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師生汾州陽城魏氏子。首參雪峰恆。次參太原深。皆有所詣。然終未脫略。復參雪庭。庭問。當機一句試拈出看。師擬對。庭遽曰。家產被人藉沒了也。還在者裡叫屈。師大悟曰。誰奈我何。庭曰。者風漢出去。師曰。仁義道中且與一拜。執侍十載。後奉旨主少林。元世祖至元己丑正月。示微疾。謂維那曰。古人坐脫立亡即不無。於衲僧分上。皆餘事也。山僧則不然。言畢而逝。闍維。門人分靈骨舍利。建塔少林寶應兩處。
贊 曰：
家產藉沒 擊碎明珠 輝天鑑地 無欠無餘
縱橫妙用 通宗通途 月船蘆岸 海島珊瑚
宣化偈曰：
親近有道遠佞人 力行參究本來真
當機拈出毋擬議 信手捉住老賊君
家產藉沒徒狂叫 寶藏尋獲氣自伸
縱橫妙用無窮盡 光輝萬劫照古今
白話解：
靈隱文泰禪師在靈隱寺也當過方丈，他是五十八世祖師，這位祖師是山西人，生在山西汾州陽城縣，俗家姓魏。「首參雪峰恆」，他出家一開始就聽人家說雪峰恆禪師有道德，他就去參拜，尋師訪道，到什麼地方都一定要恭恭敬敬，沒有馬馬虎虎的，不能說是一點禮貌也沒有，「參」就是參拜，就是到那去親近他，他一開始就親近雪峰恆禪師，對他叩頭禮拜求禪師教導他。
「次參太原深」，以後又去參訪在太原一位名叫深的禪師，也是當時的一位善知識。「皆有所詣」，他參訪當時這兩位善知識，都得到好處，都有進步。「詣」就是造詣，也就是人沒有到達的地方，但是他到了，譬如到紐約叫「造」，到了紐約叫「詣」。「然終未脫略」，可是始終還有一點點沒有斷，沒有完全放下，還有這麼一點點放不下，「略」就是一少部分，有一點點在那兒黏著，像開悟又好像沒有開悟，這事情是不能冒充的。
還拉著扯，拉不斷扯不斷，還藕斷絲連的，「復參雪庭」，以後他又去參拜雪庭福裕禪師。
「庭問」，雪庭問他：「當機一句試拈出看」，什麼叫做當機呢？就是面對現實，就是你和我這麼面對面，你要說一句話給我聽聽，這時候他若不想就說，就對了，但是他沒有開悟，所以他沒有話可說，要說什麼話才好呢？這就叫做「擬對」，就想找一句適當的話來答覆這雪庭禪師，可是他這一擬意，不是第一義，而是落二落三了，不是沒有分別的這一念了，若要沒有分別的這一念，你要當機立斷，就像打工夫似的，人家來這一招，你用那一種還招，要即刻把這一招給施展出來。你不要再想一想，我用那一招來對付他這一招呢！你那一想的時候，一定挨打了，因為不容得你想的，人家拿把刀要把你的頭砍下來，你要想法子令他這刀子砍不上來才對呀！你即刻就應該懂，不應該再想，這就叫做「一念未生全體現」，就在這時候。那麼他一擬對，「庭遽曰」，雪庭一看他這樣是不行的，就說「家產被人藉沒了也」，你家的財產都被人沒收了；這個財產不是指本性、佛性，這個財產就是指本來的智慧，這個本來應該有的智慧，現在你卻不會用了，等於被人家沒收去了一樣。「還在者裡叫屈」，你還在這裡說冤枉，你被冤枉了什麼？自己都做不了主。雪庭就這麼喝斥他，因為頭一句是一個考驗，他卻答不出來，這雪庭禪師是會觀機的，要說句什麼樣的話，才會令他覺悟呢？於是就找出這麼一句也不粗、也不細、也不文雅、也不俗的話，就是「家產被人藉沒了也」。你的家產被人給搶去了，所以這個家產就是指他的智慧。本來智慧是不會被人家搶去的，但是你現在不會用了，就等於被人家沒收了一樣。你還在這裡叫屈，你還在這裡找什麼？叫屈，就是你在這裡想什麼東西？
這麼一說，「師大悟曰」，他終於知道這原來是我自己的東西，我卻把它丟了，不會用了，然後他就發起狂來了，對雪庭禪師大喊一聲，說「誰奈我何！」他發狂地大喊起來。雪庭一聽他這麼喊起來了，也知道他明白過來了，就說「者風漢出去」。他喊，雪庭也喊罵他：「這瘋漢出去！」就這麼樣你喊我也喊，你獅子吼，我也獅子吼，沒完沒了的。之後「師曰：仁義道中且與一拜」，他覺得雪庭現在的這一句話，令我茅塞頓開，令我清涼，豁然頓悟，現在我什麼都懂了，我不到外面去找了，我也不在裡邊找了，我是本來如此，本來無一物，何處惹塵埃，所以誰奈何得了我？誰能管得了我啊！我願意怎麼樣就怎麼樣，我是老天爺，你能管得了我？這不是發狂的話，那是什麼話？所以這就是發狂的話，這發狂要有把握了，他才狂的，沒有把握的話是狂不起來，他是真明白了才敢發狂的。好像臨濟以前被黃蘗打他，他開悟以後，他也和黃蘗對打，這麼一對打，黃蘗也知道他開悟了，那麼大愚說這不關我的事，叫他去找黃蘗。表面上看來是對打，實際上是以心印心，也就是「行家伸伸手，便知有沒有」，你是不是個行家，一看就知道了，所以他說：「誰奈我何」，誰管得了我啊？因此雪庭就管他叫瘋漢，他也向雪庭叩首一拜，謝他的法乳之恩。謝完了後，就「執侍十載」，在那兒服勞執役，給雪庭洗衣服，收拾地方，當侍者，上殿過堂，照顧雪庭十年。
「後奉旨主少林」，以後奉了皇帝的旨意到少林寺做方丈，在「元世祖至元己丑正月，示微疾」，他就故意示現有了病了，大約全身汗毛梢都痛了，頭髮也不舒服了，「謂維那曰」，他就對維那說，「古人坐脫立亡即不無」，古人圓寂的時候，有的坐在那兒就圓寂了，有的站著也圓寂了，這都是真實的事情，不是假的，不是以訛傳訛的，好像是無稽之談似的，其實不是，這是都有的事。可是「於衲僧分上，皆餘事也」，於一般衲僧的分上啊，這都是多餘的事，多此一舉，這是標異現奇，還是故意著到相上的，說我是坐在那兒圓寂的，我有功夫了，或者我站在那兒往生的，我也有功夫了，或者怎麼樣……，種種不同的樣子，或者一隻手抓著樹枝上，在那兒圓寂了，或者在那兒頭衝下腳衝上，在那兒圓寂了，或者伸出一隻胳臂圓寂了，或者提起一條腿在那兒圓寂了，或者躺著那兒圓寂了，這還是著相啊！這都是在那兒開玩笑的，在臨死時候，還著住這個生死相上，所以皆餘事也。
「山僧則不然」，山僧我啊，我是不學那個的。「言畢而逝」，他說完就圓寂了，什麼痕跡也沒有，什麼樣子也沒有，究竟他是坐著說話的？躺著說話的？或是站著說話的？這都沒有什麼考究了，總而言之他批評人家都是不對的，那麼他就一定對的嗎？也不一定對的。「闍維」，就是用火燒。「門人分靈骨舍利」，門人把他的靈骨舍利分出幾部分。「建塔少林寶應兩處」，在少林、寶應兩處建塔。
贊 曰：
「家產藉沒」：家產都給別人沒收了。「擊碎明珠」：因為什麼都沒有了，所以就把自己的寶珠也把它打碎了。就是家破人亡，什麼都不要了。「輝天鑑地」：這個時候，因為他什麼都不要了，所以自性的光明就顯現了，光輝就照天照地，照滿人間。「無欠無餘」：這時候他不短少什麽了，可是也不多什麼。他與法界同體了，所以多也不多，少也不少，就是這麼多，什麼也沒有，什麼也都有，真空裡自然有妙有，妙有裡自然有真空，所以無欠無餘了。
「縱橫妙用」：這個時候，本有的家產都恢復自己的了，都得到了後，所以上下也隨便，四方也隨便，縱橫無礙，無論你怎麼樣子，無論你願意做什麼，都是合乎妙用的。「通宗通途」：一切的宗教，一切的宗旨都通了，那麼一切的道路也就通達了，無論什麼事情都是左右逢源了，怎麽做都對了，罵人也是佛法，打人也是菩提了。我告訴你們，因為我沒有開悟，所以我打你們，你們就痛，罵你們，你們心裡就不高興，要是真正像人家開悟了，罵人，人家也不知道被罵；打人，人家也不知道被打，這迷人的力量就有這麼大。
「月船蘆岸」：白鶴的顏色和蘆葦的顏色是不一樣的，水裡的月亮跟著船走，也都是不一樣的。「海島珊瑚」：在海島裡發現珊瑚，那就出貴了，形容在佛教裡能出這麼一位開悟的人，就像海島的珊瑚這麼出貴。珊瑚是七寶之一，金、銀、琉璃、玻璃、硨磲、赤珠、瑪瑙、琥珀、珊瑚這些都是寶貝。所以這位禪師也是寶貝了，也是世間上的寶貝了。
宣化偈曰：
「親近有道遠佞人」：這位文泰禪師，為什麼先參雪峰，然後又參太原深，以後又參這雪庭 ，這就是他願意親近有道的人。
「遠佞人」：就是他遠離邪知邪見不正當的人。佞人，就是諂媚，好拍馬屁的人，歡喜順乎人情講假話的人。
「力行參究本來真」：他不怕一切的艱辛困苦去參究這向上一法，這本來是自己真正的智慧，本有的家珍，無上的珍寶。
「當機拈出毋擬議」：這位雪庭禪師叫他「當機一句試拈出看」，就是你說一說看，但是他在那都要想一想。各位要知道，等到你再要去想一想之後，什麼都是錯的了。沒想之前衝口而出，不假思索，這才是真的。前幾天，大陸來信說，有一位法師，後悔當時虛老問他到江西去，他沒法立刻答出來，其實這位法師現在這麼一說，根本就是錯的，為什麼呢？他當初沒法答出來，或者是那樣子，也或者並不是那樣子，或者虛老是隨便和他談談話，他就妙想天開，以為人家是考驗他，實際上是不一定的，假如就是考驗他，他要是真懂了，現在也不應該再提出這個問題來，好提高自己的身價，好像跑江湖的人說江湖話，說自己如何如何，好往自己臉上貼金子。既然你當時沒有答出來，機會錯過就錯過了，但是你現在也沒有開悟，如果你現在開悟了，覺得自己當時錯過了，那是可以的。他跟誰學的呢？他這模樣是跟著虛老學的，見一樣學一樣，因為在虛老的年譜上有一段這麼說：「當初那叫化子文吉在黃河岸那地方，問我在南海有沒有「這個」，當時我要一腳就把他的鍋給踢翻了，就什麼問題都沒有了」。但是他就不懂，他這公案是從那兒學來的，照樣描下來，畫下來的。所以他們這些現代年輕的「小荒子」，不知道三七二十一，也不知四五六是個什麼的，就照著畫葫蘆寫這封信過來給我，一點意思也沒有的。各位想一想，他為什麼要這麼做，表示說自己神乎其神了，幾乎長翅膀要飛起來了。因為他這公案是學出來的，這是不算的，要信手拈來才算，要不假思索不假造作才行，不是用這個分別識心來的。當機拈出毋擬議，你不要想，你想了再回答都是錯了。「開口便錯，舉念即非」，你要是沒有真正明白，你一開口就是錯了，你一動念也是錯了。
「信手捉住老賊君」：你一伸手就捉住了這個老賊根，把這個老賊的根本給捉住了，再也跑不掉了，老賊根就是六賊，眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意，你能把它抓住的話。眼睛看色不為色塵所轉，耳朵聽聲不為聲塵所轉，鼻子嗅香不為香塵所轉，舌嚐味，身覺觸，意緣法，都不被這種種的塵境所轉了，就是捉住老賊了。
「家產藉沒徒狂叫」：雪庭禪師說，你家產都被人家藉沒了，你還在這裡叫屈呢！
「寶藏尋獲氣自伸」：聽雪庭這麼說，可是文泰禪師這回卻把寶藏給找回來了，他也理直氣壯地大喊說：「誰奈我何！」又神氣起來了，揚眉吐氣了。
「縱橫妙用無窮盡」：找回本來面目後，不論縱橫四方都無窮無盡的。「光輝萬劫照古今」：萬劫都是放光的，照古照今，照耀三千大千世界。
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The Master was born in the city of Yang in the Fen District. He was a son of the Wei family. First he went to study under Master Heng of Sywe Feng. Next he went to study under Master Shen of Tai Ywan. He learned something from both teachers, but he still did not become liberated. He further went to study under Sywe Ting. Ting requested, "Say something spontaneous right now and we'll see." The Master deliberated, so Ting suddenly said, "Your personal wealth has been confiscated, and you're still here crying about injustice." The Master had a great enlightenment and said, "Who can do anything about me?" Ting replied, "Get out, you crazy man!" The Master said, "For humaneness and righteousness I bow." He attended him for ten years. Later he was made Abbot of Shau Lin Monastery by Imperial edict. In January of the year Ji Chou in the Dz Ywan reign of Emperor Sz Ju of the Ywan Dynasty, he appeared to have a slight illness and said to the Cantor, "Some have passed away sitting up, or left standing up. It's not that there's no precedent for it, but for sanghans it's unnecessary. This mountain monk won't do it that way." After he finished saying this, he passed away. After cremation his disciples divided the bones and sarira. Pagodas were built for them at both Shau Lin and Bau Ying Monasteries.
A verse in praise says:
Personal wealth confiscated, bright pearl shattered,
The brilliance shone in heaven, mirrored on earth.
Not deficient, not surplus, the wonderful function works vertically and horizontally, penetrating all the teachings and paths.
The moon follows the boat to the reedy shore, a coral reef in the sea.
Another verse says:
Drawing near people who have the Way and staying away from deceitful people,
Industriously working at investigating the inherent truth,
"Spontaneously pick it up without deliberation."
Intuitively he caught the old thieves.
His personal wealth had been confiscated, but he cried out in vain.
Recovering the precious treasury, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Horizontally or vertically, the wonderful function is inexhaustible.
The brilliance illumines ten thousand eons, shining from ancient times until today.
Commentary:
Dhyana Master Wen Tai of Ling Yin was the Abbot of Ling Yin Monastery. He was the Fifty-eighth Patriarch. This Patriarch came from Shan Syi Province. He was born in Yang Cheng County, Fen District. His lay surname was Wei.
First he went to study under Master Heng of Sywe Feng. Soon after leaving the home life, he heard people say that Dhyana Master Sywe Feng had Way Virtue, so he went to bow to him and study under him. When you're in search of a teacher and the Way, wherever you go you should be very respectful. You cannot be careless and ill-mannered. "Study under" means to draw near to him. From the very beginning when he drew near to Dhyana Master Sywe Feng, he made obeisance and bowed to him, requesting the Dhyana Master to teach him.
Next he went to study under Master Shen of Tai Ywan. Later he went to study with a Dhyana Master named Shen in Tai Ywan who was also a Good Knowing Advisor of the time.
He learned something from both teachers. He studied under these two Good Knowing Advisors of the time and he gained benefit and made progress under both of them, he "got somewhere" with them, so to speak.
But he still did not become liberated. Since there was still a little bit he had not cut off, that he hadn't completely put down, a tiny bit remained to hold him back, and he could not break it off. It's like the stickiness that remains to connect the pieces of a lotus root when you break it in two. It was as if he were enlightened, yet not quite enlightened. This isn't something that can be faked.
He further went to study under Sywe Ting. Later he went to study under Dhyana Master Fu Yu of Sywe Ting.
Ting requested, "Say something spontaneous right now and we'll see." What is "spontaneous?" It's facing reality, face to face, just like you and me. You have to say something for me to hear.
The Master deliberated. At this moment if he had spoken without thinking, then he would have been right. But he was not enlightened yet, so without thinking first, he wouldn't have had anything to say. What could he have said? This is called "deliberation." He was trying to think of a suitable line to answer Dhyana Master Sywe Ting, but as soon as he deliberated, it wasn't the first meaning. Rather, it had fallen into the second or third meaning, instead of the one thought that's without discrimination. If you want the one thought without discrimination you have to make an immediate decision. It's just like in gung-fu, wherein if someone deals you a blow, however you respond, it must be im-mediate, without thinking about it. If you take time to think, then you'll be hit. Thinking about it is out of the question. If someone with a knife came to cut your head off, you'd find a way to prevent it. You'd know immediately that you shouldn't take time to think. This is the state where "the whole substance manifests before the creation of a single thought." While he was deliberating,
Ting suddenly said, Sywe Ting, seeing that it wasn't going to work, suddenly said,
"your personal wealth has been confiscated." Your own "wealth" does not mean your original nature or Buddha nature, et cetera. The "wealth" here refers to your fundamental wisdom. Now you don't know how to use it, so it's as if it had been confiscated.
"...and you're still here crying about injustice." "You are still here saying that you've been wronged. How have you been wronged? You can't be your own master." Sywe Ting scolded him just like that. Because the first sentence was a test for him, he couldn't come up with the answer. This Dhyana Master Sywe Ting knew how to contemplate the opportunities. He knew what to say in order to make him enlightened, so he came up with this line. It's not too coarse, too fine, too elegant or too vulgar, that line, "your personal wealth has been confiscated." The personal wealth refers to his wisdom. Basically wisdom can't be robbed away, but since you don't know how to use it, it's like it's been confiscated. And yet you cry "injustice." What are you looking for here? "Crying about injustice" means, what are you thinking here?
After these words, the Master had a great enlightenment. He finally realized, "This is my own possession, yet I've lost it and don't know how to use it." Then he went mad. He let out a yell to Dhyana Master Sywe Ting
and said, "Who can do anything about me?" He started screaming like crazy. When Sywe Ting heard him shouting like this, he realized he finally understood, and told him,
"Get out, you crazy man!" Sywe Ting also screamed back at him. "Get out, crazy man!" They yelled back and forth. You roar like a lion, I also roar like a lion, on and on like this.
Later the Master said, "For humaneness and righteousness I bow." "You were so good to me;" he thought. He felt that Sywe Ting's one line had "uncorked his bottle;" causing him to suddenly understand. He thought, "Now I understand everything. I should not go seeking outside, neither should I seek inside. I'm originally thus. 'Basically there's not one thing, so where can the dust alight?' So who can do anything about me? Who could manage me? I'll do whatever I want. I'm old Lord God himself, so how could you tell me what to do?" If this isn't insane talk, what is it? It is madness. This kind of madness requires confidence. You cannot be mad if you don't have the confidence. He dared to be mad because he truly understood. Just like before, when Lin Ji was struck by Hwang Bai.
After he became enlightened, he exchanged blows with Hwang Bai. When the blows were exchanged, Hwang Bai knew he'd become enlightened. Da Yu had said, "This is none of my business;" and had told him to look for Hwang Bai. Superficially this looked like exchanging blows, but in fact it was Using the Mind to Seal the Mind. And it was also "an expert gauging your skill by watching a few of your moves." One look at you and he'd know. So he said, 'Who can do anything about me? Who can manage me?" And that's why Sywe Ting called him a crazy man. He also bowed to Sywe Ting once, to show gratitude for the favor of his Dharma-milk. After he thanked him,
he attended him for ten years. He stayed there and worked for him, offered his services to him, washed his laundry, cleaned the place, tended to him in the Buddha Hall and in the dining hall, took care of him for ten years.
Later he was made Abbot of Shau Lin Monastery by Imperial edict. Afterwards at the Emperor's command he went to Shau Lin Monastery and became the Abbot.
In January of the year Ji Chou in the Dz Ywan reign of Emperor Sz Ju of the Ywan Dynasty, he appeared to have a slight illness. He deliberately appeared to be ill. Probably the tips of his body-hairs were in pain, even his hair was uncomfortable. He
said to the Cantor (wei nwo), "some have passed away sitting up, or left standing up. It's not that there's no precedent for it." When ancient people (sages) completed the stillness, some did it while sitting down, others while standing. These things are actually true, not false. It's not the case that they're legends and myths handed down, like talk devoid of any basis. It's not the case. All these things truly exist.
But for sanghans it's unnecessary. For ordinary ragged monks, this is too much, it's acting excessively. It's just deliberately showing off. They're still attached to appearances. It's like they're saying, "I'm completing the stillness while sitting, so, see, I have skill." Or, "I went to rebirth while standing up, so I also have some gung-fu." Or else all kinds of other styles: completing stillness with one hand grabbing a tree-branch; or upside-down; or with one arm stretched out; or with one leg pulled up; or in the process of reclining. These are still attachments to appearances. They were just joking around. Near to dying, they still wanted to show off. They were still attached to the idea of birth and death. That's why "it's unnecessary."
This mountain monk won't do it that way. I, this mountain monk, won't be following that pattern.
After he finished saying this, he passed away. Right after he said this, he completed the stillness, without any traces, without any "style" at all. In the end, we don't know if he said this while he was sitting, reclining, or standing, and there's no way to know. In short, he had criticized others as being all wrong. But is it the case that he was definitely right? It's not for sure.
After cremation, after burning with fire,
his disciples divided the bones and sarira. The disciples divided his holy remains into several portions.
Pagodas were built for them at both Shau Lin and Bau Ying Monasteries.
A verse in praise says:
Personal wealth confiscated, his own valuables had been taken away.
Bright pearl shattered, because he had nothing left, his own precious jewel was shattered. His "home was broken up, his people gone." He wanted nothing.
The brilliance shone in heaven, mirrored on earth. At the time, because he wanted nothing more, the light of self-nature appeared. The brightness illumined the sky, the earth, the realm of humans.
Not deficient, not surplus, thereupon he wasn't short of anything, and he wasn't excessive in anything, and he became the same substance as the Dharma Realm. So it's not too much, not too little, just the right amount. He didn't have anything, but he had everything. There's wonderful existence naturally in true emptiness. There's true emptiness naturally within wonderful existence. There's neither deficiency nor surplus.
The wonderful function works vertically and horizontally. At this time he recovered all his personal wealth and it became his own again. After he obtained everything, up and down were casual, four directions were leisurely, vertically and horizontally there was no obstruction. No matter what he wanted to do, it was consistent with the wonderful function.
Penetrating all the teachings and paths. All the teachings of all the schools are penetrated. All the principles are penetrated. All the paths are reached. No matter what, whether to the left or right, you are in accord with the Origin. No matter what you do, it's right. Scolding people is Buddhadharma, hitting people is also Bodhi. Let me tell you something: because I haven't become enlightened, you hurt when I strike you. If I scold you, you are unhappy in your heart. If I were like those people who are truly enlightened, then when they scold people, they wouldn't know they'd been scolded, or when they hit people, they wouldn't know they'd been hit. The power of their charm is just this great.
The moon follows the boat to the reedy shore. The color of the white crane is different from the color of the reeds. The reflection of the moon in the water, following the boat, is also not the same.
A coral reef in the sea. To discover a reef of coral near an island in the sea is rare. This symbolizes that in Buddhism such an enlightened person has emerged. It's unusual and rare, just like a coral reef near an island in the sea. Coral is one of the seven kinds of jewels. Gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother of pearl, red pearl, carnelian, amber, and coral are all precious. Therefore this Dhyana Master is a precious treasure in the world.
Another verse says:
Drawing near people who have the Way and staying away from deceitful people. This Dhyana Master Wen Tai, why did he first study under Sywe Feng and then go to study under Shen of Tai Ywan, then later went back to study under Sywe Ting again? This is because he wanted to draw near to people who have the Way. "Staying away from deceitful people" means he stayed away from improper people who had deviant knowledge and deviant views. "Deceitful people" are those who like to flatter, butter people up, tell lies and cater to other people's feelings and speak falsely.
Industriously working at investigating the inherent truth. He didn't fear any difficulties and hardships in investigating and learning the supreme Dharma, the basic inherent true wisdom, the inherent jewel, the unsurpassed treasure.
"Spontaneously pick it up without deliberation." This Dhyana Master Sywe Ting told him to "say something spontaneous and we'll see." That means, speak and we'll evaluate it. But there he was, trying to think. Each of you should know that if you wait until you have thought it over, everything will be wrong. Before you have thought, whatever rushes from your mouth without contemplation, that then is true. A few days ago a letter from Mainland China came saying that a certain Dharma Master regretted that he didn't answer when Syu Lau had asked him to go to Jyang Syi. Actually, for this Dharma Master to say this now is wrong. Why? At the time he couldn't answer. Maybe it was that way or maybe it wasn't that way. Maybe Syu Lau was casually talking to him. He was imagining things, thinking he was being tested. Actually it's not for certain. Even if it were a test for him, if he truly understood then he should not have brought this up now to give himself status, like a travelling salesman giving his pitch, promoting himself, gold-plating his own face. Since at the time he didn't come up with an answer, he missed the opportunity. If he missed it, he missed it. But he's not enlightened now. If he were enlightened now and felt he would have missed it at the time, that would have been alright. Whom is he trying to imitate? He is trying to imitate Syu Lau's style, "monkey see, monkey do." Because in Syu Lau's journal, there's a section that says, "At the time, this beggar Wen Ji by the banks of the Yellow River asked me whether or not there was 'this' in the South Sea. But then I kicked his cup over. All questions disappeared." However, he isn't aware that he copied from there. He followed the pattern, traced it. These modern young lads don't know whether three times seven is twenty eight, or what four, five, and six are about. They "traced the drawing of a gourd" and wrote this letter to me. It's completely meaningless. All of you think about it. Why did he do this? It's like calling himself the mystery within the mysterious, or like he had wings and could fly. Because his public case is an imitation, it doesn't count. It has to be something without deliberation, then it will count. It doesn't come from the conscious discriminating mind. "Spontaneously pick it up without deliberation." You cannot think. If you think of an answer then it's all wrong. "As soon as you open your mouth, it's wrong. As soon as you give rise to a thought, it's off. If you don't really understand, if you open your mouth, it's in error. As soon as you think, it's wrong.
Intuitively he caught the old thieves. As soon as you reach out your hand you catch the root of the old thieves. You've caught the bases of these old thieves, they can't run away anymore. The roots of the old thieves are the six thieves: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind. If you can catch them, then you will not be turned by the formdust when your eyes look at form, you will not be turned by sound-dust when your ears hear sound, you will not be turned by odors when your nose smells odors, or by flavors when your tongue tastes flavors, or by sensations when your body feels touch, or ideas when your mind conditions ideas. You're not turned by the various states of the dust (of the world), and this is to have caught the old thieves.
His personal wealth had been confiscated, but he cried out in vain. Dhyana Master Sywe Ting said, "Your personal wealth has been confiscated and you're still here crying about injustice?"
Recovering the precious treasury, he breathed a sigh of relief. When he heard what Sywe Ting said, this time Dhyana Master Wen Tai had recovered the treasury. He forcefully cried out loud, "Who can do anything about me?" with a commanding air, in exultation.
Horizontally or vertically, the wonderful function was inexhaustible. After he'd recovered his original face, then vertically, horizontally, any which way, it was inexhaustible.
The brilliance illumines ten thousand eons, shining from ancient times until today. For ten thousand kalpas it shines, shines on antiquity, shines on the present, shines throughout the three thousand great-thousand worlds.
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