Blue Cliff Record 82

171
Blue Cliff Record (Hekiganroku, Biyan Lu) #82
Dalong and the Dharma Body

Personnel

• DALONG Zhihong (Dairyo Chiko, 870?-940?, 14th gen), disciple of Baizhao Zhiyuan
• An unnamed monastic

Yuanwu's Introduction (Sato)

The line on the fishing pole: one who has an eye knows it.
The activity beyond the bounds: a true Zen adept discerns it.
But tell me: What is the line on the fishing pole?
What is the activity beyond the bounds?
To test, I am citing this, look!

Case (Sekida)

A monk said to Dalong, "The body will ultimately decompose; what is the indestructible Dharma body?"[1]
Dalong said,

"Flowers cover the hillside like brocade,
The vale lies deep in shade."[2]

[1] “The phenomenal body perishes. What is the Dharma-body which remains solid?” (Sato); "The physical body decomposes; what is the immutable reality body?" (Cleary).
[2] “The autumn foliage of the mountains spreads like brocade; the water in the valley remains blue as indigo” (Sato); "The mountain flowers bloom like brocade; the valley streams brim blue as indigo" (Cleary).

Xuedou's Verse (Sekida)

The question came from ignorance;
The answer was not understood.
The moon is clear, the wind is cool,
The wintry pine stands on the peak.

I laugh heartily to hear the saying,
"When you encounter a man of the Way,
Meet him with neither words nor non-words."

He held the crystal whip and smashed the jewels;
Otherwise, faults develop.
For there are laws in the land,
With three thousand regulations.

KOAN INDEX
Hotetsu's Verses on Koans