續傳燈錄 22.10

22.10

澧州夾山靈泉院曉純禪師。嘗以木刻作一獸。師子頭。牛足馬身。每陞堂時持出示眾曰。喚作師子又是馬身。喚作馬身又是牛足。且道畢竟喚作甚麼。令僧下語莫有契者。師示頌曰。軒昂師子首。牛足馬身材。三道如能入。玄門疊疊開。上堂。有箇漢自從曠大劫無住亦無依。上無片瓦蓋頭。下無寸土立足。且道十二時中在甚麼處安身立命。若也知得。朝到西天暮歸東土。

Chan Master Xiaochun of Lingquan Cloister on Jiashan in Lizhou once carved a beast out of wood with a lion's head, ox's hooves, and a horse's body. Whenever he ascended the hall, he would bring it out, show it to the assembly, and say, 'If you call it a lion, it has a horse's body; if you call it a horse's body, it has ox's hooves. Tell me, in the end what do you call it?' He had the monks provide a turning phrase, but none tallied. The master presented a verse, saying: 'A grand and lofty lion's head, / Ox's hooves, and a horse's frame. / If one can enter through the three paths, / The mystery gates open layer upon layer.' He ascended the hall: 'There is a fellow who, from incalculable kalpas, has had no dwelling and no reliance: above, not a single tile covers his head; below, not an inch of earth supports his feet. Tell me, where does he establish body and life throughout the twelve hours? If you understand, in the morning you arrive in the Western Heaven, and in the evening you return to the Eastern Land.'