The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source, Scroll One

龐居士來。師曰。俗人頻頻入僧院。討箇甚麼。士回顧兩邊曰。誰恁麼道。師乃咄之。士曰。在這裡。師曰。莫是當陽道麼。士曰。背後底聻。師回首。曰。看。看。士曰。草賊大敗。士卻問。此去峰頂有幾裡。師曰。甚麼處去來。士曰。可謂峻硬。不得問者。師曰。是多少。士曰。一二三。師曰。四五六。士曰。何不道七。師曰。才道七。便有八。士曰。住得也。師曰。一任添取。士喝便出去。師隨後亦喝。

Layman Pang came. The master said, ‘Why does a layman keep coming into a monastery? What are you looking for?’ The layman glanced to either side and said, ‘Who says that?’ The master shouted at him. The layman said, ‘Right here.’ The master asked, ‘Could it be the one facing you?’ The layman said, ‘And what about the one behind you?’ The master turned around and said, ‘Look, look!’ The layman said, ‘The bandits have been thoroughly defeated.’ He then asked, ‘How many li from here to the summit?’ The master said, ‘Where did you come from?’ The layman said, ‘You are truly rugged and steep; one cannot even ask you a question.’ The master asked, ‘How many is it?’ The layman said, ‘One, two, three.’ The master said, ‘Four, five, six.’ The layman said, ‘Why not say seven?’ The master said, ‘Once you say seven, there is an eight.’ The layman said, ‘That will do.’ The master said, ‘Add as many as you like.’ The layman shouted and left; the master followed, shouting too.

大陽和尚

Master Dayang

因伊禪師相見。乃問伊禪。近日有一般知識。向目前指教人。了取目前事。作這箇為人。還會文彩未兆時也無。曰。擬向這裡致一問。不知可否。師曰。答汝已了。莫道可否。曰。還識得目前也未。師曰。若是目前。作麼生識。曰。要且遭人檢點。師曰。誰。曰。某甲。師便喝。伊退步而立。師曰。汝秖解瞻前。不解顧後。曰。雪上更加霜。師曰。彼此無便宜。

When Chan Master Yi met him, he asked, ‘These days there are teachers who point to what is right before people and teach them to realize the matter before their eyes. In guiding people this way, do they understand the moment before any pattern appears?’ Yi said, ‘I was about to ask a question about this. May I?’ The master said, ‘I have already answered you. Don’t ask whether you may.’ Yi asked, ‘Do you recognize what is before your eyes?’ The master said, ‘If it is before your eyes, how could you recognize it?’ Yi said, ‘Still, I have to submit to someone’s examination.’ The master asked, ‘Who?’ ‘I do.’ The master shouted. Yi stepped back and stood still. The master said, ‘You know only how to look ahead, not how to look behind.’ Yi said, ‘Adding frost on top of snow.’ The master said, ‘Neither of us has the advantage.’

幽州紅螺山和尚

Master of Red Snail Mountain, Youzhou

有頌示門人曰。紅螺山子近邊夷。度得之流半是奚。共語問醻都不會。可憐祇解那斯祁。

He composed a verse for his disciples: ‘Red Snail Mountain lies near the frontier lands; half the people who cross over are Khitan. They understand neither questions nor answers in conversation. Pity them: they know only how to say “nasiqi.”’

百靈和尚

Master Bailing

一日與龐居士路次相逢。問曰。南嶽得力句。還曾舉向人也無。士曰。曾舉來。師曰。舉向甚麼人。士以手自指曰。龐公。師曰。真是妙德．空生也讚歎不及。士卻問。阿師得力句。是誰得知。師戴笠子便行。士曰。善為道路。師更不回首。

One day he met Layman Pang on the road and asked, ‘Have you ever spoken to anyone of the phrase that brought you realization on Hengshan?’ The layman said, ‘I have.’ The master asked, ‘To whom did you say it?’ The layman pointed to himself and said, ‘To Layman Pang.’ The master said, ‘Even Maitreya and Subhuti could not praise it enough.’ The layman asked in turn, ‘Who knows the phrase that brought you realization, Master?’ The master put on his bamboo hat and walked away. The layman said, ‘May you fare well on the road.’ The master did not look back.

鎮州金牛和尚

Master Jinniu of Zhenzhou

每自做飯。供養眾僧。至齋時。舁飯桶到堂前作舞。呵呵大笑曰。菩薩子。吃飯來(僧問長慶。古人撫掌喚僧吃飯。意旨如何。慶雲。大似因齋慶讚。僧問大光。未審慶讚箇甚麼。光作舞。僧禮拜。光雲。這野狐精。東禪齊雲。古人自出手作飯。舞了喚人來吃。意作麼生。還會麼。祇如長慶與大光。是明古人意。別為他分析。今問上座。每日持缽掌盂時。迎來送去時。為當與古人一般。別有道理。若道別。且作麼生得別來。若一般。恰到他舞。又被喚作野狐精。有會處麼。若未會。行腳眼在甚麼處)。

He always cooked rice himself to offer to the monks. At mealtime, he would carry the rice tub to the hall, dance, laugh heartily, and call, ‘Children of the bodhisattvas, come eat!’ (A monk asked Changqing, ‘What was the old master’s meaning when he clapped his hands and called the monks to eat?’ Changqing said, ‘It was much like giving thanks at a feast.’ The monk asked Daguang, ‘What exactly was he giving thanks for?’ Daguang danced. The monk bowed. Daguang said, ‘You wild fox spirit!’ Dongchan Qi said, ‘The old master cooked the rice himself, danced, and then called everyone to eat. What did he mean? Do you understand? Changqing and Daguang clarified the old master’s meaning in their own ways. Now I ask you, when you carry your bowls and wash them every day, when you welcome people and see them off, are you doing just what the old master did, or is there another principle? If you say it is different, how can it be different? If you say it is the same, once you dance you will be called a wild fox spirit. Is there anyone who understands? If not, where are your eyes for traveling to study?’)

洛京黑㵎和尚

Master Hejian of Luoyang

僧問。如何是密室。師曰。截耳臥街。曰。如何是密室中人。師乃換手槌胷。

A monk asked, ‘What is the secret chamber?’ The master said, ‘Cut off your ears and lie in the street.’ Asked, ‘Who is the person in the secret chamber?’ the master struck his chest, switching hands.

利山和尚

Master Lishan

僧問。眾色歸空。空歸何所。師曰。舌頭不出口。曰。為甚麼不出口。師曰。內外一如故。問。不歷僧祇獲法身。請師直指。師曰。子承父業。曰。如何領會。師曰。貶剝不施。曰。恁麼則大眾有賴去也。師曰。大眾且置。作麼生是法身。僧無對。師曰。汝問。我與汝道。僧問。如何是法身。師曰。空華陽𦦨。問。如何是西來意。師曰。不見如何。曰。為甚麼如此。師曰。祇為如此。

A monk asked, ‘All forms return to emptiness; where does emptiness return?’ The master said, ‘The tongue does not leave the mouth.’ ‘Why does it not leave the mouth?’ ‘Because inside and outside are one.’ Asked, ‘Attain the Dharma-body without passing through countless eons; please point it out directly.’ The master said, ‘A son inherits his father’s work.’ ‘How should I understand this?’ ‘No stripping or disparagement is applied.’ ‘Then the whole assembly is indebted to you.’ The master said, ‘Set the assembly aside. What is the Dharma-body?’ The monk had no answer. The master said, ‘Ask, and I will tell you.’ The monk asked, ‘What is the Dharma-body?’ The master said, ‘Flowers in the sky, mirages in the sun.’ Asked, ‘What is the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from the West?’ he said, ‘Do you not see?’ ‘Why is it so?’ ‘It is just so.’

韶州乳源和尚

Master Ruyuan of Shaozhou

上堂。西來的的意不妨。難道眾中莫有道得者。出來試道看。時有僧出禮拜。師便打。曰。是甚麼時節。出頭來。便歸方丈(僧舉似長慶。慶雲。不妨。不妨。資福代雲。為和尚不惜身命)。仰山作沙彌時。念經聲高。師咄曰。這沙彌念經恰似哭。曰。慧寂秖恁麼。未審和尚如何。師乃顧視。仰曰。若恁麼。與哭何異。師便休。

Taking the seat, he said, ‘The true meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from the West is not hard to speak of. Is there no one in the assembly who can say it? Come out and try.’ A monk came forward and bowed. The master struck him, saying, ‘What time is this, that you come forward?’ Then he returned to his quarters. (A monk recounted this to Changqing, who said, ‘Not bad, not bad.’ Zifu said in his place, ‘The master spared no effort, even risking his life.’) When Yangshan was a novice, he chanted loudly. The master shouted, ‘This novice chants as if he were crying.’ Yangshan said, ‘This is simply how Huiji chants. What would you have me do, Master?’ The master looked at him. Yangshan said, ‘If that is so, how is it different from crying?’ The master stopped.

松山和尚

Master Songshan

同龐居士吃茶。士舉橐子曰。人人盡有分。為甚麼道不得。師曰。祇為人人盡有。所以道不得。士曰。阿兄為甚麼卻道得。師曰。不可無言也。士曰。灼然。灼然。師便吃茶。士曰。阿兄吃茶。為甚麼不揖客。師曰。誰。士曰。龐公。師曰。何須更揖。後丹霞聞。乃曰。若不是松山。幾被箇老翁惑亂一上。士聞之。乃令人傳語霞曰。何不會取未舉橐子時。

He was drinking tea with Layman Pang. The layman held up his bag and said, ‘Everyone has a share in this. Why can no one say it?’ The master said, ‘Precisely because everyone has a share, no one can say it.’ The layman asked, ‘Then why can you say it?’ The master said, ‘I cannot remain without speaking.’ The layman said, ‘Certainly, certainly.’ The master drank his tea. The layman asked, ‘Why don’t you invite your guest to drink, elder brother?’ The master asked, ‘Who?’ ‘Layman Pang.’ The master said, ‘Why invite him again?’ Later Danya heard of this and said, ‘If it were not for Songshan, that old man would have confused me completely.’ When the layman heard this, he sent Danya a message: ‘Why not understand it before I held up the bag?’

則川和尚

Master Zechuan

蜀人也。龐居士相看次。師曰。還記得見石頭時道理否。士曰。猶得阿師重舉在。師曰。情知久參事慢。士曰。阿師老耄。不啻龐公。師曰。二彼同時。又爭幾許。士曰。龐公鮮徤。且勝阿師。師曰。不是勝我。祇欠汝箇幞頭。士拈下幞頭曰。恰與師相似。師大笑而已。師摘茶次。士曰。法界不容身。師還見我否。師曰。不是老師洎答公話。士曰。有問有答。葢是尋常。師乃摘茶不聽。士曰。莫怪適來容易借問。師亦不顧。士喝曰。這無禮儀老漢。待我一一舉嚮明眼人。師乃拋卻茶籃。便歸方丈。

He was a native of Shu. When Layman Pang came to visit, the master asked, ‘Do you still remember what was said when you met Shitou?’ The layman said, ‘I still need you to bring it up again.’ The master said, ‘I knew you had been studying for a long time and were getting slow.’ The layman said, ‘You are old and feeble, no less than Layman Pang.’ The master said, ‘The two of us are the same age; how much difference can there be?’ The layman said, ‘Layman Pang is vigorous and healthy, still better than you.’ The master said, ‘He is not better than me; he only lacks your official cap.’ The layman took off his cap and said, ‘It fits the master just as well.’ The master only laughed heartily. While the master was picking tea leaves, the layman said, ‘The Dharma-realm allows no place for a body. Can you see me, Master?’ The master said, ‘Had I not answered your question just now, Layman?’ The layman said, ‘Question and answer are ordinary enough.’ The master kept picking tea and did not listen. The layman said, ‘Don’t blame me for asking so easily a moment ago.’ The master ignored him again. The layman shouted, ‘You discourteous old fellow! I will tell every detail to people with clear eyes.’ The master tossed aside his tea basket and returned to his quarters.

忻州打地和尚

Master Dadi of Xinzhou

自江西領旨。常晦其名。凡學者致問。唯以棒打地示之。時謂之打地和尚。一日被僧藏卻棒然後致問。師但張其口。僧問門人曰。秖如和尚每日有人問便打地。意旨如何。門人即於灶內取柴一片。擲在釜中。

After receiving the teaching in Jiangxi, he kept his name hidden. Whenever students asked him questions, he would only strike the ground with a staff; people of the time called him Master Dadi, ‘Ground-Striker.’ One day a monk hid his staff before asking a question, so the master merely opened his mouth. The monk asked one of the master’s disciples, ‘Every day when someone asks him something, your master strikes the ground. What does that mean?’ The disciple took a piece of firewood from the stove and tossed it into the pot.

潭州秀溪和尚

Master Xiuxi of Tanzhou

谷山問。聲色純真。如何是道。師曰。亂道作麼。山卻從東過西立。師曰。若不恁麼。即禍事也。山又從西過東立。師乃下禪床。方行兩步。被谷山捉住。曰。聲色純真。事作麼生。師便打一掌。山曰。三十年後。要箇人下茶也無在。師曰。要谷山這漢作甚麼。山呵呵大笑。

Gushan asked, ‘When sound and form are wholly real, what is the Way?’ The master said, ‘Why speak such nonsense?’ Gushan then walked from east to west and stood there. The master said, ‘If you had not done that, there would have been trouble.’ Gushan walked from west to east and stood there again. The master got down from the Chan seat and had taken only two steps when Gushan seized him and asked, ‘When sound and form are wholly real, what is the matter?’ The master slapped him. Gushan said, ‘Thirty years from now, someone will have to serve me tea.’ The master said, ‘What would I want that fellow Gushan for?’ Gushan laughed heartily.

江西椑樹和尚

Master Bishu of Jiangxi

臥次。道吾近前。牽被覆之。師曰。作麼。吾曰。葢覆。師曰。臥底是。坐底是。吾曰。不在這兩處。師曰。爭奈葢覆何。吾曰。莫亂道。師向火次。吾問。作麼。師曰。和合。吾曰。恁麼即當頭脫去也。師曰。隔濶來多少時邪。吾便拂袖而去。吾一日從外歸。師問。甚麼處去來。吾曰。親近來。師曰。用簸這兩片皮作麼。吾曰。借。師曰。他有從汝借。無作麼生。吾曰。秖為有。所以借。

As the master lay down, Daowu came forward and pulled the cover over him. The master asked, ‘What are you doing?’ Daowu said, ‘Covering you.’ The master asked, ‘Is the one lying down right, or the one sitting?’ Daowu said, ‘Neither of those two.’ The master said, ‘Yet what about covering me?’ Daowu said, ‘Don’t talk nonsense.’ As the master warmed himself by the fire, Daowu asked, ‘What are you doing?’ The master said, ‘Making things harmonize.’ Daowu said, ‘Then you have escaped right under my nose.’ The master said, ‘How long have we been apart?’ Daowu flicked his sleeve and left. One day Daowu returned from outside, and the master asked, ‘Where have you been?’ Daowu said, ‘Paying my respects.’ The master said, ‘Why flap those two pieces of skin?’ Daowu said, ‘I borrowed them.’ The master asked, ‘If someone has something to lend you, what do you do when he has nothing?’ Daowu said, ‘Because he has it, I borrow it.’

京兆草堂和尚

Master Caotang of Jingzhao

自罷參大寂。至海昌和尚處。昌問。甚麼處來。師曰。道場來。昌曰。這裡是甚麼處。師曰。賊不打貧人家。僧問。未有一法時。此身在甚麼處。師作一圓相。於中書身字。

After completing his study with Daji, he went to Master Haichang. Haichang asked, ‘Where have you come from?’ The master said, ‘From the monastery.’ Haichang asked, ‘What is this place?’ The master said, ‘Thieves do not rob a poor man’s house.’ A monk asked, ‘Before a single thing existed, where was this body?’ The master drew a circle and wrote the character ‘body’ inside it.

洞安和尚

Master Dong'an

有僧辭。師曰。甚麼處去。曰。本無所去。師曰。善為闍黎。曰。不敢。師曰。到諸方。分明舉似。僧侍立次。師問。今日是幾。曰。不知。師曰。我卻記得。曰。今日是幾。師曰。今日昏晦。

A monk took leave. The master asked, ‘Where are you going?’ The monk said, ‘I have nowhere to go.’ The master said, ‘May all go well for you, venerable monk.’ The monk said, ‘I would not presume.’ The master said, ‘When you reach other places, explain this clearly to them.’ As a monk stood attending him, the master asked, ‘What is today’s date?’ The monk said, ‘I don’t know.’ The master said, ‘I remember it.’ The monk asked, ‘What is today’s date?’ The master said, ‘Today is dark and overcast.’

京兆興平和尚

Master Xingping of Jingzhao

洞山來禮拜。師曰。莫禮老朽。山曰。禮非老朽。師曰。非老朽者不受禮。山曰。他亦不止。洞山卻問。如何是古佛心。師曰。即汝心是。山曰。雖然如此。猶是某甲疑處。師曰。若恁麼。即問取木人去。山曰。某甲有一句子。不借諸聖口。師曰。汝試道看。山曰。不是某甲。山辭。師曰。甚麼處去。山曰。㳂流無定止。師曰。法身㳂流。報身㳂流。山曰。總不作此解。師乃拊掌(保福雲。洞山自是一家。乃別雲。覔得幾人)。

Dongshan came to pay his respects. The master said, ‘Do not bow to an old man.’ Dongshan said, ‘I am bowing to no old man.’ The master said, ‘One who is not an old man does not accept bows.’ Dongshan said, ‘He does not stop me either.’ Dongshan then asked, ‘What is the mind of the ancient Buddha?’ The master said, ‘It is your mind.’ Dongshan said, ‘Even so, this is still where I have doubts.’ The master said, ‘If so, ask a wooden man.’ Dongshan said, ‘I have a phrase that does not borrow the mouths of the sages.’ The master said, ‘Try saying it.’ Dongshan said, ‘It is not me.’ Dongshan took his leave. The master asked, ‘Where are you going?’ Dongshan said, ‘Following the current, with no fixed stopping place.’ The master asked, ‘Does the Dharma-body follow the current? Does the reward-body follow the current?’ Dongshan said, ‘I do not understand it that way at all.’ The master clapped his hands. (Baofu said, ‘Dongshan has his own school.’ He also offered another reading: ‘How many people has he found?’)

逍遙和尚

Master Xiaoyao

鹿西和尚問。念念攀緣。心心永寂。師曰。昨晚也有人恁麼道。西曰。道箇甚麼。師曰。不知。西曰。請和尚說。師以拂子驀口打。西拂袖便出。師召眾曰。頂門上著眼。

Master Luxi asked, ‘Though each thought reaches outward, the mind itself is forever still.’ The master said, ‘Someone said just that last night.’ Luxi asked, ‘What did he say?’ The master said, ‘I don’t know.’ Luxi said, ‘Please tell me, Master.’ The master struck him across the mouth with his whisk. Luxi flicked his sleeve and left. The master called to the assembly, ‘Keep your eyes open on the crown of your head!’

福谿和尚

Master Fuxi

僧問。古鏡無瑕時如何。師良久。僧曰。師意如何。師曰。山僧耳背。僧再問。師曰。猶較些子。問。如何是自己。師曰。你問甚麼。曰。豈無方便。師曰。你適來問甚麼。曰。得恁麼顛倒。師曰。今日合吃山僧手裡棒。問。緣散歸空。空歸何所。師乃召僧。僧應諾。師曰。空在何處。曰。卻請和尚道。師曰。波斯吃胡椒。

A monk asked, ‘What is it like when the ancient mirror is flawless?’ The master was silent for a long time. The monk asked, ‘What does the master mean?’ The master said, ‘I am hard of hearing.’ The monk asked again. The master said, ‘That is a little closer.’ Asked, ‘What is the self?’ he said, ‘What are you asking?’ ‘Surely there is a skillful means.’ ‘What did you just ask?’ ‘You have turned everything upside down.’ The master said, ‘Today you deserve a beating from my hand.’ Asked, ‘When conditions disperse and return to emptiness, where does emptiness return?’ the master called the monk. The monk answered. The master asked, ‘Where is emptiness?’ The monk said, ‘Please tell me, Master.’ The master said, ‘A Persian eats pepper.’

洪州水潦和尚

Master Shuiliao of Hongzhou