撫州曹山元證禪師語錄 1.126

1.126

問：「從凡入聖則不問，從聖入凡時如何？」曰：「水牯牛。」「如何是水牯牛？」曰：「矇矇瞳瞳。」「此意如何？」曰：「但念水草，餘無所知。」「成得箇甚麼邊事？」曰：「秖是逢草喫草，逢水飲水。」師又曰：「這箇語有力，欲知有力，此人不執沙門邊事，亦不入諸聖報位，便是入異類，此異類是披毛戴角，喚作沙門行，亦喚作沙門行李處，亦喚作頭長三、尺頸短二寸。欲知此意，到沙門行時，不欲將尺寸分親疎，不得說張三李四。又頭長三尺者，只得從小至大今日功成，得到恁麼時，喚作勝句妙句。頸短二寸者，是不坐沙門位，亦不處諸聖報位，故為頸短二寸。恁麼時不得說著稱與不稱，所以道不將尺寸來向這裡思量也。雖然如此，猶是類邊事。須知有異類中事，不見道：『智不到處，不得說著，說著即頭角生。喚作如如，早是變也。』須向異類中行，喚作虛一位，喚作覿面兼帶，全無的的也。」問：「如何是類？」曰：「披毛戴角。」「如何是異？」曰：「作麼作麼？」「如何是行？」曰：「要頭則斫將去。」「只如異類成得箇什麼邊事？」曰：「此事有二種異類：一者沙門異類，二者事上異類。事上異類者，貍奴白牯是也。沙門異類者，觸處得自由，始得不變易，不同那箇。先師問余：『甚麼處去？』曰：『不變易處去。』」又曰：「此不變易事有二種：一者人人盡有本分事，二者知有底人。不捨一切聲色是非，於一切物物上不滯，呼為一切處不易（蓋去聲音異），亦喚作披毛戴角，亦喚作入泥入水，亦喚作行李底漢。」問：「如何是入泥入水？」曰：「不變易。」「轉身也否？」曰：「不轉身。」「此人屋裡事如何？」曰：「諸聖測不得。」「為什麼測不得？」曰：「是伊不同諸聖。」「此猶是類邊事，還有向上事否？」曰：「有。」「如何是向上事？」曰：「向汝道，則恐落類邊去。」

He asked: "Passing from the ordinary to the holy is not asked about; what about when passing from the holy into the ordinary?" He said: "A water buffalo." "What is a water buffalo?" He said: "Dim and murky." "What does this mean?" He said: "Only thinking of water and grass, knowing nothing else." "What kind of side-matter does this accomplish?" He said: "Just eating grass when encountering grass, drinking water when encountering water." The Master also said: "These words have power. If you wish to know this power: this person does not grasp at matters on the side of a śramaṇa, nor does he enter the retributive ranks of the holy ones—this is precisely entering the different species. This different species is wearing fur and sporting horns; it is called the conduct of a śramaṇa, it is also called the place of a śramaṇa's travel, and it is also called the head being three feet long and the neck two inches short. If you wish to know this meaning: when arriving at the conduct of a śramaṇa, one does not wish to take measurements to distinguish closeness and distance, and one must not speak of Zhang Three and Li Four. Furthermore, as for the head being three feet long, it is merely that from youth to maturity today's achievement is completed; when arriving at such a time, it is called an excellent phrase, a wondrous phrase. As for the neck being two inches short, it is not sitting in the rank of a śramaṇa, nor residing in the retributive ranks of the holy ones; hence it is 'the neck is two inches short.' At such a time, one must not speak of fitting or not fitting; therefore it is said that one does not bring measurements here to ponder. Even though it is like this, it is still a matter on the side of classes. You must know there is the matter among different species. Have you not heard it said: 'Where wisdom does not reach, be sure not to speak of it; if you speak of it, head and horns are born. Calling it suchness is already changing.' One must practice among the different species; it is called making one rank empty, it is called face-to-face integration, with absolutely nothing distinct." He asked: "What is the class?" He said: "Wearing fur and sporting horns." "What is the different?" He said: "What, what?" "What is practice?" He said: "If you want my head, then chop it off and take it away." "Just so, what kind of side-matter do different species accomplish?" He said: "In this matter there are two kinds of different species: first, the different species of a śramaṇa; second, the different species in phenomena. As for the different species in phenomena, the black cat and white ox are it. As for the different species of a śramaṇa, attaining freedom in every place touched, only then does one attain being unchanging; it is not like that one. My late master asked me: 'Where are you going?' I said: 'Going to the unchanging place.'" He also said: "This unchanging matter has two kinds: first, every single person has one's fundamental matter; second, a person who knows the existence of It. Not discarding any sounds, sights, right, or wrong, not lingering upon any thing whatsoever, it is called being unchanging in all places (it has the falling-tone pronunciation of 'sound', meaning 'different'); it is also called wearing fur and sporting horns, it is also called entering mud and entering water, and it is also called a fellow who travels." He asked: "What is entering mud and entering water?" He said: "Unchanging." "Does he turn around or not?" He said: "He does not turn around." "What about this person's domestic affair?" He said: "The holy ones cannot measure it." "Why can they not measure it?" He said: "He is not the same as the holy ones." "This is still a matter on the side of classes; is there still a higher matter?" He said: "There is." "What is the higher matter?" He said: "If I speak to you, I fear falling to the side of classes."