圓悟佛果禪師語錄 10.10

10.10

師云：「離言離相總無許多，不妨靜悄悄，只恐墮在死水裏去；示相顯言如錦上鋪華，不妨鬧浩浩，只恐入荊棘林去。於此二途，猶是時人昇降處。不落時人昇降，不住此二途，且如何顯示？還知箇裏麼？有通天路，有絕聖機，向猛虎口裏橫身，毒蛇頭上揩痒，是尋常茶飯。所以道：『威音王已前，無師自悟則得？何故？許他有超師之作。威音王已後，須是因師打發。何故？恐落天魔外道去？』所以道：『有時一句可與祖佛為師，有時一句堪與人天為師。』透得過，信得及，見得徹，把得住，方始契得古人。豈不見道：『見過於師，方堪傳授；見與師齊，減師半德。』只如今釋迦老子，豈不是師？達磨大師，豈不是師？還有見過釋迦老子達磨大師底麼？試出來露箇消息看，也要見從上來種草。有麼有麼？如無，若不藍田射石虎，幾乎誤殺李將軍。」

The Master said: 'Leaving behind words and leaving behind characteristics, there is none of this whatsoever; though it is quiet and silent, one only fears falling into dead water. Showing characteristics and revealing words is like adding flowers onto brocade; though it is bustling and noisy, one only fears entering a forest of thorns. Between these two paths, it is still the place where worldly people rise and fall. Not falling into the rising and falling of worldly people, and not dwelling in these two paths, how then can it be demonstrated? Do you still understand here? There is a road reaching to heaven, there is a dynamic cutting off sages; stretching one's body horizontally across the fierce tiger's mouth, scratching an itch on the poisonous snake's head—this is everyday fare. Therefore it is said: "Before King Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja, was awakening on one's own without a master permissible? Why? He is allowed an achievement surpassing a master. After King Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja, one must be launched by a master. Why? For fear of falling into heavenly demons and heterodox paths." Therefore it is said: "Sometimes a phrase can serve as master to patriarchs and buddhas; sometimes a phrase is fit to serve as master to humans and devas." When you penetrate through, believe fully, see thoroughly, and hold fast, only then do you accord with the ancients. Have you not seen it said: "One whose insight surpasses the master is fit to receive the transmission; one whose insight equals the master diminishes the master's virtue by half." Just take old Śākyamuni now—is he not a master? Great Master Bodhidharma—is he not a master? Is there anyone whose insight surpasses old Śākyamuni and Great Master Bodhidharma? Try to come forward and show a bit of news, so that we may see the seed-stock from of old. Is there anyone? Is there anyone? If not: if one did not shoot the stone tiger at Lantian, one would have almost killed General Li in vain.'