35Talks to the Assembly示眾
師示眾云：「佛之一字，吾不喜聞。」問：「和尚還為人也無？」師云：「佛，佛。」問：「盡却今時，如何是的的處？」師云：「盡却今時，莫問那箇。」云：「如何是的？」師云：「向你道莫問。」云：「如何得見？」師云：「大無外，小無內。」問：「離四句，絕百非時如何？」師云：「老僧不認得死。」云：「者箇是和尚分上事。」師云：「恰是。」云：「請和尚指示。」師云：「離四句，絕百非，把什麼指示？」問：「如何是和尚家風？」師云：「內無一物，外無所求。」問：「如何是歸根得旨？」師云：「答你即乖。」問：「如何是疑心？」師云：「答你即乖也。」問：「出家底人還作俗否？」師云：「出家即是座主。出與不出，老僧不管。」云：「為什麼不管？」師云：「與麼即出家也。」問：「無師弟子時如何？」師云：「無漏智性，本自具足。」又云：「此是無師弟子。」問：「不見邊表時如何？」師云：「因什麼與麼？」問：「澄而不清，渾而不濁時如何？」師云：「不清不濁。」云：「是什麼？」師云：「也可憐生。」云：「如何是通方？」師云：「離却金剛禪。」問：「如何是囊中寶？」師云：「嫌什麼？」云：「用不窮時如何？」師云：「自家底還重否？」又云：「用者即重，不用即輕。」問：「如何是祖師的的意？」師涕唾。云：「其中事如何？」師又唾地。問：「如何是沙門行？」師云：「離行。」問：「真休之處，請師指。」師云：「指即不休。」問：「無問時如何？」師云：「乖常語。」問：「四山相逼時如何？」師云：「無出跡。」問：「到者裏道不得時如何？」師云：「不得道。」云：「如何道？」師云：「道不得處。」問：「但有言句，盡不出頂，如何是頂外事？」師喚沙彌文遠。文遠應諾。師云：「今日早晚也。」問：「如何是毗盧師？」師云：「莫惡口。」問：「至道無難，唯嫌揀擇，如何得不揀擇？」師云：「天上天下，唯我獨尊。」云：「此猶是揀擇。」師云：「田厙奴，什麼處是揀擇？」問：「如何是三界外人？」師云：「爭奈老僧在三界內。」問：「知有不有底人如何？」師云：「你若更問，即故問老僧。」
Zhaozhou addressed the assembly: "The word 'Buddha' — I hate hearing it."
A monk asked, "Then do you help people at all?"
Zhaozhou said, "Buddha. Buddha."
A monk asked, "Wipe out the present moment. What then is the real thing?"
Zhaozhou said, "Wipe out the present moment. Don't ask about that."
The monk said, "What is the real thing?"
Zhaozhou said, "I just told you. Don't ask."
The monk said, "How can I see it?"
Zhaozhou said, "So big nothing is outside it. So small nothing is inside it."
A monk asked, "Past the four propositions, beyond the hundred negations. What then?"
Zhaozhou said, "I don't even recognize death."
The monk said, "That's your business."
Zhaozhou said, "Exactly."
The monk said, "Show me, then."
Zhaozhou said, "Past the four propositions, beyond the hundred negations. What's left to point at?"
A monk asked, "What is your family style?"
Zhaozhou said, "Nothing inside. Nothing wanted outside."
A monk asked, "What is it to return to the root and reach the meaning?"
Zhaozhou said, "Answer you and I'd miss it."
A monk asked, "What is the doubting mind?"
Zhaozhou said, "Answer you and I'd miss it."
A monk asked, "Does a monk who's left home still act like a layman?"
Zhaozhou said, "Leave home and you're an abbot. Left or not left, I don't care."
The monk said, "Why don't you care?"
Zhaozhou said, "Because that's what leaving home is."
A monk asked, "What about the disciple with no teacher?"
Zhaozhou said, "The wisdom that leaks nothing is complete from the start." Then he added, "That's the disciple with no teacher."
A monk asked, "What about when you see no edge, no limit?"
Zhaozhou said, "Why are you like this?"
A monk asked, "Settled but not clear, churned up but not muddy. What then?"
Zhaozhou said, "Not clear, not muddy."
The monk said, "What is it?"
Zhaozhou said, "Pitiful, really."
A monk asked, "What is the way through?"
Zhaozhou said, "Drop the diamond Chan."
A monk asked, "What is the jewel in the bag?"
Zhaozhou said, "What's wrong with it?"
The monk said, "What about when you use it and it never runs out?"
Zhaozhou said, "Is what's yours heavy?" Then he added, "Use it and it's heavy. Don't and it's light."
A monk asked, "What is the real point of the ancestors coming from the west?"
Zhaozhou spat.
The monk said, "What's the matter in that?"
Zhaozhou spat on the ground again.
A monk asked, "What is the practice of a monk?"
Zhaozhou said, "Drop the practice."
A monk said, "Point me to the place of true rest."
Zhaozhou said, "Point at it and there's no rest."
A monk asked, "What about when there's no question?"
Zhaozhou said, "You broke the ordinary way of talking."
A monk asked, "When the four mountains close in, what then?"
Zhaozhou said, "No tracks lead out."
A monk asked, "What about when you can't say a word here?"
Zhaozhou said, "Then don't."
The monk said, "How do I say it?"
Zhaozhou said, "Right where you can't."
A monk asked, "Whatever words you use, none get past the top of your head. What's the matter beyond the top?"
Zhaozhou called, "Wenyuan!"
The novice Wenyuan answered, "Yes?"
Zhaozhou said, "It's getting late."
A monk asked, "Who is the teacher of Vairocana Buddha?"
Zhaozhou said, "Watch your mouth."
A monk asked, "'The great way is not hard; it just dislikes picking and choosing.' How do I get past picking and choosing?"
Zhaozhou said, "Above the heavens and below, I alone am the honored one."
The monk said, "That's still picking and choosing."
Zhaozhou said, "You fool. Where's the picking and choosing in that?"
A monk asked, "Who is the person outside the three worlds?"
Zhaozhou said, "What can I do? I'm still inside the three worlds."
A monk asked, "What about someone who knows there is and isn't?"
Zhaozhou said, "If you ask one more time, you're just testing me on purpose."