小參
Individual Instruction
小參。問：「向威音前道則觸，向威音後道則背，如何是不觸不背的句？」師云：「覓火和煙得，擔泉帶月歸。」進云：「眉毛分八字，鼻孔向下垂，如何是超格的句？」師云：「難得到者地位。」進云：「一堂風冷淡，千古意分明。」師云：「且喜領話。」問：「丹霞燒木佛，意旨如何？」師云：「親見丹霞始得。」進云：「院主因甚眉鬚墮落？」師云：「多少人向者裏疑著？」進云：「鴛鴦繡出從君看，不把金針度與人。」師云：「逢人切莫錯舉。」進云：「文殊是七佛之師，因甚出女子定不得？」師云：「相識滿天下，知心能幾人？」進云：「罔明是初地菩薩，因甚出得女子定？」師云：「莫謗他好。」僧打○相，云：「還出得者箇麼？」師云：「敗闕不少。」問：「如何是真實境？」師云：「昨日雨，今日晴。」進云：「如何是虛妄境？」師云：「未開口前早已錯。」進云：「其如寶珠池終日開口，紫霞峰未守點頭。」師云：「明眼人難瞞。」乃云：「照用雙行，殺活並舉，大開爐鞴，點鐵成金，饒他踢倒紫霞峰、吸乾寶珠池，向紅爐裏著腳、烈燄中安身，到者裏只教上天無路、入地無門，緩緩地將渠腦後一捏，然後東西自辨、南北自分，便覺胸包天地、見出古今。者些且置，圓期一句究作麼生？」喝一喝，云：「犀因翫月紋生角，象被雷驚花入牙。」
**Informal Dharma Talk**
A student asked: "If you speak of it before the primal beginning, you miss the mark. If you speak of it after, you deviate. What is the saying that neither misses nor deviates?"
The master said: "Seeking fire, you get it with smoke. Carrying water from the spring, you return home in moonlight."
The student added: "Eyebrows split into the character 'eight,' nostrils point downward. What is the saying that transcends all standards?"
The master said: "It's hard to reach such a level."
The student continued: "In the hall, the atmosphere is cold and still. The meaning through the ages is crystal clear."
The master said: "Good, you've understood."
Another question: "Dānxiá burned the wooden Buddha. What does that mean?"
The master said: "You must see Dānxiá yourself to understand."
The student asked: "Then why did the abbot's eyebrows and beard fall off?"
The master replied: "How many people get stuck on this point?"
The student said: "The embroidered mandarin ducks are displayed for you to see, but the gold needle is not given away."
The master said: "Don't tell people about this incorrectly."
Question: "Mañjuśrī is the teacher of seven Buddhas. Why couldn't he bring the woman out of her samādhi?"
The master said: "Acquaintances fill the world, but how many truly understand?"
Question: "Then why could the bodhisattva *Guāngmíng* (who was only at the first stage) bring her out?"
The master said: "Don't slander him."
The student made a circle with his hand and said: "Can you bring this out?"
The master said: "You've already revealed many flaws."
Another student asked: "What is the true state of reality?"
The master said: "Yesterday it rained; today it's clear."
The student asked: "What is the false state?"
The master said: "You already made a mistake before you even opened your mouth."
The student continued: "What about '*Precious Pearl Pond* chatters all day long, *Purple Cloud Peak* never nods in agreement'?"
The master said: "It's hard to fool a clear-eyed person."
Then the master declared: "Using both illumination and function, employing killing and giving life together, I open the great furnace wide, turning iron into gold. Even if someone kicks over Purple Cloud Peak and drains Precious Pearl Pond dry, taking his place within the red-hot coals and settling into the blazing flames—when he reaches this point, he'll find no road to heaven and no door to earth. Then I'll gently pinch the back of his neck, and suddenly he'll distinguish east from west and north from south for himself, feeling his mind embracing heaven and earth, his vision spanning past and present.
Putting that aside—what is the essential phrase for this perfecting session?"
He gave a shout and said: "The rhinoceros grew a horn in its pattern because it gazed at the moon. The elephant's tusk sprouted flowers after being startled by thunder."
小參。「殘冬方去，春色初來，法王號用安排，堪笑東君多漏泄，雪凝東嶺露梅腮。」
Duanwu Instructions. The lingering winter has just departed, and the hues of spring are beginning to emerge. The Dharma King’s decree has long been prepared. How laughable—the god of spring has already leaked the news: snow still clings to the eastern peaks, while plum blossoms reveal their blushing cheeks.
解七，小參。豎竹篦，云：「金能剋木，木能生火，信手拈來，烹佛烹祖，照用同時，不背不觸。」召眾，云：「背觸且置，七期告圓一句又作麼生？」眾舉首，旋風打散。
The seven-day retreat has concluded. I have a brief word for you now. (Holding up a bamboo stick.) "Metal overcomes wood, wood gives rise to fire. With an open hand, I pick it up to cook the Buddhas and the Patriarchs. Illumination and function happen together—neither opposing nor touching."(Calling to the assembly.) "Setting aside 'opposing' and 'touching,' what about the final phrase as this seven-day period comes to a close?"The assembly raised their heads. A whirlwind scattered them.
元旦，小參。「年年正月初一，箇箇眉橫鼻直。」橫按拄杖，云：「若向者裏見得，一一何勞拈出？」
除夕，小參。「臘月三十，年窮歲畢，野鬼閑神，自生荊棘，十聖三賢，魂飛膽裂，彌勒釋迦，倚墻靠壁。」卓拄杖，云：「只得木上座心不負人，面無慚色。且道分歲一句又作麼生？」良久，云：「玉燭銀燈光燦爛，來朝齊賀太平年。」上元，文光上座請為雪友禪宿對靈小參。「雪老闍黎出處甚奇，西域靈山移來者裏，妙用無窮，不可思議，忽爾知歸，方寸不離，特拈一偈，覿面提持。偈曰：昔年苦行赤條條，獨立孤標萬象超，言下頓圓無漏智，輝輝燈月甚逍遙。」
New Year's Eve, a brief Dharma talk:
"On the last day of the year, when the year ends and time runs out, Wandering ghosts and idle spirits create their own thorns. The ten sages and three worthies lose their courage, Maitreya and Shakyamuni lean against walls for support."
Striking the staff, he said, "Only this wooden staff does not betray people, its face free from shame. But tell me, what is the phrase for seeing off the old year?"
After a long pause, he said, "The jade candle and silver lamp shine brilliantly — tomorrow morning, everyone celebrates a peaceful year."
* * *
*On the Lantern Festival, Dharma Master Wenguang requested a brief memorial Dharma talk for the late Chan Master Xueyou.*
"Elder Snow, your coming into this world was extraordinary — transplanted here from the Western Spirit Mountain. Your wondrous functions were inexhaustible, inconceivable. Now, suddenly knowing where to return, your mind-ground remains undeparted. I offer a special gatha to present directly to your face:
The gatha says: In former years, you practiced austerities, utterly naked, Standing alone in sublime distinction, surpassing all phenomena. In a single phrase, you suddenly perfected the wisdom without outflows, Radiant as lamp and moon, soaring in perfect freedom."
小參。「雲門餅，趙州茶，粗中有細。渴時飲，饑時餐，大用現前。若涉擬議，麵裏有沙。」
**Guidance**
"Yunmen's cake, Zhaozhou's tea—the coarse contains the subtle. Drink when thirsty, eat when hungry—the great function reveals itself right before you. If you fall into deliberation, there's sand in the flour."