26Puhua, Pegged勘辨

師一日與河陽木塔長老同在僧堂地爐內坐，因說：「普化每日在街市掣風掣顛，知他是凡？是聖？」言猶未了，普化入來。師便問：「汝是凡？是聖？」普化云：「汝且道我是凡？是聖？」師便喝。普化以手指云：「河陽新婦子、木塔老婆禪、臨濟小廝兒，却具一隻眼。」師云：「這賊！」普化云：「賊賊！」便出去。

One day Linji was sitting with Elder Muta of Heyang by the fire pit in the monks' hall. Linji said, "Every day Puhua's out in the market raving and acting crazy. Is he an ordinary man or a sage?"

Before the words were out, Puhua walked in. Linji asked him straight off, "Are you ordinary or a sage?"

Puhua said, "You tell me. Ordinary or sage?"

Linji shouted.

Puhua pointed at the men around him and said, "Heyang's a blushing bride, Muta's an old granny playing at Zen, and Linji's a green little kid. But at least the kid's got one good eye."

Linji said, "You thief."

Puhua said, "Thief, thief!" and walked out.

Pointer

Puhua again. He wanders the market clowning and raving, which sets up the gossip Linji and Elder Muta are trading by the fire: is the man a genuinely awakened master playing the fool, or just a fool? On cue Puhua walks in, and Linji puts the question to his face, ordinary or sage, then falls back on his trademark shout when Puhua bounces it back. Puhua's reply is to grade the whole room instead, two of the men as soft or fussy, Linji as a green kid who at least "has one eye," meaning the real seeing, then he bolts before the label can stick. The "ordinary or sage" split is exactly the kind of box Linji himself spends the record demolishing, since the true person he keeps pointing at fits in neither slot. "Thief" here is nearly fond: Puhua keeps stealing the high ground, and when Linji names it he cheerfully agrees and slips out with it.