Book of Serenity 28

207
Book of Serenity (Shoyoroku, Congrong Lu) #28
Huguo's "Three Disgraces"

Personnel and Date

• HUGUO Jingyuan (Gokoku Keigen, 1094-1146, 22nd), disciple of Yuanwu “Foguo” Keqin (1063-1135)
Date guess: ca. 1146

Wansong's Introduction (Sato)

A person wearing not even an inch of thread is nothing but a naked non-Buddhist;
A person chewing no grain of rice is definitively reduced to the red-faced king of demons.
Even if you are born in a holy place,
You cannot escape from the danger of falling down upon a pole top.
Is there anywhere you can hide your disgrace?

Case (Wick)

A monk asked Huguo, "When a crane stands upon a withered pine, then what?"
Huguo said, "On the ground below, it's a shame."
The monk then said, "When dripping water freezes, what then?"
Huguo said, "After sunrise, it's a shame."
The monk then said, "At the time of Wuzong's persecution of Buddhism, where were the good gods to protect the Dharma?"
Huguo said, "For the two guardians of the triple gate, it's a shame."

Hongzhi's Verse (Wick)

Vigorous in the prime of life, one's temples are not yet grey;
a man who doesn't exert himself is not awarded nobility
Instead recall the family members of unbroken honor;
the brook for washing ears is not for watering the ox.

Sturmer's Verse

When the ice melted
the body fell to the floor.
He looked so good
suspended in that block
of coldness.
What a shame
his faithful servant
left open the freezer door.

KOAN INDEX
Hotetsu's Verses on Koans