Ta-mei Fa-chang (752-839) was a Chinese Ch'an master. After he got awakened under the Great master Ma-tsu Tao-i (709-788), he went to the Ta-mei mountain and resided there.
One day there was a traveling monk who got lost in the Ta-mei...
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十八 洞山三斤 | hide chinese .
show chinese | 洞山和尚、因僧問、如何是佛。
A monk asked Tozan, "What is Buddha?" 山云、麻三斤。
Tõzan replied, "Masagin!" [three pounds of flax].
Mumon's Comment 無門曰、洞山老人、參得些蚌蛤禪、纔開兩片露出肝腸。
Old Tõzan attained the poor Zen of a clam. He opened the two halves of the shell a little and exposed all the liver and intestines inside. 然雖如是、且道、向甚處見洞山。
But tell me, how do you see Tõzan?
Mumon's Verse頌曰
突出麻三斤
言親意更親
來説是非者
便是是非人
"Three pounds of flax" came sweeping along;
Close were the words, but closer was the meaning.
Those who argue about right and wrong
Are those enslaved by right and wrong.