Blue Cliff Record 20, Book of Serenity 80

129
Blue Cliff Record (Hekiganroku, Biyan Lu) #20
Book of Serenity (Shoyoroku, Congrong Lu) #80
Longya Asks Cuiwei and Linji

Wansong's Preface

The great sound is seldom voiced; great talents flower late.
Amid hustle and bustle in great clamor one plays idiot;
Leisurely one lingers, waiting for one thousand years.
Just tell me, what kind of person is this one?

Case

Longya asked Cuiwei, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the west?”
Cuiwei said, “Bring me a chin rest [a narrow board that allowed sleeping in the sitting posture].”
Longya brought one and gave it to him. Cuiwei took it and hit him.
Longya, “You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the Patriarch's coming from the west.”
Longya also asked Linji, “What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the west?”
Linji said, “Bring me a sitting cushion.”
Longya got one and gave it to Linji. Linji took it and hit him.
Longya said, “You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the Patriarch's coming from the west.”
[BOS only:] Later Longya 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?”
Longya said, “They clarified it all right. After all there is no meaning to the Patriarch's coming from the west.”

Hongzhi's Verse

The cushion and the chin rest are faced against Ryûge:
Why not become an adept at such opportunities?
He doesn't want to rob [the opponents] and draw a clear conclusion on the spot;
He is afraid of being in degradation1 under a distant sky.
How could he hang a sword in the empty firmament?
Rather, he floats a raft in the Milky Way2.
In the grass that does not sprout3 he knows how to hide a fragrant elephant;
In the basket that has no bottom he puts a living viper.
What obstacles are there at the Lake and the River4 today?
There are boats and wagons all over the ferry place.

Sturmer's Verse

Wolf scat, when burnt
emits a black smoke.
Biff! Bam! Thwak!
They beat each other
to get rid of the stench.
But there's no need for such
unreasonable behavior.
The sky will clear by itself.

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