Guizong Zhichang

A monk came to take his leave of Guizong Zhichang.

Guizong asked, "Where are you headed?"

The monk said, "I'm going from place to place to learn the five flavors of Zen."

Guizong said, "Elsewhere there may be five flavors of Zen, but here I have only one."

The monk asked, "What is the one flavor?"

Guizong raised his staff and struck him.

The monk cried out, "I understand! I understand!"

Guizong said, "Then say it! Say it!"

The monk was about to speak when Guizong swung his staff and struck him again.

The prefect of Jiangzhou, Li Bo, asked Guizong Zhichang:

The sutras say Mount Sumeru can fit inside a mustard seed — I have no doubt about that.

But they also say a mustard seed can hold Mount Sumeru within it. Isn't that sheer nonsense?

Guizong asked, "People say you've read more than ten thousand volumes, Prefect. Is it true?"

Li Bo answered, "It is true."

Guizong said, "From head to toe you're no bigger than a coconut. So where do you keep the ten thousand volumes?"

Li Bo had nothing to say.