無門關 1.165

1.165

Wumen said: "Before Deshan had passed through the barrier, his mind was indignant and his mouth protested. Intentionally he came south, wanting to wipe out the tenet of the special transmission outside the teachings. When he reached the road in Lizhou, he asked an old woman to buy refreshments. The old woman said, 'Great Worthy, what writings are in your cart?' Deshan said, 'Commentaries on the Vajracchedikā-sūtra.' The old woman said, 'The sūtra says: past mind cannot be grasped, present mind cannot be grasped, and future mind cannot be grasped. Which mind does the Great Worthy wish to refresh?' Confronted by this single question, Deshan's mouth was like a flat carrying-pole. Although this was so, he refused to die under the old woman's phrase. He then asked the old woman, 'What master is nearby?' The old woman said, 'Five li away is Upādhyāya Longtan.' When he arrived at Longtan, he laid bare all his defeat; it may be said that his former words did not match his later words. Longtan was very much like someone loving a child without noticing its ugliness: seeing that Deshan had a little spark of fire, in haste he poured foul water right over his head to douse it completely. Viewed from a cold distance, it is truly laughable!"