佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 3.5

3.5

Zhiman was originally a man of Zhejiang. He took the trouble to enter Sichuan to study with Xianglin. Having thoroughly penetrated, he returned to reside at Zhiman in Suizhou. Xuedou was his heir; seeing clearly, he exhausted the mysterious and reached the ultimate marvel, directly saying: "Lotus flowers and lotus leaves, I announce to you: / How can emerging from the water compare to when it has not yet emerged?" Here he wants people to understand directly. This mountain monk says: What about when it has not yet emerged from the water? The bare pillar and the lantern. What about after emerging from the water? The tip of the staff carries the sun and the moon; underfoot the mud is extremely deep. Do not mistakenly recognize the zero mark on the steelyard. Nowadays, how many people are there who bite into other people's words and phrases without limit? Tell me, what season is it when emerging from the water? What season is it when not yet emerging from the water? If you can see into this, I grant that you have personally seen Zhiman. Xuedou says: If you do not see it, "North of the river, south of the river, you ask Old Wang." Xuedou's meaning was: You merely go north of the river and south of the river, asking venerable adepts about emerging from the water and not yet emerging from the water. South of the river two phrases are added; north of the river two phrases are added. Layer upon layer is added, successively giving rise to doubt. Tell me, when will you be able to be free from doubt? Like a wild fox full of doubts, walking on ice, it listens for the sound of water; only if there is no sound can it cross the river. If practitioners resolve one fox-doubt only for another fox-doubt to arise, when will they ever attain peace and stability?