Master Visitation-Land stopped at a shrine-master’s hut and called out: “Anyone there? Presence? Any Presence there?”
The shrine-master simply held up his fist.
“You can’t anchor a boat in water this shallow,” said Land. Then he left.
Later he returned to the shrine-master’s hut and again called out: “Anyone there? Presence? Any Presence there?”
Once more the shrine-master simply held up his fist.
“Ah you—you can offer up and steal away, put to death and bring to life,” said Land. Then he bowed reverently.
NO-GATE’S COMMENT
▪▪▪
That shrine-master holding up his fist: it was exactly alike both times. How is it Visitation-Land affirmed one and not the other? Speak up! There’s such crude deceit here—but where is it? Someone conjure a hinge-phrase! Make it reveal how nothing holds Visitation-Land’s tongue back. Building up here, tearing down there, he’s perfectly self-possessed—vast and wide open in such wild freedom.
But however true that is, it’s also true that Visitation-Land was destroyed by the interrogation of that shrine-master’s two manifestations. If he affirms one is achieved and the other not, he hasn’t perfected that studied and penetrating Buddha-deep eye. And if he denies one is achieved and the other not, he still hasn’t perfected that studied and penetrating Buddha-deep eye.
GATHA
▪▪▪
Buddha-deep shooting-star eye,
lightning-flash loom of origins:
blade that puts people to death,
sword that brings people to life.