직지심체요절 (Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests' Zen Teachings — World's Oldest Movable Metal Type, 1377)

○ National Preceptor Shao

Because a monk asked: "Prince Nata peeled his bones to return to his father, and stripped his flesh to return to his mother, and only then manifested his original self on the lotus dais to preach the Dharma for his mother. I do not know what the Prince’s 'original self' is." The Master said, "Everyone, look at this senior." He asked the monk, "If that is so, then the great thousand worlds are all one tathata suchness/true reality nature." The Master said, "It sounds vaguely like a tune worth hearing, but it is blown into a different key by the wind."

○ Mu’an Zhong

He addressed the assembly: "Do you want to understand? Only when the bones and flesh are entirely returned to the parents is the original self clearly seen. Therefore it is said: 'Parents are not my close kin. Who is the closest kin?' Take you all, who every day engage in communal labor, carrying earth and wood. Now tell me, is this the original self, or the parents' body? If it is the parents' body, then you betray the original self. If it is the original self, then you betray the parents' body. Now tell me, how is it ultimately? If someone were to suddenly come out and say, 'Both of you,' how would you respond to them?"

○ Langya

Because the Dharma Master of Changshui asked: "The nature is pure and primordial; why does it suddenly give rise to mountains, rivers, and the great earth?" The Master shouted: "The nature is pure and primordial; why does it suddenly give rise to mountains, rivers, and the great earth?" The Master was greatly awakened at these words.

○ Minister Yu Di

He specially visited Yaoshan and asked: "What is the Buddha?" Yaoshan called out to the Minister. The Minister responded, "Yes?" Yaoshan said: "What is it?" The Minister was awakened at these words.

○ Shoushan

Because a monk asked: "All the Buddhas of the universe come from this scripture. What is this scripture?" The Master said: "Lower your voice, lower your voice."

○ Dharma Master Shenzhao Ru

Asked the Venerable Fazhi: "What is the King of Scriptures?" The Venerable One said: "You work as my treasurer for three years, then I will tell you." [Shenzhao] respectfully accepted the order. When the three years were finished, [Shenzhao] asked again: "Now is the time to speak of it." The Venerable One shouted loudly, "Benru [Original Suchness]!" [Shenzhao] was suddenly awakened. He composed a verse:

Everywhere I encounter the path home,
Every place is the ancestral village.
Originally...

Straight Pointing
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