萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 3.86

3.86

The Master said: The ninth-generation Great Master Yuanming of Mount Deshan in Dingzhou, whose taboo name was Yuanmi—among Yunmen's successors, his lineage alone spread the widest. The Master initiated the three phrases: 'containing and covering heaven and earth,' 'cutting off all streams,' and 'going along with the waves and following the billows.' Nowadays they are passed down as Yunmen's three phrases, which comes from an uncritical investigation. One day he instructed the assembly, saying: 'When it is completely reached, so that the mouths of the buddhas of the three periods are hung on the wall'—this means that even the wide and long tongue phase cannot reach it in speech. 'Still there is one person laughing ha-ha! But tell me: who is this person, and what is he laughing at? If you recognize this person, your business of study is completed'—is it truly so, or is there still something beyond? Venerable Touzi Qing brought it up, saying: 'All the moon of the Chu sky is concealed, yet the stars of the Han realm still remain.' Wansong says: 'The cart has already gone—what need for an oil vat?' This may be spoken to those who take a step from the top of the pole. Venerable Zhao of Baofeng said: 'You must be like a thoroughly dead person, dead and dying further.' A monk said, 'Is this not reviving in the midst of death?' The Master said, 'Just die, do not revive. You only need to eat your meal, and when pressed inside, go defecate of yourself. You haven't even eaten your meal—why ask about defecating so soon?' This values taking a great rest and cessation, personally arriving and realizing for oneself. Speaking one rod is not as good as practicing one foot. Just like where one cannot practice, how can one speak? Ask of Tiantong. The verse says: