[Long] [Warning] [A lot of Text] : Chao Chou's Man Who Has Died the Great Death

 

POINTER:

 

Where right and wrong are mixed, even the sages cannot know; when going against and with, vertically and horizontally, even the Buddhas cannot know. One who is a man detached from the world, who transcends convention, reveals the abilities of a great man who stands out from the crowd. He walks on thin ice, runs on a sword's edge. He is like the unicorn's horn, like a lotus flower in fire. When he sees someone beyond compari­son, he knows they are on the same path. Who is an expert? As a test I'm citing this old case: look!

 

 

CASE:

 

Chao Chou asked T'ou Tzu, "How is it when a man who has died the great death returns to life? " T'ou Tzu said, "He must not go by night: he must get there in daylight."

 

 

COMMENTARY:

 

Chao Chou asked T'ou Tzu, "How is it when a man who has died the great death returns to life?" T'ou Tzu answered him saying, "He must not go by night: he must get there in day­light." But say, what time and season is this? A flute with no holes strikes against a felt-pounding board. This is called "a question to test the host"; it is also called "an intentional question." All over they praised T'ou Tzu and Chao Chou for having outstanding eloquence. Though the two old men suc­ceeded to different masters, observe how their active edges accord as one.

 

UExis: Who did they succeed to, respectively?

 

One day T'ou Tzu spread the tea setting to entertain Chao Chou. T'ou Tzu himself passed some steamed cakes to Chao Chou, but Chou paid no attention. T'ou Tzu ordered his atten­dant to give the sesame cakes to Chao Chou. Chou bowed to the attendant three times. But say, what was his meaning? Observe how he always went right to the root to uphold this fundamental thing for the benefit of others.

 

There was a monk who asked T'ou Tzu, "What is the Way?" T'ou Tzu answered, "The Way." The monk asked, "What is Buddha?" T'ou Tzu answered, "Buddha." Again he asked, "How is it before the golden lock is open?" T'ou Tzu answered, "Open." He asked, "How is it before the golden rooster has crowed?" T'ou Tzu answered, "This sound does not exist." The monk asked, "How is it after he crows?" T'ou Tzu an­swered, "Each knows the time for himself." His whole life T'ou Tzu's questions and answers were all like this.

 

UExis: Yes, ask away.

 

Look: when Chao Chou asked, "How is it when a man who has died the great death returns to life?" T'ou Tzu immediately said, "He must not go by night: he must get there in daylight." Direct as sparks struck from stone, like the brilliance of a lightning flash. Only a transcendental man like him could do this.

 

A man who has died the great death has no Buddhist doc­trines and theories, no mysteries and marvels, no gain and loss, no right and wrong, no long and short. When he gets here, he just lets it rest this way. An Ancient said of this, "On the level ground the dead are countless; only one who can pass through the forest of thorns is a good hand." Yet one must pass beyond that Other Side too to begin to attain. Even so, for present day people even to get to this realm is already difficult to achieve.

 

UExis: Realms? Where are you?

 

If you have any leanings or dependence, any interpretative understanding, then there is no connection. Master Che called this "vision that is not purified." My late teacher Wu Tsu called it "the root of life not cut off." One must die the great death once, then return to life. Master Yung Kuang of central Chekiang said, "If you miss at the point of their words, then you're a thousand miles from home. In fact you must let go your hands while hanging from a cliff, trust yourself and accept the experience. Afterwards you return to life again. I can't de­ceive you-how could anyone hide this extraordinary truth?"

 

UExis: Been there, done that? What are you afraid of?

 

The meaning of Chao Chou's question is like this. T'ou Tzu is an adept, and he didn't turn his back on what Chao Chou asked: it's just that he cut off his feelings and left no traces, so unavoidably he's hard to understand. He just showed the little bit before the eyes. Thus an Ancient said, "If you want to attain Intimacy, don't ask with questions. The question is in the an­swer, and the answer is in the question." It would have been very difficult for someone other than T'ou Tzu to reply when questioned by Chao Chou. But since T'ou Tzu is an expert, as soon as it's raised he knows where it comes down.

 

 

Source: The Blue Cliff Record
Translated by Thomas Cleary and J. C. Cleary

Submitted May 19, 2020 at 06:10PM by UExis https://ift.tt/3e1CRI0