Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Fifteen

處之松陽人也。具大知見。聲播講席。於止觀深有所契。每與禪衲遊。甞以道力扣大通。通一日作書寄之。師發緘。睹黑白二圓相。乃悟。答偈曰。黑相白相。擔枷過狀。了不了兮。無風起浪。若問究竟事如何。洞庭山在太湖上。

A native of Songyang in Chuzhou. He had profound insight and a great reputation among lecturers, deeply realizing the teachings on calming and insight. He often associated with Chan monks and once questioned Datong about the power of the Way. Datong sent him a letter one day. He opened it and saw two circles, one black and one white, and awakened. He replied in verse: “Black sign, white sign—carry cangue and plead your case. Whether understood or not, you raise waves without wind. Ask what the ultimate matter is: Dongting Mountain lies above Lake Tai.”

金山寧禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Ning of Jinshan.

婺州普濟子淳圓濟禪師

Chan Master Zichun, Complete Relief, of Puji in Wuzhou.

僧問。摩尼珠人不識。如來藏裡親收得。如何是珠。師曰。不撥自轉。曰。如何是藏。師曰。一撥便轉。曰。轉後如何。師曰。把不住。上堂。雨過山青。雲開月白。帶雪寒松。搖風庭栢。山僧恁麼說話。還有祖師意也無。其或未然。良久曰。看。看。

A monk asked about the wish-fulfilling jewel hidden in the Tathagata treasury. The master said, “It turns by itself without being moved.” Asked about the treasury, he said, “Move it once, and it turns.” Asked what after it turns, he said, “You cannot hold it.” In the hall he said: “After rain the mountains are green; clouds part and the moon is white. Pines bear snow; courtyard cypresses sway in the wind. Is there the patriarch’s intent in these words?” After a long silence: “Look! Look!”

吉州禾山用安禪師

Chan Master Yong’an of Heshan in Jizhou.

僧問。蓮華未出水時如何。師曰。魚挨鼈倚。曰。出水後如何。師曰。水仙頭上戴。好手絕躋攀。曰。出與未出時如何。師曰。應是乾坤措。不教容易看。

A monk asked what it was before the lotus emerged from the water. The master said, “Fish press against turtles and turtles lean on fish.” Asked what after it emerged, he said, “A water immortal wears it on his head; no skilled hand can climb there.” Asked about both before and after, he said, “The whole universe has arranged it; it will not let you look easily.”

本覺一禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Yi of Benjue.

福州越峰粹珪妙覺禪師

Chan Master Cuigui, Wondrous Awakening, of Yuefeng in Fuzhou.

本郡林氏子。僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。瘦田損種。曰。未審如何領會。師曰。刈禾鎌子曲如鉤。問。機關不到時如何。師曰。抱甕灌園。曰。此猶是機關邊事。師曰。須要雨淋頭。

A native of the prefecture, born to the Lin family. A monk asked the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from the West. The master said, “Poor fields waste seed.” Asked how to understand, he said, “The sickle for reaping bends like a hook.” Asked what it was when the mechanism could not reach, he said, “Carry a jar and water the garden.” The monk said this still concerned the mechanism. The master said, “You need rain pouring over your head.”

台州天台如庵主

The Lay Master Ru’an of Tiantai in Taizhou.

久依法真。因看雲門東山水上行語。發明己見。歸隱故山。猿鹿為伍。郡守聞其風。遣使逼令住持。師作偈曰。三十年來住此山。郡符何事到林間。休將瑣瑣塵寰事。換我一生閑又閑。遂焚其廬。竟不知所止。

He studied for a long time with Fazhen. Reading Yunmen’s saying “Dongshan walks upon the water,” he clarified his own view and returned to hide in his old mountains, keeping company with monkeys and deer. The prefect heard of his reputation and sent an envoy to compel him to take office. The master wrote: “For thirty years I have lived on this mountain; why does the prefect’s order come to the forest? Do not trade trifles of the dusty world for my lifelong, carefree ease.” He then burned his hut, and no one knew where he went.

平江府西竺寺尼法海禪師

Nun Chan Master Fahai of Xizhu Temple in Pingjiang Prefecture.

寶文呂嘉之姑也。首參法雲秀和尚。後領旨於法真言下。諸名儒屢挽應世。堅不從。殂日說偈曰。霜天雲霧結。山月冷涵輝。夜接故鄉信。曉行人不知。屆明坐脫。

She was the aunt of Lü Jia, Lord of Baowen. She first studied with Master Xiufa of Fayun, then received the essential teaching from Fazhen. Famous scholars repeatedly urged her to serve in the world, but she firmly refused. On the day she died, she wrote: “Frosty clouds and mist gather; the mountain moon holds cold radiance. At night I receive a letter from home; at dawn I depart, unknown to passersby.” At daybreak she sat upright and passed away.

投子顒禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Yong of Touzi.

壽州資壽灌禪師

Chan Master Guan of Zishou in Shouzhou.

上堂。良久曰。便恁麼散去。已是葛藤。更若喃喃。有何所益。以拂子擊禪床。下座。

In the hall, after a long silence, he said: “To disperse just like this is already entanglement. What benefit is there in saying more?” He struck the Chan seat with his whisk and descended.

西京白馬崇壽江禪師

Chan Master Jiang of Chongshou at White Horse Monastery in the Western Capital.

僧問。知師久蘊囊中寶。今日開堂略借看。師曰。不借。曰。為甚麼不借。師曰。賣金須是買金人。

A monk said, “I know you have long kept a treasure in your bag; today at the opening assembly, may I borrow a glimpse?” The master said, “I will not lend it.” Asked why, he replied, “Only someone who buys gold can sell it.”

鄧州香嚴智月海印禪師

Chan Master Zhiyue, Ocean Seal, of Xiangyan in Dengzhou.

僧問。法雷已震。選佛場開。不昧宗乘。請師直指。師曰。三月三日時。千花萬花拆。曰。普天匝地承恩力。覺苑仙葩一夜開。師曰。切忌隨他去。乃曰。判府吏部。此日命山僧開堂祝聖。紹續祖燈。祇如祖燈作麼生續。不見古者道。六街鐘鼓響鼕鼕。即處鋪金世界中。池長芰荷庭長栢。更將何法演真宗。恁麼說話。也是事不獲已。有旁不肯底出來。把山僧拽下禪床。痛打一頓。許伊是箇本分衲僧。若未有這箇作家手腳。切不得草草匆匆。勘得腳跟下不實。頭沒去處。卻須倒吃香嚴手中钁柄。莫言不道。上堂。吾家寶藏不慳惜。覿面相呈人罕識。輝今耀古體圓時。照地照天光赫赤。荊山美玉奚為貴。合浦明珠比不得。借問誰人敢酬價。波斯鼻孔長三尺。咄。

A monk said: “The Dharma thunder has sounded; the selection ground for Buddhas is open. Do not obscure the lineage—please point it out directly.” The master said, “On the third day of the third month, thousands upon thousands of flowers unfold.” The monk recited a verse about the flowers opening overnight and was told, “Be careful not to follow them.” He explained that he had been invited to open the hall and bless the ruler, then asked how to continue the ancestral lamp. He quoted an old verse about golden streets and lotus ponds, saying such words were spoken only because there was no alternative. Anyone who disagreed could pull him from the seat and beat him, proving himself a true monk; without such mastery, one should not act carelessly. If one’s footing were not solid, one would have to take a blow from Xiangyan’s hoe. He later sang: “Our family’s treasure is never withheld, yet few recognize it when shown face to face. Its round body shines through past and present, lighting earth and sky bright red. Why prize fine jade from Jing Mountain? Even Hepu’s pearls cannot compare. Who dares name a price? The Persian’s nostrils are three feet long.” He shouted.

丞相富弼居士

Layman Fu Bi, the Chancellor.

字彥國。由清獻公警勵之後。不捨晝夜。力進此道。聞顒禪師主投子。法席冠淮甸。往質所疑。會顒為眾登座。見其顧視如象王迴旋。公微有得。因執弟子禮。趨函丈。命侍者請為入室。顒見即曰。相公已入來。富弼猶在外。公聞汗流浹背。即大悟。尋以偈寄圓照本曰。一見顒公悟入深。夤緣傳得老師心。東南謾說江山遠。目對靈光與妙音。後奏署顒師號。顒上堂謝語。有曰。彼一期之悞我。亦將錯而就錯。公作偈贊曰。萬木千花欲向榮。臥龍猶未出滄溟。彤雲彩霧呈嘉瑞。依舊南山一色青。

His courtesy name was Yanguo. After Lord Qingxian admonished and encouraged him, he pursued the Way day and night without pause. Hearing that Master Yong led Touzi and had the foremost Dharma assembly in the Huai region, he went to resolve his doubts. Yong was ascending the seat for the assembly; seeing him turn and look like an elephant king, Fu gained a little insight, became his disciple, and asked to enter for private instruction. Yong saw him and said, “The Chancellor has come in; Fu Bi is still outside.” Fu was drenched in sweat and suddenly awakened. Later he sent a verse to Yuanzhao Ben: “At one meeting with Master Yong my awakening went deep; by a fortunate connection I received the teacher’s mind. Though people in the southeast speak of distant rivers and mountains, I face the numinous light and wondrous sound.” He later petitioned to grant Yong a title. When Yong thanked the assembly, he said, “He misled me for a time; I will carry the mistake through to its end.” Fu praised him in verse: “Myriad trees and flowers long to bloom; the sleeping dragon has not yet left the deep. Red clouds and colored mists announce an auspicious sign; still, South Mountain is uniformly green.”

甘露宣禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Xuan of Ganlu.

平江府妙湛寺尼文照禪師

Nun Chan Master Wenzhao of Miaozhan Temple in Pingjiang Prefecture.

溫陵人。上堂。靈源不動。妙體何依。歷歷孤明。是誰光彩。若道真如實際。大似好肉剜瘡。更作祖意商量。正是迷頭認影。老胡四十九年說夢即且止。僧堂裡憍陳如上座為你諸人舉覺底。還記得麼。良久曰。惜取眉毛好。

A native of Wenling. In the hall she said: “The numinous source does not move; on what does the wondrous body depend? Clear and solitary, who is its radiance? To call it suchness and ultimate reality is like cutting healthy flesh to make a wound. To discuss the patriarch’s intent is to mistake one’s head and recognize its reflection. Let the old barbarian’s forty-nine years of dream-talk rest. Do you remember the elder Kaundinya in the monks’ hall explaining it for you?” After a long silence: “Take care of your eyebrows.”

瑞巖居禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Ju of Ruiyan.

台州萬年處幽禪師

Chan Master Chuyou of Wannian in Taizhou.

上堂。先聖行不到處。凡流恰到。凡流既到。先聖莫知。到與不到。知與不知。總置一壁。祇如僧問乾峰。十方薄伽梵。一路涅槃門。未審路頭在甚麼處。峰以拄杖畫一畫曰。在這裡。且道此老與他先聖凡流。相去幾何。南山虎齩石羊兒。須向其中識生死。

In the hall he said: “Where the sages of old could not go, ordinary people arrive; once ordinary people arrive, the sages of old do not know. Put arriving and not arriving, knowing and not knowing, all aside. A monk once asked Qianfeng: ‘The Bhagavans of the ten directions share one path, the gate of nirvana. Where is the path?’ Qianfeng drew a line with his staff and said, ‘Here.’ How far apart are this old master and the sages and ordinary people? When the tiger of South Mountain bites the stone ram, recognize life and death right there.”

廣靈祖禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Zu of Guangling.

處州縉雲仙巖懷義禪師

Chan Master Huaiyi of Xianyan in Jinyun, Chuzhou.

僧問。如何是佛。師曰。自屈作麼。曰。如何是道。師曰。你道了。曰。向上更有事也無。師曰。無。曰。恁麼則小出大遇也。師曰。祇恐不恁麼。曰。也是。師曰。卻恁麼去也。

A monk asked, “What is Buddha?” The master said, “Why humble yourself?” Asked what the Way was, he said, “You have already spoken it.” Asked if there was anything higher, he said, “No.” The monk said that the small had then surpassed the great. The master said, “I fear only that it is not so.” The monk agreed; the master replied, “Then go on just like that.”

淨因嶽禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Yue of Jingyin.

福州鼓山體淳禪鑒禪師

Chan Master Tichun, Chan Mirror, of Gushan in Fuzhou.

上堂。由基弓矢。不射田蛙。任氏絲綸。要投溟渤。發則穿楊破的。得則脩鯨巨鰲。隻箭既入重城。長竿豈釣淺水。而今莫有吞鉤齧鏃底麼。若無。山僧捲起絲綸。抝折弓箭去也。擲拄杖。下座。

In the hall he said: “You Ji’s bow does not shoot frogs in the field; Ren’s fishing line must be cast into the deep sea. When released, the arrow pierces the poplar and hits its mark; what is caught is a giant whale or great turtle. Once the arrow enters the fortified city, how could a long pole fish in shallow water? Is there anyone now who swallows the hook and bites the arrowhead? If not, this mountain monk will roll up his line and snap his bow.” He cast down his staff and descended.

乾明覺禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Jue of Ganming.

嶽州平江長慶應圓禪師

Chan Master Yingyuan of Changqing in Pingjiang Prefecture.