Baofu's "Point of Attainment"

Main Case
Zen master Qinghuo of Baofu Monastery was studying with Shuilong. One day Master Shuilong asked him, "Which teachers have you seen? And did you experience enlightenment?"(1)

Baofu said, "I once visited Dazhang Qiru and attained certainty."(2)

Shuilong then went up to the dharma hall, called the assembly together, and said, "Reverend Baofu, come out, face the assembly, burn incense, and speak about your point of attainment. This old monastic will verify it for you."(3)

Baofu took up the incense and said, "The incense has already been offered.(4) Enlightenment is no other than no-enlightenment."(5)

Shuilong was delighted and approved him.(6)

Commentary
Zen practitioners these days inevitably misunderstand this koan and as a result, end up making a nest in the secondary. Haven't you heard Yangshan's saying, "It's not that there is no enlightenment, but how can we deal with falling into the secondary?"

Although Shuilong rejoices and approves Baofu, what is he approving? You should understand that when the ten thousand things fully come home to the self, the last vestige of enlightenment vanishes. It is this traceless enlightenment that ceaselessly unfolds. But before you can step off the top of a hundred-foot pole, you must first ascend the pole.

Capping Verse
The truth of the universe is intimately perfect

and inconceivably subtle.

How can it be soken of in terms

of delusion and enlightenment?

Appearances

 * 1) The True Dharma Eye (case 63 of 300)