宏智禪師廣錄 1.23

1.23

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Superintendent Ze was in Fayan's assembly. One day Fayan asked, 'How long have you been here?' Ze said, 'Three years.' Fayan said, 'You are a junior; why do you usually not ask about the affair?' Ze said, 'I dare not deceive the Venerable; formerly, at Qingfeng's place, I attained a state of peace and joy.' Fayan said, 'Through what words did you gain entry?' Ze said, 'I once asked: What is the student's self? Qingfeng said: The youth Bingding comes seeking fire.' Fayan said, 'Fine words! I only fear you did not understand.' Ze said, 'Bingding belongs to fire; using fire to seek fire is like using oneself to search for oneself.' Fayan said, 'Clearly I know you did not understand. If the Buddha Dharma were like this, it would not have reached today.' Ze became agitated and vexed, and left. On the way, however, he said to himself: 'He is a good friend of five hundred people; since he said I was wrong, he must have superior insight.' So he returned, repented, and then asked, 'What is the student's self?' Fayan said, 'The youth Bingding comes seeking fire.' Upon these words, Ze had a great awakening." The Master said: "When it was said like that before, he did not understand; when it was said like that later, he went on to awaken. Tell me, where does the turning point lie? Senior Monk Jue has a verse: / 'The youth Bingding comes seeking fire; / The Persian from the southern seas has big nostrils. / The tongue of a southern barbarian is hard to understand; / Directly right now it is seen through. / Having seen through, there is neither merit nor fault; / Knowing that under your quilt it is worn through, / I once lay sharing the same bed with you. / Completely shedding the trivial old doubts, / The snake-string in the cup's reflection detains one to sit again.'"