From Wumen's commentary on Hsueh Tou's verse for BCR 43 (Cleary):
"Eyes gazing at cloudy skies" is "on top of a ten thousand fathom peak." "Head and face covered with ashes and dirt" refers to the business of letting down a hand. Sometimes "head and face covered with ashes and dirt" is "on top of a ten thousand fathom peak." Sometimes "on top of a ten thousand fathom peak" is "head and faces covered with ashes and dirt." In reality, going into inhabited areas to let down a hand and standing alone on a solitary peak are the same. Having returned to the source and comprehended nature, it is no different from discriminating intelligence. You must avoid understanding them as two parts.
The Verse (Wumen's comments in italics):
He lets down his hand, but still it's the same as a ten thousand fathom cliff:
Who can discern this without being an adept? Where are correct and biased not perfectly merged? Once the imperial edict is on its way the nobles get out of the road (to let it pass).
Why must correct and biased be in an arrangement?
If you do arrange them, where will you have Today? How will you not become involved in dualism? When the wind moves, the grasses bend down; where the water runs, streams form.
The ancient crystal palace reflects the bright moon,
Round and full. Just don't grasp the reflection, and don't run right in.
The sly hound of Han vainly runs up the stairs.
It isn't just this time. He's stumbled past. Why is he running after dirt? I'll hit and say you are a fellow student of this monk.
Comment: How could you possibly comprehend nature and still view that as apart from discriminating intelligence? It's unnatural! On the other hand, isn't it discriminating intelligence that keeps us away from comprehending nature? To paraphrase what Wumen says elsewhere, if you're going to walk on the edge of a sword, you'd best be fast.
Submitted January 24, 2019 at 12:13PM by sje397 http://bit.ly/2T8SBij
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