人天眼目 6.4

6.4

The Master went up to the hall and said: 'Generally, in proclaiming the teachings, flowing forth from non-desire are three phrases; they are merely theoretical discussions: biting off and biting firmly; wishing to go but not going, wishing to stay but not staying; sometimes completely not going, sometimes completely not staying. None of them know any fixed direction or place. A fellow with clear eyes has no nest or burrow, abrupt and sudden! If one speaks of combat, everyone must possess the technique of biting pigs and dogs. If you have not yet penetrated and not yet clarified it, you must still attain seventy or eighty percent before you can engage in the work. If your eyes have always been dim and muddled, do not recklessly present your confused sack; the mistaken hammer will break your waist! Do not say I did not tell you.' (Note: Regarding Yantou's three phrases: 'Biting off and biting firmly' is one; 'Wishing to go but not going, wishing to stay but not staying' is one; 'Sometimes completely not going, sometimes completely not staying' is one. The old edition took 'biting off' as one, 'biting firmly' as one, and 'wishing to go but not going, wishing to stay but not staying' as one, while disregarding the phrase 'sometimes completely not going, sometimes completely not staying' altogether; this was an error. Having now corrected it, the address given upon ascending the hall is briefly cited as proof.)