宏智禪師廣錄 4.16

4.16

Ascending the hall, the Master brought up [the following]: "Daowu and Jianyuan went together to a family's house to pay condolences. Yuan patted the coffin and said, 'Alive or dead?' Wu said, 'I won't say alive, and I won't say dead.' Yuan said, 'Why won't you say?' Wu said, 'I won't say! I won't say!' Halfway back, Yuan said to Daowu, 'Preceptor, quickly tell me! If you don't tell me, I'll hit you!' Wu said, 'If you want to hit, go ahead and hit; as for saying, I won't say.' Yuan then hit him." The Master said: "Daowu speaking like this was already covering his ears to steal a bell. To then be beaten black and blue was much like losing money and suffering punishment besides. Do all of you understand thoroughly? Senior Monk Jue has a verse: / 'Alive or dead? / I won't say, I won't say! / They only know the silly dog angrily chasing the clod; / who sees the dead snake startled out of the grass? / Direct your gaze into the home grove and look: / upon the branch before budding, spring's sunlight is early.'"