垂示云。
乾坤窄。日月星辰一時黑。直饒棒如雨點。喝似雷奔。也未當得向上宗乘中事。設使三世諸佛。只可自知。歷代祖師全提不起。
一大藏教詮注不及。明眼衲僧自救不了。到這裏。作麼生請益。道箇佛字。拖泥帶水。道箇禪字。滿面慚惶。久參上士不待言之。後學初機直須究取。
乾坤窄。日月星辰一時黑。直饒棒如雨點。喝似雷奔。也未當得向上宗乘中事。設使三世諸佛。只可自知。歷代祖師全提不起。
一大藏教詮注不及。明眼衲僧自救不了。到這裏。作麼生請益。道箇佛字。拖泥帶水。道箇禪字。滿面慚惶。久參上士不待言之。後學初機直須究取。
Pointer
Heaven and earth are narrow; sun, moon, and stars all at once go dark. Even if blows of the staff fall like rain and shouts roll like thunder, you still haven't lived up to the task of the fundamental vehicle of transcendence. Even the Buddhas of the three times can only know it for themselves; the successive generations of patriarchs have not been able to bring it up in its entirety. The treasury of teachings of the whole age cannot explain it thoroughly; clear eyed patchrobed monks cannot save themselves completely. When you get here, how will you ask for more instruction? To say the word "Buddha" is trailing mud and dripping water; to say the word "Ch'an" is a face full of shame. Superior people who have studied for a long time do not wait for it to be said; latecoming beginners simply must investigate and apprehend it.
Heaven and earth are narrow; sun, moon, and stars all at once go dark. Even if blows of the staff fall like rain and shouts roll like thunder, you still haven't lived up to the task of the fundamental vehicle of transcendence. Even the Buddhas of the three times can only know it for themselves; the successive generations of patriarchs have not been able to bring it up in its entirety. The treasury of teachings of the whole age cannot explain it thoroughly; clear eyed patchrobed monks cannot save themselves completely. When you get here, how will you ask for more instruction? To say the word "Buddha" is trailing mud and dripping water; to say the word "Ch'an" is a face full of shame. Superior people who have studied for a long time do not wait for it to be said; latecoming beginners simply must investigate and apprehend it.
舉。
趙州示眾云(這老漢作什麼。莫打這葛藤)至道無難(非難非易)唯嫌揀擇(眼前是什麼。三祖猶在)
纔有語言。是揀擇是明白(兩頭三面。少賣弄。魚行水濁。鳥飛落毛)老僧不在明白裏(賊身已露。這老漢向什麼處去)是汝還護惜也無
(敗也。也有一箇半箇)時有僧問。既不在明白裏。護惜箇什麼(也好與一拶。舌拄上齶)州云。我亦不知(拶殺這老漢。倒退三千)僧云。和尚
既不知。為什麼却道不在明白裏(看走向什麼處去。逐教上樹去)州云。問事即得。禮拜了退(賴有這一着。這老賊)。
趙州示眾云(這老漢作什麼。莫打這葛藤)至道無難(非難非易)唯嫌揀擇(眼前是什麼。三祖猶在)
纔有語言。是揀擇是明白(兩頭三面。少賣弄。魚行水濁。鳥飛落毛)老僧不在明白裏(賊身已露。這老漢向什麼處去)是汝還護惜也無
(敗也。也有一箇半箇)時有僧問。既不在明白裏。護惜箇什麼(也好與一拶。舌拄上齶)州云。我亦不知(拶殺這老漢。倒退三千)僧云。和尚
既不知。為什麼却道不在明白裏(看走向什麼處去。逐教上樹去)州云。問事即得。禮拜了退(賴有這一着。這老賊)。
Case
Chao Chou, teaching the assembly, said, "The Ultimate Path is without difficulty; just avoid picking and choosing. As soon as there are words spoken, "this is picking and choosing","this is clarity." This old monk does not abide within clarity."do you still preserve anything or not?" At that time a certain monk asked, ,Since you do not abide within clarity, what do you preserve?
Chao Chou replied, "I don't know either."
The monk said, "Since you don't know, Teacher, why do you nevertheless say that you do not abide within clarity?"
Chao Chou said, "It is enough to ask about the matter; bow and withdraw."
Notes
1. What's the old fellow doing? Don't create complications!
2. Not hard, not easy.
3. What's in front of your eyes? The Third Patriarch is still alive.
4. Two heads, three faces. A little boasting. When a fish swims through, the water is muddied; when a bird flies by, feathers fall.
5. His thieving intent already shows; where is the old fellow going?
6. He's defeated. Still there's something, or a half.
7. The monk presses him well; his tongue is pressed against the roof of his mouth.
8. (The monk) crushed this old fellow dead; he has to fall back three thousand miles.
9. Look! Where is he going? He's chased him up a tree.
10. Lucky thing he has this move; the old thief.
Chao Chou, teaching the assembly, said, "The Ultimate Path is without difficulty; just avoid picking and choosing. As soon as there are words spoken, "this is picking and choosing","this is clarity." This old monk does not abide within clarity."do you still preserve anything or not?" At that time a certain monk asked, ,Since you do not abide within clarity, what do you preserve?
Chao Chou replied, "I don't know either."
The monk said, "Since you don't know, Teacher, why do you nevertheless say that you do not abide within clarity?"
Chao Chou said, "It is enough to ask about the matter; bow and withdraw."
Notes
1. What's the old fellow doing? Don't create complications!
2. Not hard, not easy.
3. What's in front of your eyes? The Third Patriarch is still alive.
4. Two heads, three faces. A little boasting. When a fish swims through, the water is muddied; when a bird flies by, feathers fall.
5. His thieving intent already shows; where is the old fellow going?
6. He's defeated. Still there's something, or a half.
7. The monk presses him well; his tongue is pressed against the roof of his mouth.
8. (The monk) crushed this old fellow dead; he has to fall back three thousand miles.
9. Look! Where is he going? He's chased him up a tree.
10. Lucky thing he has this move; the old thief.
趙州和尚。尋常舉此話頭。只是唯嫌揀擇。此是三祖信心銘云。至道無難。唯嫌揀擇。但莫憎愛。洞然明白。纔有是非。是揀擇。是明白。
纔恁麼會。蹉過了也。鉸釘膠粘。堪作何用。州云。是揀擇。是明白。如今參禪問道。不在揀擇中。便坐在明白裏。老僧不在明白裏。汝等還
護惜也無。汝諸人既不在明白裏。且道。趙州在什麼處。為什麼却教人護惜。五祖先師當說道。垂手來似過爾。爾作麼生會。且道。作麼生是垂手處。識取鉤頭意。莫認定盤星。這僧出來。也不妨奇特。捉趙州空處。便去拶他。既不在明白裏。護惜箇什麼。趙州更不行棒 行喝。只道。我亦不知。若不是這老漢。被他拶著。往往忘前失後。賴是這老漢。有轉身自在處。所以如此答他。如今禪和子。問著也道。我亦不知不會。爭奈同途不同轍。這僧有奇特處。方始會問。和尚既不知。為什麼却道不在明白裏。更好一拶。若是別人。往往分疏不下。
趙州是作家。只向他道。問事即得。禮拜了退。這僧依舊無奈這老漢何。只得飲氣吞聲。此是大手宗師。不與爾論玄論妙。論機論境。一向以本分事接人。所以道。相罵饒爾接嘴。相唾饒爾潑水。殊不知。這老漢。平生不以棒喝接人。只以平常言語。只是天下人不奈何。蓋為他平生無許多計較。所以橫拈倒用。逆行順行。得大自在。如今人不理會得。只管道。趙州不答話。不為人說。殊不知。當面蹉過。
纔恁麼會。蹉過了也。鉸釘膠粘。堪作何用。州云。是揀擇。是明白。如今參禪問道。不在揀擇中。便坐在明白裏。老僧不在明白裏。汝等還
護惜也無。汝諸人既不在明白裏。且道。趙州在什麼處。為什麼却教人護惜。五祖先師當說道。垂手來似過爾。爾作麼生會。且道。作麼生是垂手處。識取鉤頭意。莫認定盤星。這僧出來。也不妨奇特。捉趙州空處。便去拶他。既不在明白裏。護惜箇什麼。趙州更不行棒 行喝。只道。我亦不知。若不是這老漢。被他拶著。往往忘前失後。賴是這老漢。有轉身自在處。所以如此答他。如今禪和子。問著也道。我亦不知不會。爭奈同途不同轍。這僧有奇特處。方始會問。和尚既不知。為什麼却道不在明白裏。更好一拶。若是別人。往往分疏不下。
趙州是作家。只向他道。問事即得。禮拜了退。這僧依舊無奈這老漢何。只得飲氣吞聲。此是大手宗師。不與爾論玄論妙。論機論境。一向以本分事接人。所以道。相罵饒爾接嘴。相唾饒爾潑水。殊不知。這老漢。平生不以棒喝接人。只以平常言語。只是天下人不奈何。蓋為他平生無許多計較。所以橫拈倒用。逆行順行。得大自在。如今人不理會得。只管道。趙州不答話。不為人說。殊不知。當面蹉過。
Commentary
Chao Chou always used to bring up this saying; that is, "Just avoid picking and choosing." This is from the Third Patriarch's Seal of Faith in the Heart, which says,
The Ultimate Path is without difficulty;
Just avoid picking and choosing.
Just don't love or hate,
And you'll be lucid and clear.
As soon as you have affirmation and negation, "this is picking and choosing," "this is clarity." As soon as you understand this way, you have already stumbled past. When you're riveted down or stuck in glue, what can you do? Chao Chou said, "This is picking and choosing, this is clarity." People these days who practice meditation and ask about the Path, if they do not remain within picking and choosing, then they settle down within clarity. "This old monk does not abide within clarity; do you still preserve anything or not?" All of you people tell me, since he is not within clarity, where is Chao Chou? And why does he still teach people to preserve?
My late master Wu Tsu often would say, "I reach my hand down to show you, but how do you understand?" But tell me, where does he reach down his hand? Perceive the meaning on the hook; don't stick by the zero point of the scale.
This monk coming forth was undeniably extraordinary; he got ahold of Chao Chou's gap and proceeded to press him: "Since you do not abide within clarity, what do you preserve?" Chao Chou never used the staff or the shout; he just said, "I don't know either." When being pressed by that (monk), any one but this old fellow would time and again be at a loss. Fortunately this old fellow Chao Chou had freedom to turn himself around in, so he answered him like this. Many followers of Ch'an these days will also say when asked, "I don't know either; I don't understand." Nevertheless, though they are on the same road, they are not in the same groove.
There was something special about this monk; only thus could he ask, "Since you don't know, Teacher, why do you nevertheless say that you do not abide within clarity?" Another good rejoinder! If it had been someone other than Chao Chou, he never would have been able to explain. But Chao Chou is an adept; he just said to him, "It's enough to ask about the matter; bow and withdraw." As before, the monk had no way to cope with this old fellow; all he could do was suck in his breath and swallow his voice.
This is a very capable teacher of our clan; he does not discuss the abstruse or the mysterious, he does not speak of mentality or perspectivesa with you-he always deals with people in terms of the fundamental matter. Thus he would have said, "When we're reviling each other, I let you clamp beaks with me; when we're spitting at each other, I let you spew me with slobber." It is hardly known that while Chao Chou ordinarily never used beating or shouting to deal with people, and only used ordinary speech, still no one in the world could handle him. It was all because he never had so many calculating judgements: he could pick up sideways and use upside-down, go against or go with, having attained great freedom. People today do not understand this, and just say that Chao Chou did not answer the question or explain it to the man. How little you realize that you've stumbled past it.
Chao Chou always used to bring up this saying; that is, "Just avoid picking and choosing." This is from the Third Patriarch's Seal of Faith in the Heart, which says,
The Ultimate Path is without difficulty;
Just avoid picking and choosing.
Just don't love or hate,
And you'll be lucid and clear.
As soon as you have affirmation and negation, "this is picking and choosing," "this is clarity." As soon as you understand this way, you have already stumbled past. When you're riveted down or stuck in glue, what can you do? Chao Chou said, "This is picking and choosing, this is clarity." People these days who practice meditation and ask about the Path, if they do not remain within picking and choosing, then they settle down within clarity. "This old monk does not abide within clarity; do you still preserve anything or not?" All of you people tell me, since he is not within clarity, where is Chao Chou? And why does he still teach people to preserve?
My late master Wu Tsu often would say, "I reach my hand down to show you, but how do you understand?" But tell me, where does he reach down his hand? Perceive the meaning on the hook; don't stick by the zero point of the scale.
This monk coming forth was undeniably extraordinary; he got ahold of Chao Chou's gap and proceeded to press him: "Since you do not abide within clarity, what do you preserve?" Chao Chou never used the staff or the shout; he just said, "I don't know either." When being pressed by that (monk), any one but this old fellow would time and again be at a loss. Fortunately this old fellow Chao Chou had freedom to turn himself around in, so he answered him like this. Many followers of Ch'an these days will also say when asked, "I don't know either; I don't understand." Nevertheless, though they are on the same road, they are not in the same groove.
There was something special about this monk; only thus could he ask, "Since you don't know, Teacher, why do you nevertheless say that you do not abide within clarity?" Another good rejoinder! If it had been someone other than Chao Chou, he never would have been able to explain. But Chao Chou is an adept; he just said to him, "It's enough to ask about the matter; bow and withdraw." As before, the monk had no way to cope with this old fellow; all he could do was suck in his breath and swallow his voice.
This is a very capable teacher of our clan; he does not discuss the abstruse or the mysterious, he does not speak of mentality or perspectivesa with you-he always deals with people in terms of the fundamental matter. Thus he would have said, "When we're reviling each other, I let you clamp beaks with me; when we're spitting at each other, I let you spew me with slobber." It is hardly known that while Chao Chou ordinarily never used beating or shouting to deal with people, and only used ordinary speech, still no one in the world could handle him. It was all because he never had so many calculating judgements: he could pick up sideways and use upside-down, go against or go with, having attained great freedom. People today do not understand this, and just say that Chao Chou did not answer the question or explain it to the man. How little you realize that you've stumbled past it.
至道無難(三重公案。滿口含霜。道什麼)
言端語端(魚行水濁。七花八裂。搽胡也)
一有多種(分開好。只一般。有什麼了期)
二無兩般(何堪。四五六七。打葛藤作什麼)
天際日上月下(覿面相呈。頭上漫漫。脚下漫漫。切忌昂頭低頭)
檻前山深水寒(一死更不再活。還覺寒毛卓竪麼)
髑髏識盡喜何立(棺木裏瞠眼。盧行者是它同參)
枯木龍吟銷未乾(咄。枯木再生花。達磨遊東土)
難難(邪法難扶。倒一說。這裏是什麼所在。說難說易)
揀擇明白君自看(瞎。將謂由別人。賴值自看。不干山僧事)。
言端語端(魚行水濁。七花八裂。搽胡也)
一有多種(分開好。只一般。有什麼了期)
二無兩般(何堪。四五六七。打葛藤作什麼)
天際日上月下(覿面相呈。頭上漫漫。脚下漫漫。切忌昂頭低頭)
檻前山深水寒(一死更不再活。還覺寒毛卓竪麼)
髑髏識盡喜何立(棺木裏瞠眼。盧行者是它同參)
枯木龍吟銷未乾(咄。枯木再生花。達磨遊東土)
難難(邪法難扶。倒一說。這裏是什麼所在。說難說易)
揀擇明白君自看(瞎。將謂由別人。賴值自看。不干山僧事)。
Verse
The Ultimate Path is without difficulty:
(A triple case. A mouthful of frost. What is he saying?)
The speech is to the point, the words are to the point.
(When the fish swims through, the stream is muddied. A profusion of confusion; he smeared it.)
In one there are many kinds;
(You should open it up; what end will there be in just one kind)
In two there's no duality.
(How could it sustain four, five, six, seven? Why create complications)
On the horizon of the sky the sun rises and the moon sets;
(It's presented right to your face; above the head and beneath the feet it extends boundlessly. Don't lift or lower your head.)
Beyond the balustrade, the mountains deepen, the waters grow chill.
(Once dead, you don't return to life again. Do you feel the hairs on your body stand on end in a chill)
When the skull's consciousness is exhausted, how can joy remain
(He twinkles his eyes within his coffin. Workman Lu (Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch) is a fellow student of his.)
In a dead tree the dragon murmurs are not yet exhausted.
(Bah! The dead tree blooms again. Bodhidharma travels through the eastern land.)
Difficult, difficult!
(A false teaching is hard to uphold. An upside-down statement. What place is this here, to speak of difficulty or ease)
Picking and choosing? Clarity? You see for yourself!
(Blind! One might have thought it depended on some one else, but luckily (he says) 'See for yourself.' It's none of my business.)/div>
The Ultimate Path is without difficulty:
(A triple case. A mouthful of frost. What is he saying?)
The speech is to the point, the words are to the point.
(When the fish swims through, the stream is muddied. A profusion of confusion; he smeared it.)
In one there are many kinds;
(You should open it up; what end will there be in just one kind)
In two there's no duality.
(How could it sustain four, five, six, seven? Why create complications)
On the horizon of the sky the sun rises and the moon sets;
(It's presented right to your face; above the head and beneath the feet it extends boundlessly. Don't lift or lower your head.)
Beyond the balustrade, the mountains deepen, the waters grow chill.
(Once dead, you don't return to life again. Do you feel the hairs on your body stand on end in a chill)
When the skull's consciousness is exhausted, how can joy remain
(He twinkles his eyes within his coffin. Workman Lu (Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch) is a fellow student of his.)
In a dead tree the dragon murmurs are not yet exhausted.
(Bah! The dead tree blooms again. Bodhidharma travels through the eastern land.)
Difficult, difficult!
(A false teaching is hard to uphold. An upside-down statement. What place is this here, to speak of difficulty or ease)
Picking and choosing? Clarity? You see for yourself!
(Blind! One might have thought it depended on some one else, but luckily (he says) 'See for yourself.' It's none of my business.)/div>
雪竇知他落處。所以如此頌。至道無難。便隨後道。言端語端。舉一隅不以三隅反。雪竇道。一有多種。二無兩般。似三隅反一。爾且道。什麼處是言端語端處。為什麼一却有多種。二却無兩般。若不具眼。向什麼處摸索。若透得這兩句。所以古人道。打成一片。依舊見。山是山。水是水。長是長。短是短。天是天。地是地。有時喚天作地。有時喚地作天。有時喚山不是山。喚水不是水。畢竟怎生得平穩去。風來樹動。浪起船高。春生夏長。秋收冬藏。一種平懷。泯然自盡。則此四句頌頓絕了也。雪竇有餘才。所以分開結裹算來也。只是頭上安頭道。至道無難。言端語端。一有多種。二無兩般。雖無許多事。天際日上時月便下。檻前山深時水便寒。到這裏。言也端。語也端。頭頭是道。物物全真。豈不是心境俱忘。打成一片處。雪竇頭上太孤峻生。末後也漏逗不少。若參得透見得徹。自然如醍醐上味相似。若是情解未忘。便見七花八裂。決定不能會如此說話。髑髏識盡喜何立。枯木龍吟銷未乾。只這便是交加處。這僧恁麼問。趙州恁麼答。州云。至道無難。唯嫌揀擇。纔有語言。是揀擇是明白。老僧不在明白裏。是汝還護惜也無。時有僧便問。既不在明白裏。又護惜箇什麼。州
云。我亦不知。僧云。和尚既不知。為什麼却道不在明白裏。州云。問事即得。禮拜了退。此是古人問道底公案。雪竇拽來一串穿却。用頌至道無難。唯嫌揀擇。如今人不會古人意。只管咬言嚼句。有甚了期。若是通方作者。始能辨得這般說話。不見僧問香嚴。如何是道。嚴云。枯木裏龍吟。僧云。如何是道中人。嚴云。髑髏裏眼睛。僧後問石霜。如何是枯木裏龍吟。霜云。猶帶喜在。如何是髑髏裏眼睛。霜云。猶帶識在。僧又問曹山。如何是枯木裏龍吟。山云。血脈不斷。如何是髑髏裏眼睛。山云乾不盡。什麼人得聞。山云。盡大地未有一箇不聞。僧云未審龍吟是何章句。山云。不知是何章句。聞者皆喪。復有頌云。枯木龍吟真見道。髑髏無識眼初明。喜識盡時消息盡。當人那辨濁中清。雪竇可謂大有手脚。一時與爾交加頌出。然雖如是。都無兩般。雪竇末後有為人處。更道難難。只這難難。也須透過始得。何故。百丈道一切語言。山河大地。一一轉歸自己。雪竇凡是一拈一掇。到末後須歸自己。且道。什麼處是雪竇為人處。揀擇明白君自看。既是打葛藤頌了。因何却道。君自看。好彩教爾自看。且道。意落在什麼處。莫道諸人理會不得。設使山僧到這裏。也只是理會不得。
Commentary
Hsueh Tou knows where Chao Chou comes down; therefore he versifies like this: "The Ultimate Path has no difficulties." Then immediately following this, he says, "The speech is to the point, the words are to the point." He raises one corner, but doesn't come back with the other three; when Hsueh Tau says, "In one there are many kinds; in two there's no duality," this is like three comers returning to one. But tell me, where is it that words are to the point, and speech is to the point? In one, why are nevertheless many kinds, yet in two there is no duality? If you don't have eyes, where will you seek?
If you can penetrate these two lines, this is the basis of the ancient saying, "Fused into one whole, as of old you see that mountains are mountains, rivers are rivers, long is long, short is short, sky is sky, and earth is earth." But sometimes we call sky earth and earth sky, sometimes we say that mountains are not mountains and rivers are not rivers. Ultimately, how to attain imperturbable tranquility? When the wind comes, the trees move; when the waves swell, the boats ride high. In spring it sprouts, in summer it matures, in fall it is harvested, in winter it is stored; with uniform equanimity, everything disappears of itself.
Thus this four-line verse abruptly cuts off; but Hsueh Tau has extra ability, so he opens up the closed bag and gives a summary account. As he said at first,
The Ultimate Path is without difficulty;
Speech is to the point, words are to the point.
In one there are many kinds;
In two there is no duality.
Though there aren't so many things, when the sun rises over the horizon the moon goes down, and when the mountains beyond the balustrade deepen, the waters grow cold. When you get here, speech is indeed to the point, words are indeed to the point, everything is the Path and all things are completely real. Isn't this where mind and objects are both forgotten, fused into one whole? At the beginning of the verse Hsueh Tau was too solitary and steep; at the end, though, he is quite indulgent. If you can bore right through and see and penetrate, naturally it will be like the excellent flavor of ghee. If you don't forget your emotional interpretations, then you'll see a profusion of confusion, and you definitely won't understand this kind of talk.
"When the skull's consciousness is exhausted, how can joy remain? In the dead tree, dragon murmurs are not yet ended." This is just a bit of combination. These are from public cases of ancient questions about the Path, which Hsueh Tau has drawn out, pierced through and strung on the same thread to use in versifying "The Ultimate Path is without difficulty; just avoid picking and choosing." People these days don't understand the Ancient's meaning, and only chew on the words and gnaw on the phrases; when will they ever be done? If you are an adept who is a master of technique, only then can you understand this kind of talk.
Haven't you read how a monk asked Hsiang Yen, "What is the Path?" Hsiang Yen said, "In a dead tree, dragon murmurings." The monk asked, "What is a man of the Path?" Hsiang Yen said, "Eyeballs in a skull." Later the monk asked Shih Shuang, "What are 'dragon murmurings in a dead tree'?" Shih Shuang said, "Still having joy." The monk asked, "What are eyeballs in a skull?" Shih Shuang said, "Still having consciousness." The monk also asked Ts'ao Shan, "What are 'dragon murmurings in a dead tree'?" Ts'ao Shan said, "The blood line is not cut off." The monk asked, "What are 'eyeballs in a skull'?" Ts'ao Shan said, "Not dried up." The monk asked,"Who can hear this?" Ts'ao Shan said, "In the whole world, there is no one who does not hear it." The monk asked, "What book is 'dragon murmurings' taken from?" Ts'ao Shan said, "I don't know what book it's from, but all who hear it die." He also had a verse which said,
In a dead tree the dragon murmurs and truly sees the Path;
When the skull has no consciousness, only then are the eyes clear.
When joy and consciousness come to an end, all happenings are ended;
How can such a one discriminate the pure in the midst of impurity
Hsueh Tau can be said to possess great skill in combining all this at once in his verse. Though he has done this, there's been no duality at all.
Hsueh Tau had help for people at the end of the verse when he added "Difficult, difficult!" It's exactly this "difficult, difficult," that you must penetrate through in order to attain. Why? Pai Chang said, "All words and speech, mountains, rivers, and the great earth, each come back to oneself." Whatever Hsueh Tau offers and takes back must ultimately be returned to oneself. Tell me, how did Hsueh Tou help people when he said, "Picking and choosing? Clarity? See for yourself!"? He had already created this complicated verse; why then did he say "See for yourself"? Tell me, what was his true meaning? Don't say you can't understand. At this point, even I simply cannot understand either.
source NTI Reader, translation by Thomas Cleary
Hsueh Tou knows where Chao Chou comes down; therefore he versifies like this: "The Ultimate Path has no difficulties." Then immediately following this, he says, "The speech is to the point, the words are to the point." He raises one corner, but doesn't come back with the other three; when Hsueh Tau says, "In one there are many kinds; in two there's no duality," this is like three comers returning to one. But tell me, where is it that words are to the point, and speech is to the point? In one, why are nevertheless many kinds, yet in two there is no duality? If you don't have eyes, where will you seek?
If you can penetrate these two lines, this is the basis of the ancient saying, "Fused into one whole, as of old you see that mountains are mountains, rivers are rivers, long is long, short is short, sky is sky, and earth is earth." But sometimes we call sky earth and earth sky, sometimes we say that mountains are not mountains and rivers are not rivers. Ultimately, how to attain imperturbable tranquility? When the wind comes, the trees move; when the waves swell, the boats ride high. In spring it sprouts, in summer it matures, in fall it is harvested, in winter it is stored; with uniform equanimity, everything disappears of itself.
Thus this four-line verse abruptly cuts off; but Hsueh Tau has extra ability, so he opens up the closed bag and gives a summary account. As he said at first,
The Ultimate Path is without difficulty;
Speech is to the point, words are to the point.
In one there are many kinds;
In two there is no duality.
Though there aren't so many things, when the sun rises over the horizon the moon goes down, and when the mountains beyond the balustrade deepen, the waters grow cold. When you get here, speech is indeed to the point, words are indeed to the point, everything is the Path and all things are completely real. Isn't this where mind and objects are both forgotten, fused into one whole? At the beginning of the verse Hsueh Tau was too solitary and steep; at the end, though, he is quite indulgent. If you can bore right through and see and penetrate, naturally it will be like the excellent flavor of ghee. If you don't forget your emotional interpretations, then you'll see a profusion of confusion, and you definitely won't understand this kind of talk.
"When the skull's consciousness is exhausted, how can joy remain? In the dead tree, dragon murmurs are not yet ended." This is just a bit of combination. These are from public cases of ancient questions about the Path, which Hsueh Tau has drawn out, pierced through and strung on the same thread to use in versifying "The Ultimate Path is without difficulty; just avoid picking and choosing." People these days don't understand the Ancient's meaning, and only chew on the words and gnaw on the phrases; when will they ever be done? If you are an adept who is a master of technique, only then can you understand this kind of talk.
Haven't you read how a monk asked Hsiang Yen, "What is the Path?" Hsiang Yen said, "In a dead tree, dragon murmurings." The monk asked, "What is a man of the Path?" Hsiang Yen said, "Eyeballs in a skull." Later the monk asked Shih Shuang, "What are 'dragon murmurings in a dead tree'?" Shih Shuang said, "Still having joy." The monk asked, "What are eyeballs in a skull?" Shih Shuang said, "Still having consciousness." The monk also asked Ts'ao Shan, "What are 'dragon murmurings in a dead tree'?" Ts'ao Shan said, "The blood line is not cut off." The monk asked, "What are 'eyeballs in a skull'?" Ts'ao Shan said, "Not dried up." The monk asked,"Who can hear this?" Ts'ao Shan said, "In the whole world, there is no one who does not hear it." The monk asked, "What book is 'dragon murmurings' taken from?" Ts'ao Shan said, "I don't know what book it's from, but all who hear it die." He also had a verse which said,
In a dead tree the dragon murmurs and truly sees the Path;
When the skull has no consciousness, only then are the eyes clear.
When joy and consciousness come to an end, all happenings are ended;
How can such a one discriminate the pure in the midst of impurity
Hsueh Tau can be said to possess great skill in combining all this at once in his verse. Though he has done this, there's been no duality at all.
Hsueh Tau had help for people at the end of the verse when he added "Difficult, difficult!" It's exactly this "difficult, difficult," that you must penetrate through in order to attain. Why? Pai Chang said, "All words and speech, mountains, rivers, and the great earth, each come back to oneself." Whatever Hsueh Tau offers and takes back must ultimately be returned to oneself. Tell me, how did Hsueh Tou help people when he said, "Picking and choosing? Clarity? See for yourself!"? He had already created this complicated verse; why then did he say "See for yourself"? Tell me, what was his true meaning? Don't say you can't understand. At this point, even I simply cannot understand either.
source NTI Reader, translation by Thomas Cleary
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