Xutang Case 18: Revisions

People

Guizong Zhichang (9th c.)

舉。

Citation

歸宗因。李渤問。須彌納芥子。渤即不疑。芥子納須彌。莫是妄否。

Once, Guizong was asked by Libo, "Mt. Sumeru contained in a mustard seed I do not doubt, but a mustard seed containing Mt. Sumeru is a bit far fetched, right?"¹

宗云。人傳史君讀萬卷書。是否。

Guizong said, "It is said that you have read countless volumes of texts, is that true?"

曰然。

Libo replied, "Naturally."

宗云。身如椰子大。萬卷書著向甚處。

Guizong said, "The body is as big as a palm tree, where are the thousand volumes of texts contained?

李公俛首而已。

Libo only raised his head.

代李云。將謂無人。

Xutang, on behalf of Libo, says, "A place not spoken by anyone."

Footnotes

1: Mt. Sumeru containing/being contained by a mustard seed comes up across Zen texts. From Case 65 of The Measuring Tap:

Linji and Puhua went to a meal at a patron's house. Linji said, "'A hair engulfs the ocean, a mustard seed contains the polar mountain' - do you consider this a subtle function of spiritual powers, or do you consider it naturally so?" Puhua kicked over the dining table. Linji said, "How crude." Puhua said, "What place is this to speak of crude and refined?" Linji stopped. The next day they both went to a meal at a patron's house. Linji asked, "How does today's offering compare to yesterday's?" Puhua again kicked over the dining table. Linji said, "How crude." Puhua said, "Blind fellow! What crudity or refinement does Buddhism speak of?" Linji stuck out his tongue.

Submitted February 12, 2023 at 02:49AM by ThatKir https://ift.tt/RcX74nv