(Adapted from Case 98 of the Blue Cliff Record; T. Clear translation)
Before the Buddha had appeared in the world, before the Patriarch had come from the West, before there were questions and answers, before there were public cases, was there any Chan Way?
The Ancients could not avoid imparting teachings according to potentialities; people later called them "public cases."
As the World Honored One raised a flower, Kasyapa smiled.
Later on, Ananda asked Kasyapa, "The World Honored One handed on his golden-sleeved robe to you; but what special teaching did he transmit to you besides?"
Kasyapa said, "Ananda!"
Ananda responded, "Yes?"
Kasyapa said, "Take down the flagpole in front of the monastery gate."
But before the flower was raised, before Ananda had asked, where do you find any public cases?
You just accept the winter melon seals of various places, and once the seal is set, you then immediately say, "I understand the marvel of the Buddhist Teaching! Don't let anyone know!"
Xue Dou said: "Followers of the Chan house like to be scornful; having studied till their bellies are full, they can't put it to use."
[Dien Ping; the monk from Case 98] was a fellow who understood, as far as understanding goes; it's just that he couldn't use it.
He always gazed at the cloudy sky and said he understood so much Chan; but when he was heated a little in the fireplace, it turned out that he couldn't use it at all.
{Master Wu Zu} said, "There is a kind of person who studies Chan like stuffing cakes in a crystal pitcher; it can't be turned over any more, it can't be cleaned out, and if you bump it, it immediately breaks.
If you want to be lively and active, just study 'leather bag' Chan: even if you smash it down from the highest mountain, it still won't break, it won't burst."
An Ancient said, "Even if you can grasp it before it is spoken, this is still remaining in the shell, wandering within limitation; even if you can thoroughly penetrate upon hearing a phrase, you still won't avoid crazy views on the way."
Submitted June 19, 2020 at 05:43AM by ZEROGR33N https://ift.tt/3eh5cub
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