BCR C31: Ma Ku Carrying his Ring Staff

POINTER

Move, and a shadow appears; become aware, and ice forms. Yet if you don't move and are not aware, you will not avoid entering into the wild fox cave.

If you can penetrate thoroughly, trust completely, without a hair of blinding obstruction, you'll be like a dragon finding water, like a tiger taking to the mountains. Let go, and even tiles and pebbles emit light; hold still, and even real gold loses its color.

The ancients' public cases could not avoid being round­ about, but tell me, what were they discussing? To test, I cite this. Look!

CASE

Ma Ku, carrying his ring-staff,a went to Chang Ching. He cir­ cled the meditation seat three times, then shook his staff once and stood there upright. ¹

Chang Ching said, "Correct. Cor­rect." ²

(Hsueh Tou added a word, saying "Wrong!") ³

Ma Ku also went to Nan Ch'uan: he circled the meditation seat three times, shook his staff once and stood there upright. ⁴

Nan Ch'uan said, "Incorrect. Incorrect." ⁵

(Hsueh Tou added a word, saying, "Wrong!") ⁶

Ma Ku then said, "Chang Ching said 'Correct'; why do you say 'Incorrect,' Master? " ⁷

Nan Ch'uan said, "Chang Ching is correct; it's you who are incorrect. ⁸ This is what is turned about by the power of the wind; in the end it breaks down and disintegrates." ⁹

NOTES

l. He bursts forth in the same fashion as (Yung Chia did at) Ts'ao Ch'ii he startles the heavens and stirs the earth.

2. He's washing a clod of earth in the mud. He completely fools everyone. What talk is this? A donkey-tethering stake.

3. It won't do to let him go. There's still a move to go.

4. As before, he's washing a clod of earth in the mud: again he bursts forth; but though the frog leaps, he can't get out of the basket.

5. Why not accept it? He kills the man without blinking an eye. What is this talk?

6. It won't do to let the error go.

7. Where is the master? This fellow from the beginning grasps people's words; he has broken down considerably.

8. Good! When one kills someone, one must see blood; when one helps someone, he should do his utmost for them. How many people has he deceived?

9. After all, Ma Ku is trapped by Nan Ch'uan.

NOTES FROM AN 🦉

The cases can’t avoid being round about,

They don’t speak of that which breaks down en route,

where is suchness of this sort found? Come out!

The trap is set, how do you avoid it now?

Submitted May 01, 2021 at 07:16PM by Owlsdoom https://ift.tt/2RjDq9K