Wu Chiu’s Unjust Beating

Ya know what? Conversation has gotten dull around here. All I seem to run into are amputees fleeing some battle that’s taking place off stage. No one likes to talk…I’m not even sure anyone *can* anymore—what with all the clamor and sulphurous din.

So I figure a talking lesson is in order. Let’s look at a case, you daughters and sons of lions (interpolated with comments by yours truly, henceforward referred to as ‘golden eye lashes’):

>SEVENTY-FIFTH CASE Wu Chiu’s Unjust Beating POINTER The subtle point, the jewel sword, perpetually revealed, present in front of us. It can kill people and it can bring people life. It’s there and it’s here, gaining and losing together with us. If you want to pick it up, you’re free to pick it up; if you want to put it down, you’re free to put it down.

[golden eyelash: the perpetually revealed jewel sword is free to play—and optional!]

>But say, what’s it like when not falling into guest and host, when interchanging without getting stuck? To test, I’m citing this old case: look!”

[golden eyelash: who doesn’t fall into guest and host when staring at a screen? Only the most observant of eavesdroppers!]

>CASE A monk came to Wu Chiu from the congregation of the Master of Ting Chou. Wu Chiu asked, “How does Ting Chou’s Dharma Path compare to here?”1 The monk said, “It’s not different.”2 Chiu said, “If it’s not different, then you should go back there,” and then hit him.3 The monk said, “There are eyes on the staff: you shouldn’t carelessly hit people.”4 Chiu said, “Today I’ve hit one,” and hit him again three times.5 The monk thereupon went out.6

[golden eyelash: the monk admonishes the master for his error in situ! The tiger’s tale makes a curlicue! "Eyes on a staff"? Talk about a far-seeing patchrobe!]

>Chiu said, “All along there’s been someone receiving an unjust beating.”7 The monk turned around and said, “What can I do? The handle is in your hands, Teacher.”8 Chiu said, “If you want, I’ll turn it over to you.”9 The monk came up to Chiu, grabbed the staff out of his hands, and hit him three times.10 Chiu said, “An unjust beating, an unjust beating!”11 The monk said, “There’s someone receiving it.”12

[golden eyelash: throwing it in the teacher’s face! After all, who struck the blow?]

>Chiu said, “I hit this fellow carelessly.”13 Immediately the monk bowed.14 Chiu said, “Yet you act this way.”15 The monk laughed loudly and went out.16 Chiu said, “That’s all it comes to, that’s all it comes to!”

[golden eyelash: a zen master confession! Not likely to see that around r/zen any time soon! Too bad—the monk offering the bow, and teacher’s head-shaking…all pure as a peach from the moon!]

>NOTES

>1.  There’s an echo in his words. He must distinguish shallow from deep. (The question is like) a probing pole, a reed shade. He’s really deceiving the man!

[golden eyelash: the probing pole of buddha vision—the reed shade of dharma eyelashes!]

>2.  Among the dead men there’s a live one. One or a half. (“Not different”) is the same as an iron spike. He’s treading upon the ground of reality.

[golden eyelash: yes he is]

>3.  Obviously. The correct imperative must be carried out.

[golden eyelash: quite literally goes without saying]

>4.  Only this adept could do this. After all, he’s a lion cub.

[golden eyelash: the lion cub calls out its elder with a Mighty Meow™️]

>5.  What one is he talking about? (Why not hit) a thousand, ten thousand?

[golden eyelash: ooh la la—he called him a “people”!]

>6.  All along the monk’s been a man of our house. In fact he has been wronged. He just sees his opportunity and goes.

[golden eyelash: that’s a bingo]

>7.  A mute eating a bitter melon. Chiu both lets go and gathers in. What good is someone who turns back around when hit?

[golden eyelash: funneist line in the entire case? Yuanwu’s “a mute eating a bitter melon”.]

>8.  It’s this way three hundred and sixty-five days a year. After all he is a clever patchrobed monk.

[golden eyelash: GASP! Doesn’t sound like *he* has time for a day job!]

>9.  Who knows which of them is the prince and which is the minister? Chiu dares to lie down in the tiger’s mouth. He really doesn’t know good from evil.

[golden eyelash: Chiu is the minister! Only princes walk around as care laden yet carefree as *that* parchrobe monk!]

>10.  Here again, only an adept Ch’an traveller could do this. Guest and host interchange, releasing or capturing according to the occasion.

[golden eyelash: here’s the bit all the corporatists will ignore: “Only an adept Ch’an **traveller** could do this” —ignorance doesn’t make it one iota less true, however!]

>11.  Check! Why is this old fellow in such a rush?

[golden eyelash: Teacher Chui asks the gal at Dairy Queen to cover his soft serve in molten chocolate *twice*! The presence of S & M in Ch’an communities is awkwardly overlooked!]

>12.  Haha! How many handles are now in this monk’s hands?

[golden eyelash: one too many to get him out of there! I’m afraid he’s doomed to wander the Ch’an lore until handles stop being a thing!]

>13.  It doesn’t come down on either side. Who knows who he is?

[golden eyelash: Chiu can’t figure it out–it’s true.]

>14.  Only one who doesn’t flinch when faced with danger is a man of power.

[golden eyelash: lion cub’s gonna lion cub]

>15.  Check!

[golden eyelash: It’s true! Chiu saw him!]

>16.  An adept Ch’an traveller naturally has (such ability). A fierce tiger must have a pure wind following him. Now we know that he finished the beginning and finished the end. No one on earth can get a grasp on him.

[golden eyelash: here is the entire Case: “A fierce tiger must have a pure wind following him.”]

>17.  Too bad he let the monk go. Why didn’t he bring his staff down across his back? Where do you think the monk went?”

[golden eyelash: to find a better teacher]

**All Excerpts From** ***THE BLUE CLIFF RECORD***

Translated by Thomas Cleary

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