Anyone walking about Chinatowns in America with observe statues of a stout fellow carrying a linen sack. Chinese merchants call him Happy Chinaman or Laughing Buddha.
This Hotei lived in the T'ang dynasty. He had no desire to call himself...
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二十一 雲門屎橛 | hide chinese .
show chinese | 雲門、因僧問、如何是佛。
A monk asked Unmon, "What is Buddha?" 門云、乾屎橛。
Unmon replied, "Kanshiketsu!" [A dry shit-stick.]
Mumon's Comment 無門曰、雲門可謂、家貧難辨素食、事忙不及草書。
Unmon was too poor to prepare plain food, too busy to speak from notes. 動便將屎橛來、□門挂戸。
He hurriedly took up shiketsu to support the Way. 佛法興衰可見。
The decline of Buddhism was thus foreshadowed.
Mumon's Verse頌曰
閃電光
撃石化
貶得眼
巳蹉過
Lightning flashing,
Sparks shooting;
A moment's blinking,
Missed forever.