佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 6.9

6.9

孤危不立道方高。雪竇頌趙州尋常為人處。不立玄妙。不立孤危。不似諸方道打破虛空。擊碎須彌。海底生塵。須彌鼓浪。方稱他祖師之道。所以雪竇道。孤危不立道方高。壁立萬仞。顯佛法奇特靈驗。雖然孤危峭峻。不如不立孤危。但平常自然轉轆轆地。不立而自立。不高而自高。機出孤危方見玄妙。所以雪竇云。入海還須釣巨鼇。看他具眼宗師等閑垂一語。用一機不釣鰕蜆螺蚌。直釣巨鼇。也不妨是作家。此一句用顯前面公案。堪笑同時灌溪老。不見僧問灌溪。久響灌溪。及乎到來。只見箇漚麻池。溪云。汝只見漚麻池。且不見灌溪。僧云。如何是灌溪。溪云。劈箭急。又僧問黃龍。久響黃龍。及乎到來。只見箇赤斑蛇。龍云。子只見赤斑蛇。且不見黃龍。僧云。如何是黃龍。龍云。拕拕地。僧云。忽遇金翅鳥來時如何。龍云。性命難存。僧云。恁麼則遭他食噉去也。龍云。謝子供養。此總是立孤危。是則也是不免費力。終不如趙州尋常用底。所以雪竇道。解云劈箭亦徒勞。只如灌溪黃龍即且致。趙州云。波驢渡馬。又作麼生會。試辨看。

"When the solitary and precipitous is not established, only then is the Way lofty." Xuedou's verse eulogizes Zhaozhou's ordinary way of dealing with people: he did not establish the mysterious and wondrous, nor did he establish the solitary and precipitous. He was not like those in other quarters who say, "smash empty space," "shatter Mount Meru," "dust rises from the ocean floor," or "Mount Meru stirs up waves," only after which they call it the Way of the ancestral masters. Therefore Xuedou said, "When the solitary and precipitous is not established, only then is the Way lofty." Standing like a wall ten thousand cubits high demonstrates that the Buddhadharma is extraordinary and efficacious; yet though solitary, precipitous, steep, and towering, it does not compare to not establishing the solitary and precipitous at all, but just turning smoothly and naturally in ordinary life. Not establishing, it naturally stands; not lofty, it is naturally lofty. Only when dynamic function emerges from the solitary and precipitous is the mysterious and wondrous seen. Therefore Xuedou said, "To enter the sea one must fish for the giant turtle." Look at how that lineage master with the eye casually lets fall a word and uses a dynamic function: he does not fish for shrimp, clams, snails, or mussels, but goes straight to fish for the giant turtle. He can indeed be called an adept. This phrase is used to illuminate the previous gong'an. / "Laughable is old Guanxi of the same era:" Have you not seen the monk who asked Guanxi, "I have long heard of Guanxi (Rushing Stream), but having arrived here, I only see a hemp-soaking pond." Xi said, "You only see the hemp-soaking pond, and do not see Guanxi." The monk said, "What is Guanxi?" Xi said, "As swift as a shot arrow." Another monk asked Huanglong, "I have long heard of Huanglong (Yellow Dragon), but having arrived here, I only see a red-spotted snake." Long said, "You only see the red-spotted snake, and do not see Huanglong." The monk said, "What is Huanglong?" Long said, "Slithering along." The monk said, "What if suddenly encountering the Garuḍa bird?" Long said, "Life cannot be preserved." The monk said, "Then one would be devoured by it!" Long said, "Thank you, son, for the offering." All of this is establishing the solitary and precipitous. While it is true [to Chan], it cannot avoid wasting effort; in the end it does not compare to what Zhaozhou routinely used. Therefore Xuedou said, "To explain it as 'swift as a shot arrow' is also in vain." Setting aside Guanxi and Huanglong for a moment, when Zhaozhou says, "It crosses donkeys, it crosses horses"—how will you understand this? Try to discern it and see!