The Blue Cliff Record: The outsider sighed in admiration and said, "The World Hon­ored One's great kindness and great compassion have opened up my clouds of illusion and let me gain entry."

The Blue Cliff Record: An Outsider Questions the Buddha [65th Case]

POINTER

Appearing without form, filling the ten directions of space, expanding everywhere equally; responding without mind, extending over lands and seas without trouble; understanding three when one is raised, judging grains and ounces at the glance of an eye. Even if the blows of your staff fall like rain and your shouts are like thunder rolling, still you have not yet filled the footsteps of a trancendent man. But tell me, what is the business of a transcendent man? Try to see.

CASE

An outsider asked the Buddha, "I do not ask about the spoken or the unspoken."¹ The World Honored One remained silent.² The outsider sighed in admiration and said, "The World Hon­ored One's great kindness and great compassion have opened up my clouds of illusion and let me gain entry."³

After the outsider had left, Ananda asked the Buddha, "What did the outsider realize, that he said he had gained entry?"⁴ The Buddha said, "Like a good horse, he goes as soon as he sees the shadow of the whip."⁵

NOTES

1. Although he is not a member of the household, still he has a bit of a fragrant air. Twin swords fly through space. It's lucky he doesn't ask.
2. Do not slander the World Honored One; his voice is like thunder. No one sitting or standing here could move him.
3. A sharp fellow - one push and he rolls, a bright pearl in a bowl.
4. He can't avoid making others doubt; still he wants everyone to know. He is trying to repair a pot with cold iron.
5. Tell me, what do you call the shadow of the whip? Striking with my whisk, I say on the staff there is an eye bright as the sun. If you want to know if it is real gold, see it through fire. Having gotten a mouth, eat.

_________________________________________________________________________

Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: All is already One Mind; what did the Buddha understand so as to remain silent? And though the Buddha's silence, the outsider came to an immediate understanding. What was it?

If a word is spoken, then a thought has occurred. The outsider made the statement, "I do not ask about the spoken or the unspoken." This revealed that he already knew something of the Way, but his mind was still not at ease. The Buddha offered him no words, concepts or thoughts to further confuse or delude the outsider, as there is in fact nothing to say or that could be said about it. To even ask the question is to already have the answer.

Submitted October 12, 2019 at 08:31PM by WanderingRoninXIII https://ift.tt/33txaNN