Case 67 never ends, and so we slash to Case 68, Kassan's Slashing Sword ...
A monks asks the same question twice: Does one need to sweep away the mental dust of thought and of the complexities of the world to see Buddha?
I take the first teacher's admonition to "strraightaway, slash with a sword" to mean to practice hard in this world of complexity, cutting away ignorance. Otherwise, one is like a fisherman caught in a tangle.
The second teacher's response is more that Buddha is so intimate, where do you expect to "go" to meet him? What do you think you have to do? (In fact, what "you" and "him"?
)
I am reminded of the famous poetry contest recounted in the Platform Sutra: Two poems on enlightenment offered by two other monks. The first contains the lines ...
The mind is like a bright mirror’s stand.
Be always diligent in rubbing it—
Do not let it attract any dust.
And the second ...
The bright mirror has no stand.
Fundamentally there is not a single thing—
Where could any dust be found?
Who is right? Each is but two sides of the no sided coin. Thus Kassan seems to say that he (Kassan) is better at speaking in terms of practical matters of practice in the world, but that the other teacher (Sekison) is better at emphasizing the principle of the ultimate.
Thus, the Preface ("Inside ... it's the emporer's decree. Outside ... it's the general's command") refers to the Emperor and the General who each rule in their place, sometimes emphasizing one viewless view, and sometimes the otherless other one, not two. The appreciatory verse also is referring to several old Chinese stories that each seems to have to do with generals and emperors swinging swords and quelling dust.
Shishin Wick, in his commentary, mentions the "Treatise on the Two Entrances and Four Practices", the one known writing that historian's currently believe has a good chance of actually having been written by Bodhidharma. It is a short piece that speaks also of two faceless faces of this Way, the "entrance of principle" and the "entrance of practice". The former refers to realization of the ultimate, the "nothing need be done" of the Emperor in calm repose, for example:
As to the "entrance of practice", it points more to practical advise for wise living in this messy world of Samsara in light of the above Truth. This is how the general wields the sword. For example:
Are you good in sitting as the Emperor and also living as the General in your life, sword in hand to cut through dust of the enemy ignorance?
Gassho, J
SatToday
Main Case
Attention! A monk asked Kassan, "How about when sweeping out the dust you see the Buddha?" Kassan said, "Straightaway, slash with a sword. If you don't the fisherman will live in a nest." The monk then went and asked Sekiso, "How about when sweeping out the dust you see the Buddha?" Sekiso said, "He has no country. Where can he be met?" The monk returned to Kassan and related this to him. Kassan ascended the high seat and said, "In setting up expedients, I am better than he, but as to a profound talk of the principle, he is a hundred paces ahead of me."
Attention! A monk asked Kassan, "How about when sweeping out the dust you see the Buddha?" Kassan said, "Straightaway, slash with a sword. If you don't the fisherman will live in a nest." The monk then went and asked Sekiso, "How about when sweeping out the dust you see the Buddha?" Sekiso said, "He has no country. Where can he be met?" The monk returned to Kassan and related this to him. Kassan ascended the high seat and said, "In setting up expedients, I am better than he, but as to a profound talk of the principle, he is a hundred paces ahead of me."
I take the first teacher's admonition to "strraightaway, slash with a sword" to mean to practice hard in this world of complexity, cutting away ignorance. Otherwise, one is like a fisherman caught in a tangle.
The second teacher's response is more that Buddha is so intimate, where do you expect to "go" to meet him? What do you think you have to do? (In fact, what "you" and "him"?
)I am reminded of the famous poetry contest recounted in the Platform Sutra: Two poems on enlightenment offered by two other monks. The first contains the lines ...
The mind is like a bright mirror’s stand.
Be always diligent in rubbing it—
Do not let it attract any dust.
And the second ...
The bright mirror has no stand.
Fundamentally there is not a single thing—
Where could any dust be found?
Who is right? Each is but two sides of the no sided coin. Thus Kassan seems to say that he (Kassan) is better at speaking in terms of practical matters of practice in the world, but that the other teacher (Sekison) is better at emphasizing the principle of the ultimate.
Thus, the Preface ("Inside ... it's the emporer's decree. Outside ... it's the general's command") refers to the Emperor and the General who each rule in their place, sometimes emphasizing one viewless view, and sometimes the otherless other one, not two. The appreciatory verse also is referring to several old Chinese stories that each seems to have to do with generals and emperors swinging swords and quelling dust.
Shishin Wick, in his commentary, mentions the "Treatise on the Two Entrances and Four Practices", the one known writing that historian's currently believe has a good chance of actually having been written by Bodhidharma. It is a short piece that speaks also of two faceless faces of this Way, the "entrance of principle" and the "entrance of practice". The former refers to realization of the ultimate, the "nothing need be done" of the Emperor in calm repose, for example:
The entrance of principle is to become enlightened to the Truth ... that one and the same True Nature is possessed of all sentient beings, both ordinary and enlightened, and that this True Nature is only covered up and made imperceptible by false sense impressions.... To be thus mysteriously identified with the True Principle, to be without discrimination, serene and inactive: This is called the entrance of principle.
The entrance of practice refers to the "four practices" which encompass all other practices....
What is the practice of the retribution of enmity? When the practitioner of Buddhist spiritual training experiences suffering, he should think to himself: " ... My present suffering constitutes the fruition of my past crimes and karma ... I shall accept it patiently and contentedly, without complaint." When you react to events in this fashion, you can be in accord with Principle, therefore this is called practice of the retribution of enmity.
The second is the practice of the acceptance of circumstances. ... Since success and failure depend on circumstances, the mind should remain unchanged. It should be unmoved even by the winds of good fortune .... Therefore, this is called the practice of acceptance of circumstances.
The third is the practice of the absence of craving. ,,, The wise person ...pacifies his mind in [detachment] and accepts whatever happens to him. ...
The fourth is the practice of accordance with the Dharma. ... one should practice the perfection of dana (selfless giving), giving of one's body, life, and possessions without any regret. In this way one benefits self as well as others ornamenting the path of enlightenment.
What is the practice of the retribution of enmity? When the practitioner of Buddhist spiritual training experiences suffering, he should think to himself: " ... My present suffering constitutes the fruition of my past crimes and karma ... I shall accept it patiently and contentedly, without complaint." When you react to events in this fashion, you can be in accord with Principle, therefore this is called practice of the retribution of enmity.
The second is the practice of the acceptance of circumstances. ... Since success and failure depend on circumstances, the mind should remain unchanged. It should be unmoved even by the winds of good fortune .... Therefore, this is called the practice of acceptance of circumstances.
The third is the practice of the absence of craving. ,,, The wise person ...pacifies his mind in [detachment] and accepts whatever happens to him. ...
The fourth is the practice of accordance with the Dharma. ... one should practice the perfection of dana (selfless giving), giving of one's body, life, and possessions without any regret. In this way one benefits self as well as others ornamenting the path of enlightenment.
Are you good in sitting as the Emperor and also living as the General in your life, sword in hand to cut through dust of the enemy ignorance?
Gassho, J
SatToday
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But sometimes it's not really that easy ,and this is especially evident in Ango. The more Ango goes along, the easier it becomes. I actually kind of enjoy the sort of mental friction that occurs when you want something, but you need to just pass on it because you've vowed to give it up. There's something very, very satisfying with Ango; there's actually something a lot satisfying about Ango. And this practice. 
) can "be the mother who sweeps everything up", even the resistance and the frustration of not getting what you want, or having to sit when you are tired, etc, there's this space that opens up and you feel this groundedness that everything is going to be ok amidst this temporary crazy.
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