【一】Bodhidharma's "Clear and Void"

【一】Bodhidharma's "Clear and Void" Emperor Bu of Ryo [1] asked Great Master Bodhidharma,"What is the highest meaning of the holy reality?" Bodhidharma replied, "Clear and void, no holiness." The emperor said, "Who are you in front of me?" Bodhidharma said, "I don't know." The emperor did not match him. Finally, Bodhidharma crossed the Yangtse River and came to the kingdom of Gi. Later, the emperor asked Shiko for his view. Shiko said, "Does Your Majesty know who this man is?" The emperor said, "I don't know." Shiko said, "He is the Mahasattwa Avalokitesvara transmitting the seal of Buddha's Mind." The emperor regretted and wanted to send an emissary to invite Bodhidharma back. Shiko said, "Your Majesty, do not intend to send an emissary to fetch him back. Even if all the people in the land were to go after him, he would not return." [1]: Emperor Bu reigned over the land of Ryo between 502-509 舉梁武帝問達磨大師(說這不唧[口*留]漢)如何是聖諦第一義(是甚繫驢橛)磨云。廓然無聖(將謂多少奇特。箭過新羅。可殺明白)帝曰。對朕者誰(滿面慚惶。強惺惺果然。摸索不着)磨云。不識(咄。再來不直半文錢)帝不契(可惜許。却較些子)達磨遂渡江至魏(這野狐精。不免一場懡[怡-台+羅]。從西過東。從東過西)帝後舉問志公(貧兒思舊債。傍人有眼)志公云。陛下還識此人否(和志公趕出國始得。好與三十棒。達磨來也)帝云。不識(却是武帝承當得達磨公案)志公云。此是觀音大士。傳佛心印(胡亂指注。臂膊不向外曲)帝悔。遂遣使去請(果然把不住。向道不唧[口*留])志公云。莫道陛下發使去取(東家人死。西家人助哀。也好一時趕出國)闔國人去。他亦不回(志公也好與三十棒。不知脚跟下放大光明)。 CASE Emperor Wu of Liang asked the great master Bodhidharma[1], “What is the highest meaning of the holy truths?”[2] Bodhidharma said, “Empty, without holiness.”[3] The Emperor said, “Who is facing me?”[4] Bodhidharma replied, “I don’t know.”[5] The Emperor did not understand.[6] After this Bodhidharma crossed the Yangtse River and came to the kingdom of Wei.[7] Later the Emperor brought this up to Master Chih and asked him about it.[8] Master Chih asked, “Does your majesty know who this man is?”[9] The Emperor said, “I don’t know.”[10] Master Chih said, “He is the Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, transmitting the Buddha Mind Seal.”[11] The Emperor felt regretful, so he wanted to send an emissary to go invite (Bodhidharma to return).[12] Master Chih told him, “Your majesty, don’t say that you will send someone to fetch him back.[13] Even if everyone in the whole country were to go after him, he still wouldn’t return.”[14] NOTES [1] This dull fellow speaks up. [2] What a donkey-tethering stake this is. [3] Wu considered this answer rather extraordinary. The arrow has flown past Korea. Very clear. [4] Wu is filled with embarrassment, forcing himself to be astute. As it turns out, he gropes without finding. [5] Bah! His second reply isn’t worth half a cent. [6] Too bad! Still, he’s gotten somewhere. [7] This wild fox spirit! He can’t avoid embarrassment. He crosses from west to east, he crosses from east to west. [8] A poor man thinks about an old debt. The bystander has eyes. [9] Wu should chase Master Chih out of the country too, Chih should be given thirty blows. Bodhidharma has come. [10] After all this is Emperor Wu’s understanding of Bodhidharma’s public case. [11] Chih explains haphazardly. The elbow doesn’t bend outwards. [12] After all, Bodhidharma couldn’t be held. As I said before, Wu is dull. [13] When someone in the eastern house dies, someone of the western house join in the mourning. Better they should be all driven out of the country at once. [14] Again Master Chih deserves thirty blows. He doesn’t know that the great illumination shines forth from under his own feet. 達磨遙觀此土有大乘根器。遂泛海得得而來。單傳心印。開示迷塗。不立文字。直指人心。見性成佛。若恁麼見得。便有自由分。不隨一切語言轉。脫體現成。便能於後頭。與武帝對譚。并二祖安心處。自然見得。無計較情塵。一刀截斷。洒洒落落。何必更分是分非。辨得辨失。雖然恁麼。能有幾人。武帝甞披袈裟。自講放光般若經。感得天花亂墜地變黃金。辨道奉佛。誥詔天下。起寺度僧。依教修行。人謂之佛心天子。達磨初見武帝。帝問。朕起寺度僧。有何功德。磨云。無功德。早是惡水驀頭澆。若透得這箇無功德話。許爾親見達磨。且道。起寺度僧。為什麼都無功德。此意在什麼處。帝與婁約法師傅大士昭明太子。持論真俗二諦。據教中說。真諦以明非有。俗諦以明非無。真俗不二。即是聖諦第一義。此是教家極妙窮玄處。帝便拈此極則處。問達磨。如何是聖諦第一義。磨云。廓然無聖。天下衲僧跳不出。達磨與他一刀截斷。如今人多少錯會。却去弄精魂。瞠眼睛云。廓然無聖。且喜沒交涉。五祖先師甞說。只這廓然無聖。若人透得。歸家穩坐。一等是打葛藤。不妨與他打破漆桶。達磨就中奇特。所以道。參得一句透。千句萬句一時透。自然坐得斷把得定。古人道。粉骨碎身未足酬。一句了然超百億。達磨劈頭與他一拶。多少漏逗了也。帝不省。却以人我見故。再問對朕者誰。達磨慈悲忒殺。又向道不識。直得武帝眼目定動不知落處。是何言說。到這裏有事無事。拈來即不堪。端和尚有頌云。一箭尋常落一鵰。更加一箭已相饒。直歸少室峯前坐。梁主休言更去招。復云。誰欲招。帝不契。遂潛出國。這老漢只得懡[怡-台+羅]。渡江至魏。時魏孝明帝當位。乃此北人種族姓拓跋氏。後來方名中國。達磨至彼。亦不出見。直過少林。面壁九年。接得二祖。彼方號為壁觀婆羅門。梁武帝後問志公。公云。陛下還識此人否。帝曰。不識。且道與達磨道底。是同是別。似則也似。是則不是。人多錯會道。前來達磨是答他禪。後來武帝是對他志公。乃相識之識。且得沒交涉。當時志公恁麼問。且道作麼生祇對。何不一棒打殺。免見搽胡。武帝却供他欵道不識。志公見機而作。便云。此是觀音大士。傳佛心印。帝悔遂遣使去取。好不唧[口*留]。當時等他道此是觀音大士傳佛心印。亦好擯他出國。猶較些子。人傳。志公天鑒十三年化去。達磨普通元年方來。自隔七年。何故却道同時相見。此必是謬傳。據傳中所載。如今不論這事。只要知他大綱。且道達磨是觀音。志公是觀音。阿那箇是端的底觀音。既是觀音。為什麼却有兩箇。何止兩箇。成群作隊。時後魏光統律師。菩提流支三藏。與師論議。師斥相指心。而褊局之量。自不堪任。競起害心。數加毒藥。至第六度。化緣已畢。傳法得人。遂不復救。端居而逝。葬於熊耳山定林寺。後魏宋雲奉使。於葱嶺遇師手携隻履而往。武帝追憶。自撰碑文云。嗟夫。見之不見。逢之不逢。遇之不遇。今之古之。怨之恨之。復讚云。心有也。曠劫而滯凡夫。心無也。剎那而登妙覺。且道。達磨即今在什麼處。蹉過也不知。 COMMENTARY From afar Bodhidharma saw that this country (China) had people capable of the Great Vehicle, so he came by sea, intent on his mission, purely to transmit the Mind Seal, to arouse and instruct those mired in delusion. Without establishing written words, he pointed directly to the human mind (for them) to see nature and fulfill Buddhahood. If you can see this way, then you will have your share of freedom. Never again will you be turned around pursuing words, and everything will be completely revealed. Thereafter you will be able to converse with Emperor Wu and you will naturally be able to see how the Second Patriarch’s mind was pacified.[a] Without the mental defilements of judgement and comparison, everything is cut off, and you are free and at ease. What need is there to go on distinguishing right and wrong, or discriminating gain and losss? Even so, how many people are capable of this? Emperor Wu had put on monk’s robes and personally expounded the Light-Emitting Wisdom Scripture; he experienced heavenly flowers falling in profusion and the earth turning to gold. He studied the Path and humbly served the Buddha, issuing orders thoughout his realm to build temples and ordain monks, and practicing in accordance with the Teaching. People called him the Buddha Heart Emperor. When Bodhidharma first met Emperor Wu, the Emperor asked, “I have built temples and ordained monks, what merit is there in this?” Bodhidharma said, “There is no merit.” He immediately doused the Emperor with dirty water. If you can penetrate this statement, “There is no merit,” you can meet Bodhidharma personally. Now tell me, why is there no merit at all in building temples and ordaining monks? Where does the meaning of this lie? Emperor Wu held discussions with Dharma Master Lou Yueh, with Mahasattva Fu, and with Prince Chao Ming about the two truths, the real and the conventional. As it says in the Teachings, by the real truth we understand that it is not existent; by the conventional truth we understand that it is not nonexistent. That the real truth and the conventional truth are not two is the highest meaning of the holy truths. This is the most esoteric, most abstruse point of the doctrinal schools. Hence the Emperor picked out this ultimate paradigm to ask Bodhidharma, “What is the highest meaning of the holy truths?” Bodhidharma answered, “Empty, without holiness.” No monk in the world can leap clear of this. Bodhidharma gives them a single swordblow that cuts off everything. These days how people misunderstand! They go on giving play to their spirits, put a glare in their eyes and say, “Empty, without holiness!” Fortunately, this has nothing to do with it. My late Master Wu Tsu once said, “If only you can penetrate ‘empty, without holiness,’ then you can return home and sit in peace.” All this amounts to creating complications; still, it does not stop Bodhidharma from smashing the lacquer bucket[b] for others. Among all, Bodhidharma is most extraordinary. So it is said, “If you can penetrate a single phrase, at the same moment you will penetrate a thousand phrases, ten thousand phrases.” Then naturally you can cut off, you can hold still. An Ancient said, “Crushing your bones and dismembering your body would not be sufficient requital; when a single phrase is clearly understood, you leap over hundreds of millions.” Bodhidharma confronted the Emperor directly; how he indulged! The Emperor did not awaken; instead, because of his notions of self and others, he asked another question, “Who is facing me?” Bodhidharma’s compassion was excessive; again he addressed him, saying, “I don’t know.” At this, Emperor Wu was taken aback; he did not know what Bodhidharma meant. When you get to this point, as to whether there is something or there isn’t anything, pick and you fail. Master Shou Tuan had a verse which said, Ordinarily a single arrow fells a single eagle; Another arrow is already too many. Bodhidharma goes right back to sit before Few Houses Peak; O Lord of Liang, speak no more of going to summon him. He also said, “Who wants to summon him back?” Since Emperor Wu did not understand, Bodhidharma secretly left the country; all this old fellow got was embarrassment. He crossed the Yangtse River into Wei; at the time, the Hsiao Ming Emperor of Wei was reigning there. This emperor belonged to a northern tribe named Toba, who were later to call themselves Chinese. When Bodhidharma arrived there, he did not appear for any more audiences, but went directly to Shao Lin Monastery, where he sat facing a wall for nine years, and met the Second Patriarch. People thereabouts called him “The Wall-Gazing Brahmin.” Emperor Wu of Liang later questioned Master Chih. Chih said, “Does your majesty know who this man is!” The Emperor said, “I don’t know.” Tell me, is this (“I don’t know”) the same as what Bodhidharma said, or is it different? In appearance it indeed seems the same, but in reality isn’t. People often misunderstand and say, “Before, when Bodhidharma said ‘I don’t know’ he was replying about Ch’an; later, when Emperor answered Master Chih, this referred to the ‘knowledge’ of mutual acquaintance.” This is irrelevant. Tell me, when Master Chih questioned him, how could Wu have answered? Why didn’t he strike Chih dead with a single blow and avoid being seen as a fool? Instead Emperor Wu answered Master Chih sincerely and said, “I don’t know.” Master Chih saw his chance and acted; he said, “This is the Mahasattva Avalokitesvara transmitting the Buddha Mind Seal.” The Emperor felt regret and was going to send an emissary to bring Bodhidharma back. Hos stupid! When Chih said, “This is Mahasattva Avalokitesvara transmitting the Buddha Mind Seal,” if Wu had driven him out of the country, this would have amounted to something. According to tradition, Master Chih died in the year 514, while Bodhidharma came to Liang in 520; since there is a seven year discrepancy, why is it said that the two met? This must be a mistake in the tradition. As to what is recorded in tradition, I will not discuss this matter now. All that’s important is to understand the gist of the matter. Tell me, Bodhidharma is Avalokitesvara, Master Chih is Avalokitesvara, but which is the true Avalokitesvara? Since it is Avalokitesvara, why are there two? But why only two? They are legion. Later in Wei, Bodhidharma debated with the Vinaya Master Kuang T’ung and the canonical master Bodhiruci. The Master Bodhidharma eliminated formalism and pointed to mind; because of their biased judgments, (the other two) would not put up with this, and instead developed feelings of malevolence and tried to poison Bodhidharma several times. On the sixth attempt, since his mission was completed and he had found someone to succeed to the Dharma, Bodhidharma made no further attempt to save himself, but sat upright and passed on. He was buried at Tinglin Temple on Bear Ear Mountain. Afterward, while Sung Yun of Wei was on a mission, he met the Master in the Ts’ung Ling Range (in Sinkiang), carrying one shoe in his hand, returning (to India). Emperor Wu mourned Bodhidharma’s death and personally wrote an inscription for his monument. It reads, “Alas! I saw him without seeing him, I met him without meeting him, I encountered him without encountering him; now as before I regret this deeply.” He further eulogized him by saying, “If your mind exists, you are stuck in the mundane for eternity; if your mind does not exist, you experience wondrous enlightenment instantly.” Tell me, where is Bodhidharma right now? You’ve stumbled past him without even realizing it. 聖諦廓然(箭過新羅。咦)何當辨的(過也。有什麼難辨)對朕者誰(再來不直半文錢。又恁麼去也)還云不識(三个四个中也。咄)因茲暗渡江(穿人鼻孔不得。却被別人穿。蒼天蒼天。好不大丈夫)豈免生荊棘(脚跟下已深數丈)闔國人追不再來(兩重公案。用追作麼。在什麼處。大丈夫志氣何在)千古萬古空相憶(換手槌胸。望空啟告)休相憶(道什麼。向鬼窟裏作活計)清風匝地有何極(果然。大小雪竇向草裏輥)師顧視左右云。這裏還有祖師麼(爾待番欵那。猶作這去就)。自云有(塌薩阿勞)喚來與老僧洗脚(更與三十棒趕出。也未為分外。作這去就。猶較些子)。 VERSE The holy truths are empty; **The arrow has flown past Korea. Ha!* How can you discern the point? **Wrong. What is there that’s hard to discern? * “Who is facing me? **The second try isn’t worth half a cent. So you too go on like this. * Again he said, “I don’t know.” **A third man, a fourth man hits the mark. Bah! * Henceforth, he secretly crossed the river; **He could not pierce another’s nostrils, but his own nostrils have been pierced by someone else.[c] What a pity! He sure isn’t a great man. * How could he avoid the growth of a thicket of brambles? **The brambles are already several yards deep beneath his feet. * Though everyone in the whole country goes after him, he will not return; **A double case. What’s the use of pursuing him? Where is he? Where is the spirit of a great man? * (Wu) goes on and on vainly reflecting back. **He wrings his hands and beats his breast, addressing a plea to the sky. * Give up recollection! **What are you saying? You are making a living in a ghost cave. * What limit is there to the pure wind circling the earth? **After all, the great Hsueh Tou is rolling around in the weeds. * The Master Hsueh Tou looked around to the right and left and said, Is there any patriarch here? **So you want to retract your statement? You still act like this? * He ansered himself, “There is.” **Too much trouble. * “Call him here to wash this old monk’s feet.” **Give him thirty more blows and drive him away-this wouldn’t be more than he deserves. Though he acts like this, he still amounts to something. * 且據雪竇頌此公案。一似善舞太阿劍相似。向虛空中盤礴。自然不犯鋒鋩。若是無這般手段。纔拈著便見傷鋒犯手。若是具眼者。看他一拈一掇。一褒一貶。只用四句。揩定一則公案。大凡頌古只是繞路說禪。拈古大綱據欵結案而已。雪竇與他一拶。劈頭便道。聖諦廓然。何當辨的。雪竇於他初句下。著這一句。不妨奇特。且道。畢竟作麼生辨的。直饒鐵眼銅睛。也摸索不著。到這裏。以情識卜度得麼。所以雲門道。如擊石火。似閃電光。這箇些子。不落心機意識情想。等爾開口。堪作什麼。計較生時。鷂子過新羅。雪竇道。爾天下衲僧。何當辨的。對朕者誰。著箇還云不識。此是雪竇忒殺老婆。重重為人處。且道。廓然與不識。是一般兩般。若是了底人分上。不言而諭。若是未了底人。決定打作兩橛。諸方尋常皆道。雪竇重拈一遍。殊不知。四句頌盡公案了。後為慈悲之故。頌出事跡。因茲暗渡江。豈免生荊棘。達磨本來茲土。與人解粘去縛。抽釘拔楔。剗除荊棘。因何却道生荊棘。非止當時。諸人即今脚跟下。已深數丈。闔國人追不再來。千古萬古空相憶。可殺不丈夫。且道。達磨在什麼處。若見達磨。便見雪竇末後為人處。雪竇恐怕人逐情見。所以撥轉關捩子。出自己見解云。休相憶。清風匝地有何極。既休相憶。爾脚跟下事。又作麼生。雪竇道。即今箇裏匝地清風。天上天下有何所極。雪竇拈千古萬古之事。拋向面前。非止雪竇當時有何極。爾諸人分上亦有何極。他又怕人執在這裏。再著方便高聲云。這裏還有祖師麼。自云有。雪竇到這裏。不妨為人。赤心片片。又自云。喚來與老僧洗脚。太殺減人威光。當時也好。與本分手脚。且道。雪竇意在什麼處。到這裏。喚作驢則是。喚作馬則是。喚作祖師則是。如何名邈。往往喚作雪竇使祖師去也。且喜沒交涉。且道。畢竟作麼生。只許老胡知。不許老胡會。 Now as for Hsueh Tou’s verse on this case, it is like skillfully doing a sword dance; sure and relaxed in mid-air, he naturally does not run afoul of the sharp point. If he lacked this kind of ability, as soon as he picked it up we would see him run afoul of the point and wound his hand. For those who have the eye to see, Hsueh Tou offers, takes back, praises, and deprecates, using only four lines to settle the entire public case. Generally, eulogies of the Ancients express Ch’an in a roundabout way, picking out the main principles of the old story, settling the case on the basis of the facts, and that is all. Hsueh Tou gives a thrust and says right off, “The holy truths are empty---how can you discern the point? ” Beneath that first phrase, he adds this one, which is quite extraordinary. Tell me, after all how will you discern the point? Even if you have an iron eye or a copper eye, still you will search without finding. When you get here, can you figure it out by means of emotive consciousness? This is why Yun Men said, “It is like flint struck sparks, like flashing lightening.” This little bit does not fall within the scope of mental activity, intellectual consciousness, or emotional conceptions. If you wait till you open your mouth,what good will it do? As soon as judgement and compassion arise, the falcon has flown past Korea. Hsueh Tou says, “How will all you monks distinguish the real point? Who is facing the Emperor?” He adds the line, “Again he said, ‘I don’t know.’” This is where Hsueh Tou is excessively doting, redoubling his efforts to help people. Now tell me, are “empty” and “I don’t know” the same or different? If you are someone who has personally understood completely, you will understand without anything being said. Someone who has not understood completely will undoubtedly separate them into two. Everywhere everyone always says, “Hsueh Tou (merely) brings up (the case) again.” They are far from knowing that (the first) four lines of the verse complete the case entirely. For the sake of compassion, Hsueh Tou versifies what happened: “Henceforth (Bodhidharma) secretly crossed the river; how could he avoid the growth of a thicket of brambles?” Bodhidharma originally came to this country to melt the sticking points, untie the bonds, pull out the nails and draw out the pegs, to cut down brambles for people: why then say that he gave rise to a thicket of brambles? This is not confined to those times; today the brambles under everyone’s feet are already several yards deep. “Though everyone in the whole country goes after him, he will not come back; (Wu) goes on and on vainly reflecting back.” Obviously Wu is not a powerful man. Tell me, where is Bodhidharma? If you see Bodhidharma, then you see where Hsueh Tou helps people in the end. Hsueh Tou feared that people would pursue intellectual views, so he swung open the gate and brought out his own understanding, saying, “Give up recollecting; what limit is there to the pure wind circling the earth?” Once you give up recollection, what will become of the affairs you busy yourselves with? Hsueh Tou says, here and now the pure wind is circling the earth. Throughout heaven and earth, what is there that is limited? Hsueh Tou picks up the numberless concerns of all ages and throws them down before you. This is not confined to Hsueh Tou’s time. What limit is there? All of you people---what limit is there on your part? Again Hsueh Tou feared that people would grab ahold at this point, so again he exposed his skill; in a loud voice he asked, “Is there any patriarch here?” And he answered himself, “There is.” Hsueh Tou doesn’t hesitate to bare his heart entirely here for the sake of others. Again he spoke up himself: “Call him here to wash this old monk’s feet.” He certainly diminishes the man’s dignity, but at the same time he properly offers his own hands and feet as well. Tell me, where does Hsueh Tou’s meaning lie? When you get here, can you call it an ass? Can you call it a horse? Can you call it a patriarch? How can it be named or depicted? The frequently expressed opinion that Hsueh Tou is employing the Patriarch fortunately has nothing to do with it. But tell me, after all what’s going on here? “I only allow that the old barbarian knows; I don’t allow that the old barbarian understands.” TRANSLATOR’S NOTES [a] Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch of Ch’an in China, was asked by Hui K’e [Shen Kuang], the future Second Patriarch, to pacify his mind for him; Bodhidharma said, “Bring me your mind and I will pacify it for you.” Hui K’e said, “When I search for my mind, I cannot find it.” Bodhidharma said, “I have pacified your mind for you.” At this Hui K’e was enlightened. [b] A lacquer bucket, pitch black, is a Ch’an metaphor for ignorance; to have “the bottom fall out of the bucket” is to become suddenly enlightened. To smash the bucket means to become enlightened or to enlighten others. [c] To pierce someone’s nostrils, as in putting a ring through a bull’s nose, means to master, to take control, to seize the advantage and have the upper hand. When one’s nostrils are in another’s hands, it means that one has been “caught,” even be it metaphysically, so to speak.