明覺禪師語錄 3.50

3.50

舉：「本生和尚以拄杖示眾云：『我若拈起，爾便向未拈起時作道理；我若不拈起，爾便向拈起時作主宰。且道，老僧為人在甚處？』時有僧出云：『不敢妄生節目。』生云：『也知闍黎不分外。』僧云：『低低處平之有餘，高高處觀之不足。』生云：『節目上更生節目。』僧無語，生云：『掩鼻偷香，空招罪犯。』」師云：「者僧也善能切磋，爭奈弓折箭盡。然雖如此，且本生是作家宗師，拈起也天迴地轉，應須拱手歸降；放下也草偃風行，必合全身遠害。還見本生為人處也無？」師復拈起拄杖云：「太平本是將軍致，不許將軍見太平。」

He cited: "Upādhyāya Bensheng instructed the assembly with his staff, saying, 'If I hold it up, you immediately form doctrines about the time before it was held up; if I do not hold it up, you immediately assume control at the time it is held up. Tell me, where is this old monk helping people?' At that time a monk came forward and said, 'I dare not recklessly fabricate complications.' Sheng said, 'I also know that the ācārya does not step beyond bounds.' The monk said, 'Where it is low, leveling it leaves more than enough; where it is high, viewing it falls short.' Sheng said, 'Upon complications, complications are created yet again.' The monk had nothing to say. Sheng said, 'Covering one's nose while stealing incense only incurs guilt in vain.'" The Master [Mingjue] said, "This monk was indeed skilled at cut-and-thrust, yet what could be done when his bow broke and his arrows were exhausted? Even so, Bensheng was an adept ancestral teacher: when he held it up, heaven revolved and earth turned—one ought to fold one's hands and surrender; when he set it down, grass bent as the wind blew—one must certainly protect one's whole body and keep out of harm's way. Do you see where Bensheng helped people or not?" The Master held up his staff again and said, "Great peace was originally brought about by the general, yet the general is not permitted to see great peace."