宏智禪師廣錄 3.9

3.9

舉香嚴垂語云。如人上樹。口銜樹枝。手不攀枝。脚不踏樹。下有人問西來意。若不對違他所問。若對又喪身失命。正當恁麼時。作麼生即是。有虎頭上座云。樹上即不問。未上樹請師道。香嚴呵呵大笑。雪竇云。樹上道即易。樹下道即難。老僧上樹也。致將一問來。師云。虎頭上座是箇惡賊。用無義手。打不防家。直繞本色作家。往往做手脚不辨。雪竇是別機宜。識休咎底漢。到這裏亦祇得藏身露影。還會香嚴做處麼。三千劍客今何在。獨許莊周見太平。

[The Master] cited Xiangyan providing a phrase to his assembly: "It is like a person up a tree, holding a branch in his mouth, with his hands grasping no branch and his feet resting on no tree. Someone below asks about the meaning of [the Patriarch's] coming from the West. If he does not answer, he ignores the other's question; if he does answer, he loses his life. Just at such a time, how should it be handled?" Head Monk Hutou said, "I do not ask about being up in the tree; please tell me, Master, before climbing the tree." Xiangyan burst out into hearty laughter. Xuedou said, "To speak while up in the tree is easy; to speak while beneath the tree is difficult. The old monk has climbed the tree. Bring forth a question!" The Master said, "Head Monk Hutou was a wicked thief: using a lawless hand, he struck an unprepared house. Even an authentic master craftsman would often fail to discern his maneuver. Xuedou was a fellow who recognized occasion and timing, knowing fortune and disaster; when arriving here, he could only hide his body and reveal his shadow. Do you understand where Xiangyan acted? Where are the three thousand swordsmen today? Only Zhuang Zhou is allowed to see the great peace."