Pearly Lustre All Around (2.4)

Nanquan 2.4

問。教中道。[A student] asked, "[According to] the teachings of the Middle Way,
法身大士會處即見法身佛。[those with] Dharmakaya Mahasattva understanding see the Buddha's Dharma Body,
地位菩薩即見報身佛。[those with the] status of a Bodhisattva see the Buddha's Reward Body,
二乘唯見化身佛。[and those who practice] the Two Vehicles only see Buddha's Incarnation Body.
莫是此理否。Is this the Truth, or not?"

師云。我眼不曾看教。The Master said, "My eyes have never seen this teaching,
兼無耳孔不曾聽。and my ears are without having ever heard it.
你自看取。You yourself [should] adopt [the responsibility of] seeing [for yourself].
若如是憶持。If [you] maintain rememberance like this,
即已後始不柰何。then, already after begining, what could you not handle?
如似弄珠說珠光徧。It's as if [someone were] fooling around with a pearl and explaining the pearl's lustre [as being] 'all around'
有金盤在即得。[while] there was a golden plate nearby [reflecting it].
忽被拈却金盤去。Suddenly, someone [else] picks up and removes the gold plate.
何處弄珠。Where [can they] fool around with the pearl?
向什麼處尋他光徧與不徧。Towards what place can [they] search for it's lustre [as being] 'all around' and 'not all around'?"

學人禮拜。The student bowed, respectfully.

和尚笑云。大難。大難。The Esteemed Monk laughed and said, "A catastrophe! A catastrophe!
古人罵你喚作田獵漁捕。The Ancients [would] castigate you, calling you a 'field-hunting, fish-catcher'!¹
喚作搬糞人。[They'd] call you a 'manure hauler'!
好去。珍重。Farewell! Treasure [yourself] highly!"

Notes:
1. The implied connotation is that the person is a barbarian.

Submitted April 30, 2023 at 02:54AM by Surska0 https://ift.tt/JvLa1Ru