佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 7.12

7.12

[63] Case: One day, at Nanquan, the eastern and western halls were contending over a cat. (It wasn't just today that they ought to be noisy; also a whole scene of blunders.) / Nanquan saw it, picked it up, and said, "If you can speak, I will not cut it." (The authentic imperative is put into practice; the ten directions are cut off. This old fellow has the hands and feet to settle dragons and snakes.) / The assembly had no reply. (A pity to let it go. What use is a band of lacquer buckets? Spurious chan monks, like hemp and millet.) / Nanquan cut the cat into two pieces. (Delightful, delightful! Were it not like this, they would all be fellows playing with mud balls. Drawing the bow after the thief has passed. It is already the second head; before it was raised, he should have been beaten.)