56One Arrow, Three Barriers
Introduction 垂示
諸佛不曾出世，亦無一法與人；祖師不曾西來，未甞以心傳授。自是時人不了，向外馳求，殊不知自己脚跟下一段大事因緣，千聖亦摸索不著。只如今見不見、聞不聞、說不說、知不知，從什麼處得來？若未能洞達，且向葛藤窟裏會取。試舉看。
No buddha ever came into the world. None of them handed anybody a single teaching. The First Patriarch never came east, never passed anything mind-to-mind. People just don't get it, so they go chasing after things outside themselves. They miss the one great matter sitting right under their own heels, the thing even the thousand sages can't grope their way to. So right now: seeing and not-seeing, hearing and not-hearing, speaking and not-speaking, knowing and not-knowing. Where does it all come from? If you can't see straight through it, come sit in the thicket with me and work it out. Here's one. Watch.
良禪客問欽山：「一鏃破三關時如何？」山云：「放出關中主看。」良云：「恁麼則知過必改。」山云：「更待何時？」良云：「好箭放不著所在。」便出。山云：「且來，闍黎。」良回首，山把住云：「一鏃破三關即且止，試與欽山發箭看。」良擬議，山打七棒云：「且聽這漢疑三十年。」
The monk Liang asked Qinshan, "When a single arrow breaks through three barriers, what then?"
Qinshan said, "Drag out the lord inside the barrier. Let's get a look at him."
Liang said, "Then I admit my mistake and mend it."
Qinshan said, "What are you waiting for?"
Liang said, "A good arrow, and it lands nowhere." And he started for the door.
Qinshan said, "Hold on, brother." Liang turned his head. Qinshan grabbed him and said, "Forget the one arrow and three barriers. Try shooting one at me. Go ahead."
Liang hesitated, fishing for words. Qinshan struck him seven times and said, "Let this clown stay confused for thirty years."