圓悟佛果禪師語錄 7.28

7.28

Ascending the hall upon the end of the summer retreat, a monk asked, "'Before chaos was divided, how could the open pillar be pregnant?' What is the meaning of this?" The Master said, "Prominent and hard to discern." The monk continued, "'After the division, how can a fleck of cloud dot the great clarity?' What essential point is this?" The Master said, "Set your eyes high." The monk continued, "I wonder whether the great clarity accepts being dotted or not—why did Lingyun not answer?" The Master said, "One who knows the Dharma is fearful." The monk continued, "If so, sentient beings will not come. And did he not answer because in principle it should be so, or because it is hard to reply?" The Master said, "Cast from pig iron." The monk continued, "When it is completely pure without a spot, how is it that 'it is still the flowing of the truly permanent'? How about that?" The Master said, "If one can turn things, then one is identical to the Tathāgata." The monk continued, "What about 'the flowing of the truly permanent is like a mirror ever bright'—what is its meaning?" The Master said, "That too is an appropriately fitting phrase." The monk continued, "The great earth, mountains, and rivers are oneself; the lanterns and open pillars are not other either." The Master said, "Do not engage in vain delusions." The monk continued, "How is it when it is completely useless?" The Master said, "That is somewhat better." The monk continued, "Is there still anything transcendent? As it is said, 'Break the mirror and come meet with you'—I wonder where the meaning lies?" The Master said, "I consign it to the staff." The monk continued, "In the mean alleys, not riding a golden horse; returning, yet wearing a tattered robe." The Master said, "His house has attained freedom." The Master then said, "The autumn light is clear and shallow, the autumn dew empty and congealed, the autumn wind rustling, the autumn color serene and pure. Thus Śākyamuni's work of protecting life is completed, and truly the patch-robed monks' method of binding the retreat is fully rounded. If one can inwardly forget one's own views and outwardly realize the emptiness of phenomena, inside and outside unified as one, empty, congealed, serene and silent, then the complete mind is the Buddha, and the complete Buddha is the mind. Walking hand in hand with all Buddhas, attaining together and functioning together with the ancestral masters. Arriving here, what more is there to say of binding, what more to say of loosening? Throughout the twelve periods of the day, cleanly stripped and stark naked. Wearing clothes all day long without ever hanging a single thread; eating rice all day long without ever chewing a single grain. As it is said, 'Moving like floating clouds, resting like the valley spirit'—how could there be intention toward this or that? Where could there be images of going or coming? Everywhere encountering him, the entire dynamic stands independently free. Exactly at such a time, how is it? White clouds are originally things without mind; at leisure they appear and disappear in the great emptiness." He also said: "The ninety-day merit is perfected on this day; / No need to test the wax man again. / Although for ten thousand miles there is not an inch of grass, / The mouth of the bag is opened wide today."