大慧普覺禪師語錄 10
English (machine translation) 10
- Language
- English
10.1
Humbly presented by your subject Yunwen, Abbot of Nengren Chan Monastery on Mount Jing and Dharma Heir, Chan Master Huiri.
10.2
Verses on Ancient Cases
10.3
Before leaving Tuṣita Heaven, the World-Honoured One had already descended into the royal palace; before leaving his mother's womb, his deliverance of sentient beings was already complete. The verse says:
10.4
"Honey on a sharp blade need not be licked; / Water in a house of sorcery poison must not be tasted. / Neither licking nor tasting, neither is violated; / Stately in brocade robes, one returns home on one's own."
10.5
When the World-Honoured One was first born, he pointed one hand to heaven and one hand to earth, saying, 'Above heaven and below heaven, I alone am revered.' The verse says:
10.6
"The old fellow had just been born and was already in a fluster, / Pacing seven steps all around like a madman, / Leading astray countless foolish men and women / To walk openly with eyes wide open right into the boiling cauldron!"
10.7
The World-Honoured One held up a flower. The verse says:
10.8
"Holding aloft a single flower, / His elegance emerges from his own lineage. / If you say he transmitted the mind-dharma, / The world's affairs will become tangled like hemp."
10.9
A non-Buddhist asked the Buddha. The verse says:
10.10
"Striking at the two solid barriers, neither is penetrated; / Not a fine dust-mote moves, yet the principle is inherently missed. / Suddenly the mirror of karma is shattered into a hundred fragments, / And yellow-faced Gautama completely loses his trace."
10.11
Bodhidharma facing the wall. The verse says:
10.12
"A single tug of the golden sea-turtle exhausts the vast blue ocean; / In vain one drifts along leisurely in a small boat. / Today amidst the misty waves there is nothing left to fish; / There is no need for the crescent moon to serve as a hook."
10.13
The Second Patriarch pacifying the mind. The verse says:
10.14
"Seeking the mind, there is nowhere to find it—how else to pacify it? / He chewed to pieces a lump of glowing-red iron. / Even if one opens one's eyes and airs one's spirit, / How could that compare to not being deceived by the old barbarian?"
10.15
The woman emerging from samādhi. The verse says:
10.16
"Able to emerge or unable to emerge, / Is it samādhi or not right samādhi? / Wangming and Mañjuśrī / Have completely lost their wretched lives."
10.17
Mazu: 'For thirty years I have never lacked salt or sauce.' The verse says:
10.18
"Seeing clearly and recognizing intimately, / Yet bringing it up still involves taking to the road. / Even if one does not violate a hair's breadth, / One is still someone who takes a rice cake and licks his fingers."
10.19
Baizhang calling on Mazu a second time. The verse says:
10.20
"Under the Colt's shout, the family style was lost; / From this, word spread across the four seas. / From amidst the raging flames the moon was scooped out; / Lofty and majestic, he sits alone on Mount Daxiong."
10.21
The National Teacher calling his attendant three times. The verse says:
10.22
"A mute having a dream—to whom can he tell it? / Getting up, they face each other with bleary eyes. / He already poured out his heart before others; / Let the other go on seeking his own advantage!"
10.23
Guishan's 'There is a phrase, there is no phrase.' The verse says:
10.24
"If you take these words to establish the essential lineage, / You will let down Mingzhao, the one-eyed dragon. / Amidst laughter, the muddy-water paths are suddenly parted; / Only then do you know that for a thousand leagues the wind is the same."
10.25
Mingzhao: 'A tiger gave birth to seven cubs.' The verse says:
10.26
"The seventh tiger cub has no tail, / Yet its spirit of devouring oxen is already worthy of praise. / In the monasteries they babble and dispute with lips and tongues; / How many wayfarers ever make it home?"
10.27
Nanquan: 'It is not mind, not buddha, not a thing.' The verse says:
10.28
"Pouring out his guts and emptying his belly, he explained it to you; / I wonder why you are still hesitating and brooding. / Right now it is best to boldly seize it, / And hand it over to the people of no-affairs in the world."
10.29
Nanquan: 'Mind is not buddha, wisdom is not the Way.' The verse says:
10.30
"After the rain scatters and the clouds disperse, / Towering are the tens of peaks. / Leaning against the balustrade, one looks out repeatedly; / Turning one's head, with whom is one shared?"
10.31
Huangbo: 'All of you people are just men who swill down wine dregs.' The verse says:
10.32
"Only when wearing clothes on one's body does one escape the cold; / Merely speaking of food with one's mouth never fills the belly. / The grandmotherly Chan in the great Tang realm— / Today it has been fully laid bare for you."
10.33
Whenever Linji saw a monk enter the gate, he shouted. The verse says:
10.34
"Entering the gate he immediately shouts, / Completely without rhyme or reason; / Enticing his descendants / To play with the stench of gruel and rice."
10.35
Magu asked Linji about the Twelve-Faced Guanyin. The verse says:
10.36
"Blinding the one decisive move right in front of them, / Dragging back and forth, they show off to each other. / Even without Wang Wei's hand being hidden away, / Who else could ever succeed in painting it?"
10.37
Linji asked a monk, "Where have you come from?" The monk shouted. Linji bowed and offered him a seat. The monk hesitated; Linji struck him. Another monk came; Linji held up his fly-whisk. The monk made a prostration; Linji struck him. Seeing yet another monk come, he also held up his fly-whisk; the monk paid no attention; Linji also struck him. The verse says:
10.38
"Written at noon on the fifth day of the fifth month: / All red mouths and venomous tongues are eradicated! / Even if you add 'Swiftly, as by the statutes and ordinances,' / There is no need to draw a spider above the door."
10.39
Linji's true person without rank. The verse says:
10.40
"A rustic monk with cheeks visible from behind his head / Having his eyes wide open, yet dreaming! / Although he managed to chase away the rat, / With one blow he smashed the oil jar."
10.41
Zhaozhou visiting Linji. The verse says:
10.42
"One has eyes like drumsticks; / One has a head like a wooden ladle. / Two old fellows who know no shame— / Even now they have nowhere to settle."
10.43
Nanquan: 'Ordinary mind is the Way.' The verse says:
10.44
"I urge you not to labor your mind in vain: / Calling it ordinary makes it all the less intimate. / Insipid and cold, it is completely devoid of flavor; / Each time it is brought up, each time it is fresh."
10.45
Zhaozhou utilizing the twelve periods of the day. The verse says:
10.46
"Utilizing the twelve periods of the day: / Calling them forth, he then tells them to leave for a while. / Leaning on official power and relying on authority to bully others, / Vast and boundless, there is no basis to rely upon."
10.47
Zhaozhou visits Zhuyu. His verse says:
10.48
"For a moment with a staff he probes the deep and shallow; / Suddenly upon flat ground waves and billows arise. / Emptying pools and toppling peaks, he startles Heaven and Earth; / Only upon reaching the sea does he know it is thoroughly dry."
10.49
One day Zhaozhou was passing through the hall. He called to his attendant, and the attendant responded. Zhaozhou said, "What a hall full of merit!" The attendant had no reply. His verse says:
10.50
"What a hall full of merit, / All of them past buddhas! / The marks of a hundred merits adorn their bodies, / Not fashioned from sandalwood carving. / Daily incense smoke, nightly lamps— / Looked at closely, what kind of dried radish is this?"
10.51
Zhaozhou asked Touzi, "How is it when a person who has died the great death comes back to life?" Touzi said, "Night travel is not permitted; you must arrive by daybreak." His verse says:
10.52
"Millet and grain do not flaunt brilliant sunlit blossoms, / Yet people vie to plant the spring of peaches and plums, / Turning back to make half of those who plow with strength / Into sellers of flowers."
10.53
Zhaozhou tests an old woman. His verse says:
10.54
"The Chan monks of the whole world say she was tested and seen through; / How could they know Zhaozhou had already fallen into words? / Leading his descendants to be unmanly, / Every one of them, having been reproved, lies in a cold place."
10.55
Zhaozhou asked Nanquan, "Where does one who knows It has it go?" Nanquan said, "He goes to the house of a donor in front of the mountain to become a water buffalo." Zhaozhou said, "I thank the Master for replying." Nanquan said, "Last night at the third watch, the moon reached the window." His verse says:
10.56
"Measuring the body to cut the robe, / Gauging the water to drive the pestle— / Without the slightest hair's breadth of error, / Yet still he remains outside the gate."
10.57
One day Zhaozhou was in the abbot's quarters and heard a novice call out for instruction. Zhaozhou said to the attendant, "Tell him to go away." The attendant had just told him to go, and the novice immediately said, "Take care!" Zhaozhou said to a bystander monk, "The novice has gained entrance through the gate; the attendant is outside the gate." His verse says:
10.58
"Rustling wind in the pines, / Drizzling rain on the junipers. / The lion bites the person; / The Han hound chases the clod."
10.59
One day Zhaozhou was at the latrine and saw Wenyuan passing by. He called out, "Wenyuan!" Wenyuan responded. Zhaozhou said, "At the latrine I cannot speak the Buddha Dharma with you." His verse says:
10.60
"Zhaozhou has secret words; / Wenyuan does not conceal them. / Expounding the teachings of the great canon, / Their merit is truly hard to fathom."
10.61
One day, while walking with Wenyuan, Zhaozhou suddenly pointed to the ground in front of them and said, "This is a good place to build a patrol post." Wenyuan stepped forward, spread both hands, and said, "Hand over the official permit!" Zhaozhou gave him a slap. Wenyuan said, "The official permit is clear and valid; pass through!" His verse says:
10.62
"One upright, one crooked; / One falling, one rising. / Wenyuan and Zhaozhou / Wiggle their toes inside their boots."
10.63
One day Zhaozhou was in the Buddha hall and saw Wenyuan bowing to the Buddha. He struck him once with his staff. Wenyuan said, "Bowing to the Buddha is also a good thing." Zhaozhou said, "A good thing is not as good as nothing." His verse says:
10.64
"Wenyuan's practice does not fall into voidness; / Constantly he gazes in reverence upon the purple-gold countenance. / Though Zhaozhou's staff is short, / Behind the head is yet another halo."
10.65
Zhaozhou's 'a dog has no buddha-nature'. His verse says:
10.66
"When asked about a dog's buddha-nature, / Zhaozhou answered, 'None.' / With a word he wiped out the barbarian race, / Yet still he is not a manly fellow."
10.67
Zhaozhou said, "A golden buddha cannot pass through a furnace; a wooden buddha cannot pass through fire; a clay buddha cannot pass through water. The true buddha sits within." His verse says:
10.68
"The ninety-seven kinds of wondrous marks / Are difficult for the brush tips of Gu and Lu to portray. / Zhaozhou's eyes are sharp and clear, / Peering through to the heart, liver, and five viscera."
10.69
The cloth tunic of Qingzhou. His verse says:
10.70
"The seven-pound robe of Qingzhou— / Straining with all one's might, it cannot be lifted. / Shattering the checkpoint of Zhaozhou, / It is entirely one's own."
10.71
The radishes of Zhenzhou. His verse says:
10.72
"Having studied under Old Teacher Wang of Nanquan, / The radishes of Zhenzhou are completely unselfish. / Picked up, they block the mouths of right and wrong; / 'White Snow' and 'Sunny Spring' are no songs of Chu."
10.73
Zhaozhou's 'where there is a buddha, do not stay'. His verse says:
10.74
"Where there is a buddha, do not stay: / The pig-iron steelyard weight is eaten by worms. / Where there is no buddha, run quickly past: / Bumping right into Mount Song's Stove-Breaker. / Do not bring it up mistakenly three thousand leagues away; / Two stone men whisper in each other's ears. / 'If so, then I shall not go'— / These words have already traversed the whole world. / Pluck the willow blossoms, pluck the willow blossoms! / Oṃ maṇi dhāre hūṃ phaṭ!"
10.75
Zhaozhou asked a monk, "Where have you come from?" The monk said, "I have come from Xuefeng." Zhaozhou said, "What words and phrases does Xuefeng use to instruct people?" The monk said, "Xuefeng usually says: 'The entire great earth is a single eye of a śramaṇa; where do all of you go to defecate?'" Zhaozhou said, "When you return, Venerable, take a shovel along for him." His verse says:
10.76
"Toiling on the roads across dozens of prefectures, / Passing on words and conveying messages, taking it for refinement. / Unaware that thorns sprout from the mud underfoot, / Stepping on them pricks the person's toes."
10.77
Baoshou questions the mender Hu. His verse says:
10.78
"Even if he could mend this one seam, / When inspected, he is still no adept. / Pitiful are the two old Chan masters / Who instead speak of family scandals to a layman."
10.79
Shushan builds a longevity stupa. His verse says:
10.80
"Chiseling away and ruining the permanent ground of the ten directions, / Exhausting three coins, exposing the corpse and bones. / Though the ancient buddha of Luoshan is efficacious, / He cannot avoid having his body buried in one place."
10.81
While Luoshan was at Heshan, he was seeing off his fellow practitioner, Senior Monk Ju, at the gate. Luoshan tossed his staff down in front of him. Ju had no reply. Luoshan said, "A stone ox blocks the ancient road; a single horse does not bear twin colts." Later a monk cited this to Shushan. Shushan said, "A stone ox blocks the ancient road; a single horse gives birth to three colts." His verse says:
10.82
"Going out the gate, clasping hands, talking of parting; / The ancient road stretches far away—do not pursue it. / One can only laugh at the person who dropped his sword into the waves, / Vainly remembering the notch carved on his boat."
10.83
Deshan carries his bowl. His verse says:
10.84
"Struck once, the poison-smeared drum kills all who hear it; / Standing right in its midst, one is completely unaware. / An eighty-year-old man enters the examination hall— / In all truth, this is no child's play."
10.85
Yunmen said, "The world is so vast and wide; why do we put on our seven-strip robes at the sound of the bell?" His verse says:
10.86
"At the sound of the bell putting on the uttarāsaṅga— / Even the blue-eyed barbarian cannot do anything about it. / One arrow fells two eagles together with the hand; / Picked up, it turns out to be a goose in the pen."
10.87
Deshan strikes monks with his staff as soon as they enter the gate. His verse says:
10.88
"Striking with the staff as soon as they enter the gate, / He is not a little clumsy. / To act in accordance with this / Is like sesame tangled together."
10.89
Baizhang and the wild fox. His verse says:
10.90
"Neither falling into nor obscuring— / Rocks and dirt clods! / Meeting unexpectedly on the road, / The silver mountain shatters to dust. / Clapping hands with a loud 'He-he' laugh: / In Mingzhou there is a foolish Cloth Bag."
10.91
The two senior monks Shen and Ming were walking together and saw a fish leap out of a net. His verse says:
10.92
"How gallant! With a single leap it penetrates the deep abyss; / Thunderbolts pursue it, but it goes and does not return. / One can only laugh at those who scorch their tails at Dragon Gate, / Still with marked foreheads amidst the billows as before."
10.93
Nanquan breaks the porridge pot. His verse says:
10.94
"Nanquan smashed the useless utensil; / The myriad quarters clamorously treat it as a topic to examine. / Today I bring it up again for you: / Clearly, distinctly, with nothing muddled."
10.95
Shoushan's bamboo comb. His verse says:
10.96
"Affirming and opposing are not shielded; / Clearly and directly he raises it up. / Though the hair-severing blade does not move, / Everywhere is covered in swords and spears."
10.97
Ruiyan calls to the master. His verse says:
10.98
"The family style of Ruiyan: / Calling to the master. / Last night on South Mountain, / A tiger bit a big cat."
10.99
Xinghua and his fellow practitioners meet. His verse says:
10.100
"Moxie held in hand, / The heavenly demons lose their courage. / Patch-robed monks with clear eyes, / Cease your calculating speculations!"
10.101
Xinghua strikes Kebin. His verse says:
10.102
"A phoenix gives birth to a phoenix; / A lion produces a lion cub. / Under the staff, the eye of Maheśvara— / In vain do they boast of the primary mechanism."
10.103
Xinghua scatters real pearls inside a purple silk canopy. His verse says:
10.104
"Facing the assembly, he brings forth the full command of Magadha; / How could he idly flap two lips? / Under the shout, blind donkeys run in herds; / In a dream, toppling the five Sumerus."
10.105
Xinghua ascended the hall and said, "Today there is no need for 'how' and 'what'; please enter directly with a single blade, and Xinghua will bear witness for you." At that time, Senior Monk Minde came forth from the assembly, made bows, and upon rising immediately gave a shout. Xinghua also gave a shout. Minde gave another shout, and Xinghua gave another shout. Minde made bows and returned to the assembly. Xinghua said, "Just now, if it had been anyone else, not one blow could have been spared from thirty blows of the staff. Why? Because this Minde understands how not to use a single shout as just a shout." His verse says:
10.106
"Holding hands in the dark, they climb the high mountain; / When dawn arrives, each walks on his own. / Boundless travelers halfway along the road who have not returned, / With eyes wide open, fall into the deep pit."
10.107
Sansheng said, "When I meet someone, I immediately go forth; but having gone forth, it is not for their sake." Xinghua said, "When I meet someone, I do not immediately go forth; but when I go forth, it is precisely for their sake." The verse says:
10.108
"How could shimmering mirages ever quench thirst? / When could painted cakes ever satisfy hunger? / I advise you, do not plant thistles and thorns: / Later descendants' robes will get snagged."
10.109
When Nanquan saw Deng Yinfeng coming, he pointed to a water pitcher and said, "The water pitcher is an object; you must not move this object. Bring me water!" Feng took the water pitcher and poured water right before Nanquan. Nanquan let the matter rest. Guizong said, "Deng Yinfeng also just poured it out wildly." The verse says:
10.110
"When there is no cataract in the eye, stop scraping at it; / When there is no dust on the mirror, no need to polish it. / Trusting your feet, go out the door and walk the broad road, / Carrying your staff across your shoulders, singing a rustic tune."
10.111
Shitou said, "Like this won't do; not like this won't do either; like this or not like this won't do at all." The verse says:
10.112
"Such a fine phrase— / Who understands how to bring it up? / Even if brought up to perfection, / I wouldn't dare give my approval."
10.113
Sansheng asked Xuefeng about the golden carp that slipped through the net. The verse says:
10.114
"Totally dead within totally alive; / Totally alive within totally dead. / One is a slovenly fellow; / The other, a lad from Fujian."
10.115
Jiashan's environment. The verse says:
10.116
"Though understanding words about the environment still falls short, / Let me ask: how is it right now? / Qingliang's nose-ridge was originally straight; / Jiashan's two eyebrows, as of old, lie horizontal."
10.117
Muzhou carrying a board. The verse says:
10.118
"Muzhou carrying a board: / Where does it allow a blink of the eye? / Broad or narrow, short or long, / No need to add or subtract."
10.119
A monk asked Muzhou, "Can the entire great canon of scriptures be turned in a single breath, or not?" Muzhou said, "If there are any steamed buns or cakes, bring them quickly!" The verse says:
10.120
"In a single breath he turns the entire great canon of teachings— / Sudden, gradual, partial, complete, provisional, and real. / The boundless subtle meanings are brilliantly manifest, / Yet from the beginning he does not recognize a single word."
10.121
In Linji's assembly, the head monks of the two halls shouted at the same time. A monk asked, "Was there a host and a guest, or not?" Linji said, "Host and guest were distinct." The verse says:
10.122
"Repaying the uneven with evenness, / The royal law originally shows no favoritism. / Though Linji has clear eyes, / He too is an apparition of the yellow dragon."
10.123
Puhua: 'Coming from the bright side, strike the bright side.' The verse says:
10.124
"Displaying his true nature in the late master's assembly, / Eating raw greens before Linji's hall— / Including this, three times revealing the tethering rope: / Bah, this beggar hanging around the banquet table!"
10.125
One cold day, Mingzhao ascended the hall. As soon as the assembly gathered, Mingzhao said, "The wind is somewhat bitter; this is no place to settle your body and establish your life. Let us return to the warm room to deliberate." He then returned to the abbot's quarters. The assembly followed him and stood in place. Mingzhao said, "No sooner do you reach the warm room than I see you dozing off!" With his staff, he drove them all away at once. The verse says:
10.126
"At midnight the bright star appears at midday, / Yet fools still wait for the morning rooster's crow. / Pitiable: not knowing the stench of one's own excrement, / One wants to pick it up again and show it to others."
10.127
Baoshou opening the hall. The verse says:
10.128
"Holding up Mount Sumeru with the first strike of the gavel, / Sparks from flint and flashes of lightning are far too slow. / Where the elephant king walks, fox tracks disappear; / When the lion roars, the hundred beasts are terrified."
10.129
An ancient worthy eating fried rice cakes at the estate. The verse says:
10.130
"The prelate did not attend the hall; / The estate master thanked him for gracing the visit. / Once a single word enters the government office, / Nine oxen cannot pull it out."
10.131
Xuansha said, "If we discuss this matter, it is like a piece of land: having marked the boundaries on all four sides and drawn up the deed, it has been sold off to you all; only the tree in the very center still belongs to this old monk." The verse says:
10.132
"The ancestral fields and gardens have all been sold off; / Not a boundary on any of the four sides was kept. / Alas, the tree in the center still remains, / Distressing the spring wind without end."
10.133
Shoushan's 'The bride rides the donkey; the mother-in-law leads it.' The verse says:
10.134
"The bride rides the donkey; the mother-in-law leads it; / Following step by step without needing a whip. / Returning to the painted hall, no one recognizes them; / From now on, they are too lazy to go out the front gate again."
10.135
Wujiu saw the two senior monks Xuan and Shao coming, and thereupon asked, "Where did you two venerable dhyāna masters leave recently?" A monk said, "Jiangxi." Wujiu immediately struck him. The monk said, "I have long heard that the Venerable has this crucial device." Wujiu said, "Since you do not understand, let the second one come forward!" The monk hesitated, and Wujiu struck him as well, saying, "From the same pit, there is no different earth. Go to the hall!" The verse says:
10.136
"A fierce blaze does not allow mosquitoes or gnats to alight; / How could the great ocean lodge a dead corpse? / Even with three heads and six arms, / Facing the wind, none fail to hoist the white flag of surrender."
10.137
Yunmen's dry piece of excrement. The verse says:
10.138
"Yunmen's dry piece of excrement / Utterly transcends dharmakāya, sambhogakāya, and nirmāṇakāya. / Having nothing to do, he strolls out of the mountains, / A hundred coins dangling from the tip of his staff."
10.139
Yunmen's Mount Sumeru. The verse says:
10.140
"Towering aloft, one great Mount Meru: / Shouldering it has nothing to do with crude physical strength. / Even if you do not understand through words, / You still end up smeared with mud to your face."
10.141
Dayu sawing through a steelyard weight. The verse says:
10.142
"Asked what the Buddha is, / The ancestral master responded at once: / Taking a saw, cut through the steelyard weight, / Crossing over the deluded flow beyond words."
10.143
A monk asked Xinghua, "What happens when [they] come from all four directions and eight quarters?" Xinghua said, "Strike the center." The monk then bowed. Xinghua said, "Today Xinghua went to attend a village feast; on the road earlier, he ran into a sudden gale and torrential rain, but managed to duck into an old temple to dodge it." The verse says:
10.144
"Managing to take shelter inside an old temple, / Beside the pile of paper money he secretly sighs: / Wandering gods and wild ghosts are all terrified, / Just because this fellow can read Sanskrit script."
10.145
Xuefeng meeting at the Wangzhou Pavilion. The verse says:
10.146
"Wangzhou, Wushi, and the Monks' Hall: / Karmic consciousness is vast and boundless, impossible to withstand. / Holding up the patch-robed monk's staff, / The five lakes and four seas boil like soup."
10.147
Jiashan: 'Before the eyes there are no phenomena; the intention is before the eyes. It is not a phenomenon before the eyes, nor is it reached by ear or eye.' The verse says:
10.148
"Do not tell dreams in front of a fool; / On a lump of cast iron, you must seek a seam. / Clearly explained to him, yet he feigns deafness, / Busying himself only with idle clamor outside."
10.149
National Preceptor Wuye said, "If the slightest sentiment of ordinary or sage remains unexhausted, one cannot avoid entering a donkey's womb or a horse's belly." Master Baiyun Duan said, "Even if the slightest sentiment of ordinary or sage is completely purified, one still cannot avoid entering a donkey's womb or a horse's belly." The verse says:
10.150
"Shifting the body without shifting one's steps; / Shifting one's steps without shifting the body. / The golden lion gets away; / The jade qilin is captured."
10.151
Lingyun seeing peach blossoms. The verse says:
10.152
"All say that seeing peach blossoms brings awakening to the Way; / I wonder whether these words are true or not. / In the vast universe, humans are countless: / Which male is truly a manly fellow?"
10.153
Xuansha said, "Fitting indeed, extremely fitting! Yet I dare guarantee that my elder brother has not penetrated thoroughly." The verse says:
10.154
"Smashing open the Ghost Gate pass, / The sun disk is right at midday. / An arrow strikes the bullseye: / Throughout the great earth there is not an inch of ground."
10.155
Dongshan said, "Speech does not unfold matters; words do not match the occasion. One who accepts words is lost; one who stagnates in phrases is deluded." The verse says:
10.156
"Speech does not unfold matters; / Words do not match the occasion. / One who accepts words is lost; / One who stagnates in phrases is deluded. / When meeting someone, do not bring this up mistakenly."
10.157
Daozhe Ju visiting Langya. The verse says:
10.158
"Having snatched the black dragon's jewel, he immediately returns; / Lesser capacities and demonic hordes are all left in doubt. / Picking it up, he tosses it into the surging waves; / Letting go with open hands, all come and go in emptiness."
10.159
A monk asked Fengxue, "Speech and silence touch upon separation and subtlety; how can one penetrate without transgression?" Fengxue said, "I always remember Jiangnan in the third month: where the partridge calls, the hundred flowers are fragrant." The verse says:
10.160
"Suddenly stepping outside, first see the road; / Only just having washed one's feet, board the boat. / The immortal's secret formula is truly to be treasured; / Though father and son are close, it cannot be passed on."
10.161
Zhaozhou visited Daowu. Seeing him coming, Daowu put on leopard-skin breeches, held a crooked cudgel, and waited in front of the triple gate. As soon as he saw Zhaozhou arrive, he called out a loud greeting and stood. Zhaozhou said, "Be careful while on attendant duty!" Daowu called out another greeting and departed. The verse says:
10.162
"There is ritual and there is music; / There is calling and there is responding. / When people are at peace, they do not speak; / When water is level, it does not flow."
10.163
When Linji was about to pass away, he instructed the assembly, saying, "After my decease, you must not extinguish my treasury of the true dharma eye." Sansheng came forward and said, "How could we dare extinguish the Venerable's treasury of the true dharma eye?" Linji said, "Hereafter, if someone asks you, what will you say to them?" Sansheng gave a shout. Linji said, "Who would have known that my treasury of the true dharma eye would be extinguished by this blind donkey!" The verse says:
10.164
"The blind donkey leaps once, startling everyone; / How could the true dharma be entrusted to someone? / The three essentials and three mysteries are utterly ruined; / Imposing, he swings his arms and strides out through the nested gates."
10.165
A monk asked Qianfeng, "'The Bhagavans of the ten directions have one road to the gate of nirvāṇa.'" The verse says:
10.166
"Tearing apart Yunmen's folding fan; / Snapping Qianfeng's staff in two. / Two or three thousand pavilions of pipes and strings; / Four or five hundred alleys of blossoms and willows."
10.167
Great Master Yunmen said, 'Hearing sounds awakens one to the Way; seeing forms clarifies the mind. What is hearing sounds awakening to the Way and seeing forms clarifying the mind?' He then said, 'Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva brings coins to buy sesame flatbreads. Lowering his hands, he says, "Turns out they're just steamed buns!"' A verse says:
10.168
'Seeing forms and clarifying the mind: already gone astray; / Hearing sounds and awakening to the Way: even more tangled up. / Avalokiteśvara's wondrous wisdom and compassionate power: / Amidst the forest of thorns, blue lotus blossoms grow.'
10.169
Great Master Yunmen held up his staff and cited: 'The teachings say, "Ordinary people deem it real existence; the Two Vehicles analyze it as nonexistence; pratyekabuddhas deem it illusory existence; bodhisattvas realize its very substance is empty."' He then said, 'When a patch-robed monk sees a staff, he just calls it a staff. When walking he just walks; when sitting he just sits—he must not stir at all.' A verse says:
10.170
'Prying open the lock of the golden palace, / Striking the bell of the jade tower: / Weeping with dew, a thousand varieties of grass; / Chanting in the wind, the same pine trees.'
10.171
Grand Master Lu Gen asked Nanquan, 'Dharma Master Sengzhao was truly extraordinary, able to say: "Heaven and earth share the same root with me; the myriad things are of one substance with me."' Nanquan pointed to a flower in front of the courtyard, summoned the Grand Master, and said, 'When people of the world see this single flower, it is just like a dream.' A verse says:
10.172
'"Heaven and earth share the same root"—advancing a single inquiry: / Before even raising a foot, already ruined and homeless. / Where there is neither yin nor yang, the flower blooms anew; / Jade, originally without a flaw, now has a flaw.'
10.173
Xuansha's three kinds of sick people. A verse says:
10.174
'Xuansha's talk of three kinds of sick people / Pierces through Yunmen's "six do not contain." / Do not wait for right and wrong to enter your ears— / Past bosom friends will turn into enemies.'
10.175
When Xuansha saw a newly arrived [monk] just making prostrations, Sha said, 'Because of me, you get to make prostrations.' A verse says:
10.176
'Master [Kong] was illiterate; / Bodhidharma did not understand Chan. / Xuansha never spoke these words— / Absolutely do not spread them falsely!'
10.177
Nanyuan entered the hall and said, 'Upon the red lump of flesh, steep precipices stand a thousand fathoms high.' At the time a monk asked, '"Upon the red lump of flesh, steep precipices stand a thousand fathoms high"—isn't that what the Venerable said?' Nanyuan said, 'It is.' The monk then overturned the Chan bench. Nanyuan said, 'Look at this blind fellow making a wild mess!' The monk hesitated; Nanyuan struck him and drove him out of the monastery. A verse says:
10.178
'Beside the red lump of flesh, functioning intimately: / Host and guest each had their point, yet neither could advance it. / Two hunchbacks encountering each other: / In the world today, there are no straight people.'
10.179
Baizhang accompanied Mazu on an excursion in the mountains. Upon returning, he suddenly wept. A fellow student asked, 'Are you thinking of your parents?' Baizhang said, 'No.' The fellow student asked, 'Did someone scold you?' Baizhang said, 'No.' The fellow student said, 'Why are you crying?' Baizhang said, 'Go ask the Venerable.' The fellow student went to ask Mazu. Mazu said, 'Go ask him yourself.' The fellow student returned to the quarters and found Baizhang laughing out loud heartily. The fellow student said, 'Just now why were you crying, and now why are you laughing?' Baizhang said, 'Just now I was crying; right now I am laughing.' The fellow student was bewildered. A verse says:
10.180
'Sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, / Sorrow and joy intermingled secretly urge one on. / How can this principle be brought out to people? / To mend a broken lute string, one must have phoenix glue.'
10.181
Venerable Yangqi asked a monk, 'How do you swallow a prickly chestnut burr? How do you leap through a vajra ring?' A verse says:
10.182
'The vajra ring, the prickly chestnut burr, / Xuansha's three kinds of illness, Shigong's single bow— / I tell you straightforwardly: / Silla is east of the sea.'
10.183
A monk asked Yangqi, 'What is the Buddha?' Yangqi said, 'A three-legged donkey gallops along, waving its hooves.' The monk said, 'What about when going along just like that?' Yangqi said, 'The elder of Hunan.' A verse says:
10.184
'Yangqi's single donkey / Has only three legs. / Pan Lang rode it backward returning home, / Tumbling Huang Fanchuo to death.'
10.185
A monk asked Venerable Qingyuan Xingsi, 'What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?' Qingyuan said, 'What is the price of rice in Luling?' A verse says:
10.186
'Old Qingyuan has no seams or cracks: / Asked about the Buddha Dharma, he replies with the price of rice. / An error of a hair's breadth becomes a laughingstock; / Being without face or eyes makes people terrified.'
10.187
A monk asked Yantou, 'How is it before the ancient sail is hoisted?' Yantou said, 'In the back garden, the donkey eats grass.' A verse says:
10.188
'In the back garden, the donkey eats grass; / One is old, one is not old. / Suddenly bumping into each other, / Everything fits together just right.'
10.189
A monk asked Yantou, 'How is it before the ancient sail is hoisted?' Yantou said, 'The small fish swallows the big fish.' A verse says:
10.190
'The small fish swallows the big fish; / The straight road is too meandering. / Stop asking any further about the ancient sail: / Everywhere, you meet with him.'
10.191
A monk asked Venerable Wuzu Fayan, 'What is the affair under Linji?' Wuzu said, 'Those of the five deadly sins hearing thunder.' A verse says:
10.192
'Those of the five deadly sins hearing thunder; / Zeng Shen and Yan Hui. / A single bean / Pops out from cold ashes.'
10.193
A monk asked Venerable Yuanwu, 'What is the Buddha?' Yuanwu said, 'The mouth is the gateway of misfortune.' A verse says:
10.194
'The mouth is the gateway of misfortune; / Lightning flashes and thunder rushes. / Sāgara emerges from the ocean, / Shaking heaven and earth.'
10.195
When Venerable Foyan read Lingyuan's Song of the Twelve Hours, he had a verse saying, 'Day by day, hour by hour; / The old man of Longmen knows it in his own mind.' A verse says:
10.196
'Day by day by day by day, / Hour by hour by hour by hour: / Missing the season and losing the time, / That old awl.'
10.197
Chan Master Huanglong Huinan said, 'How is it when chanting praises up in the bell tower and planting vegetables down under the bedpost?' Chan Master Huangbo Weisheng said, 'A ferocious tiger sits blocking the road.' A verse says:
10.198
'Going straight out, coming straight in, / Right to the face, not recognizing it. / What more would you plan? / What is the frantic urgency?'
10.199
The Twenty-Fourth Patriarch, the Venerable [Siṃha], because the king of Kashmir held a sword before him and asked, 'Has the Master attained the emptiness of the aggregates?' said, 'I have.' The king said, 'Having attained the emptiness of the aggregates, have you transcended birth and death?' He said, 'I have transcended them.' The king said, 'Having transcended birth and death, can you give me your head?' He said, 'The body is not my possession; how much less the head?' The king then cut it off; white milk gushed several feet high, and the king's arm fell off of itself. A verse says:
10.200
'To kill a person, one must be a person-killing fellow: / Instantly, with a single blade, two pieces are made. / Though head and arm were lost to the sword's keen edge, / How could that compare to a Qin-dynasty axle-tree borer?'
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Linked texts (1)
- 大慧普覺禪師語錄 — Classical Chinese