4Case 4

居士到齊峰，纔入院，峰曰：「箇俗人頻頻入院，討箇什麼？」士乃回顧兩邊曰：「誰恁麼道？誰恁麼道？」峰便喝。士曰：「在這裏。」峰曰：「莫是當陽道麼？」士曰：「背後底聻？」峰回首曰：「看看。」士曰：「草賊大敗！草賊大敗！」峰一日與居士並行次，士乃前行一步曰：「我強如師一步。」峰曰：「無背向老翁，要爭先在。」士曰：「苦中苦，未是此一句。」峰曰：「怕翁不甘。」士曰：「老翁若不堪，齊峰堪作箇什麼？」峰曰：「若有棒在手，打不解倦。」士便行一摑，曰：「不多好。」峰始拈棒，被居士把住曰：「這賊今日一場敗闕。」峰笑曰：「是我拙，是公巧。」士乃撫掌曰：「平交！平交！」居士一日又問峰曰：「此去峰頂有幾里？」峰曰：「是什麼處去來？」士曰：「可畏峻硬，不得問著。」峰曰：「是多少？」士曰：「一二三。」峰曰：「四五六。」士曰：「何不道七？」峰曰：「纔道七，便有八。」士曰：「住得也。」峰曰：「一任添取。」士喝便出。峰隨後亦喝。居士一日又問：「不得堂堂道。」峰曰：「還我恁麼時龐公主人翁來。」士曰：「少神作麼？」峰曰：「好箇問訊，問不著人。」士曰：「好來！好來！」

Layman Pang went to see Qifeng. The moment he stepped into the temple, Qifeng said, "Some layman keeps barging in here. What's he after?"

Pang looked left, then right. "Who said that? Who said that?"

Qifeng gave a shout.

Pang said, "Right here."

Qifeng said, "Saying it to my face, are you?"

Pang said, "And what about behind your back?"

Qifeng turned his head around. "Look, look."

Pang said, "The bandit's routed. The bandit's routed."

Another day Qifeng was walking beside the Layman. Pang took one step ahead. "I'm one step stronger than you, teacher."

Qifeng said, "An old man has no front and no back, yet here you are wanting to come first."

Pang said, "Bitter inside bitter. That's not the line yet."

Qifeng said, "I'm afraid the old man won't let it go."

Pang said, "If this old man can't take it, what could Qifeng possibly take?"

Qifeng said, "If I had a stick in my hand, I'd beat you and never tire of it."

Pang stepped up and slapped him. "Not very nice."

Qifeng reached for his stick, but the Layman caught hold of him. "You bandit, today you've lost the whole game."

Qifeng laughed. "I'm the clumsy one. You're the clever one."

Pang clapped his hands. "Even match. Even match."

Another day the Layman asked Qifeng, "How many miles from here to the top of the peak?"

Qifeng said, "Where have you been coming from?"

Pang said, "Steep and rocky, terrifying. No use even asking."

Qifeng said, "How far is it, then?"

Pang said, "One, two, three."

Qifeng said, "Four, five, six."

Pang said, "Why not say seven?"

Qifeng said, "The moment you say seven, there's eight."

Pang said, "You can stop there."

Qifeng said, "Add as many as you like."

Pang shouted and walked out. Qifeng shouted right back.

Another day the Layman said, "No fair stating it straight out."

Qifeng said, "Then hand me back the master of the house, old Pang, the one standing here right now."

Pang said, "What, are you short a few wits?"

Qifeng said, "A fine greeting, but it misses the man."

Pang said, "Good one. Good one."