佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 3.27

3.27

Possessing eyes when facing dynamic function, one pays no heed to peril and ruin. Therefore it is said: "If you do not enter the tiger's den, how can you catch tiger cubs?" Baizhang was ordinarily like a tiger with wings attached; this monk also did not shy from life and death, daring to pluck the tiger's whiskers, asking straight out: "What is an extraordinary thing?" This monk also possessed eyes. Baizhang shouldered it for him, saying: "Sitting alone on Great Hero Peak." The monk then bowed. A patch-robed monk must distinguish the intent prior to the question before it will do. This monk's bowing was different from ordinary; he too had to possess eyes before it would do. Do not let the heart and courage of an entire lifetime be poured out toward another; an acquaintance is still like a stranger. Just this monk asking: "What is an extraordinary thing?" Baizhang saying: "Sitting alone on Great Hero Peak"; the monk bowing, and Baizhang striking—look at how when he lets go, all are right at once; when he gathers in, he sweeps away tracks and erases traces. Tell me, what was the monk's meaning in bowing? If you say it was good, why did Baizhang strike him? If you say it was not good, what fault was there in his bow? Arriving here, one must recognise good and ill fortune, and distinguish black from white; one must stand on the crest of a thousand peaks before it will do. This monk bowing was just like plucking the tiger's whiskers; it was only a matter of the turning point. Fortunately Baizhang had an eye on the crown of his head and an amulet behind his elbow, illuminating the four continents and profoundly discerning the incoming wind; therefore he struck him. If it had been anyone else, they could have done nothing with him. This monk matched dynamic function with dynamic function, dismissed intent with intent; that was why he bowed. It is like Nanquan saying: "Last night at midnight, Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra gave rise to buddha-views and dharma-views; I gave each twenty blows of the staff and banished them to the double Iron Surrounding Mountains." At the time, Zhaozhou came out from the assembly and said: "Whom does the Venerable order to take the staff?" Nanquan said: "What fault does Old Master Wang have?" Zhaozhou bowed. One does not casually see an adept lineage master's function; once it comes to handling things when directly facing dynamic function, naturally it is full of life. My late master Wuzu used to say: it is like wrestling before a horse. If you can always cut off seeing, hearing, sound, and form all at once, holding fast and taking charge, only then will you see that Baizhang. Tell me, how is it when letting go? Look at what Xuedou brought forth in verse: