撫州曹山元證禪師語錄 1.87

1.87

Or there are those who come with both integrated: here one does not speak of having words or being without words; within speech one must go directly straight ahead. Here it cannot but turn round smoothly; phenomena must turn round smoothly. Yet speech along the road is entirely an affliction. A person must first be able to distinguish words and phrases that go directly straight ahead: having words is coming like this; being without words is going like that. Among adept masters there is not no speech, yet it is not involved with having words or being without words. This is called speech of integration; it has nothing of a fixed mark at all. When Senior Monk Zhi was about to pass away, he said to someone: "Yunyan did not know the existence [of It]; I regret not having told him at that time. Although this is so, it does not go against Yaoshan's Caizi." Look at how Senior Monk Zhi had such grandmotherly [kindness]! Nanquan called it "practicing among different species," and Master Mi did not know it.
Appraising each rank, he said: "Those who come with both integrated—because the force of the words is neither biased nor correct, neither existent nor non-existent, like complete yet not complete, like deficient yet not deficient—only manage to go directly straight ahead. Thus the mark is not established. If the mark is not established, these are words of ultimate subtlety; the realm does not conform to the matters of ordinary feelings. It is like our late master's words regarding Mañjuśrī drinking tea: 'Can one borrow this and look at it?' It is also like Cuiwei saying: 'What do you gorge on every day?' There is also integration within merit, which resembles the higher matter; distinguish it when the occasion arises. If one falls into a pure and subtle place, one must know that there is a matter [remaining]. When one wants to go, go; when one wants to stop, stop. By all means turn round smoothly and do not be reckless. A person of great ignorance serves as the whole body, differing from an icchantika. An icchantika knows the existence [of It], but as for phenomena, he covers them up. Although he covers them up, it turns out to be filial piety. One who covers them up does not retain the ancestors and Buddhas, nor his own fundamental parents. A person who is red and festering does not return to the whole to shoulder it, and does not establish the supreme. A person of great preservation thrusts his feet into the mud; it is no minor maintenance."
Appraising separately, he said: "Those who come with both integrated do not fall into having words or being without words, like Yaoshan's words about carrying a knife. This is speech of integration. When the occasion arises, observe the incoming force of the words: either going directly straight ahead facing the head, or being empty within difference. If this phrase is not subtly comprehended, one is thousands of leagues away. Further, adducing examples of words coming with both integrated: like the words about Mañjuśrī drinking tea, along with 'Where has this person gone?'; Yunyan saying: 'Doing what? Doing what?'; and also: 'Right now, how is it?' There are many such examples."
Appraising at another time, he said: "Mutual integration is not involved with the two tracks of biased and correct. This single rank is supremely transcendent; its subtle purport is difficult to distinguish. It is called integration entirely to clarify this single matter; how much more so when it is different from the correct rank."
The Scholar's appraisal said: "Question: 'What is the ancestral master's intention?' Answer: 'Wait until a bull gives birth to a calf, and then I will tell you.' The appraisal says: 'This comes from within the correct rank.' This example of speech must strictly not be called coming from within the correct rank; it may be said to be question and answer on the path of dark learning, both being so—it is another path altogether. Nor can it be called mutual integration, because it is explicitly revealed; even if guest and host interchange, it can only be called integration with affliction. Again, asking about the dark purport, the answer was: 'Like a dead person's tongue.' Again, like asking: 'Throughout the twelve periods of the day, what should one offer?' The answer: 'Nothing.' These two examples of speech must not be called coming from within the biased rank; they must be appraised separately. If it is the example of the dark purport, it can be likened to the ancestral master's intention. Also, like 'Throughout the twelve periods of the day, what should one offer?' and answering 'Nothing'—this example of speech can be likened to merit. Both of these two examples of speech must not be called the biased rank or integration. It was already made clear before: borrowing merit to clarify rank, and borrowing rank to clarify merit are identical to this. Again, standing solitary and aloof outside things, arising before all the holy ones, saying this is the correct rank and yet complete—this in fact wrongs the correct rank. This example is [where] what the ancients spoke of still leaves traces behind; they have not yet attained being without words within words. This is again called not the correct rank, because there are words within words. This may be called integration with affliction, because there are words within words; it must not be called coming with both integrated. Now, those that come with both integrated must strictly be like the words about Mañjuśrī drinking tea, our late master's answer to Yunyan about hoeing ginger, Monk An's words in the Dharma hall, and Yaoshan's words on his cloth robe and bathing the Buddha. Among them, the most subtle integration is none other than Yaoshan answering Yunyan about carrying a knife, and Baizhang stepping down from the hall: when the assembly was about to disperse but had not yet dispersed, he demanded: 'What is it?' Yaoshan, hearing this from afar, said: 'It is right here.' This was called integration in the dark: borrowing merit to clarify phenomena, borrowing phenomena to clarify merit, borrowing faults to clarify merit, borrowing merit to clarify faults, and so forth. If brought forth by Yaoshan, Xinfeng, and the other former virtuous masters, it surpasses and enters the correct rank; these are profound discourse and extraordinary phrases. Next, when one reaches having gained minor strength, one temporarily withdraws into the correct rank; this is an example I frequently use. Because of my duties as abbot being manifold, I have not had time to be meticulous, and have merely clarified a tiny portion. All of you must not take it lightly or be careless. If there are still lingering doubts, resolve them in due course. You must exert effort in practice so that it will not be interrupted into the future. This matter must not be rashly divulged. If you encounter one who is genuine and reflective, that is a rare vessel; it must not be concealed from them either."