佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 7.49

7.49

The points of answer of these three men were each different: some stood precipitous like a thousand-fathom cliff; some exercised illumination and dynamic action simultaneously; and some could not even save themselves. "I invite the venerable monk to speak instead"—Xuedou, right within this single phrase, had already displayed dynamic function. Furthermore, pressing lightly from within it so that people might easily see, he says: "Horns grow on the tiger's head as it emerges from the wild grass." The point of Guishan's answer was just like mounting horns on the head of a fierce tiger: how could there be any approach to it? Have you not seen when a monk asked Luoshan, "How is it when born together but not dying together?" Luoshan said, "Like an ox without horns." The monk said, "How is it when born together and also dying together?" Luoshan said, "Like a tiger wearing horns." With just one phrase, Xuedou eulogized it completely. Having remaining talent for transformation, he further said, "Spring has ended across the ten continents, and the flowers have withered." On the sea there are three mountains and ten continents, taking one hundred years as a single spring. Xuedou's words carry poise and bearing, circling and sprawling. At the end of spring, hundreds of thousands of flowering plants all wither at once; only the forest of coral trees does not understand withering, contending with the great sun, their lights mutually reflecting. Right at such a time, it is remarkably exceptional. Xuedou used this to illuminate his "I invite the venerable monk to speak instead." The ten continents are all adjacent to foreign lands overseas: First is Zuzhou, which produces the soul-returning incense. Second is Yingzhou, where there grow magic mushrooms and jade stones, with springs tasting like wine. Third is Xuanzhou, which produces the immortal elixir; taking it brings longevity. Fourth is Changzhou, which produces pawpaws and jade blossoms. Fifth is Yanzhou, which produces fire-cleansed cloth. Sixth is Yuanzhou, which produces spiritual springs sweet as honey. Seventh is Shengzhou, having mountains and streams without cold or heat. Eighth is Fenglinzhou, where people take phoenix beaks and unicorn horns and boil them to make string-joining glue. Ninth is Jukuzhou, which produces copper-headed, iron-browed beasts like lions. Tenth is Tanzhou (also written as Liuzhou), which produces Kunwu stone, which makes swords that cut jade like mud. The *Miscellaneous Records of Foreign Countries on Coral* says: "To the southwest of Daqin, within the surging sea, seven or eight hundred li away, one reaches Coral Continent. At the bottom of the continent is flat bedrock, upon which coral grows. People harvest it with iron nets." Also, the *Record of the Ten Continents* says: "Coral grows at the bottom of the Southern Sea, like trees two or three feet tall, having branches without bark, resembling jade yet red and lustrous. It grows in response to the moon; every branch tip has a lunar halo." (This case should be read together with the first gong'an of Fascicle Eight.)