Tag: Zen

Sozan came to Isan and asked, “I have heard that you said, ‘Words of being and words of non-being are just like wisteria wound around a tree.’ If suddenly the tree falls down and the wisteria withers, where will the words go?”

Isan burst into great laughter.

Sozan said, “I sold my clothes and other belongings, and made an arduous journey of one thousand miles to come to you. Why does Your Reverence make light of me?”

Isan called his attendant and said, “Bring some money and give it to this reverend monk for his travel expenses.”

Finally he said, “Some day a one-eyed dragon will let you open your eyes.”

Later Sozan went to Myôshô and told him about this. Myôshô said, “I can say that Isan is completely right, but he did not meet one who could appreciate him.”

Sozan asked again, “If the tree falls down and the wisteria withers, where will the words go?’

Myôshô said, “It would make Isan laugh again all the more.”

Upon hearing this, Sozan gained realization.

Then he said, “From the beginning, there was a sword behind Isan’s laughter.”

Rinzai asked Ôbaku, “What is the great meaning of the Buddha-Dharma?”

Ôbaku hit him.

This happened three times.

Rinzai then took his leave and went to see Daigu.

Daigu asked, “Where have you come from?”

Rinzai said, “From Ôbaku.”

Daigu said, “What did Ôbaku have to say?”

Rinzai said, “I asked him three times, ‘What is the great meaning of the Buddha-Dharma?’ and I got his stick three times. I don’t know if I was in error or not.”

Daigu said, “Ôbaku was overly gentle like an old grandmother; he completely exhausted
himself for your sake. Yet you come here and ask if you were in error or not!”

With these words, Rinzai came to great enlightenment.

Emperor Shukusô asked Chû, the national teacher, “What would you wish me to do after a hundred years?”

The national teacher said, “Make a seamless gravestone for this old monk.”

The emperor said, “I should like to ask you, master, for a design.”

The national teacher remained silent for a long time.

Then he said, “Did you understand?”

The emperor said, “I didn’t understand anything.”

The national teacher said, “I have a Dharma successor, my disciple Tangen, who is well versed with this matter.”

Afterwards the emperor called Tangen and asked him about the meaning of this.

Tangen responded:
“The south of the river, north of the lake:
In between there’s gold, which fills the whole land.
Under the shadowless tree all people are in one boat;
In the crystal palace there is no one who knows.”

Whatever he was asked, Master Gutei simply stuck up one finger.

Isan asked Dôgo, “Where have you come from?”

Dôgo said, “I come from nursing the ill.”

Isan said, “How many people are ill?”

Dôgo said, “There are some ill, and some not ill.”

Isan said, “The one who is not ill – isn’t that you, dear Chi?”

Dôgo said, “Ill or not ill – it has nothing to do with ‘that’ matter. Say it quickly! Say it quickly!”

Isan said, “Even if I could say it, it would have no connection with that matter.”

Unmon instructed the assembly and said,

“‘To realize the way through hearing a voice, to enlighten the mind through seeing color’

— Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara comes with some small change and buys poor rice cakes.

If he throws it away, he will get nice manjû cakes instead.”

Gensha came to the Province Hoden.

He was welcomed with great entertainment.

The next day he asked the head priest, Shôtô, “All the revelry of yesterday – where has it gone?”

Shôtô held out the corner of his Buddhist garment.

Gensha said, “Far from it — no connection at all.”

Ryûge asked Suibi, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the west?”

Suibi said, “Bring me a chin rest.”

Ryûge brought one and gave it to him.

Suibi took it and hit him.

Ryûge said, “You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the
Patriarch’s coming from the west.”

Ryûge also asked Rinzai, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the west?”

Rinzai said, “Bring me a sitting cushion.”

Ryûge got one and gave it to Rinzai.

Rinzai took it and hit him.

Ryûge said, “You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the Patriarch’s coming from the west.”

Later Ryûge became abbot of a temple.

A monk asked him, “Master, at that time, when you asked Suibi and Rinzai about the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the west, did they clarify it or not?”

Ryûge said, “They clarified it all right. After all, there is no meaning to
the Patriarch’s coming from the west.”

Chôsa had a monk ask Master E, “How was it when you had not yet seen Nansen?”

E remained silent.

The monk asked, “What about after seeing him?”

E said, “Nothing special.”

The monk returned and told Chôsa about this.

Chôsa said, “The man sits on the top of a hundred-foot pole. He has entered the way, but it is not yet genuine. He must take one step from the top of a hundred-foot pole. The worlds of the ten directions will be his complete body.”

The monk said, “How shall one take a step from the top of a hundred-foot
pole?”

Sa said, “Mountains of Ro; water of Rei.”

The monk said, “I don’t understand.”

Sa said, “Four seas and five lakes are all under the imperial reign.”

A monk asked Unmon, “What is meant by the pronouncement ‘to go beyond the Buddha and
the patriarchs’?”

Unmon said, “Poor rice cake.”