萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 6.35

6.35

The Master said: Tiantong saw that Xuedou cited the sūtra briefly, and also broadly raised the eye of the teaching. Though the citation was brief, his verse is very detailed. In the second fascicle of the Śūraṅgama, it first clarifies that the object which is not seeing is external dust; next it clarifies that the seeing which is not an object is the true nature. Now citing this latter passage in full is precisely this gong'an. The sūtra says: "If seeing were an object, then you could also see my seeing. If you saw the same thing, that would be called seeing mine. When I do not see, why do you not see the place where I do not see? If you see my not-seeing, it is naturally not the aspect of that not-seeing. If you do not see the ground of my not-seeing, it is naturally not an object; why is it not you?" Master Xuan of Changshui commented: "The meaning of this text concludes and returns through five layers in turn. The sūtra text retains three and conceals two meanings. If discussed fully, it should say: 'If you do not see the place where I do not see, you also do not see where I see. Since you do not see where I see, my seeing is naturally not an object. If my seeing is not an object, your seeing is also not an object. Since your seeing is not an object, why is it not your true seeing?'" Foguo raised this: "Ānanda meant, 'The world, lanterns, and open pillars all have names and forms. The essential, bright origin of seeing—what kind of object is it called? Please let me see it.' The Buddha meant, 'When I see the incense burner, what about you?' Ānanda said, 'I also see the incense burner; this is seeing where the Buddha sees.' The Buddha said, 'When I see the incense burner, that can be known. When I do not see the incense burner, what about you?' Ānanda said, 'I also do not see the incense burner; this is seeing the Buddha's not-seeing.' The Buddha said, 'You say you do not see; that is your own knowing. The place where another does not see—how can you know it?' When the ancients reached here, it could only be known for oneself; it cannot be spoken to others." Xuedou brought out the eye of the teaching, solely versifying seeing the Buddha. Tiantong deeply grasped the meaning of the sūtra, versifying the true seeing. The verse says: