One day when P'ang layman (740-808)was selling bamboo baskets at the market place of Hung-chou. Seeing a monk begging alms, he took out a cash and said:
-Can you tell me how to appreciate alms?
The monk had nothing to say.
P'ang...
continue...
EYES ARE FILLED WITH BLUE MOUNTAINS
One day when Fa-yen Wen-i (885-958), one of the well known Chinese Ch'an masters, has ascended his seat. From the assembly, a monk came out and asked: -What is one drop of water from the fount of Tsao-ch'i? Fa-yen repied: -It's one drop of water from the fount of Tsao-ch'i. The monk was dumbfound and withdrewn. At the time, Te-shao, who was also in the assembly, was suddenly greatly awakened when heard those words. He then presented Fa-yen the following verse:
"The summit of the peak of the mystic passover Is not the human world; Outside the mind, there are no things- The eyes are filled with blue mountains."
Fa-yen gave him his seal and approval, and said: "This one verse alone can sustain my school. In the future, kings will honor you. I am not equal to you."
Later, Te-shao appeared in the world as one of Fa-yen's successors, and was made as a National Teacher by a king who had been a prince-student of Te-shao.
......... Tsao-ch'i: referred where the Sith Patriarch Hui-neng resided, here meant Hui-neng's Ch'an.
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