佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 1.8

1.8

【一】舉梁武帝問達磨大師（說這不唧𠺕漢）如何是聖諦第一義（是甚繫驢橛）磨云。廓然無聖（將謂多少奇特。箭過新羅。可殺明白）帝曰。對朕者誰（滿面慚惶。強惺惺果然。摸索不着）磨云。不識（咄。再來不直半文錢）帝不契（可惜許。却較些子）達磨遂渡江至魏（這野狐精。不免一場懡㦬。從西過東。從東過西）帝後舉問志公（貧兒思舊債。傍人有眼）志公云。陛下還識此人否（和志公趕出國始得。好與三十棒。達磨來也）帝云。不識（却是武帝承當得達磨公案）志公云。此是觀音大士。傳佛心印（胡亂指注。臂膊不向外曲）帝悔。遂遣使去請（果然把不住。向道不唧𠺕）志公云。莫道陛下發使去取（東家人死。西家人助哀。也好一時趕出國）闔國人去。他亦不回（志公也好與三十棒。不知脚跟下放大光明）。

Case 1: Emperor Wu of Liang asked Great Master Bodhidharma (Speaking of this clumsy fellow), 'What is the paramārtha of the holy truths?' (What kind of donkey-tethering stake is this?) Bodhidharma said, 'Vast and void, nothing holy.' (He thought it would be quite extraordinary; the arrow has flown past Silla. Utterly clear!) The Emperor said, 'Who is confronting us?' (A face full of shame and embarrassment; forcing himself to be clever, sure enough. He cannot lay a hand on it.) Bodhidharma said, 'I do not know.' (Bah! Coming a second time, it isn't worth half a coin.) The Emperor did not understand. (What a pity! Yet he was slightly close.) Bodhidharma thereupon crossed the river to Wei. (This wild fox spirit cannot avoid a bout of embarrassment. Going from west to east, going from east to west.) The Emperor later brought this up and asked Master Zhi. (A pauper thinking of old debts; bystanders have eyes.) Master Zhi said, 'Does Your Majesty still know this person?' (He ought to be driven out of the country along with Master Zhi; he deserves thirty blows of the staff. Bodhidharma has arrived!) The Emperor said, 'I do not know.' (Yet Emperor Wu takes up Bodhidharma's gong'an.) Master Zhi said, 'This is the Mahāsattva Guanyin, transmitting the Buddha's mind-seal.' (Wild pointing and explaining; the arm does not bend outward.) The Emperor regretted it and sent an emissary to invite him back. (Sure enough, he cannot hold fast; told you he was a clumsy fellow.) Master Zhi said, 'Do not say that Your Majesty sends an emissary to fetch him; (When someone in the eastern house dies, the western house joins in mourning; he too might as well be driven out of the country on the spot.) even if the whole country went, he would not return.' (Master Zhi also deserves thirty blows of the staff; he does not know that great light is radiating from beneath his own feet.)