牧羊人的北海大草原

公案8 : 騎牛覓牛

長慶大安禪師造百丈懷海禪師，禮而問曰：「學人欲求識佛，何者即是？」

丈曰：「大似騎牛覓牛。」[1]

師曰：「識得後如何？」

丈曰：「如人騎牛至家。」[2]

師曰：「未審始終如何保任？」

丈曰：「如牧牛人執杖視之，不令犯人苗稼。」[3]

師自茲領旨，更不馳求。

[1] 前面已經有不少公案說到，每個人心中都有佛性，不假外求。如果你常常鑽牛角尖，不妨觀照看看自己是否騎牛覓牛。

[2] 如果你已經跳出執著，不妨定下心來，不要再心猿意馬。佛不在天邊而是你自己不想回家罷！

[3] 有許多人誤以為到了悟禪的那刻功課就已完畢，但其實只是踏出初步而已。真正的功課在於能不能時常保持悟道的心境。這也就是為何學佛的人都常有，學佛一年佛在眼前，學佛十年佛在天邊的感慨。不精進只會讓自己常染雜念，功夫要時時刻刻都下的。

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Case #8 : Riding a Cattle Finding a Cattle

One day a Zen master visited another Zen master and asked : “If someone wants to know what is Buddhahood, What will you suggest?”

The second Zen master said : “Just like riding a cattle to find a cattle.”[1]

The first Zen master asked : “What if someone has already found it?”

Second Zen master : “Then someone should ride the cattle back home.” [2]

First Zen master : “After that, how to keep it constantly?”

Second Zen master : “Just like a cowboy using a whip to keep his flocks, and preventing them from tramping others’ crops.” [3]

The first Zen master thanked the second Zen master. He now had a better understanding of what is Zen.

[1] We have known from several previous cases that everyone has the potential to become Buddha. If you think the way of Zen is out of your reach, you should look closer into yourself.

[2] People always trying to hope someone can teach them what the ultimate answer is. But when you have read and learned a lot of the teachings, then you just need to find the answers yourself. Look inside your minds and your thoughts, you will find the answers already there. When you find some answers you should ask others what they think. Even a Zen master, as in this case, needs to ask others.

[3] Many people believe that when you find the answer, or become enlighten, and the quest is over. But it’s not true. Most of the time, you will find that you waver and fill your head with more and more questions or random thoughts. It’s a constant process to clear your mind, and keep the state of enlightenment always. It not an easy task, you need to put a lot of efforts on it. When you can easily keep this in mind, then you truly understand.

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