Blue Cliff Record: Case 75 "Wu Chiu's Unjust Beating"
A monk came to Wu Chiu from the congregation of the Master of Ting Chou. Wu Chiu asked, "How does Ting Chou's Dharma Path compare to here?" The monk said, "It's not different." Chiu said, "If it's not different, then you should go back there," and then hit him. The monk said, "There are eyes on the staff: you shouldn't carelessly hit people." Chiu said, "Today I've hit one," and hit him again three times. The monk thereupon went out. Chiu said, "All along there's been someone receiving an unjust beating." The monk turned around and said, "What can I do? The handle is in your hands, Teacher." Chiu said, "If you want, I'll turn it over to you." The monk came up to Chiu, grabbed the staff out of his hands, and hit him three times. Chiu said, "An unjust beating, an unjust beating!" The monk said, "There's someone receiving it." Chiu said, "I hit this fellow carelessly." Immediately the monk bowed. Chiu said, "Yet you act this way." The monk laughed loudly and went out. Chiu said, "That's all it comes to, that's all it comes to."
Commentary: A lion cub meets a golden haired lion. The cub indeed knows how to roar; even so, true gold must be tested through fire. Without hesitation the monk has a place to show himself. But do not claim he is merely saying whatever comes to mind first! He is full of life and in tune with reality. Yet the old man strikes him again three more times. The monk immediately leaves: truly alive! He is his own person through and through. The old man calls to him saying, "All along there's been someone receiving an unjust beating." Naturally the monk replies, "What can I do? The handle is in your hands, Teacher." The old man has an eye on his forehead and immediately says, "If you want, I'll turn it over to you." Lightning flashes through the heavens! The monk walks over, takes the staff, and hits the old man three times. "An unjust beating! An unjust beating!" Ha ha! This old fox!
The monk tells him, "There's someone receiving it." Wu Chiu says , "I hit this fellow carelessly."
The monk immediately bows. Ha! What for? The old man says, "Yet you act this way." The monk laughs and then leaves. Wu Chiu said, "That's all it comes to, that's all it comes to."
~ ~~~~ Haven't you heard it said? "The original Zen Masters are real true friends." Ha ha ha!
Submitted May 09, 2020 at 11:44AM by InstantEuphoria https://ift.tt/3dyAkEH
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