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Blue Cliff Record

Case 4: Adding Frost to Snow

Introduction

Under the blue sky in the bright sunlight you don’t have to point out this and that any more. But the causal conditions of time and seasons still require you to give the medicine in accordance with the disease. Tell me, is it better to let go or is it better to hold on? To test that like this (???). Look! (???)

The story

When Te-shan (sp???) arrived at Kuei-shan (???), he carried his bundle, (his pilgrim’s bundle), with him into the teaching hall where he crossed from east to west and from west to east. He looked around and said: Nothing! No one! Then he went out.

But when Te-shan got up to the gate of the temple he said: Still I shouldn’t be so hurried. So he re-entered the hall with full ceremony to meet Kuei-shan. This time Kuei-shan was sitting there.

Te-shan held up his sitting mat (???) and said: Teacher!

Kuei-shan reached for his whisk whereupon Te-shan shouted, shook out his sleeves and left.

Commentary

Sei-to commented:

The critical examination is finished.

Te-shan turned his back on the teaching hall, put on his sandals and departed.

That evening Kuei-shan asked the head of the temple: Where is that newcomer who just came?

Oh, at that time he turned his back on the teaching hall, put on his sandals and left.

Kuei-shan said: Hereafter, that young fellow will go to the summit of a lonely peak, build a grass hut and go on scolding the buddhas and reviling the ancestors.

Suei-to added the comment: He’s added frost to snow.