Hekiganroku - Case 38: Fuketsu's "Heart Seal"

When he was staying at the government office of the Province Ei, Fuketsu
entered the hall [to preach] and said,
  "The heart seal [1] [stamp] of the patriarch [2] resembles the activity
   of the iron ox [3]. When it goes away, the [impression of the] seal
   remains; when it stays there, the [impression of the] seal is brought to
   naught. If it neither goes away nor stays, would it be right to give a
   seal [of approval] or not?"

Then Elder Rohi came up and said,
  "I have the activities of the iron ox. [However,] I ask you, Master,
   not to give me the seal."

Fuketsu said,
  "I am accustomed to leveling the great ocean through fishing whales. But,
   alas, now I find instead a frog wriggling about in the mud."

Rohi stood there considering.

Fuketsu shouted
  "Kaatz!"
and said,
  "Why don't you say anything else, Elder?"

Rohi was perplexed.

Fuketsu hit him with his whisk and said,
  "Do you remember what you said? Say something, I'll check it for you."

Rohi tried to say something. Fuketsu hit him again with his whisk.

The Magistrate said,
  "Buddha's law and the King's law are of the same nature."

Fuketsu said,
  "What principle do you see in them?"

The Magistrate said,
  "If you do not make a decision where a decision should be made,
   you are inviting disorder."

Fuketsu descended from the rostrum.


[1]: The form of the heart-mind.
[2]: Bodhidharma.
[3]: An "iron ox" is a massive construction which lay at the bottom of the
     Yellow River. It stood against the great stream and protected the area
     from flood.