Blue Cliff Record

“What is the ultimate meaning of the holy truths?”
“Empty, nothing holy.”

The Blue Cliff Record (Chinese: 碧巖錄, Bìyán Lù) is a collection of 100 Chan Buddhist kōans originally compiled in China, during the Song dynasty in 1125.

Quotes

Cleary, Thomas (1998). The Blue Cliff Record. BDK English Tripiṭaka. 75. Berkeley, California: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. ISBN 0-9625618-8-6. 
(Original Chinese text)
  • 梁武帝問達摩大師：「如何是聖諦第一義？」
    摩雲：「廓然無聖！」
    帝曰：「對朕者誰？」
    摩雲：「不識。」
    帝不契，達摩遂渡江至魏。
    • The Emperor Wu of Liang asked the great teacher Bodhidharma,
      “What is the ultimate meaning of the holy truths?”
      Bodhidharma said, “Empty, nothing holy.”
      The emperor said, “Who is answering me?”
      Bodhidharma said, “Don’t know.”
      The emperor didn’t understand.
      Bodhidharma subsequently crossed the Yangtse River into the kingdom of Wei.
      • 1. The Emperor Wu Questions Bodhidharma
  • 馬大師不安，院主問：「和尚近日，尊候如何？」
    大師云：「日面佛，月面佛。」
  • Great Master Ma was unwell. The temple superintendent asked him, “Teacher, how are you these days?”
The great master said, “Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha.”
  • 3. Master Ma Is Unwell
  • 雲門垂語云：「十五日已前不問汝，十五日已後道將一句來。」
    自代云：「日日是好日。」
  • Yunmen said, “I don’t ask about before the fifteenth day; try to say something about after the fifteenth day.”
He answered himself, “Every day is a good day.”
  • 6. Every Day Is a Good Day
  • 僧問趙州：「如何是趙州？」
    州云：「東門，西門，南門，北門。」
  • A monk asked Zhaozhou, “What is Zhaozhou?”
Zhaozhou replied, “East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate.”
  • 9. Zhaozhou’s Four Gates
  • 僧問巴陵：「如何是提婆宗？」
    巴陵云：「銀碗裏盛雪。」
  • A monk asked Baling, “What is the school of Kāṇadeva?”
Baling said, “Piling snow in a silver bowl.”
  • 13. The School of Kāṇadeva
  • 僧問雲門：「如何是一代時教？」
    雲門云：「對一說。」
  • A monk asked Yunmen, “What are the teachings of a whole lifetime?”
Yunmen said, “An appropriate statement.”
  • 14. An Appropriate Statement
  • 僧問雲門：「不是目前機，亦非目前事時，如何？」
    門云：「倒一說。」
  • A monk asked Yunmen, “When it’s not the present potential and not the present situation, what is it?”
Yunmen said, “An upside-down statement.”
  • 15. An Upside-Down Statement
  • 僧問香林，如何是祖師西來意？
    林云：「坐久成勞。」
  • A monk asked Xianglin, “What is the living meaning of Chan?”
Xianglin said, “Sitting for a long time, one becomes weary.”
  • 17. The Living Meaning of Chan
  • 俱胝和尚，凡有所問，有什麼消息，鈍根阿師。只豎一指。
  • Whenever anything was asked, Master Judi would just raise one finger.
  • 19. One Finger Chan
  • 僧問智門：「蓮花未出水時如何？」
    智門云：「蓮花。」
    僧云：「出水後如何？」
    門云：「荷葉。」
  • A monk asked Zhimen, “How is it when the lotus flower has not yet emerged from the water?”
Zhimen said, “A lotus flower.”
The monk said, “What about after it has emerged from the water?”
Zhimen said, “Lotus leaves.”
  • 21. Lotus Flower, Lotus Leaves
  • 僧問百丈：「如何是奇特事？」
    丈云：「獨坐大雄峰。」
    僧禮拜，丈便打。
  • A monk asked Baizhang, “What is extraordinary?”
Baizhang said, “Sitting alone on the mountain.”
The monk bowed; Baizhang then hit him.
  • 26. Sitting Alone on the Mountain
  • 僧問雲門：「樹雕葉落時如何？」
    雲門云：「體露金風。」
  • A monk asked Yunmen, “How is it when the tree withers and the leaves fall?”
Yunmen said, “The body exposed in the autumn wind.”
  • 27. The Body Exposed in the Autumn Wind
  • 僧問趙州：「承聞和尚親見南泉，是否？」
    州云：「鎮州出大蘿卜頭。」
  • A monk asked Zhaozhou, “I hear you’ve seen Nanquan in person; is that so?”
Zhaozhou said, “Zhen province produces big radishes.”
  • 30. Big Radishes
  • 文殊問無著：「近離什麼處？」
    無著云：「南方。」
    殊云：「南方佛法，如何住持？」
    著云：「末法比丘，少奉戒律。」
    殊云：「多少眾？」
    著云：「或三百或五百。」
    無著問文殊：「此間如何住持？」
    殊云：「凡聖同居龍蛇混雜。」
    著云：「多少眾？」
    殊云：「前三三後三三。」
  • Mañjuśrī asked Wuzhuo, “Where have you come from?”
Wuzhuo said, “The south.”
Mañjuśrī said, “How is Buddhism faring in the south?”
Wuzhuo said, “Monks of the last age have little regard for discipline.”
Mañjuśrī said, “How large are the congregations?”
Wuzhuo said, “Some three hundred, some live hundred.”
Wuzhuo asked Mañjuśrī, “How is Buddhism faring here?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Ordinary people and sages dwell together, dragons and snakes intermingle.”
Wuzhuo said, “How large are the congregations?”
Mañjuśrī said, “In front three by three, in back three by three.”
  • 35. The Dialogue of Mañjuśrī and Wuzhuo
  • 盤山垂語云：「三界無法，何處求心？」
  • Panshan said, “There is nothing in the world; where can mind be found?”
  • 37. There’s Nothing in the World
  • 偕問雲門：「如何是清凈法身？」
    門云：「花藥欄。」
    僧云：「便恁麼去時如何？」
    門云：「金毛獅子。」
  • A monk asked Yunmen, “What is the pure body of reality?”
Yunmen said, “A flowering hedge.”
The monk asked, “What is it like when one goes on just so?”
Yunmen said, “A golden-haired lion.”
  • 39. The Flowering Hedge
  • 陸亙大夫，與南泉語話次，陸云：「肇法師道，天地與我同根，萬物與我一體，也甚奇怪。」
    南泉指庭前花，召大夫云：「時人見此一株花，如夢相似。」
  • Talking with Nanquan, Officer Lu Xuan said, “Master Sengzhao said, ‘Heaven and earth and I have the same root, myriad things and I are one body.’ This is quite marvelous.”
Nanquan pointed to a flower in the garden.
He called to the officer and said, “People these days see this flower as a dream.”
  • 40. Like a Dream
  • 趙州問投子：「大死底人卻活時如何？」
    投子云：「不許夜行，投明須到。」
  • Zhaozhou asked Touzi, “How is it when one who has died the great death returns to life?”
Touzi said, “Don’t go by night; go there in daylight.”
  • 41. One Who Has Died the Great Death
  • 僧問洞山：「寒暑到來如何迴避？」
    山云：「何不向無寒暑處去？」
    僧云：「如何是無寒暑處？」
    山云：「寒時寒殺梨，熱時熱殺梨。」
  • A monk asked Dongshan, “When cold and heat come, how can we avoid them?”
Dongshan said, “Why not go where there is no cold or heat?”
The monk said, “Where is there no cold or heat?”
Dongshan said, “When it’s cold, it chills you thoroughly; when it’s hot, it heats you thoroughly.”
  • 43. No Cold or Heat
  • 禾山垂語云：「習學謂之聞，絕學謂之鄰。過此二者，是為真過。」
    僧出問：「如何是真過？」
    山云：「解打鼓。」
    又問：「如何是真諦？」
    山云：「解打鼓。」
    又問：「即心即佛即不問，如何是非心非佛？」
    山云：「解打鼓。」
    又問：「向上人來時如何接？」
    山云：「解打鼓。」
  • Heshan said, “Cultivating study is called learning, ending study is called nearness.”
“Going beyond these two is real going beyond.”
A monk asked, “What is real going beyond?”
Heshan said, “Knowing how to beat the drum.”
The monk asked, “What is the real truth?”
Heshan said, “Knowing how to beat the drum.”
The monk asked, “I don’t ask about ‘mind is Buddha’—what about ‘not mind, not Buddha’?”
Heshan said, “Knowing how to beat the drum.”
The monk asked, “How do you receive a transcendent person?”
Heshan said, “Knowing how to beat the drum.”
  • 44. Knowing How to Beat the Drum
  • 僧問趙州：「萬法歸一，一歸何處？」
    州云：「我在青州，作一領布衫，重七斤。」
    • A monk asked Zhaozhou, “Myriad things return to one—where does the one return?”
      Zhaozhou said, “When I was in Qingzhou I made a cloth shirt. It weighed seven pounds.”
      • 45. Zhaozhou’s Shirt
  • 鏡清問僧：「門外是什麼聲？」
    僧云：「雨滴聲。」
    清云：「眾生顛倒，迷己逐物。」
    僧云：「和尚作麼生？」
    清云：「洎不迷己。」
    僧云：「洎不迷己，意旨如何？」
    清云：「出身猶可易，脫體道應難。」
  • Jingqing asked a monk, “What is that sound outside the door?”
The monk said, “The sound of raindrops.”
Jingqing said, “People are backwards—they lose themselves and pursue things.”
The monk said, “What about you?”
Jingqing said, “I have reached not losing myself.”
The monk said, “What is the meaning of reaching not losing oneself?”
Jingqing said, “It may be easy to free oneself, but to say the whole thing is surely difficult.”
  • 46. The Sound of Raindrops
  • 僧問雲門：「如何是法身？」
    門云：「六不收。」
  • A monk asked Yunmen, “What is the body of reality?”
Yunmen said, “Six do not take it in.”
  • 47. Six Do Not Take It In
  • 僧問雲門：「如何是塵塵三昧？」
    門云：「缽里飯桶里水。」
  • A monk asked Yunmen, “What is every atom samādhi?”
Yunmen said, “Rice in the bowl, water in the bucket.”
  • 50. Every Atom Samādhi
  • 僧問趙州：「至道無難唯嫌揀擇，如何是不揀擇？」
    州云：「天上天下唯我獨尊。」
    僧云：「此猶是揀擇。」
    州云：「田庫奴，什麼處是揀擇？」
    僧無語。
  • A monk asked Zhaozhou, “‘The supreme Way has no difficulties—just avoid discrimination.’ What is not discriminating?”
Zhaozhou said, “In the whole universe I alone am the honored one.”
The monk said, “This is still discrimination.”
Zhaozhou said, “Stupid oaf! Where is the discrimination?”
The monk was speechless.
  • 57. The Stupid Oaf
  • 僧問趙州：「至道無難，唯嫌揀擇，是時人窠窟否？」
    州云：「曾有人問我，直得五年分疏不下。」
  • A monk asked Zhaozhou, ‘“The supreme Way has no difficulties—just avoid discrimination’—isn’t this a cliché for people today?”
Zhaozhou said, “Once someone asked me, and I simply couldn’t explain for five years.”
  • 58. Zhaozhou Can’t Explain
  • 雲門以拄杖示眾云：「拄杖子化為龍，吞卻乾坤了也。」
  • Yunmen showed his staff to the assembly and said, “The staff has changed into a dragon and swallowed the universe.”
“Mountains, rivers, the whole earth—where are they to be found?”
  • 60. The Staff Changes into a Dragon
  • 風穴垂語云：「若立一塵，家國興盛。不立一塵，家國喪亡。」
  • Fengxue said, “If you set up a single atom, the nation flourishes; if you do not set up a single atom, the nation perishes.”
Xuedou raised his staff and said, “Are there any Chan practitioners who will live together and die together?”
  • 61. One Atom
  • 雲門示眾云：「乾坤之內，宇宙之間，中有一寶，秘在形山。
    拈燈籠向佛殿裏，將三門來燈籠上。」
  • Yunmen said, “Within heaven and earth, through space and time, there is a jewel hidden in the mountain of form.
Pick up a lamp and go into the Buddha hall; take the triple gate and bring it on the lamp.”
  • 62. Within There Is a Jewel
  • 南泉一日東西兩堂爭貓兒，南泉見，遂提起云：「道得即不斬。」
    眾無對。泉斬貓兒為兩段。
  • At Nanquan’s place one day the monks of the east and west halls were arguing over a cat. When Nanquan saw this, he held up the cat and said, “If you can speak, I won’t kill it.”
No one replied; Nanquan cut the cat in two.
  • 63. Nanquan Kills a Cat
  • 南泉復舉前話，問趙州，州便脫草鞋，於頭上戴出。
    南泉云：「子若在，恰救得貓兒。」
  • Nanquan told Zhaozhou the preceding story to question him. Zhaozhou immediately took off his sandals, placed them on his head, and left.
Nanquan said, “Had you been here, you could have saved the cat.”
  • 64. Nanquan Questions Zhaozhou
  • 外道問佛：「不問有言，不問無言。」
    世尊良久，外道贊嘆云：「世尊大慈悲，開我迷雲，令我得入。」
    外道去後，阿難問佛：佛云：「如世良馬，見鞭影而行。」
  • An outsider asked the Buddha, “I do not ask about the spoken or the unspoken.”
The Buddha remained silent.
The outsider said in admiration, “The Buddha’s great kindness and compassion have opened up my clouds of illusion and let me gain entry.”
After the outsider had left, Ānanda asked the Buddha, “What did the outsider realize, that he said he had gained entry?”
The Buddha said, “Like a good horse, he goes as soon as he sees the shadow of the whip.”
  • 65. An Outsider Questions the Buddha
  • 南泉歸宗麻穀，同去禮拜忠國師，至中路，南泉於地上，畫一圓相云：「道得即去。」
    歸宗於圓相中坐，麻穀便作女人拜。
    泉云：「恁麼則不去也。」
    歸宗云：「是什麼心行？」
  • Nanquan, Guizong, and Magu went together to pay respects to National Teacher Huizhong. When they got halfway there, Nanquan drew a circle on the ground and said, “If you can speak, let’s go on.”
Guizong sat inside the circle; Magu curtseyed.
Nanquan said, “Then let’s not go on.”
Guizong said, “What’s going on in your mind?”
  • 69. Nanquan’s Circle
  • 百丈復問峰：「並卻咽喉唇吻，作麼生道？」
    峰云：「和尚也須並卻。」
    丈云：「無人處斫額望汝。」
  • Baizhang also asked Wufeng, “How will you speak with your mouth shut?”
Wufeng said, “You should shut up too.”
Baizhang said, “I gaze out toward you where there’s no one.”
  • 71. You Shut Up Too
  • 百丈又問雲巖：「並卻咽喉唇吻，作麼生道？」
    巖云：「和尚有也未？」
    丈云：「喪我兒孫。」
  • Baizhang also asked Yunyan, “How will you speak with your mouth shut?”
Yunyan said, “Have you anything to say or not?”
Baizhang said, “I have lost my descendants.”
  • 72. Baizhang Questions Yunyan
  • 僧問雲門：「如何是超佛越祖之談？」
    門云：「糊餅。」
  • A monk asked Yunmen, “What is talk that goes beyond Buddhas and patriarchs?”
Yunmen said, “Cake.”
  • 77. Yunmen’s Cake
  • 僧問趙州：「初生孩子，還具六識也無？」
    趙州云：「急水上打球子。」
    僧復問投子：「急水上打球子，意旨如何？」
    子云：「念念不停流。」
  • A monk asked Zhaozhou, “Does a newborn baby also have the sixth consciousness?”
Zhaozhou said, “Tossing a ball on swiftly flowing water.”
The monk asked Touzi, “What is the meaning of ‘tossing a ball on swiftly flowing water’?”
Touzi said, “Moment to moment, nonstop flow.”
  • 80. A Newborn Baby
  • 僧問大龍：「色身敗壞，如何是堅固法身？」
    龍云：「山花開似綿，澗水湛如藍。」
  • A monk asked Dalong, “The physical body decays; what is the stable body of reality?”
Dalong said, “The mountain flowers bloom like brocade; the valley streams brim blue as indigo.”
  • 82. The Stable Body of Reality
  • 雲門示眾云：「古佛與露柱相交，是第幾機？」
    自代云：「南山起雲，北山下雨。」
  • Yunmen said, “The ancient Buddhas and the pillars merge—what level of mental activity is this?”
He answered himself, “On south mountain clouds gather; on north mountain rain falls.”
  • 83. The Ancient Buddhas and the Pillars
  • 維摩詰問文殊師利：「何等是菩薩入不二法門？」
    文殊曰：「如我意者，於一切法，無言無語。無示無識，離諸問答，是為入不二法門。」
  • Vimalakīrti asked Mañjuśrī,
“What is a bodhisattva’s entry into the Dharma Door of Nonduality?”
Mañjuśrī said, “According to what I think, in all things, no words, no speech, no demonstration, and no recognition, leaving behind all questions and answers; this is entering the Dharma Door of Nonduality.”
  • 84. Vimalakīrti's Door of Nonduality
  • 雲門垂語云：「人人盡有光明在，看時不見暗昏昏。作麼生是諸人光明？」
    自代云：「廚庫三門。」
    又云：「好事不如無。」
  • Yunmen said, “Everyone has a light; when you look at it, you don’t see it and it’s dark and dim. What is everyone’s light?”
He answered himself, “The kitchen pantry and the main gate.”
He also said, “A good thing isn’t as good as nothing.”
  • 86. The Kitchen Pantry and the Main Gate
  • 雲門示眾云：「藥病相治，盡大地是藥，那個是自己？」
  • Yunmen said, “Medicine and disease subdue each other. The whole earth is medicine; what is your self?”
  • 87. Medicine and Disease Subdue Each Other
  • 僧問智門：「如何是般若體？」
    門云：「蚌含明月。」
    僧云：「如何是般若用？」
    門云：「兔子懷胎。」
  • A monk asked Zhimen, “What is the body of wisdom?”
Zhimen said, “An oyster swallows the bright moon.”
The monk asked, “What is the functioning of wisdom?”
Zhimen said, “A rabbit gets pregnant.”
  • 90. The Body of Wisdom
  • 世尊一日升座，文殊白槌云：「諦觀法王法，法王法如是。」
    世尊便下座。
  • One day the Buddha ascended the seat. Mañjuśrī struck the gavel and said, “Clearly observe the Dharma of the Dharma King: the Dharma of the Dharma King is thus.”
The Buddha then got down from the seat.
  • 92. The Buddha Ascends the Seat
  • 《楞嚴經》云：「吾不見時，何不見吾不見之處？
    若見不見，自然非彼不見之相，
    若不見吾不見之地，自然非物，云何非汝？」
“When I do not see, why don’t you see my not seeing?
If you see my not seeing, naturally that is not the characteristic of not seeing.
If you don’t see my not seeing, it is naturally not a thing; how could it not be you?”
  • 94. Not Seeing
  • 長慶有時云：「寧說阿羅漢有三毒，不說如來有二種語。不道如來無語，只是無二種語。」
    保福云：「作麼生是如來語？」
    慶云：「聾人爭得聞。」
    保福云：「情知爾向第二頭道。」
    慶云：「作麼生是如來語？」
    保福云：「吃茶去。」
  • Changqing once said, “Rather say that saints have the three poisons than say that the Buddha has two kinds of speech. I do not say that the Buddha is speechless, just that he doesn’t have two kinds of speech.”
Baofu said, “What is the Buddha’s speech?”
Changqing said, “How can a deaf man hear?”
Baofu said, “I knew you were talking on the secondary level.”
Changqing said, “What is the Buddha’s speech?”
Baofu said, “Go have tea.”
  • 95. Three Poisons
  • 趙州示眾三轉語。
  • Zhaozhou spoke three turning words.
  • 96. Three Turning Words
  • 僧問巴陵：「如何是吹毛劍？」
    陵云：「珊瑚枝枝撐著月。」
A monk asked Baling, “What is the sharpest sword?”
Baling said, “Each branch of coral supports the moon.”
  • 100. Baling’s Sword

See also

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