Book of Serenity 51

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Book of Serenity (Shoyoroku, Congrong Lu) #51
Fayan's "By Boat or Land?

Personnel

• FAYAN Wenyi (Hogen Buneki, 885-958, 15th gen), disciple of Luohan "Dizang" Guichen
• Jiao, a senior monk

Wansong's Introduction (Sato)

Amid the worldly dharmas how many people have been brought to enlightenment;
Amid the Buddha’s dharmas how many people have been deluded!
If you suddenly become completely one, can you clearly articulate delusion and
enlightenment or not?

Case (Wick)

Fayan asked Elder Jiao, "Did you come by boat or by land?"
Elder Jiao replied, "By boat."
Fayan said, "Where is the boat?"
Jiao answered, "The boat is in the river."
After Jiao left, Fayan asked the monk beside him, "Tell me: Did that monk who was just here hae the Zen eye or not?"

Hongzhi's Verse (Wick)

Water does not wash water;
gold does not trade for gold.
Ignoring its color, obtain a fine horse.
Without its strings, enjoy a lute.
Tying a know, divining with sticks --
Then there is this matter:
Utterly lost is true, innocent, ancient mind.

Sturmer's Verse

Rosa Parks came by bus.
Mishima pulled up in a car.
Each of them made
their appoinment with history.
And all the anonymous
arrivals and departures,
billions of heartbeats
fading in . . . fading out . . .

KOAN INDEX
Hotetsu's Verses on Koans