大慧普覺禪師語錄 20.25

20.25

Miaoxi and the Old Man of Suchness were entirely unacquainted in the past. In late spring of the bingzi year of Shaoxing, we met by chance at the river pavilion in Yuchuan. Upon a single meeting, we understood each other; though words and expressions had not yet been exchanged, my mind had already approved him. Soon after, he came to the post station, and what he disclosed was like the joining of tally and contract. I rejoiced that my eye for assessing people did not yield to the ancients, and was also delighted that within the prajñā society we had gained a spirited fellow who can uphold this great Dharma banner, light this great Dharma torch, and act as an inner and outer protector for our house. The next day we went together to Magistrate Ren's for a meal; after eating, we sat again in the Wuzhai study. The Old Man of Suchness completely revealed what he harbored: every character and sentence had its resting place, unlike the so-called mouth-drum Chan spoken by present-day literati. Because of this, we talked of dreams for a round. Arriving here, one only then believes that the buddhas of the three periods spoke of dreams, the six generations of patriarchs spoke of dreams, and the old venerable monks throughout the world spoke of dreams; right now, Miaoxi and the Old Man of Suchness are also speaking of dreams within a dream. Suddenly, if there is a boundless fellow who awakens within the dream, only then will he believe that what the buddhas of the three periods spoke was not a dream, what the six generations of patriarchs spoke was not a dream, and what the old venerable monks throughout the world spoke was not a dream. Why is this? Dream and awakening are one; speech and silence are one; speaking and non-speaking are one. Therefore it is said: "Two arises from one; do not keep even the one. When not a single thought arises, the ten thousand dharmas are without fault." The Dharma of Suchness is like this in speech, and like this in silence; the buddhas of the three periods are like this, the six generations of patriarchs are like this, and the old venerable monks throughout the world are like this. What Miaoxi and the Old Man of Suchness speak right now is also like this; what they realize is also like this. The Old Man of Suchness should enjoy it like this, practice like this, speak of such matters with such people, cause those who have not attained it to enter such a realm, together repaying the Buddha's benevolence, and cause the Dharma of Suchness to continue uninterrupted in the realm of sentient beings. Then the Old Man of Suchness will not have spoken of dreams in vain, and old fellow Miaoxi will not have certified it in vain. Tell me: what is the principle of not certifying in vain? Do you thoroughly understand yet? Like this, like this! (Bah!) Cut off the vines for now.