佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 1.14

1.14

Master Zhaozhou routinely brought up this topic: simply that "it only dislikes picking and choosing." This comes from the Third Ancestor's Inscription on Faith in Mind: "The Supreme Way is not difficult; it only dislikes picking and choosing. Simply have neither hatred nor love, and it is clearly and lucidly evident." As soon as there is right and wrong, that is picking and choosing, that is clarity. As soon as you understand it in such a way, you have already missed it. Riveting nails and sticking glue—what use can that be? Zhou said, "They are picking and choosing, or they are clarity." Nowadays, those who practice Chan and inquire into the Way, if they are not caught in picking and choosing, then sit right within clarity. "This old monk is not within clarity. Do you all still cherish and protect [it], or not?" Since you people are not within clarity, tell me: where is Zhaozhou? Why does he instead teach people to cherish and protect it? My late master Wuzu used to say, "His lowering his hands seems to pass you by. How do you understand it?" Tell me, what is his lowering of hands? Recognize the intent at the tip of the hook; do not fixate on the mark on the steelyard. When this monk came forward, he was quite extraordinary too: catching Zhaozhou at an empty point, he immediately went and pressured him: "Since you are not within clarity, what do you cherish and protect?" Zhaozhou did not employ the staff or shout, but simply said, "I do not know either." Were it not for this old fellow, being pressured like that, one would often forget front and lose back. Fortunately, this old fellow has room to turn himself around with ease, so he answered him like this. Nowadays Chan monks, when questioned, also say, "I do not know either, I don't understand." What can be done about the fact that though they travel the same road, they do not run in the same ruts? This monk had an extraordinary quality; only then could he know how to ask: "Since the venerable monk does not know, why do you say you are not within clarity?" An even better pressuring! If it had been anyone else, they often would have been unable to explain it away. Zhaozhou is an adept; he simply said to him: "It is enough to ask about the matter. Make your prostrations and withdraw." This monk was still helpless before this old fellow; he could only swallow his breath and gulp down his voice. This is a master of great ability; he does not discuss mystery and subtlety with you, nor does he discuss dynamic function and circumstance; all along he received people with the matter of their own fundamental lot. Therefore it is said: "If cursed, you are allowed to mouth back; if spat upon, you are allowed to splash water." Little do people realize that this old fellow never received people with the staff or shout throughout his life; he only used ordinary words, yet no one under heaven could do anything about him. It was simply because throughout his life he had no such contrivances; therefore he could turn things sideways and use them upside down, moving with the current or against it, attaining great ease. Nowadays people do not comprehend this; they only constantly say that Zhaozhou did not answer the question, that he did not explain it for the person. Little do they realize that they have missed it right to their faces.