大慧普覺禪師語錄 24.16

24.16

When patch-robed monks practice Chan, they must clarify the mind-ground; when scholars study books, they must pass the examinations. If one reads five cartloads of books and yet does not pass the examinations, for his whole life he is merely a scholar—to call him an official is a mistake. If a Chan-practicing patch-robed monk does not clarify the mind-ground, he cannot resolve the great matter of birth and death; for his whole life he is merely a wretched worldling—to call him a buddha is a mistake. Regarding these two mistakes, is there really such a thing, or is there really no such thing? If one says there really is, one often sees scholars who pass the examinations and become officials; if one says there really is not, one has never witnessed with one's own eyes a Chan practitioner becoming a buddha. Trading this for that is just eight ounces against half a pound. This talk is extremely shallow and close at hand, yet extremely deep and far-reaching. Students often, with a mind of having attainment, practice toward the place of no attainment, falling into pits and dropping into trenches in great numbers. These words of Yunmen thus become a vain contrivance, truly what is called the finest flavor of ghee prized by the world turning into poison when encountering such people. In the past, Chan Master Zhichang went to Caoxi to see the Patriarch, and cited the essentials of mind shown by Master Datong. Based on his doubts, the Patriarch spoke a verse for him: / 'Not seeing a single dharma, yet preserving a view of nothingness, / Is much like floating clouds veiling the face of the sun. / Not knowing a single dharma, yet keeping a knowledge of emptiness, / Is still like lightning flashing in great space. / When this knowledge and view suddenly arise, / Mistakenly recognizing them, how could one understand skillful means? / If in a single thought you yourself know you are wrong, / Your own spiritual light will constantly manifest.' / Hearing the verse, Chang immediately dispelled his lingering doubt on the spot and greatly awakened to the Patriarch's skillful means. He then composed a verse and presented it to the Patriarch, which ended: 'Without entering the Patriarch's room, / Vainly I tended toward the two extremes.' / Chan practitioner Miaoquan, do you wish to know the resting place of whether there really is such a thing or really no such thing? Pay no attention to worldling and buddha, scholar and official; just recognize Yunmen's skillful means. If you can recognize it, Chaoyang is not far from Caoxi; but if not yet so, under your feet just look after Master Dadian.