Zen Sand: The Book of Capping Phrases for Koan Practice

Seven-Character Phrases

Seven-Character Phrases 7.1 †l‡Ï‘=˜ Ashita ni michi o kiite yðbe ni shi sutomo ka nari. Having heard the Way in the morning, I can die in the evening. Analects iv, 8. Shiba 181: Ashita ni michi o kikeba. ZGS 7.1, Shiba 181, ZRKS 7.42 7.2 ÕB¥^É#Ì Akugo hito o yabutte urami shõsezu. For evil words that wound a person, resentment never fades. ZGS na, ZRKS 7.323, Shiba 153, ZGJI 320 7.3 s}
uÄ*v Ami o tõru kinrin nao mizu ni todokõru. The golden ³sh that escaped the net still lingers in the water. ZGS 7.2, ZRKS 7.23, Shiba 185, KZS #660 7.4 BÉYæºsë Ikon jðnen ikken o migaku. Nursing resentment for ten years, he’s sharpened his ✻sword✽. ZGS 7.3, Shiba na 7.5 s˜3‚:܃ Ichiu amaneku uruoshite shakai ni amaneshi. One rain wets everything, covering the entire world. ZGS 7.4, Shiba 153 7.6 sBKME#¨ Ichidan no fðkõ egakedomo narazu. This unique scenery cannot be painted. ZGS 7.5, ZRKS 7.94, Shiba 155, KZS #820, Ten Oxherding Pictures 3 7.7 s›}û#_Ð Ichijõ no kõsen shuchð ni hiku. The one red thread runs through your hand. ZRKS 7.286n: UIXéXê†: rKfÍâ#ós›}û#_Ð, “Rinzai’s life runs unbroken from its root. / The one red thread runs through your hand” (Chiku-an’s Verse on the Three Mysteries and Three Necessities). ZGS 7.6, ZRKS 7.286, Shiba na, ZGJI 322, KZS #679 7.8 s›ùXYkC Ichijõ no tõ sanjðmon ni kau. Buy a braid for thirty cents. ZGS 7.7, Shiba na 258 7.9 sçĺwȸ Ichinen no shin’i kashira ni tsuno o itadaku. In a moment of anger he grows horns on his head. ZGS 7.8, Shiba 155 7.10 szwîÏêÆ Ichimõtõjõ ni kenkon o sadamu. Arrange ✻heaven and earth✽ on the tip of a single hair. ZGS na, ZRKS 7.45, Shiba 155, ZGJI 324, KZS #662 7.11 sè%Fú4E Ichiyõ ochite tenka no aki o shiru. In the fall of a single leaf, one knows that now autumn is here. ZGS 7.9, ZRKS 7.90, Shiba 156 7.12 sèüWú4E Ichiyõ kð ni hirugaeru tenka no aki. A single leaf µutters in the air and it’s autumn throughout the land. ZGS 7.10, ZRKS 7.56, Shiba 156 7.13 sèJ_þØN Ichiyõ shðchð ni daitõ o nosu. He places the Great T’ang Empire on a leaf boat. Heki 58 Verse agyo. ZGS 7.11, ZRKS 7.183, Shiba 156, KZS #737 7.14 s›¢vs0[ Ichiro no jinsui ichiõ no cha. A burner fragrant with incense and a potful of tea. ZGS na, ZRKS 7.385, Shiba 156 ¢v means ¢¡ 7.15 snʼsnG Ikkai kojaku sureba ikkai arata nari. Each time you bring it up it is new. Heki 30 Verse agyo. ZGS 7.12, ZRKS 7.497, Shiba na 7.16 sBÀªßBÚ Ikka koto areba hyakka isogawashi. Something happens at one house and a hundred houses are abuzz. ZGS 7.13, ZRKS 7.149, Shiba na, ZGJT 21 7.17 sÌØ!lˆW Ikkatsu rai no gotoku kiku mono sõ su. A shout like thunder, all who hear it die. ZGS 7.14, ZRKS 7.575 , Shiba 153, ZGJI 321 7.18 s(É%Y½g Ikkyoku no biwa getsumei ni sõ su. A song from the lute rises in the moonlight. ZGS 7.15, ZRKS 7.195, Shiba 153, GKFGS 1.164 7.18 z e n s a n d | 259 7° 7.19 sI“Us×÷ Ikku ni issaikyõ o kõryõ su. With one word expound the entire Buddhist canon. Shiba 154: Ikku ni kõryõ su issaigyõ. ZGS 7.16, Shiba 154 7.20 sI“UrKÉ Ikku ni kõryõ su rinzairoku. With one word expound the Record of Rinzai. ZGS 7.17, Shiba na 7.21 sO}Oæ©O Ikko hanko senmanko. One, or a half, or ten million. ZGS 7.18, Shiba na 7.22 s‹TPÉw¡ Isshi no baika yuki ni washite kanbashi. How fragrant the spray of plum blossoms dusted by the snow. ZGS 7.19, ZRKS 7.48, Shiba 154 7.23 s
ï$TPî Isshin tada baika no ue ni ari. Oneness of mind—there in the ✻plum✽ blossoms...