09-22-2014, 12:00 AM
Iron Grinder Liu Visits Kuei ShanIron Grinder Liu arrived at Kuei Shan's place. Kuei Shan said, "Old cow, so you've come?"
The Grinder said, "Tomorrow there's a great communal feast on T'ai Shan. Are you going to go, Teacher?"
Kuei Shan relaxed his body and lay down.
The Grinder immediately left.
CommentaryIron Grinder Liu’s name is thought to have been Liu Tiemo. Some translations refer to her as “Grinder,” others use the name, “Grindstone.”
Hsüeh Tou [the compiler of The Blue Cliff Record] comments: “The nun ‘Iron Grindstone’ Liu was like a stone-struck spark, like a lightening flash; hesitate and you lose your body and your life...[she] had studied for a long time; her active edge was sharp and dangerous...Kuei Shan is over six hundred miles from Mt. T’ai; how then did Iron Grindstone Liu want to have Kuei Shan go to the feast? Tell me, what was her meaning? This old lady understands Kuei Shan’s conversation: fiber coming, thread going, one letting go, one gathering in; they answer back to each other like two mirrors reflecting each other, without any reflecting image to be seen. Action to action, they complement each other; phrase to phrase, they accord. People these days can be poked three times and not turn their heads, but this old lady couldn’t be fooled one little bit.”
The Grinder said, "Tomorrow there's a great communal feast on T'ai Shan. Are you going to go, Teacher?"
Kuei Shan relaxed his body and lay down.
The Grinder immediately left.
CommentaryIron Grinder Liu’s name is thought to have been Liu Tiemo. Some translations refer to her as “Grinder,” others use the name, “Grindstone.”
Hsüeh Tou [the compiler of The Blue Cliff Record] comments: “The nun ‘Iron Grindstone’ Liu was like a stone-struck spark, like a lightening flash; hesitate and you lose your body and your life...[she] had studied for a long time; her active edge was sharp and dangerous...Kuei Shan is over six hundred miles from Mt. T’ai; how then did Iron Grindstone Liu want to have Kuei Shan go to the feast? Tell me, what was her meaning? This old lady understands Kuei Shan’s conversation: fiber coming, thread going, one letting go, one gathering in; they answer back to each other like two mirrors reflecting each other, without any reflecting image to be seen. Action to action, they complement each other; phrase to phrase, they accord. People these days can be poked three times and not turn their heads, but this old lady couldn’t be fooled one little bit.”