Pen-chi of Ts'ao-shan [Sozan Honjaku]

The Reading:


A monk asked: ``In admitting phenomenon, what is true?''
Pen-chi said: ``Phenomenon is truth and truth is phenomenon.''
The monk asked: ``How is that revealed?''
Pen-chi lifted the tea tray.

A monk asked: ``How can silence be expressed?''
Pen-chi said: ``I will not express it here.''
The monk said: ``Where will you express it?''
Pen-chi  said: ``Last night at midnight I lost three pennies by my bed.''

A monk asked: ``Who is the one who holds the sword in the state?''
Pen-chi said: ``Ts'ao-shan.''
The monk said: ``Whom do you intend to kill?''
Pen-chi said: ``I shall kill all.''
The monk said: ``Suppose you suddenly met your parents. What will you do?''
Pen-chi  said: ``Why discriminate?''
The monk said: ``But there is yourself!''
Pen-chi said: ``Who can do anything about me?''
The monk said: ``Why not kill yourself?''
Pen-chi  said: ``No place to start.''

Question: ``Whenever there is any question, one's mind is confused. What is the matter?''
Pen-chi said: ``Kill, kill!''

Discussion:

Pen-chi was a student of Tong-Shan, more of the same.

From here: http://vserver1.cscs.lsa.umich.edu/~crshalizi/Zen/Pen-chi/