虛堂和尚語錄 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Recorded Sayings at Baolin Chan Monastery on Mount Yunhuang in Wuzhou

2.3

Entering the monastery, the Master pointed to the mountain gate: "Without laboring to snap the fingers, how could it involve deliberation? The ready-made gate—only those who arrive know it."

2.4

Pointing to the Buddha Hall: "Śākya in front, Maitreya behind—tell me, which one is the true host?" He gave a shout.

Holding up the appointment letter: "Ordinarily, the people of clouds and water either congeal or flow, having no fixed attachments from the start. Why is it that when this comes into one's hands, one immediately resides right here? Try giving a turning word!"

2.6

The letter of invitation from the various monasteries: "In residing, one must select neighbors; the mirror is not still water. Light and darkness encroach upon each other; the words are still ringing in the ears."

2.7

The letter of invitation from the monastery gate: "Closing the door, all is within one's own house. Why is there any need for cold words and chilled speech to strike at people in secret? If you do not believe it, listen to what follows."

2.8

Pointing to the Dharma seat: "Piling up grass and gathering stones, explaining existence and discussing emptiness; borrowing from antiquity is still too slow, so in one stroke sweep it all away. Why? There is another path."

2.9

The Master ascended the hall, completed the prayer for the Emperor, and took his seat, saying: "Generally, one who is skilled in archery must hit the bullseye with every shot; if it does not hit the mark, burying the feathers in vain is useless. Is there anyone skilled in archery? Try shooting an arrow and let us see!" A monk asked, "Not descending from heaven, not welling up from the earth—from where does Mount Sumeru come?" The Master said, "It abruptly protrudes, hard to distinguish." The monk said, "I will simply take this true news to pray for our Emperor's hundred million springs." The Master said, "The nest knows wind; the burrow knows rain." The monk said, "Shuangchou is a superb place, the realm where the Great Being manifested his teaching. As the distant descendant of Ying'an, today Xutang steps high in his footsteps. Is it truly verified or not?" The Master said, "Falsely accusing another of a crime brings the penalty upon oneself." The monk said, "What can be done when right and wrong have already fallen upon the ears of bystanders, so that even turning the Heavenly River would not wash it clean?" The Master said, "A flushed face is not as good as straight speech." The monk said, "What expedient means does the Upādhyāya have in response to the prefect and vice minister requesting the Upādhyāya to dwell on this celebrated mountain?" The Master said, "The sword is held in the hand of the steamer."
The monk said, "Do you also permit the student to reveal some news?" The Master said, "Where the cuckoo cries, flowers are scattered in disarray." The monk bowed.

2.10

The Master then said: "Not hanging a single thread still involves slight subtleties; uniquely detached with nothing to rely on is not yet the ultimate standard. For patch-robed monks, coming and going is not done through appearances, and movement and stillness are not done through the mind. When dark functioning is without fixed direction, the myriad capacities are instantly revealed. Then one sees the iron tree putting forth branches atop the peak of Yunhuang, and waves rising without wind beside the small white flowers. Everywhere is the realm of the Universal Gate; in every aspect is the bodhimaṇḍa of Maitreya. Not reacting to the myriad conditions, spiritual clarity is naturally attained, immediately bringing about the breeze of Yao and the sun of Shun, to enjoy peaceful prosperity together, while the woodcutter's chant and fisherman's song are all drenched in the sagely transformation. In the end, what is taken as verification?" Striking with the whisk: "Walking over the cliff sedge, the auspicious qilin steps steadily; / Flying from the ocean trees, the white phoenix is at ease."

2.11

He also cited: "The King of Min invited Luoshan to open the hall. Just as he ascended the seat, he gathered his saṅghāṭī robe with his hands, looked at the great assembly, and immediately stepped down from the seat. The King came forward, took Luoshan's hand, and said, 'How does the assembly on Gṛdhrakūṭa differ from today?' Luoshan said, 'I took you for a common fellow.'"
The Master said: "Luoshan making this move at that time certainly startled the crowd and stirred the assembly, thanks to meeting a great king who was a person of the Buddhadharma. If today someone suddenly asked the new Baolin, I would only say to him: 'I took it that there was no one who understood the tone.' Naturally, head and tail would be aligned."

2.12

That evening at the informal gathering, the Master said: "Most often people divine wildly and recklessly in the shadow of the yarrow stalks. Tonight, I have slashed open the hexagram figures for you all. Please come forward leisurely and deliberate." The questions and answers concluded, and the Master then said: "The guest is the master's physiognomist. Before arriving at Baolin, that was one thing; once having arrived at Baolin, this mountain monk's tricks cannot escape everyone poking their heads out and taking a peek. Fortunately, in the hall there are one or two who seem vaguely like old acquaintances, pointing out the wind chimes of the circumambulation pagoda ringing in confusion, scolding Master Liang Bao for his many words and excessive chatter. Then host and guest are seen in harmony, with neither having doubts about the other. Although it is like this, tell me, what Dharma is being spoken in Maitreya's palace today?" He struck with the staff: "Though the steel blade is sharp, it does not execute the innocent."

2.13

He also cited: "The Great Being Shanhui of this mountain met the ascetic Song of India, who said, 'I made a vow with you in the presence of Vipaśyin Buddha. Now the robe and bowl are in the palace of Tuṣita Heaven; when will you return?' He bid the Great Being look at his reflection over the water, where he saw a circular halo and a jeweled canopy. The Great Being said to him, 'At the place of the furnace and bellows there is much blunt iron; at the gate of a good physician there are plenty of sick people.'"
The Master said: "Hilarious, hilarious! At that time, when he said, 'Please, Great Being, look at your reflection over the water,' if he had picked up the door mallet and the cypress board and struck him right across the mouth, he would still have saved half of it. Why further talk about furnace, bellows, blunt iron, good physician, and sick people? By the time one returns to the original, the sword has long since gone. This mountain monk usually sides with principle and does not side with relatives. Is there anyone who will take the lead for the Great Being? If not, the night is deep; take care."

2.14

Ascending the hall, [the Master] cited: "National Teacher Yan addressed the assembly, saying: 'Under the gate of Gushan, coughing is not permitted.' At that time a monk coughed once. Gushan said, 'What was that?' The monk said, 'I have caught a cold.' Gushan said, 'Catching a cold is all right.'"
The Master said: "Right though it is, setting up a target invites arrows. If it were always like this, the Way would be cut off and people desolate."

2.15

At the informal gathering for entering the summer retreat, [the Master] struck with the staff: "There is no need for Sudhana to collect his thoughts or Maitreya to snap his fingers. I universally invite the four kinds of sages and six kinds of ordinary beings to enter this storehouse of great radiant light, mutually serving as host and companion, freely speaking of the diseases of Chan, causing the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the deluded to awaken, and the bound to be emancipated. Thereupon, during the ninety-day period, each verifies their fundamental Dharma. Afterwards, ascending to the Shuangchou Hall and entering the Xigeng room, they will weigh light and heavy on a steelyard without dots, to determine rewards for their labor. Do you understand?" He struck with the staff: "Lihwah-xi, tut tut tut!"

2.16

He also cited: "When Upādhyāya Tianping Congyi was on itinerant pilgrimage, he visited Xiyuan and would often say, 'Do not say you understand the Buddhadharma; is there anyone who can even bring up a topic of conversation?' One day Xiyuan called out, 'Congyi!' Ping raised his head. Xiyuan said, 'Wrong!' Ping took two or three steps; Xiyuan said again, 'Wrong!' Ping approached him, and Xiyuan said, 'As for these two "wrongs" just now, was Xiyuan wrong, or was the elder wrong?' Ping said, 'Congyi was wrong.' Xiyuan said, 'Wrong!' Ping stopped. Xiyuan said, 'Stay here for the summer retreat for a while, and wait until we can investigate these two "wrongs" together.' Ping immediately got up and left. Later, when he presided at a monastery, he addressed the assembly, saying, 'In the past when I was on itinerant pilgrimage, I was blown by the wind to Senior Monk Siming's place. He struck me with two "wrongs" in succession and further detained me to pass the summer to investigate them. I do not say I was wrong at that time; when I set foot toward the south, I was already wrong.'" The Master said, "Negligence in storing away valuables invites robbery; a seductive appearance invites lust. This summer at Shuanglin, is there anyone who will investigate these two 'wrongs'?"

2.17

The next day, he ascended the hall: "Each and every one of you crowns heaven and treads earth; why is it that as soon as you step on the shadow from two thousand years ago, you cannot make a single move? Is there anyone who does not step on this shadow?" Striking his staff, he said, "If there are, there are; it is just that they have not come today."

2.18

Ascending the hall to thank the head seat for taking up the whisk: "Appointing a general on the altar is to seek a hero who can revive the state; handing over the whisk to someone is to see a person of withered mind. Beneath Cloud-Yellow Peak, where elephants and dragons return, Xutang has worn through first where it is thinnest, leading people to take a turtle for a softshell."

2.19

Ascending the hall on the memorial day of the temple founder: "Who knows how many years the True Dharma and Semblance Dharma have lasted; one has not yet managed to present it, so how can one bear not being able to restrain oneself, coming forth to butt into the ranks and seize the market? Having not yet attained a successive station, he nevertheless passed away like that. Did he depart, or did he not depart?" Striking his staff, he said, "Revealed."

2.20

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Xinghua, because a monk asked, 'What happens when they come from all four directions and eight quarters?' Xinghua said, 'Strike the one in the middle.' The monk then bowed. Xinghua said, 'Yesterday I went to a village vegetarian feast; halfway along the road I ran into a bout of violent wind and torrential rain, and was able to take shelter in an ancient temple.'" The Master said, "When Xinghua had this monk produce a bladeless axe, he immediately hoisted high the flag of surrender. Had Baolin seen him bow at that time, he would have just stopped. Why? For the time being, let this fellow carry a board and pass his entire life in vain."

2.21

Ascending the hall on the birthday of the Mahāsattva: "Ever since Dhūta Song spoke of it thoroughly, not coming forth would have been the work of an adept; but without reason, when impoverished, one thinks of old debts and again broadcasts the family's disgrace. Do you wish to see the Mahāsattva?" Striking his staff, he said, "Empty-handed, holding a hoe; walking on foot, riding a water buffalo."

2.22

Ascending the hall, he cited: "On the road to Mount Tai there was an old woman. Whenever a monk asked, 'Which way is the road to Mount Tai?' the old woman said, 'Go straight ahead.' As soon as the monk walked off, the woman said, 'A fine monk, off he goes like that!' Zhaozhou heard of this and said, 'Wait until I go and investigate that old woman.' When Zhaozhou arrived, he asked as before, and the woman answered as before. Zhaozhou returned to the monastery and said, 'I have thoroughly investigated that old woman.'" The Master said, "This old woman set up a battle array where not an inch of grass grows. Zhaozhou, deploying no military strategy, sought to smash it directly; yet when the blades crossed, he suffered a loss instead. To say, 'I have thoroughly investigated her' is very much like carrying someone else's coffin into one's own house to weep. Is there anyone who can take charge for Zhaozhou?" Striking his staff, he said, "Having investigated her, strike them all in one blow!"

2.23

Ascending the hall: "Salt flavor in water, glue and green pigment in color—the ancestral masters only recognized a likeness; how does that differ from the man of Chu taking a chicken for a phoenix? In my place, even if you have three heads and six arms and exhaust your dynamic functioning as it comes, you will still have nowhere to gain a footing. Why? I am accustomed to using a three-foot beak to revile and overthrow the monks of the five lakes."

2.24

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Yunmen instructed the assembly: 'Even if you reach the point where whatever meets the eye is unobstructed, and you penetrate the emptiness of all dharmas such as nāmakāya and padakāya; and even if mountains, rivers, and the great earth are merely names, and names too are ungraspable—this being called the full endowment of the samādhi-nature ocean—it is still wave after wave where there is no wind. Even if you reach the point of forgetting knowing within awakening, and awakening is the buddha-nature itself, being called a person of no affairs, you must still know there is an aperture that goes beyond.'" The Master said, "Today Great Master Yunmen has entered your skulls, crisscrossing horizontally and vertically, seeing that you are neither aware nor conscious." He then said, "The land is vast and people are scarce; few are those who meet."

2.25

At the informal gathering for concluding the summer retreat, a monk asked: "The long period has ended, the cloth sack is opened; south of the river and north of the river remain water country as before; yellow leaves and yellow flowers are nothing but the colors of autumn. What about when the student departs just so?" The Master said, "Dig the ground and bury it deep." The monk said, "In that case, carrying the staff horizontally without looking back at anyone, I will head straight into thousands of peaks and myriads of peaks." The Master said, "Dew wets the straw sandals, making them heavy." The monk said, "If one does not cast fragrant bait, how can one know the depth of the jade-green pond?" The Master shouted; the monk bowed.

2.26

The Master then said: "When a single leaf falls, it is autumn under heaven—mistaking a servant for the master; when a single speck of dust rises, the great earth is gathered in—traces still remain. In early autumn and late summer, one must head straight to where there is not an inch of grass for ten thousand miles. Dry thatch catches fire; stepping out the door, there is grass everywhere. When seeing others rich and noble, always rejoice; do not let your heart burn like fire. Thus, thus: entangling vines from all four directions are swept away at once; not thus, not thus: the ninety days of effort are put to the test tonight. Roam at ease among the ten continents and three islands; come and go at will across Yandang and Tiantai. But as for Yunmen's saying, 'Give me back the cost of ninety days of meals,' how do you understand it?"

2.27

He also cited: "Huangbo, on the occasion of Linji taking his leave, Huangbo said, 'Where are you going?' Linji said, 'If not south of the river, then north of the river.' Huangbo struck him; Linji caught the staff and gave him a slap. Huangbo burst into loud laughter, called his attendant, and said, 'Bring the late master Baizhang's meditation board and whisk.' Linji also called the attendant, 'Bring fire!' Huangbo said, 'Just take them with you; in the future, you will stop the tongues of people throughout the world.'" The Master said, "Concealed harmony and overt concurrence were not lacking, but how can the two mahāsattvas help that with time it became an abuse? If a monk at Baolin came to take his leave, I would strike him on the back with the staff. Why? Better that moss grow in the hall than to lead people into the weeds."

2.28

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Yunmen, because a monk asked, 'What is the talk that transcends buddhas and surpasses patriarchs?' Yunmen said, 'A sesame cake.'" The Master said, "A bird wounded by an arrow flies high upon seeing a bent branch. If someone sees Yunmen, offer my apologies well."

2.29

Ascending the hall when a donor donated land to establish Bodhidharma's memorial: "Great Master Bodhidharma, fearing that you people would eat rice through your nostrils, specially came from the Western Heaven; having seen it clearly, he returned to the Western Heaven. Now there is the person of the Way Liu Shanfu, who, seeing an injustice on the road, donated fertile fields to the permanent monastic property to make an offering every year on this day, intending to pierce his nostrils. Today marks the first offering; tell me, does that old fellow come or not?" Striking his staff, he said, "Though gold dust is precious, falling into the eye it causes a blur."

2.30

Offering incense on Bodhidharma's first memorial: "Shattering the attachments of the six schools, his path encompassed the five regions of India; cutting off the doubts of the Second Patriarch, his radiance flowed through China. Even suffering knocked-out teeth and taking poison—how was any of it not due to this? Speak not of a solitary shadow crossing the flowing sands; before Bear Ear Peak, the moon is like broad daylight. With a pinch of incense and a cup of tea, we fondly recall his bequeathed voice: a single thought for ten thousand years, the true style never falls to the ground."

2.31

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Huangbo instructed the assembly: 'All of you are people who swallow distiller's grains! Going on itinerant pilgrimage like this, where will you find today? Do you realize that in the great Tang empire there are no Chan masters?' At that time a monk came forward and said, 'What about those in various places who guide disciples and lead assemblies?' Huangbo said, 'I do not say there is no Chan, only that there are no masters.'" The Master said, "Many miss the mark regarding this little bit of talk. Zhen Dianxiong said: 'The leopard in the mist glosses its fur, never descending to eat; the yard bird nurtures its courage, waiting to startle people in the end.' He only knew of the intention to nurture people of talent, but did not know that a fire snake in the dead ashes burns the face. If you penetrate this, you personally see Huangbo; otherwise, by no means understand it in the manner of those who swallow distiller's grains."

2.32

At the informal gathering for the winter solstice, a monk asked: "Mañjuśrī was the teacher of seven buddhas; why could he not bring the woman out of samādhi?" The Master said, "The domestic ghost causes trouble." The monk said, "Wangming was a śrāvaka from the world below; why was he able to bring her out?" The Master said, "A half bolt of cloth, fully sealed." The monk said, "'Not falling into cause and effect'—why did he fall into being a wild fox?" The Master said, "Digging a pond does not wait for the moon; when the pond is made, the moon comes naturally." The monk said, "'Not blinding cause and effect'—why was he freed from being a wild fox?" The Master said, "Brocade wrapped around a strange stone." The monk said, "What about when Lao Guan met a monk and stretched noodles?" The Master said, "With money, one can make the ghosts run." The monk said, "What about when Ruzu met a monk and faced the wall?" The Master said, "Not an inch of grass grows." The monk said, "Today the student has made a small effort and met with great fortune." He then bowed. The Master said, "You are missing an awl behind your head."

2.33

He then said: "With torn clothes and exposed elbows, broken doors and ruined house, if you wish to know when extreme adversity brings prosperity, naturally there are proper seasons and junctures. Patch-robed monks dream on and on; if you can push through day by day, that is being an adept. Who cares if you are lazy about washing your cloth shorts and do not spread your sleeping mat? Even if you manage to control the twelve hours, all you will gain is white mold growing around your mouth. When Baolin gives an announcement like this, it is only to strike a clean ball. Is there anyone who mixes with mud and water and transforms together with things? Come forward; I want to know you." After a good while, he made a stroke with his staff and said, "A mountain of nine fathoms about to be completed lacks the work of a single basketful of earth."

2.34

He also cited: "Mingzhao instructed the assembly. As soon as the assembly gathered, Zhao said, 'The wind here is somewhat stiff; let us return to a warm place to confer.' He then stepped down from his seat. The assembly followed him to the abbot's quarters; Zhao then struck them, saying, 'As soon as you reach a warm place, you immediately get drowsy.'" The Master said, "Bellowing and shouting, disheartening ten thousand people, was not lacking; but Mingzhao simply had not seen anyone abandon their armor and drag their weapons. Is there anyone who will share death and share life?" He gave a shout.

2.35

The next day he ascended the hall: "A scene of solitude, purity transmitted in the family; as soon as one responds to the myriad conditions, the stone man claps his hands. If you understand it clearly, 'Peace between earth and heaven: auspicious, nothing not favorable.' Otherwise, it is the stele of Divine Yu on the summit of Goulou Peak."

2.36

Ascending the hall on the Tianji Festival: "Wind polishes the kalpa stone, yet it stays firm and moist; / Snow defies the solitary pine, its tone turning ever greener. / Throughout the four seas, peace and prosperity reign, the misty waves are still; / South of the Dipper, the Old Man Star is perpetually seen."

2.37

Ascending the hall on the eighth day of the twelfth month: "Not entering deep into the mountains, one's view is not free; / This causes the buckets of black lacquer, one after another, to never cease their deluded thoughts. / Baolin has a point of view, but simply does not speak of it. / Why? / In the bitter cold of the twelfth month, wind and snow blow; / Hurriedly pulling oneself away, one is already late."

2.38

Ascending the hall, a monk asked, "When snow covers the thousand mountains, why is the solitary peak not white?"
The master said, "How much of the Dragon King's wind can it consume?"
The monk said, "Great and small, Xutang has lost the advantage today!"
The master said, "An arm never bends outward."
The monk said, "Puhua shook his wooden clapper and ascended into the sky; I wonder, where did he go?"
The master said, "Three times nine is twenty-seven."
The monk said, "Ultimately, where did he go?"
The master said, "One who bites human turds is no good dog."
The monk said, "Today this student gave out little and gained much." He then bowed.
The master said, "Pauper's brat!"

2.39

He then cited: "Baizhang was asked by a monk, 'What is the extraordinary thing?'
Baizhang said, 'Sitting alone on the Great Hero Peak.'
The monk bowed; Baizhang then struck him."
The master said, "Baizhang indeed had great capacity and great function; yet had he not been met by a swordsman, he would almost have compromised his integrity."

2.40

At an informal gathering on New Year's Eve, a monk asked, "The old year cannot be sent away; the new year cannot be welcomed in. The new and old are originally unfeeling—who can conjecture their coming and going?"
The master said, "The stone slab of Shigandang in front of the gate."
The monk said, "Just as the old year has already gone and the new year has already come, is there still anyone among patch-robed monks who is not shifted by cold and heat?"
The master said, "There is."
The monk said, "Which one is not shifted?"
The master said, "The snow lion below the steps."
The monk said, "As before, it cannot leap out."
The master said, "Heavens, heavens!"

2.41

He then said, "The place where cold and heat do not reach, the bare pillar bears witness to; the months and years without shift or change, the person of the Way's eyes are alive. Therefore, a year has three hundred and sixty days; counting from the year's start to the year's end, not a single day has ever failed to function as a day. Today is precisely the thirtieth night of the twelfth month. You might think that cold ashes flare up and dead trees bloom again, but when you consider it carefully, fundamentally there is still plenty of snow ahead. Baolin speaks in such a way, knowing full well that in extreme poverty one roasts oneself, and in starvation one wrangles with oneself; having no one to speak to, he just makes a bit of bustle. Why so? Having experienced the bitterness of frost and snow, even the falling of willow catkins brings a startle."

2.42

He again cited: "Beichan instructed the assembly on New Year's Eve: 'The year is at its end, the months exhausted; I have nothing to share the New Year with you all. I'll boil a white ox on the open ground, steam millet drink, cook wild greens soup, burn firewood roots, and sing village field tunes, so as to avoid depending on other people's gates or leaning against their walls.' He then stepped down from his seat. At that time, a monk came forward and said, 'The Venerable slaughters an ox, why does he not pay tax on the sinews and horns?' Beichan threw down his hat. The monk picked it up and said, 'The weather is cold; I return the Venerable's hat.'"
The master said, "The Shao music played in nine movements; the phoenix comes to present its poise."

2.43

Ascending the hall: "Daily deluded thoughts upon the meditation cushion leave you nowhere to put your hand, leading you to rush south and run north, like ducks swallowing snails. Today, this mountain monk will not stir sound or breath to give you all an entrance."
After a long pause, he clapped his hands and said, "Half can enter; half cannot enter."

2.44

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Layman Pang took leave of Yaoshan. Yaoshan ordered ten Chan guests to see him off to the gate. The Layman pointed to the snow in the air and said, 'Fine snowflakes, flake by flake, they fall nowhere else.'
At that time, Chan Guest Quan said, 'Where do they fall?'
The Layman gave him a slap.
Quan said, 'Layman, do not be so hasty!'
The Layman said, 'Calling yourself a Chan guest like this, Old Yama hasn't released you yet!'
Quan said, 'What about you, Layman?'
The Layman gave him another slap."
The master said, "Though they were two slaps, between them there was lifting up and pressing down, holding back and letting go."

2.45

When a junior disciple made an offering, the master ascended the hall and cited: "Zhangjing had a junior disciple return from traveling around. Zhangjing said, 'How long have you been away from here?'
The monk said, 'It has already been eight years.'
Zhangjing said, 'What have you accomplished?'
The monk drew a circle on the ground.
Zhangjing said, 'Is there anything more beyond this?'
The monk stepped forward, wiped out the circle, made a bow, and withdrew."
The master said, "A strict master produces fine disciples; at Erlin, the child's rearing does not equal the father's. I just instruct him to make offerings to the great assembly; there is no need to present views. Why so? For fear that scanty courtesy may invite resentment."

2.46

Ascending the hall, a monk asked, "Lingyun was enlightened upon seeing peach blossoms. This student also sees one or two branches every day; why am I not enlightened?"
The master said, "Holding blood in your mouth to spit at others, your own mouth is dirtied first."
The monk said, "Why did Xuansha not approve him?"
The master said, "He is a person within his own house."
The monk said, "When this student reaches here, it is much like a monkey biting raw iron."
The master said, "Do not just care about looking good on the surface."
The monk said, "I still require the Venerable to understand thoroughly."

2.47

The master then cited: "Yunmen asked the head monk, 'Are the mountains, rivers, and the great earth identical to or distinct from oneself?'
The head monk said, 'Identical.'
Yunmen said, 'Are all living beings, flying moths, and small ants identical to or distinct from oneself?'
The head monk said, 'Identical.'
Yunmen said, 'I asked you politely; why meet me with shields and spears?'"
The master said, "Yunmen is easy to see; the head monk is hard to see. Why so? Because he does not sit in the realm of non-change, he says 'identical.'"

2.48

When Venerable Zhizhe arrived, the master ascended the hall: "Bathing in the water jar, cultivating oneself under the ancient stump—each has his inches long and feet short, so what harm in being close neighbors? Meeting again there is nothing to do; when you do not come, I still think of you. The cuckoo's cry breaks off as the moon is like daylight, not like passing the spring in vain as usual."

2.49

At the informal gathering for entering the summer retreat: "This matter is like the blue sky and bright sun, without the slightest thread of hindrance or obstruction. It is only that you people lack high wisdom-eyes and fall into demarcations; hence our Great Being of India was troubled to establish periods and limits, prescribing medicines according to diseases for faculties of medium and lower capacity. If one is of the superior stream, how would he accept such provisions from you? Moreover, this summer has precisely one hundred and twenty days: where will you people put your hands? If you have nowhere to put your hand, you disappoint the Great Being of India; if you find a place to put your hand, do not wait until the period is full, just speak and let us see. Why so? Because this old monk urgently wishes to arrange it under the bright window."

2.50

He again cited: "Shoushan instructed the assembly: 'Bah! Clever daughter, casting the shuttle yet not knowing how to weave! Look at that cock-fighter—he doesn't even recognize a water buffalo. Bah! Clumsy young gentleman, his ingenuity unrecognized by anyone; he smashes the Fenglin Pass and stands upon the water wearing boots.'"
The master said, "Shoushan claimed to have the authentic transmission of Linji, yet he made the cry of a wild fox, causing sons and grandsons throughout the world to drag through mud and drip with water, every single one."

2.51

The next day, ascending the hall, he cited: "In former days, when ancestral teacher Ying'an resigned his duties at this mountain, he spent the summer at Jingming and instructed the assembly: 'Seventy monks from thirty-three prefectures, with donkey cheeks and horse jaws, despised by others. If the various quarters had possessed hands that could snare them, today they would have had no cause to reach Jingming.'"
The master said, "One can imagine the dragons and elephants of that time! This clumsy grandson is narrow and shallow, not daring to denigrate the various quarters; I just have a few more prefectures to rival him in secret. Why so?" Striking the staff: "'I advise you not to plant brambles and thorns; later sons and grandsons will catch their clothes.'"

2.52

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Emperor Suzong asked National Teacher Zhong, 'What will you need a hundred years from now?'
The National Teacher said, 'Build a seamless stupa for this old monk.'
The Emperor said, 'Please, Master, what is the design of the stupa?'
The National Teacher remained silent for a long time, then said, 'Do you understand?'
The Emperor said, 'I do not understand.'
The National Teacher said, 'I have a Dharma-transmission disciple, Danyuan, who is well-versed in this matter.'
After the National Teacher passed away, the Emperor summoned Danyuan and questioned him. Danyuan said, 'South of Xiang, north of Tan, within there is yellow gold filling a country. Under the shadowless tree, the common ferryboat; upon the lapis lazuli palace, no spiritual friend.'"
The master said, "If Suzong at that time had let out a shout during the National Teacher's long silence, he would have saved Danyuan from falling into pits and dropping into trenches. Do you want to see the seamless stupa?" Striking the staff: "'I urge you to drain this cup of wine; west of Yang Pass there are no old friends.'"

2.53

Ascending the hall, a monk asked, "In investigation one must genuinely investigate; in enlightenment one must genuinely be enlightened. What is genuine investigation?"
The master said, "Distinct and still."
The monk said, "The long period is already half over, like a winter melon soaked in cold water. What expedient means does the Venerable have?"
The master said, "Pure and vivacious."
The monk said, "Zhaozhou instructed a monk, 'Go wash your bowl.' That monk was thereupon enlightened. What is the meaning of this?"
The master said, "Burning paper money to draw ghosts."
The monk said, "We have eaten our gruel and washed our bowls; why are we not enlightened?"
The master said, "A sweet melon is sweet all the way to its stem."
The monk bowed.
The master said, "Indeed."

2.54

He then cited: "One day, Yanguan called his attendant to bring the rhinoceros-horn fan. The attendant said, 'It is already broken.'
Yanguan said, 'Since the fan is broken, return the rhinoceros to me!' The attendant had no response."
The master said, "Yanguan feared his attendant was not present. Erlin's fan is needed in the summer months, so there is no need to trouble the attendant. As for the rhinoceros, I concede it to the National Teacher."

2.55

Ascending the hall: "Erlin fundamentally has no gate or door for people to draw near to, nor does it place them in the land of nothingness. It only requires you all to be like iron entering the earth, transforming together with the earth; only then can you break forth. But as for those who haul dung inside, what can I do with them?"

2.56

Ascending the hall, a monk asked, "When the Dharma-body is ill, the physical body is uneasy; when the physical body is ill, the Dharma-body is uneasy. How can one escape this?"
The master said, "Apply it to the mouth."
The monk said, "Illness of the physical body indeed exists; how can the Dharma-body be ill?"
The master said, "Its illness is most painful."
The monk said, "Much like Old Vimalakīrti suffering on behalf of sentient beings."
The master said, "You do not know him fully yet."
The monk said, "Could it be that the Buddha's hand cannot cover it, while human minds treat it as ordinary?"
The master said, "Parting the waves to look for water."
The monk said, "Ultimately, how is it?"
The master said, "Wait until your nostrils have no breath, then I will tell you."
The monk then shouted.
The master said, "Coward!"

2.57

He then said, "For several days, the water buffalo has had no appetite for water and grass; this is because herding it has been of no effect. If you say that once it enters the weeds, you yank it out by the nostrils, this is not yet the method of herding an ox either. Well, how should it be herded?" Striking the meditation couch, he said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk! You brute!"

2.58

Ascending the hall upon building the Fenglin Storehouse: "A phoenix eats nothing but bamboo seeds and drinks nothing but sweet spring water; why then is it at the village of Wooden Bridge?" Striking the staff: "Where there is a grove, it is truly a genuine dwelling; when the wind is mild, one only hears its cry in the quiet night."

2.59

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Yunmen was asked by a monk, 'Is the Buddha-Dharma like the moon in the water, or not?'
Yunmen said, 'The clear waves have no penetrating path.'"
The master said, "Yunfeng said, 'Yunmen's Chan is like the nine-times transformed elixir penetrating the vase.' If it truly were so, I fear it is not yet so."

2.60

Ascending the hall: "In all quarters they chant incantations morning and evening, wanting to drag you into being master of the broth and rice. Here with me, an itchy mangy dog does not wish to be born in heaven. If you find a path where no one walks, vast and open, completely free at the turning point, then you are my fellow traveler."

2.61

At the informal gathering for concluding the summer retreat, a monk asked, "At the beginning of autumn and the end of summer, a patch-robed monk's bearing is like a king's. Leaving Shuanglin, how does he apply himself on the road?" The master said, "Treading it so soft as mud." The monk said, "Isn't this very thing his application on the road?" The master said, "Southern Dipper, Northern Dipper." The monk said, "Understood." The master pointed once with his whisk; the monk bowed.

2.62

The master then said: "Walking upon the ground of the saṃghārāma for a whole summer, never daring to take a heavy step, treading upon a single tile belonging to the permanent property of the monastic community—tomorrow morning the term is fulfilled; how should the rewards be bestowed? If I start counting from the head seat's bench down to the holy monk's attendant and grant it to everyone, I fear everyone would say this mountain monk makes no distinction between black and white; if I weigh their relative merits, it would seem this mountain monk's benevolence is not universal. How can it be made fitting? Therefore it is said: 'Beneath a heavy reward, there will surely be brave warriors.' While a heavy reward will certainly not be refused, which one is a brave warrior?" Suddenly taking up his staff, he pointed, saying: "It is you!"

2.63

He also cited: "Because Linji went up the mountain in the middle of the summer retreat to pay his respects, seeing Huangbo reading a sutra, Linji said, 'I had thought he was a man; turns out he is an old monk soaking black beans.' Having stayed for a few days, he then took his leave. Huangbo said, 'You broke the retreat to come here; why not finish the retreat before leaving?' Linji said, 'I merely came to pay respects for a short while.' Huangbo then beat him and ordered him to leave. Having walked several miles, Linji doubted this matter and returned once again to finish the summer retreat." The master said, "If Huangbo at that time had displayed great capacity and great function and put an end once and for all to Linji's thieving mind, his descendants today would not have had their tails singed yellow. In the forest of twin timbers, is there anyone who would come again to finish the summer retreat?" He gave a shout.

2.64

Ascending the hall, a monk asked: "The world is so vast and broad; why put on the seven-strip robe upon hearing the sound of the bell?" The master said: "Where the water is shallow there are no fish; dropping the hook is in vain." The monk said: "The long period has already passed; what about the matter midway?" The master said: "All along, it cannot be gathered up." The monk said: "Chanting praises atop the bell tower and planting vegetables beneath the bedposts—what side of the matter does this clarify?" The master said: "Scraping the skin to see the bone." The monk said: "Head Monk Sheng said a fierce tiger sits blocking the road; what then?" The master said: "A beggar's mat-bag."

2.65

He then cited: "'The cock crows at the chou hour; grieved to see oneself arise. / Still leaking and lagging—neither skirt nor partial robe! / The appearance of the kaṣāya is negligible; / Having trousers without a waist, leggings without openings. / On the head, three to five pecks of blue ashes. / Looking forward to practicing to benefit people, / Who knew that on the contrary it would turn out so clumsy!'" The master said, "Zhaozhou adds dimples to the new bride's face and also walks inside the embroidered curtain, only few people catch sight of her."

2.66

Offering incense on the death anniversary of his late master Yun'an: "The old upādhyāya has been dead for twenty-five years; who is there to prop up the gates and hold up the household? Although walking out on the very same day as Songyuan, he did not understand Songyuan's three turning words. Father and son ran in opposite directions, never looking upon each other's faces; right up to the present it has become rash and desolate. The dew is cold, the wind high, the autumn mood is deep; for long I have had no heart to offer goosefoot and millet."

2.67

Ascending the hall on Mid-Autumn, a monk asked: "Gṛdhrakūṭa speaks of the moon, Caoxi points to the moon; what is the meaning of this?" The master said: "Deceiving the barbarian and hoodwinking the Han." The monk said: "What fault does Third Son Xie have?" The master said: "The crime of falsely accusing others." The monk said: "Then the moon is full in the heavens and half-full among men." The master said: "An old crow pecks an oyster." The monk drew a circle, saying: "How to clarify this?" The master said: "Clarify it, and you go blind." The monk said: "Thank you, Master, for pointing it out." The master said: "Repeatedly bearing sons." He then said: "Huating's boat is full yet still not enough; Nanquan hurries his pace yet fails to tread on it. All the others before our eyes are in chaos, all saying they see the moon and forget the finger." Striking his staff: "Where is the moon?"

2.68

Ascending the hall, a monk asked: "Yangshan said to Xiangyan, 'I grant that elder brother understands the Tathāgata Chan, but you have not yet dreamed of the Patriarch Chan.' What is the meaning of this?" The master said: "A snake enters a bamboo tube." The monk said: "Yangshan suffered an injustice for nothing." The master said: "Together with you, neither can slip away." The monk said: "What is the Tathāgata Chan?" The master said: "An iron wall, an iron wall." The monk said: "What is the Patriarch Chan?" The master said: "In the lands of Chu the clouds are cold; on the mountains of Yue the wind is warm." The monk said: "What is the Upādhyāya's Chan?" The master said: "Are you insane or are you crazy?" The monk said: "From now on, this student will ask no questions." The master said: "You must still be tested."

2.69

He then cited: "When Senior Monk Fu of Taiyuan first went to study with Xuefeng, as soon as he stepped over the threshold and saw Xuefeng, he immediately went to greet the administrative monks. The next day he came back to bow and said, 'Yesterday I offended the upādhyāya.' Xuefeng said, 'Know that when such a thing happens, let it rest.'" The master said, "Everyone says Xuefeng had the knack of trapping tigers but lacked the sword to slay dragons. Little do they know that the bond of raising a son is broad and full of forbearance."

2.70

Ascending the hall on the Double Ninth, a monk asked: "Principle does not follow changes in phenomena; phenomena do not shift with principle. On the day of nine-nine, why beat the drum and ascend the hall?" The master said: "Principle and phenomena cannot restrain him." The monk said: "What kind of person is he?" The master said: "Head light, tail heavy, feet trailing in the sand." The monk said: "You have pointed it out wrong to someone!" The master said: "This mountain monk is advanced in years." The monk said: "Fenyang said: 'On the ninth day of the Double Ninth, the chrysanthemums are fresh.' What is the meaning of this?" The master said: "I have no rhinoceros horn to part the waters, so naturally I am unstained by dust." The monk said: "Today Fenyang loses his integrity." The master said: "Where do you see Fenyang?" The monk then shouted. The master said: "Shooting with a corded arrow, do not shoot birds at roost."

2.71

He then said: "'Plucking chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence, / Leisurely I behold the southern mountains.' Although Tao Jingjie was a layman, he nonetheless possessed some patch-robed monk talk. Even so, he was a man of the Jin dynasty; he cannot be completely trusted."

2.72

Ascending the hall to open the hearth and thank the head seat, a monk asked: "Zhaozhou said: 'I call it fire, but you must not call it fire.' What is the meaning of this?" The master said: "Grappling hooks and hawser cords." The monk said: "Today I have met Zhaozhou." The master said: "Do you understand his 'gourd propping up the eastern wall'?" The monk said: "It is also common home-style tea and rice." The master said: "The lad of Huxiang."

2.73

He then said: "The frosty wind warns of dawn; yellow leaves pile up like clouds. Just like my own school, equally desolate and bleak. There are those who say: 'The old fellow usually competes in poverty, not in wealth.' This mountain monk thinks otherwise. Why? As long as there is someone on the head of the bench, naturally the warm air will harmonize."

2.74

Offering incense on Bodhidharma's second death anniversary: "At Congling Song Yun did not see him; how could his whole body have been at Xiong'er? Flint-struck sparks and flashes of lightning cannot compare at all. Meeting again in the Hall of the Twin Lindens, in the end how could two teeth ever have been missing? Transmitting the mind amidst the snow, using bamboo joint ashes to subdue ghosts—who in later generations of sons and grandsons will heed you? Coarse broth and plain rice should be served with earnest devotion; from here, the fragrant wind of the four seas arises."

2.75

Ascending the hall, a monk asked: "Budai's many years down and out; Panshan's pork stall; the fish basket in Guanyin's hands; the cypress clappers at the Bodhisattva's gate—when this entangling web arrives before Xutang, what then?" The master said: "Sulu, sulu." The monk said: "Transforming an ordinary person into a sage, or demoting a sage to an ordinary person—then the upādhyāya is not lacking." The master said: "The house dog bites people." The monk said: "Budai opened it up in the busy bustle, picking up item after item and saying, 'Look! Look!' What is the meaning of this?" The master said: "Without even being cross-examined, he collapses in defeat." The monk said: "And tell me, how far is that from beating the cypress clappers at the gate?" The master said: "Poverty and starvation press upon each other." The monk said: "I do not ask about the fish basket in the hands, but what about the matter at the pork stall?" The master said: "Before the gates of hell, a ghost slips its shackles." The monk said: "Had I not put forward this question, I would have wasted an entire lifetime." The master then shouted.

2.76

He then cited: "Luoshan, first studying with Yantou, asked: 'When arising and ceasing do not stop, what then?' Yantou said: 'Bah! Who is it that arises and ceases?' Luoshan was suddenly greatly enlightened." The master said, "Although Yantou drove a wedge where he saw an aperture, he burdened that Luoshan with sitting in the place where arising and ceasing do not stop."

2.77

Ascending the hall, a monk asked: "If we discuss warfare, everyone's strength lies in the turn; what is the meaning of this?" The master said: "It is still a dead method." The monk said: "What is the living method?" The master said: "Hoisting the sail against the wind." The monk said: "Today Shuanglin admits defeat on his own." The master said: "Growing old and turning into a spirit." The monk said: "A person of great strength—why can he not lift his feet?" The master said: "A lion bites the person; the hound of Han chases the clod." The monk said: "Why does opening the mouth not depend on the tongue?" The master said: "Holding the stolen goods while crying injustice." The monk said: "A clear-eyed patch-robed monk—why is the red silk thread under his heels unbroken?" The master said: "Greedy for too much, he chews it not fine." The monk said: "Songyuan in the past, the upādhyāya today." The master said: "Keep it firmly in mind."

2.78

He then said: "This matter is very easy, yet because of straying it is turned into a difficulty. Where is the straying? What the eye sees and what the ear hears is straying; what the nose smells and what the tongue tastes is straying; running about and grasping is straying; sensory contact and clinging conditions are straying; right up to raising the mind and stirring thoughts, practicing Chan and inquiring into the Way, far-fetched interpretations of ancient and modern, right and wrong, others and self—all of this is straying. There is only one place where there is no straying, but it is difficult to explain to you all. If it were explained, then even that which does not stray would all at once have strayed."

2.79

At the informal gathering on the Winter Solstice, a monk asked: "Before the black beans have sprouted, what then?" The master said: "Black scales wrinkle the ground." The monk said: "What about after they sprout?" The master said: "Black scales wrinkle the ground." The monk said: "What about the time of sprouting and not sprouting?" The master said: "Black scales wrinkle the ground." The monk said: "If so, what distinction is there?" The master said: "In the place where there is no distinction, recognize that black scales wrinkle the ground." The monk said: "Tonight, this student bows to become prime minister while clad in plain white." He then bowed. Another monk came forward and asked: "What is the matter of winter's arrival? An ancient worthy said: 'The capital produces rhubarb.' What is the meaning of this?" The master said: "Seeking length in what is short." The monk said: "If someone suddenly asks the upādhyāya about the matter of winter's arrival, what then?" The master said: "Adding clothes after snow is definitely cold." The monk said: "So the ancient worthy is still here after all." The master said: "You are An Lushan."

2.80

He then said: "Before the reed ashes stir, the pitch-pipes already know; though darkness goes and light comes, there has never been shift or decay. Therefore, patch-robed monks conform to principle and conform to phenomena, letting the boat float downstream. Little do they know that in the land without yin and yang, brambles reach to the sky; while on the side with deeds and contracts, caltrops cover the earth—causing the fellows of spring growth and summer maturation to find it truly difficult to draw near. Erlin lets a move pass, bending accommodated to the present time."

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虛堂和尚語錄 — Classical Chinese