大慧普覺禪師語錄 29.31

29.31

日用工夫，前書已葛藤不少，但只依舊不變不動，物來則與之酬酢，自然物我一如矣。古德云：「放曠任其去住，靜鑑覺其源流，語證則不可示人，說理則非證不了，自證自得處，拈出呈似人不得，唯親證親得者，略露目前些子，彼此便默默相契矣。」示諭：「自此不被人謾，不錯用工夫矣。」大概已正，杷柄已得，如善牧牛者索頭常在手中，爭得犯人苗稼；驀地放却索頭，鼻孔無撈摸處，平田淺草一任縱橫，慈明老人所謂：「四方放去休攔遏，八面無拘任意遊，要收只在索頭撥。」未能如是，當緊把索頭，且與順摩捋，淹浸工夫既熟，自然不著用意隄防矣。工夫不可急，急則躁動，又不可緩，緩則昏怛矣。忘懷著意俱蹉過，譬如擲劍揮空，莫論及之不及。昔嚴陽尊者問趙州：「一物不將來時如何？」州云：「放下著。」嚴陽云：「一物既不將來，放下箇甚麼？」州云：「放不下，擔取去。」嚴陽於言下大悟。又有僧問古德：「學人奈何不得時如何？」古德云：「老僧亦奈何不得。」僧云：「學人在學地，故是奈何不得；和尚是大善知識，為甚麼亦奈何不得？」古德云：「我若奈何得，則便拈却爾這不奈何。」僧於言下大悟。二僧悟處，即是樓樞密迷處，樓樞密疑處，即是二僧問處。法從分別生，還從分別滅，滅諸分別法，是法無生滅。細觀來書，病已去盡，別證候亦不生矣，大段相近，亦漸省力矣。請只就省力處，放教蕩蕩地，忽然啐地破嚗地斷，便了千萬。勉之！

As for your daily effort, my previous letter already entangled you quite a bit. Just remain as before, unchanging and unmoved; when things come, respond to them, and naturally things and self will be as one. An ancient worthy said: 'Give yourself free rein, letting things come and go; in quiet reflection perceive their source and flow. When it comes to realization, it cannot be shown to others; when speaking of principle, without realization it is not understood. The place of self-realization and self-attainment cannot be held up and shown to others; only those who have personally realized and attained it can slightly reveal a little of it before their eyes, and both will silently tally with each other.' Your instructions noted: 'From now on I will not be deceived by others, nor will I misuse my effort.' The broad outlines are already correct, and the handle has already been grasped: like an adept oxherd whose tether is always in hand, how could it trample others' crops? When you suddenly let go of the tether, the nostrils cannot be felt at all, and it is left entirely free to roam across flat fields and shallow grass. As Old Man Ciming said: 'Release it in the four directions, do not bar or check it; unconstrained on all eight sides, let it roam at will; if you wish to gather it in, it is only in the jerk of the tether.' If you are not yet able to be like this, you should hold tight to the tether and gently stroke it; once the effort of soaking and steeping becomes ripe, you will naturally not need to apply your mind to guard against it. Your effort must not be hurried: if hurried, there is restlessness; nor may it be slack: if slack, there is torpor. Forgetting it and applying the mind are both mistakes: like throwing a sword into the air, do not discuss whether it reaches or does not reach. In the past, Venerable Yanyang asked Zhaozhou: 'How is it when not bringing a single thing?' Zhaozhou said: 'Put it down.' Yanyang said: 'Since I do not bring a single thing, what should I put down?' Zhaozhou said: 'If you cannot put it down, carry it away.' Yanyang was greatly enlightened at these words. There was also a monk who asked an ancient worthy: 'How is it when this student can do nothing at all?' The ancient worthy said: 'This old monk can also do nothing at all.' The monk said: 'This student is on the stage of learning, so naturally I can do nothing; the Venerable is a great spiritual friend, why can you also do nothing at all?' The ancient worthy said: 'If I could do something, I would take away your