Foguo Yuanwu Chan Master's Blue Cliff Record, Fascicle Six, End

雙收雙放若為宗(知他有幾人。八面玲瓏。將謂真箇有恁麼事)騎虎由來要絕功(若不是頂門上有眼肘臂下有符。爭得到這裡。騎則不妨。只恐爾下不得。不是恁麼人。爭明恁麼事)

Gathering in and letting go together, how is it the essential? (Who knows how many there are; eight-sided and brilliant; one would think there really was such a thing.) Riding the tiger has always required exhausting the effort (without an eye on the crown of the head and a talisman under the elbow, how could one reach here? Riding is fine, but I fear you cannot get down; if he were not such a man, how would he understand such a matter?).

笑罷不知何處去(盡四百軍州覓恁麼人。也難得。言猶在耳。千古萬古有清風)

When the laughter ends, I do not know where he went (searching all four hundred districts for such a man would be hard to find; the words are still in my ears; for ten thousand ages there is a clean wind).

只應千古動悲風(如今在什麼處。咄。既是大笑。為什麼卻動悲風。大地黑漫漫)

Only a sad wind stirs through the ages (where is he now? Tut! Since it was a great laugh, why does it stir a sad wind? The great earth is pitch black).

雙收雙放若為宗。放行互為賓主。仰山雲。汝名什麼。聖雲。我名惠寂是雙放。仰山雲。惠寂是我。聖雲。我名惠然是雙收。其實是互換之機。收則大家收。放則大家放。雪竇一時頌盡了也。他意道。若不放收。若不互換。爾是爾我是我。都來只四箇字。因甚卻於裡頭。出沒卷舒。古人道。爾若立我便坐。爾若坐我便立。若也同坐同立。二俱瞎漢。此是雙收雙放。可以為宗要。騎虎由來要絕功。有如此之高風最上之機要。要騎便騎。要下便下。據虎頭亦得。收虎尾亦得。三聖仰山。二俱有此之風。笑罷不知何處去。且道他笑箇什麼。直得清風凜凜為什麼。末後卻道。只應千古動悲風。也是死而不弔。一時與爾註解了也。爭柰天下人啗啄不入。不知落處。縱是山僧。也不知落處。諸人還知麼。

'Gathering in and letting go together, how is it the essential?' Letting go means guest and host interchange. Yangshan said: 'What is your name?' Sheng said: 'My name is Huiji.' That is a double letting go. Yangshan said: 'Huiji is me.' Sheng said: 'My name is Huiran.' That is a double gathering in. In truth it is a mechanism of mutual exchange: when it gathers in, everyone gathers in; when it lets go, everyone lets go. Xuedou finished it all at once. His meaning is: if there were no letting go and gathering in, if there were no mutual exchange, you would be you and I would be I, and in all there would be only those four words. Why then, within it, do they emerge, vanish, roll up, and unroll? The ancients said: if you stand I sit; if you sit I stand; if we sit and stand together, both are blind men. This is gathering in and letting go together, and it can serve as the essential. 'Riding the tiger has always required exhausting the effort': there is such lofty style and supreme mechanism; if you want to ride, ride; if you want to get down, get down; grasping the tiger's head is possible and gathering up the tiger's tail is possible. Sansheng and Yangshan both had this style. 'When the laughter ends, I do not know where he went.' Tell me, what is he laughing at? Why is the clean wind so chilly? And at the very end he says: 'Only a sad wind stirs through the ages,' which is also death without condolence. I have annotated it for you all at once. But all under heaven cannot bite into it and do not know where it lands. Even this mountain monk does not know where it lands. Do you all know?

垂示雲。無啗啄處。祖師心印。狀似鐵牛之機。透荊棘林。衲僧家。如紅爐上一點雪。平地上七穿八穴則且止。不落寅緣。又作麼生。試舉看。

Introduction. Where there is nothing to peck at, the Patriarch's mind seal looks like the mechanism of an iron ox, breaking through the thorn forest. The monk's house is like a speck of snow on a red-hot stove. Piercing seven ways and holing eight ways on level ground, let that be. Not falling into attachments: (the base text writes this as 寅缘, which should be 夤缘) what then? Let me bring it up.

【六九】舉。南泉歸宗麻谷。同去禮拜忠國師。至中路(三人同行必有我師。有什麼奇特。也要辨端的)南泉於地上。畫一圓相雲。道得即去(無風起浪。也要人知。擲卻陸沈船。若不驗過。爭辨端的)歸宗於圓相中坐(一人打鑼。同道方知)麻谷便作女人拜(一人打鼓。三箇也得)泉雲。恁麼則不去也(半路抽身是好人。好一場曲調作家作家)歸宗雲。是什麼心行(賴得識破。當時好與一掌。孟八郎漢)。

[Case 69] Cited: Nanquan, Guizong, and Magu went together to pay respects to National Teacher Zhong. Halfway along (when three walk together there must be a teacher for me; what is remarkable? One must also discern the truth) Nanquan drew a circle on the ground and said: 'If you can say something, we will go.' (Stirring waves without wind, and wanting people to know; throwing away the sunken boat; if one does not test it, how can one discern the truth?) Guizong sat in the circle. (One beats a gong; only fellow travelers know.) Magu bowed like a woman. (One beats a drum; three also work.) Quan said: 'In that case we will not go.' (To withdraw halfway is a good person; what a fine tune; masters, masters!) Guizong said: 'What kind of mind and conduct is this?' (Lucky he saw through it; he should have been given a slap then; a Meng Ba Lang fellow.)

當時馬祖盛化於江西。石頭道行於湖湘。忠國師道化於長安。他親見六祖來。是時南方擎頭帶角者。無有不欲升其堂入其室。若不爾。為人所恥。這老漢三箇。欲去禮拜忠國師。至中路。做這一場敗缺。南泉雲。恁麼則不去也。既是一一道得。為什麼卻道不去。且道古人意作麼生。當時待他道恁麼則不去也。劈耳便掌。看他作什麼伎倆。萬古振綱宗。只是這些子機要。所以慈明道。要牽只在索頭邊。撥著點著便轉。如水上捺葫蘆子相似。人多喚作不相肯語。殊不知。此事到極則處。須離泥離水。拔楔抽釘。爾若作心行會。則沒交涉。古人轉變得好。到這裡。不得不恁麼。須是有殺有活。看他一人去圓相中坐。一人作女人拜。也甚好。南泉雲。恁麼則不去也。歸宗雲。是什麼心行。孟八郎漢。又恁麼去也。他恁麼道。大意要驗南泉。南泉尋常道。喚作如如。早是變了也。南泉歸宗麻谷。卻是一家裡人。一擒一縱。一殺一活。不妨奇特。雪竇頌雲。

At that time Mazu was flourishing in transforming Jiangxi, Shitou's Way was practiced in Hu and Xiang, and National Teacher Zhong's teaching spread in Chang'an. He had personally seen the Sixth Patriarch come. At that time, among those in the south who raised their heads and wore horns, none did not want to ascend his hall and enter his room; otherwise they would be ashamed before others. These three old men wanted to pay respects to National Teacher Zhong, and halfway along they made this scene of defeat. Nanquan said: 'In that case we will not go.' Since each of them could say something, why did he say they would not go? Tell me, what was the ancients' intent? Had they waited for him to say 'in that case we will not go,' and slapped his ear right then, they would have seen what tricks he would play. The ten-thousand-year uplifting of the school's principle is just this little mechanism. So Ciming said: 'To lead it, it is only at the end of the rope; pull it, poke it, and it turns, like pressing a gourd on water.' People mostly call it words of not approving each other. Little do they know that when this matter reaches its ultimate, one must leave mud and leave water, pull out wedges and draw out nails. If you understand it with mind and conduct, it has nothing to do with it. The ancients turned and changed well; arriving here, they could not but do this. There must be killing and giving life. Look at one sitting in the circle and one bowing like a woman; also very good. Nanquan said: 'In that case we will not go.' Guizong said: 'What kind of mind and conduct is this?' The Meng Ba Lang fellow went off again like this. His saying so was in general intended to test Nanquan. Nanquan usually said that calling it 'thus, thus' was already a change. Nanquan, Guizong, and Magu were all members of one family; one seizing and one releasing, one killing and one giving life, quite remarkable. Xuedou's verse says:

由基箭射猿(當頭一路誰敢向前。觸處得妙。未發先中)遶樹何太直(若不承當爭敢恁麼。東西南北一家風。已周遮多時也)

You Ji shot the ape with an arrow (a single road at the head; who dares go forward? Wonderful wherever it touches; hits before shooting) and the ape circled the tree; how it was too straight! (If he did not take it on, how would he dare do this? East, west, south, north, one family style; already been circumspect for a long time.)

千箇與萬箇(如麻似粟。野狐精一隊。爭奈得南泉何)

Thousands and tens of thousands (as many as hemp and millet; a band of wild fox spirits; what can they do about Nanquan?)

是誰曾中的(一箇半箇。更洛一箇。一箇也用不得)相呼相喚歸去來(一隊弄泥團漢。不如歸去好。卻較些子)

Who has ever hit the mark? (One or half; another one falls (the base text writes this as 洛, which should be 落); even one cannot be used.) Calling to each other, 'Let us go back!' (A band of fellows playing with mud balls; better to go back; that is somewhat better.)

曹溪路上休登陟(大勞生想料。不是曹溪門下客。低低處平之有餘。高高處觀之不足)。

Do not climb the road of Caoxi (great toil of imagining; not a guest of the Caoxi gate; at low places it is more than level, at high places it is not enough to see).

復雲。曹溪路坦平。為什麼休登陟(不唯南泉半路抽身。雪竇亦乃半路抽身。好事不如無。雪竇也患這般病痛)

Again he said: The road of Caoxi is level and smooth; why not climb it? (Not only did Nanquan withdraw halfway, Xuedou also withdrew halfway; better not to have good affairs; Xuedou also suffers this same ailment.)

由基箭射猿。遶樹何太直。由基乃是楚時人。姓養。名叔。字由基。時楚莊王出獵。見一白猿。使人射之。其猿捉箭而戲。勅群臣射之。莫有中者。王遂問群臣。群臣奏曰。由基者善射。遂令射之。由基方彎弓。猿乃抱樹悲號。至箭發時。猿遶樹避之。其箭亦遶樹中殺。此乃神箭也。雪竇何故卻言太直。若是太直則不中。既是遶樹。何故卻雲太直。雪竇借其意。不妨用得好。此事出春秋。有者道。遶樹是圓相。若真箇如此。蓋不識語之宗旨。不知太直處。三箇老漢。殊途而同歸一揆。一齊太直。若是識得他去處。七縱八橫。不離方寸。百川異流。同歸大海。所以南泉道。恁麼則不去也。若是衲僧正眼覷著。只是弄精魂。若喚作弄精魂。卻不是弄精魂。五祖先師道。他三人是慧炬三昧。莊嚴王三昧。雖然如此。作女人拜。他終不作女人拜會。雖畫圓相。他終不作圓相會。既不恁麼會。又作麼生會。雪竇道。千箇與萬箇。是誰曾中的。能有幾箇。百發百中。相呼相喚歸去來。頌南泉道恁麼則不去也。南泉從此不去。故云。曹溪路上休登陟。滅卻荊棘林。雪竇把不定。復雲。曹溪路坦平。為什麼休登陟。曹溪路絕塵絕跡。露裸裸赤灑灑。平坦坦翛然地。為什麼卻休登陟。各自看腳下。

You Ji shot the ape with an arrow; the ape circled the tree; how it was too straight! You Ji was a man of Chu, surnamed Yang, personal name Shu, courtesy name You Ji. At that time King Zhuang of Chu went hunting and saw a white ape, and had it shot at. The ape caught the arrows and played with them. He ordered his ministers to shoot it, but none hit. The king then asked his ministers, and they reported: You Ji is good at archery. So he ordered him to shoot. As soon as You Ji drew his bow, the ape clasped a tree and wailed; at the moment the arrow flew, the ape circled the tree to avoid it, and the arrow also circled the tree and struck it dead. This was a divine arrow. Why then does Xuedou say 'too straight'? If it was too straight, it would not hit; since it circled the tree, why say too straight? Xuedou borrowed its meaning and used it quite well. This matter comes from the Spring and Autumn Annals. Some say that circling the tree is the circle. If it were truly so, it would be failing to recognize the tenet of the words and not knowing the 'too straight' place. The three old men took different roads and came to the same conclusion; all were too straight together. If one recognizes where they went, in seven vertical and eight horizontal ways, one does not leave the square inch; a hundred rivers flow differently and return to the same sea. So Nanquan said: 'In that case we will not go.' If a monk with the correct eye looks at it, it is only playing with spirits. If one calls it playing with spirits, it is not playing with spirits. My late teacher Wuzu said: those three had the samadhi of the wisdom torch, the samadhi of the adorned king. Even so, bowing like a woman, he never understood it as bowing like a woman; though drawing a circle, he never understood it as a circle. Since it is not understood like this, how is it understood? Xuedou says: 'Thousands and tens of thousands, who has ever hit the mark?' How many can hit a hundred out of a hundred? 'Calling to each other, let us go back' praises Nanquan's saying 'in that case we will not go.' Nanquan did not go from then on, so he says: 'Do not climb the road of Caoxi,' extinguishing the thorn forest. Xuedou could not hold on, and said again: 'The road of Caoxi is level and smooth; why not climb it?' The road of Caoxi cuts off dust and cuts off traces, stark naked and bare, level and smooth, free and unrestrained; why then not climb it? Each look beneath your own feet.

垂示雲。快人一言快馬一鞭。萬年一念一念萬年。要知直截。未舉已前。且道未舉已前。作麼生摸索。請舉看。

Introduction. To a swift man one word, to a swift horse one whip; ten thousand years in a single thought, a single thought in ten thousand years. If you want to know the direct and immediate, before it is raised, tell me, how do you grope for it before it is raised? Please bring it up.

【七〇】舉。溈山五峰雲巖。同侍立百丈(阿呵呵。終始誵訛。君向西秦我之東魯)百丈問溈山。併卻咽喉唇吻。作麼生道(一將難求)溈山雲。卻請和尚道(借路經過)丈雲。我不辭向汝道。恐已後喪我兒孫(不免老婆心切。面皮厚三寸。和泥合水。就身打劫)。

[Case 70] Cited: Weishan, Wufeng, and Yunyan were standing in attendance together on Baizhang. (Aha! From start to finish confused; you go west to Qin, I go east to Lu.) Baizhang asked Weishan: 'With throat, lips, and mouth closed, how would you speak?' (A single general is hard to find.) Weishan said: 'I ask the Master to speak.' (Borrowing the road to pass through.) Zhang said: 'I do not refuse to tell you, but I fear it will cost me my descendants later.' (Can't help the grandmother's heartfelt kindness; face three inches thick; mixing mud and water; robbing him on the spot.)

溈山五峰雲巖。同侍立百丈。百丈問溈山。併卻咽喉唇吻。作麼生道。山雲。卻請和尚道。丈雲。我不辭向汝道。恐已後喪我兒孫。百丈雖然如此。鍋子已被別人奪去了也。丈復問五峰。峰雲。和尚也須併卻。丈雲。無人處斫額望汝。又問雲巖。巖雲。和尚有也未。丈雲。喪我兒孫。三人各是一家。古人道。平地上死人無數。過得荊棘林者。是好手。所以宗師家。以荊棘林驗人。何故若於常情句下。驗人不得。衲僧家須是句裡呈機。言中辨的。若是擔板漢。多向句中死卻。便道。併卻咽喉唇吻。更無下口處。若是變通底人。有逆水之波。只向問頭上有一條路。不傷鋒犯手。溈山雲。卻請和尚道。且道他意作麼生。向箇裡如擊石火似閃電光相似。拶他問處便答。自有出身之路。不費纖毫氣力。所以道。他參活句。不參死句。百丈卻不採他。只雲。不辭向汝道。恐已後喪我兒孫。大凡宗師為人。抽釘拔楔。若是如今人便道。此答不肯他不領話。殊不知。箇裡一路生機處。壁立千仞。賓主互換。活鱍鱍地。雪竇愛他此語風措。宛轉自在。又能把定封疆。所以頌雲。

Weishan, Wufeng, and Yunyan were standing in attendance together on Baizhang. Baizhang asked Weishan: 'With throat, lips, and mouth closed, how would you speak?' Shan said: 'I ask the Master to speak.' Zhang said: 'I do not refuse to tell you, but I fear it will cost me my descendants later.' Though Baizhang was like this, the pot had already been seized by someone else. Zhang again asked Wufeng. Feng said: 'The Master must also close them.' Zhang said: 'In a place with no one, I shade my forehead to look for you.' He also asked Yunyan. Yan said: 'Does the Master have them or not?' Zhang said: 'You will cost me my descendants.' The three each belonged to one house. The ancients said: on level ground countless people die; one who can pass through the thorn forest is a good hand. So masters test people with the thorn forest. Why? If one cannot test a person under ordinary feelings and phrases, a monk's house must present the mechanism within the phrase and discern the point within the words. If one is a board-carrying fellow, he mostly dies within the phrase, and says: with throat, lips, and mouth closed there is nowhere to open the mouth. If one is a person of adaptability, he has waves against the current, and just at the questioner's head there is a road, without injuring the edge or hurting the hand. Weishan said: 'I ask the Master to speak.' Tell me, what was his meaning? In this he is like a spark from struck flint, like a flash of lightning, answering as soon as the question presses him, and naturally has a way out without expending the slightest effort. So it is said: he studies the living phrase and not the dead phrase. Baizhang did not take it up, and only said: 'I do not refuse to tell you, but I fear it will cost me my descendants later.' In general when masters help people they pull out nails and draw out wedges. If it were someone today, he would say this answer means he did not approve and did not grasp the point. Little do they know that in this there is a road of living mechanism, a wall a thousand fathoms high, guest and host exchange, lively and vigorous. Xuedou loved the manner of this saying, graceful and free, and also able to hold the borders firm, and so composed the verse:

卻請和尚道(函蓋乾坤。已是傷鋒犯手)虎頭生角出荒草(可殺驚群。不妨奇特)

I ask the Master to speak (enveloping heaven and earth; already injuring the edge and hurting the hand). A tiger's head grows horns, coming out of the wild grass (killing and startling the herd; quite remarkable).

十洲春盡花凋殘(觸處清涼讚歎也不及)珊瑚樹林日杲杲(千重百匝。爭柰百草頭上尋他不得。答處蓋天蓋地)

In the ten isles spring ends and the flowers wither (everywhere cool and clear, praise cannot match it). The coral forest, the sun shining brightly (a thousand layers and a hundred folds; but it cannot be found at the tip of a hundred grasses; the place of answering covers heaven and covers earth).

此三人答處。各各不同。也有壁立千仞。也有照用同時。也有自救不了。卻請和尚道。雪竇便向此一句中。呈機了也。更就中輕輕拶。令人易見雲。虎頭生角出荒草。溈山答處。一似猛虎頭上安角。有什麼近傍處。不見僧問羅山。同生不同死時如何。山雲。如牛無角。僧雲。同生亦同死時如何。山雲。如虎戴角。雪竇只一句頌了也。他有轉變餘才。更雲。十洲春盡花凋殘。海上有三山十洲。以百年為一春。雪竇語帶風措。宛轉盤礴。春盡之際。百千萬株花。一時凋殘。獨有珊瑚樹林。不解凋落。與大陽相奪。其光交映。正當恁麼時。不妨奇特。雪竇用此。明他卻請和尚道。十洲皆海外諸國之所附。一祖洲。出反魂香。二瀛洲。生芝草玉石泉如酒味。三玄洲。出仙藥。服之長生。四長洲。出木瓜玉英。五炎洲。出火浣布。六元洲。出靈泉如蜜。七生洲。有山川無寒暑。八鳳麟洲。人取鳳喙麟角。煎續弦膠。九聚窟洲。出獅子銅頭鐵額之獸。十檀洲(一作流洲)出琨吾石。作劍切玉如泥。珊瑚外國雜傳云。大秦西南。漲海中。可七八百里。到珊瑚洲。洲底盤石。珊瑚生其石上。人以鐵網取之。又十洲記雲。珊瑚生南海底。如樹高三二尺。有枝無皮。似玉而紅潤。感月而生。凡枝頭皆有月暈(此一則與八卷首公案同看)。

The answers of these three men each differ. There is a wall a thousand fathoms high, there is illumination and function at the same time, and there is the inability to save oneself. 'I ask the Master to speak': Xuedou presented the mechanism in this one line and then pressed lightly within it to make it easy for people to see, saying: 'A tiger's head grows horns, coming out of the wild grass.' Weishan's answer is like putting horns on a fierce tiger's head; what place is there to approach? Have you not heard that a monk asked Luoshan: 'What about being born together but not dying together?' Shan said: 'Like an ox without horns.' The monk said: 'What about being born together and dying together?' Shan said: 'Like a tiger wearing horns.' Xuedou finished the verse in one line; he had the surplus talent to turn and change. He also said: 'In the ten isles spring ends and the flowers wither.' In the sea there are three mountains and ten isles, and a hundred years count as one spring. Xuedou's words carry style, winding and ample: at the end of spring, hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of flowers wither at once, but only the coral forest does not know how to wither and fall, competing with the sun, their lights shining on each other. At just such a time, it is quite remarkable. Xuedou uses this to clarify 'I ask the Master to speak.' The ten isles are all attached to foreign lands beyond the sea. The first is Zu Island, producing the soul-returning incense. The second is Ying Island, growing herbs of immortality and jade stone, with springs tasting like wine. The third is Xuan Island, producing immortal medicine which gives long life when taken. The fourth is Chang Island, producing papaya and jade blossoms. The fifth is Yan Island, producing fire-washed cloth. The sixth is Yuan Island, with spirit springs like honey. The seventh is Sheng Island, with mountains and rivers and no cold or heat. The eighth is Fenglin Island, where people take the phoenix beak and qilin horn to boil into string-mending glue. The ninth is Jukun Island, producing lion beasts with bronze heads and iron foreheads. The tenth is Tan Island (one text says Liu Island), producing kunwu stone, from which swords are made that cut jade like mud. As for coral, the Miscellaneous Records of Foreign Lands says: in the sea southwest of Daqin, about seven or eight hundred li across the swelling sea, one reaches Coral Island. At the bottom of the island are rocks, and coral grows on the rock; people take it with iron nets. The Record of the Ten Isles also says: coral grows at the bottom of the southern sea like a tree two or three feet tall, with branches but no bark, like jade but red and moist, born in response to the moon; every branch tip has a moon halo. (Read this case together with the opening case of Volume Eight.)

【七一】舉。百丈復問五峰。併卻咽喉唇吻。作麼生道(阿呵呵。箭過新羅國)峰雲和尚也須併卻(攙旗奪鼓。一句截流。萬機寢削)丈雲。無人處斫額望汝(土曠人稀相逢者少此一則與七卷末公案同看)。

[Case 71] Cited: Baizhang again asked Wufeng: 'With throat, lips, and mouth closed, how would you speak?' (Aha! The arrow has passed beyond Silla.) Feng said: 'The Master must also close them.' (Seizing flags and snatching drums; one line cuts off the current; ten thousand mechanisms are cut down.) Zhang said: 'In a place with no one, I shade my forehead to look for you.' (The land is vast and people few, so those who meet are rare. Read this case together with the closing case of Volume Seven.)

溈山把定封疆。五峰截斷眾流。這些子。要是箇漢當面提掇。如馬前相撲。不容擬議。直下便用緊迅危峭。不似溈山盤礴滔滔地。如今禪和子。只向架下行。不能出他一頭地。所以道。欲得親切。莫將問來問。五峰答處。當頭坐斷。不妨快俊。百丈雲。無人處斫額望汝。且道是肯他。是不肯他。是殺是活。見他阿轆轆地。只與他一點。雪竇頌雲。

Weishan held the borders firm; Wufeng cut off the many streams. This little bit requires a fellow to raise it face to face, like wrestling in front of a horse, with no room for hesitation, using it directly, swift and steep. It is not like Weishan's winding, flowing manner. Today's Chan followers only walk under the frame and cannot get a head above it. So it is said: to be intimate, do not use a question to ask. Wufeng's answer sits and cuts off the head, and is quite swift and outstanding. Baizhang said: 'In a place with no one, I shade my forehead to look for you.' Tell me, does he approve him or not? Is it killing or giving life? Look at him rolling along; he gave him just a touch. Xuedou's verse says:

和尚也併卻(已在言前了。截斷眾流)龍蛇陣上看謀略(須是金牙始解七事隨身。慣戰作家)

The Master must also close them (already before the words; cutting off the many streams). Watch the strategy on the battlefield of dragons and snakes (only with golden teeth can one carry seven things with him; a master practiced in battle).

令人長憶李將軍(妙手無多子。匹馬單鎗。千里萬裡。千人萬人)

It makes one long remember General Li (a wondrous hand with not many tricks; one horse and one spear; a thousand li, ten thousand li; a thousand people, ten thousand people).

萬裡天邊飛一鶚(大眾見麼。且道落在什麼處。中也。打雲。飛過去也)

Ten thousand li across the sky, a single fish-hawk flies (does the assembly see it? Tell me, where does it land? It has hit! Strike! It has flown past).

和尚也併卻。雪竇於一句中。拶一拶雲。龍蛇陣上看謀略。如排兩陣突出突入。七縱八橫。有鬪將底手腳。有大謀略底人。匹馬單鎗。向龍蛇陣上。出沒自在。爾作麼生圍繞得他。若不是這箇人。爭知有如此謀略。雪竇此三頌。皆就裡頭。狀出底語如此。大似李廣神箭。萬裡天邊飛一鶚。一箭落一雕定也。更不放過。雪竇頌百丈問處如一鶚。五峰答處如一箭相似。山僧只管讚歎五峰。不覺渾身入泥水了也。

'The Master must also close them': Xuedou presses once in this one line, saying 'Watch the strategy on the battlefield of dragons and snakes.' It is like two formations drawn up, charging out and in, seven vertical and eight horizontal, with the hands and feet of a fighting general, a man of great strategy, with one horse and one spear coming and going freely on the battlefield of dragons and snakes; how will you surround him? If he were not this man, how would you know there is such strategy? These three verses of Xuedou all describe it from within the head, very much like Li Guang's divine arrow: 'Ten thousand li across the sky, a single fish-hawk flies.' One arrow brings down one eagle for certain, with no letting go. Xuedou's verse likens Baizhang's questioning to a fish-hawk and Wufeng's answer to an arrow. This mountain monk only keeps praising Wufeng, and without noticing is already in mud and water to the whole body.

【七二】舉。百丈又問雲巖。併卻咽喉唇吻。作麼生道(蝦䗫窟裡出來。道什麼)巖雲。和尚有也未(粘皮著骨。拕泥帶水。前不搆村後不迭店)丈雲。喪我兒孫(灼然有此答得半前落後)。

[Case 72] Cited: Baizhang again asked Yunyan: 'With throat, lips, and mouth closed, how would you speak?' (Coming out of the toad's cave; what is he saying?) Yan said: 'Does the Master have them or not?' (Sticking to skin and clinging to bone; dragging mud and water; ahead no village, behind no inn.) Zhang said: 'You will cost me my descendants.' (Clearly such an answer is half ahead and half behind.)

雲巖在百丈。二十年作侍者。後同道吾至藥山。山問雲。子在百丈會下。為箇什麼事。巖雲。透脫生死。山雲。還透脫也未。巖雲。渠無生死。山雲。二十年在百丈。習氣也未除。巖辭去見南泉。後復歸藥山。方契悟。看他古人。二十年參究。猶自半青半黃。粘皮著骨。不能頴脫。是則也是。只是前不搆村。後不迭店。不見道。語不離窠臼。焉能出蓋纏。白雲橫谷口。迷卻幾人源。洞下謂之觸破。故云。躍開仙仗鳳凰樓。時人嫌觸當今號。所以道。荊棘林須是透過始得。若不透過。終始涉廉纖。斬不斷。適來道。前不搆村。後不迭店。雲巖只管去。點檢他人底。百丈見他如此。一時把來打殺了也。雪竇頌雲。

Yunyan served as attendant to Baizhang for twenty years. Later, together with Daowu, he went to Yaoshan. Shan asked: 'What matter were you after under Baizhang?' Yan said: 'To break through birth and death.' Shan said: 'Have you broken through yet?' Yan said: 'He has no birth and death.' Shan said: 'Twenty years at Baizhang and you have not yet removed your habits.' Yan took leave and went to see Nanquan, then later returned to Yaoshan, and only then accorded and awakened. See how the ancients investigated for twenty years and were still half green and half yellow, sticking to skin and clinging to bone, unable to get free. Right it is, but it is only 'ahead no village, behind no inn.' Have you not heard: if words do not leave the old nest, how can one escape the entanglement? White clouds lie across the valley mouth, deluding how many from the source. In the Dong school this is called 'touching the breach,' so it is said: leaping open the phoenix tower of the immortal guard; people of the time dislike touching the present name. So it is said: the thorn forest must be passed through before it works; if it is not passed through, one is always involved in trivial subtleties and cannot cut them off. Just now I said: ahead no village, behind no inn; Yunyan merely went off to check others, and Baizhang, seeing him like this, struck and killed him all at once. Xuedou's verse says:

和尚有也未(公案現成。隨波逐浪。和泥合水)金毛獅子不踞地(灼然。有什麼用處。可惜許)

Does the Master have them or not? (The case is ready-made; following the waves and chasing the swells; mixing mud and water.) The golden-haired lion does not crouch on the ground (clearly; what use is that? What a pity).

兩兩三三舊路行(併卻咽喉唇吻。作麼生道。轉身吐氣。腳跟下蹉過了也)

Two by two, three by three, going down the old road (with throat, lips, and mouth closed, how would you speak? Turning the body and exhaling, one has missed it under the heels).

大雄山下空彈指(一死更不再活。可悲可痛。蒼天中更添怨苦)

Beneath Daxiong Mountain he snaps his fingers in vain (once dead, never alive again; sad and painful; adding resentment and bitterness to the blue sky).

和尚有也未。雪竇據欵結案。是則是。只是金毛獅子。爭柰不踞地。獅子捉物。藏牙伏爪。踞地返擲。物無大小。皆以全威。要全其功。雲巖雲。和尚有也未。只是向舊路上行。所以雪竇雲。百丈向大雄山下空彈指。

'Does the Master have them or not?' Xuedou settles the case according to the plea. Right it is, but the golden-haired lion, why does it not crouch on the ground? When a lion catches something, it hides its teeth and conceals its claws, crouching and then pouncing; whether the thing is large or small, it uses its full might in order to complete the work. Yunyan said: 'Does the Master have them or not?', just going down the old road. So Xuedou said: Baizhang snaps his fingers in vain beneath Daxiong Mountain.

垂示雲。夫說法者。無說無示。其聽法者。無聞無得。說既無說無示。爭如不說。聽既無聞無得。爭如不聽。而無說又無聽。卻較些子。只如今諸人。聽山僧在這裡說。作麼生免得此過。具透關眼者。試舉看。

Introduction. One who teaches the Dharma has no teaching and no showing; one who hears the Dharma has no hearing and no gaining. Since teaching has no teaching and no showing, how is it better than not teaching? Since hearing has no hearing and no gaining, how is it better than not hearing? Having no teaching and also no hearing is somewhat better. As for all of you now, listening to this mountain monk speak here, how do you avoid this fault? One who has the eye that penetrates barriers, try bringing it up.

【七三】舉。僧問馬大師。離四句絕百非。請師直指某甲西來意(什麼處得這話頭來。那裡得這消息)馬師雲。我今日勞倦。不能為汝說。問取智藏去(退身三步蹉過也不知。藏身露影。不妨是這老漢推過。與別人)僧問智藏(也須與他一拶。蹉過也不知)藏雲。何不問和尚(草裡焦尾大蟲出來也。道什麼。直得草繩自縛。去死十分)僧雲。和尚教來問(愛人處分。前箭猶輕後箭深)藏雲。我今日頭痛。不能為汝說。問取海兄去(不妨是八十四員善知識。一樣患這般病痛)僧問海兄(轉與別人。抱贜叫屈)海雲。我到這裡卻不會(不用忉忉。從教千古萬古黑漫漫)僧舉似馬大師(這僧卻有些子眼睛)馬師雲。藏頭白海頭黑(寰中天子勅。塞外將軍令)。

[Case 73] Cited: A monk asked Great Master Ma: 'Apart from the four phrases and cutting off the hundred negations, please, Master, directly point out to me the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West.' (Where did he get this topic? Where does he get this news?) Master Ma said: 'Today I am tired and cannot speak for you. Go ask Zhizang.' (Retreating three steps, missing it without knowing; hiding the body and exposing the shadow; it is quite this old man pushing it off onto someone else.) The monk asked Zhizang. (He should be pressed too; missing it without knowing.) Zang said: 'Why not ask the Master?' (The scorched-tail tiger has come out of the grass; what is he saying? He ties himself with a grass rope and is ten parts toward death.) The monk said: 'The Master told me to come and ask.' (Loving another's instruction; the first arrow is light, the later arrow deep.) Zang said: 'Today I have a headache and cannot speak for you. Go ask Elder Brother Hai.' (Quite one of eighty-four good teachers, all suffering this same ailment.) The monk asked Elder Brother Hai. (Passing it on to another; clutching stolen goods and crying injustice.) Hai said: 'Here I do not understand.' (No need to chatter; let it be pitch black for ten thousand ages.) The monk recounted this to Great Master Ma. (This monk has a bit of an eye.) Master Ma said: 'Zang's head is white, Hai's head is black.' (The emperor's edict inside the realm, the general's order beyond the frontier.)

這箇公案。山僧舊日。在成都參真覺。覺雲。只消看馬祖第一句。自然一時理會得。且道這僧。是會來問。不會來問。此問不妨深遠。離四句者。有。無。非有。非無。非非有。非非無。離此四句。絕其百非。只管作道理。不識話頭。討頭腦不見。若是山僧。待馬祖道了。也便與展坐具。禮三拜。看他作麼生道。當時馬祖。若見這僧來。問離四句絕百非。請師直指某甲西來意。以拄杖劈脊便棒趕出。看他省不省。馬大師只管與他打葛藤。以至這漢。當面蹉過。更令去問智藏。殊不知馬大師來風深辨。這僧懞懂。走去問智藏。藏雲。何不問和尚。僧雲。和尚教來問。看他這些子。拶著便轉。更無閑暇處。智藏雲。我今日頭痛。不能為汝說得。問取海兄去。這僧又去問海兄。海兄雲。我到這裡卻不會。且道為什麼。一人道頭痛。一人云不會。畢竟作麼生。這僧卻回來。舉似馬大師。師雲。藏頭白海頭黑。若以解路卜度。卻謂之相瞞。有者道。只是相推過。有者道。三箇總識他問頭。所以不答。總是拍盲地。一時將古人醍醐上味。著毒藥在裡許。所以馬祖道。待汝一口吸盡西江水。即向汝道。與此公案一般。若會得藏頭白海頭黑。便會西江水話。這僧將一簷懞𢤦。換得箇不安樂。更勞他三人尊宿。入泥入水。畢竟這僧不瞥地。雖然一恁麼。這三箇宗師。卻被箇擔板漢勘破。如今人只管去語言上。作活計雲。白是明頭合。黑是暗頭合。只管鑽研計較。殊不知。古人一句截斷意根。須是向正脈裡。自看始得穩當。所以道。末後一句。始到牢關。把斷要津。不通凡聖。若論此事。如當門按一口劍相似。擬議則喪身失命。又道。譬如擲劍揮空。莫論及之不及。但向八面玲瓏處會取。不見古人道。這漆桶。或雲。野狐精。或雲。瞎漢。且道與一棒一喝。是同是別。若知千差萬別。只是一般。自然八面受敵。

This case: in the past this mountain monk studied under Zhenjue in Chengdu. Jue said: 'Only look at Mazu's first line, and you will naturally understand it all at once.' Tell me, did this monk come asking understanding or not understanding? The question is quite deep and far. Apart from the four phrases: being, non-being, neither being nor non-being, and neither not-being nor not-non-being. Apart from these four phrases and cutting off the hundred negations, if one only makes principles, one does not recognize the key phrase and cannot find the head and the brain. If it were this mountain monk, after Mazu spoke, I would just spread out my sitting cloth and bow three times, and see what he would say. If Mazu at that time had seen this monk come and ask 'Apart from the four phrases and cutting off the hundred negations, please, Master, directly point out the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West,' he would have struck him across the back with his staff and driven him out, and seen whether he awakened or not. Great Master Ma only tangled with him in vines, until this fellow missed it face to face, and was further sent to ask Zhizang. Little did he know the wind of Great Master Ma's coming was deeply discerning. This monk, muddled, went to ask Zhizang. Zang said: 'Why not ask the Master?' The monk said: 'The Master told me to come and ask.' Look at this bit; it turns the moment it is pressed, with no idle moment. Zhizang said: 'Today I have a headache and cannot speak for you. Go ask Elder Brother Hai.' The monk again went to ask Elder Brother Hai. Elder Brother Hai said: 'Here I do not understand.' Tell me, why? One says headache, one says not understanding; what is it in the end? The monk then came back and recounted this to Great Master Ma. The Master said: 'Zang's head is white, Hai's head is black.' If one gropes with a path of interpretation, one calls it deceiving each other. Some say they were only pushing it off onto each other; some say all three recognized his question and so did not answer. All of this is blindly patting; they all put poison in the ancients' finest ghee. So Mazu said: 'When you drink up the West River in one gulp, I will tell you,' which is the same as this case. If one understands 'Zang's head is white, Hai's head is black,' one understands the saying about the West River. This monk, carrying a load of befuddlement, exchanged it for unease, and also troubled these three elders to go into mud and water, but in the end the monk did not glimpse it. Even so, these three masters were seen through by a board-carrying fellow. People today only go to words and make a livelihood, saying white means the bright end matches, black means the dark end matches, and only keep boring into calculation. Little do they know that one line of the ancients cuts off the root of the intellect; one must look within the true vein to be at ease. So it is said: the last line only then arrives at the stronghold barrier, seizing the main ford and not admitting ordinary or sage. If we speak of this matter, it is like pressing a sword at the very door; if you hesitate, you lose body and life. It is also said: like hurling a sword into the air, do not discuss whether it reaches or not; just understand it in the eight-sided and brilliant place. Have you not heard the ancients say: this lacquer bucket, or this wild fox spirit, or this blind fellow? Tell me, is a blow of the staff or a shout the same as that or different? If one knows that a thousand differences and ten thousand distinctions are only one, one naturally meets attack from all eight sides.

要會藏頭白海頭黑麼。五祖先師道。封后先生。雪竇頌雲。

(Yuanwu continued:) Do you want to understand 'Zang's head is white, Hai's head is black'? My late teacher Wuzu said: 'Master Fenghou.' Xuedou's verse says:

藏頭白海頭黑(半合半開。一手擡一手搦。金聲玉振)明眼衲僧會不得(更行腳三十年。終是被人穿卻爾鼻孔。山僧故是口似匾簷)

Zang's head is white, Hai's head is black (half closed, half open; one hand lifts, one hand presses; the golden sound and the jade ring). Clear-eyed monks cannot understand it (travel another thirty years and still you will be pierced through the nostrils by others; this mountain monk's mouth is just like a shoulder pole).

馬駒踏殺天下人(叢林中也須是這老漢始得。放出這老漢)

The horse colt tramples all people under heaven (in the monasteries one must have this old man; let this old man out).

臨濟未是白拈賊(癩兒牽伴。直饒好手。也被人捉了也)

Linji was not yet a thief who snatches in broad daylight (a leper with a companion to pull him along; even a good hand gets caught by others).

離四句絕百非(道什麼。也須是自點檢看。阿爺似阿爹)

Apart from the four phrases, cutting off the hundred negations (what is he saying? One must check oneself; father like father).

天上人間唯我知(用我作什麼。奪卻拄杖子。或若無人無我無得無失。將什麼知)

In heaven and on earth, only I know (what use is 'I'? Seize the staff. If there is no person and no self, no gain and no loss, with what does one know?)

藏頭白海頭黑。且道意作麼生。這些子。天下衲僧跳不出。看他雪竇。後面合殺得好。道直饒是明眼衲僧。也會不得。這箇些子消息。謂之神仙秘訣父子不傳。釋迦老子。說一代時教。末後單傳心印。喚作金剛王寶劍。喚作正位。恁麼葛藤。早是事不獲己。古人略露些子鋒鋩。若是透得底人。便乃七穿八穴。得大自在。若透不得。從前無悟入處。轉說轉遠也。馬駒踏殺天下人。西天般若多羅。讖達磨雲。震旦雖闊無別路。要假兒孫腳下行。金雞解銜一粒粟。供養十方羅漢僧。又六祖謂讓和尚曰。向後佛法。從汝邊去。已後出一馬駒。踏殺天下人。厥後江西法嗣。布於天下。時號馬祖焉。達磨六祖。皆先讖馬祖。看他作略。果然別。只道藏頭白海頭黑。便見踏殺天下人處。只這一句黑白語千人萬人咬不破。臨濟未是白拈賊。臨濟一日示眾雲。赤肉團上有一無位真人。常向汝等諸人面門出入。未證據者看看。時有僧出問。如何是無位真人。臨濟下禪床搊住雲。道道。僧無語。濟托開雲。無位真人。是什麼乾屎橛。雪峰後聞雲。臨濟大似白拈賊。雪竇要與他臨濟相見。觀馬祖機鋒。尤過於臨濟。此正是白拈賊。臨濟未是白拈。賊也。雪竇一時穿卻了也。卻頌這僧道。離四句絕百非。天上人間唯我知。且莫向鬼窟裡作活計。古人云。問在答處。答在問處。早是奇特。爾作麼生。離得四句。絕得百非。雪竇道。此事唯我能知。直饒三世諸佛。也覰不見。既是獨自箇知。諸人更上來求箇什麼。大溈真如拈雲。這僧恁麼問。馬祖恁麼答。離四句絕百非。智藏海兄都不知。要會麼。不見道。馬駒踏殺天下人搊(初尤切拘也)。

'Zang's head is white, Hai's head is black': tell me, what is the meaning? This little bit, no monk under heaven can leap out of. Look at Xuedou, who concludes well afterward, saying that even clear-eyed monks cannot understand it. This little bit of news is called the immortals' secret formula, not transmitted even between father and son. Old Shakyamuni preached the teachings of a whole lifetime and at the end transmitted the mind seal alone, called the Vajra King's precious sword, called the true position. Such tangled vines were already unavoidable. The ancients slightly revealed a bit of the sharp edge. One who breaks through it pierces seven ways and holes eight ways and attains great freedom; one who cannot break through has no entry from the beginning, and the more he speaks the farther he gets. 'The horse colt tramples all people under heaven': the Western Heaven's Prajnatara foretold to Bodhidharma: 'Although China is vast, there is no other road; it needs to rely on the feet of descendants to go; the golden rooster knows to hold a grain of millet to offer to the arhat monks of the ten directions.' Also the Sixth Patriarch said to Master Rang: 'Afterward the Buddha Dharma will go out from you; later a horse colt will come out and trample all people under heaven.' Afterward the Dharma heirs of Jiangxi spread throughout the world, and at the time he was called Mazu. Bodhidharma and the Sixth Patriarch both foretold Mazu. See his methods; sure enough, he is different. Only saying 'Zang's head is white, Hai's head is black,' one sees the place of trampling all people under heaven. This single line of black and white words cannot be bitten through by thousands and tens of thousands. 'Linji was not yet a thief who snatches in broad daylight': one day Linji addressed the assembly, saying: 'On the lump of red flesh there is a true person of no rank, always going in and out of the face gates of all of you. Those who have not yet verified it, look, look!' At that time a monk came out and asked: 'What is the true person of no rank?' Linji came down from the meditation seat, seized him, and said: 'Speak, speak!' The monk had no words. Ji pushed him away and said: 'The true person of no rank, what a dry shit-stick!' Xuefeng later heard of it and said: 'Linji is very much a thief who snatches in broad daylight.' Xuedou wanted to meet Linji. Looking at Mazu's mechanism and sharp edge, it surpasses Linji's. This is precisely the thief who snatches in broad daylight; Linji is not yet such a thief. Xuedou strung it all together, and then composed a verse on this monk: 'Apart from the four phrases, cutting off the hundred negations; in heaven and on earth, only I know.' Do not make a livelihood in the ghost cave. The ancients said: the question is in the answer and the answer is in the question; already remarkable. How will you separate from the four phrases and cut off the hundred negations? Xuedou says: this matter only I can know. Even the buddhas of the three times cannot see it. Since only he knows it, what more do you all come up to seek? Dasui Zhenru took it up and said: 'This monk asked like this, Mazu answered like this; apart from the four phrases and cutting off the hundred negations, Zhizang and Elder Brother Hai did not know. Do you want to understand? Have you not heard: the horse colt tramples all people under heaven.' Zou (read chu-you, meaning to seize).

垂示雲。鏌鎁橫按。鋒前剪斷葛藤窠。明鏡高懸。句中引出毘盧印。田地穩密處。著衣吃飯。神通遊戲處。如何湊泊。還委悉麼。看取下文。

Introduction. The Moye sword pressed across: at the sword's point, cut through the nest of tangled vines. The bright mirror hung high: within the line, draw out the Vairochana seal. At the place where the ground is stable and secret, one puts on clothes and eats rice; at the place of spiritual powers and play, how does one get a foothold? Do you know in detail? See the following text.

【七四】舉。金牛和尚每至齋時。自將飯桶。於僧堂前作舞。呵呵大笑雲。菩薩子吃飯來(竿頭絲線從君弄。不犯清波意自殊。醍醐毒藥一時行。是則是七珍八寶一時羅列。爭奈相逢者少)雪竇雲。雖然如此。金牛不是好心(是賊識賊。是精識精。來說是非者。便是是非人)僧問長慶。古人道。菩薩子吃飯來。意旨如何(不妨疑著。元來不知落處。長慶道什麼)慶雲。大似因齋慶讚(相席打令。據欵結案)。

[Case 74] Cited: Whenever mealtime came, Abbot Jinniu would take the rice bucket himself, dance in front of the monks' hall, and laugh heartily, saying: 'Bodhisattvas, come and eat!' (The silk thread at the top of the pole is yours to play with; not disturbing the clear waves, the meaning is still different; ghee and poison go together; right it is, seven treasures and eight jewels are all laid out, but those who meet are few.) Xuedou said: 'Even so, Jinniu did not have a good heart.' (A thief recognizes a thief, a spirit recognizes a spirit; one who comes to speak of right and wrong is himself a person of right and wrong.) A monk asked Changqing: 'The ancient said: Bodhisattvas, come and eat! What is the meaning?' (Quite suspicious; originally did not know where it lands; what will Changqing say?) Qing said: 'Very much like celebrating and praising on account of a vegetarian feast.' (Taking the seat and playing the drinking game; settling the case according to the plea.)

金牛乃馬祖下尊宿。每至齋時。自將飯桶。於僧堂前作舞。呵呵大笑雲。菩薩子吃飯來。如此者二十年。且道他意在什麼處。若只喚作吃飯。尋常敲魚擊鼓。亦自告報矣。又何須更自將飯桶來。作許多伎倆。莫是他顛麼。莫是提唱建立麼。若是提唱此事。何不去寶華王座上。敲床竪拂。須要如此作什麼。今人殊不知。古人意在言外。何不且看祖師當時初來底題目道什麼。分明說道。教外別傳。單傳心印。古人方便。也只教爾直截承當去。後來人妄自卜度。便道那裡有許多事。寒則向火。熱則乘涼。飢則吃飯。困則打眠。若恁麼以常情。義解詮註。達磨一宗。掃土而盡。不知古人。向二六時中。念念不捨。要明此事。雪竇雲。雖然如此。金牛不是好心。只這一句。多少人錯會。所謂醍醐上味。為世所珍。遇斯等人。翻成毒藥。金牛既是落草為人。雪竇為什麼道。不是好心。因什麼卻恁麼道。衲僧家須是有生機始得。今人不到古人田地。只管道見什麼心。有什麼佛。若作這見解。壞卻金牛老作家了也。須是子細看始得。若只今日明日。口快些子。無有了期。後來長慶上堂。僧問。古人道。菩薩子吃飯來。意旨如何。慶雲。大似因齋慶讚。尊宿家忒殺慈悲。漏逗不少。是則是。因齋慶讚。爾且道。慶讚箇什麼。看他雪竇頌雲。

Jinniu was a venerable of Mazu's line. Every time the meal hour came, he would carry the rice tub himself in front of the monks' hall, dance, laugh heartily and say: "Bodhisattvas, come and eat!" He did this for twenty years. Tell me, where did his meaning lie? If one calls it merely eating, ordinarily striking the wooden fish and beating the drum already announces it; why would he need to carry the rice tub himself and perform so many tricks? Was he mad? Was he expounding and establishing the teaching? If he were expounding this matter, why not go to the Jeweled Flower King's seat, strike the couch and raise the whisk? Why must he do this? People today do not know that the ancients' meaning lay outside the words. Why not look at what the heading was when the Patriarch first came? It plainly said: "A separate transmission outside the teachings, directly pointing to the mind seal." The ancients' expedients also only taught you to take it on directly. Later people made random calculations and said, "How many things there are: when cold, go to the fire; when hot, seek the cool; when hungry, eat; when tired, sleep." If one uses ordinary feelings, doctrinal interpretation and commentary like this, the school of Bodhidharma will be swept away to the last. They do not know that the ancients, in the twelve periods of the day, did not let go for a moment of wanting to clarify this matter. Xuedou said: "Even so, Jinniu did not have a good heart." With this one phrase, how many people have misunderstood! The so-called supreme taste of ghee, treasured by the world, becomes poison when it meets such people. Since Jinniu had fallen into the grass to help people, why did Xuedou say he did not have a good heart? Why did he put it this way? A monk must have a living spring of function before it works. People today, not having reached the ancients' ground, only say, "What mind do you see? What Buddha is there?" If you take this view, you ruin old master Jinniu. You must look carefully before it works. If you merely talk glibly today and tomorrow, there will be no day of ending. Later, when Changqing gave a talk in the hall, a monk asked: "The ancient said, 'Bodhisattvas, come and eat!' What was his purport?" Qing said: "It is very much like celebrating and praising on account of a fast." The venerable was far too compassionate and let leak not a little. Right is right: celebrating and praising on account of a fast; but tell me, what is being celebrated and praised? Look at what Xuedou's verse says.

白雲影裡笑呵呵(笑中有刀。熱發作什麼。天下衲僧不知落處)兩手持來付與他(豈有恁麼事。莫謗金牛好。喚作飯桶得麼。若是本分衲僧。不吃這般茶飯)

Amid the shadow of white clouds, laughing heartily (there is a knife in the laughter; why such a fever? The monks of the world do not know where it lands). Holding it with both hands and handing it over to them (how could there be such a thing? Do not slander Jinniu; may one call it a rice tub? If one is a true monk, one does not eat such tea and rice).

若是金毛獅子子(須是他格外始得。許他具眼。只恐眼不正)三千里外見誵訛(不直半文錢。一場漏逗。誵訛在什麼處。瞎漢)

If you were a golden-haired lion cub (you would have to be beyond the framework to qualify; he is granted to have the eye, but one fears the eye is not correct), you would see the flaw from three thousand li away (not worth half a cent; one whole leak. Where is the flaw? Blind fellow).

白雲影裡笑呵呵。長慶道。因齋慶讚。雪竇道。兩手持來付與他。且道只是與他吃飯。為當別有奇特。若向箇裡知得端的。便是箇金毛獅子子。若是金毛獅子子。更不必金牛將飯桶來作舞大笑。直向三千里外。便知他敗缺處。古人道。鑒在機先。不消一揑。所以衲僧家。尋常須是向格外用始得稱本分宗師。若只據語言。未免漏逗。

"Amid the shadow of white clouds, laughing heartily." Changqing said: "Celebrating and praising on account of a fast." Xuedou said: "Holding it with both hands and handing it over to them." Tell me, was it only giving them food to eat, or was there something extraordinary? If you truly know it within this, you are a golden-haired lion cub. If you are a golden-haired lion cub, there is no need for Jinniu to carry the rice tub, dance and laugh heartily; from three thousand li away you would know where his flaw is. The ancients said: "The mirror precedes the device; there is no need for a single pinch." Therefore monks ordinarily must apply themselves beyond the framework to be called masters true to their station. If one relies only on language, one cannot avoid leaks.

垂示雲。靈鋒寶劍。常露現前。亦能殺人亦能活人。在彼在此。同得同失。若要提持。一任提持。若要平展。一任平展。且道不落賓主。不拘回互時如何。試舉看。

Introduction. It is said: the sharp sword of spiritual edge is always revealed before us. It can kill people and it can give people life. Here and there, shared gain and shared loss. If you want to lift up, let it be lifted up; if you want to lay it flat, let it be laid flat. Tell me, not falling into host and guest, not bound by turning and exchanging, what then? Try to raise it and see.

【七五】舉。僧從定州和尚會裡。來到烏臼。烏臼問。定州法道何似這裡(言中有響。要辨淺深。探竿影草。太殺瞞人)僧雲。不別(死漢中有活底。一箇半箇。鐵橛子一般。踏著實地)臼雲。若不別更轉彼中去。便打(灼然。正令當行)僧雲。棒頭有眼。不得草草打人(也是這作家始得。卻是獅子兒)臼雲。今日打著一箇也。又打三下(說什麼一箇。千箇萬箇)僧便出去(元來是屋裡人。只得受屈。只是見機而作)臼雲。屈棒元來有人吃在(啞子吃苦瓜。放去又收來點。得回來堪作何用)僧轉身雲。爭奈杓柄。在和尚手裡(依前三百六十日。卻是箇伶俐衲僧)臼雲。汝若要山僧回與汝(知他阿誰是君。阿誰是臣。敢向虎口橫身。忒殺不識好惡)僧近前奪臼手中棒。打臼三下(也是一箇作家禪客始得。賓主互換縱奪臨時)臼雲。屈棒屈棒(點。這老漢。著什麼死急)僧雲。有人吃在(呵呵。是幾箇杓柄卻在這僧手裡)臼雲。草草打著箇漢(不落丙邊。知他是阿誰)僧便禮拜(臨危不變。方是丈夫兒)臼雲。和尚卻恁麼去也(點)僧大笑而出(作家禪客天然有在。猛虎須得清風隨。方知盡始盡終。天下人摸素不著)臼雲。消得恁麼。消得恁麼(可惜放過。何不劈脊便棒。將謂走到什麼處去)。

[Case 75] Raised: A monk came to Wujiu from the assembly of the Abbot of Dingzhou. Wujiu asked: "How does the Dharma-way of Dingzhou compare with this place?" (There is an echo in the words; he wants to discern shallow and deep. The probing pole and the shadow in the grass; far too much deceiving people.) The monk said: "No different." (A living one among dead men; one or half a one; like an iron peg, treading on solid ground.) Jiu said: "If it is no different, go back there again." And he struck him. (Clearly; the correct order is in force.) The monk said: "There are eyes at the head of the stick; you must not strike people carelessly." (Only such a master will do; he is truly a lion's cub.) Jiu said: "Today I have struck one." He struck him three more times. (What do you mean one? Thousands and tens of thousands.) The monk went out. (He turns out to be one of the household; he can only take the injustice; he acts just on seeing the device.) Jiu said: "The unjust stick, it turns out someone has taken it." (The mute eating bitter melon; let go and gather back to inspect; what use is it to get him back?) The monk turned around and said: "What can be done, the ladle handle is in the Master's hand." (As before, three hundred and sixty days; yet he is a clever monk.) Jiu said: "If you want this mountain monk to give it back to you..." (Who knows which is lord and which is minister? He dares to throw himself across the tiger's mouth; far too ignorant of good and bad.) The monk went forward, seized the stick from Jiu's hand, and struck Jiu three times. (Only a master Chan traveler will do; host and guest exchange, seizing and releasing as the moment demands.) Jiu said: "Unjust stick, unjust stick!" (Check. This old man, why such urgent haste to die?) The monk said: "Someone has taken it!" (Ha ha. It is several ladle handles that are in this monk's hand.) Jiu said: "Carelessly I struck a fellow." (Not falling to either side; who knows who he is.) The monk then bowed. (Not changing at the brink of danger; only then is he a true man.) Jiu said: "The Master is going off like this." (Check.) The monk laughed loudly and went out. (A master Chan traveler has his natural presence; a fierce tiger must have a clear wind following; only then does one know to the very end and beginning; the people of the world grope without finding it. The base text writes 'mo su', where 'su' is a corruption of 'suo'.) Jiu said: "Worth it like this; worth it like this." (A pity to let it pass; why not strike him across the spine with the stick? Where did he think he was going?)

僧從定州和尚會裡來到烏臼。臼亦是作家。諸人若向這裡。識得此二人一齣一入。千箇萬箇只是一箇。作主也恁麼。作賓也恁麼。二人畢竟合成一家。一期勘辨。賓主問答。始終作家。看烏臼問這僧雲。定州法道何似這裡。僧便雲。不別。當時若不是烏臼。難奈這僧何。臼雲。若不別。更轉彼中去。便打。爭奈這僧是作家漢。便雲。棒頭有眼不得草草打人。臼一向行令雲。今日打著一箇也。又打三下。其僧便出去。看他兩箇轉轆轆地。俱是作家。了這一事。須要分緇素別休咎。這僧雖出去。這公案。卻未了在。烏臼始終。要驗他實處看他如何。這僧卻似撐門拄戶。所以未見得他。烏臼卻雲。屈棒元來有人吃在。這僧要轉身吐氣。卻不與他爭。輕輕轉雲。爭奈杓柄在和尚手裡。烏臼是頂門具眼底宗師。敢向猛虎口裡橫身雲。汝若要山僧回與汝。這漢是箇肘下有符底漢。所謂見義不為無勇也。更不擬議。近前奪烏臼手中棒。打臼三下。臼雲。屈棒屈棒。爾且道意作麼生。頭上道。屈棒元來有人吃在。及乎到這僧打他。卻道屈棒屈棒。僧雲。有人吃在。臼雲。草草打著箇漢。頭上道草草打著一箇也。到末後自吃棒。為什麼亦道草草打著箇漢。當時若不是這僧卓朔地。也不奈他何。這僧便禮拜。這箇禮拜最毒。也不是好心。若不是烏臼。也識他不破。烏臼雲。卻恁麼去也。其僧大笑而出。烏臼雲。消得恁麼消得恁麼。看他作家相見。始終賓主分明。斷而能續。其實也只是互換之機。他到這裡。亦不道有箇互換處。自是他古人。絕情塵意想。彼此作家。亦不道有得有失。雖是一期間語言。兩個活鱍鱍地。都有血脈針線。若能於此見得。亦乃向十二時中。歷歷分明。其僧便出是雙放。已下是雙收。謂之互換也。雪竇正恁麼地。頌出。

A monk came from the assembly of the Abbot of Dingzhou to Wujiu. Jiu too was a master. If all of you recognize in this the coming and going of these two, thousands and tens of thousands are only one. As master it is like this, and as guest it is like this. The two in the end make one house. In a single round of testing and discerning, host and guest question and answer, and from beginning to end they are masters. Look at how Wujiu asked the monk: "How does the Dharma-way of Dingzhou compare with this place?" The monk said at once: "No different." Had it not been Wujiu then, it would have been hard to deal with this monk. Jiu said: "If it is no different, go back there again." And struck him. But the monk was a master fellow, and said: "There are eyes at the head of the stick; you must not strike people carelessly." Jiu, going on in his action, said: "Today I have struck one," and struck three more times. The monk went out. See how the two of them turn around and around, both masters, concluding this one matter; one must tell black from white and discern good fortune from ill. Though the monk went out, this case is not finished. From beginning to end Wujiu wanted to test his real ground and see how he would do. The monk seemed to prop up the door and support the household, and so he had not yet been seen through. Wujiu said: "The unjust stick, it turns out someone has taken it." The monk wanted to turn his body and breathe out, but did not contend with him; he turned lightly and said: "What can be done, the ladle handle is in the Master's hand." Wujiu was a master with an eye on the top of his head, and dared to throw himself in the mouth of the fierce tiger saying: "If you want this mountain monk to give it back to you..." This fellow was one with a talisman under his elbow; as it is said, to see what is right and not do it is lack of courage. Without hesitation he went forward and seized the stick from Wujiu's hand and struck Wujiu three times. Jiu said: "Unjust stick, unjust stick!" Tell me, what is the meaning? At first he said, "The unjust stick, it turns out someone has taken it," but when it came to the monk striking him, he said, "Unjust stick, unjust stick!" The monk said: "Someone has taken it!" Jiu said: "Carelessly I struck a fellow." At first he said, "Today I carelessly struck one," but at the end he himself took the stick; why does he also say he carelessly struck a fellow? Had this monk not been so steady then, nothing could have been done with him. The monk then bowed. This bow was most poisonous, and was not a good heart. Had it not been Wujiu, he could not have seen through him. Wujiu said: "The Master is going off like this." The monk laughed loudly and went out. Wujiu said: "Worth it like this; worth it like this." Look at how masters meet: from beginning to end host and guest are distinct, cutting off and yet continuing. In truth it is only the device of exchange. Arriving here, they do not even speak of a place of exchange; the ancients themselves cut off dust of feeling and thoughts of intent, and both were masters, not speaking of gain or loss. Though it was only a moment's words, the two were wriggling alive, each with blood vessels, needle and thread. If one can see this here, it will also be clear and distinct throughout the twelve periods of the day. The monk's going out was both released; what follows was both gathered; this is called exchange. Xuedou, in just such a way, brought out the verse.

呼即易(天下人總疑著。臭肉引來蠅。天下衲僧總不知落處)遣即難(不妨勦絕。海上明公秀)

Calling is easy (everyone under heaven doubts it; stinking meat draws flies; the monks of the world do not know where it lands). Sending away is hard (it is quite complete; Master Ming of the sea is outstanding).

互換機鋒子細看(一齣一入。二俱作家。一條拄杖兩人扶。且道在阿誰邊)

The exchange of sharp edges, look carefully (one out, one in, both masters; one staff supported by two men; tell me, which side is it on?)

劫石固來猶可壞(袖裡金鎚如何辨取。千聖不傳)滄溟深處立須乾(向什麼處安排。棒頭有眼。獨許他親得)

The kalpa stone, solid as it is, can still be worn away (the golden hammer in the sleeve, how will you discern it? The thousand sages did not transmit it). Standing in the depths of the dark sea, it must dry up (where will you arrange it? There are eyes at the head of the stick; he alone is granted to have attained it intimately).

烏臼老烏臼老(可惜許。這老漢不識好惡)

Old Wujiu, old Wujiu (a pity; this old man does not know good from bad).

幾何般(也是箇無端漢。百千萬重)與他杓柄太無端(已在言前。洎合打破蔡州。好與三十棒。且道過在什麼處)

How many kinds (he too was a groundless fellow, hundreds of thousands of layers) he gave away the ladle handle, so groundless (already before the words; he nearly smashed Caizhou; he should be given thirty blows; tell me, where is the fault?)

呼即易遣即難。一等是落草。雪竇忒殺慈悲。尋常道。呼蛇易遣蛇難。如今將箇瓢子吹來。喚蛇即易。要遣時即難。一似將棒與他卻易。復奪他棒。遣去卻難。須是有本分手腳。方能遣得他去。烏臼是作家。有呼蛇底手腳。亦有遣蛇底手段。這僧也不是瞌睡底。烏臼問。定州法道何似這裡。便是呼他。烏臼便打。是遣他。僧雲。棒頭有眼。不得草草打人。卻轉在這僧處。便是呼來。烏臼雲。汝若要山僧回與汝。僧便近前奪棒。也打三下。卻是這僧遣去。乃至這僧大笑而出。烏臼雲。消得恁麼消得恁麼。此分明是遣得他恰好。看他兩箇機鋒互換。絲來線去。打成一片。始終賓主分明。有時主卻作賓。有時賓卻作主。雪竇也讚歎不及。所以道。互換之機。教人且子細看。劫石固來猶可壞。謂此劫石。長四十里。廣八萬四千由旬。厚八萬四千由旬。凡五百年乃有天人下來。以六銖衣袖拂一下。又去至五百年。又來如此拂。拂盡此石。乃為一劫。謂之輕衣拂石劫。雪竇道。劫石固來猶可壞。石雖堅固。尚爾可消磨盡。此二人機鋒。千古萬古。更無有窮盡。滄溟深處立須乾。任是滄溟。洪波浩渺白浪滔天。若教此二人。向內立地。此滄溟也須乾竭。雪竇到此。一時頌了。末後更道。烏臼老烏臼老。幾何般。或擒或縱。或殺或活。畢竟是幾何般。與他杓柄太無端。這箇拄杖子。三世諸佛也用。歷代祖師也用。宗師家也用。與人抽釘拔楔。解粘去縛。爭得輕易分付與人。雪竇意要獨用。賴值這僧當時只與他平展。忽若旱地起雷。看他如何當抵。烏臼過杓柄與人去。豈不是太無端。

"Calling is easy, sending away is hard." Both are falling into the grass. Xuedou was too compassionate. Ordinarily it is said: calling a snake is easy, sending away the snake is hard. Now take a gourd and blow it: calling the snake is easy, but when you want to send it off, it is hard. It is just like giving someone the stick being easy but taking his stick back, sending him away, being hard. One must have hands and feet true to one's station to be able to send him off. Wujiu was a master, with the hands and feet to call a snake and also the means to send it away. This monk too was no sleepyhead. Wujiu asked: "How does the Dharma-way of Dingzhou compare with this place?" This was calling him. Wujiu then struck him: this was sending him off. The monk said: "There are eyes at the head of the stick; you must not strike people carelessly." This turned it back to the monk, which was calling. Wujiu said: "If you want this mountain monk to give it back to you..." The monk went forward, seized the stick and struck three times; this was the monk sending him away, until the monk laughed loudly and went out. Wujiu said: "Worth it like this; worth it like this." This clearly was sending him off just right. See how the two exchanged sharp edges, thread coming and needle going, making it all one piece; from beginning to end host and guest were distinct, sometimes the host became guest and sometimes the guest became host. Xuedou too could not praise it enough, and so said: "The exchange of sharp edges, look carefully." "The kalpa stone, solid as it is, can still be worn away": this kalpa stone is said to be forty li long, eighty-four thousand yojanas wide and eighty-four thousand yojanas thick; every five hundred years a celestial being comes down and brushes it once with a sleeve of six-zhu cloth, then goes away, and after another five hundred years comes again and brushes it so. When the stone is brushed away, that makes one kalpa. This is called the kalpa of brushing the stone with a light robe. Xuedou says: "The kalpa stone, solid as it is, can still be worn away." Though the stone is solid, it can still be ground away; but the sharp edges of these two are for a thousand ages and ten thousand ages without exhaustion. "Standing in the depths of the dark sea, it must dry up": however vast the dark sea, with great waves boundless and white surf reaching the sky, if these two were made to stand within it, this sea would still have to dry up. Having reached this, Xuedou finished the verse all at once, and at the end said: "Old Wujiu, old Wujiu, how many kinds!" Whether seizing or releasing, killing or giving life, in the end how many kinds are there? "He gave away the ladle handle, so groundless." This staff is used by the Buddhas of the three times and by the patriarchs of successive generations and also by masters; it pulls out nails and removes pegs for people, unties what sticks and removes bonds; how could one lightly hand it over to someone? Xuedou's meaning was to use it alone. Fortunately this monk then only dealt with him on a level. If suddenly thunder arose on dry land, see how he would meet it. For Wujiu to pass the ladle handle to someone, is that not far too groundless?

垂示雲。細如米末。冷似氷霜。畐塞乾坤。離明絕暗。低低處觀之有餘。高高處平之不足。把住放行。總在這裡許還有出身處也無。試舉看畐(拍逼切滿也)。

Introduction. It is said: fine as rice powder, cold as ice and frost, filling heaven and earth, leaving brightness and cutting off darkness. Looked at from the lowest place it is more than enough, and leveled from the highest place it is not enough. Holding fast and letting go are all right here; is there still a place to go out? Try to raise it and see. 'Bi' (pronounced pi-bi, meaning full).

【七六】舉。丹霞問僧。甚處來(正是不可總沒來處也。要知來處也不難)僧雲。山下來(著草鞋入爾肚裡過也。只是不會。言中有響諳含來。知他是黃是綠)霞雲。吃飯了也未(第一杓惡水澆。何必定盤星。要知端的)僧雲。吃飯了(果然撞著箇露柱。卻被旁人穿卻鼻孔。元來是箇無孔鐵鎚)霞雲。將飯來與汝吃底人。還具眼麼(雖然是倚勢欺人。也是據欵結案。當時好掀倒禪床。無端作什麼)僧無語(果然走不得。這僧若是作家。向他道。與和尚眼一般)長慶問保福。將飯與人吃。報恩有分。為什麼不具眼(也只道得一半。通身是遍身是。一刀兩段。一手擡一手搦)福雲。施者受者二俱瞎漢(據令而行。一句道盡。罕遇其人)長慶雲。盡其機來。還成瞎否(識甚好惡。猶自未肯。討什麼碗)福雲。道我瞎得麼(兩箇俱是草裡漢。龍頭蛇尾。當時待他道盡其機來。還成瞎否。只向他道瞎。也只道得一半。一等是作家。為什麼前不搆村。後不迭店)。

[Case 76] Raised: Danxia asked a monk: "Where have you come from?" (Precisely, one cannot be entirely without a place to come from; but to know where one came from is not hard.) The monk said: "From below the mountain." (Putting on straw sandals and passing through your belly; only he does not understand. There is an echo in the words, he conceals within; who knows whether he is yellow or green.) Xia said: "Have you finished eating?" (The first ladle of dirty water poured on him; why bother with a fixed star of the scale? Wanting to know the truth.) The monk said: "I have finished eating." (As expected he bumped into a pillar, and others pierced his nose; he turns out to be an iron hammer without a hole.) Xia said: "The one who gave you rice to eat, did he have eyes?" (Though it is bullying people by relying on power, it is also concluding the case by the confession. He should have overturned the meditation seat then; what was the point of acting groundlessly?) The monk was silent. (As expected he could not get away. If this monk were a master, he would say to him: 'Just the same as the Master's eyes.') Changqing asked Baofu: "One who gives rice to people to eat merits Baoen's repayment; why does he not have eyes?" (He said only half; the whole body is it, all over is it; cut with one knife into two pieces; one hand lifting, one hand pressing.) Fu said: "The giver and the receiver are both blind men." (Acting according to the order, finishing in one phrase; rarely does one meet such a person.) Changqing said: "If they exhaust their device, would they still be blind?" (What does he know of good and bad? Still unwilling; what bowl are you asking for?) Fu said: "Can you say I am blind?" (Both are men in the grass, dragon's head and snake's tail. When he said, 'If they exhaust their device, would they still be blind?' he should simply have said blind. That too says only half; both are masters, but why is there no village ahead and no inn behind?)

鄧州丹霞天然禪師。不知何許人。初習儒學。將入長安應舉。方宿於逆旅。忽夢白光滿室。占者曰。解空之祥。偶一禪客問曰。仁者何往。曰。選官去。禪客曰。選官何如選佛。霞雲。選佛當往何所。禪客曰。今江西馬大師出世。是選佛之場。仁者可往。遂直造江西。才見馬大師。以兩手托幞頭腳。馬師顧視雲。吾非汝師。南嶽石頭處去。遽抵南嶽。還以前意投之。石頭雲。著槽廠去。師禮謝。入行者堂。隨眾作務。凡三年。石頭一日告眾雲。來日剗佛殿前草。至來日。大眾各備鍬鋤剗草。丹霞獨以盆盛水淨頭。於師前跪膝。石頭見而笑之。便與剃髮。又為說戒。丹霞掩耳而出。便往江西。再謁馬祖。未參禮。便去僧堂內。騎聖僧頸而坐。時大眾驚愕。急報馬祖。祖躬入堂。視之曰。我子天然。霞便下禮拜曰。謝師賜法號。因名天然他古人天然。如此頴脫。所謂選官不如選佛也。傳燈錄中載其語句。直是壁立千仞。句句有與人抽釘拔楔底手腳。似問這僧道。什麼處來。僧雲。山下來。這僧卻不通來處。一如具眼倒去勘主家相似。當時若不是丹霞。也難為收拾。丹霞卻雲。吃飯了也未。頭邊總未見得。此是第二回勘他。僧雲。吃飯了也。懵𢤦漢元來不會。霞雲。將飯與汝吃底人。還具眼麼。僧無語。丹霞意道。與爾這般漢飯吃。堪作什麼。這僧若是箇漢。試與他一劄。看他如何。雖然如是。丹霞也未放爾在。這僧便眼眨眨地無語。保福長慶。同在雪峰會下。常舉古人公案商量。長慶問保福。將飯與人吃。報恩有分。為什麼不具眼。不必盡問公案中事。大綱藉此語作話頭。要驗他諦當處。保福雲。施者受者二俱瞎漢。快哉到這裡。只論當機事。家裡有出身之路。長慶雲。盡其機來。還成瞎否。保福雲。道我瞎得麼。保福意謂。我恁麼具眼。與爾道了也。還道我瞎得麼。雖然如是。半合半開。當時若是山僧。

Chan Master Danxia Tianran of Dengzhou; it is not known where he was from. At first he studied Confucianism and was about to go to Chang'an to take the examinations. As he was lodging at an inn, he suddenly dreamed that white light filled the room. A diviner said it was an auspicious sign of understanding emptiness. By chance a Chan traveler asked: "Where are you going, sir?" He said: "To be selected for office." The Chan traveler said: "Why not select a Buddha instead of selecting for office?" Xia said: "Where should one go to select a Buddha?" The Chan traveler said: "Now the great master Ma of Jiangxi has appeared in the world; it is the field for selecting Buddhas. You may go." He went straight to Jiangxi. Just on seeing Master Ma, he held up the feet of his cap with both hands. Master Ma looked at him and said: "I am not your teacher; go to Shitou on Nanyue." He suddenly arrived at Nanyue and offered it with his earlier intent. Shitou said: "Go to the trough shed." The master bowed and thanked him and entered the hall of lay workers, and worked with the crowd for three years. One day Shitou told the assembly: "Tomorrow we will cut the grass in front of the Buddha hall." When the day came, the assembly each prepared shovels and hoes to cut the grass. Danxia alone filled a basin with water, washed his head, and knelt before the master. Shitou saw this and laughed, and shaved his head for him, and also expounded the precepts. Danxia covered his ears and went out, and went at once to Jiangxi. He called again on Mazu, but without having paid his respects he went straight into the monks' hall and sat astride the neck of the sage monk statue. The assembly was startled and hastily reported to Mazu. Zu came to the hall in person, looked at him and said: "My son Tianran." Xia then came down and bowed, saying: "Thank you, Master, for bestowing the Dharma name." So he was named Tianran. That ancient Tianran was thus outstanding and free: it is what is meant by selecting a Buddha being better than selecting office. The Transmission of the Lamp records his sayings, which are truly like a wall a thousand fathoms high, every line having the hands and feet to pull out nails and remove pegs for people. It is as when he asked this monk where he came from. The monk said: "From below the mountain." The monk did not give his place of coming, just like an eye-possessing one turning to test the master. Had it not been Danxia then, it would have been hard to deal with him. Xia said: "Have you finished eating?" Not a hint at the head end was yet seen. This is the second test. The monk said: "I have finished eating." The dull fellow turns out not to understand. (The base text writes a rare variant for the 'dong' of 'meng dong', dull.) Xia said: "The one who gave you rice to eat, did he have eyes?" The monk was silent. Danxia's meaning was: what use is it to give rice to eat to a fellow like this? If this monk were a real man, he would give him one poke and see what he did. Even so, Danxia has not yet let you go. The monk then just blinked and was silent. Baofu and Changqing were both in Xuefeng's assembly and often took up the ancients' cases to discuss. Changqing asked Baofu: "One who gives rice to people to eat merits Baoen's repayment; why does he not have eyes?" He did not need to ask only about the case itself; in outline he borrowed these words as a topic to test the truth. Baofu said: "The giver and the receiver are both blind men." How fine, arriving here, speaking only of the matter at the moment, with a road for getting out within the house. Changqing said: "If they exhaust their device, would they still be blind?" Baofu said: "Can you say I am blind?" Baofu's meaning was: "I am so eyed; having said it to you, can you still say I am blind?" Even so, it is half shut and half open. Had it been this mountain monk then,

等他道盡其機來。還成瞎否。只向他道瞎。可惜許。保福當時。若下得這箇瞎字。免得雪竇許多葛藤。雪竇亦只用此意頌。

(Yuanwu continued:) I would wait for him to say, "If they exhaust their device, would they still be blind?" and simply say to him, "Blind." What a pity! If Baofu had then uttered this word "blind," he would have spared Xuedou so much entanglement. Xuedou too used just this meaning in his verse.