萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 4.78

4.78

Case: A monk asked Jiufeng, 'What is the head?' (Loftily surpassing before the King of Awesome Voice.)
Feng said, 'Opening the eyes without realizing it is dawn.' (Light does not cross the threshold.)
The monk said, 'What is the tail?' (Walking alone after the kalpa of emptiness.)
Feng said, 'Not sitting on the ten-thousand-year bench.' (The hole does not nest.)
The monk said, 'What about when there is a head but no tail?' (First going, not arriving.)
Feng said, 'In the end, it is not noble.' (The male servant attends diligently upon the maidservant.)
The monk said, 'What about when there is a tail but no head?' (An enormous fault at the end.)
Feng said, 'Though full, without strength.' (What use is there?)
The monk said, 'What about when head and tail correspond exactly?' (Ruler and minister match their ways; superiors and inferiors harmonize.)
Feng said, 'Children and grandchildren have strength, unknown within the room.' (Each settles in their own lot.)