[87] Yunmen: Medicine and Illness Counteract Each Other 【八七】云门药病相治
Verses on Ancient Cases by Chan Master Xuedou Chongxian, with Commentary by Chan Master Yuanwu Keqin | 2019-04-01 | Download | AI assisted translation
| 【八七】云门药病相治 |
[Case 87] Yunmen: Medicine and Illness Counteract Each Other |
| 垂示云：明眼汉没窠臼。有时孤峰顶上草漫漫，有时闹市里头赤洒洒。忽若忿怒那吒现三头六臂，忽若日面月面放普摄慈光。于一尘现一切身，为随类人和泥合水。忽若拨着向上窍，佛眼也觑不着。设使千圣出头来，也须倒退三千里。还有同得同证者么？试举看。 |
Pointer: A person of clear vision has no fixed molds. At times, grasses spread luxuriantly atop a solitary peak; at times, one is utterly bare in the midst of a bustling market. Suddenly, like wrathful Nezha, one manifests three heads and six arms; suddenly, like the Sun-Faced and Moon-Faced Ones, one emits all-embracing rays of compassion. Within a single mote of dust, one manifests all bodies; for people of every kind, one mixes with mud and water. Suddenly, if one touches the upward-opening pivot, even the Buddha eye cannot catch sight of it. Even if a thousand sages were to emerge, they would still have to retreat three thousand leagues. Is there anyone who has attained and realized this together? Let us raise the case and see. |
| 【八七】举： |
[Case 87] The Case: |
| 云门示众云：药病相治，【一合相不可得。】 |
Yunmen instructed the assembly: “Medicine and illness counteract each other. [The characteristic of oneness cannot be obtained.]” |
| 尽大地是药，【苦瓠连根苦。摆向一边。】 |
“The whole earth is medicine. [A bitter gourd is bitter to its root. Set it aside.]” |
| 哪个是自己？【甜瓜彻蔕甜。哪里得这消息来？】 |
“Which one is oneself? [A sweet melon is sweet to its stem. Where could one get such news?]” |
| 云门道：“药病相治，尽大地是药，哪个是自己？”诸人还有出身处么？二六时中，管取壁立千仞。德山棒如雨点，临济喝似雷奔，则且致。释迦自释迦，弥勒自弥勒。未知落处者，往往唤作“药病相投”会去。 |
Yunmen said, “Medicine and illness counteract each other. The whole earth is medicine. Which one is oneself?” Do you all have a place from which to emerge? Throughout the twenty-four hours of the day, see that you stand like a cliff ten thousand fathoms high. Deshan’s blows fall like raindrops, and Linji’s shouts race like thunder—let us set that aside for now. Śākyamuni is Śākyamuni; Maitreya is Maitreya. Those who do not know where it lands often take it to mean that “medicine and illness correspond to each other.” |
| 世尊四十九年、三百余会，应机设教，皆是应病与药，如将蜜果换苦葫芦相似。既淘汝诸人业根，令洒洒落落。尽大地是药，尔向什么处插嘴。若插得嘴，许尔有转身吐气处。便亲见云门。 |
For forty-nine years, in more than three hundred assemblies, the World-Honored One taught according to the capacities of his listeners. All this was medicine given in response to illness, like exchanging honeyed fruit for bitter gourds. Having cleansed the karmic roots of you all, he leaves you open and free. The whole earth is medicine—where will you insert your mouth? If you can insert your mouth, I allow that you have a place to turn around and breathe out. Then you will personally meet Yunmen. |
| 尔若回顾踌躇，管取插嘴不得，云门在尔脚跟底。药病相治，也只是寻常语论。尔若著有，与尔说无。尔若着无，与尔说有。尔若着不有不无，与尔去粪扫堆上现丈六金身，头出头没。 |
If you turn back and hesitate, be assured that you will be unable to insert your mouth; Yunmen will be right beneath your heels. “Medicine and illness counteract each other” is only an ordinary manner of speaking. If you cling to being, I speak to you of nonbeing. If you cling to nonbeing, I speak to you of being. If you cling to neither being nor nonbeing, I will go with you to a heap of dung and sweepings and manifest a sixteen-foot golden body, appearing and disappearing. |
| 只如今尽大地森罗万象乃至自己，一时是药。当恁么时，却唤那个是自己？尔一向唤作药，弥勒佛下生，也未梦见云门在！毕竟如何？识取钩头意，莫认定盘星。 |
Right now, the whole earth, its myriad forms and appearances, and even oneself are all medicine at once. At such a time, what would you call oneself? If you persist in calling it medicine, then even when Maitreya Buddha descends into the world, you will not have dreamed of where Yunmen is! Ultimately, how is it? Recognize the meaning at the hook’s tip; do not take the fixed star for certain. |
| 文殊一日令善财去采药，云：“不是药者采将来。”善财遍采，无不是药，却来白云：“无不是药者。”文殊云：“是药者采将来。”善财乃拈一枝草度与文殊。文殊提起，示众云：“此药亦能杀人，亦能活人。”此药病相治话，最难看，云门室中寻常用接人。 |
One day, Mañjuśrī instructed Sudhana to gather medicine, saying, “Bring back what is not medicine.” Sudhana gathered everywhere, and there was nothing that was not medicine. He returned and reported, “There is nothing that is not medicine.” Mañjuśrī said, “Bring back what is medicine.” Sudhana then picked up a blade of grass and handed it to Mañjuśrī. Mañjuśrī raised it and showed it to the assembly, saying, “This medicine can also kill people, and it can also bring people to life.” This saying about medicine and illness counteracting each other is most difficult to see. Yunmen commonly used it in his room to receive people. |
| 金鹅长老，一日访雪窦。他是个作家，乃临济下尊宿。与雪窦论此药病相治话，一夜至天光，方能尽善。到这里，学解思量计较，总使不着。雪窦后有颂送他道：“药病相治见最难，万重关锁太无端。金鹅道者来相访，学海波澜一夜干。” |
Elder Jine once visited Xuedou. He was a master of the craft and a venerable descendant of Linji. He and Xuedou discussed this saying about medicine and illness counteracting each other throughout the night until dawn; only then was it brought to complete perfection. Here, learning, intellectual understanding, reflection, and calculation are altogether useless. Later, Xuedou composed a verse to send him off: “The insight into medicine and illness counteracting each other is most difficult; / The myriad locked gates are utterly without reason. / The Wayfarer Jine comes to pay a visit; / In one night, the billows of the sea of learning are dried up.” |
| 雪窦后面颂得最有工夫。他意亦在宾、亦在主，自可见也。颂云： |
Xuedou’s later verse is especially skillful. Its intent lies both with the guest and with the host, as you can see for yourselves. The verse says: |
| 尽大地是药，【教谁辨的。撒沙撒土。架高处着。】 |
The whole earth is medicine, [Whom does this teach to distinguish it? Scattering sand and earth. Set it up high.] |
| 古今何太错！【言中有响。一笔句下。咄！】 |
Why have past and present been so mistaken! [There is an echo within the words. One stroke beneath the sentence. Bah!] |
| 闭门不造车，【大小雪窦为众竭力。祸出私门。坦荡不挂一丝毫。阿谁有闲工夫。向鬼窟里作活计。】 |
With the gate shut, one does not make a cart, [Whether great or small, Xuedou exhausts himself for the assembly. Disaster comes from one’s private gate. Vast and open, without a trace of attachment. Who has the leisure to carry on business in a ghost cave?] |
| 通途自寥廓。【脚下便入草。上马见路。信手拈来，不妨奇特。】 |
And the open road is naturally spacious. [At one’s feet, one enters the grass. Mount the horse and see the road. Picked up at hand, it is indeed remarkable.] |
| 错！错！【双剑倚空飞。一箭落双雕。】 |
Wrong! Wrong! [Twin swords lean against the sky and fly. One arrow brings down two eagles.] |
| 鼻孔辽天亦穿却。【头落也。打云：穿却了也！】 |
Even nostrils reaching the sky are pierced through. [The head has fallen off. A blow says: They have been pierced through!] |
| “尽大地是药，古今何太错！”尔若唤作药会，自古自今，一时错了也！雪窦云：“有般汉不解截断太梅脚跟，只管道贪程太速！”他解截云门脚跟，为云门这一句惑乱天下人！云门云：“拄杖子是浪，许尔七纵八横。尽大地是浪，看尔头出头没。” |
“The whole earth is medicine—why have past and present been so mistaken!” If you understand it by calling it medicine, then from ancient times until now, you are mistaken all at once! Xuedou said, “There are fellows who do not know how to cut off Damei’s heels, yet keep saying that he is too eager to press on!” He knows how to cut off Yunmen’s heels, for this one phrase of Yunmen’s has thrown the whole world into confusion! Yunmen said, “The staff is a wave; I permit you seven verticals and eight horizontals. The whole earth is a wave—watch yourself appear and disappear.” |
| “闭门不造车，通途自寥廓。”雪窦道，为尔通一线路。尔若闭门造车，出门合辙，济个甚事！我这里闭门也不造车，出门自然寥廓。他这里略露些子缝罅，教人见。 |
“With the gate shut, one does not make a cart, and the open road is naturally spacious.” Xuedou says this in order to open a route for you. If, with the gate shut, you make a cart that fits the ruts when you go out, what good does that do? Here, even with the gate shut, I do not make a cart; when I go out, it is naturally spacious. There, he reveals a slight crack, allowing people to see. |
| 又连忙却道“错！错！”前头也错，后头也错。谁知雪窦开一线路，也是错。既然鼻孔辽天，为什么也穿却？要会么？且参三十年！尔有拄杖子，我与尔拄杖子。尔若无拄杖子，不免被人穿却鼻孔！ |
Then he immediately adds, “Wrong! Wrong!” What came before is wrong, and what comes after is wrong. Who knows that even Xuedou’s opening of a route is wrong? Since the nostrils reach the sky, why are they nevertheless pierced through? Do you wish to understand? Just investigate for thirty years! If you have a staff, I will give you a staff. If you have no staff, you cannot avoid having your nostrils pierced through by someone! |
| 【行脚】：大和尚真逗！ |
[Traveling monk]: The great monk is truly amusing! |
| 【lotus】：我愿对原文和颂古做一下解释。 |
[lotus]: I would like to offer an explanation of the original text and the ancient verse. |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 棒头具眼，打着不曲。 |
The staff-tip possesses an eye; when it strikes, it does not bend. |
| 垂示云：明眼汉没窠臼。有时孤峰顶上草漫漫，有时闹市里头赤洒洒。忽若忿怒那吒现三头六臂，忽若日面月面放普摄慈光。于一尘现一切身，为随类人和泥合水。忽若拨着向上窍，佛眼也觑不着。设使千圣出头来，也须倒退三千里。还有同得同证者么？试举看。 |
Pointer: A person of clear vision has no fixed molds. At times, grasses spread luxuriantly atop a solitary peak; at times, one is utterly bare in the midst of a bustling market. Suddenly, like wrathful Nezha, one manifests three heads and six arms; suddenly, like the Sun-Faced and Moon-Faced Ones, one emits all-embracing rays of compassion. Within a single mote of dust, one manifests all bodies; for people of every kind, one mixes with mud and water. Suddenly, if one touches the upward-opening pivot, even the Buddha eye cannot catch sight of it. Even if a thousand sages were to emerge, they would still have to retreat three thousand leagues. Is there anyone who has attained and realized this together? Let us raise the case and see. |
| 【八七】举： |
[Case 87] The Case: |
| 云门示众云：药病相治，【一合相不可得。】 |
Yunmen instructed the assembly: “Medicine and illness counteract each other. [The characteristic of oneness cannot be obtained.]” |
| ****金刚经云世界即是一合相，一合相不得。药到病除，明明冶真实冶愈了，但冶愈相却了无所有，并不可得，所以曰：一合相不可得**** |
****The Diamond Sūtra says that the world is precisely the characteristic of oneness, yet the characteristic of oneness cannot be obtained. When medicine arrives, the illness is removed; it is clearly and truly cured. Yet the characteristic of being cured is wholly nonexistent and cannot be obtained. Therefore it says: the characteristic of oneness cannot be obtained.**** |
| 尽大地是药，【苦瓠连根苦。摆向一边。】 |
“The whole earth is medicine. [A bitter gourd is bitter to its root. Set it aside.]” |
| ******尽大地俱是药，这却不问，所以云：摆向一边。若向外处寻去，恐条条皆殊，所以曰：苦瓠连根苦。 |
******The whole earth is entirely medicine; this, however, is not questioned, and so it says: set it aside. If one seeks outwardly, I fear that every branch and every path will differ; therefore it says: a bitter gourd is bitter to its root. |
| 哪个是自己？【甜瓜彻蔕甜。哪里得这消息来？】 |
“Which one is oneself? [A sweet melon is sweet to its stem. Where could one get such news?]” |
| *****识得生来死去，父母未生时，方落根本，所以曰：甜瓜彻蔕甜。若得者哪里得这消息来？若未得者哪里得这消息来？******* |
*****Only when one recognizes birth and death, and the time before one’s parents were born, does one reach the root; therefore it says: a sweet melon is sweet to its stem. If one has attained it, where does one obtain such news? If one has not attained it, where does one obtain such news?******* |
| ........ |
........ |
| 雪窦后面颂得最有工夫。他意亦在宾、亦在主，自可见也。颂云： |
Xuedou’s later verse is especially skillful. Its intent lies both with the guest and with the host, as you can see for yourselves. The verse says: |
| 尽大地是药，【教谁辨的。撒沙撒土。架高处着。】 |
The whole earth is medicine, [Whom does this teach to distinguish it? Scattering sand and earth. Set it up high.] |
| 古今何太错！【言中有响。一笔句下。咄！】 |
Why have past and present been so mistaken! [There is an echo within the words. One stroke beneath the sentence. Bah!] |
| ****若只是在药上着眼，于事相、法相上着是着非，恐错了也。***** |
****If one only fixes one’s eyes on medicine, judging things and dharma appearances as right or wrong, one fears that one has gone astray.***** |
| 闭门不造车，【大小雪窦为众竭力。祸出私门。坦荡不挂一丝毫。阿谁有闲工夫。向鬼窟里作活计。】 |
With the gate shut, one does not make a cart, [Whether great or small, Xuedou exhausts himself for the assembly. Disaster comes from one’s private gate. Vast and open, without a trace of attachment. Who has the leisure to carry on business in a ghost cave?] |
| *****道德经云：塞其兑，解其纷，同其光，和其尘。终身不殆也。门比喻为六根，六根用不勤也。不造车，比喻内心不妄计著，所谓不于鬼窟里作活计是也。******* |
*****The Dao De Jing says: “Block its openings, untangle its complications, soften its light, and merge with its dust. Thus one remains free from danger throughout one’s life.” The gate is a metaphor for the six sense faculties: the six faculties are not busily employed. Not making a cart is a metaphor for the mind’s not engaging in deluded calculation and attachment; this is what is meant by not carrying on business in a ghost cave.******* |
| 通途自寥廓。【脚下便入草。上马见路。信手拈来，不妨奇特。】 |
And the open road is naturally spacious. [At one’s feet, one enters the grass. Mount the horse and see the road. Picked up at hand, it is indeed remarkable.] |
| ****饥食困眠，虽无计著，事事信手拈来，也无甚奇特，所以曰：通途自寥廓**** |
****When hungry, one eats; when tired, one sleeps. Though there is no calculation or attachment, everything is taken up at hand, and there is nothing especially remarkable about it. Therefore it says: the open road is naturally spacious.**** |
| 错！错！【双剑倚空飞。一箭落双雕。】 |
Wrong! Wrong! [Twin swords lean against the sky and fly. One arrow brings down two eagles.] |
| 鼻孔辽天亦穿却。【头落也。打云：穿却了也！】 |
Even nostrils reaching the sky are pierced through. [The head has fallen off. A blow says: They have been pierced through!] |
| *****虽如此，若如西村闲汉相似，也不于生来死去明白，不免头出头没，轮于六道。鼻孔穿却－－如牛之鼻被人穿上后，牵东牵西，何处是出期？***** |
*****Even so, if one is like an idle fellow from the western village and is not clear about birth and death, one cannot avoid appearing and disappearing, revolving through the six realms. To have one’s nostrils pierced through is like an ox whose nose has been pierced and which is led east and west by others—when will there be a time of escape?***** |
| “尽大地是药，古今何太错！”尔若唤作药会，自古自今，一时错了也！雪窦云：“有般汉不解截断太梅脚跟，只管道贪程太速！”他解截云门脚跟，为云门这一句惑乱天下人！云门云：“拄杖子是浪，许尔七纵八横。尽大地是浪，看尔头出头没。” |
“The whole earth is medicine—why have past and present been so mistaken!” If you understand it by calling it medicine, then from ancient times until now, you are mistaken all at once! Xuedou said, “There are fellows who do not know how to cut off Damei’s heels, yet keep saying that he is too eager to press on!” He knows how to cut off Yunmen’s heels, for this one phrase of Yunmen’s has thrown the whole world into confusion! Yunmen said, “The staff is a wave; I permit you seven verticals and eight horizontals. The whole earth is a wave—watch yourself appear and disappear.” |
| “闭门不造车，通途自寥廓。”雪窦道，为尔通一线路。尔若闭门造车，出门合辙，济个甚事！我这里闭门也不造车，出门自然寥廓。他这里略露些子缝罅，教人见。 |
“With the gate shut, one does not make a cart, and the open road is naturally spacious.” Xuedou says this in order to open a route for you. If, with the gate shut, you make a cart that fits the ruts when you go out, what good does that do? Here, even with the gate shut, I do not make a cart; when I go out, it is naturally spacious. There, he reveals a slight crack, allowing people to see. |
| 又连忙却道“错！错！”前头也错，后头也错。谁知雪窦开一线路，也是错。既然鼻孔辽天，为什么也穿却？要会么？且参三十年！尔有拄杖子，我与尔拄杖子。尔若无拄杖子，不免被人穿却鼻孔！ |
Then he immediately adds, “Wrong! Wrong!” What came before is wrong, and what comes after is wrong. Who knows that even Xuedou’s opening of a route is wrong? Since the nostrils reach the sky, why are they nevertheless pierced through? Do you wish to understand? Just investigate for thirty years! If you have a staff, I will give you a staff. If you have no staff, you cannot avoid having your nostrils pierced through by someone! |
| *****未学胡邹几句，也许只为将其解得略明白些，只这明白，正如文殊菩萨所说，此冶人也杀人也****** |
*****Having not studied much and merely babbling a few phrases, perhaps I have only tried to make this somewhat clearer. Yet this very clarity is, as Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva said, something that can both cure people and kill people.****** |
| ～～～心、佛、众生三无差别～～ |
~~~Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are without distinction~~~ |
| 【ant】：直截会去，岂不快哉！！！云门示众，也是唠叨！！！ |
[ant]: If one understands it directly, would that not be delightful!!! Yunmen’s instruction to the assembly is also rather verbose!!! |
| 【lotus】：^_^ |
【lotus】: ^_^ |
| 【边城浪子】（接【lotus】：我愿对原文和颂古做一下解释。）：顶一顶。 |
[The Lone Wanderer of Border Town] (In response to [lotus]: “I would like to offer some explanation of the original text and the verses on ancient cases.”): Bumping this up. |
| 【tvbs】：“lvm”：lvm --如何是“药病相治”？ lvm |
【tvbs】: “lvm”: lvm — What does it mean for medicine and illness to counteract each other? lvm |
| 【lvm】：苦瓠连根苦，甜瓜彻蒂甜。 |
【lvm】: Bitter gourds are bitter to their roots; sweet melons are sweet to their stems. |
| 【tvbs】：一合相不可得。色不异空。皆不可得。齐师也问:“哪个是自己？”否? |
【tvbs】: A unified appearance cannot be apprehended. Form is not other than emptiness. None of these can be apprehended. Master Qi also asked, “Which one is oneself?” No? |
| 【lvm】：哪个不是自己？ |
【lvm】: Which one is not oneself? |
| 【tvbs】：齐师菩萨心肠，不忘众生。後学舍命顶礼。学佛者，当如是！！ |
【tvbs】: Master Qi has the heart of a bodhisattva and does not forget sentient beings. This junior student bows in reverence with all his life. Buddhist practitioners should be like this!! |
| 【西山樵】：菩萨心行好似晴空万里， |
[Xishan Woodcutter]: A bodhisattva’s mind and conduct are like a clear sky stretching for ten thousand miles, |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 霎时狂风大作，乌云密布，电闪雷鸣，尔后碧空如洗. |
In an instant, fierce winds arise, dark clouds gather, lightning flashes and thunder roars; afterward, the blue sky is washed clean. |
| 【1】（接【tvbs】：齐师菩萨心肠，不忘众生。後学舍命顶礼。学佛者，当如是！！）：既然啥都是自己，那你很喜欢自己给自己顶礼么？ |
【1】 (in response to 【tvbs】: “Master Qi has the heart of a bodhisattva and does not forget sentient beings. This junior student bows in reverence with all his life. Buddhist practitioners should be like this!!”): Since everything is oneself, do you enjoy bowing to yourself? |
| 【西山樵】：O |
[Xishan Woodcutter]: O |
| 【tvbs】：皆是戏论，生佛一体。古佛多事，乘愿显现。 |
【tvbs】: All this is mere idle talk; Buddhas and sentient beings are one body. The ancient Buddha is quite busy, manifesting through the power of vows. |
| 【真实】：愿是无为法。 |
[Truth]: A vow is an unconditioned dharma. |
