佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 4.5

4.5

This verse is similar to the gong'an of Deshan meeting Guishan. First, taking the gong'an, [Xuedou] applied two turning phrases, stringing it together, and then eulogized it: "This wrong, that wrong! Be sure not to take them away." Xuedou's meaning is: a "wrong" here, and a "wrong" there—be sure not to take them away. If you take them away, it will be ruined. It must be like this! Applying these two "wrongs," he brought it about that "the waves of the four seas are calm; the tides of the hundred streams subside." How completely fresh like the clear wind and bright moon! If you understand under these two "wrongs," there will not be a single spark of a matter left: mountains are mountains, waters are waters; what is long is naturally long, what is short is naturally short; wind comes every five days, rain every ten days. Therefore it is said: "The waves of the four seas are calm; the tides of the hundred streams subside." Afterward, eulogizing Magu holding his staff, he says: "The ancient staff's lofty wind blows through the twelve gates." The ancients used a whip as a rod; patch-robed monks use a staff as a rod. (In the Zuting shiyuan: 'the ancient rod' cites the Khakkharaka Sūtra.) Above the Jade Pool of the Queen Mother of the West there are twelve vermilion gates. The "ancient staff" is just the walking staff; the clear wind at its tip is higher than the twelve vermilion gates. Where the Son of Heaven and Śakra reside, there are also twelve vermilion gates each. If you understand these two "wrongs," light shines forth from the tip of the walking staff, and the ancient staff is not even needed. An ancient said: "Understand the walking staff, and the matter of your whole life's study through contemplation is concluded." It is also said: "It is not an empty convention displaying outward form; it directly follows the traces of the Tathāgata's precious staff." It is of this sort. Arriving here, tumbling upside down and right side up, at all times one attains great sovereign ease. "At gate after gate there are paths, yet they are bleak and deserted." Although there are paths, they are merely bleak and deserted. Arriving here, Xuedou himself sensed the leak and error, and further smashed it open for you: nevertheless, although it is like this, there is also an aspect that is "not bleak and deserted." Even if one is an adept, while free of disease one must still first seek some medicine to take before it counts.