佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 6.36

6.36

Zhaozhou throughout his life did not use the staff or shout, yet his application surpassed staff and shout. This monk came with a question that was exceedingly extraordinary as well. Were it not for Zhaozhou, it would have been difficult to answer him. Because Zhaozhou was an adept, he only said to him: "Once someone asked me; it straightaway took five years without being able to explain it away." Where the question stood, it was like a cliff rising a thousand fathoms; where the answer stood, it also did not slight him. Only understanding it thus is right on the mark. If you do not understand, do not make intellectual reckonings about it. Have you not seen the practitioner Zong of Touzi, who served as scribe in Xuedou's assembly? Xuedou had him investigate "The Great Way is not difficult; it only disdains choosing and picking." At this he had an awakening. One day Xuedou asked him: "'The Great Way is not difficult; it only disdains choosing and picking'—what is its meaning?" Zong said: "Beast! Beast!" Later he lived in seclusion at Touzi. Whenever he went to take up an abbotship, he would wrap his straw sandals and scripture texts in his kāṣāya. A monk asked: "What is the family style of the practitioner?" Zong said: "A kāṣāya wrapping straw sandals." The monk said: "I have not ascertained what the intention is." Zong said: "Barefoot going down to Tongcheng." Therefore it is said: "Offering to the Buddha does not depend on much incense." If you can penetrate and get free, releasing and seizing are in your own hands. Since there was one question and one answer, distinctly and clearly ready-made, why did Zhaozhou instead say: "I was not able to explain it away"? Now tell me: is it the nest and cave of people of the day or not? Did Zhaozhou answer him from within the nest and cave, or from outside the nest and cave? You must know that this matter is not in words and phrases. If someone penetrates to the bone and marrow and can believe completely, he will be like a dragon reaching water, like a tiger relying on a mountain. The eulogy says: