought the ācārya did not see this old monk."

1.77

A monk asked Zhuyu, "What is the practice of a śramaṇa?" Zhuyu said, "The practice is not non-existent, but if there is awareness, it is gone astray." Another monk brought this up to the Master. The Master said, "Why did he not say: I wonder, what practice is it?" The monk then presented these words. Zhuyu said, "The Buddha's practice, the Buddha's practice." The monk returned and brought this up to the Master. The Master said, "Youzhou is still bearable; Silla is the most painful." The monk then asked, "What is the practice of a śramaṇa?" The Master said, "A head three feet long, a neck two inches short." Then the Master ordered an attendant to take these words and ask Upādhyāya Ran of Sansheng. Sansheng gave the attendant's hand a pinch. The attendant returned and brought this up to the Master; the Master approved it.

1.78

The Master asked a monk, "Where have you come from?" He said, "From the Third Patriarch's stupa." The Master said, "Since you have come from the Patriarch's place, why do you want to see this old monk again?" He said, "The Patriarch is different, but this student and the upādhyāya are not different." The Master said, "This old monk wishes to see the ācārya's original teacher; is that possible?" He said, "You must also wait until the upādhyāya shows his own head before it is possible." The Master said, "Just now this old monk was temporarily absent."

1.79

A monk asked, "What is oneself before the empty kalpa?" The Master said, "A white horse entering reed blossoms." An official asked, "Does anyone cultivate the practice?" The Master said, "Wait until you become a man, then you will cultivate the practice."

1.80

A monk asked, "It is handed down that the ancients had a saying: 'When meeting, it is not held up and brought forth; as soon as a thought arises, one knows it is there'—how is it at that time?" The Master thereupon joined his palms and raised them to his head in reverence.

1.81

The Master asked a monk, "What in the world is the most bitter?" The monk said, "Hell is the most bitter." The Master said, "Not so." He said, "What is the Master's view?" The Master said, "To be beneath these robe-threads and not understand the great matter—this is called the most bitter."

1.82

The Master asked a monk, "What is your name?" The monk said, "So-and-so." The Master said, "Which one is the ācārya's host?" The monk said, "The one currently responding." The Master said, "How bitter, how bitter! People of today are all like this; they only recognize what is before the donkey and behind the horse and take it to be themselves. The sinking down of the Buddha Dharma is precisely due to this. Even the host within the guest has not yet been distinguished, so how could one discern the host within the host?" The monk then asked, "What is the host within the host?" The Master said, "Speak it for yourself, ācārya." The monk said, "If I can speak it, that is the host within the guest." (Yunju said in his place, "If I can speak it, it is not the host within the guest.") "What is the host within the host?" The Master said, "To speak thus is easy; to maintain it continuously is very difficult." The Master then presented a verse, saying: / "Alas, seeing the students of the Way nowadays, / Thousands upon millions recognize only the outer gate. / Just like entering the capital to have audience with the sage lord, / Arriving only at Tong Pass, they stop."

1.83

A monk asked, "What is the father of the green mountains and white clouds?" The Master said, "That which is not densely luxuriant is it." He said, "What is the son of the white clouds and green mountains?" The Master said, "That which does not distinguish east from west is it." He said, "What is the white clouds leaning on them all day long?" The Master said, "Unable to depart." He said, "What is the green mountains being entirely unaware?" The Master said, "That which does not look back is it." He then spoke a verse: / "Green mountains, the father of white clouds; / White clouds, the son of green mountains. / White clouds leaning on them all day long; / Green mountains entirely unaware."

1.84

A monk asked, "What kind of grass is on the other bank of the Qing River?" The Master said, "It is grass that does not sprout."

1.85

A monk asked, "What is the meaning of the [Patriarch's] coming from the West?" The Master said, "Very much like a chicken-scaring rhinoceros horn."

1.86

A monk asked, "When a snake swallows a frog, is saving it right, or is not saving it right?" The Master said, "If you save it, both eyes do not see; if you do not save it, form and shadow are not manifest."

1.87

A monk took leave of Daci. Daci said, "Where are you going?" The monk said, "For a time I am going to Jiangxi." Daci said, "May I trouble you with a matter?" The monk said, "What matter does the upādhyāya have?" Daci said, "Take this old monk with you." The monk said, "Even if there were someone surpassing the upādhyāya, I could not take him along." Daci then dropped the matter. That monk later recounted this to the Master. The Master said, "How could the ācārya speak like that?" The monk said, "How would the upādhyāya put it?" The Master said, "It is fine." Fayan gave an alternative reply, saying, "If the upādhyāya goes, I will carry your bamboo hat." The Master further asked that monk, "What other words and phrases did Daci have?" The monk said, "Sometimes he instructed the assembly, saying: 'Speaking a zhang is not as good as practicing a chi; speaking a chi is not as good as practicing a cun.'" The Master said, "I do not speak like that." The monk said, "How do you speak?" The Master said, "Speak what cannot be practiced; practice what cannot be spoken." Yunju said, "When practicing, there is no path of speech; when speaking, there is no path of practice. When neither speaking nor practicing, what path should one walk?" Lepu said, "When neither practice nor speech reaches it, then the original matter is present."

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