佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 7.13

7.13

宗師家。看他一動一靜。一出一入。且道意旨如何。這斬猫兒話。天下叢林。商量浩浩地。有者道。提起處便是。有底道。在斬處。且得都沒交涉。他若不提起時。亦匝匝地作盡道理。殊不知。他古人。有定乾坤底眼。有定乾坤底劍。爾且道。畢竟是誰斬猫兒。只如南泉提起云。道得即不斬。當時忽有人道得。且道南泉斬不斬。所以道。正令當行十方坐斷。出頭天外看。誰是箇中人。其實當時元不斬。此話亦不在斬與不斬處。此事軒知。如此分明。不在情塵意見上討。若向情塵意見上討。則辜負南泉去。但向當鋒劍刃上看。是有也得無也得。不有不無也得。所以古人道。窮則變變則通。而今人不解變通。只管向語句上走。南泉恁麼提起。不可教人合下得甚語。只要教人自薦。各各自用自知。若不恁麼會。卒摸索不著。雪竇當頭頌云。

Regarding lineage masters, look at their every movement and stillness, every coming out and going in—now tell me: what is their meaning? This case of cutting the cat has been discussed endlessly throughout the chan groves under heaven. Some say it is right where he held it up; others say it lies in the cutting. None of this has any connection whatsoever. Even before he held it up, they had already completely exhausted all kinds of reasoning in circles. Little do they know that the ancients possessed the eye to stabilize heaven and earth, and the sword to stabilize heaven and earth. Now you tell me: who ultimately cut the cat? Just as Nanquan held it up and said, "If you can speak, I will not cut it"—if at that moment someone had suddenly spoken, tell me: would Nanquan have cut it or not? Therefore it is said: "When the authentic imperative is put into practice, the ten directions are cut off. Look out beyond heaven: who is the person within this?" In fact, originally he did not cut it at that moment. Nor does this matter lie in cutting or not cutting. This matter is clearly known; it is so distinct, not to be sought within emotional dusts and conceptual views. If you seek it within emotional dusts and conceptual views, you betray Nanquan. Just look on the blade of the sword right at the clash: being is acceptable, nonbeing is acceptable, neither being nor nonbeing is acceptable. Therefore the ancients said: "When exhausted, it changes; when it changes, it penetrates." People nowadays do not understand changing and penetrating; they merely run after verbal phrases. When Nanquan held it up like that, could he have been telling someone to produce some specific words on the spot? He only wanted to make people realize it for themselves, each using it and knowing it for themselves. If you do not understand it like this, in the end you will never grope your way to it. Xuedou's verse right to the point says: