圓悟佛果禪師語錄 6.7

6.7

When Layman Tanran sponsored a vegetarian feast for the novice Gong, ascending the hall, a monk asked: "When Bodhidharma had not yet transmitted the mind-ground seal, and Śākyamuni had not yet untied the jewel in the topknot, if someone asked about the meaning of the coming from the west, was there still a meaning of the coming from the west or not?" The Master said: "The stone lion in front of the courtyard." The monk advanced and said: "If so, through kalpas calm and unperturbed without different forms, calling it the mind seal is already empty talk." The Master said: "Not even a single speck can enter." The monk advanced and said: "How can one face that from past to present it should suffer no fall, distinctly right before our eyes?" The Master said: "Try bringing up what is before your eyes and see." The monk advanced and said: "Not even a single speck can deceive the Venerable." The Master said: "What can you do about the great assembly?" The Master said: "Lifting your foot, you step past Pūrvavideha; taking a step back, you enter Aparagodānīya; turning your head, you look toward Uttarakuru; clenching your fist, you strike Jambudvīpa. Viewed in clean ground, this is a great person of boundless measure; observed with the true eye, it is still hemp dregs and yeast leavings. You should know that the boundless fragrant water seas above and below in the four directions, the ineffable floating banner world systems, pinched into fine dust, with each dust particle manifesting boundless bodies and expounding immeasurable teachings—this is still merely according with capacities and responding with teachings, seeing the hole and loosely inserting the wedge. How much more so when one wields the transcendent tongs and hammer and uses the forge of an adept: even if the entire realm were Deshan, with a stick he would find no place to strike; even if the entire realm were Linji, with a shout he would find no place to open his mouth; even if the entire realm were the Golden Ascetic, with meditative power he would find no place to lodge his body. Just at such a moment, if suddenly someone should take it up, shoulder it, orient toward it, and walk it, tell me: where would you place him? This mountain monk has a place to put him. If I intend to speak of it, I fear it will become a public entanglement; if I intend not to speak of it, I would disappoint the one who meets the occasion. Speaking or not speaking, setting both aside at once, the final phrase is released to open the discussion: Beneath the tall pines, inside the bright window, / Jade halls and pearl towers are no match for this. / With a patched quilt covering my head, myriad affairs cease; / At this moment, this mountain monk understands nothing at all. Do you understand? Tiantai's Huading is exquisite; Nanyue's stone bridge is high. / Last night the millstone grew eight corners, / Startling the outdoor pillar into hearty laughter, / Leading the stone lion before the gate / To climb backward up the wisteria cliff to Tiantai."