Baiyun Duan 31: Guishan's Water Buffalo

Master Guishan Lingyou said in a public address:

I suppose this old monk, in a hundred years, will be the chief water buffalo at the foot of the mountain. On my left flank will be written five characters that say, “This is the monk Guishan.” You will call it “the monk Guishan,” though it is a water buffalo. It will be called “a water buffalo,” though it is the monk Guishan. What do you call it now?

[0297c06] 溈山祐禪師示眾曰。老僧百年後。向山下作一頭水牯牛。左脇書五字曰。溈山僧某甲。若喚作溈山僧。又是水牯牛。喚作水牯牛。又是溈山僧。喚作什麼即得。

Do not say “Guishan,” do not say “buffalo”—
Where can one clearly define the traces in the lush?
Having deviated slightly from when and where I came,
With no way out by which to free myself for countless eons.

[0297c10] 不道溈山不道牛。灼然何處辯蹤繇。絲毫差却來時路。萬劫無繇得出頭。

Submitted March 25, 2023 at 12:53AM by surupamaerl2 https://ift.tt/V80vE2o