師諱存獎。初謁臨濟。濟令師充侍者。濟問。新到甚處來。云。鑾城。濟云。有事相借問。得麼。云。新戒不會。濟云。打破大唐國。覓箇不會人難得。參堂去。師問。適來新到是成褫伊耶。濟云。我誰管你成褫不成褫。師云。和尚只會將死雀就地彈。不解將一轉語葢覆却。濟云。你又作麼生。師云。請和尚作新到。濟遂云。新戒不會。師云。却是老僧罪過。濟云。你語藏鋒。師擬議。濟便打。至晚。濟謂師云。我今日問新到。是將死雀就地彈。就窠裡打。及你出得語。又喝起。向青雲裡打。師云。草賊大敗。濟又打。

The Master, whose monastic name was Cunjiang, first went to study under Linji. Linji appointed him as his attendant. Linji asked a newly arrived monk, “Where have you come from?” The monk replied, “From Luancheng.” Linji said, “May I ask you something?” The monk said, “I’m a new student and don’t understand.” Linji said, “Even if I searched the whole Tang Empire, I couldn’t find someone who doesn’t understand. Go join the meditation hall.”

Cunjiang asked Linji, “Did you set that newcomer up or not?” Linji said, “Do I care whether I set him up or not?” Cunjiang said, “Teacher, you only know how to flick a dead fly with your finger, but you don’t know how to use a turning word to cover it up.” Linji said, “What would you do then?” Cunjiang said, “Please, Teacher, pretend to be the newcomer.” Linji then said, “I’m a new student and don’t understand.” Cunjiang said, “Then it’s the old monk’s fault.” Linji said, “Your words are sharp and cunning.” Cunjiang hesitated, and Linji struck him.

That evening, Linji told Cunjiang, “Today when I questioned the newcomer, I was flicking a dead fly with my finger, hitting it right in its den. But when you spoke, you shouted and drove it straight up into the clouds.” Cunjiang said, “The bandit has been thoroughly defeated.” Linji struck him again.

示眾云。今日不問如何若何。便請單刀直入。興化與你證明。時有旻德長老出作禮。起便喝。師亦喝。德又喝。師又喝。德作禮歸眾。師云。適來若是別人。三十棒一棒也不較。何故。為他旻德長老會一喝不作一喝用。師入堂。見首座。乃云。我見你了也。座便喝。師打露柱一下便出去。首座隨後上方丈云。適來觸忤和尚。便作禮。師就地打一棒。座無語。師見同參來。纔上法堂。師便喝。僧亦喝。行三兩步。師又喝。僧亦喝。須臾近前。師拈棒。僧又喝。師云。你看。這瞎漢猶作主在。僧擬議。師便打。直打下法堂。時有僧問。這僧有甚觸忤和尚處。師云。是伊適來也有權。也有實。也有照。也有用。及乎我將手向伊面前橫兩遭。便去不得。似這般瞎漢。不打更待何時。僧問。四方八面來時如何。師云。打中間底。僧作禮。師云。興化今日赴箇村齋。中路遇一陣卒風暴雨。却去古廟裡避得過。僧問。多子塔前。共談何事。師云。一人傳虗。萬人傳實。師舉。三聖僧問。如何是祖師西來意。三聖云。臭肉來蠅。師云。興化即不然。破脊驢上足蒼蠅。

The Master addressed the assembly, saying, "Today, I won't ask about 'how' or 'what.' Just cut straight to the core, and I, Xinghua, will verify it for you."

At that moment, Elder Min De came forward, bowed, rose, and immediately shouted. The Master also shouted. Min De shouted again. The Master shouted again. Min De bowed and returned to his place.

The Master said, "If it had been anyone else just now, I wouldn't have spared them even a single blow out of thirty. Why? Because Elder Min De understands that one shout is not used as merely one shout."

Later, the Master entered the hall and saw the Head Seat. He said, "I see you clearly now." The Head Seat shouted. The Master struck a pillar and then left.

The Head Seat followed the Master to his quarters and said, "I offended you just now." He then bowed. The Master struck the ground with his staff. The Head Seat was silent.

When a fellow practitioner came, as soon as he stepped into the Dharma hall, the Master shouted. The monk also shouted. After a few steps, the Master shouted again; the monk shouted again. Shortly after, the monk came closer, and the Master picked up his staff. The monk shouted once more.

The Master said, "Look at this blind man—he’s still trying to take control!" The monk hesitated, and the Master struck him, driving him out of the hall.

A monk later asked, "What offense did that monk commit?" The Master said, "Just now, he had both authority and substance, both illumination and function. But when I waved my hand twice in front of his face, he couldn't go any further. For a blind man like that, if I don't strike, when should I?"

Another monk asked, "What about when enemies attack from all sides?" The Master said, "Strike the one in the middle." The monk bowed.

The Master said, "Today, Xinghua was on his way to a village feast when he encountered a sudden, violent storm. He managed to take shelter in an old shrine."

A monk asked, "What was discussed before the many-sons pagoda?" The Master said, "One person spreads a rumor; ten thousand people spread it as truth."

The Master cited a saying: "When a monk asked, 'What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?' San Sheng replied, 'Rotten meat attracts flies.'" The Master added, "Xinghua puts it differently: 'A broken-backed donkey gathers flies on its back.'"

上堂云。我聞三聖道。我逢人即出。出即不為人。興化即不然。我逢人即不出。出即便為人。下座。師巡堂次。埀語云。我有一隻聖箭。遇作家即分付。至下間。有一道者云。便請。師云。你喚什麼作聖箭。道者把衲衣便拂。師接住。云。祇者箇。別更有在。道者擬議。師便打。師到雲居。問。權借一問以為影草時如何。雲居道不得。師三度舉話頭。雲居無語。師云。情知和尚道不得。且禮三拜。雲居一日上堂。云。我二十年前興化問。我當時機思遲鈍。道不得。為他致得問頭奇特。不敢辜他。如今祇消一箇何必。後有僧舉似師。師云。二十年祇道得箇何必。興化即不然。不消一箇不必。後三聖拈云。二十年道得底是雲居。如今商量。猶較興化半月程。師見僧來。云。你未恁麼來。山僧早行了也。僧便喝。師云。據令而行。僧又喝。師云。作家。僧又喝。師便打。問。王程有限時如何。師云。日馳五百。

**Assembly Address**

The Master addressed the assembly, saying: "I have heard of the Three Sages' teaching. When I meet people, I go forth. But when I go forth, I do not act for them. Xinghua is different: when I meet people, I do not go forth. But when I go forth, I act for them." He then descended from the seat.

**During a Tour of the Monks' Quarters**

While walking through the quarters, the Master said, "I have a sacred arrow. If I meet a true master, I will entrust it to them."

Reaching the lower room, a monk said, "Please do so now."

The Master asked, "What do you call a sacred arrow?"

The monk flicked his robe as if to indicate.

The Master caught it and said, "Just this—is there something more?"

The monk hesitated. The Master struck him.

**Visiting Yunju**

The Master visited Yunju and asked, "If I borrow a question as a shadow for the grass, what then?"

Yunju could not answer. Three times the Master repeated the question, but Yunju remained silent.

The Master said, "I knew the teacher could not answer. Let me bow three times."

One day, Yunju addressed his assembly: "Twenty years ago, Xinghua asked me this. At that time, my mental sharpness was dull, so I could not answer. Because the question was so extraordinary, I did not dare dismiss it carelessly. Now, it only takes a single 'Why bother?' to settle it."

Later, a monk relayed this to the Master. The Master said, "In twenty years, all he could say was 'Why bother?' Xinghua is different—not even a single 'No need' is required."

**Commentary by Shensheng**

Later, Shensheng commented: "What Yunju managed to express in twenty years—Xinghua surpassed it by half a month's journey."

**Encountering a Monk**

Seeing a monk approach, the Master said, "Before you came here like this, this old monk had already acted."

The monk shouted.

The Master said, "Act according to the rule."

The monk shouted again.

The Master said, "A true master."

The monk shouted a third time. The Master struck him.

**Question on Official Travel**

A monk asked: "What if the official's journey is limited by time?"

The Master replied: "Travel five hundred miles a day."

同光帝駕幸河北。回至魏府行宮。常坐朝。僧錄名員來朝後。帝遂問左右。此間莫有德人否。近臣奏曰。適來僧錄名員皆是德人。帝曰。此是名利之德。莫有道德之人否。近臣奏曰。此間有興化長老。甚是德人。帝乃召之。師來朝見。帝賜坐。茶湯畢。帝遂問。朕收下中原。獲得一寶。未曾有人酧價。師云。如何是陛下中原之寶。帝以手舒幞頭脚。師云。君王之寶。誰敢酧價。聖顏大悅。賜紫衣．師號。師皆不受。宣馬一疋與師乘騎。馬忽驚。墜。師遂傷足。帝聞。宣藥救療。師喚院主。院主至。侍立次。師云。與我作箇木柺子。院主做了將來。師接得。遶院行。問僧云。汝等還識老僧麼。僧云。和尚爭得不識。師云。癘脚法師說得行不得。又至法堂上。令維那聲鐘上堂。師如前埀示。眾皆無對。師擲下柺子。端然而逝。勅諡廣濟大師。墖曰通寂。

Emperor Tongguang was traveling to Hebei. On his return, he arrived at the Wei Mansion temporary palace and was holding court. After the imperial-recognized monks had paid their respects, the Emperor asked his attendants, "Is there no one of true virtue here?"

A close minister reported, "The monks who just paid their respects are all virtuous men."

The Emperor said, "That is the virtue of fame and profit. Is there no one of true moral virtue?"

The minister replied, "There is the Reverend of Xinghua Temple in this area, who is a man of great virtue."

The Emperor summoned him. The master came to court. The Emperor gave him a seat, and after tea, asked, "I have taken the Central Plains and obtained a treasure, but no one has yet named its price."

The master said, "What is Your Majesty's treasure of the Central Plains?"

The Emperor loosened the band of his headwrap with his hand.

The master said, "The king's treasure — who would dare set a price?"

The Emperor was greatly pleased and bestowed a purple robe and a title upon the master. The master declined both. The Emperor then ordered a horse for the master to ride. Suddenly the horse startled, throwing the master, who injured his foot.

Hearing of this, the Emperor ordered medicine for the master's treatment.

The master called the temple director. When the director came and stood by, the master said, "Make me a wooden crutch."

The director made one and brought it. The master took it, walked around the temple, and asked the monks, "Do you still recognize this old monk?"

A monk said, "How could we not recognize you, Reverend?"

The master said, "A lame-footed teacher can speak but cannot walk."

Then he went to the Dharma hall and had the caretaker ring the bell for an assembly. The master gave the same teaching, but no one responded. He threw down the crutch, stood straight, and passed away. He was posthumously given the title "Great Teacher of Universal Helpfulness," and his stupa was named "Perfect Stillness."