撫州曹山本寂禪師語錄 1.69

1.69

A monk asked Xiangyan, "What is the Way?" Xiangyan said, "A dragon roaring in a withered tree." The monk said, "Who is the person within the Way?" Xiangyan said, "An eyeball in a skull." The monk did not grasp it, so he asked Shishuang, "What is a dragon roaring in a withered tree?" Shishuang said, "It still carries joy." The monk said, "What is an eyeball in a skull?" Shishuang said, "It still carries consciousness." He did not grasp it either, so he related it to the Master. The Master said, "Old Śrāvaka Shishuang holds this view." Thereupon he presented a verse, saying: / 'A dragon roaring in a withered tree truly sees the Way; / A skull without consciousness, the eye is first bright. / When joy and consciousness are exhausted, all tidings end; / How could that person distinguish pure from impure?' / The monk then also asked the Master, "What is a dragon roaring in a withered tree?" The Master said, "The bloodline is uninterrupted." The monk said, "What is an eyeball in a skull?" The Master said, "It is not completely dry." The monk said, "I wonder if there is anyone who can hear it?" The Master said, "In the whole great earth, not a single person fails to hear it." The monk said, "I wonder what verse or phrase the dragon roaring in a withered tree is?" The Master said, "I do not know what verse or phrase it is; all who hear it perish."