佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 8.35

8.35

In the Śūraṅgama assembly, the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla and the sixteen bodhisattvas each cultivated the brahma conduct, and then each explained the cause of the Dharma-gate of perfect penetration which they had realized. This is also one among the twenty-five perfect penetrations. Because when the monks bathed they entered the bath according to routine, they suddenly awakened to the cause of water, saying, "Since it neither washes dirt nor washes the body, tell me, what does it wash?" If you can understand it, right in the midst you are peaceful, attaining non-existence. Thousands and myriads can no longer approach. So it is said, "With nothing to attain is true prajñā; if there is something to attain, it is counterfeit prajñā." Have you not seen Bodhidharma say to the Second Patriarch, "Bring your mind here and I will pacify it for you"? The Second Patriarch said, "Searching for mind, it is completely unobtainable." This bit here is the root of a patch-robed monk's life. There is entirely no need for so many entangling vines; one need only say, "suddenly awakened to the cause of water," and it is naturally settled. Since it neither washes dirt nor washes the body, tell me, what was awakened to? Having reached such a stage, not a single speck can be applied; even to say the word "Buddha" must be tabooed. They said, "The wondrous touch was manifested with clarity, and we attained the stage of sons of the Buddha." "Manifested" means revealed; "wondrous touch" is clarity. Having awakened to wondrous touch and attained the stage of sons of the Buddha, one immediately abides in the Buddha ground. Nowadays people also enter the bath and wash with water, and also touch in this way—why do they not awaken? They are all deluded and obstructed by dust-realms, their skins glued and bones stuck, and therefore they cannot immediately become alert. If you come here, in washing there is nothing to attain, in touching there is nothing to attain, and in the cause of water there is nothing to attain: tell me, is it "wondrous touch manifested with clarity," or is it not "wondrous touch manifested with clarity"? If right here you see it directly, that is "wondrous touch manifested with clarity, and attaining the stage of sons of the Buddha." Nowadays people also touch—do they still see the wondrous point? Wondrous touch is not ordinary touch; joined with the one who touches, it is touch; separated, it is not. Xuansha crossed the ridge and stubbed his toe, and on to Deshan's staff—is this not wondrous touch? Even though it is so, one must also be pierced through seven times and eight times before one can attain it. If you merely grope about on the body, what connection is there? If you are pierced through seven times and eight times, what need is there to enter the bath? Right on the tip of a single hair you manifest the lands of the precious kings, and within a single fine dust mote you turn the great wheel of the Dharma. If you penetrate in one place, you penetrate thousands and myriads of places all at once. Do not just keep to one nest and one hole! Everywhere is Avalokiteśvara's gate of entering the principle. The ancients also had those who awakened to the Way upon hearing a sound, and clarified the mind upon seeing form. If one person awakened, that would be ordinary; why did sixteen bodhisattvas awaken at the same time? Therefore the ancients cultivated together and verified together, awakened together and understood together. Xuedou brought up their scriptural meaning to have people understand at the point of wondrous touch; he brought forth their scriptural eye to versify, to save people from being enveloped half-drunk and half-awake in the net of teachings, wanting to make people directly fresh and unburdened. The verse says: