DIALOGUES WITH CH’I-FENG (ZAICHO)
When the Layman arrived at Ch’i-feng’s1 place, he had only just entered the temple grounds when Ch’i-feng said, “The outsider2 enters the temple grounds so furtively. What could he be looking for?”
The Layman looked all around and said, “Is someone speaking to me? Is someone speaking to me?”
Ch’i-feng laughed, and the Layman said, “Oh, there you are!”
Ch’i-feng said, “I haven’t said a word!”
The Layman said, “Then someone must be talking behind your back.”
Ch’i-feng looked behind him and said, “Look! Look! [There he goes!]”3
The Layman said, “The clever thief has made off with everything! The clever thief has made off with everything!”
Ch’i-feng did not reply.
1. Ch’i-feng was one of the dharma heirs of Ma-tsu. Other than these anecdotes in the Layman P’ang, nothing has been passed down about him.
2. The term refers to someone who is not a member of the Buddhist sangha.
3. He is suggesting some (unseen) person is running away.