The first fascicle one of the work is entitled '[responding] according to the questionerʼs ability,' which refers specifically to the answers given by a Chan master to questions put to him on formal occasions, and thus differs somewhat from wenda 問答, which are exchanges of question and answer that may take place at any time. Accordingly, the fascicle contains 320 cases or examples 則 of these answers. It concludes with Yunmenʼs poem, Shier shige 十二時歌 ( 'song for the twelve hours' ), and a few of his gāthās 偈頌.

The first section of fascicle two is entitled 'essential words from the inner room'  室中語要 and includes 185 short remarks by Yunmen, each eliciting from a question posed to him by a monk, which he promptly answered. The second section of this fascicle is entitled 'statements and substitute replies'  垂示代語. This title is a technical term for a method of instructing whereby the master makes a statement that demands a reply, and, when no one answers, states his own answer, or, in some cases, gives his own reply immediately without waiting for a response from the assembly. This section contains 290 examples of such cases 則.

The first section of fascicle three, entitled 'examine and define'  勘辨, consists of 165 short interviews between Yunmen and other monks. Followed by this is the record of Yunmenʼs pilgrimage, his last instructions to his disciples, and other short writings. For a partial English translation of the work see: Urs E. App. Master Yunmen: from the record of the Chan Master 'Gate of the Clouds.' New York: Kodansha, 1994.

[Chinese Buddhist Canonical Attributions Database]

[European Language Translations]