"Mystic Devices in a Room", anybody know what text this is?

[Mark Foote]

Hey, everybody- I was on a thread quoting passages about Bodhidharma from the Denkoroku, which is a Japanese text of course ("Transmission of the Lamp", my copy translated by Thomas Cleary, and I was quoting from 30 "Huike"). However, there's a reference to a text entitled Mystic Devices in the Room, as follows:

 

"Huike was always talking about mind and nature, but he did not realize the essence of truth. The great teacher just refuted his errors and did not explain the essence of mind that is free from thought. In Mystic Devices in the Room, it says: "One time Huike climbed up Few Houses Peak with Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma asked, 'Where are we going?" Huike said, "Please go right ahead--that's it." Bodhidharma said, "If you go right ahead, you cannot move a step". Hearing this, Huike was enlightened."

 

Not a footnote to be seen, regarding Mystic Devices in the Room (thanks a lot, Cleary!). Google gives no clues. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Good friends who oversee the fun here on TTB-- I'm posting this here rather than in the Buddhist section because I believe the text referred to must be Chinese, and there are more people who are knowledgeable about the sacred texts of China here than there are on the Buddhist subforum. At least, that's my rash assumption! Ah, those Buddhists... --Well thanks for bearing with me!

[dawei]

I found another name / translation for the book name:

 

Indescribably Skillful Devices from Within the Master’s Quarters

 

 

Reference Chuangunglu (傳光録), The Record of Transmission of Light;

 

 

http://www.shastaabbey.org/teachings-publications_denkoroku.html

 

 

When you download the section for pp.99-225, it has:

 

It says in the Indescribably Skillful Devices from Within the Master’s Quarters (J. ‘Shitsuchâ Genki;’ C. ‘Shih Chung Hsu¨an Chi’), ‘Once, whilst Eka was attending Bodaidaruma, they were climbing Scant Houses Peak (J. Sháshihá; C. Shao-shih-feng) when Bodaidaruma asked, “Which way does the path go?” Eka replied, “If you will please go straight ahead, that is it.” Bodaidaruma responded, “If you try to go straight ahead, you will not be able to move even one step.” When Eka heard this, he realized enlightenment.’

Maybe someone will get closer

[Mark Foote]

Thanks, dawei. Seems like what Shasta Abbey has given in parenthesis is a reference, although it's hard for me to tell-- do you suppose Shih Chung Hsu¨an Chi would be the name of the Chinese text?- can't find anything in Google under that. Nuts.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Mark Foote

[dawei]

Thanks, dawei. Seems like what Shasta Abbey has given in parenthesis is a reference, although it's hard for me to tell-- do you suppose Shih Chung Hsu¨an Chi would be the name of the Chinese text?- can't find anything in Google under that. Nuts.

 

That notation is Wades-Gile... the trick is to convert it to Pinyin and then using the English and Pinyin, try to find the chinese.

 

I found that my copy/paste shifted some of the characters. The proper characters are:

 

Shih Chung Hsuan Chi = Shi Zhong Xuan Ji = 市中玄机

 

At least that is my best investigative guess... but it still does not turn up a text

[Mark Foote]

That notation is Wades-Gile... the trick is to convert it to Pinyin and then using the English and Pinyin, try to find the chinese.

 

I found that my copy/paste shifted some of the characters. The proper characters are:

 

Shih Chung Hsuan Chi = Shi Zhong Xuan Ji = 市中玄机

 

At least that is my best investigative guess... but it still does not turn up a text

 

Thanks much, dawei-- I feel like I'm a good deal farther along then when I started. What do you make of this?--

 

https://archive.org/details/hanshansheshizho03hans

 

Alrighty, if Google Translate is any indication, that has nothing to do with the text I'm looking for, in spite of it having "Shi Zhong Xuan Yi Ji" as a part of its title. Never mind. I appreciate your help.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Mark Foote

[Silent Answers]

Which part are you trying to figure out?

[Mark Foote]

Silent Answers, there is a text referenced in the Japanese "Denkoroku" that appears to be a Chinese record of sayings attributed to Bodhidharma, and possibly other Zen ancestors. Dawei figures the title is this in Pinyin:

 

Shih Chung Hsuan Chi = Shi Zhong Xuan Ji = 市中玄机

 

I can't find anything in Google for any of the above. First question is, do we have the title right; second question would be, does a copy of such a text still exist; third question might be, has it been translated into English?

Edited December 11, 2014 by Mark Foote

[ChiDragon]

Mystic Devices in the Room

Shih Chung Hsu¨an Chi

市中玄机

 

 

The Chinese character for "room" is 室

室中玄机 (The hidden secret in the room)

 

This is a book with lots of poems. These poems are singing songs.

https://archive.org/...sheshizho03hans

Edited December 11, 2014 by ChiDragon

[dawei]

The Chinese character for "room" is 室

 

Yes. I typed the wrong one although this was the intended one. thanks.

[Taoist Texts]

I can't find anything in Google for any of the above. First question is, do we have the title right;

 

yes Dawei and CD zeroed on it precisely it is 室中玄机

second question would be, does a copy of such a text still exist;

that is very unlikely given that its not on the chinese internet. There is only 1 jap. page that contains this quote

 

室中玄机曰。有时侍达磨大师登少室峰。达磨问。道向何方去。师曰请进前是。达磨曰。若进不得移一步。师闻契悟。

 

http://www2.fodian.net/baoku/FoJingWenInfo.aspx?ID=T2585

 

 

 

third question might be, has it been translated into English?

no;)

[Mark Foote]

Thanks ChiDragon, dawei, and Taoist Texts!

 

Apparently the text you've quoted there, Taoist Texts, is the same passage quoted in Denkoroku. No surprise, since it was a Japanese source.

 

I was hoping to find a text which might be the Chinese original from which the quote was taken.

 

At the moment, the archive.org site appears to be down for maintenance. I'll try that again later, thank you ChiDragon.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Mark Foote