無門關 1.94

1.94

南泉和尚。因東西堂爭猫兒。泉乃提起云。大眾道得即救。道不得即斬却也。眾無對。泉遂斬之。晚趙州外歸。泉舉似州。州乃脫履。安頭上而出。泉云。子若在即救得猫兒。

Upādhyāya Nanquan, because the Eastern and Western Halls were contending over a cat, held it up and said: "Great assembly! If you can speak, it will be saved; if you cannot speak, it will be cut in two." The assembly had no response. Nanquan then cut it in two. In the evening, Zhaozhou returned from outside; Nanquan related this to him. Zhaozhou then took off his straw sandals, placed them on his head, and went out. Nanquan said: "Had you been here, you would have saved the cat."