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Case 11: Obaku's "Drinkers of Lees"
Obaku, instructing the assembly, said,
"You are all drinkers of lees. If you continue to go on your Way like this,
where will the 'Today' [The world of nirvana] be? Do you know that in
this great empire of Tang there is no Zen master?"
Now a monk came forward and said,
"What would you say to the fact that in various places there are people who
accept students and direct their assemblies?"
Obaku said,
"I don't say that there is no Zen; I only say that there is no master."
Hekiganroku - Case 12: Tozan's "Three Pounds of hemp" [1]
A monk asked Tozan,
"What is Buddha?"
Tozan said,
"Three pounds of hemp." [2]
[1]: cf. case 18 of the Mumonkan
[2]: In Japanese: masagin
Case 13: Haryo's "Silver Bowl" [1]
A monk asked Haryo, "What is the Deva Sect?"
Haryo said, "Heaping up snow in a silver bowl."
[1]: Cf. Case 22/a in the Miscellaneous Koans.
Case 14: Unmon's "Preaching Fittingly"
A monk asked Unmon,
"What is the teaching of the whole lifetime of Shakyamuni?"
Unmon said,
"Preaching one thing." [In Japanese: Tai-issetsu.]
Hekiganroku - Case 15: Unmon's "Preaching in the Reverse"
A monk asked Unmon,
"What is it that's not the function of the mind in me nor a thing before me?"
Unmon said,
"Preaching in the reverse." [1]
[1]: In Japanese: Toissetsu
Case 16: Kyosei and "Picking and Pecking"
A monk asked Kyosei,
"I, your student, am picking from inside the shell.
I beg you, Master, please peck from outside."
Kyosei said, "But will you be alive or not?"
The monk said, "If I were not alive, people would all laugh."
Kyosei said, "You fool in the weeds!"
Case 17: Kyorin's "Sitting for a Long Time"
A monk asked Kyorin,
"What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?"
Kyorin said,
"I am tired from sitting for a long time."
Hekiganroku - Case 18: The National Teacher's Gravestone
Emperor Shukuso [1] asked Chu, the national teacher,
"What would you wish me to do after a hundred years ?" [2]
The national teacher said,
"Make a seamless gravestone [3] 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. Let him come to you and ask him about it."
After the national teacher passed away, the emperor called Tangen and asked
him about the meaning of this. Tangen responded:
"The south of the river, north of the lake:
(Setcho commented, "The single hand does not sound without reason.")
In between there's gold, which fills the whole land.
(Setcho commented, "A staff, hewn freshly from the mountain forest.")
Under the shadowless tree all people are in one boat;
(Setcho added, "The sea is peaceful, the river clear.")
In the crystal palace there is no one who knows.
(Setcho commented, "The speech is finished.")"
[1] historically speaking it was Emperor Daiso the oldest son and successor
of Shukuso.
[2] after your death
[3] an egg-formed gravestone which is made out of a single piece of stone.
It was often made for deceased monks.
Hekiganroku - Case 19: Gutei's One Finger [1]
Whatever he was asked about Buddhism, Master Gutei simply stuck up one finger.
[1]: see case 3 of the Mumonkan
Case 20: Suibi and the Chin Rest
Ryuge asked Suibi,
"What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the west?"
Suibi said,
"Bring me a chin rest."
Ryuge brought one and gave it to him. Suibi took it and hit him.
Ryuge said,
"You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the
Patriarch's coming from the west."
Ryuge also asked Rinzai,
"What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the west?"
Rinzai said,
"Bring me a sitting cushion."
Ryuge got one and gave it to Rinzai. Rinzai took it and hit him. Ryuge said,
"You may hit me as you like. After all there is no meaning to the
Patriarch's coming from the west."
[1] Literally: "Zen board" i.e. a narrow board used so as to let one sleep in
the sitting posture.