佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 6.32

6.32

僧問趙州。至道無難唯嫌揀擇。三祖信心銘劈頭便道這兩句。有多少人錯會。何故至道本無難。亦無不難。只是唯嫌揀擇。若恁麼會。一萬年也未夢見在。趙州常以此語問人。這僧將此語。倒去問他。若向語上覓。此僧却驚天動地。若不在語句上。又且如何更參三十年。這箇些子關捩子。須是轉得始解。捋虎鬚也須是本分手段始得。這僧也不顧危亡。敢捋虎鬚便道。此猶是揀擇。趙州劈口便塞道。田厙奴。什麼處是揀擇。若問著別底。便見脚忙手亂。爭奈這老漢是作家。向動不得處動。向轉不得處轉。爾若透得一切惡毒言句。乃至千差萬狀。世間戲論。皆是醍醐上味。若到著實處。方見趙州赤心片片。田厙奴。乃福唐人。鄉語罵人。似無意智相似。這僧道此猶是揀擇。趙州道田厙奴。什麼處是揀擇。宗師眼目。須至恁麼。如金翅鳥擘海直取龍吞。雪竇頌云。

A monk asked Zhaozhou, "'The Supreme Way is not difficult; it only dislikes picking and choosing.'" Right at the beginning of the Third Patriarch's *Xinxin ming*, he states these two lines. How many people misunderstand them! Why? The Supreme Way is fundamentally neither difficult nor not difficult; it merely dislikes picking and choosing. If you understand it like that, in ten thousand years you won't have dreamed of it. Zhaozhou often used these words to question people; this monk turned these words back to question him. If sought in the words, this monk was world-shaking; if not in the words and phrases, how else would he practice for thirty more years? This little pivot must be turned before one understands; stroking the tiger's whiskers also requires genuine skill. This monk disregarded life and death, daring to stroke the tiger's whiskers, saying, "This is still picking and choosing." Zhaozhou immediately blocked his mouth, saying, "You rustic slave! Where is there picking and choosing?" Had he asked anyone else, you would have seen flustered hands and feet; but how could he match this old fellow who was an adept, moving where one cannot move, turning where one cannot turn? If you penetrate through all poisonous phrases, down to the myriad differences and worldly frivolous discourse, all are the supreme flavor of ghee. If you reach the genuine reality, only then do you see Zhaozhou's earnest, piecemeal red heart. "Rustic slave" is a Futang local abusive term for a person, like calling someone senseless. This monk said, "This is still picking and choosing"; Zhaozhou said, "You rustic slave! Where is there picking and choosing?" The lineage master's eye must reach such a state: like the garuḍa cleaving the ocean to snatch and swallow the dragon directly. Xuedou's verse says: