佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 7.44

7.44

"Youji's arrow shot the ape; circling the tree, how exceedingly direct!" Youji was a man of the state of Chu, surnamed Yang, named Shu, and styled Youji. Once, King Zhuang of Chu went hunting and saw a white ape. He ordered someone to shoot it, but the ape caught the arrow and played with it. The king commanded all his ministers to shoot it, but none could hit it. The king then asked his ministers, and they reported to the throne: "There is one named Youji who is skilled at archery." He then ordered him to shoot it. As soon as Youji bent his bow, the ape hugged the tree and wailed sorrowfully. When the arrow was released, the ape circled the tree to avoid it; the arrow also circled the tree, struck, and killed it. This was a divine arrow indeed. Why, then, does Xuedou say "how exceedingly direct"? If it were exceedingly direct, it would not have hit it; since it circled the tree, why does he say "exceedingly direct"? Xuedou borrowed this meaning, and he used it remarkably well. This matter comes from the Spring and Autumn Annals. Some say that circling the tree refers to the circle. If it were truly like that, it would simply be failing to recognize the central aim of the words and not understanding the point of being "exceedingly direct." These three old fellows took different paths but arrived at the same principle; they are all at once exceedingly direct. If you recognize where they go, moving freely in all directions, it does not depart from the mind. The hundred rivers flow along different courses, but all return to the great sea. Therefore Nanquan said, "If so, then I shall not go." If viewed with the patch-robed monk's true eye, they are merely playing with their spirits. Yet if you call it playing with their spirits, it is not playing with their spirits. My late master Wuzu said: "The three of them are in the Torch of Wisdom Samādhi and the Samādhi of the King of Adornment." Even so, though he made a woman's prostration, he ultimately did not understand it as a woman's prostration; though he drew a circle, he ultimately did not understand it as a circle. Since they did not understand it thus, how then should it be understood? Xuedou says, "Thousands upon thousands—who has ever hit the bullseye?" How many could there be who hit the mark every time out of a hundred shots? "Calling out to one another, 'Let us return home!'" eulogizes Nanquan saying, "If so, then I shall not go." From then on Nanquan did not go; hence it is said, "Cease ascending along the road of Caoxi." It cuts down the forest of thorns. Xuedou could not hold himself back, and also said, "The road of Caoxi is level and broad; why cease ascending it?" The road of Caoxi is devoid of dust and devoid of tracks; exposed naked and stripped clean, level and broad, untrammeled and free. Why then cease ascending it? Let each look beneath their own feet.