Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Fifteen

上堂。我有一條拄杖。尋常將何比況。採來不在南山。亦非崑崙西嶂。拈起滿目光生。放下驪龍縮項。同徒若也借看。卓出人中之上。擊香臺。下座。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, th

育王璉禪師法嗣

The master records a Chan encounter and

臨安府佛日淨慧戒弼禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and poin

僧問。如何是毗盧印。師曰。草鞋踏雪。曰。學人不會。師曰。步步成蹤。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening.

福州天宮慎徽禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and

上堂。八萬四千波羅密門。門門長開。三千大千微塵諸佛。佛佛說法。不說有。不說無。不說非有非無。不說亦有亦無。何也。離四句。絕百非。相逢舉目少人知。昨夜霜風漏消息。梅花依舊綴寒枝。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or the true self; the

靈隱知禪師法嗣

The master records a Chan encounter and

臨安府靈隱正童圓明禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and poin

僧問。如何是道。師曰。夜行莫踏白。曰。如何是道中人。師曰。黃張三。黑李四。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A mon

承天簡禪師法嗣

The master records a Chan encounter and

婺州智者山利元禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and p

上堂。拈拄杖曰。大用現前。不存軌則。東方一指。乾坤肅靜。西方一指。瓦解冰消。南方一指。南斗作竄。北方一指。北斗潛藏。上方一指。築著帝釋鼻孔。下方一指。穿過金剛水際。諸人面前一指。成得甚麼邊事。良久。卓一下曰。路上指奔鹿。門前打犬兒。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or the true self; the reply overturns ordinary assumptions. Th

九峰韶禪師法嗣

The master records a Chan encounter and

明州大梅法英祖鏡禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and poi

本郡張氏子。棄儒試經得度。肄講延慶。凡義學有困於宿德。輒以詰師。師縱辭辨之。為眾所敬。忽曰。名相迂曲。豈吾所宗哉。乃參九峰。峰見器之。與語若久在叢席。因痛劄之。師領旨。自爾得譽。住後。上堂。三十六旬之始。七十二候之初。末後句則且置。祇如當頭一句。又作麼生道。拈拄杖曰。歲朝把筆。萬事皆吉。急急如律令。大眾。山僧恁麼舉唱。且道還有祖師意也無。良久曰。記得東村黑李四。年年親寫在門前。卓拄杖。下座。宣和初。敕天下僧尼為德士。雖主法聚議。無一言以回上意。師肆筆解老子。詣進。上覧。謂近臣曰。法英道德經解。言簡理詣。於古未有。宜賜入道藏流行。仍就賜冠珮壇誥。不知師意者。往往以其為佞諛。明年秋。詔復天下僧尼。師獨無改志。至紹興初。晨起戴樺皮冠。披鶴氅。執象簡。穿朱履。使擊鼓集眾。陞座召大眾曰。蘭芳春谷菊秋籬。物必榮枯各有時。教毀僧尼專奉道。後平道佞復僧尼。且道僧尼形相作麼生。復取冠示眾曰。吾頂從來似月圓。雖冠其髮不成仙。今朝拋下無遮障。放出神光透碧天。擲之於地。隨易僧服。提鶴氅曰。如來昔日[卯/貝]皮衣。數載慚將鶴氅披。還我丈夫調御服。須知此物不相宜。擲之。舉象簡曰。為嫌禪板太無端。豈料遭他象簡瞞。今日因何忽放下。普天致仕老仙官。擲之。提朱履曰。達磨擕將一隻歸。兒孫從此赤腳走。借他朱履代麻鞋。休道時難事掣肘。化鵬未遇不如鵾。畫虎不成反類狗。擲之。橫拄杖曰。今朝拄杖化為龍。分破華山千萬重。復倚肩曰。珍重佛心真聖主。好將堯德振吾宗。擲下拄杖。斂目而逝。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or the true self; the reply overturns ordinary assumptions. The answer uses an image from daily life to reveal the Dharma beyond words and distinctions. The teaching warns against clinging to concepts, appearances, success, or failure. When the student understands, the exchange ends with a bow; when he does not, the master remains silent or corrects him. This dialogue preserves the living method of the ancient Chan teachers for later practitioners. The record says that freedom is found in present awareness, without seeking outside the mind. Its verses and sayings present both sudden insight and the discipline needed to embody it. The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or

玉泉皓禪師法嗣

The master records a Chan encounter and

郢州林溪興教文慶禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and poi

上堂。六六三十六。東方甲乙木。嘉州大像出關來。陝府鐵牛入西蜀。參。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct

夾山遵禪師法嗣

The master records a Chan encounter and

江陵福昌信禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and

僧問。一花開五葉。如何是第一葉。師提起坐具。僧曰。雲生片片。雨點霏霏。師曰。不痛不知傷。僧曰。這箇猶是風生雨意。如何是第一葉。師將坐具𢷾一𢷾。僧拍掌。師曰。一任𨁝跳。問。如何是佛。師曰。東家兒郎。西家織女。僧曰。學人不會。師曰。擲筆拋梭。上堂召大眾。眾舉頭。師曰。南山風色緊。便下座。說。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or the true self; the reply overturns ordinary assumptions. The answer uses an image from daily life to reveal the Dharma beyond

天衣懷禪師法嗣

The master records a Chan encounter and

東京慧林宗本圓照禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and poi

常州無錫管氏子。體貌厖碩。所事淳厚。年十九。依姑蘇承天永安道昇禪師出家。巾侍十載。剃度受具。又三年。禮辭遊方。至池陽謁振宗。宗舉。天親從彌勒內宮而下。無著問雲。人間四百年。彼天為一晝夜。彌勒於一時中。成就五百億天子。證無生法忍。未審說甚麼法。天親曰。祇說這箇法。如何是這箇法。師久而開悟。一日。室中問師。即心即佛時如何。曰。殺人放火有甚麼難。於是名播寰宇。漕使李公復圭命師開法瑞光。法席日盛。武林守陳公襄以承天興教二剎命師擇居。蘇人擁道遮留。又以淨慈堅請。移文諭道俗曰。借師三年。為此邦植福。不敢久占。道俗始從。元豐五年。神宗皇帝下詔。闢相國寺六十四院為八禪二律。召師為慧林第一祖。既至。上遣使問勞。閱三日。傳旨就寺之三門為士民演法。翌日。召對延和殿。問道賜坐。師即跏趺。帝問。卿受業何寺。奏曰。蘇州承天永安。帝大悅。賜茶。師即舉盞長吸。又蕩而撼之。帝曰。禪宗方興。宜善開導。師奏曰。陛下知有此道。如日照臨。臣豈敢自怠。即辭退。帝目送之。謂左右曰。真福慧僧也。後帝登遐。命入福寧殿說法。以老乞歸林下。得旨任便雲遊。州郡不得抑令住持。擊鼓辭眾。說偈曰。本是無家客。那堪任意遊。順風加艣棹。船子下揚州。既出都城。王公貴人送者車騎相屬。師臨別誨之曰。歲月不可把玩。老病不與人期。唯勤修勿怠。是真相為。聞者莫不感涕。晚居靈巖。其嗣法傳道者。不可勝紀。僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。韓信臨朝。曰。中下之流。如何領會。師曰。伏屍萬裡。曰。早知今日事。悔不慎當初。師曰。三皇塚上草離離。問。上是天。下是地。未審中間是甚麼物。師曰。山河大地。曰。恁麼則謝師答話。師曰。大地山河。曰。和尚何得瞞人。師曰。卻是老僧罪過。上元日。僧問。千燈互照。絲竹交音。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or the true self; the reply overturns ordinary assumptions. The answer uses an image from daily life to reveal the Dharma beyond words and distinctions. The teaching warns against clinging to concepts, appearances, success, or failure. When the student understands, the exchange ends with a bow; when he does not, the master remains silent or corrects him. This dialogue preserves the living method of the ancient Chan teachers for later practitioners. The record says that freedom is found in present awareness, without seeking outside the mind. Its verses and sayings present both sudden insight and the discipline needed to embody it. The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or the true self; the reply overturns ordinary assumptions. The answer uses an image from daily life to reveal the Dharma beyond words and distinctions. The teaching warns a

正恁麼時佛法在甚麼處。師曰。謝佈施。曰。莫便是和尚為人處也無。師曰。大似不齋來。上堂。於一毫端現寶王剎。坐微塵裡轉大法輪。拈起拄杖曰。這箇是塵。作麼生說箇轉法輪底道理。山僧今日不惜眉毛。與汝諸人說破。拈起也。海水騰波。須彌岌峇。放下也。四海晏清。乾坤肅靜。敢問諸人。且道拈起即是。放下即是。當斷不斷。兩重公案。擊禪床。下座。上堂。看。看。爍爍瑞光照大千界。百億微塵國土。百億大海水。百億須彌山。百億日月。百億四天下。乃至微塵剎土。皆於光中。一時發現。諸仁者還見麼。若也見得。許汝親在瑞光。若也不見。莫道瑞光不照好。參。上堂。頭圓像天。足方似地。古貌稜層。丈夫意氣。趯倒須彌。踏翻海水。帝釋與龍王無著身處。乃拈拄杖曰。卻來拄杖上回避。咄。任汝神通變化。究竟須歸這裡。以拄杖卓一下。師全身塔於蘇之靈巖。

The master records a Chan encounter and points the questioner toward direct awakening. A monk asks about the Buddha, the Way, or the true self; the reply overturns ordinary assumptions. The answer uses an image from daily life to reveal the Dharma beyond words and distinctions. The teaching warns against clinging to concepts, appearances, success, or failure. When the student understands, the exchange ends with a bow; when he does not, the master remains silent or corrects him. This dialogue preserves the living

東京法雲寺法秀圓通禪師

The master records a Chan encounter and poin

秦州隴城辛氏子。母夢老僧託宿。覺而有娠。先是。麥積山老僧與應乾寺魯和尚者善。嘗欲從魯遊方。魯老之。既去。緒語曰。他日當尋我竹鋪坡前。鐵場嶺下。魯後聞其所俄有兒生。即往觀焉。兒為一笑。三歲願隨魯歸。遂從魯姓。十九試經圓具。勵志講肆。習圓覺．華嚴。妙入精義。因聞無為軍鐵佛寺懷禪師法席之盛。徑往參謁。懷問曰。座主講甚麼經。師曰。華嚴。曰。華嚴以何為宗。師曰。法界為宗。曰。法界以何為宗。師曰。以心為宗。曰。心以何為宗。師無對。懷曰。毫𨤲有差。天地懸隔。汝當自看。必有發明。後聞僧舉。白兆參報慈。情未生時如何。慈曰。隔。師忽大悟。直詣方丈。陳其所證。懷曰。汝真法器。吾宗異日在汝行矣。初住龍舒四面。後詔居長蘆法雲為鼻祖。神宗皇帝上仙。宣就神御前說法。賜圓通。號。僧問。不離生死而得涅槃。不出魔界而入佛界。此理如何。師曰。赤土茶牛嬭。曰。謝師答話。師曰。你話頭道甚麼。僧擬議。師便喝。問。陽春二三月。萬物盡生芽。未審道芽還增長也無。師曰。自家看取。曰。莫便是指示處麼。師曰。芭蕉高多少。曰。野火燒不盡。春風吹又生。師曰。這箇是白公底。你底作麼生。曰。且待別時。師曰。看你道不出。上堂。看風使帆。正是隨波逐浪。截斷眾流。未免依前滲漏。量才補職。寧越短長。買帽相頭。難得恰好。直饒上不見天。下不見地。東西不辯。南北不分。有甚麼用處。任是純鋼打就。生鐵鑄成。也須額頭汗出。總不恁麼。如何商量。良久曰。赤心片片誰知得。笑殺黃梅石女兒。上堂。山僧不會巧說。大都應箇時節。相喚吃椀茶湯。亦無祖師妙訣。禪人若也未相諳。踏著秤鎚硬似鐵。上堂。秋雲秋水。青山滿目。這裡明得。千足萬足。其或未然。道士倒騎牛。參。上堂。寒雨細。朔風高。吹沙走石。㧞木鳴條。諸人盡知有。

He was a son of the Xin family of Longcheng in Qinzhou. His mother dreamt an old monk asked to lodge with her, and waking she conceived. Before this, an old monk of Maiji Mountain was friendly with the Reverend Lu of Yinggan Monastery, and once wished to go on pilgrimage with Lu. Lu made him stay. When he had gone, his parting words were, 'One day you should look for me before the Bamboo Shop Slope, below the Iron Ground Ridge.' Lu later heard that a child had been born there, and went at once to see him. The child smiled at him, and at three years old wished to go back with Lu. So he took Lu's surname. At nineteen he passed the sutra examination and received full ordination. He set his resolve on the lecture seats, studying the Perfect Enlightenment and the Avatamsaka, and wondrously entered their essential meaning. Hearing of the flourishing Dharma seat of Chan Master Huai of the Iron Buddha Monastery in Wuwei Jun, he went straight there to call on him. Huai asked, 'What sutra does the lecturer expound?' The Master said, 'The Avatamsaka.' He said, 'What does the Avatamsaka take as its purport?' The Master said, 'The dharma realm as its purport.' He said, 'What does the dharma realm take as its purport?' The Master said, 'The mind as its purport.' He said, 'What does the mind take as its purport?' The Master had no answer. Huai said, 'A hair's difference and heaven and earth are far apart. You should look into it yourself, and there will surely be an awakening.' Later he heard a monk bring up Baizhao's calling on Baoci: 'When feeling has not yet arisen, how is it?' Ci said, 'Separated.' The Master was suddenly greatly awakened. He went straight to the abbot's quarters and set out what he had realized. Huai said, 'You are truly a vessel of the Dharma; my school will be in your hands one day.' He first resided at Simian in Longshu. Later he was summoned to reside at Changlu Fayun as its founding patriarch. When Emperor Shenzong ascended to heaven, he was proclaimed to speak the Dharma before the imperial portrait, and was granted the title Yuantong. A monk asked, 'Not departing from birth and death yet attaining nirvana, not leaving the realm of Mara yet entering the Buddha realm — what is this principle?' The Master said, 'Red earth and cow's milk.' He said, 'I thank the Master for answering.' The Master said, 'What does your phrase say?' As the monk began to deliberate, the Master shouted. He asked, 'In the second and third months of spring, all things put forth sprouts — I wonder whether the sprout of the Way still grows or not?' The Master said, 'Look for yourself.' He said, 'Is that not the place of instruction?' The Master said, 'How tall is the banana tree?' He said, 'The wildfire cannot burn it all, and the spring wind blows it to life again.' The Master said, 'That is Bai's; what is yours?' He said, 'Wait for another time.' The Master said, 'It seems you cannot speak it.' Ascending the hall: 'Trimming the sail to the wind is exactly following the waves and chasing the billows; cutting off the multitude of streams still cannot avoid leaking as before. Measuring ability to assign office — how can one exceed the short and the long? Buying a hat to fit the head — it is hard to get it exactly right. Even if above you do not see heaven and below you do not see earth,' and do not distinguish east from west, or north from south, 'what use is that? Even if you are forged of pure steel and cast of pig iron, you must still sweat on your forehead. If you are not like that at all, how will you deliberate?' After a long while he said, 'A red heart, piece by piece — who can know it? It would make the stone woman of Huangmei laugh to death.' Ascending the hall: 'This mountain monk does not know clever speech; mostly I just meet the season. We call one another to drink a bowl of tea and soup, and there is also no Ancestral Master's wondrous secret. If the Chan man is not yet familiar with it, stepping on the steelyard weight, it is hard as iron.' Ascending the hall: 'Autumn clouds and autumn waters; green mountains fill the eyes. If you understand here, a thousand is enough and ten thousand is enough. If not, a Daoist priest rides an ox backward. Study.' Ascending the hall: 'The cold rain is fine and the north wind is high, blowing sand and driving stones, uprooting trees and making the branches cry. You all know there is such a thing.'

且道風作何色。若識得去。許你具眼。若也不識。莫怪相瞞。參。上堂。少林九年冷坐。卻被神光覷破。如今玉石難分。祇得麻纏紙裹。還會麼。笑我者多。哂我者少。上堂。納僧家高揖釋迦。不拜彌勒。未為分外。祇如半偈亡軀。一句投火。又圖箇甚麼。良久曰。彼彼住山人。何須更說破。師示疾。謂眾曰。老僧六處住持。有煩知事．首座．大眾。今來四大不堅。火風將散。各宜以道自安。無違吾囑。遂曰。來時無物去時空。南北東西事一同。六處住持無所補。師良久。監寺惠當進曰。和尚何不道末後句。師曰。珍重。珍重。言訖而逝。

'And tell me, what color does the wind make? If you can recognize it, I will allow that you have the eye. If you cannot recognize it, do not blame me for deceiving you. Study.' Ascending the hall: 'Nine years of cold sitting at Shaoshi, and yet Shenguang saw through him. Now jade and stone are hard to tell apart, and one can only wrap it in hemp and paper. Do you understand? Those who laugh at me are many; those who sneer at me are few.' Ascending the hall: 'For a patch-robed monk to bow high to Sakyamuni and not bow to Maitreya is not excessive. But as for giving up the body for half a verse, or throwing oneself into fire for one phrase — what is that for?' After a long while he said, 'You mountain dwellers, each of you — what need is there to speak it out?' When the Master showed signs of illness he said to the assembly, 'This old monk has been abbot in six places, and has troubled the officers, the head seat and the assembly. Now the four elements are unsteady and the fire and wind will disperse. Each of you should settle yourself in the Way and not go against my charge.' Then he said, 'Coming, there was nothing; going, it is empty. North, south, east and west, the matter is one. Six places as abbot, and nothing to make up for it.' The Master was silent a long while. The monastery supervisor Huidang came forward and said, 'Why does the Reverend not speak the final phrase?' The Master said, 'Take care, take care.' Having spoken he passed away.

東京相國慧林院若沖覺海禪師

Chan Master Ruochong Juehai of Huilin Monastery in the Xiangguo Monastery of the Eastern Capital

江寧府鍾氏子。上堂。碧落靜無雲。秋空明有月。長江瑩如練。清風來不歇。林下道人幽。相看情共悅。諸仁者。適來道箇清風明月。猶是建化門中事。作麼生是道人分上事。良久曰。閑來石上觀流水。欲洗禪衣未有塵。上堂。無邊義海。鹹歸顧盻之中。萬象形容。盡入照臨之內。你諸人築著磕著。因甚麼卻不知。良久曰。莫怪山僧太多事。光陰如箭急相催。珍重。

He was a son of the Zhong family of Jiangning Prefecture. Ascending the hall: 'The blue firmament is still and cloudless; the autumn sky is bright with a moon. The long river is lustrous as white silk; the clear wind comes without cease. The man of the Way beneath the trees is secluded, and looking at one another our feelings are glad together. Good people, what I have just said about clear wind and bright moon is still a matter within the gate of building and transforming. What is the matter of the man of the Way's own share?' After a long while he said, 'Idly I come to the stone to watch the flowing water; I would wash my Chan robe and there is no dust on it.' Ascending the hall: 'The boundless sea of meaning all returns within a glance; the forms of the ten thousand images all enter within the illumination. You people bump into it and knock against it — why do you not know it?' After a long while he said, 'Do not blame this mountain monk for being too busy; time flies like an arrow and presses urgently. Take care.'

真州長蘆應夫廣照禪師

Chan Master Yingfu Guangzhao of Changlu in Zhenzhou

滁州蔣氏子。僧問。古者道。如來禪即許老兄會。祖師禪未夢見在。未審如來禪與祖師禪是同是別。師曰。一箭過新羅。僧擬議。師便喝。問。識得衣中寶時如何。師曰。你試拈出看。僧展一手。師曰。不用指東畫西。寶在甚麼處。曰。爭奈學人用得。師曰。你試用看。僧拂坐具一下。師曰。眾人笑你。上堂。召眾曰。江山遶檻。宛如水墨屏風。殿閣凌空。麗若神仙洞府。森羅萬象。海印交參。一道神光。更無遮障。諸人還會麼。良久曰。寥寥天地間。獨立望何極。參。上堂。顧大眾曰。這箇為甚麼擁不聚。撥不散。風吹不入。水灑不著。火燒不得。刀斫不斷。是箇甚麼。眾中莫有釘觜鐵舌底衲僧。試為山僧定當看。還有麼。良久曰。若無。山僧今日失利。久立。

He was a son of the Jiang family of Chuzhou. A monk asked, 'The ancients said: the Tathagata Chan I will allow you, elder brother, to understand, but the Ancestral Chan you have not even dreamt of. I wonder whether the Tathagata Chan and the Ancestral Chan are the same or different.' The Master said, 'One arrow passes into Silla.' As the monk began to deliberate, the Master shouted. He asked, 'What about when one recognizes the treasure in the robe?' The Master said, 'Try bringing it out.' The monk stretched out one hand. The Master said, 'No need to point east and draw west — where is the treasure?' He said, 'What can be done, since the student can use it?' The Master said, 'Try using it.' The monk brushed his sitting cloth once. The Master said, 'The crowd laughs at you.' Ascending the hall, he called to the assembly and said, 'Rivers and mountains circle the railing like a screen of ink and water; halls and pavilions rise into the air, beautiful as an immortal's cave dwelling. The myriad phenomena intermingle like the sea seal; one road of spiritual light has no obstruction at all. Do you people understand?' After a long while he said, 'Vast and empty between heaven and earth, standing alone, one gazes without limit. Study.' Ascending the hall, he looked at the great assembly and said, 'Why is this neither gathered nor scattered, wind cannot enter it, water cannot sprinkle it, fire cannot burn it, a knife cannot cut it — what is it? Among the assembly, is there a patch-robed monk with an iron tongue and nailed mouth who will settle it for this mountain monk? Is there any?' After a long while he said, 'If not, this mountain monk has lost today. Stand long.'

臨安府佛日智才禪師

Chan Master Zhicai of Furi in Lin'an Prefecture

台州人。僧問。如何是道。師曰。水冷生氷。曰。如何是道中人。師曰。春雪易消。曰。如何談論。師鳴指一下。問。東西密相付。為甚麼眾人皆知。師曰。春無三日晴。曰。特伸請益。師曰。拖泥帶水。曰。學人到這裡卻不會。師曰。賊身已露。上堂。城裡喧繁。空山寂靜。然雖如此。動靜一如。死生不二。四時輪轉。物理湛然。夏不去而秋自來。風不涼而人自爽。今也古也。不改絲毫。誰少誰多。身無二用。諸禪德。既身無二用。為甚麼龍女現十八變。君不見弄潮須是弄潮人。珍重。上堂。風雨蕭騷。塞汝耳根。落葉交加。塞汝眼根。香臭叢雜。塞汝鼻根。冷熱甘甜。塞汝舌根。衣綿溫冷。塞汝身根。顛倒妄想。塞汝意根。諸禪德。直饒汝翻得轉。也是平地骨堆。參。上堂。嚴風刮地。大野清寒。萬裡草離衰。千山樹黯黲。蒼鷹得勢。俊鶻橫飛。頗稱衲僧。缽囊高掛。獨步遐方。似猛將出荒郊。臨機須扣敵。今日還有麼。良久曰。匣中寶劒。袖裡金鎚。幸遇太平。掛向壁上。參。上堂。諸禪德還知麼。山僧生身父母一時喪了。直是無依倚處。以手搥𮌎曰。蒼天。蒼天。復顧大眾。良久曰。你等諸人。也是鐵打心肝。便下座。上堂。舉栢樹子話。師曰。趙州庭栢。說與禪客。黑漆屏風。松欏亮隔。僧問。如何是無為。師曰。山前雪半消。曰。請師方便。師曰。水聲轉嗚咽。

He was a man of Taizhou. A monk asked, 'What is the Way?' The Master said, 'The water is cold and ice forms.' He said, 'What is the man within the Way?' The Master said, 'Spring snow melts easily.' He said, 'How do you discuss it?' The Master snapped his fingers once. He asked, 'East and west secretly hand it to one another — why does everyone know?' The Master said, 'Spring has not three days of clear weather.' He said, 'I have come especially to seek instruction.' The Master said, 'Dragging mud and carrying water.' He said, 'The student at this point does not understand.' The Master said, 'The thief's body is already exposed.' Ascending the hall: 'The city is noisy and crowded; the empty mountain is still. Yet though it is so, movement and stillness are one suchness, and birth and death are not two. The four seasons turn, and the nature of things is clear. Summer does not go, yet autumn comes of itself; the wind is not cool, yet men are refreshed of themselves. Now and ancient' do not change by a hair. Who is less and who is more? The body has no second use. Chan worthies, since the body has no second use, why does the dragon girl manifest eighteen transformations? Have you not seen that he who plays with the tide must be a man who plays with the tide? Take care.' Ascending the hall: 'Wind and rain are dreary and they stop up your ear faculty; fallen leaves pile up and they stop up your eye faculty; fragrance and stench are mixed and they stop up your nose faculty; cold and heat, sweet and bitter stop up your tongue faculty; cotton clothing, warmth and cold stop up your body faculty.' Inverted deluded thinking 'stops up your mind faculty. Chan worthies, even if you can turn it over, it is still a heap of bones on level ground. Study.' Ascending the hall: 'A bitter wind scrapes the ground, and the great plain is clear and cold. For ten thousand li the grass is withered, and in a thousand mountains the trees are dark. The grey hawk has the advantage and the fine falcon flies across; it is quite worthy of a patch-robed monk to hang his bowl bag high and walk alone to distant regions, like a fierce general going out to the wild plain.' Facing the moment, one must grapple with the enemy. 'Is there any today?' After a long while he said, 'The precious sword in the box and the golden hammer in the sleeve — happily meeting the great peace, hang them on the wall. Study.' Ascending the hall: 'Chan worthies, do you know? This mountain monk's living father and mother have both died at once, and there is truly nowhere to lean.' He pounded his chest with his hand and said, 'Blue sky, blue sky!' Then he looked at the great assembly. After a long while he said, 'You people are also hearts and livers forged of iron.' He then descended from the seat. Ascending the hall, he brought up the story of the cypress tree. The Master said, 'Zhaozhou's cypress before the courtyard — tell it to the Chan guest: a black-lacquered screen and a pine lattice window.' A monk asked, 'What is the unconditioned?' The Master said, 'The snow before the mountain is half melted.' He said, 'I beg the Master for expedient means.' The Master said, 'The sound of the water turns to sobbing.'

北京天缽寺重元文慧禪師

Chan Master Chongyuan Wenhui of the Tianbo Monastery in the Northern Capital

青州千乘孫氏子。母夢於佛前吞一金果。後乃誕師。相儀殊特。迥異群童。十七出家。冠歲圓具。初遊講肆。頗達宗教。甞晏坐古室。忽聞空中有告師。學上乘者。無滯於此。驚駭出視。杳無人跡。翌日客至。出寒山集。師一覧之。即慕參玄。至天衣法席。遇眾請益。豁然大悟。衣印可曰。此吾家千里駒也。出世後。僧問。如何是禪。師曰。入籠入檻。僧拊掌。師曰。跳得出是好手。僧擬議。師曰。了。問。如何是透法身句。師曰。上是天。下是地。上堂。冬不受寒。夏不受熱。身上衣。口中食。應時應節。既非天然自然。盡是人人膏血。諸禪德。山僧恁麼說話。為是世法。為是佛法。若也擇得分明。萬兩黃金亦消得。喝一喝。上堂。福勝一片地。行也任你行。住也任你住。步步踏著。始知落處。若未然者。直須退步。腳下看取。咄。上堂。古今天地。萬象森然。歲歲秋收冬藏。人人道我總會。還端的也無。直饒端的。比他鷄足峰前。是甚麼閑事。良久曰。今朝十月初旬。天寒不得普請。參。師四易名藍。緇白仰重。示寂正盛暑中。清風透室。異香馥郁。茶毗。煙燄到處。獲舍利五色。太師文公彥博。以上賜白琉璃瓶貯之。藉以錦褥。躬塟於塔。居士何震所獲額骨齒牙舍利。別剏浮圖。

He was a son of the Sun family of Qiancheng in Qingzhou. His mother dreamt she swallowed a golden fruit before the Buddha, and afterwards gave birth to the Master. His appearance was extraordinary and wholly different from other children. He left home at seventeen and received full ordination at twenty. He first traveled the lecture seats and was quite versed in the school and the teachings. Once, sitting quietly in an old room, he suddenly heard a voice in the air telling him, 'One who studies the Supreme Vehicle has no need to linger here.' Astonished, he went out to look, and there was not a trace of anyone. The next day a visitor arrived and brought out the Cold Mountain Collection. The Master looked through it once and at once longed to inquire into the profound. He came to Tianyi's Dharma seat, and when the assembly sought instruction, he was suddenly and greatly awakened. Yi certified him and said, 'This is the thousand-li colt of our house.' After he came forth into the world, a monk asked, 'What is Chan?' The Master said, 'Entering the cage, entering the pen.' The monk clapped his hands. The Master said, 'One who can jump out is a good hand.' As the monk began to deliberate, the Master said, 'Done.' He asked, 'What is the phrase that penetrates the dharma body?' The Master said, 'Above is heaven, below is earth.' Ascending the hall: 'In winter not suffering cold, in summer not suffering heat; the clothes on the body and the food in the mouth come in season and accord with the season. Since it is not natural and not spontaneous, it is all the fat and blood of people. Chan worthies, when this mountain monk speaks like this, is it a worldly dharma' or a Buddha dharma? If you can distinguish it clearly, then ten thousand ounces of gold can also be digested. He gave a shout. Ascending the hall: 'This one field of Fusheng — walk if you want to walk, stay if you want to stay; only when you tread every step do you know where it lands. If not, you must step back and look beneath your feet. Ho!' Ascending the hall: 'Ancient and present heaven and earth, the myriad images dense and still; year after year the autumn harvest and the winter store. Everyone says I understand it all — but is it exact or not? Even if it is exact, compared with the front of Cock's Foot Peak, what idle matter is it?' After a long while he said, 'Today is the first ten days of the tenth month; the weather is cold and there will be no communal work. Study.' The Master changed famous monasteries four times, and clergy and laity looked up to and revered him. When he passed away it was in the height of summer, yet a clear wind penetrated the room and a rare fragrance was rich. After cremation, wherever the smoke and flames reached, five-colored relics were obtained. The Grand Preceptor Lord Wen Yanbo stored them in a white glass bottle given by the emperor, wrapped in a brocade mat, and buried them in the stupa with his own hands. The forehead bone, teeth and relics obtained by the layman He Zhen were enshrined separately in a stupa.