公案 · kōan

22Xuefeng's Snake

Introduction 垂示

大方無外，細若隣虛。擒縱非他，卷舒在我。必欲解粘去縛，直須削迹吞聲。人人坐斷要津，箇箇壁立千仞。且道是什麼人境界？試舉看。

The biggest thing has nothing outside it; the smallest is finer than a speck of dust. To seize or to release is up to no one but me. To roll up or spread out is in my hands alone. If you really mean to peel off the glue and cut the ropes, you must wipe out your tracks and swallow your voice. Each one sits astride the vital crossing; each one stands like a sheer cliff a thousand feet high. So tell me, whose ground is this? Here is a case. Look.

雪峯示眾云：「南山有一條鼈鼻蛇，汝等諸人切須好看。」長慶云：「今日堂中，大有人喪身失命。」僧舉似玄沙，玄沙云：「須是稜兄始得。雖然如此，我即不恁麼。」僧云：「和尚作麼生？」玄沙云：「用南山作什麼？」雲門以拄杖攛向雪峯面前，作怕勢。

Xuefeng spoke to the assembly: "On South Mountain there's a snake with a nose like a turtle's. Every one of you, keep a sharp eye out."

Changqing said, "Today, right here in this hall, plenty of men are going to lose their lives."

A monk repeated this to Xuansha. Xuansha said, "It takes a man like brother Leng to say that. Even so, I wouldn't put it his way."

The monk asked, "How would you put it?"

Xuansha said, "Why drag in South Mountain?"

Yunmen took his staff, flung it down in front of Xuefeng, and played scared stiff.

Verse 頌

象骨巖高人不到， 到者須是弄蛇手。 稜師備師不柰何， 喪身失命有多少。 韶陽知， 重撥草， 南北東西無處討。 忽然突出拄杖頭， 拋對雪峯大張口。 大張口兮同閃電， 剔起眉毛還不見。 如今藏在乳峯前， 來者一一看方便。 師高聲喝云：「看脚下！」
Elephant Bone Cliff is high; no one gets up there. Whoever does had better know how to handle a snake. Master Leng and Master Bei could do nothing with it. How many have lost their lives? Shaoyang knew. Once more he went poking through the grass. North, south, east, west, nowhere to be found. Then all at once it shot out on the tip of his staff, flung down before Xuefeng, jaws gaping wide. Jaws gaping wide, like a flash of lightning. Lift your eyebrows and already you've missed it. Now it lies hidden in front of Breast Peak. Whoever comes near, look close at the trick. The master shouted: "Watch your step!"