圓悟佛果禪師語錄 17.27

17.27

[The Master] cited: "Dongshan and senior uncle Mi went to Baiyan. Yan asked: 'Where have the two venerable elders come from?' Dongshan said: 'We come from Hunan.' Yan said: 'What is the surname of the Surveillance Commissioner?' Dongshan said: 'I do not know his surname.' Yan said: 'What is his given name?' Dongshan said: 'I do not know his given name.' Yan said: 'Does he still attend to affairs or not?' Dongshan said: 'He has his own staff and aides.' Yan said: 'Does he still go out and come in?' Dongshan said: 'He does not go out or come in.' Yan said: 'How could he not go out and come in?' Dongshan flicked his sleeves and left. Next morning, Yan entered the hall early at dawn and summoned the two venerable elders. When the two approached, Yan said: 'The words I asked the venerable elder yesterday did not satisfy this old monk's mind, and I was uneasy all night. Now I invite the venerable elder to give a different turning word. If it accords with this old monk's mind, I will immediately begin serving gruel and rice, and keep you company through the summer.' Dongshan said: 'Please ask again, Venerable.' Yan said: 'He does not go out or come in.' Dongshan said: 'Exceedingly noble and exalted!' Yan then served gruel and spent the summer retreat together with them."
The Master critiqued: "The mutual integration of the biased and the right aims only for complete harmony; direct cutting-through meeting the moment solely values being noble and exalted. Dongshan acted by observing the dynamic; Baiyan yielded where the principle was superior. Even though this is so, it may do under the Caodong lineage, but within the Linji school, one must fashion a different eye before it will do. At that time, when he said, 'I do not know his given name,' one should have said to him: 'Does he not know you, or do you not know him?' I venture to ask: what words ought to have been spoken? Is there anyone who can say it? If there is, this mountain monk will not serve gruel either, but simply hand over a tortoise-hair whisk. If you cannot say it, then investigate for thirty years!"