克符頌
Song of Kefu
奪人不奪境。 緣自帶誵訛。 擬欲求玄旨。 思量反責麼。
驪珠光燦爛。 蟾桂影婆娑。 覿面無回互。
還應滯網羅。
Do not cling to the person, yet do not reject the world. The world itself brings confusion. If you try to grasp the subtle truth, Your very thinking will be the fault.
A dazzling pearl shines brilliantly. The moon's shadow sways gracefully. Before your eyes, there is no barrier.
(Dahui said: The essence of this verse lies in the lines about the dazzling pearl and the moon's shadow. These two lines represent the "world." When a student asks about "not clinging to the person but not rejecting the world," trying to grasp the subtle truth—their thinking itself becomes the fault. The main point is that you cannot understand through thought or reasoning. If you try to understand by thinking or reasoning, you will miss the direct manifestation right before your eyes and get trapped in the net of words.)
And still you get caught in the net.
奪境不奪人。 尋言何處真。 問禪禪是妄。 究理理非親。
日照寒光澹。 山遙翠色新。 直饒玄會得。
也是眼中塵。
The state is taken, the person remains. If you seek words, where is the truth? Ask about Zen—Zen is illusion. Investigate principle—principle is not intimate.
Sunlight shines on cold, fading light. Mountains far, fresh green hues. Even if you mysteriously comprehend, (A monk said: "Want to understand 'Sunlight shines on cold, fading light. Mountains far, fresh green hues'? These two lines are the state. Even if you mysteriously comprehend, it is still dust in the eye.' Then the state is taken away.) It is still dust in the eye.
人境兩俱奪。 從來正令行。 不論佛與祖。 那說聖凡情。
擬犯吹毛劍。 還如值目盲。 進前求解會。
特地斬精靈。
Both the person and the world are stripped away— This is how the true command has always been carried out. No need to speak of Buddhas or patriarchs, Why mention feelings of sacred or mundane?
To even think of touching the fine-honed sword Is like being born blind. Step forward, seeking understanding—
[Note:] Dahui says, “Since the true command is carried out, neither Buddhas nor patriarchs remain. Arriving here, whether you advance or retreat, your life is entirely in the master’s hands. It’s like a razor-sharp sword—you cannot test its edge.”
—only to cut down your very spirit.
人境俱不奪。思量意不偏。主賓言不異。問答理俱全。踏破澄潭月。穿開碧落天。不能明妙用。淪溺在無緣(大慧云。若要分明理會得臨濟意。但向當時垂示處看)。
Neither person nor world is taken away. Thoughts and intentions are not one-sided. Host and guest speak without difference. Question and answer contain the complete truth. Step through the moon reflected on a clear pond. Break open the azure sky above. If you cannot understand this wondrous function, You will drown in conditions without connection.
(Great Master Dahui said: "If you wish to clearly understand the meaning of Linji, simply look at where he pointed directly during his teaching.")
師示眾云。如諸方學人來。山僧此問。作三種根器斷。如中下根器來。我便奪其境。而不除其法。或中上根器來。我便境法俱奪。如上上根器來。我便境法人俱不奪。如有出格見解人來。山僧此間。便全體作用。不歷根器。大德到這裏。學人著力處不通風。石火電光即蹉過了也。學人若眼目定動。即沒交涉(凡五家宗主垂示處稱師。後皆倣此)。
The Master instructed the assembly, saying: "When students from various places come to ask me questions here, I assess them according to three levels of capacity.
For those of medium or lower capacity, I take away the context but do not eliminate the teaching method. For those of medium or higher capacity, I take away both the context and the method. For those of the highest capacity, I take away neither the context, the method, nor the person.
But if someone with extraordinary insight arrives, I act with my whole being, without any regard for their capacity level.
Good practitioners, when you reach this point, there is no room for effort—even a flash of lightning or a spark from flint would be too slow. If your eyes so much as flicker, you’ve already missed it."
(In all cases where the founding masters of the Five Houses gave teachings, they are referred to as 'the Master.' This convention is followed throughout the text.)
南院。顒問風穴昭(亦作沼)云。汝道。四料揀。料揀何法。穴云。凡語不滯凡情。既墮聖解。學者大病。先聖哀之。為施方便。如楔出楔。院問。
At Nanyuan, Master Yong asked Master Fengxue Zhao(also known as Zhao), "You speak of the Four Classifications. What kind of dharma do these classifications actually sort?" Zhao replied, "Any ordinary speech must not get stuck in ordinary thinking; if it falls into a saintly interpretation, that is a great sickness for practitioners. The ancient sages, out of compassion, devised provisional methods to help, like using one wedge to remove another."
如何是奪人不奪境(首山等答皆附)穴云。新出紅爐金彈子。簉破闍黎鐵面門。首山云。人前把出遠送千峯。法華舉云。白菊乍開重日暖。百年公子不逢春。慈明圓云。神會曾磨普寂碑。道吾真云。庵中閑打坐。白雲起峯頂。圓悟勤云。老僧有眼不曾見。達觀頴云。家裏已無回日信。路遙空有望鄉牌。石門聰云。山河大地。
如何是奪境不奪人。穴云。芻草乍分頭腦裂。亂雲初綻影猶存。山云。打了不曾嗔。冤家難解免。華云。大地絕消息。翛然獨任真。明云。須信壺中別有天。吾云。閃爍紅旗散。仙童指路親。圓悟云。闍黎問得自然親。觀云。滄海盡教枯到底。青山直得碾為塵。門云。番人失㲲帳。
How is it to take away the environment but not the person? Xue said: "When the grass is suddenly parted, the head splits open; Though the chaotic clouds first break apart, their shadow still lingers." Shan said: "Hit yet never angry—a hard feud to resolve." Hua said: "The great earth has cut off all news; freely, alone, one accords with truth." Ming said: "You must believe the pot contains a different heaven." Wu said: "The flickering red flags scatter; a celestial youth points the way, close and clear." Yuanwu said: "The question you ask, O monk, is naturally intimate." Guan said: "Let the vast sea dry up to its very bottom; Let the green mountains be ground down to dust." Men said: "The foreigner has lost his felt tent."
如何是人境俱奪。穴云。躡足進前須急急。促鞭當鞅莫遲遲。山云。萬人作一塚。時人盡帶悲。華云。草荒人變色。凡聖兩俱忘。明云。寰中天子勅。塞外將軍令。吾云。剛骨盡隨紅影沒。苕苗總逐白雲消。悟云收。觀云。天地尚空。秦日月。山河不見漢君臣。門云。有何佛祖。
What is meant by "both person and environment are eliminated"?
Xue said: "When stepping forward, you must move with urgency; whip the reins, don't linger." Shan said: "Thousands of people become one grave, and in that moment, all carry grief." Hua said: "Grass withers and people change; both ordinary and sacred are forgotten." Ming said: "The emperor's decree within the realm; the general's command beyond the frontier." Wu said: "Hard bones all vanish with the red shadow; tender sprouts all dissolve with the white clouds." Wu said: "Withdraw." Guan said: "Heaven and earth are still empty. The sun and moon of Qin; mountains and rivers no longer see the lords of Han." Men said: "What buddha or patriarch?"
如何是人境俱不奪。穴云。帝憶。江南三月裏。鷓鴣啼處百花香。山云。問處分明答處親。華云。清風伴明月。野老笑相親。明云。明月清風任往來。吾云。久旱逢初雨。他鄉遇故知。悟云放。觀云。鶯囀上林花滿地。客遊三月草侵天。門云。問答甚分明。
**How is it that neither person nor environment is taken away?**
Xue said: *The emperor recalls.* In the third month of Jiangnan, partridges call amid the fragrance of a hundred flowers.
Shan said: *The question is clear, the answer is intimate.* A clear breeze accompanies the bright moon. An old rustic smiles with delight.
Ming said: *Bright moon and clear wind come and go freely.*
Wu said: *A long drought meets the first rain, in a foreign land you encounter an old friend.*
Wu (another) said: *Release.*
Guan said: *Orioles sing in the imperial garden, flowers cover the ground. A traveler wanders in the third month, grass touches the sky.*
Men said: *Question and answer are perfectly clear.*