佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 2.22

2.22

This monk is quite an adept, understanding how to ask like this. The former side is called asking for instruction; this is an inquiry presenting one's understanding, also called an inquiry concealing sharpness. Were it not for Yunmen, he could not have dealt with him either. Yunmen possesses such capability; since the other came with a question, he could not help but respond to it. Why? An adept lineage master is like a bright mirror standing on its stand: when a barbarian comes, a barbarian appears; when a Han Chinese comes, a Han Chinese appears. The ancients said: 'If you wish to attain intimacy, do not bring questions to ask.' Why? The question is in the place of the answer; the answer is in the place of the question. From the past onward, how did the myriad sages ever give a single dharma to people? Where is there any Chan path to come to you? If you do not create the karma of hell, you will naturally not incur the fruit of hell; if you do not create the cause of heaven, you will naturally not receive the fruit of heaven. All karmic conditions are self-made and self-received. The ancients clearly said to you: if we discuss this matter, it does not lie in words and phrases. If it lay in words and phrases, how could the three vehicles and twelve divisions of teachings lack words and phrases? What further use would there have been for the ancestral master to come from the west? Previously it said 'an utterance in response'; here it says instead 'an upside-down utterance'. They differ by only a single word—why then are there thousands of differences and myriad distinctions? Tell me: where does the difficulty lie? Therefore it is said: Dharma follows dharma's action; the dharma-banner is erected anywhere. 'When it is not the dynamic function before one's eyes, nor the affair before one's eyes, how is it?' It requires only a single tap right on the head. If it is a fellow with the eye, even a single tap cannot fool him. Since the place of questioning is difficult, the place of answering must be like this. In truth, Yunmen rides the thief's horse to pursue the thief. Some mistakenly understand, saying: 'It was originally the host's words, but it was the guest who spoke them; therefore Yunmen said "an upside-down utterance".' What deadly hurry is there? This monk asked well: 'When it is not the dynamic function before one's eyes, nor the affair before one's eyes, how is it?' Why did Yunmen not answer him with other words, but only said to him, 'An upside-down utterance'? Yunmen shattered his [ground] in an instant. Having reached here, saying 'an upside-down utterance' is also gouging a wound on healthy flesh. Why? When traces of words arise, white clouds are ten thousand miles away—this is whence divergent paths arise. Even if for a time there were no words and no phrases—have the bare pillars and lanterns ever had words and phrases? Do you still understand? If you do not understand, reaching here you must also turn around before you can know where it settles.