(From the Recorded Sayings of Linji; Combination of translations by R. Sasaki and T. Cleary) (repost)
One day Linji was sitting with [two monks named] Heyang and Muta by the stove in the monks’ hall. They were talking about [Puhua], who was in the marketplace every day capering around acting crazy, and wondering whether he was an ordinary man or a sage.
Before their talk finished, Puhua happened to come in, so Linji asked him, "Are you an ordinary man or a sage?"
Puhua said, "You tell me, am I an ordinary man or a sage?"
Linji then shouted.
Puhua pointed to them and said, "Heyang is a new bride, Muta is an old lady! Linji is a little pisser, but he has the eye!"
Linji exclaimed, "You thief!"
Puhua cried, "Thief! Thief!" and went out.
One day Puhua was in front of the monks' hall, eating some raw vegetables.
Linji saw him and said, "Just like a donkey."
"Heehaw, heehaw!" brayed Puhua.
Linji said, "You thief!"
Puhua cried, "Thief! Thief!" and went out.
Every day in the marketplace Puhua would ring a small bell and say,
"If you come in light, I hit you in light."
"If you come in darkness, I hit you in darkness."
"If you come from the four quarters and eight directions, I hit you like a whirlwind."
"If you come from emptiness, I lash you like a flail."
Linji sent his attendant [with instructions] to hold Puhua fast as soon as he saw him talk like this and say, "If I don't come in any of these ways, then what?"
[When the attendant did this] Puhua pushed him away and said, "Tomorrow there’s a feast at Dabei Yuan; the Temple of Great Compassion."
The attendant returned and related this to Linji.
Linji said, "I’ve always doubted this guy."
Submitted July 15, 2020 at 12:07PM by GuruHunter https://ift.tt/2WmEFVr
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