大慧普覺禪師宗門武庫 1.72

1.72

Imperial Son-in-law Commandant Lord Li Zunxu attained the essentials of mind from Chan Master Shimen Cong. He once composed a two-line verse and sent it to Fiscal Commissioner Zhu Zhengci. At that time, Xu Shi was the transport commissioner of Huainan. Zhu showed Li's verse to Xu and invited him to compose matching verses together. The verse said: 'Studying the Way requires an iron fellow; / Taking action, it is settled at once in his mind.' Zhu said: 'The rain hurries the woodcutter back home.' Xu said: 'The wind delivers the fishing boat to shore.' They also invited Chan Master Fushan Yuan to match it, who said: 'Studying the Way requires an iron fellow; / Taking action, it is settled at once in his mind. / Though his entire body is an eye, / He still waits to be forged anew in the red furnace. / Chu Ni dashed against a tree, confused by the decree; / Yu Rang hid his body and swallowed charcoal. / A heron flies, its shadow falling on the autumn river; / The wind delivers reed flowers to both banks.' When the gentlemen saw this, they respected him greatly. Li then composed his own matching verse, saying: 'Investigating Chan requires an iron fellow; / Taking action, it is settled at once in his mind. / Heading straight for unsurpassable bodhi, / Pay no heed to any rights and wrongs.' Today, only this last verse is transmitted.