無門關 1.89

1.89

德山一日托鉢下堂。見雪峯問者。老漢鐘未鳴鼓未響。托鉢向甚處去。山便回方丈。峯舉似巖頭。頭云。大小德山未會末後句。山聞。令侍者喚巖頭來。問曰。汝不肯老僧那。巖頭密啟其意。山乃休去。明日陞座。果與尋常不同。巖頭至僧堂前。拊掌大笑云。且喜得老漢會末後句。他後天下人不奈伊何。

One day, Deshan carried his bowl down to the hall. Seeing him, Xuefeng asked: "This old fellow—the bell has not yet rung, the drum has not yet sounded; carrying your bowl, where are you going?" Deshan thereupon returned to the abbot's quarters. Xuefeng brought this up to Yantou. Yantou said: "Even great Deshan has not understood the last word." Deshan heard of this and had his attendant summon Yantou. He asked: "Do you not approve of this old monk?" Yantou secretly disclosed his meaning; Deshan then desisted. The next day, when he ascended the hall, it was indeed not the same as usual. Yantou went before the monks' hall, clapped his hands, and laughed heartily, saying: "How joyful that the old fellow understands the last word! Henceforth, no one in the world can do anything about him."