景德傳燈錄 12.23

12.23

Upādhyāya Zhao of Baoshou in Zhenzhou (the first-generation abbot). A monk asked, 'How is it when the ten thousand realms invade?' The master said, 'Pay no attention to them.' The monk bowed. The master said, 'Do not move! If you move, I will break your back.' Upādhyāya Zhaozhou Shen came. The master was sitting on the meditation couch with his back turned. Shen spread his sitting cloth and bowed. The master got up and entered the abbot's quarters. Shen took up his sitting cloth and went out. The master asked a monk, 'Where have you come from?' The monk said, 'I have come from the Western Mountain.' The master said, 'Did you see the macaques?' The monk said, 'I saw them.' The master said, 'What tricks did they perform?' The monk said, 'Seeing me, they could not perform a single trick.' The master struck him. Hu the tinker called on him. The master asked, 'Might you not be Hu the tinker?' He said, 'I would not dare [deny it].' The master said, 'Do you also know how to staple empty space?' He said, 'Please, Upādhyāya, break it apart, and I will staple it.' The master struck him with his staff. Hu said, 'Upādhyāya, do not strike me by mistake.' The master said, 'In the future there will be a sharp-tongued master who will point it out to you.' (Zhaozhou said, 'He could not even do anything with this one crack.' He then said in his place, 'For now, staple this one crack.') [A monk] asked, 'How is it when there is not a single flake of cloud for ten thousand leagues?' The master said, 'The blue sky must also receive the stick.' When the master was about to pass away, he said to his disciples, 'Do you know where my practice and conduct lie?' One replied, 'We know that throughout your life, Upādhyāya, you always sat and never lay down.' The master had him come closer. The disciple came closer, and the master said, 'Go! You are not of my household.' Having spoken, he transformed.