Yakusan Igen

The thirty-sixth patriarch, Great Master Hung-tao, visited Shih-t'o and asked him, "I understand the twelve-part teachings of the thre vehicles for the most part, but I hear that in the south they directly poir to the human mind, see their natures, and become Buddhas. This is still not clear to me. I humbly ask you in your compassion to explain it The Patriarch said, "This way won't do and not this way won't do, an both this way and not this way won't do. How about you?" The master was speechless. The Patriarch said, "Your conditions [for understanding are not here. You should go to Great Master Ma." Accordingly, the ma: ter went and paid his respects to Ma-tsu and asked the same question. The Patriarch said, "Sometimes I make Him raise his eyebrows an blink, sometimes I do not make Him raise his eyebrows and blink. Somtimes raising_ the eyebrows and blinking is all right, sometimes raisir the eyebrows and blinking is not all right. How about you?" With thes words, the master was greatly awakened and he bowed. The Patriarch asked, "What truth have you seen that makes you bow?" The mast( replied, "When I was with Shih-t'ou, it was like a mosquito mountir an iron ox." The Patriarch said, "Since you are so, you must guard well, but still, your master is Shih-t'ou.".