Peach Blossoms (MK37)

KOAN:

a. (Entangling Vines, Case 8) Lingyun was wandering in the mountains and became lost in his walking. He rounded a bend and saw peach blossoms on the other side of the valley. This sight awakened him and he wrote this poem:

For thirty years I sought a sword master.
How many times have leaves fallen
and new buds appeared?
But from the moment I saw the peach blossoms,
I’ve had no doubts.

b. (Transmission of Light, Case 12) Later, Keizan, the Japanese teacher wrote:

The village peach blossoms didn’t know
their own pink
but still they freed Lingyun
from all his doubts.

– PZI Miscellaneous Koans, Case 37