The Blue Cliff Record: If there's a fellow who penetrates the bone and penetrates the marrow, whose faith is thoroughgoing, then he's like a dragon reaching the water, like a tiger taking to the mountains.

The Blue Cliff Record: Chao Chou Can't Explain [58th Case]

CASE

A monk asked Chao Chou, " 'The Ultimate Path has no difficulties - just avoid picking and choosing' - isn't this a cliche for people of these times?"¹

Chou said, "Once someone asked me, and I really couldn't explain for five years."²

NOTES

1. A double case. This too is a point which makes people doubt. Treading on a scale beam, hard as iron. There's still this one. Don't judge others on the basis of yourself.
2. Honest speech is better than a red face. A monkey eats a caterpil­ lar, a mosquito bites an iron ox.

COMMENTARY

Chao Chou usually didn't use blows or shouts; his action went beyond blows and shouts. This monk's question was also very special; it would have been hard for anyone but Chao Chou to answer him. Since Chao Chou was an adept, he just said to him, "Once someone asked me, and I really couldn't explain for five years." The question towered up like a mile-high wall, and the answer didn't make light of it. Just understand it this way and it's right here. If you don't understand, then don't make rational calculations.

Haven't you heard how when the man of the Path Tsung of T'ou Tzu was the scribe in Hsueh Tau's community, Hsueh Tau had him immerse himself in "The Ultimate Path has no difficulties; just avoid picking and choosing." Thereby Tsung had an awakening. One day Hsueh Tau asked him, "What is the meaning of 'The Ultimate Path has no difficulties; just avoid picking and choosing'?" Tsung said, "Animal, animal." Later he dwelt in seclusion on Mt. T'ou Tzu. Whenever he went to serve as an abbot, he wrapped his straw sandals and his scriptural texts in his robe. A monk asked him "What is your family style, Wayfarer?" Tsung said, "Straw sandals wrapped in a robe." The monk said, "What does this mean?" Tsung said, "T'ung Ch'eng (the neighboring city) is under my bare feet."

Thus it is said, "Making offerings to the Buddha is not a matter of a lot of incense." If you can penetrate through and escape, then letting go or holding on rest with oneself. Since this case is one question and one answer, clear and perfectly obvious, why then did Chao Chou say that he couldn't explain? But tell me, is this a cliche for people of these times or not? Did Chao Chou answer him inside or outside the nest of cliche.a You must realize that this matter isn't in words and phrases. If there's a fellow who penetrates the bone and penetrates the marrow, whose faith is thoroughgoing, then he's like a dragon reaching the water, like a tiger taking to the mountains.

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Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: Very interesting to watch these minds wandering about in the forum, but so unfortunate is their plight! Here, we have more than a few half-hearted and feckless seekers, so quick to settle on things that assuage the ego and make them seem as if they know. Their fear of the Void ends their journey as soon as they come to the first foundation that they can find among the ruins...

Why do they think they know, when they don't know a single thing? By finding something to rely on, they've traded in the Dharma time and time again for yellow leaves. Where are the Chao Chou's of this age? Where are the earnest seekers, who not only can negate concepts but affirm this Dharma hidden by leaves? Come one, come all... time and time again, I'll cut down everyone among your band of traveling thieves, waiting to find those strong enough to take a single step on the path in the mountains.

Submitted September 01, 2019 at 12:31AM by WanderingRoninXIII https://ift.tt/2Ldyfmr