Sayings of Nanquan, 1.4

This one appears elsewhere, so maybe some of you have already had time to think about it. Hoping for a little discussion about why Nanquan says he wants to become a 'domesticated water buffalo', why Zhaozhou thanks him for the 'instructions', and about Nanquan's 'moon in the window' follow-up comment.

1.4

趙州問。和尚百年後向甚麼處去。Zhaozhou asked, "One hundred years from now, where would you most prefer to go?"
師云。山下作一頭水牯牛去。The Master said, "To the foot of the mountain, as a domesticated water buffalo."¹
州云。謝師指示。Zhaozhou said, "Thank you for the instructions."
師云。昨夜三更月到窻。The Master said, "Last evening at midnight, the full-moon arrived in my window."

Note:
1. The term '牯牛' (bull cattle) typically implies the bull is castrated.

Edit: Forgot to include note 1.

Submitted February 19, 2023 at 01:47AM by Surska0 https://ift.tt/uRAD6hX