Comparing Accounts of Dahui and Huatou

Perhaps people who do translation work would like to give it a try as well. I would like to know from what word people are commonly translating as "huatou".

Here are two translations of the different passages on the same event, with the Chinese original. All of these can be found on pg. 11 of Jeffrey Broughten's translation of The Letters of Chan Master Dahui Pujue (Oxford University Press, 2017).

 

Note: Broughton says in the appendix:

what person is that? (shi shenme ren 是甚麼人), huatou given to Chan monk Dabei Xian by Dahui

 

First Text

Later Dahui was in residence at Yangyu Hermitage [in Fujian]. From the fifth day of the third month until the twenty-first day of the third month [of Shaoxing 4/1134], in succession he produced thirteen people [who obtained his dharma]. Also, he accepted an old preceptor of eighty-four years of age, who was called “Venerable Dabei.” Dahui asked him: “The one who is not a companion of the myriad dharmas—what person is that?” Dabei said: “I can’t call it up!” Dahui also asked: “The one who can’t call it up—what person is that? Answer quickly! Answer quickly!” Dabei suddenly awoke. Sweat flowed down his back—from the very outset it had all been a matter of his not having confidence in awakening. Suddenly, all-at-once he awakened. I, Dahui, from this point onward implemented huatous and very often spoke of them for people.

Dahui Pujue chanshi pushuo 大慧普覺禪師普說:來住洋嶼庵從三月初五至三月二十一連打發十三人又接得箇八十四歲老和尚喚作大悲長老問他不與萬法為侶者是甚麼人云喚不起又問喚不起者是甚麼人速道速道他豁然省浹背汗流元初盡是不信悟底忽然一時悟山僧從此話頭方行每與人說

 

Second Text

The Chronological Biography of Chan Master Dahui Pujue under Shaoxing 4/1134 says: “Also, the Venerable Dabei Xian, who was eighty-four years of age, along with the assembly entered the Master’s room. The Master asked: ‘The one who is not a companion of the myriad dharmas—what person is that?’ Xian said: ‘I can’t dredge it up!’ The Master said: ‘ “The one who can’t dredge it up— what person is that? Answer quickly! Answer quickly!’ Xian was about to respond when the Master struck him with the stick. Xian suddenly had a great awakening."

又大悲閑長老年八十有四隨眾入室師問不與萬法為侶是什麼人閑曰扶不起師曰扶不起是什麼人速道速道 閑擬對師便打忽然大悟

 

The two accounts caught my interest because the first is in line with common academic translations while the second account sounds much more like your common Joshu/Yunmen style Awakening dialogue. So far I have been unable to grasp from my study in what way Dahui is using huatou, why they are using it, what Chinese word huatou is being translated from, and whether or not huatou is part of an apologetic argument or not. It is only ever mentioned in the letters, no Dahui's Shobogenzo.

 

I know there are a few translaters here, but I don't know them all. If you know one please tag them; maybe someone will be interested in looking into this.

u/chintokkong

Submitted September 17, 2020 at 04:57AM by surupamaerl https://ift.tt/2ZL6dp9