Whispers in the World, Footprints in the Desert - 205 Classic Chinese Zen Koans with Translation and Commentary

Table of Contents Abbreviations I Introduction II The Winter of No-thing-ness Case 1 — Zhaozhou’s No(thing) — 趙州狗子 Case 2 — Vast And Empty, No Holiness — 廓然無聖 Case 3 — Entering The Fundamental Gate Of The Not-Two — 入不二法門 Case 4 — An Indian King Invites The Patriarch — 東印請祖 Case 5 — The Ordinary Mind Is The Way — 平常是道 Case 6 — Yangshan’s Mind And World — 仰山心境 Case 7 — Dongshan’s Place Without Grass — 洞山無草 Case 8 — The Staff Turns Into A Dragon — 拄杖化龍 Case 9 — The Place Without Cold Or Heat — 無寒暑處 Case 10 — The Seamless Gravestone — 無縫塔 Case 11 — A Girl Leaves Her Meditation State — 女子出定 Case 12 — Where Would One Seek The Mind — 何處求心 Case 13 — Luzu Faces The Wall — 魯祖面壁 Case 14 — The Golden-Scaled Fish Passes Through The Net — 透網金鱗 Case 15 — Not Abiding In Clarity — 不在明白里 Case 16 — Baizhang’s Ducks — 百丈野鴨 Case 17 — Fayan’s Hairbreadth — 法眼毫釐 Case 18 — Dizang’s Most Intimate — 地藏親切 Case 19 — Jiashan Brandishes The Sword — 夾山揮劍 III The Spring of the Self Case 20 — No “Good” And “Evil” — 不思善惡 Case 21 — There Is No Teacher — 只是無師 Case 22 — The Great Talk About The Great Death — 大死大話 Case 23 — Everyone Has A Radiance — 人人盡有光明在 Case 24 — Medicine And Disease Strive Against Each Other — 藥病相治 Case 25 — Linji’s True Man — 臨濟真人 Case 26 — Luoshan’s “Coming To Be And Destruction” — 羅山起滅 Case 27 — Deshan’s “Study Completed” — 德山學畢 Case 28 — The Wisdom In The Garland Sutra — 嚴經智慧 Case 29 — Nanquan’s “Cats And Cows” — 南泉白牯 Case 30 — Jinshan Inquires About Life — 進山問性 Case 31 — Zhongyi’s Macaque — 中邑獼猴 Case 32 — Emperor Dongguang’s Helmet Hood — 光帝幞頭 Case 33 — Xizhong’s Wheels — 奚仲造車 Case 34 — The Girl With The Two Souls — 倩女離魂 Case 35 — Qinglin’s “Deadly Snake” — 青林死蛇 Case 36 — Zhimen’s Lotus — 智門蓮花荷葉 Case 37 — Zhaozhou’s Bridge — 趙州石橋 Case 38 — One Arrow Through Three Gates — 一鏃破三關 Case 39 — Yunmen’s Treasure — 云門一寶 Case 40 — When I Do Not See — 吾不見時 Case 41 — Zhaozhou’s Three Turning Words — 趙州三轉語 Case 42 — Zhaozhou’s Dog — 趙州狗子 Case 43 — Huguo’s “Three Disgraces” — 護國三懡 Case 44 — Dongshan And The Memorial Service — 洞山供真 Case 45 — Caoshan’s “True Dharma-Body” — 曹山法身 Case 46 — Shoushan’s “Bride” — 首山新婦 Case 47 — Baizhang’s Fox — 百丈野狐 Case 48 — The Ancient Buddha Did Not Become A Buddha — 大通智勝 Case 49 — Qingshui Is Alone And Poor — 清稅孤貧 Case 50 — Xuefeng’s “Turtle-Nosed Snake” — 雪峰鱉鼻蛇 Case 51 — Sun-Face Buddha, Moon-Face Buddha — 日面佛 月面佛 Case 52 — You Are Huichao — 汝是慧超 Case 53 — Picking From Inside, Pecking From Outside — 學人啐 請師啄 Case 54 — Daisui’s “Kalpa Fire” — 大隋劫火 Case 55 — Huiji — That Is Me! — 惠寂是我 Case 56 — The Monk Shooting The Great Stag — 僧問射麈 Case 57 — Xiyuan’s Two “Wrong” — 連下兩錯 Case 58 — Yangshan Thrusts His Hoe Into The Ground — 仰山插鍬 Case 59 — Yunyan Sweeps The Ground — 雲巖掃地 Case 60 — Guishan’s “Karmic Consciousness” — 溈山業識 Case 61 — Fayan’s “By Boat Or By Land” — 法眼舡陸 Case 62 — Dongshan Is Unwell — 洞山不安 Case 63 — The Barbarian Has No Beard — 胡子無鬚 Case 64 — Ruiyan’s “Master!” — 巖喚主人 Case 65 — The National Teacher’s Three Callings — 國師三喚 Case 66 — Preaching Dharma From The Third Seat — 三座說法 Case 67 — The Ox Passes The Window — 牛過窓櫺 IV The Summer of the World Case 68 — The Dharma That Has Not Been Preached — 不為人說的法 Case 69 — Zhizang’s Head Is White, Hai’s Head Is Black — 藏頭白 海頭黑 Case 70 — Being Despised By Men — 若為人輕賤 Case 71 — Zhaozhou Investigate The Old Lady — 趙州勘婆 Case 72 — Shoushan’s Short Staff — 首山竹篦 Case 73 — Luopu’s Obedience — 洛浦伏膺 Case 74 — Yantou’s “Last Word” — 巖頭末后句 Case 75 — How Would One Speak (I) — 作么生道(一) Case 76 — How Would One Speak (Ii) — 作么生道(二) Case 77 — How Would One Speak (Iii) — 作么生道(三) Case 78 — Yaoshan Ascends The Rostrum — 藥山陞座 Case 79 — Meeting On The Road Someone Acquainted With The Way — 路逢達道 Case 80 — The Sutra Of Perfect Enlightenment’s Four Sentences — 覺經四節 Case 81 — Fayan’s “Substance And Name” — 法眼質名 Case 82 — Juzhi Raises His Finger — 俱胝竪指 Case 83 — Not The Wind, Nor The Flag — 非風非幡 Case 84 — This Mind Is Buddha — 即心即佛 Case 85 — Bodhidharma Gives Peace To A Mind — 達磨安心 Case 86 — Pilling Up Snow In A Silver Bowl — 銀碗里盛雪 Case 87 — Yunmen’s “One Appropriate Statement” — 雲門對一說 Case 88 — Yunmen’s “One Upside-Down Statement” — 雲門倒一說 Case 89 — The Rhinoceros Fan — 犀牛扇子 Case 90 — Qingyuan’s “Price Of Rice” — 清源米價 Case 91 — Xingyang’s Suparnin — 興陽妙翅 Case 92 — Yanyang’s “One Thing” — 嚴陽一物 Case 93 — Luzu Does Not Understand — 魯祖不會 Case 94 — Bajiao’s Staff — 芭蕉拄杖 Case 95 — This One Has Something To Say — 某甲話在 Case 96 — The World-Honored One Ascends The Rostrum — 世尊升座 Case 97 — The Bodhisattva Strikes The Lectern — 大士揮案 Case 98 — The Man Of Great Strength — 大力量人 Case 99 — A Ball On A Torrent Of Water — 急水上打球子 Case 100 — Throughout The Entire Body, There Are Hands And Eyes — 通身是手眼 Case 101 — The Substance And Use Of The Prajna Wisdom — 般若體用 Case 102 — Baling’s “Sharpest Sword” — 巴陵吹毛劍 Case 103 — Ruiyuan’s “Fundamental, Everlasting Principle” — 瑞巖常理 Case 104 — Longtan’s Eternal Resonance — 久響龍潭1 Case 105 — Cuiyan’s Eyebrows — 翠岩眉毛 Case 106 — The Discussion Has Fallen Into The Grass — 落草之談 Case 107 — Three Three Before, Three Three Behind — 前三三 后三三 Case 108 — The Activity Of The Iron Ox — 鐵牛之機 Case 109 — Zhaoqing Prepares Tea — 招慶煎茶 Case 110 — Did You Get The Sword? — 還收得劍么 Case 111 — Dingzhou’s “Blind Stick” — 烏臼屈棒 Case 112 — Did He Have The Eye? — 還具眼么 Case 113 — All Sounds Are The Sound Of The Buddha — 一切聲是佛聲 Case 114 — Linji’s “Blind Donkey” — 臨際瞎驢 Case 115 — Attendant Kuo Offers Tea — 廓侍過茶 Case 116 — Yangshan Points To Snow — 仰山指雪 Case 117 — Yunmen’s “White And Black” — 雲門白黑 Case 118 — Luopu’s End Was Approaching — 洛浦臨終 Case 119 — Mishi And The White Rabbit — 密師白兔 Case 120 — Mihu’s “Enlightened Or Not” — 米胡悟否 Case 121 — Jiufeng’s “Head And Tail” — 九峯頭尾 Case 122 — Daowu’s “Taking Care Of The Sick” — 道吾看病 Case 123 — Jiufeng Does Not Acknowledge — 九峯不肯 Case 124 — Deshan Came To Guishan — 德山到溈山 Case 125 — Tiemo Came To Guishan — 鐵磨到溈山 Case 126 — Magu His Ring-Staff — 麻谷振錫 Case 127 — Zifu Draws A Circle — 資福畫圓 Case 128 — Nanquan’s Circle — 南泉一圓相 Case 129 — The Sudden Encounter With A Tiger — 忽逢大蟲 Case 130 — The World-Honored One Points To The Ground — 世尊指地 Case 131 — Yantou’s Bow When Hearing A 'Khee!' — 巖頭拜喝 Case 132 — Yangshan’s “According To My Abilities” — 仰山隨分 Case 133 — The World-Honored Turns A Flower — 世尊拈花 Case 134 — Zhaozhou Examines The Hermits — 州勘庵主 Case 135 — Deshan Carries His Bowl — 德山托鉢 Case 136 — Nanquan Cuts A Cat In Half — 南泉斬猫 Case 137 — Kashyapa Knocks Down The Temple Pole — 迦葉剎竿 Case 138 — Two Monks Roll Up The Bamboo Screens — 二僧卷簾 Case 139 — The Tipping Of The Water Bottle — 趯倒淨瓶 Case 140 — Xiangyan’s “Man In The Tree” — 香嚴上樹 Case 141 — A Non-Follower Asks The Buddha — 外道問佛 V The Fall of the Earth Case 142 — Sitting For A Long Time Makes One Tired — 坐久成勞 Case 143 — Senior Monk Ding Asks Linji — 定上座問臨濟 Case 144 — The Ten Thousand Things And I Form One Single Body — 萬物與我一體 Case 145 — Close To Falling Prey To Delusions — 洎不迷己 Case 146 — The Six Can’t Perceive It — 六不收 Case 147 — Yunmen’s “Sesame Flatbread” — 云門糊餅 Case 148 — Realizing Suddenly The Cause Of Water — 忽悟水因 Case 149 — What Is The Buddha With The Ten Bodies — 如何是十身調御 Case 150 — Zizhao’s “Succession” — 子昭承嗣 Case 151 — Yunmen’s “Sound” And “Color” — 雲門聲色 Case 152 — Linji’s Great Enlightenment — 臨濟大悟 Case 153 — Caoshan’s “Being And Non-Being” — 疎山有無 Case 154 — The Bell And The Seven Pieces Of Clothing — 鐘聲七條 Case 155 — Dongshan’s “Three Pounds” — 洞山三斤 Case 156 — Yunmen’s “Shit-Stick” — 雲門屎橛 Case 157 — The Cypress Tree In Front Of The Garden — 庭前柏樹 Case 158 — Yunmen’s “Discussion Going Off The Tracks” — 雲門話墮 Case 159 — Young Bodhisattvas, Come And Eat — 菩薩子吃飯來 Case 160 — What A Fox-Spirit — 這野狐精 Case 161 — As Small As A Grain Of Rice — 如粟米粒大 Case 162 — A Fence Of Peonies — 花藥欄 Case 163 — Heshan’s “Beat The Drum” — 禾山解打鼓 Case 164 — Zhaozhou’s Robe — 趙州布衫 Case 165 — The Dust Dust Samadhi — 塵塵三昧 Case 166 — Fengxue’s “Speck Of Dust” — 風穴一塵 Case 167 — The Dharma-Body That Endures And Remain Intact — 堅固法身 Case 168 — The Ancient Buddha And The Pillar Intersect Each Other — 古佛露柱 Case 169 — Three Sorts Of Sick Men — 三種病人 Case 170 — Nanyang’s Water Jug — 南陽淨瓶 Case 171 — Dongshan’s “Intimate Contact” — 洞山常切 Case 172 — Langya’s “Mountains And Rivers” — 瑯琊山河 Case 173 — Taking Distance From Language — 離却語言 Case 174 — The Empty-Headed Lad — 掠虛頭漢 Case 175 — The Chin Rest And The Meditation Mat — 禪板蒲團 Case 176 — Baofu’s “Summit Of The Peak Of Wonder” — 保福妙峰頂 Case 177 — Entering Directly With The Staff Across The Shoulders — 橫擔直入 Case 178 — Zhaozhou’s “Giant Radishes” — 趙州大蘿卜頭 Case 179 — Changsha Walks In The Mountain — 長沙游山 Case 180 — Nice Snow-Flakes — 好雪片片 Case 181 — Life Or Death — 生耶死耶 Case 182 — What Is The Language Used By The Tathagata — 作么生是如來語 Case 183 — Dizang Plants Rice — 地藏種田 Case 184 — Yunmen’s “Mount Sumeru” — 雲門須彌 Case 185 — Xuansha Reaches The Province — 玄沙到縣 Case 186 — Linji Draws A Line — 臨濟一畫 Case 187 — Zhaozhou’s “Go Wash The Bowl” — 趙州洗鉢 Case 188 — Dongshan’s “Three Beatings” — 洞山三頓 VI The Return of the Winter of No-thing-ness Case 189 — Qianfeng’s “One Road” — 乾峯一路 Case 190 — What Does Not Picking And Choosing Mean — 如何是不揀擇 Case 191 — The Pitfall Of The People Of Our Time — 時人窠窟 Case 192 — As Soon As One Uses Language — 才有語言 Case 193 — It Is Not The Mind, Not Buddha, [And Not A Thing] — 不是心佛 Case 194 — Neither “Mind” Nor “Buddha” — 非心非佛 Case 195 — Knowledge Is Not The Way — 智不是道 Case 196 — Every Day Is A Good Day — 日日是好日 Case 197 — Complete Exposure Of The Substance To The Golden Wind — 體露金鳳 Case 198 — Yunmen’s “Two Diseases” — 雲門兩病 Case 199 — Take A Step Further While On The Pole — 竿頭進步 Case 200 — Doulüyue’s Three Barriers — 兜率三關 Case 201 — Shoushan’s Three Phrases — 首山三句 Case 202 — Sitting Alone On The Great Hero Peak — 獨坐大雄峰 Case 203 — Zhaozhou’s Four Doors — 趙州四門 Case 204 — Caoshan’s Fulfilment Of Filial Piety — 曹山孝滿 Case 205 — Who Is He? — 他是阿誰