T2003 The Blue Cliff Record

66. Getting Huangchao’s Sword

The Blue Cliff Record

not the Buddha contemplate this matter for three weeks thinking, "I would rather not explain the truth but quickly enter extinction. " "So I think of a good horse seeing the shadow of the whip; / Gone a thousand miles in pursuit of the wind, I call him back. " A "wind-chasing" horse, seeing the shadow of a whip, immediately goes a thousand miles; if you make it return, it returns. Xuedou intends to praise him by saying that an excellent breed rolls at a push, comes back at a call. "Calling, if I get him to return, I'd snap my fingers thrice"—is this criticism, or is it scattering sand? 66. Getting Huangchao's Sword

Introduction

Meeting the situation head on, setting a pitfall for a tiger; attacking from front and side, laying out strategy to capture a bandit; adapting in light, adapting in darkness, letting both go, gathering both in, knowing how to play with a dead snake —all this is a matter for an adept.

Story

Yantou asked a monk, "Where do you come from?" (He's defeated before he even speaks. Yantou's boring into a skullbone. If you want to know where he's coming from, it's not hard.) The monk said, "From the western capital." (After all he's a petty thief.) Yantou said, "After the rebel Huangchao had gone, did you get his sword?" (Yantou has never been a petty thief. He doesn't fear losing his head, so he asks such a question; courageous indeed.) The monk said, "I got it." (He's defeated. He doesn't know where to turn. Ignoramuses are most plentiful.) Yantou extended his neck, came near, and said, "Kaa!" (One must know what's appropriate to the moment. This is a pitfall to catch a tiger. What is going on in his mind?) The monk said, "Your head has fallen." (He only sees the sharpness of the awl, not the squareness of the chisel. What good or bad does he know? He's struck.) Yantou laughed. 302

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(No one can do anything to him. He fools everyone. No one can find out where his head has fallen.) Later that monk went to Xuefeng. (As before he's fatheaded and stupid. He is defeated time and again.) Xuefeng asked, "Where did you come from?" (He can't but tell where he comes from; but still Xuefeng wants to try him.) The monk said, "From Yantou." (After all he's defeated.) Xuefeng said, "What did he say?" (If he can recite it, he won't avoid getting hit.) The monk recounted the preceding story. (Right then he should be driven out.) Xuefeng hit him thirty blows with his staff and drove him out. (Though it is true he cuts nails and shears through iron, why does he only strike thirty blows? He hasn't yet gotten to the point where his staff breaks. This is not yet the real thing. Why? "Three thousand blows in the morning, eight hundred blows in the evening." Were Xuefeng not a fellow student with Yantou, how could he discern the point? Though this is so, tell me, where do Xuefeng and Yantou abide?)

Commentary

To go seeking truth you must have the eye of a seeker. This monk's eyes were like comets, yet he was still thoroughly exposed by Yantou, and pierced all the way through on a single string. At that time, had he been a real man, whether it were to kill or enliven, he would have made use of it immediately as soon as it was brought up; but he was a rickety dotard and instead said, "I got it." If you seek like this, the king of death will question you and demand you pay your grocery bill. I don't know how many sandals he wore out by the time he got to Xuefeng. At that time, had he had a little eye power, he would have been able to get a glimpse. This story has a knotty complication in it. Though this matter has neither gain nor loss, the gain and loss are tremendous; though there is no discrimination, when you get here, after all you must have the eyes to discriminate.

See how when Longya was traveling he posed this question to Deshan: "How is it when a student wants to take the master's head with a sharp sword?" Deshan stretched out his neck and said, 303

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"Kaa!" Longya said, "Your head has fallen." Deshan went to his room. Longya told Dongshan about this; Dongshan said, "What did Deshan say?" Longya said, "Nothing." Dongshan said, "Leaving aside his having nothing to say, just bring me Deshan's fallen head. " At these words Longya was greatly awakened; subsequently he made a gesture of repentance to Deshan. A monk told Deshan about this; Deshan said, "Old Dongshan doesn't know good from bad; this fellow has been dead for so long, even if you could revive him, what would be the use?"

This story is the same as Longya's: Deshan went to his room, thus in darkness was most wonderful. Yantou laughs; in his laugh there is poison; anyone who could discern it could travel freely throughout the world. If this monk had been able to pick it out at that moment, he would have escaped criticism for all time. But at Yantou's place he had already missed it.

Observe Xuefeng; being a colleague of Yantou, he immediately knew what he was getting at. Still, he didn't explain it all for the monk, but just hit him and drove him out, thereby conforming to the absolute. This is the method of taking an adept Chan practitioner by the nose to help the person; he doesn't do anything more for him but make him awaken on his own.

When genuine Chan teachers help people, sometimes they trap them and do not let them come out; sometimes they release them and let them be slovenly. After all, they must have a place to manifest. Yantou and Xuefeng, supposedly so great, were on the contrary exposed by this rice-eating Chan follower. When Yantou said, "After Huangchao had gone, did you get his sword?"—tell me, what could be said here to avoid his laughter, and to avoid Xuefeng's brandishing his staff and driving him out? Here it is difficult to understand; if you have not personally experienced awakening, in the final analysis you will not be able to pass beyond birth and death, no matter how glib you may be. I always teach people to observe the pivot of this action; if you try to assess it, you are far away. Have you not seen how Touzi asked a monk, "Did you get Huangchao's sword after he'd gone?" The monk 304

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pointed at the ground. Touzi said, "For thirty years I have been handling horses, but today I've been kicked by a mule." Observe that monk; he too was undeniably an adept—neither did he say he had it, nor did he say he didn't have it; he was as if an ocean away from the monk from the western capital. Zhenru brought this up and said, "Of those ancients, one acted as the head, the other as the tail, for sure. "

Verse

After Huangchao's passing, he had picked up the sword. (What is the use of an impetuous fellow? This is just a tin knife.)

The great laughter after all needs an adept to understand it.

(One heir is familiar with it. How many could be? How could anyone else be free?)

Thirty blows of the mountain cane is still light punishment;

(Born of the same lineage, they die of the same lineage. Three thousand in the morning, eight hundred in the evening. When someone in the eastern house dies, someone of the western house helps in the mourning. But can they bring him back to life?)

To take advantage is to lose the advantage. (He settles the case according to the facts. It is regrettable not to have been careful in the very beginning.)

Commentary

"After Huangchao's passing, he had picked up the sword. / The great laughter needs an adept to understand it." Xuedou immediately refers to the monk and Yantou's laughter. This bit cannot be grasped by anyone in the world. But what was he laughing at? You must be an adept to know. In this laughter there is the provisional 305

67. Great Adept Fu Expounds a Scripture

The Blue Cliff Record

and the true, there is illumination and function, there is killing and giving life.

"Thirty blows of the mountain cane is still light punishment." This refers to the monk coming to Xuefeng; the monk was crude as before, so Xuefeng acted as was imperative and drove him out with a thrashing. But tell me, why did he act like this? Do you want to understand this story fully? "To take advantage is to lose the advantage."

67. Great Adept Fu

Expounds a Scripture

i97b Story

Emperor Wu requested the great adept Fu to expand the Diamond Cutter Scripture. (Bodhidharma's brother is here. This is not unheard of in fish markets and wineshops, but it is inappropriate in the school of patch-robed monks. This old guy Fu is supposedly so venerable and great, yet he acts like this.) Fu shook the lectern once, then got down from the seat. (He's like a comet bursting out then disappearing. He seems right but isn't really. He doesn't bother to create any complications.) Emperor Wu was astonished. (He's been fooled two or three times. Fu too makes him unable to get a grasp.) Master Zhi asked, "Does your majesty understand?" (He sides with principle, not emotion. The elbow does not bend outwards. He too should be beaten.) The emperor said, "No." (What a pity.) Master Zhi said, "Great Adept Fu has expounded the scripture." (He too should be driven from the country. Only if Emperor Wu had driven Zhi out of the country at once along with Fu would he have been an adept. They are two people in the same pit, where the dirt is no different.) Commentary

After Wu became emperor, he made new commentaries on the Confucian classics and gave lectures. He was also devoted to Taoism and 306

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was most filial. One day he thought of attaining the transmundane teaching; as an act of piety he abandoned Taoism and took up Buddhism. He received precepts from Master Louyue; he put on Buddhist vestments and personally expounded the Light Emitting Wisdom Scripture.

At the time, the great Master Zhi was confined in prison on the pretext that he manifested wonders and confused people. Zhi then reproduced his body and wandered around teaching in the city. The emperor found out about this and was inspired. He respected Zhi very much. Time and again Master Zhi practiced protective concealment; his disappearances and appearances were incomprehensible.

At that time there was a great adept living on a mountain; he had planted two trees and called them the Twin Trees, and called himself the future great adept Shanhui. One day he composed a letter and had a disciple present it to the emperor. The court didn't accept it because he had neglected the formalities of a subject in respect to the ruler.

When Shanhui, the great adept Fu, was going into the capital city to sell fish, the Emperor Wu had just requested Master Zhi to expound the Diamond Cutter Scripture. Zhi said, I cannot expound it, but in the marketplace there is a great adept named Fu who can." The emperor then had him summoned to the inner palace. Once Fu had arrived, he mounted the lecturing seat, shook the lectern once, then got down. At that moment, if Wu had pushed it over for him, he would have avoided a mess; instead he was asked by Master Zhi, "Does your majesty understand?" The emperor said no. Zhi said, "The great adept has expounded the scripture." This too is one person acting as the head and one acting as the tail. But when Zhi spoke this way, did he in fact see Fu at all? Everyone does mental gymnastics, but this one is outstanding among them. Though it is a dead snake, if you know how to handle it, it'll come to life. Since he was expounding the scripture, why did he not make the general distinction into two aspects, just as ordinary professors do — "The substance of the diamond is hard, so 307

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nothing can destroy it; because of its sharp function, it can cut through everything. " Explaining like this could be called expounding the scripture. But even so, people hardly understand that the great adept Fu only brought up the transcendental mainspring and briefly showed the sword point, to let people know the ultimate intent, directly standing it up for you like a towering wall. It was only appropriate that he should be subject to Master Zhi's ignorance of good and bad in saying, "The great adept has expounded the scripture." Indeed, he had a good intent but didn't get a good response. It was like a cup of fine wine being diluted with water by Master Zhi, like a bowl of soup being polluted by Zhi with a piece of rat dropping.

But tell me, granted that this is not expounding the scripture, ultimately what can you call it?

Verse

He does not rest this body by the Twin Trees; (It's just because he can't hold still. How could it be possible to hide a sharp awl inside a bag?) Instead he stirs up dust in the land of Liang. (Had he not entered the weeds, how could we see the point? Where there is no style, there is still style.) At that time, were it not for old Master Zhi, (One does not need capital to be a thief. There is a leper dragging a companion along.)

He too would have been hastily leaving the country. (His crime should be listed on the same indictment, so I strike.)

Commentary

"He does not rest this body by the Twin Trees; / Instead he stirs up dust in the land of Liang." Great adept Fu and Bodhidharma met the Emperor Wu in the same way. When Bodhidharma first arrived in Liang and saw the emperor, Wu asked, "What is the highest meaning of the holy truths?" Bodhidharma said, "Empty, 308

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nothing holy." Wu said, "Who is here in my presence?" Bodhidharma said, "Don't know." The Emperor Wu didn't understand, so Bodhidharma left the country. The Emperor Wu mentioned this to Master Zhi and asked him about it. Zhi asked if the emperor had recognized the man; Wu said he didn't. Zhi said, "This is the great being Avalokitesvara, transmitting the seal of the Buddha mind. " The emperor felt regret and sent an emissary to get Bodhidharma; Zhi said, "Don't tell me you're going to send an emissary to get him; even if everyone in the country went, he would not return." That is why Xuedou says, "At that time, if not for Master Zhi, he too would have been hastily leaving the country." At the time, had it not been for Zhi exerting energy on behalf of Fu, he too would surely have been driven out of the country. Since Zhi wa§ so talkative, Emperor Wu after all was fooled by him. Xuedou's intent is to say there is no need for him to come to the land of Liang to expound the scripture and shake the lectern. That's why he says, "Why doesn't he rest by the Twin Trees, eating gruel and rice, passing the time according to his means? Instead he comes to the land of Liang and comments in this way— shaking the lectern once, he gets right down from the seat. This is where he stirs up dust."

If you want the marvelous, look at the cloudy skies; above you do not see that there is any Buddha, below you do not see that there are any sentient beings. If you discuss the matter of appearing in the world, you cannot avoid ashes on your head and dirt on your face, taking the nonexistent and making it exist, taking the existent and making it not exist, taking right and making it wrong, taking coarse and making it fine, presenting it sideways and using it upside down in the fish markets and wineshops, making everyone understand this matter. If you do not let go in this way, no one will ever understand. Great Adept Fu was already dragging in muddy water; fortunately he had a sympathizer. If not for Master Zhi, he would probably have been driven out of the country. But tell me, where is he now?

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68. What’s Your Name?

68. What' Your Name?

1983 Introduction

Overthrowing the polar star and reversing the earthly axis, capturing tigers and rhinos, distinguishing dragons from snakes—one must be lively and active before one can match phrase for phrase and correspond act to act. But who has ever been able to be thus? Story

Yangshan asked Sansheng, "What's your name?" (Name and reality take each other away. He brings in a thief, who will ransack his house.) Sansheng said, "Hug." (He cuts off his tongue, takes his flag, and steals his drum.) Yangshan said, "Hug? That's me." (Each guards his own territory.) Sansheng said, "My name is Huiran." (He steals in the bustling marketplace. That one and this one keep to their places.) Yangshan laughed. (It can be said that this is the season; he spreads flowers on brocade. No one in the world knows the point. Why? Because the land is broad, the people few, and rarely is anyone met with. This is like Yantou's laugh, but it is not Yantou s laugh. Both are laughs, so why are they two? Let those with eyes decide.)

Commentary

Sansheng was an adept in the Linji line. Since youth he possessed outstanding abilities; he had the great capacity and great function and rose to prominence while still a student. Later he left Linji and traveled around; everywhere he was treated as a distinguished guest. He went from north to south; first he went to Xuefeng and asked, "What does a golden fish that has passed through the net use for food?" Xuefeng said, "I'l tell you when you come out of the net. Sansheng said, "The teacher of fifteen hundred people doesn' even know what to say." Xuefeng said, "My tasks as abbot are many." As Xuefeng was going to the temple manor, 310

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on the way he encountered some macaques, whereupon he said, "Each of the macaques has an ancient mirror. " Sansheng said, "For eons it has been nameless; why do you depict it as an ancient mirror?" Xuefeng said, "A flaw has been created." Sansheng said, "The teacher of fifteen hundred people does not even know what to say." Xuefeng said, "My fault. My tasks as abbot are many." Later he came to Yangshan, who admired his outstanding acuity and accorded him the position of assembly leader. One day an oflicial came to call on Yangshan. Yangshan asked him, "What is your official position?" He said, "I'm a judge." Yangshan raised his whisk and said, "And can you judge this?" The official was speechless. All the people of the community made comments, but none accorded with Yangshan's idea. At that time Sansheng was sick and staying in the infirmary; Yangshan had his attendant take these words and ask him about them. Sansheng said, The master has a problem." Yangshan had his attendant ask, "What's the problem?" Sansheng said, "A second offense is not permitted." Yangshan deeply approved of this.

Baizhang had in the past given his meditation brace and cushion to Huangbo and his staff and whisk to Guishan; Guishan later gave these to Yangshan. Since Yangshan greatly approved of Sansheng, when Sansheng was leaving Yangshan wanted to give him his staff and whisk. Sansheng said, "I already have a teacher." When Yangshan asked him about it, it turned out he was an heir of Linji.

When Yangshan asked Sansheng, "What is your name?" he couldn't have but known his name; why did he still ask? The reason is that an adept wants to test people to know them thoroughly. He just seemed to be casually asking his name, speaking no further judgment. Why did Sansheng not say "Huiran, but instead said "Hug"? See how one with the eye is naturally unusual. This manner of Sansheng's was not crazy, though; he simply took com- mand. His meaning was beyond Yangshan's words. These words do not fall within the scope of common sense; they are difficult to 198b

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grasp. The methods of such a person can bring people to life; that is why it is said, "He studies the living word, not the dead world." If they followed ordinary sense, they couldn't set people at rest. See how those ancients kept their minds on the Way like this: they exerted their spirits to the utmost and only then were capable of great enlightenment. Once they were completely enlightened, when they used it, after all they appeared the same as unenlightened people. In any case, what they said could not fall into ordinary feelings.

Sansheng knew where Yangshan was at, so he said, "My name is Hug." Yangshan wanted to take in Sansheng, but Sansheng took him in. Yangshan was only able to counterattack with, "I am Hug. " This is where he let go. Sansheng said, "My name is Huiran." This too is letting go. This is why Xuedou later says, "Both take in, both let go—how do you find the source?" With just one line he has versified it all at once.

Yangshan laughed; there was both provisional and true, both illumination and function. Because he was crystal clear in every respect, he functioned with complete freedom. This laugh was not the same as Yantou's; in Yantou's laugh there was poison, but in this laugh the pure wind blows chill for all eternity. Verse

Both take in, both let go—how do you find the source? (I don t know how many people there are. Crystal clear in every respect. I thought there really was such a thing.) To ride a tiger always requires absolute competence. (If you haven't the eye on the forehead and a talisman under your arm, how could you get here? You may mount, but I only fear you won't be able to dismount. If you are not such a person, how could you understand such a thing?) His laughter ended, I don't know where he's gone; (Even if you seek throughout the country for such a person, one would be hard to find. His words are still in our ears. For ever and ever there is the pure wind.) 312

68. What's Your Name?

It is only fitting to stir forever the wind of lament. (Right now where is it? Tsk! Since it is great laughter, why does it stir the wind of lament? The whole earth is flooded with darkness.)

Commentary

"Both take in, both let go—how do you find the source?" Letting go, alternately they act as guest and host. Yangshan says, "What is your name?" Sansheng says, "My name is Hug. This is both letting go. Yangshan says, "I am Hug. " Sansheng says, "I am Huiran." This is both taking in. In reality, this is the action of interchange: when taking in, everyone takes in; when letting go, everyone lets go. Xuedou has all at once completely versified it. What he means to say is that if we don't let go and take in, if we don't interchange, then you are you and I am I. The whole thing is just four syllables; why is there after all emergence and disappearance, spreading out and rolling up therein? An ancient said, "If you stand, I sit; if you sit, I stand. If we both sit or both stand at the same time, we'll both be blind." This is both taking in, both releasing, which can be considered the fundamental essential.

"To ride a tiger always requires absolute competence." When you have such a lofty manner, the highest essential of active potential, when you want to ride you ride, when you want to dismount you dismount. You can sit on the tiger's head and also hold the tiger's tail. Sansheng and Yangshan both had this style. "His laughter ended, I don't know where he's gone." Tell me, what did he laugh at? He was just like the pure wind blowing chill. Why does Xuedou say in the end, "It is only fitting to stir forever the wind of lament"? This is death without mourning; all at once he has finished adding explanations for you, but yet no one in the world can bite in, and they do not know the final point. Even I do not know the final point; do you?

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69. Nanquan’s Circle

69. Nanquan' Circle

Introduction

There is no place to get your teeth into; the mind seal of Chan is formed like the works of the iron ox. Having passed through the forest of horns, a Chan practitioner is like a snowflake in a red-hot furnace. As for penetrating on level ground, this I leave aside for the moment; without falling into entangling ties, how will you act? Story

Nanquan, Guizong, and Magu went together to pay respects to National Teacher Huizhong. When they got halfway there, ("Among three people traveling together, there must be a teacher of ine. hat s so special? Still t's ecessary o discern he ruth.) Nanquan drew a circle on the ground and said, "If ou can speak, let's o on. (He rouses aves here there's o ind. Still he wants people to know. He casts ff oat hat' oundered n solid round. Without posing a test, how could one discern the truth?) Guizong sat inside the circle; (When one strikes the cymbal, his companions join in.) Magu curtseyed. (When one strikes the drum, all three prove able.) Nanquan said, "Then let's not go on." (The one who can extricate himself alfway along is good. A good tune! An adept!) Guizong said, "What's going on in your mind?" (Lucky he understood completely. He should have slapped him then. Brash!) Commentary

At that time Mazu's teaching was flourishing in Jiangxi, Shitou's way as current in Hunan, and ational Teacher uizhong's ay was influencing Changan. The latter ad seen the sixth patriarch; all who had high aspirations wanted to study with him. These three—Nanquan, Guizong, and agu—wanted o go pay respects to the National Teacher; on the way they enacted this scenario of defeat. Nanquan said, "Then let's not go." Since they had each been able to speak, why did he say he wouldn' go? What was his 314

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intention? When he said "Let's not go," I would have slapped him, to see what trick he would pull; what eternally upholds the allembracing school is just this little bit of active essence. That is why Ciming said, "If you want to restrain him, just grab the rein and yank." Hit and he turns, like pushing down a gourd on water. Many say that Nanquan speaks words of disagreement, but they don't know that in this matter, when you get to the ultimate point, it is necessary to leave the mud, get out of the water, remove all fixations. If you make an intellectual interpretation, you've missed it. The ancients could turn and shift well; at this point they could not be otherwise—there must be killing and giving life. See how one sat in the circle, and one curtseyed. That too was very good. Nanquan said, "Then let's not go." Guizong said, "What's going on in your mind?" Brash fellow! He too goes on like this. His whole idea in saying this was that he wanted to test Nanquan. Nanquan always said, "As soon as you call it 'thus,' it has already changed." Nanquan, Guizong, and Magu—after all they were people of one house. One holds, one releases; one kills, one enlivens; undeniably they're unusual.

Verse

Youji's arrow shoots the monkey;

(Who dares to advance on the road ahead? Whenever he hits, he is marvelous; he hits the mark before he shoots.)

Circling the tree, how exceedingly direct! (Without attaining mastery, how could one presume to be thus? North, south, east, west—one family style. They have already been going around for a long time.) A thousand and ten thousand—

(Most plentiful. A pack of foxy devils. What about Nanquan?)

Who has ever hit the mark?

(One or a half. Not even one. Even one would still be no use.)

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Calling them together, he beckons, "Come, let's go back"; (A bunch of people playing with mud. Better to have gone back; then they would have gotten somewhere.) He stops climbing the road of Caoqi.

(Too much trouble. It seems to me that he is not a member of Caoqi's school. Level off the lowest place and there's extra; view the highest place and there's not enough.)

The road of Caoqi is level; why stop climbing? (Not only Nanquan extricates himself halfway along; Xuedou does too. Even a good thing is not as good as nothing. Xuedou too suffers from this kind of illness and pain.)

Commentary

Youji's arrow shoots the monkey; / Circling the tree, how exceedingly direct!" Youji was an archer of ancient times. Once when a king went hunting, he saw a white monkey and had someone shoot at it. The monkey grabbed the arrow and played with it. The king had all his courtiers shoot at it, but none could hit it. The king then asked who could shoot it, and they recommended the master archer Youji. Ordered to shoot, as Youji drew his bow, the monkey hugged the tree and howled pitifully; the monkey went around the tree to avoid the arrow shot, but the arrow also circled the tree and struck the monkey dead. This was a supernatural arrow. Why does Xuedou say it was exceedingly direct? Had it been too direct, it wouldn't have hit; since it went around the tree, why does Xuedou say it was exceedingly direct? Xuedou borrows the idea and uses it well. Some say that "circling the tree" is the circle; they do not know the import of the words; they do not know where the directness is. These three men are on different roads but return to the same place. They are uniformly and equally exceedingly direct. If you know where they're going, you are free in all directions without leaving your heart. A hundred rivers flow separately but return alike to the ocean. That is why Nanquan said, 316

70. Guishan Attends Baizhang

"Then let's not go." If you look at this with the true eye of Chan, this is just giving play to the spirit; but if you call it giving play to the spirit, yet it is not giving play to the spirit. Wuzu said, "Those three were absorbed in the lamp of wisdom, absorbed in the supreme array." Though Magu curtseyed, he never understood it as curtseying; though Nanquan drew a circle, he never understood it as a circle. Without understanding in this way, how will you understand? Xuedou says, "A thousand and ten thousand— / Who has ever hit the mark?" How many could hit the mark every time?

"Calling them together, he beckons. 'Come, let's go back.'" This refers to Nanquan. Nanquan didn't go on, so "He stops climbing the road of Caoqi." He destroys the forest of thorns. Xuedou cannot hold still and also says, "The road of Caoqi is level; why stop climbing? " The road of Caoqi is dustless and trackless, openly exposed, naked and clean, level, even, and smooth; why stop climbing after all? Each of you should observe where you are. 199b

70. Guishan Attends Baizhang

Introduction

A quick person needs but a single word; a fast horse needs but a single stroke of the whip. Ten thousand years is one thought; one thought is ten thousand years. If you want to know the direct way, it is before any mention is made. But before it is mentioned, how will you search for it?

Story

Guishan, Wufeng, and Yunyan were attending Baizhang. (Haha! Obscure and hard to understand throughout. You're headed west, I'm going east.) Baizhang asked Guishan, "How will you speak with your mouth shut?" (It is hard to find a general.) Guishan said, "Please speak yourself." (Guishan proceeds by Baizhang's 317

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road.) Baizhang said, "I don't refuse to speak to you, but I fear that I might be bereft of descendants. " (He is nevertheless being kind. He's thick-skinned. He adapts to any situation. He makes a counterattack.)

Commentary

Guishan, Wufeng, and Yunyan were attending Baizhang. Baizhang asked Guishan, "How will you speak with your mouth shut?" Guishan said, "Please speak yourself." Baizhang said, "I don't refuse to speak to you, but I fear I might be bereft of descendants." Though Baizhang acts thus, his pot has already been carried off by someone else. He also asked Wufeng, who replied, "You should shut up too." Baizhang said, "I gaze out toward you where there is no one." He also asked Yunyan, who said, "Do you have anything to say?" Baizhang said, "I have lost my descendants." Each was a master. An ancient said, "On level ground there are dead people without number; those who can pass through the forest of thorns are the skillful ones." Therefore Chan teachers use the forest of thorns to test people, because they couldn't test people if they stuck to sayings based on ordinary feelings. Chan practitioners must be able to display their ability in speech and discern the point within words. As for those who are one-sided, they often die within the words and say, "If the mouth is shut there's no way to say anything." As for those who can adapt successfully, they have waves going against the current, they have a single road right in the question. They don't damage the point or cut their hands. Guishan said, "Please speak yourself. " What did he mean? Here he was like sparks, like lightning; responding to Baizhang's question, he answered immediately. He had his own way of expression, not wasting any effort. So it is said, "He studies the living word, not the dead word. "

Nevertheless, Baizhang did not take him up on it but just said, "I don't refuse to speak to you, but I fear I might be bereft of descendants." Whenever Chan teachers help people, they remove fixations. People today who say this answer doesn't approve of 318

70. Guishan Attends Baizhang

Guishan and doesn't accept his words still don't know that right here is the one path of living potential, towering up like a milehigh wall, interchanging guest and host, leaping lively. Xuedou likes these words of Guishan, likes his freedom to revolve and maneuver elegantly while still being able to hold fast to his territory.

Verse

"You please speak instead."

(This contains the universe. He's already damaged the point and cut his hand.)

The tiger's head sprouts horns as he emerges from the wild weeds.

(Very startling indeed. Extraordinary indeed.) On the ten continents spring ends and the flowers fade and wither—

(Everywhere is clear and cool. No praise is sufficient.) Over the coral forest the sun is dazzling bright. (A hundredfold, a thousandfold. Nevertheless, he can't be found in phenomena. Guishan's answer covers heaven and earth.)

Commentary

The answers of the three are all different. There's towering like an immense wall, there's simultaneous illumining and functioning, and there's inability even to save oneself. "You please speak instead." Immediately in this one line Xuedou has displayed his device. He goes farther into it and presses ever so lightly to make it easy for people to see by saying, "The tiger's head sprouts horns as he emerges from the wild weeds." Guishan's answer is like putting horns on a ferocious tiger—is there any way to approach it?

A monk asked Loshan, "How is it when born together and dying together?" Loshan said, "Like an ox without horns." The monk 319

71. You Shut Up Too

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200a asked, "How about when born together but not dying together?" Loshan said, "Like a tiger with horns. "

Though Xuedou has completed the verse in one couplet, he has ample ability to turn around and change. He goes on to say, On the ten continents spring ends and the flowers fade and wither." On the ocean there are ten continents where one hundred years make one spring. Xuedou's words have graceful elegance, turning freely with great ease. When the spring is over, myriad flowers fade and wither all at once. Only the coral tree forest doesn't fade and wither—it takes the light of the sun and reflects it back and forth. Then it is amazing indeed. Xuedou uses this to illustrate Guishan's saying, "You please speak instead." 71. You Shut Up Too

Story

Baizhang also asked Wufeng, "How will you speak with your mouth shut?" (Hahaha! The arrow has gone past the next country.) Wufeng said, "You should shut up too." (He takes command. With one saying he cuts off the flow and stops all impulses.) Baizhang said, "I gaze out toward you where there's no one." (Where the land is broad and the people few, rarely is anyone met with.) Commentary

Guishan held his territory, Wufeng cut off all flows. For this bit one must take it up directly, like a head-on clash in the front lines. There s no room for hesitation. Wufeng functions directly and immediately; his reply is swift, uncompromisingly strict. He's not like Guishan, who is so relaxed, easygoing and exuberant. Followers of Chan today just go under the shelf, unable to go beyond him. So it is said, "If you want to attain intimacy, don't ask with a question."

Wufeng's answer cut him off immediately; indeed it was fast and brilliant. Baizhang said, "I gaze out toward you where there's 320

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no one." But is this approving of Wufeng or not? Is it killing or bringing to life? Seeing him turn so smoothly, Baizhang was just giving him a check.

Verse

"You should shut up too."

(Already there before anything was said, he cut off all flows.)

Observe his strategy on the battle lines— (It takes the ability of a great general to be able to do this. He's fully equipped, an expert accustomed to battle.)

He makes people think of General Li Guang; (There aren't many with such marvelous skill. With a horse and spear he covers ten thousand miles and defeats ten thousand men.)

Over the vast horizon a single hawk soars. (Do you see? Where does it alight? On target. I hit, saying, "It's flown past.")

Commentary

"You should shut up too." In one line Xuedou gives a push and says, "Observe his strategy on the battle lines"—it is as though Wufeng set out two battle lines to burst out and burst in. He has the ability of a battle commander, unrestrained in all directions. One with great strategy freely appears and disappears with horse and spear on the battle lines. How could you surround him? If you're not such a person, how will you know there is such strategy? In all these three verses what Xuedou describes is like this, like Li Guang's miraculous arrows. "Over the vast horizon a single hawk soars." It is certain that one arrow fells one eagle; there is no more escape. In Xuedou's verse, Baizhang's question is like a hawk; Wufeng's answer is like an arrow. I have been so occupied with praising Wufeng that without realizing it my whole body has been immersed in muddy water.

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72. Baizhang Questions Yunyan

Story

Baizhang also asked unyan, "How will ou speak ith our outh shut?" ("Come out of our hole, frog." What will he say?) Yunyan said, "Have you anything to say or not?" (Sticking to his skin, clinging to his bones, he's covered with muddy water. Before he doesn' each he village; later e doesn' et o the shop.) Baizhang said, "I have lost y descendants." (Obviously ith an answer ike this, half s in front and half s left behind.)

Commentary

Yunyan attended Baizhang for twenty years. Later he went with Daowu to Yaoshan. Yaoshan asked him, "What was your purpose in Baizhang's group?" Yunyan said, "To escape birth and death." Yaoshan said, "Have you escaped?" Yunyan said, "This one has o birth and death." Yaoshan said, "Twenty years at Baizhang and your force of abit still isn' cleared away." Yunyan left and went to Nanquan; later he returned to Yaoshan and at last understood and was enlightened.

See how Yunyan studied for twenty years and still was unripe. Something stuck o his skin nd clung to his ones; he couldn' break through. He may have been right, but he didn' reach the village before or get to the shop later. Haven' you heard it said, "If our ords are no more than old clichés, how ill you be able to get out of what covers and binds you? White clouds lie athwart the valley mouth, making so many people miss the source." In the Cao-Dong line this is called transgression; so they say, "Throw open the well-guarded phoenix tower, but avoid transgressing the taboo on the emperor's name." Hence it is said "To attain it is necessary to pass beyond the forest of thorns; if you do not, you will get stuck in subtleties and be unable to cut them off." As I ust said, before he didn' reach his village; later he didn' get to his shop. Yunyan ust ent o test the other's depths. When 322

72. Baizhang Questions Yunyan

Baizhang saw him acting like this, he immediately held him and struck him dead.

Verse 200c

"Have you anything to say or not?"

(The case is obvious. Yunyan was following the waves, pursuing the ripples, mixing with mud, mingling with water.)

The golden-haired lion is not crouching on the ground. (Obviously. What's the use? Too bad!)

Two by two, three by three, traveling the old road— (How will you speak with your mouth shut? Turn around and show some spirit! Though it was right under his feet, he missed it.)

On Daxiong Mountain Baizhang snapped his fingers in vain.

(The dead do not come back to life. Too bad, too sad. Xuedou adds more grief to his cry of woe.) Commentary

'"Have you anything to say or not?' / The golden-haired lion is not crouching on the ground." Xuedou concludes the case on the basis of the facts. Yunyan is indeed one, but this golden-haired lion nevertheless is not crouching. To catch its prey, a lion conceals its teeth, hides its claws, and crouches on the ground to rear and leap. Whether the prey is large or small the lion always uses its whole power, to complete the deed. When Yunyan said, "Have you anything to say or not?" he was just traveling on an old road; so Xuedou says Baizhang snapped his fingers in vain on Daxiong Mountain. 323

73. The Permutations

of Assertion and Denial

Introduction

In explaining truth, there is neither explanation nor dogma; in listening to truth, there is neither hearing nor attainment. Since explanation has no explanation or dogma, how can it compare to not explaining? Since listening neither hears nor attains, how can it compare to not listening? Then no explanation and no listening amounts to something. As you are here listening to me explain here, how will you avoid this mistake? Those with the eye to pass through the barrier, try to bring it up.

Story

A onk asked azu, "Please indicate the eaning of han directly, apart from all permutations of assertion and denial." (Where did he get this saying from? Where did he get this news?) Mazu said, "I' tired today and can' explain for you. Go ask Zhizang." (He retreats three paces. Those who stumble past don't even ealize it. He hides his body but reveals his shadow. Undeniably the old guy has passed the buck.) When the monk asked Zhizang, (He should have pressed Mazu. He's stumbled past without realizing it.) Zhizang said, "Why ot ask he teacher?" (The scorched-tail tiger has come out of he weeds. What s he saying? In act, the monk s binding himself with straw ropes—he's totally dead.) The monk said, "He told me to ask you." (He' at the disposal of another. The first arrow was still light, but the second one goes deep.) Zhizang said, "I ave eadache oday nd an' xplain or ou. Go sk aizhang. (Indeed Mazu's eighty-four enlightened disciples all suffer from this kind of ickness.) When the monk asked Baizhang, (He turns it over to another. Holding the loot, he claims he's been wronged.) Baizhang said, "At this point, after all, I don't understand." (He doesn't make a fuss. At any rate, the obscurity extends endlessly, forever.) When the monk related this to Mazu, (Despite everything, this onk does ave a ittle eyesight.) azu aid, "Zhizang's 324

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head is white; Baizhang's head is black." (In the heartland the emperor commands; beyond the borders, the general gives orders.) Commentary

Zhenjiao said of this story, "You just need to look at Mazu's first line and you will naturally understand all at once." Tell me, did this monk understand when he asked, or did he ask not understanding? This question of his is undeniably profound and far reaching. As for going beyond the permutations of assertion and denial, the four basic propositions are existence, nonexistence, neither, and both. Depart from these and you cut off all their permutations. But if you occupy yourself making up theories, you won't recognize the point of the story—you'll be looking for your head without seeing it.

Had it been me, I'd have waited till Mazu had spoken, then bowed thrice, to see how he would have responded. Had I been Mazu, I'd have driven the monk out with my staff when he asked the question, to see if he would awaken.

Mazu just created complications for him. When this guy was right in front of it and stumbled past missing it, Mazu still directed him to go ask Zhizang. The monk still didn't know that Mazu profoundly discerns all comers. He went in ignorance to ask Zhizang. Zhizang said, "Why not ask the teacher?" The monk said, "He told me to ask you. " Watch this bit of his: when pressed he immediately turns without wasting any more time. Zhizang said, "I have a headache today and can't explain for you. Go ask Baizhang. " The monk went to ask Baizhang, who said, "At this point, after all, I don't understand." Tell me, why did one say he had a headache and one say he didn't understand? In the end, what's what? The monk came back and told Mazu; Mazu said, "Zhizang's head is white; Baizhang's head is black."

If you figure this by way of intellectual interpretation, then you would say they were fooling the monk. Some say it was all just buck passing. Some say all three knew the point of the monk's question, and so they didn't answer. All such interpretations 325

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201b The Blue Cliff Record

amount to covering your eyes and putting poison into the savory delicacy of the ancients.

Thus Mazu said, "I will explain to you when you swallow all the water of West River in one gulp." This is the same as the present story. If you can understand "Zhizang's head is white; Baizhang's head is black, " you can understand the talk about West River. This monk took his load of confusion and exchanged it for uneasiness; he went on troubling these three adepts, making them enter the muddy water. In the end the monk didn't catch a glimpse of it. Yet even so, nevertheless the three Chan masters were exposed by this one-sided man.

People today just make a living on the words. They say white refers to merging in light, while black refers to merging in darkness. Just occupying themselves with pursuing their calculations, such people are far from knowing that the ancient cuts off their conceptual faculties with a single saying. You must go to the true lifeline and see for yourself before you can gain firm accord. Therefore it is said, "At the last word you finally get to the impenetrable barrier." If you hold the essential crossing, you don't let profane or holy pass. If you discuss this matter, it's like having a sword pressing against your forehead—hesitate and you lose your life. Again, it's said, "It's like hurling a sword into the sky—it's not a question of reaching or not." Just understand at the point of glistening clarity. Haven't you heard of ancients saying, "Ignoramus!" or "Foxy devil!" or "Blind!" Tell me, is it the same as a blow or shout, or different? If you know that myriad differences and distinctions are all one, then naturally you will be able to take on opponents from all sides. Do you want to understand "Zhizang's head is white; Baizhang's head is black"? Wuzu said, "Mr. Dust Sweeper." Verse

Zhizang's head is white; Baizhang's head is black— (Half closed, half open. One hand lifts up, one hand presses down. The sound of gold bells, the flourish of jade chimes.)

326

73. The Permutations of Assertion and Denial Even clear-eyed Chan practitioners cannot understand. (Go travel for thirty more years. After all you are taken in tow by someone else. Because of this, I frown.) The colt has trampled everyone on earth to death— (In all the Chan groups, only Mazu could do this. Let the old man out.)

Linji isn't yet a thief who can steal in broad daylight. (A leper drags along a companion. Even experts have been caught.)

Going beyond all assertion and denial—

(What is he saying? You too must check into this and see for yourself. "Poppa" is like "daddy.") In all the universe, only I know.

(Why use "I"? I'll snatch away your staff. If there's no self and no others, no gain and no loss, what will you use to know?)

Commentary

"Zhizang's head is white; Baizhang's head is black." What does this mean? No Chan practitioner can leap clear of this little bit. See how well Xuedou closes up tight at the end; he says that even if you're a clear-eyed Chan practitioner you won't be able to understand. This bit of news is called the hidden secret of the spiritual immortals, which is not passed on from father to son. After the Buddha had spoken the teachings of his time, at the end he specially transmitted the mind seal. It is called the diamond sword, the absolute state. Such complications were a matter that couldn't be avoided—with them the ancients showed a little of their sharp point. If you can pass through, then you will penetrate to great independence. If you can't pass through, as before you have no penetrating understanding, and the more you talk the further away you are.

"The colt has trampled everyone on earth to death. " The colt refers to Mazu, an allusion to the sixth patriarch's prediction of Mazu's appearance in the world. See how special his way of doing 327

74. Jinniu’s Rice Pail

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20ic things was—he just said, "Zhizang's head is white; Baizhang's head is black." This is where to see how he tramples everyone to death. No one can bite through this line about black and white. "Linji isn't yet a thief who can steal in broad daylight." One day Linji said, "In this naked lump of flesh is a true person without station, constantly going in and out through your senses. Those who haven't proved this, look!" A monk then asked, "What is the true person without station?" Linji came down, grabbed the monk, and demanded that he speak. The monk was speechless; Linji pushed him away and said, "The true person of no station—what a turd! " Later, Xuefeng heard of this and said, "Linji is like a thief who steals in broad daylight."

Xuedou wants to meet Linji, but in observing Mazu's active edge, it certainly goes beyond Linji's. Mazu is truly a thief who steals in broad daylight; Linji is not yet such a one. Xuedou has penetrated all at once.

Turning to refer to the monk, Xuedou says, "Going beyond all assertion and denial—in all the universe, only I know." But don't go into the ghost cave to make your living! An ancient said, "The question is in the answer; the answer is in the question." This monk was already extraordinary—how will you be able to go beyond all assertion and denial? Xuedou says, "Only I can know this matter. " Even the Buddhas of all times cannot catch sight of it. Since one must know for oneself alone, what are all of you looking for when you keep on coming here?

Zhenru commented, "This monk asking this way and Mazu answering this way went beyond the permutations of assertion and denial. Zhizang and Baizhang didn't realize at all." Want to understand? "The colt has trampled everyone on earth to death. "

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74. Jinniu' Rice Pail

Introduction

The sharp sword wielded horizontally cuts off he nest of omplications in front of ts point. The clear mirror hung on high brings forth the cosmic seal within a phrase. Where one's state is peaceful, one wears clothes and eats food. Where spiritual powers wander at play, how can one linger? Have you fully mastered it? Story

Every day at mealtime, Jinniu would personally take the rice pail and do a dance in front of he monks'hall; laughing, he would say, "Bodhisattvas, come eat!" ("You may play the fishing line as you will—without disturbing the clear aves, the intention s naturally distinct." He applies pure ghee and poison at the same time—and he's ight. Jewels and gems e arrays all at once, but evertheless those he meets with are few.) Xuedou said, "Though he acted like this, Jinniu was not good-hearted." (This is a thief recognizing a thief, a sprite recognizing a sprite. One who comes to talk of ight and wrong s a ight nd rong erson.) A onk sked hangqing, "When the ancient said, ' odhisattvas, come eat,'what was his meaning?" (Indeed, anyone would have doubts about this. So he hasn' known where Jinniu is at all along. What will Changqing say?) Changqing said, "Much ike oyful praise on the occasion of meal." (He sizes up the audience to give his order, and wraps up the case on the basis of he facts.)

Commentary

Jinniu was an adept in Mazu's line. Every day at mealtime he would take the rice pail himself and do a dance in front of the monks'hall; laughing, he would say, "Bodhisattvas, come eat!" He did this for twenty years. Tell me, where was his intent? If t was just a matter of summoning the others to eat; usually they 202a 329

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make a signal to announce the meal; what further need was there for him to take the rice pail himself and do so many tricks? Was he crazy? Was he expounding by design? If he was expounding this matter, why didn't he lecture formally? Why did he need to act like this?

People today don't know that the ancient's meaning was outside of words. Why not take a look at the stated purpose of the Chan founder's coming to China? What was it? It was clearly stated to be for a special transmission outside doctrine, to transmit the mind seal individually. Jinniu's device too was just to make you directly realize this. Later people would vainly conceptualize arbitrarily and say, "Why so many concerns? When cold, turn toward the fire; when hot, sit in the shade; when hungry, eat; when tired, sleep." If we interpreted this way, on the basis of ordinary feelings, then the Chan school would have died out. Don't you realize that twenty-four hours a day, from moment to moment, the ancients never gave up wanting to clarify this matter?

Xuedou said, "Though he acted like this, Jinniu was not goodhearted." Many misunderstand this line. That which is called the supreme delicacy is converted by such people into poison. Since Jinniu descended into the weeds to help people, why did Xuedou say he wasn't good-hearted? Why did he talk this way? Chan practitioners must have living potential to begin to understand this. People today don't get to the ancients' realm—they just say, "What mind is there to see? What Buddha is there?" If you construct such views you have destroyed Jinniu. It takes thorough observation to begin to understand. If today and tomorrow you go on with such facile explanations, you'll never be finished. Later when Changqing was asked what Jinniu meant, he said, "Much like joyful praise on the occasion of a meal." Changqing was extremely compassionate—he divulged quite a bit. In truth it was joyful praise on the occasion of a meal. But tell me, rejoicing over what?

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74. Jinniu's Rice Pail

Verse

Laughing in the shadow of the white clouds, (There's a sword in his laugh. Why the enthusiasm? None of the Chan monks in the world know the ultimate point.)

He lifts it up with both hands to give to them. (Is there such a thing? Don't slander Jinniu. Can it be called a rice pail? If you are a real Chan practitioner, you don't eat this kind of food.)

If they were offspring of the golden lion, (They must first be beyond patterns. I'll allow that they had eyes, but I fear their eyes were not true.) They would have seen the error three thousand miles away.

(It wasn't worth half a cent; it's a slip-up. Where was the error? Blind men!)

Commentary

"Laughing in the shadow of the white clouds." Changqing says, "Joyful praise on the occasion of a meal." Xuedou says, "He lifts it up with both hands to give to them." But say, was he just giving them food, or do you think there must have been something special besides? If you can know the true point here, you're an offspring of the golden lion. If they had been offspring of the golden lion, there would have been no more need for Jinniu to do a dance with the rice pail and laugh—in fact they would have known his flaw immediately from three thousand miles away. An ancient said, "Perceive before the act and you won't have to use the least bit of effort." Thus Chan practitioners just always function outside of patterns before they can be called genuine adepts. If they just base themselves on words, they won't avoid indulging in fixations.

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331

75. Wujiu’s Unjust Beating

75. Wujiu' Unjust Beating

Introduction

The ewel sword with the spiritual point is perpetually evealed in front of s. It can kill and it can bring life. It's there and it's here, gained and ost together. If ou ant o pick t p, you'e free to do so; if ou want to level it, you'e free to level it. But say, what's it like when not alling into guest or host, when nterchanging without getting stuck?

Story

A monk rom ingzhou's group came to ujiu. Wujiu asked, "How does Dingzhou's teaching compare to here?" (There's an echo in his words. He wants to distinguish shallow from deep. The question is a probe. He's really deceiving the man.) The monk said, "Not different." (Among the dead men there's a live one. One or a half. Like an ron spike. He's treading the ground f eality.) Wujiu said, "If t's not different, then you should go back there," and hit him. (Obviously. The true imperative must be carried out.) The monk said, "There are eyes on the staff—you shouldn' hit people carelessly." (Only his adept could do this; after all he's a ion cub.) Wujiu said, "Today I' e hit one," and hit him three more times. (What does he mean "one"? There are thousands.) The monk hen went out. (After all the monk's one of us. In fact he has been wronged. He just sees his opportunity and acts.) Wujiu said, "After all someone received an unjust beating." (A mute eating a bitter melon. He lets go and also takes in. What good is someone who turns around hen it?) The onk urned around and said, "What can I do—the handle is in your hands." (It's this way three hundred sixty-five days a year. After all he is a clever monk.) Wujiu said, "If ou want, I'll turn it over for you." (Who knows which of them is the lord and which the subject? He dares to lie in the tiger's mouth. He doesn' distinguish good and bad.) The monk came up to Wujiu, grabbed the staff rom him, and hit him thrice. 332

75. Wujiu's Unjust Beating

(Here again only an adept Chan student could do this. Guest and host interchange, releasing or capturing according to the occasion.) Wujiu said, "An unjust beating, an unjust beating!" (Check! Why is this old man in such a rush?) The monk said, "There's someone receiving it." (Haha! How many handles are now in the monk's hands?) Wujiu said, "I hit this guy carelessly." (It doesn't come down on either side. Who knows who he is?) The monk then bowed. (Only one who doesn't flinch in the face of danger is safe.) Wujiu said, "Yet you act this way." (Check!) The monk laughed and went out. (An adept Chan student naturally is thus. A fierce tiger must have a pure wind following it. Now we know he finished the beginning and finished the end. No one on earth can get a grip on him.) Wujiu said, "That's all it comes to, that's all it comes to." (Too bad he let the monk go. Why didn't he strike him across the back? Where do you think the monk went?)

Commentary

A monk from Dingzhou's group came to Wujiu. Wujiu was also an adept. If here you can perceive the interplay of these two, then ten thousand are in fact just one. It is so, whether acting as host or as guest; in the end the two merge into one agent for one session of discernment. Whether as guest or host, whether asking or answering, from beginning to end both were adepts.

Look at Wujiu questioning this monk: "How does Dingzhou's teaching compare to here?" The monk immediately said, "Not different. " At the time, if it hadn't been Wujiu, it would have been hard to cope with this monk. Wujiu said, "If it's not different, then you should go back there," and hit him. But this monk was an adept and immediately said, "There are eyes on the staff; you shouldn't hit people carelessly. " Wujiu carried out the imperative relentlessly: he said, "Today I've hit one," and hit him thrice more. At this the monk went out. Observe how the two of them revolved so smoothly—both were adepts. To understand this affair it is necessary to distinguish insider from outsider and tell right from wrong. Though the monk went out, the case was still not finished. 333

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From beginning to end Wujiu wanted to test the monk's reality, to see how he was. But the monk had barred the door, so Wujiu hadn't yet seen him. Then Wujiu said, "After all someone received an unjust beating." The monk wanted to turn around and show some life, yet he didn't struggle with Wujiu, but turned around most easily and said, "What can I do—the handle is in your hands." Being a master of Chan with the eye on the forehead, Wujiu dared to lay his body down in the fierce tiger's mouth and say, "If you want, I'll turn it over to you."

This monk had the talisman under the arm; as it is said, "To see what is right and not do it is lack of bravery." Without hesitating any longer, he came up to Wujiu, grabbed the staff from him, and hit him thrice. When Wujiu said, "An unjust beating, an unjust beating," tell me, what did he mean? Before, Wujiu said, "After all, someone received an unjust beating." But when the monk hit him he said, "An unjust beating, an unjust beating." When the monk said, "There's someone receiving it," Wujiu said, "I hit this guy carelessly." Wujiu said before that he had hit someone carelessly; then when he had taken a beating himself, why did he also say he had hit that guy carelessly? If not for this monk's independent resurgence, he couldn't have handled Wujiu.

Then the monk bowed. This bow was extremely poisonous—it wasn't good-hearted. If it hadn't been Wujiu, he wouldn't have been able to see through this monk. Wujiu said to him, "Yet you act this way. " The monk laughed and went out. Wujiu said, "That's all it comes to, that's all it comes to."

Observe how all through this meeting of adepts guest and host are distinctly clear. Though cut off, they can still continue. In fact this is just the mechanism of interchange. Yet when they get here, they do not say there is an interchange. Since these ancients were beyond defiling feelings and conceptual thinking, both were adepts; neither spoke of gain or loss. Though it was a single session of talk, the two were both leaping with life, and both had the needle and thread of the bloodline. If you can see here, you too will be perfectly clear twenty-four hours a day.

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75. Wujiu's Unjust Beating

When the monk first went out, this was both sides letting go; what happened after that was both sides taking in. This is called interchanging. Xuedou makes his verse just this way. Verse

To summon is easy—

(Everyone on earth doubts this. Rancid meat attracts flies. No Chan practitioners in the world know the ultimate point.)

To send away is hard.

(That does not prevent thorough riddance. Mirages appear over the sea.)

Observe carefully the interchange of action points. (One exit, one entry—both are adepts. Two people hold a single staff. But say, whose side is it on?) The rock of ages, though solid, can still crumble— (How will you handle the golden hammer in the sleeve? The thousand sages haven't transmitted it.) When they stand in its depths the ocean must dry up. (Where will this be arranged? There are eyes on the staff. I'll only allow that they have attained intimately.) Old Wujiu, old Wujiu!

(Too bad this old man doesn't know good from bad.) How many kinds?

(He's another one with no reasons. Hundreds, thousands, myriad miles.)

There was no point in giving him the handle. (Already so before you say. Wujiu's life was hanging by a thread. He deserves thirty blows. But where was his fault?)

Commentary

"To summon is easy — / To send away is hard." It's all falling into the weeds. With his extreme compassion, Xuedou would often say, 335