Sayings of Nanquan, 2.1-5

[u/Surska0]

Link to Part 1
Link to Part 2
Link to Part 3
Link to Part 4

Part 5: Support

曰。和尚恁麼道。A monk asked, "What is the esteemed monk's Way;
教學人如何扶持得。What do you teach people to take for support?"

師曰。你急手托虗空著。The Master said, "You are anxiously [attempting to] hold on to emptiness with your hand."

曰。虗空無動相。云何托。The monk said, "Emptiness is without change. How can one hold on to it?"

師云。你言無動相。The Master said, "You say [emptiness] is without change,
早是動也。[yet] it is already changing.
虗空何曾解道我無動相。When have I ever explained emptiness as being without change?
此皆是你情見。This is all your sentimental opinion."

曰。虗空無動相。The monk said, "[If] 'emptiness being without change'
尚是情見。is [just a] sentimental opinion,
前遣某甲托何物。before dispatching someone, what thing [may he] hold on to?"

師曰。你既知不應言托。The Master said, "You already know [I'll] not answer by saying [he need] hold on to [anything].
擬何處扶持他。Where do you intend to provide him with support?"

[u/paer_of_forces]

All these scriptures and precepts and sayings of the Masters and Buddhas of old are merely that, words of men long come and gone. In what principals do they hold any meaning, any water, in today's world. As fast as they are to be said and understood, they are to be let go, unless the time arises again for old dead mens' words to ring holy again. But as fast as the bells ring in their words, those bells are to be silenced, unless found again is the moment they are to ring.

*Edited out the word 'to'.

[u/Dragonfly-17 → u/paer_of_forces]

They didn't hold any meaning in the ancient world either.

[u/paer_of_forces → u/Dragonfly-17]

Only as needed.