佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄

Hekiganroku - Case 1: Bodhidharma's "Clear and Void"

Emperor Bu of Ryo [1] asked Great Master Bodhidharma,

"What is the highest meaning of the holy reality?"

Bodhidharma replied,

"Clear and void, no holiness."

The emperor said,

"Who are you in front of me?"

Bodhidharma said,

"I don't know."

The emperor did not match him.

Finally, Bodhidharma crossed the Yangtse River and came to the kingdom of Gi.

Later, the emperor asked Shiko for his view. Shiko said,

"Does Your Majesty know who this man is?"

The emperor said,

"I don't know."

Shiko said,

"He is the Mahasattwa Avalokitesvara transmitting the seal of Buddha's Mind."

The emperor regretted and wanted to send an emissary to invite Bodhidharma

back. Shiko said,

"Your Majesty, do not intend to send an emissary to fetch him back. Even if

all the people in the land were to go after him, he would not return."

[1]: Emperor Bu reigned over the land of Ryo between 502-509

Hekiganroku - Case 2: Joshu's "Supreme Way"

Joshu, instructing the assembly, said,

"The supreme Way is not difficult; it simply dislikes choosing [1]. But even

if a word is uttered, it is already an action of 'choosing' or of adhering

to 'clarity'. This old monk [2] doesn't dwell in clarity. Do you monks want

to keep a firm hold on 'clarity' or not?"

At that time a monk asked,

"You say you do not dwell in clarity. If so, what is there to keep a firm

hold on?"

Joshu said,

"I don't know, either."

The monk said,

"If you, Master, don't know, why do you say that you don't dwell in clarity?"

Joshu said,

"You have already asked amply. Bow and withdraw."

[1]: Cf. the beginning of the Shinjinmei (Believing in the Mind; Poem composed

by the third Patriarch Sosan):

"The supreme Way is not difficult;

it simply dislikes choosing.

Only if there is no love or hatred,

all is complete clarity."

[2]: "this old monk" i.e. "I"

Hekiganroku - Case 3: Master Ba Is Ill

Great Master Ba was seriously ill. The chief priest of the temple asked him,

"Master, how are you feeling these days?"

Great Master said,

"Sun-face Buddha, Moon-face Buddha" [1].

[1]: The "Sun-face Buddha" is a buddha, who is said to have a life of

1800 years, while the "Moon-face Buddha" lives only 24 hours.

Case 4: Tokusan with His Bundle

Tokusan arrived at Isan. Carrying his bundle under his arm, he stepped into

the Dharma hall. He walked across it from east to west and from west to east.

Looking around he said, "None, none!" and went out.

(Setcho [1] commented: "Seen through!")

But when he got to the entrance gate, Tokusan said, "Still, I shouldn't be so

hasty." So, he dressed formally and entered again to meet Isan. As Isan sat at

his place, Tokusan held up his sitting cloth in a ceremonial manner and said,

"Master!" Isan was about to take his whisk, when suddenly Tokusan shouted,

"Kaatz!" Then he flourished his sleeves and went out.

(Setcho commented: "Seen through!")

Turning his back on the Dharma hall, Tokusan put on his straw sandals and left.

In the evening, Isan asked the head monk, "Where is the newcomer who was here

a while ago?" The head monk said, "He soon turned his back on the Dharma hall,

put on his straw sandals and went away." Isan said, "One day that fellow

will build a grass hut upon a lonely peak, and scold the buddhas and abuse

the patriarchs."

(Setcho commented: "Piling up frost on top of snow.")

[1]: Setcho Zenji is the compiler of the Hekiganroku.

[2]: In Japanese: hossu i.e. a stick with a flexible whisk on top

Hekiganroku - Case 5: Seppo's "Grain of Rice"

Seppo, teaching the assembly, said,

"When you pick up the whole earth in your fingers, it's the size of a grain

of rice. I cast it down before you. Like in a black lacquer bucket, you

don't recognize it any more. Beat the drum, call everyone to look for it!"

Hekiganroku - Case 6: Unmon's "Good Day"

Unmon, giving instruction, said,

"I don't ask you about before the fifteenth day; bring me a phrase about

after the fifteenth day."

Unmon himself answered in the monks' stead,

"Every day is a good day."

Case 7: Echo Asks about Buddha

A monk asked Hogen, "I, Echo, ask you, Master. What is Buddha?"

Hogen said, "You are Echo."

Case 8: Suigan's "Eyebrows"

Towards the end of summer [1], Suigan instructed the assembly, saying,

"All summer I've preached to you, my brothers. Look here, are Suigan's

eyebrows still there? [2]"

Hofuku said,

"The robber's heart is terrified!"

Chokei said,

"They are well grown!"

Unmon said,

"Kan!" [3]

[1]: Summer-sesshin for 3 months.

[2]: According to the popular belief a great criminal should lose his eyebrows

as a sign of his coming punishment in hell.

[3]: Literally kan means "barrier" (cf. Mumonkan). In those days this Chinese

word colloquially meant also, "Watch out!" or "There!"

Hekiganroku - Case 9: Joshu's Four Gates

A monk asked Joshu,

"What is Joshu?" [1]

Joshu said,

"East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate."

[1]: The name of the Zen Master Joshu is taken from the city "Joshu", near

which he taught.

Case 10: Bokushu's "Idiot"

Bokushu asked a monk, "Where have you come from?"

At once the monk shouted, "Kaatz!"

Bokushu said, "The old monk has been scolded by you with a 'Kaatz'!"

The monk shouted again, "Kaatz!"

Bokushu said, "After three or four shouts of 'Kaatz', then what?"

The monk was silent.

Bokushu hit him saying, "You idiot!"