萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 3.55

3.55

Case: When Luopu was about to pass away, he instructed the assembly, saying, "Now there is one matter to ask all of you: (Still speaking of military strategy.) If this is 'it', then it is putting a head on top of a head; (Like this will not do.) if it is not 'it', then it is cutting off the head to seek life." (Not like this will not do either.) At the time, the head monk said, "The green mountains are constantly lifting their feet; the bright sun does not trim its wick." (Speaking so clearly makes emergence even harder.) Luopu said, "What time and season is this to make such speech?" (Losing money and incurring punishment.) There was a Senior Monk Yancong who came forward and said, "Leaving aside these two paths, I ask the Master not to question." (Easy to open the mouth from start to finish; hard to keep a heart through the winter's cold.) Luopu said, "Not yet; speak further!" (Only when a poem is chanted again is its merit seen.) Cong said, "I cannot speak it fully." (Not letting people see makes it all the more charming.) Luopu said, "I do not care whether you speak it fully or not!" (Sinking to the bottom without reaching it; unable to stop.) Cong said, "I have no attendant to answer the Venerable." (The shadow grass follows the body.) That evening, he called Senior Monk Cong: "Your reply today had great origin. (Just practicing sticking to the head.) You properly embodied what the late master said: 'Before the eyes there are no phenomena; the intention is before the eyes. (Chop down the cassia in the moon, and the clear light should be even greater.) That is not a phenomenon before the eyes, nor is it reached by ear and eye.' (When the moon sets, come meet.) Which phrase is the guest, and which phrase is the host? (Strictly avoid cutting the talk into two halves.) If you can pick them out, I will entrust the bowl bag to you." (Holding a staff to call a dog.) Cong said, "I do not understand." (Just right to entrust it to him.) Luopu said, "You ought to understand." (About to complete a mountain of nine fathoms.) Cong said, "Truly, I do not understand." (Failing to add the final basket of earth.) Luopu shouted and said, "How bitter! How bitter!" (Misleading a whole boat of people to death.) A monk asked, "What was the Venerable's venerable intention?" (Gathering cool charcoal where the fire was lost.) Luopu said, "The compassionate boat does not row upon clear waves; in the Sword Gorges, it is futile to release wooden geese." (Trying to be clever only results in clumsy failure.)