Recorded Sayings from Puan Temple in Pengxi County

A gathering to establish perfect penetration, the master ascended the hall. A monk asked, "What is first illuminating, then applying?" The master said, "Exquisite on all eight sides." "What is first applying, then illuminating?" The master said, "On all eight sides, exquisite." "What is illuminating and applying simultaneously?" The master said, "The whole body is eyes and hands." "What is illuminating and applying not simultaneously?" The master immediately struck him, then said, "The nature of hearing does not arise or cease with conditions; even when hearing all kinds of sounds, forget distinctions. When there is sound, simply let it be sound; when there is no sound, simply let it cease. No grasping, no rejecting, no cutting off, no permanence; no light, no darkness—in that moment, intimacy. If you hold that intimacy in your mind, it’s like turning the Black Dragon into a turtle."

The master ascended the hall. A monk asked, "What is the realm of Pu'an?" The master said, "The gate opens atop the peak, all paths end; clouds from the four mountains bow to the master mountain's cloud." "What about the person within that realm?" The master said, "Many go barefoot; few lean on staffs." "What is the matter of going beyond?" The master said, "The wind answers the empty valley, echoing emptiness; the sun turns west, the mountain's shadow grows long."

He raised the case: The Prince of Zhenfu asked Zhaozhou, "Venerable monk, you are advanced in years—how many teeth do you have left?" Zhaozhou said, "Only one." The Prince said, "How can you eat with that?" Zhaozhou said, "Though it is but one tooth, each bite strikes true."

The master said, "This old awl—who is his company? He chews the spring breeze, yet his teeth are not involved; The Prince of Zhenfu still dozes. Do not speak of past vigor and spirit— His house once trod the highest pass."

Young Master Tan Yuanyin has left the secular world and requested a Dharma talk. The master raised his staff and said: "Entering the gate of emptiness to nurture your wings, stars shine and clouds part, reflecting the evening star. You have now reached the place without waves; when loyalty and filial piety are complete, remember the ancestral lamp. Do not say the Buddha's field is not true awakening—Mahākāśyapa once struck gold in ancient times. Alone on the staff's tip, transcending past and present, the great path shares a single source, spring beyond the kalpas." He gave a shout and said: "The three-foot dragon spring sword illuminates the gall, peach blossom waves surge, rising together in succession. Now, how to speak the phrase of leaving the forest? The crane flies through a thousand feet of snow, the dragon rises from a mass of ice." He threw down his staff and left the seat.

On a spring day, the devoted disciples Daochen and Daokai offered a memorial for their late master, Xiangye, and requested the master to ascend the hall. The master struck the spirit altar with his staff, let out a thunderous shout, and said:

"Beyond the emptiness of emptiness is the true self; The eye pervades all lands, the body complete. Manifesting in the world and beyond, unhindered— Who, in repaying kindness, does not reveal their true nature?

Like the moon reflected in a thousand rivers, Neither separate nor joined, it penetrates yin and yang. Past and present change robes, no coming or going— In the eternal light of stillness, nothing is hidden.

Since nothing is hidden, Now, the Chan practitioner Xiangye is fully revealed on the tip of this staff— Without increase or decrease, without light or darkness, Present here and now, in all colors, Each person fully endowed, seen with the same eye, Clear and bright, Heaven and earth share the same root, All things are one body."

He shouted once more and said: "Casually recognizing the face of the east wind— A riot of colors is always spring. So it is, so it is— Clearly, the fragrance is on the plum blossom, Do not seek the fragrance beyond the plum blossom."

A question was asked: "Venerable Master, in this memorial for your late master, where does he find his dwelling?"

The master replied: "After the rain, peach blossoms line both banks— Where can the horse's hooves avoid the fallen red?"

The filial disciples Zhaoyou and Zhaoshou completed the nine-year mourning period for their teacher. On a spring day, they invited the Master to ascend the hall. The Master arrived before the seat and shouted: "When encountering water, build a bridge; when meeting a scene, put on a play. The Buddhas of the three times have nowhere to hide." He then ascended the seat. After offering incense, a monk asked: "Before leaving Blue Mountain, what Dharma did you show people?" The Master said: "It was never hidden anywhere." The monk asked: "When you arrived at Tiantai, what Dharma did you show people?" The Master said: "Each one with eyes horizontal and nose vertical." A scholar asked: "When both existence and non-existence are not established, what does the Venerable do?" The Master said: "The moon appears in the clear pool." The scholar pressed: "When your disciple is in a state where existence and non-existence are not established, what then?" The Master said: "The world is at peace." The scholar pressed: "Even so, the Venerable must still point it out before the assembly." The Master said: "Clearly evident—what more is there to point out?" A question: "What are the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha?" The Master said: "A child does not dislike its mother's ugliness." A question: "Maitreya's face smiles, Bodhidharma's face is dark. Where do these two elders come from? I beg the Venerable to indicate." The Master said: "You still have black and white." The questioner pressed: "How much difference is there between the Venerable and the two elders?" The Master said: "Do not create distinctions yourself." The questioner pressed: "When a Buddha's child dwells in this place, it is the Buddha's enjoyment." The Master said: "If spoken, it cannot bear it." A question: "Digging a pond does not wait for the moon." The Master said: "The pond and moon are already present." The questioner pressed: "When the water is clear and the moon appears, what then?" The Master said: "Both pond and moon vanish." Zhaoyou asked: "Since Shakyamuni left the royal palace, why is he called greatly filial?" The Master said: "A soaring dragon leaps alone, universally moistening countless sands." Zhaoyou pressed: "The Gautama has passed away; Maya circled the coffin. I do not understand where the filial piety lies." The Master said: "Serenely and constantly revealed." Zhaoyou pressed: "If so, then the cool breeze in this hall—who recognizes it?" The Master said: "What use is recognition?" A question: "A monk cultivates vegetarian feasts to repay his strict teacher. I wonder if he attains it?" The Master said: "Originally, there is no attainment or loss." The questioner pressed: "The physical body is already destroyed. I wonder if the Dharma body is destroyed?" The Master said: "Originally the same as the great void." A question: "When the great earth sinks flat and empty space shatters to pieces, where does the Venerable settle his body and establish his life?" The Master shook with majestic power and shouted, "Look! Where is it?" A question: "The fourfold assembly gathers like clouds; the Master ascends the precious seat. Right now, where does the Chan practitioner Tianyu settle his body and establish his life?" The Master said: "On the crown of your head, entirely relying on his strength." Then he said: "The Chan practitioner Tianyu once entered the gate of our late teacher Shuanggui. Only when Dharma-brother Ning constantly probed the painful spot did he realize that wind, clouds, thunder, and rain do not descend from heaven; the wondrous Way of Buddhas and patriarchs is fully possessed by everyone, not emerging from the earth. Originally, there is no gain or loss, no grasping or rejection. Originally, there are no sages or ordinary beings, no four kinds of birth, no good or evil, no field of blessings, no defilement or purity. Mountains, rivers, and the heavenly eye; the world and the Dharma body; blue, yellow, red, and white—seeing form is seeing mind, intimate and ordinary. All phenomena share the same root. Now, changing robes and turning steps, the wondrous nature is perfectly clear, apart from all names and characteristics. Reaching here, neither heaven nor hell can bind it. How could green mountains and lush trees long dwell? In the worldly and beyond-worldly, there is no abiding obstruction. When turning steps, why discuss time or month? One emergence, one submersion—all are the true body. Therefore, everywhere is directly dust upon dust, all are originally such people." Raising his whisk, he said: "The virtue of Chan practitioner Tianyu is fully revealed on the tip of this whisk. If you people see it, a thousand reds and ten thousand purples are for you to behold—who will convey the spring breeze to others? If you do not see it, if you see all characteristics as non-characteristics, then you see the Tathagata. Suddenly turning over beyond the empty eon, the golden crow remains east of the sea gate." He then brought up an example: "One day, the World-Honored One held up a five-colored mani pearl and asked the Five Directional Heavenly Kings: 'What color is this pearl?' Each of the Five Directional Heavenly Kings described a different color. The World-Honored One hid the pearl in his sleeve, then raised his hand and asked: 'What color is this pearl?' The Five Directional Heavenly Kings said: 'World-Honored One, there is no pearl in your hand—how could there be color?' The World-Honored One sighed: 'How deeply deluded! When I showed you the worldly pearl, you spoke of blue, yellow, red, white, and other colors. When I showed you the true pearl, you said there is no pearl.' Hearing these words, each of the Five Directional Heavenly Kings attained awakening. From Blue Mountain's perspective, the old man Gautama held the probing pole in hand, discerning dragons and snakes. The opportunity matched, a master through the ages. The World-Honored One leaked the family style, showing off quite a bit. The Heavenly Kings devalued their own family treasure, thinking there was something else. Later awakening—layer upon layer of barriers and locks, unable to reach the place of great freedom. What enters through the gate is not the family treasure; it is also like a poor child suddenly rich, dwelling in goodness and giving rise to mind. An ancient master said: 'Seeing is not yet forgotten; the true is not yet extinguished.'"