大慧普覺禪師語錄 8.38

8.38

Instructing the assembly, he brought up [the following]: "Daowu and Jianyuan went to a house to offer condolences. Yuan patted the coffin and said, 'Alive or dead?' Wu said, 'I won't say alive; I won't say dead.' Yuan said, 'Why won't you say?' Wu said, 'I won't say, I won't say.' On their way back, halfway along the road, Yuan said, 'Master, quickly tell me! If you do not tell me, I will hit you.' Wu said, 'As for hitting, hit as you will; as for telling, I will not say.'" The Master said, "'I won't say alive; I won't say dead'—a twofold gong'an, received in a single indictment. Baring the blade to blow the hair, cutting off the essential guidelines; stripping off the hawk-stinking shirt, taking off the grease-fried hat, sitting grandly facing the veranda, his spirit vast and mighty." He gave a shout and descended from the seat.