Excerpts from BCR case three and Instant Zen, all Cleary. Ordering, formatting and emphasis added.
"See that which has no birth or death right in the midst of birth and death."
Foyan, p.83:
When Caoshan took leave of Dongshan, Dongshan asked, "Where are you going?"
Caoshan replied, "To an unchanging place."
Dongshan retorted, "If it is an unchanging place, how could there be any going?"
Caoshan replied, "The going is also unchanging."
Were these not realized people? You make thought one extreme and nonthinking another extreme; you make the unspoken outside of the spoken--even if you understand the unspoken clearly, as soon as words are spoken they block you.
Why not study Zen in this way--walk, stand, sit and recline all day long without ever walking, standing, sitting, or reclining.
Sometimes seekers come here, utter a phrase, and clap their hands; how does this amount to an understanding beyond dualistic extremes?
What amounts to an understanding beyond dualistic extremes?
Remember when Great Master Ma was unwell?
This is Hsueh Tou's verse on Master Ma's exchange with the superintendent:
Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha;
What kind of people were the Ancient Emperors?
For twenty years I have suffered bitterly;
How many times I have gone down into the Blue Dragon's cave for you!
This distress
Is worth recounting;
Clear-eyed patchrobed monks should not take it lightly.
Yuanwu said,
If you are somebody in your own right, when you get here you must have the ability to drive off the plowman's ox and to snatch away the hungry man's food before you will see how Great Master Ma helps people.
...it is said, "The single road of transcendence has not been transmitted by a thousand sages; students trouble themselves with forms like monkeys grasping at reflections."
Yuanwu then shares a bit on Hsueh Tou:
This "Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha" is extremely difficult to see; even Hsueh Tou finds it difficult to versify this. But since he has seen all the way through, he uses his life's work to the full to make his comment [his verse]. ...
So it is said, "Letting down his hook in the four seas, he only fishes for terrible dragons." [The verse is already complete with the first two lines] ...Hsueh Tou versifies how he concentrated on study and search all his life. ...
[Hsueh Tou is] like a man going into the Blue Dragon's cave to seize the pearl. Afterwards he broke apart the lacquer bucket. Though this might be considered quite extraordinary, basically it just amounts to "What kind of people were the Ancient Emperors?"
The line supposedly derives from Ch'an Yueh's poem:
Clothes in brocades and fine embroidery, with falcons on their wrists,
They go about at leisure, their manner scornful.
They know nothing of the difficulties of sowing and harvesting;
What kind of people were the Ancient Emperors?
As rulers in whatever sense, do you suppose they might be fed by the hungry?
Yuanwu's last bit:
How many people make their livelihood within the Blue Dragon's cave? Even if you're a clear eyes patchrobed monk with an eye on your forehead and a talisman under your arm, shining through the four continents, when you get here you still must not take it lightly; you must be thoroughgoing.
Foyan, continued:
You should think in this way: "Clearly I am in the midst of birth and death; how can I get free of birth and death?" Don't say this itself is It, that you basically have no birth or death. It is not realized by your uttering this statement.
Let's flip back a bit; p.9:
Wishing to get out of birth and death, wishing to attain release, you try to become unified; but one does not attain unification after becoming homogenized. If you try to make yourself unified, you will certainly not attain unification.
Once a seeker called on a Wayfarer and asked, as they roamed the mountains, "An ancient teacher said he sought unification for thirty years without being able to attain it; what does this mean?" The Wayfarer replied, "I too am thus." Then he asked the seeker, "Understand?" He also gave the seeker a poem:
The ancient teacher attains unification
and I too am thus;
before the end of this month,
I will settle it for you again.At the end of the month, the Wayfarer passed away. Tell me about unification; is it good or bad? The ancient teacher attained unification, and I too am thus. I announce to Zen seekers: facing it directly, don't stumble past. Each of you, go on your way.
How did the Wayfarer settle it?
I am parched and not before an end;
would you like a drink or snack?
An empty fridge, a pantry full of uncooked beans...
Is unification good or bad?
That which has no birth or death, or
knowledge of one's death before they're born--
not finding its way to you, nor I.
Courage and change have no dependents.
Birthless comprehension,
no speed to realization;
how can I get free of birth and death?
I do not take it lightly.
Submitted November 16, 2018 at 01:06PM by i-dont-no https://ift.tt/2qQGf1M
No comments:
Post a Comment