Blue Cliff Record! FIfty-Third Case. Pai Chang's Wild Ducks.
Once when Great Master Ma and Pai Chang were walking together they saw some wild ducks fly by.1 The Great Master asked, "What is that?"2 Chang said, "Wild ducks."3 The Great Master said, "Where have they gone? "4 Chang said, "They've flown away."5 The Great Master then twisted Pai Chang's nose.6 Chang cried out in pain. 7 The Great Master said, "When have they ever flown away?"8
Commentary
When Ma Tsu went up to the hall the next day, as soon as the congregation had assembled, Pai Chang came forward and rolled up the bowing mat. Ma Tsu immediately left his seat. After he had returned to his abbot's quarters, he asked Pai Chang, "I had just gone up to the hall and had not yet preached; why did you roll up the mat right away?" Chang said, "Yesterday I had my nose twisted by you, Teacher, and it hurt." Tsu said, "Where were you keeping your mind yesterday?" Chang said, "Today the nose no longer hurts." Tsu said, "You have profound knowledge of Today's affair.'' Chang then bowed and returned to the attendants' quarters, crying. One of his fellow attendants asked, "Why are you crying?" Chang said, "Go ask our Master." The attendant then went to ask Ma Tsu. Tsu said, "Go ask Pai Chang." When the attendant returned to their quarters to ask Pai Chang, Chang laughed loudly. The attendant said, "You were just crying-now why are you laughing?" Chang said, "I was crying before, now I'm laughing." Look at Pai Chang after his enlightenment; turning smoothly, he can't be trapped. Naturally he's sparkling clear on all sides.
Look at these crazy lunatics. What in the world is going on? One moment Chang is crying, the next moment he is laughing loudly. Is he bipolar or some !@#$? What is going on?
Yesterday I had my nose twisted by you, Teacher, and it hurt." Tsu said, "Where were you keeping your mind yesterday?" Chang said, "Today the nose no longer hurts."
This phrase sounds like everything fell out of the bucket in his mind except memory. Therefore, he has the memory of his nose being twisted, but he does not make any emotional interpretation or build conceptual thought from it. But WTF is the bit about crying and laughing out loud after?
Somebody help me out here...
Submitted March 19, 2023 at 10:12AM by GreenSagua https://ift.tt/jzhPn0m
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