宏智禪師廣錄 5.17

5.17

At an informal gathering, a monk asked: "Zhaozhou said: 'The Great Way is not difficult; it only dislikes picking and choosing. As soon as there are words and speech, this is picking and choosing, this is clarity. This old monk is not within clarity; do you still cherish and protect [it] or not?' Since Zhaozhou was not within clarity, where did he go?" The Master said: "Ordinarily it has no apertures; in that place, it cuts off brilliance." The monk said: "If so, then everywhere one treads upon Zhaozhou's nostrils." The Master said: "Once again, going out of your way, you are separated by three thousand miles." The monk said: "What was Zhaozhou's meaning?" The Master said: "Only a fellow without seams knows." The monk said: "At the time, a monk came forward and said: 'Since the Venerable is not within clarity, what do you cherish and protect?' Zhaozhou said: 'I do not know either.' Although this monk was able to ask in this way, it was much like Han Lu chasing a clod." The Master said: "Today another one has been added." The monk said: "Had this student been that monk at the time, I would have simply picked up the sitting mat and said: 'I ordinarily would not dare offend the Venerable.'" The Master said: "Again this is ascending the gate and climbing the threshold." The monk said: "That monk further said: 'Since the Venerable does not know, why do you say you are not within clarity?' Zhaozhou said: 'It is enough to ask about the matter; bow and withdraw.' Zhaozhou had iron lips and nails for a tongue; why did he instead stop in shame and silence?" The Master said: "I too cannot explain it away." The monk said: "Having reached this point, is there still any explanation?" The Master said: "Do not say Tiantong has no explanation; when it comes down to it, even Zhaozhou was knocked over." The monk said: "One thought the barbarian's beard was red, yet there is another red-bearded barbarian." The Master said: "Just this one phrase is somewhat better." The monk said: "Just as for the Venerable and Zhaozhou, how far apart are you?" The Master said: "Tiantong, however, is a man of Xizhou." The monk said: "The sunflower faces the sun; the willow catkins follow the wind." The Master said: "Being ordinary and without business is good; making complications out of the ordinary [is not]." The Master then said: "When a patch-robed monk achieves it and settles it securely, naturally step by step he treads upon it without wasted effort; phrase by phrase he expresses it without wasted cadence. Therefore Zhaozhou said: 'The Great Way is not difficult; it only dislikes picking and choosing. As soon as there are words and speech, this is picking and choosing, this is clarity. This old monk is not within clarity; do you still cherish and protect [it] or not?' If the Great Way is not difficult and only dislikes picking and choosing, it is directly a time when there is not a single thread of going out of one's way. Do not fall into clarity; let go of everything completely—what could there be of so many affairs? Therefore, for patch-robed monks, as soon as there is Buddha-Dharma or Chan and the Way, they deserve a painful thrashing. That monk said: 'Since the Venerable is not within clarity, what do you cherish and protect?' Zhaozhou said: 'I do not know either.' Look here! In his answer, originally no reasoning based on 'knowing' could be applied. That monk further said: 'Since the Venerable does not know, why do you say you are not within clarity?' Zhaozhou said: 'It is enough to ask about the matter; bow and withdraw.' When Zhaozhou reached the ultimate point, he was able to deflect it. This old fellow was ordinarily entirely seamless, cutting off sharp corners; reaching this point, he was nearly pressed up against the wall by that monk, seeming to have seams and sharp corners. Later, Xuedou praised in verse: