The subtle point, the jewel sword, perpetually revealed, pre­sent in front of us. It can kill people and it can bring people life. It's there and it's here, gaining and losing together with us.

The Blue Cliff Record: Wu Chiu's Unjust Beating [75th Case]

POINTER

The subtle point, the jewel sword, perpetually revealed, pre­sent in front of us. It can kill people and it can bring people life. It's there and it's here, gaining and losing together with us. If you want to pick it up, you're free to pick it up; if you want to put it down, you're free to put it down.

But say, what's it like when not falling into guest and host, when interchanging without getting stuck? To test, I'm citing this old case: look!

CASE

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."

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Commentary and questions: Such unusual ways and mysterious actions; what were those two fellows really up to there? Who is careless enough to deliver an unjust beating, and who is careless enough to remain behind to receive it? Both are even still too late and after the fact of the Dharma.

And as far as the jewel sword, how can it kill people or bring them back to life? I would say that to kill, the sword cuts right through any and all conceptual thinking all at once; to bring to life, one could chop wood with it or sling it over their shoulder to help with carrying a bucket of water.

Submitted October 15, 2020 at 05:00PM by __WanderingRonin__ https://ift.tt/3196qTL