Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Fifteen
郡之陳氏子。上堂。三界無法。何處求心。欲知護國當陽句。且看門前竹一林。
A Chan master and his teaching.
鄂州黃龍智明禪師
A Chan master and his teaching.
一日上堂。眾才集。師乃曰。不可更開眼說夢去也。便下座。上堂。南北一訣。斬釘截鐵。切忌思量。飜成途轍。師同胡巡檢到公安二聖。胡問。達磨對梁武帝雲。廓然無聖。公安為甚麼卻有二聖。師曰。一點水墨。兩處成龍。
This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness.
潭州道吾仲圓禪師
A Chan master and his teaching.
上堂。不是心。不是佛。不是物。古人恁麼道。譬如管中窺豹。但見一斑。設或入林不動草。入水不動波。亦如騎馬向冰凌上行。若是射鵰手。何不向虵頭上揩癢。具正眼者試辨看。良久曰。鴛鴦繡出自金針。
This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness.
太史山谷居士黃庭堅
A Chan master and his teaching.
字魯直。以般若夙習。雖膴仕澹如也。出入宗門。未有所向。好作艷詞。甞謁圓通秀禪師。秀呵曰。大丈夫翰墨之妙。甘施於此乎。秀方戒李伯時畫馬事。公誚之曰。無乃復置我於馬腹中邪。秀曰。汝以艶語動天下人婬心。不止馬腹中。正恐生泥犂耳。公悚然悔謝。由是絕筆。惟孳孳於道。著發願文。痛戒酒色。但朝粥午飰而已。往依晦堂。乞指徑捷處。堂曰。祇如仲尼道。二三子以我為隱乎。吾無隱乎爾者。太史居常如何理論。公擬對。堂曰。不是。不是。公迷悶不已。一日侍堂山行次。時巖桂盛放。堂曰。聞木樨華香麼。公曰。聞。堂曰。吾無隱乎爾。公釋然。即拜之。曰。和尚得恁麼老婆心切。堂笑曰。祇要公到家耳。久之。謁雲巖死心新禪師。隨眾入室。心見。張目問曰。新長老死學士死。燒作兩堆灰。向甚麼處相見。公無語。心約出曰。晦堂處參得底。使未著在。後左官黔南。道力愈勝。於無思念中頓明死心所問。報以書曰。往年甞蒙苦苦提撕。長如醉夢。依俙在光影中。蓋疑情不盡。命根不斷。故望崖而退耳。謫官在黔南道中。晝臥覺來。忽爾尋思。被天下老和尚謾了多少。惟有死心道人不肯。乃是第一相為也。不勝萬幸。後作晦堂塔銘曰。某夙承記莂。堪任大法。道眼未圓。而來瞻窣堵。實深宗仰之歎。乃勒堅珉。敬頌遺美。公復設蘋蘩之供。祭之以文。弔之以偈曰。海風吹落楞伽山。四海禪徒著眼看。一把柳絲收不得。和煙搭在玉欄幹。
This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness.
觀文王韶居士
A Chan master and his teaching.
字子淳。出刺洪州。乃延晦堂問道。默有所契。因述投機頌曰。晝曾忘食夜忘眠。捧得驪珠欲上天。卻向自身都放下。四稜塌地恰團圓。呈堂。堂深肯之。
This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness.
秘書吳恂居士
A Chan master and his teaching.
字德夫。居晦堂。入室次。堂謂曰。平生學解。記憶多聞即不問。你父母未生已前。道將一句來。公擬議。堂以拂子擊之。即領深旨。連呈三偈。其後曰。咄。這多知俗漢。齩盡古今公案。忽於狼藉堆頭。拾得𧏙蜋糞彈。明明不直分文。萬兩黃金不換。等閑拈出示人。祇為走盤難看。咦。堂答曰。水中得火世還稀。看著令人特地疑。自古不存師弟子。如今卻許老胡知。
This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness.
東林總禪師法嗣
A Chan master and his teaching.
隆興府泐潭應乾禪師
A Chan master and his teaching.
袁州彭氏子。上堂。靈光洞耀。逈脫根塵。體露真常。不拘文字。心性無染。本自圓成。但離妄緣。即如如佛。古人恁麼道。殊不知是箇坑穽。貼肉汗衫脫不去。過不得。直須如師子兒壁立千仞。方能勦絕去。然雖如是。也是布袋裡老鵶。拍禪床。下座。
This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness.
廬山開先行瑛廣鑑禪師
A Chan master and his teaching.
桂州毛氏子。僧問。如何是道。師曰。良田萬頃。曰。學人不會。師曰。春不耕。秋無望。問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。君山點破洞庭湖。曰。意旨如何。師曰。白浪四邊繞。紅塵何處來。上堂。談玄說妙。譬如畫餅充饑。入聖超凡。大似飛蛾赴火。一向無事。敗種焦芽。更若馳求。水中捉月。以拂子一拂雲。適來許多見解拂卻了也。作麼生是諸人透脫一句。良久曰。鐵牛不吃欄邊草。直向須彌頂上眠。以拂子擊禪床。上堂。彎石鞏弓。架興化箭。運那羅延力。定爍迦羅眼。不射大雄虎。不射藥山鹿。不射雲巖師子。不射象骨獼猴。且道射箇甚麼。良久曰。放過一著。上堂。登山須到頂。入海須到底。學道須到佛祖道不得處。若不如是。盡是依草附木底精靈。吃野狐涕唾底鬼子。華嚴恁麼道。譬如良藥。然則苦口。且要治疾。阿㖿㖿。
This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness. This passage presents a Chan master teaching the assembly through dialogues, sermons, verses, and stories. Questions concern Buddha, mind, birth and death, practice, and the way; answers point beyond fixed words toward direct realization. Images of mountains, rivers, clouds, wind, moon, animals, work, and ordinary life reveal the freedom of awakened awareness.
廬山圓通可遷法鏡禪師
Chan Master Keqian Fajing of Yuantong, Mount Lu
嚴州陳氏子。僧問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。寸釘牛力。曰。學人不會。師曰。參取不會底。
He was a son of the Chen family of Yanzhou. A monk asked: 'What is the great meaning of the buddhadharma?' The Master said: 'The strength of an ox in an inch of nail.' He said: 'This student does not understand.' The Master said: 'Investigate that which does not understand.'
紹興府象田梵卿禪師
Chan Master Fanqing of Xiangtian, Shaoxing Prefecture
嘉興人。姓錢氏。僧問。大悲菩薩用許多手眼作甚麼。師曰。富嫌千口少。曰。畢竟如何是正眼。師曰。從來共住不知名。問。寒風乍起。衲子開爐。忽憶丹霞燒木佛。因何院主墮眉鬚。師曰。張公吃酒李公醉。曰。為復是逢強即弱。為復是妙用神通。師曰。堂中聖僧。卻諳此事。僧問。象田有屠龍之劒。欲借一觀時如何。師橫按拄杖。僧便喝。師擲下拄杖。僧無語。師曰。這死蝦蟇。上堂。春已暮。落華紛紛下紅雨。南北行人歸不歸。千林萬林鳴杜宇。我無家兮何處歸。十方剎土奚相依。老夫有箇真消息。昨夜三更月在池。上堂。佛法到此。命若懸絲。異目超宗。亦難承紹。竪起拂子曰。賴有這箇。堪作流通。於此覷得。便見三世諸佛。向燈籠露柱裡轉大法輪。六趣眾生。於鐵圍山得聞法要。聲非聲見。色非色隨。異類四生。各得解脫。如斯舉唱。非但埋沒宗風。亦乃平沈自己。且道如何得不犯令去。拍禪床。下座。
He was a man of Jiaxing, of the Qian family. A monk asked: 'What does the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion want with so many hands and eyes?' The Master said: 'The rich man grumbles that a thousand mouths are few.' He said: 'After all, what is the true eye?' The Master said: 'We have always lived together and I do not know its name.' He asked: 'The cold wind has just risen and the monks have opened the stove. Suddenly I recall that Danxia burned a wooden buddha — why did the monastery head lose his eyebrows and beard?' The Master said: 'Zhang drinks the wine and Li gets drunk.' He said: 'Is it that meeting the strong one becomes weak, or is it the wondrous function of spiritual power?' The Master said: 'The holy monk in the hall understands this matter.' A monk asked: 'Xiangtian has a sword that beheads dragons; what if I wish to borrow it for a look?' The Master laid his staff crosswise. The monk then shouted. The Master threw down the staff. The monk was speechless. The Master said: 'This dead toad!' He mounted the hall: 'Spring is already late; falling flowers drop a red rain. Travelers north and south, will you return or not? In a thousand forests, ten thousand forests, the cuckoo cries. I have no home — where shall I return? In the lands of the ten directions, on what shall I lean? This old man has one true message: last night at the third watch the moon was in the pond.' He mounted the hall: 'The buddhadharma has come to this — life hangs by a thread. Even one whose eye is different and who surpasses the school finds it hard to inherit it. He held up his fly whisk and said: Thank goodness for this — it can serve as a channel. If you can see it here, then you will see the buddhas of the three ages turning the great dharma wheel inside the lantern and the exposed pillar; and the beings of the six destinies, on the Iron Ring Mountain, hearing the essentials of the dharma. Sound is not sound-seeing; form is not form-following. The four kinds of birth in different species each gain liberation. To proclaim it thus not only buries the school's style, it also sinks oneself flat. Now tell me, how can one avoid transgressing the command?' He struck the meditation seat and descended.
東京褒親旌德院有瑞佛海禪師
Chan Master Yourui Fohai of the Baoqin Jingde Monastery, the Eastern Capital
興化軍陳氏子。初參黃龍南禪師。龍問。汝為人事來。為佛法來。師曰。為佛法來。龍曰。若為佛法來。即今便分付。遂打一拂子。師曰。和尚也不得惱亂人。龍即器之。後依照覺。深悟玄奧。上堂。有佛世界。以一塵一毛而作佛事。令見一法者而具足一切法。故權為架閣。有佛化內以忘言寂默為大佛事。使其學者離一切相。即名諸佛。故好與三下火抄。有佛土中以黃華翠竹而為佛事。令覩相者見色即空。故且付與彌勒。有佛寶剎以法空為座而示佛事。裨其行人不著佛求。故勘破了勾下。有佛道場以四事供養而成佛事。使知足者斷異念。故可與下載。有佛妙域以一切語言三昧作其佛事。令隨機入者不捨動靜。故為渠裝載大眾。且道於中還有優劣也無。良久曰。到者須知是作家。參。
He was a son of the Chen family of Xinghua Jun. He first studied under Chan Master Huanglong Nan. Long asked: 'Have you come for human affairs, or for the buddhadharma?' The Master said: 'For the buddhadharma.' Long said: 'If you have come for the buddhadharma, then I hand it over right now.' And with that he struck him with his fly whisk. The Master said: 'The Master should not disturb people either.' Long thought well of him. Later he relied on Zhaojue and deeply awakened to the profound mystery. He mounted the hall: 'In some buddha worlds, a single mote or a single hair is made the buddha-work, causing one who sees a single dharma to possess all dharmas completely; this is provisionally set up as a shelf. In some buddha domains, forgetting words and silent stillness are made the great buddha-work, causing the student to leave all marks and thereby be named a buddha; this is well served by three strokes of the fire-tongs. In some buddha lands, yellow flowers and green bamboo are made the buddha-work, causing one who looks on marks to see form as emptiness; this is provisionally entrusted to Maitreya. In some buddha jewel-realms, the dharma-empty seat is made the buddha-work, helping the practitioner not to seek after buddha; this is checked through and crossed off. In some buddha way-places, the four offerings are made the buddha-work, causing the contented to cut off stray thoughts; this may be loaded aboard. In some buddha wonder-realms, the samadhi of all speech is made the buddha-work, causing one who enters according to capacity not to abandon movement and stillness; this is loaded up for him. Great assembly, tell me, is there any better or worse among them?' After a long silence he said: 'One who arrives must know this is a master craftsman. Investigate.'
臨江軍慧力院可昌禪師
Chan Master Kechang of the Huili Monastery, Linjiang Jun
僧問。佛力法力即不問。如何是慧力。師曰。踏倒人我山。扶起菩提樹。曰。菩提本無樹。向甚麼處下手。師曰。無下手處。正好著力。曰。今日得聞於未聞。師曰。莫把真金喚作鍮。上堂。佛法根源。非正信妙智不能悟入。祖師關鍵。非大悲重願何以開通。具信智則權實雙行。如金在鑛。全悲願則善惡可辨。似月離雲。大眾。祇如父母未生時。許多譬喻向甚麼處吐露。良久曰。十語九中。不如一默。
A monk asked: 'Of buddha-power and dharma-power I do not ask; what is wisdom-power?' The Master said: 'Tread down the mountain of self and others, raise up the bodhi tree.' He said: 'Bodhi is originally no tree — where does one put one's hand?' The Master said: 'Where there is no place to put the hand is exactly the right place to apply strength.' He said: 'Today I have heard what I had not heard.' The Master said: 'Do not call true gold brass.' He mounted the hall: 'The root of the buddhadharma cannot be entered without right faith and wondrous wisdom. The pivot of the patriarchs cannot be opened without great compassion and weighty vows. Possessing faith and wisdom, one walks both the provisional and the real, like gold in the ore. Complete in compassion and vows, one can distinguish good from evil, like the moon leaving the clouds. Great assembly, when your parents were not yet born, where do all these parables come forth from?' After a long silence he said: 'Ten words of which nine hit the mark are not worth one silence.'
黃州柏子山棲真院德嵩禪師
Chan Master Desong of the Qizhen Monastery, Mount Baizi, Huangzhou
上堂。天地一指。絕諍競之心。萬物一馬。無是非之論。由是魔羅潛跡。佛祖興隆。寒山拊掌欣欣。拾得呵呵大笑。大眾。二古聖笑箇甚麼。良久。呵呵大笑曰。曇華一朵再逢春。
He mounted the hall: 'Heaven and earth are one finger — the mind of contention is cut off. The ten thousand things are one horse — there is no argument of right and wrong. Thereby Mara hides his traces and the buddhas and patriarchs flourish. Hanshan claps his hands in delight; Shide laughs out loud. Great assembly, what are the two ancient sages laughing at?' After a long silence he laughed out loud and said: 'A single udumbara flower meets spring once more.'
廬山萬杉院紹慈禪師
Chan Master Shaoci of the Wanshan Monastery, Mount Lu
桂州趙氏子。參照覺。問曰。世尊付金襴外。別傳何物。覺舉拂子。師曰。畢竟作麼生。覺以拂子驀口打。師擬開口。覺又打。師於是有省。遂奪拂子。便禮拜。覺曰。汝見何道理。便禮拜。師曰。拂子屬某甲了也。覺曰。三十年老將。今日被小卒折倒。自此玄風大振。推為東林上首。上堂。先行不到。若須彌立乎巨川。末後太過。猶猛士發乎狂矢。或高或下。未有準繩。以是還非。遭人點檢。且道如何得相應去。良久曰。紅爐燄裡重添火。炟赫金剛眼自開。咄。上堂。我祖別行最上機。縱橫生殺絕猜疑。雖然塞斷群狐路。返擲須還師子兒。眾中還有金毛炟赫．牙爪生獰者麼。試出哮吼一聲看。良久曰。直饒有。也不免玉溪寨主撩鉤搭索。參。
He was a son of the Zhao family of Guizhou. He studied under Zhaojue and asked: 'Apart from the golden robe the World-Honored One handed down, what did he transmit separately?' Jue held up his fly whisk. The Master said: 'After all, what is it?' Jue struck him on the mouth with the fly whisk. The Master was about to open his mouth and Jue struck again. Thereupon the Master had an awakening. He snatched the fly whisk away and bowed. Jue said: 'What principle have you seen, that you bow?' The Master said: 'The fly whisk now belongs to me.' Jue said: 'A thirty-year veteran general is today laid low by a common soldier.' From then on his mysterious style greatly flourished, and he was acclaimed the foremost at Donglin. He mounted the hall: 'Going ahead one does not arrive — like Sumeru standing in a great river. Falling behind one goes too far — like a fierce warrior loosing a wild arrow. High or low, there is no plumb line. Taking the right as wrong, one is subject to others' inspection. Tell me, how can one accord?' After a long silence he said: 'In the flame of the red furnace add more fire; the blazing vajra eye opens of itself. Ha!' He mounted the hall: 'Our patriarch walked alone on the highest working, slaying and giving life freely, cutting off all doubt. Though he blocks the foxes' road, the counter-leap must still be the lion's cub. Among the assembly, is there any with a golden mane blazing and claws and fangs grown fierce? Try coming out and giving one roar.' After a long silence he said: 'Even if there is, he cannot escape the hook and snare of the chief of Yuxi stockade. Investigate.'
南嶽衡嶽寺道辯禪師
Chan Master Daobian of the Hengyue Monastery, Nanyue
僧問。拈槌舉拂即且置。和尚如何為人。師曰。客來須接。曰。便是為人處也。師曰。麤茶澹飯。僧禮拜。師曰。須知滋味始得。
A monk asked: 'Setting aside lifting the mallet and raising the fly whisk, how does the Master work for people?' The Master said: 'When a guest comes, one must receive him.' He said: 'That is exactly the working for people.' The Master said: 'Coarse tea and plain rice.' The monk bowed. The Master said: 'You must know the flavor first.'
吉州禾山甘露志傳禪師
Chan Master Zhichuan of the Ganlu Monastery, Mount He, Jizhou
僧問。一等沒絃琴。請師彈一曲。師曰。山僧耳聾。曰。學人請益。師曰。去。曰。慈悲何在。師曰。自有諸方眼。
A monk asked: 'A stringless lute of the highest order — I beg the Master to play a tune.' The Master said: 'This mountain monk is deaf.' He said: 'This student asks for instruction.' The Master said: 'Go.' He said: 'Where is your compassion?' The Master said: 'Every region has its own eye.'
東京褒親旌德寺諭禪師
Chan Master Yu of the Baoqin Jingde Monastery, the Eastern Capital
上堂。新羅打皷。大宋上堂。庭前柏子問話。燈籠露柱著忙。香臺拄杖起作舞。臥病維摩猶在床。這老漢我也識得。你病休訝郎當。咄。
He mounted the hall: 'Silla beats the drum; the Great Song mounts the hall. The cypress before the court asks a question; the lantern and the exposed pillar are in a flurry. The incense platform's staff rises to dance; the sick Vimalakirti is still in bed. This old fellow — I too know you. Do not be surprised that illness makes one slovenly. Ha!'
隆興府西山龍泉𭐱禪師
Chan Master Mou of Longquan, Mount Xi, Longxing Prefecture (the character in the base text is rare and cannot be certainly identified)
上堂眾集。師乃曰。祇恁麼便散去。不妨要妙。雖然如是。早是無風起浪。釘橛空中。豈況牽枝引蔓。說妙譚玄。正是金屑眼中翳。衣珠法上塵。且道拂塵出屑。是甚麼人。卓拄杖。下座。
He mounted the hall. When the assembly had gathered, the Master said: 'To disperse just so would after all be the essential wonder. Even so, that is already raising waves without wind and driving a peg into the sky. How much more so to drag branches and pull vines, speaking of the wondrous and discoursing on the mysterious — that is precisely a mote of gold in the eye, a pearl of clothing, dust on the dharma. Tell me, who is it that brushes away the dust and removes the mote?' He planted his staff and descended from the seat.