The Harmony of Difference & Equality
Every (Dharma) door includes all realms,
Some mutually interact, others do not.
Reaction increases mutual involvement;
There should be no reliance on abiding in one place.
From original form comes shapes and images;
From primal sound comes pleasures and pains.
In obscurity, words of the high and middle (paths) are in accord;
In lucidity, expressions of purity and muddiness are apparent.
The four great elements return to their own nature
As a child finds its mother.
Trans: Ming Yee Wang & Pei-gwang Dowiat
Each sense and every field
Interact and do not interact;
When interacting, they also merge -
Otherwise, they remain in their own states.
Forms are basically different in material and appearance,
Sounds are fundamentally different in pleasant or harsh quality.
'Darkness' is a word for merging upper and lower;
'Light' is an expression for distinguishing pure and' defiled.
The four gross elements return to their own natures
Like a baby taking to its mother;
Trans: Thomas Cleary
Each and every gate corresponds to circumstances,
revolving with each other and not revolving with each other.
Revolving and alternating are mutually entangled,
they do not rely on remaining in place.
The root of form is distinguished by substance and appearance;
the primal sound is differentiated as joyful or painful.
High and middle words unite in the dark,
clean and dirty sentences, in the brightness.
The four great elements return to their natures
like a child to its mother.
Trans: Gregory Wonderwheel
By Shitou 'Slippery Path' Xiqian
Wang & Dowiat continuing to be the wacky outlier. No comment.
Cleary is really all over the place and getting downright sloppy, "When interacting, they also merge - / Otherwise, they remain in their own states." I mean, his own translation of the previous verses set up the context of what is being said and the above verses come out to not lending much to a comprehensive translation of that section.
Wonderwheel, yeah, kicks butt. Just change 'gates' to 'senses/portals/windows' and...bam! Way more accessible.
What does the community have to say about the elements that stand out in excerpt? High School English class style!
One obvious observation is that Shitou clearly states a rejection of the fundamental motivations that drive meditation cults around in circles
Submitted September 27, 2020 at 05:44AM by ThatKir https://ift.tt/3czzsQX
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