Book of Serenity 82

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Book of Serenity (Shoyoroku, Congrong Lu) #82
Yunmen's "Sound and Color"

Personnel

• YUNMEN Wenyan (Ummon Bunen, 864-949, 13th gen), disciple of Xuefeng

Wansong's Introduction (Sato)

If one does not cut off sounds and colors, one fails wherever one is;
If one seeks by sounds and sees by colors, one cannot see the Tathagata.
Is there anyone who is on the way and [at the same time] returns home or not?

Case (Sato)

Yunmen instructed the assembly and said, “'Hearing a sound – realizing the way; seeing color – clarifying the mind.’[1] – Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara comes with some small change and buys [poor] rice cake.[2]
If he throws [it] away, he will get [nice] manjû cake.”[3]

[1] Idiomatic. Example of the former: Xiangyan heard the sound of a pebble hitting a bamboo and was awakened; example of the latter: Lingyun came to a deep realization after glimpsing peach blossoms afar.
[2] I.e., Kobyô. See BCR77/BOS78.
[3] Steamed cakes made of fine wheat, with minced meat in it; in Japan sweet beans are used inside.

Hongzhi's Verse (Wick)

Leaving the gate, spurring up the horse; sweep away the comet.
The smoke and dust of ten thousand lands clears by itself.
In the twelve sense fields, trivial influences are forgotten
The three thousand worlds are illuminated with pure bright light.

Sturmer's Verse

When shapes move
before her field of vision
the dog gives a small yelp
(Sesame seeds scattered
on a white plate.)
A voice says, "They're all eaten."
So she lets out a sigh,
goes back to sleep.

KOAN INDEX
Hotetsu's Verses on Koans