Chao Chou’s Newborn Baby

Eightieth Case of the Blue Cliff Record

Chao Chou’s Newborn Baby

Case

A monk asked Chao Chou, "Does a newborn baby also have the sixth consciousness? "1 Chao Chou said, "(Like) tossing a ball on swift-flowing water."2 The monk also asked T'ou Tzu, "What is the meaning of 'Tossing a ball on swift-flowing water'?"3 T'ou Tzu said, "Moment to moment, nonstop flow."4

NOTES

1. With a lightning flash intellect, what newborn baby is he talking about?

2. It's gone by. Even a swift hawk cannot overtake it. You still must check it out.

3. This too is adepts investigating together. Understand? It's gone by.

4. He's a fellow who creates complications.

Commentary

In the school of the Teachings, this eighth consciousness is set up as the true basis. Mountains, rivers, and the great earth, sun, moon, and stars come into being because of it. It comes as the advance guard and leaves as the rearguard. The Ancients say that "The triple world is only mind-the myriad things are only consciousness." If one experiences the stage of Buddha­hood, the eight consciousnesses are transformed into the four wisdoms. In the school of the Teachings they call this "Changing names, not changing essence."

Sense-faculties, sense-objects, and consciousness of sensa­tion are three. Originally we are unable to discriminate among the sense-objects before us. But the subtle inner faculties can produce consciousness, and consciousness can reveal discrimination of forms. This is the sixth consciousness­ conceptual thinking. The seventh consciousness is Manas. It can go take hold of the imaginary things of the world and cause a person to be vexed and troubled so that he doesn't attain freedom and independence. As for the eighth consciousness, it's called the Alayavijnana and it's also called the Storehouse consciousness. It contains all the seeds of good and evil.

This monk knew the ideas of the verbal teachings, so he used them to question Chao Chou by saying, "Does a newborn baby also have the sixth consciousness or not?" Although a newborn baby is equipped with the six consciousnesses, though his eyes can see and his ears can hear, he doesn't yet discriminate among the six sense-objects. At this time he knows nothing of good and evil, long and short, right and wrong, or gain and loss. A person who studies the Path must become again like an infant. Then praise and blame, success and fame, unfavorable circumstances and favorable environments-none of these can move him. "Though his eyes see form, he is the same as a blind man; though his ears hear sound, he is the same as a deaf man." He is like a fool, like an idiot-his mind is motionless as Mt. Sumeru. This is the place where patchrobed monks really and truly acquire power.

An Ancient said, "My patched garment covering my head, myriad concerns cease: at this time I don't understand any­ thing at all." Only if you can be like this will you have a small share of attainment. Though an adept is like this, nevertheless he can't be fooled at all-as before, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers. He is without artifice and without cling­ ing thoughts. He is like the sun and moon moving through the sky without ever stopping and without saying, "I have so many names and forms." He is like the sky everywhere covering, like the earth everywhere supporting: since they have no mind, they bring up and nurture myriad beings without saying, "I have so many accomplishments." Since sky and earth are mindless, they last forever-what has mind has limits. A per­ son who has attained the Path is like this too. In the midst of no activity, he carries out his activities, accepting all unfavor­able and favorable circumstances with a compassionate heart.

When they got to this point the Ancients still upbraided themselves and said, "When you've completely perfectly com­prehended, there's nothing to comprehend; in the dark, abstruse, hidden place, you still must be rebuked." They also said, "All things are thoroughly comprehended and all beings are clearly understood-when one who has Arrived senses this, he's startled in the darkness." Again it was said, "Without making a sound he goes beyond the ordinary and enters sage­ hood. The reclining dragon deeply fears the blue pool's clarity." If human beings can be like this always, how can a single name remain in the world? Though it's this way, they must go on to leap out of their nest before they attain.

Haven't you seen where it says in the (Hua Yen) sutra, "A bodhisattva of the eighth stage, Immovability, turns the great Dharma Wheel in an atom of dust, using the wisdom of non­ activity. At all times, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, he doesn't cling to gain and loss, but lets himself move and flow into the sea of All-Knowledge." When patch­ robed monks get here they still must not become attached: they follow the occasion freely. When they have tea, they drink tea; when they have food, they eat food. Neither the words "concentration" nor "not concentration" can be applied to this transcendental matter.

Master Shan Tao of the Stone Grotto taught his congrega­tion saying, "Haven't you seen a little one when it's just emerged from the womb? Has a baby ever said, 'I know how to read the scriptures'? At that time it does not know the meaning of having the Buddha nature or not having the Buddha nature. As he grows up he learns all sorts of knowledge; then he comes forth saying 'I am able' and 'I understand,' without knowing that this is troubling over illusory dusts. Among the sixteen contemplation practices, the baby's practice is the best. When he's babbling he symbolizes the person studying the Path, with his detachment from the discriminating mind that grasps and rejects. That's why I'm praising infants. I can make a compari­ son by taking the case of a baby, but if I say that the baby is the Path, people of these times would misunderstand."

Comments: An interesting case and commentary. There is more to read, if you haven’t read it yet. I just wanted to share something on topic around here for once, and this case caught my eye.

Submitted October 10, 2019 at 10:51AM by ArgesAwoken https://ift.tt/2AZziQY