續傳燈錄 28.18

28.18

平江府寶華顯禪師。本郡人也。上堂曰。喫粥了也頭上安頭。洗鉢盂去為蛇畫足。更問如何自納敗闕。良久高聲召大眾。眾舉首。師曰。歸堂喫茶。上堂。禪莫參道休學。歇意忘機常廓落。現成公案早周遮。秖箇無心已穿鑿。直饒坐斷未生前。難透山僧錯錯錯。

Chan Master Xian of Baohua in Pingjiang Prefecture was a native of that prefecture. Ascending the hall, he said: '"Having eaten the gruel" is putting a head on top of a head; "go wash your bowl" is drawing legs on a snake. If you further ask "how?" you bring defeat upon yourself.' After a long pause, he called out loudly to the assembly. The assembly raised their heads. The Master said, 'Return to the hall and drink tea.' Ascending the hall, he said: 'Do not investigate Chan, cease studying the Way; rest thoughts and forget machinations, ever vast and open. The ready-made gong'an is already cluttered; merely being without mind is already far-fetched. Even if you sit and cut off the time before birth, it is difficult to penetrate this mountain monk's "wrong, wrong, wrong!"'