佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 6.21

6.21

[Case 55] Case: Daowu and Jianyuan arrived at a family's home to offer condolences. Yuan patted the coffin and said, "Is it alive or dead?" (What are you saying? So un-awake! This fellow is still caught between the two extremes.)
Wu said, "I won't say alive, and I won't say dead." (A dragon chants and mists arise; a tiger roars and winds spring up. Measuring the head to buy a hat. A heart of grandmotherly kindness.)
Yuan said, "Why won't you say?" (Blundered past it. Indeed, a mistaken understanding.)
Wu said, "I won't say! I won't say!" (Foul water poured right over his head. The first arrow was still light, but the second arrow went deep.)
On the way back (Too wide awake),
Yuan said, "Preceptor, tell me quickly! If you don't tell me, I will strike you, Preceptor!" (Now getting a little bit somewhere. Rarely encountering an ear-pierced foreigner; mostly meeting people carving marks on a boat. Such an un-clever fellow enters hell as swift as an arrow.)
Wu said, "Strike me if you will, but as for telling, I won't say!" (Again and again one must treat the matter with gravity. Plundering on his very body. This old fellow is covered in mud and water; his initial mind remains unchanged.)
Yuan then struck him. (A good strike! But tell me, why did he strike him? A wrongful beating, after all, found someone to take it.)
Later, when Daowu passed away, Yuan went to Shishuang and recounted the previous conversation. (Knowingly committing an offense. Who knows whether it is right or not? If it is right, that too is extraordinary.)
Shishuang said, "I won't say alive, and I won't say dead." (Exceedingly fresh! Such fare has indeed found someone to eat it.)
Yuan said, "Why won't you say?" (Though the words are the same, the intention is not twofold. But tell me, is it the same as or different from his previous questioning?)
Shishuang said, "I won't say! I won't say!" (Above heaven and below heaven. The waves of Caoxi seem similar. Countless ordinary people have been drowned on dry land.)
Yuan had an awakening upon these words. (Blind fellow! Don't try to deceive this mountain monk!)
One day, Yuan took a spade into the Dharma Hall, pacing from east to west and from west to east. (This too is finding life within death. Good to vent spleen on behalf of the late master! Don't ask him; just watch this fellow make a total fool of himself.)
Shishuang said, "What are you doing?" (Following behind with entangling clutter.)
Yuan said, "I am looking for the holy relics of the late master." (Hanging a medicine bag behind the hearse. Regretting not being cautious at the beginning. What are you saying?)
Shishuang said, "Vast billows billowing, white waves surging to the heavens—what holy relics of the late master are you looking for?" (One must grant him to be an adept to understand this. What are you doing flocking in crowds?)
Xuedou added the remark: "Blue heavens! Blue heavens!" (Too late! Drawing the bow after the thief has passed. It would be good to bury them all in one pit.)
Yuan said, "Just the right time to apply effort!" (And tell me, where does this land? What did the late master once say to you? This fellow, from beginning to end right up to now, cannot make his escape.)
Taiyuan Fu said, "The late master's holy relics are still present!" (Does the great assembly see? Like a flash of lightning! What kind of broken straw sandal is this? Still, it gets a little bit closer.)