圓悟佛果禪師語錄 13.5

13.5

At an informal gathering, a monk asked: "When the Arhat does not borrow, how is it?" The Master said: "That fellow attains freedom." The monk continued: "If pointed out, it is not reached; once reached, it is not pointed out." The Master said: "The same for that as for this." The monk continued: "This is still not the place where the student settles his body and establishes his life." The Master said: "Only the Ācārya is one step higher." The monk continued: "I already know that the Venerable wishes to use this dynamic." The Master said: "Seen through by the Ācārya as well." The monk continued: "Getting older and older, you increasingly show your foolishness." The Master said: "What did you say?" The monk continued: "It must not be let pass either." The Master said: "It is rather you who are acting foolishly." The Master then said: "A fine day brings much shared joy, and the ten directions all respond; a good root brings much concurrence, and thousands of divergences run on the same track. Even if dragons roar and mists rise, tigers howl and winds blow, all eight directions are fully lucid and clear, and a single region stands exceptionally steep and precipitous—this is still what everyone knows they have within their own lot. As for the rest who do not know they have it, they are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. How can they be brought together? How can they investigate it? If anyone can make progress without contrivance, try bringing it forth for us to see; if anyone has attained verification without deliberation, try analyzing and discerning it for us to see. If you can analyze and discern it, it is just like the Dragon Maiden offering the jewel at the assembly on Vulture Peak and instantly attaining Buddhahood. The maiden said, 'I offered the precious jewel, and the World-Honoured One accepted it; was this swift or not?' Wisdom Accumulation said, 'This was extremely swift.' The Dragon Maiden said, 'With your supernatural power, watch me attain Buddhahood even swifter than this!' Even so, there are still tracks and paths. If it is the fundamental practice and fundamental realization, one must let it go three thousand miles further. Right at such a time, what is ultimately the solid ground? The Bhagavan of the ten directions—the single road to the gate of nirvāṇa."