萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 4.19

4.19

The Master raised the case: Dongshan and Chan Master Sengmi of Mount Shen in Tanzhou were crossing a stream. Dongshan asked, 'How is the matter of crossing the stream?' Mi said, 'Not getting the feet wet.' Dongshan said, 'An old man of your years making such talk!' Mi said, 'What about you?' Dongshan said, 'The feet are not wet.' In the teachings there are the two gates of nature and cultivation; the Dongshan lineage calls it 'borrowing cultivation to clarify the stage.' Generally, awakening by means of cultivation is entering sagehood from the ordinary: a commoner in plain clothes directly appointed chief minister. But if there is awakening first and cultivation afterward, it is entering the ordinary from sagehood: an illustrious clan of hairpins and tassels is noble by origin; though tossed about in myriad plights, the bone structure still remains. Therefore it is said: 'In the parable of the poor son this principle is clarified; / In the verse on offering the pearl, the great net is revealed.' Do all of you wish to see the insight of these two venerable masters? Look to Tiantong's taking charge of the indictment. The verse says: