I am breaking my post drought by copying wholesale a quotation I found in Karen Maezen Miller’s blog. She posted it a couple years ago so I hope she won’t mind. I’m pretty sure Yuanwu won’t mind either.
“I often see those who are trying to study Buddhism just use their worldly intelligence to sift among the verbal teachings of the buddhas and ancestral teachers, trying to pick out especially wondrous sayings to use as conversation pieces to display their ability and understanding. This is not the correct view of the matter. You must abandon your worldly mentality and sit quietly with mind silent. Forget entangling causes and investigate with your whole being. When you are thoroughly clear then whatever you bring forth from your own inexhaustible treasure of priceless jewels is sure to be genuine and real.”
–Zen Letters: Teaching of Yuanwu (1063-1135)