Baiyun Duan 33: Longtan's Ten Cakes for Daowu

Master Longtan Chongxin, before he became a monk, would bring ten cakes everyday from a cake shop in front of Tianhuang temple to the person in charge there.¹ Receiving the cakes, they would return one, saying, "This is for the benefit of your descendants."

The Master said, "It is I who have come to bring them—why do you return them, speaking this blessing?"

"It is you who've come to bring them—what fault is there returning them to you?"

At that, the Master became aware of the entry, and thereupon left home.

[0297c17] 龍潭崇信禪師。未出家時。為餅鋪。在天皇寺前。每日常供餅十枚上皇。皇受已。却留一餅與之曰。惠汝以蔭子孫。師曰。是某將來。何以返曰惠汝。皇曰。是汝將來。復汝何咎。師因悟入。遂投出家。

Ten cakes brought, one remains—
This reflects on the meaning of benefiting the descendants,
Brought 'round and around, led back to the entry,
Unaware that the ghee² had reached the top of the gate.

[0297c21] 十餅每將留一個。因思何謂蔭兒孫。團團將去還將入。不覺醍醐到頂門。

¹ Daowu Tianhuang.

² A metaphor for the clear truth of the Buddha.

Submitted March 27, 2023 at 04:27AM by surupamaerl2 https://ift.tt/AorDRlU