The Blue Cliff Record | Second Case

 

POINTER

Heaven and earth are narrow; sun, moon, and stars all at once go dark. Even if blows of the staff fall like rain and shouts roll like thunder, you still haven't lived up to the task of the fun­damental vehicle of transcendence. Even the Buddhas of the three times can only know it for themselves; the successive generations of patriarchs have not been able to bring it up in its entirety. The treasury of teachings of the whole age cannot explain it thoroughly; clear eyed patchrobed monks cannot save themselves completely. When you get here, how will you ask for more instruction? To say the word "Buddha" is trailing mud and dripping water; to say the word "Ch'an" is a face full of shame. Superior people who have studied for a long time do not wait for it to be said; latecoming beginners simply must investigate and apprehend it.

 

CASE

Chao Chou, teaching the assembly, said,¹
"The Ultimate Path is without difficulty;² just avoid picking and choosing.³ As soon as there are words spoken, "this is picking and choosing," "this is clarity."⁴
This old monk does not abide within clarity;⁵ do you still preserve anything or not?"⁶

At that time a certain monk asked, "Since you do not abide within clarity, what do you preserve?"⁷

Chao Chou replied, "I don't know either."⁸

The monk said, "Since you don't know, Teacher, why do you nevertheless say that you do not abide within clarity?"⁹

Chao Chou said, "It is enough to ask about the matter; bow and withdraw."¹⁰

 

NOTES

1. What's the old fellow doing? Don't create complications!

2. Not hard, not easy.

3. What's in front of your eyes? The Third Patriarch is still alive.

4. Two heads, three faces. A little boasting. When a fish swims through, the water is muddied; when a bird flies by, feathers fall.

5. His thieving intent already shows; where is the old fellow going?

6. He's defeated. Still there's something, or a half.

7. The monk presses him well; his tongue is pressed against the roof of his mouth.

8. (The monk) crushed this old fellow dead; he has to fall back three thousand miles.

9. Look! Where is he going? He's chased him up a tree.

10. Lucky thing he has this move; the old thief!

 

UExis:
What's the point of a Zen forum?
If you're here just to say "there's nothing to say," then shut your goddamn mouth.
If you're here to share a Zen text which claims "there's nothing to say," then you're following the reddiquette.

 

Source: The Blue Cliff Record, Cleary translation. Second Case.

Submitted May 06, 2020 at 04:12PM by UExis https://ift.tt/3bcWFWW