A student asked Xiangyang, "What is the Way?"
Xiangyan said, "Dragon murmurings in a withered tree."
"What is a person of the Way?"
"Eyes in a skull."
Later, the student asked Xishuang, "What are 'dragon murmurings in a withered tree'?"
Xishuang replied, "I still have joy."
Later still, the student asked Caoshan, "Who can hear these dragon murmurings?"
Caoshan replied, "There is no one in the world who isn't hearing it."
"What book is 'dragon murmurings in a withered tree' from?"
"I don't know what book it's from, but everyone who hears it dies."
—from Xuedou's verse commentary on Blue Cliff Record Case 2
Audio: PZI Zen Online. John Tarrant on Mother’s Day sits with Hakuin’s “The Woman at the the Inn.” Everything shines with a great light. Even in the shit! The mind thinks—not here, this can’t be it. With music from Ritchie Domingue, Jordan McConnell and Amy Fletcher. As recorded May 10 2020.
