萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 3.40

3.40

The Master said: The Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment says: 'Just as a lost person confuses the four directions, yet in reality the directions have not moved; when he awakens, they are also just as before.' The Zongjing says: 'Originally, delusion and awakening seemed like delusion; today, awakening to delusion is not awakening.' This is truly 'wonderfully transmitted and concise,' generous without expense. If you grasp it, then the lump of red flesh is just the true person without status. If you do not grasp it, the true person goes out and in through the facial gates just as before. This monk also had it, only he could not bring it out, could not put it to use. Instead, he acted as a servant for the true person, delivering words, conveying messages, and inquiring after news. It troubled Linji to lower his honor and approach the lowly, directly using the whole substance. Since the monk was caught unprepared, Linji also pulled away without looking back. Seeing that the spoon could not scoop it up, he then said, 'The true person without status—what kind of dried shit-scraper is it!' This can release and can capture, call together and shout apart, never binding dead words to cause sickness in people's chests. Tiantai says: 'One blow, and the world is formed; one shout, and the world is destroyed.' Furthermore, he says: 'At the very moment of blowing, shout; at the very moment of shouting, blow.' Liezi says: Gongyizi was renowned for his strength. King Xuan of Zhou engaged him with all due rites. When he arrived, he was a weakling. The king asked, 'How great is your strength?' He replied, 'Your subject can break the thigh of a spring insect and bear the wing of an autumn cicada.' The king changed countenance and said, 'My strength can tear rhinoceros hide and drag the tails of nine oxen, yet I still regret its weakness. Being as you are, why are you renowned for strength?' He replied, 'Your subject's renown is not based on bearing strength, but on being able to use strength.' This versifies Linji's powerful function of gathering and releasing. When Fayan dug a well, the spring-eye was blocked by sand. He asked a monk, 'The spring-eye is not clear because sand blocks it. The eye of the Way is not clear; what blocks it?' The monk had no reply. Fayan answered for him: 'It is blocked by the eye.' Now tell me: did this monk block the spring-eye, or did Linji block the spring-eye? When it suddenly bursts forth, how is it? The Master picked up his staff and descended from the seat. The assembly dispersed all at once.