- A monk asked Dongshan, "Why did you establish these five positions?"
The master replied, "They're just idle tools."
The monk pressed, "Then why take them as the essential teaching?"
The master said, "Tell me, who can remove the nail and peg of the Buddhas and patriarchs?"
He then presented a verse. (因僧問洞山為甚麼立此五位師云也是閒家具進云如何又以他為宗旨師云你道佛祖之釘橛是誰出得復示以頌)