佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 9.2

9.2

[81] Case: A monk asked Yaoshan, "On the flat fields with shallow grass, the elk and deer form herds. How can one shoot the elk of elks?" (Seizing his topknot and surrendering to the magistrate. Coming out with head aloft and horns brandished. Pulling an arrow from behind his skull.) / Yaoshan said, "Watch the arrow!" (Robbery in plain sight. Running downhill without stopping. A swift stroke rarely met with. Hit!) / The monk let his body fall straight down. (Distinctly different. Dead once, never to revive again. A fellow playing with his soul.) / Yaoshan said, "Attendant, drag this dead fellow out!" (Acting in accord with the imperative. No need for further examination. The first arrow was still light; the second arrow penetrated deep.) / The monk thereupon ran away. (Staring eyes inside a coffin. Gaining life in the midst of death. There is still breath left.) / Yaoshan said, "What limit is there to a fellow playing with mud balls?" (Pity he let him go. Acting in accord with the imperative. Adding frost on top of snow.) / Xuedou brought this up and said, "Though alive after three paces, he must die at five paces." (One hand lifting up, one hand pressing down. Even if he ran a hundred paces, he would still lose his body and life. Again he said, "Watch the arrow!" But tell me, where did Xuedou's intent land? If they died together and lived together, Yaoshan would simply be left staring with mouth agape. Utterly like a hammer without a hole—what use can be made of it?) / 麈 (pronounced zhǔ). / 瞪 (the initial and final zhí and gēng; staring straight ahead with angry eyes). / 呿 (the sounds qū, zhē, or lì, jiā; the appearance of opening the mouth).