The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source, Scroll One
邵武軍鄧氏子(時稱鄧隱峰)。幼若不慧。父母聽其出家。初遊馬祖之門。而未能覩奧。復來往石頭。雖兩番不捷(語見馬祖章)。而後於馬祖言下相契。師問石頭。如何得合道去。頭曰。我亦不合道。師曰。畢竟如何。頭曰。汝被這箇得多少時邪。石頭剗草次。師在左側。叉手而立。頭飛剗子。向師前剗一株草。師曰。和尚祇剗得這箇。不剗得那箇。頭提起剗子。師接得。便作剗草勢。頭曰。汝祇剗得那箇。不解剗得這箇。師無對(洞山雲。還有堆阜麼)。師一日推車次。馬祖展腳在路上坐。師曰。請師收足。祖曰。已展不縮。師曰。已進不退。乃推車碾損祖腳。祖歸法堂。執斧子曰。適來碾損老僧腳底出來。師便出於祖前。引頸。祖乃置斧。師到南泉。覩眾僧參次。泉指淨瓶曰。銅瓶是境。瓶中有水。不得動著境。與老僧將水來。師拈起淨瓶。向泉面前瀉。泉便休。師後到溈山。便入堂於上板頭解放衣缽。溈聞師叔到。先具威儀。下堂內相看。師見來。便作臥勢。溈便歸方丈。師乃發去。少間。溈山問侍者。師叔在否。曰。已去。溈曰。去時有甚麼語。曰。無語。溈曰。莫道無語。其聲如雷。師冬居衡嶽。夏止清涼。唐元和中薦登五臺。路出淮西。屬吳元濟阻兵。違拒王命。官軍與賊軍交鋒。未決勝負。師曰。吾當去解其患。乃擲錫空中。飛身而過。兩軍將士仰觀。事符預夢。鬬心頓息。師既顯神異。慮成惑眾。遂入五臺。於金剛窟前將示滅。先問眾曰。諸方遷化。坐去臥去。吾嘗見之。還有立化也無。曰。有。師曰。還有倒立者否。曰。未嘗見有。師乃倒立而化。亭亭然其衣順體。時眾議舁就茶毗。屹然不動。遠近瞻覩。驚歎無已。師有妹為尼。時亦在彼。乃拊而咄曰。老兄。疇昔不循法律。死更熒惑於人。於是以手推之。僨然而踣。遂就闍維。收舍利建塔。
He was a son of the Deng family of Shaowu Army, and was then called Deng Yinfeng. As a child he seemed dull, but his parents allowed him to leave home. At first he studied under Mazu without seeing the depths of the teaching. He went back and forth to Shitou twice, but did not succeed either time (see the Mazu chapter). Later he met Mazu’s teaching and their understanding joined. He asked Shitou, ‘How can I accord with the Way?’ Shitou said, ‘I do not accord with the Way either.’ The master asked, ‘Then what, ultimately?’ Shitou said, ‘How long have you been taken in by this?’ While Shitou was cutting grass, the master stood with hands folded at his left. Shitou flung his hoe and cut a tuft of grass in front of him. The master said, ‘Master, you can cut this, but you cannot cut that.’ Shitou raised the hoe. The master took it and made a motion as if cutting grass. Shitou said, ‘You can cut that, but you do not know how to cut this.’ The master had no answer. (Dongshan said, ‘Is there still a mound?’) One day the master was pushing a cart when Mazu sat in the road with his legs stretched out. The master said, ‘Please draw in your feet.’ Mazu said, ‘They are already stretched out; they will not draw back.’ The master said, ‘I have already advanced; I will not retreat.’ He pushed the cart over Mazu’s feet and injured them. Mazu returned to the Dharma hall, picked up an axe, and said, ‘The one who just injured this old monk’s feet, come out!’ The master stepped forward and stretched out his neck. Mazu put down the axe. When the master visited Nanquan, he saw the monks gathered for an assembly. Nanquan pointed at a water bottle and said, ‘The bronze bottle is a form; there is water in it. Do not disturb the form. Bring me the water.’ The master picked up the bottle and poured water before Nanquan, who said no more. Later the master went to Weishan, entered the hall, and laid down his robe and bowl at the head of the upper platform. When Weishan heard that his Dharma uncle had arrived, he arranged his robes and went down to greet him. Seeing him come, the master lay down. Weishan returned to his room, and the master then left. A little later Weishan asked his attendant, ‘Is my uncle still here?’ ‘He has already gone.’ Weishan asked, ‘Did he say anything as he left?’ The attendant said, ‘Nothing.’ Weishan said, ‘Do not say he said nothing; his voice was like thunder.’ In winter the master stayed on Mount Heng; in summer he stayed at Qingliang. During the Yuanhe era of the Tang, he was recommended to visit Mount Wutai. His route passed through Huaixi, where Wu Yuanji’s troops were rebelling against the imperial order. Government and rebel forces faced each other, with neither side winning. The master said, ‘I will go and resolve this trouble.’ He tossed his staff into the air and flew across. The soldiers on both sides looked up; the event fulfilled a dream they had previously shared, and their desire to fight immediately ceased. Since the master had displayed such a marvel and feared that people would be deluded, he entered Mount Wutai. Before demonstrating his passing at the Vajra Cave, he asked the assembly, ‘I have seen people in various places pass away sitting or lying down. Has anyone ever passed away standing?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘Has anyone passed away standing upside down?’ They said, ‘Never.’ The master then died standing upside down, his robe hanging neatly on his body. The assembly discussed carrying him to the cremation ground, but he remained upright and immovable. People near and far came to see him, endlessly astonished. His younger sister, a nun, was also there. She patted him and shouted, ‘Elder brother, you never followed the rules while alive, and now in death you are still confusing people!’ She pushed him with her hand, and he fell to the ground. They then cremated him, collected the relics, and built a stupa.
潭州石霜(亦作龍)大善禪師
Chan Master Dashan of Shishuang (also called Long) in Tanzhou
僧問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。春日雞鳴。曰。學人不會。師曰。中秋犬吠。上堂。大眾出來出來。老漢有箇法要。百年後不累汝。眾曰。便請和尚說。師曰。不消一堆火。
A monk asked, ‘What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?’ The master said, ‘A chicken crows on a spring day.’ The monk said, ‘I do not understand.’ The master said, ‘A dog barks at mid-autumn.’ At a sermon he said, ‘Everyone, come forward. This old monk has an essential Dharma that will spare you trouble after a hundred years.’ The assembly said, ‘Please explain it, Master.’ He said, ‘There is no need for a pile of firewood.’
泉州龜洋無了禪師
Chan Master Wuliao of Guiyang in Quanzhou
本郡沈氏子。年七歲。父𢹂入白重院。視之如家。因而捨愛。至十八。剃度受具於靈巖寺。後參大寂。了達祖乘。即還本院之北。樵採路絕。師一日筞杖披榛而行。遇六眸巨龜。斯須而失。乃庵此峰。因號龜洋。一日。有虎逐鹿入庵。師以杖格虎。遂存鹿命。洎將示化。乃述偈曰。八十年來辨西東。如今不要白頭翁。非長非短非大小。還與諸人性相同。無來無去兼無住。了卻本來自性空。偈畢。儼然告寂。瘞於正堂垂二十載。為山泉淹沒。門人發塔。見全身水中而浮。閩王聞之。遣使舁入府庭供養。忽臭氣遠聞。王焚香祝之曰。可還龜洋舊址建塔。言訖。異香普燻。傾城瞻禮。本道奏諡真寂大師。塔曰靈覺。後弟子慧忠塟於塔左。今龜洋二真身存焉。忠得法於草菴義和尚。
He was a son of the Shen family of this prefecture. At seven, his father took him to Baizhong Monastery. He regarded it as home and thereby gave up worldly affection. At eighteen, he was tonsured and received full ordination at Lingyan Monastery. Later he studied under Daji, understood the patriarchs’ vehicle, and returned to the north of his original monastery. The paths for gathering firewood were overgrown and impassable. One day he went through the brush with his staff and met a huge turtle with six eyes; in a moment it disappeared. He built a hermitage on that peak, which was therefore called Guiyang. One day a tiger chased a deer into the hermitage. The master blocked the tiger with his staff and saved the deer. When he was about to pass into transformation, he composed this verse: ‘For eighty years I distinguished east from west; now I need no white-haired old man. Neither long nor short, neither large nor small, I am still of the same nature as all of you. Neither coming nor going, nor abiding, I have completed the original emptiness of my own nature.’ After finishing the verse, he announced his passing with perfect composure. He was buried in the main hall. Nearly twenty years later, the site was submerged by a mountain spring. His disciples opened the stupa and saw his whole body floating in the water. The King of Min heard of it and sent men to carry the body into the palace courtyard for veneration, but a foul odor suddenly spread far and wide. The king burned incense and prayed, ‘Please return to your old site at Guiyang, where a stupa will be built.’ As soon as he finished speaking, an extraordinary fragrance filled the air, and the whole city came to pay homage. The regional official reported the matter and requested the posthumous title True Stillness Master; the stupa was named Spiritual Awakening. Later the disciple Huizhong was buried beside the stupa. The two whole bodies are still at Guiyang today. Huizhong received the Dharma from Master Yichan of Caotang.
南嶽西園蘭若曇藏禪師
Chan Master Tanzang of Xiyuan Hermitage on Mount Heng
受心印於大寂。後謁石頭。瑩然明徹。出住西園。禪侶日盛。師一日自燒浴次。僧問。何不使沙彌。師撫掌三下(僧舉似曹山。山雲。一等是拍手撫掌。就中西園奇恠。俱胝一指頭禪。葢為承當處不諦當。僧卻問曹山。西園撫掌。豈不是奴兒婢子邊事。山雲。是。雲。向上更有事也無。山雲。有。雲。如何是向上事。山叱雲。這奴兒婢子)。師養一犬。常夜經行時。其犬銜師衣。師即歸方丈。又常於門側伏守。忽一夜頻吠。奮身作猛噬之勢。詰旦。東廚有一大蟒。長數丈。張口呀氣。毒𦦨熾然。侍者請避之。師曰。死可逃乎。彼以毒來。我以慈受。毒無實性。激發則強。慈苟無緣。冤親一揆。言訖。其蟒按首徐行。倐然不見。復一夕。有群盜至。犬亦銜衣。師語盜曰。茅舍有可意物。一任將去。終無所吝。盜感其言。皆稽首而散。
He received the mind seal from Daji. Later he visited Shitou and became lucid and thoroughly clear. He took up residence at Xiyuan, where the community of Chan practitioners grew daily. One day he was heating water for his own bath. A monk asked, ‘Why not have a novice do it?’ The master clapped his hands three times. (The monk reported this to Caoshan. Caoshan said, ‘All clapping and slapping hands is alike, but what is strange is Xiyuan. Juzhi’s one-finger Chan comes from not having settled the point of realization.’ The monk asked Caoshan, ‘Isn’t Xiyuan’s clapping just a matter for servants and maids?’ Caoshan said, ‘Yes.’ The monk asked, ‘Is there anything further, beyond?’ Caoshan said, ‘There is.’ The monk asked, ‘What is the matter beyond?’ Caoshan scolded him, ‘You servant!’) The master kept a dog. When he made his nightly rounds, the dog often caught his robe, and he would return to his room. It also often crouched by the door to keep watch. One night it barked repeatedly and sprang forward as if to bite fiercely. At dawn, a huge python several dozen feet long was found in the eastern kitchen, mouth open and breathing fiercely, its poisonous flames blazing. An attendant urged the master to flee. He said, ‘Can one escape death? It comes with poison; I receive it with compassion. Poison has no fixed nature; it grows strong when provoked. If compassion has no conditions, foe and friend are treated alike.’ When he finished speaking, the python lowered its head and moved away slowly, then vanished in an instant. Another evening a band of thieves arrived, and the dog again caught his robe. The master said to the thieves, ‘There are things in this thatched hut you may like. Take whatever you wish; I will begrudge nothing.’ Moved by his words, the thieves all bowed and dispersed.
袁州楊岐山甄叔禪師
Chan Master Zhenshu of Yangqi Mountain in Yuanzhou
上堂。群靈一源。假名為佛。體竭形銷而不滅。金流樸散而常存。性海無風。金波自湧。心靈絕非。萬象齊照。體斯理者。不言而徧歷沙界。不用而功益玄化。如何背覺。反合塵勞。於陰界中。妄自囚執。禪月問。如何是祖師西來意。師呈起數珠。月罔措。師曰。會麼。曰。不會。師曰。某甲參見石頭來。曰。見石頭得何意旨。師指庭前鹿曰。會麼。曰。不會。師曰。渠儂得自由。唐元和十五年歸寂。茶毗獲舍利七百粒。於東峰下建塔。
At a sermon he said, ‘The source of all beings is one; provisionally it is called Buddha. Though body and form are exhausted and dissolve, it does not perish; like gold melted and ore scattered, it always remains. The sea of nature is windless, yet golden waves rise of themselves. The mind’s awareness is free from falsity and illuminates all phenomena equally. One who embodies this principle traverses the worlds as numerous as the sands without speaking, and without acting brings wondrous benefit to transformation. Why turn away from awakening and return to worldly toil, imprisoning yourself in the realms and aggregates through delusion?’ Zen Master Chanyue asked, ‘What is the meaning of the patriarch’s coming from the West?’ The master held up his prayer beads. Chanyue was at a loss. The master asked, ‘Do you understand?’ ‘I do not.’ ‘I have visited Shitou.’ ‘What did you understand from Shitou?’ The master pointed to a deer in the courtyard and asked, ‘Do you understand?’ ‘I do not.’ The master said, ‘That fellow is free.’ In the fifteenth year of Yuanhe under the Tang, he passed away. After cremation seven hundred relics were recovered, and a stupa was built beneath the eastern peak.
磁州馬頭峰神藏禪師
Chan Master Shenzang of Matou Peak in Cizhou
上堂。知而無知。不是無知。而說無知。便下座(南泉雲。恁麼依師道。始道得一半。黃檗雲。不是南泉駁他。要圓前話)。
At a sermon he said, ‘To know and yet not know is not to say that one does not know.’ He then left the seat. (Nanquan said, ‘If you follow the master’s words like this, you have only spoken half.’ Huangbo said, ‘Nanquan is not refuting him; he is completing the earlier statement.’)
潭州華林善覺禪師
Chan Master Shanjue of Hualin in Tanzhou
常持錫杖。夜出林麓間。七步一振錫。一稱觀音名號。夾山問。遠聞和尚念觀音。是否。師曰。然。山曰。騎卻頭時如何。師曰。出頭即從汝騎。不出頭騎甚麼。山無對。僧參。方展坐具。師曰。緩緩。曰。和尚見甚麼。師曰。可惜許。磕破鐘樓。其僧從此悟入。觀察使裴休訪之。問曰。還有侍者否。師曰。有一兩箇。祇是不可見客。裴曰。在甚麼處。師乃喚大空．小空。時二虎自庵後而出。裴覩之驚悸。師語二虎曰。有客。且去。二虎哮吼而去。裴問曰。師作何行業。感得如斯。師乃良久曰。會麼。曰。不會。師曰。山僧常念觀音。
He always carried a staff. At night he went out among the woods and foothills, shaking the staff every seven steps and reciting the name of Guanyin. Jia-shan asked, ‘I have often heard that you recite Guanyin’s name. Is that true?’ The master said, ‘Yes.’ Jia-shan said, ‘What if I ride on your head?’ He replied, ‘If I stick my head out, you may ride it. If I do not, what will you ride?’ Jia-shan had no answer. A monk came to visit and had just opened his sitting mat when the master said, ‘Slowly, slowly.’ The monk asked, ‘What do you see, Master?’ He said, ‘What a pity—you have cracked the bell tower.’ The monk awakened from that moment. The surveillance commissioner Pei Xiu visited and asked, ‘Do you have attendants?’ The master said, ‘One or two, but they cannot be seen by guests.’ Pei asked where they were. The master called, ‘Dakong! Xiaokong!’ Just then two tigers came out from behind the hermitage. Pei was terrified. The master said to the tigers, ‘We have a guest; go away for now.’ The tigers roared and departed. Pei asked, ‘What practice have you performed to evoke such a response?’ The master was silent for a long time, then asked, ‘Do you understand?’ Pei said, ‘I do not.’ The master said, ‘This mountain monk constantly recites Guanyin’s name.’
汀州水塘和尚
The Water-Pond Master of Tingzhou
問歸宗。甚麼人。宗曰。陳州人。師曰。年多少。宗曰。二十二。師曰。闍黎未生時。老僧去來。宗曰。和尚幾時生。師竪起拂子。宗曰。這箇豈有生邪。師曰。會得即無生。曰。未會在。師無語。
He asked Guizong, ‘Where are you from?’ Guizong said, ‘I am from Chenzhou.’ The master asked, ‘How old are you?’ Guizong said, ‘Twenty-two.’ The master said, ‘Before you were born, this old monk had already come and gone.’ Guizong asked, ‘When was the master born?’ The master raised his whisk. Guizong said, ‘Can this thing be born?’ The master said, ‘If you understand, there is no birth.’ Guizong said, ‘I have not understood yet.’ The master was silent.
濛谿和尚
The Mengxi Master
僧問。一念不生時如何。師良久。僧便禮拜。師曰。汝作麼生會。曰。某甲終不敢無慙愧。師曰。汝卻信得及。問。本分事如何體悉。師曰。汝何不問。曰。請師答話。師曰。汝卻問得好。僧大笑而出。師曰。秖有這僧靈利。有僧從外來。師便喝。僧曰。好箇來由。師曰。猶要棒在。僧珍重便出。師曰。得能自在。
A monk asked, ‘What is it like when not a single thought arises?’ The master was silent for a long while. The monk bowed. The master asked, ‘How do you understand it?’ The monk said, ‘I would never dare to be without shame.’ The master said, ‘You have indeed trusted it.’ Asked how to understand the fundamental matter, the master said, ‘Why don’t you ask?’ The monk said, ‘Please answer, Master.’ The master said, ‘You have asked well.’ The monk laughed loudly and left. The master said, ‘Only this monk is keen.’ A monk came in from outside, and the master shouted. The monk said, ‘What a fine reason!’ The master said, ‘You still need a staff.’ The monk wished him well and left. The master said, ‘He can be at ease.’
溫州佛㠗和尚
The Buddha’ao Master of Wenzhou
尋常見人來。以柱杖卓地曰。前佛也恁麼。後佛也恁麼。問。正恁麼時作麼生。師畫一圓相。僧作女人拜。師便打。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。賊也。賊也。問。如何是異類。師敲椀曰。花奴花奴吃飯來。
Whenever someone came, he would plant his staff on the ground and say, ‘The Buddhas of the past did so; the Buddhas of the future will do so.’ Asked, ‘What is it like at the very moment of doing so?’ the master drew a circle. The monk bowed like a woman. The master struck him. Asked, ‘What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?’ the master said, ‘A thief! A thief!’ Asked, ‘What are the different kinds of beings?’ the master tapped a bowl and called, ‘Hua-nu, Hua-nu, come eat!’
烏臼和尚
Master Wuju
玄．紹二上座參。師乃問。二禪客發足甚麼處。玄曰。江西。師便打。玄曰。久知和尚有此機要。師曰。汝既不會。後面箇師僧祇對看。紹擬近前。師便打。曰。信知同坑無異土。參堂去。問僧。近離甚處。曰。定州。師曰。定州法道何似這裡。曰。不別。師曰。若不別。更轉彼中去。便打。僧曰。棒頭有眼。不得草草打人。師曰。今日打著一箇也。又打三下。僧便出去。師曰。屈棒元來有人吃在。曰。爭柰杓柄在和尚手裡。師曰。汝若要。山僧回與汝。僧近前奪棒。打師三下。師曰。屈棒。屈棒。曰。有人吃在。師曰。草草打著箇漢。僧禮拜。師曰。卻與麼去也。僧大笑而出。師曰。消得恁麼。消得恁麼。
The two senior monks Xuan and Shao came to visit. The master asked, ‘Where did you two Chan travelers set out from?’ Xuan said, ‘Jiangxi.’ The master struck him. Xuan said, ‘I have long known the master had this essential device.’ The master said, ‘Since you do not understand, let the monk behind you answer.’ Shao moved forward, and the master struck him too, saying, ‘Now I know that soil from the same pit is no different. Go attend the assembly.’ A monk was asked, ‘Where have you just come from?’ He said, ‘Dingzhou.’ The master asked, ‘How is the Dharma there compared with here?’ ‘No different.’ ‘If it is no different, go back there.’ He struck him. The monk said, ‘There are eyes at the end of your staff; do not strike people carelessly.’ The master said, ‘Today I hit someone at last,’ and struck him three more times. The monk left. The master said, ‘So someone has taken an unjust beating after all.’ The monk said, ‘But the ladle is in your hand, Master.’ The master said, ‘If you want it, I’ll hand it back.’ The monk stepped forward, seized the staff, and struck the master three times. The master said, ‘An unjust beating, an unjust beating!’ The monk said, ‘Someone has taken one after all.’ The master said, ‘I struck a fellow who acts carelessly.’ The monk bowed. The master said, ‘So you are going off like that?’ The monk laughed loudly and left. The master said, ‘That is worth it, that is worth it.’
古寺和尚
Master Gusi
丹霞來參。經宿。明旦粥熟。行者祇盛一缽與師。又盛一椀自吃。殊不顧丹霞。霞亦自盛粥吃。者曰。五更侵早起。更有夜行人。霞問。師何不教訓行者。得恁麼無禮。師曰。淨地上不要點汙人家男女。霞曰。幾不問過這老漢。
Danya came to visit and stayed the night. At dawn the porridge was ready. The attendant served the master one bowl, then filled a bowl for himself and ate, paying no attention to Danya. Danya served himself porridge too. The attendant said, ‘Up before dawn, and there is still someone traveling through the night.’ Danya asked, ‘Master, why don’t you teach your attendant? How can he be so discourteous?’ The master said, ‘Do not stain someone’s household on a clean patch of ground.’ Danya said, ‘I nearly let this old fellow get away without questioning him.’
石臼和尚
Master Shijiu
初參馬祖。祖問。甚麼處來。師曰。烏臼來。祖曰。烏臼近日有何言句。師曰。幾人於此茫然。祖曰。茫然且置。悄然一句作麼生。師乃近前三步。祖曰。我有七棒寄打烏臼。你還甘否。師曰。和尚先吃。某甲後甘。
He first visited Mazu. Mazu asked, ‘Where have you come from?’ The master said, ‘From Wuju.’ Mazu asked, ‘What has Wuju said lately?’ The master replied, ‘Several people here are bewildered.’ Mazu said, ‘Set bewilderment aside. What is the quiet, unspoken phrase?’ The master stepped forward three paces. Mazu said, ‘I have seven blows to send to Wuju. Will you accept them?’ The master said, ‘Master, take yours first; I will accept mine afterward.’
本谿和尚
Master Benxi
因龐居士問。丹霞打侍者。意在何所。師曰。大老翁見人長短在。士曰。為我與師同參。方敢借問。師曰。若恁麼從頭舉來。共你商量。士曰。大老翁不可共你說人是非。師曰。念翁年老。士曰。罪過。罪過。
Layman Pang asked, ‘When Danya struck his attendant, what was he getting at?’ The master said, ‘An old gentleman is busy pointing out other people’s faults.’ The layman said, ‘Since you and I studied together, I dared ask.’ The master said, ‘If you bring up the whole matter, I will discuss it with you.’ The layman said, ‘Old gentleman, I cannot join you in gossiping about people.’ The master said, ‘I was considering your advanced age.’ The layman said, ‘My offense, my offense.’
石林和尚
Master Shilin
見龐居士來。乃竪起拂子曰。不落丹霞機。試道一句子。士奪卻拂子。卻自竪起拳。師曰。正是丹霞機。士曰。與我不落看。師曰。丹霞患瘂。龐公患聾。士曰。恰是。師無語。士曰。向道偶爾。又一日問士。某甲有箇借問。居士莫惜言語。士曰。便請舉來。師曰。元來惜言語。士曰。這箇問訊。不覺落他便宜。師乃掩耳。士曰。作家。作家。
When Layman Pang came, the master raised his whisk and said, ‘Without falling into Danya’s device, try giving me one phrase.’ The layman snatched away the whisk and raised his fist. The master said, ‘That is precisely Danya’s device.’ The layman said, ‘Show me how not to fall into it.’ The master said, ‘Danya is mute; Layman Pang is deaf.’ The layman said, ‘Exactly.’ The master had no reply. The layman said, ‘I told you it was only by chance.’ Another day the master said to him, ‘I have a question to borrow; Layman, don’t begrudge me a few words.’ ‘Go ahead and ask.’ The master said, ‘So you begrudge your words after all.’ The layman said, ‘That greeting has unknowingly put me at a disadvantage.’ The master covered his ears. The layman said, ‘A true adept, a true adept!’
亮座主
Lecturer Liang
蜀人也。頗講經論。因參馬祖。祖問。見說座主大講得經論。是否。師曰。不敢。祖曰。將甚麼講。師曰。將心講。祖曰。心如工伎兒。意如和伎者。爭解講得。師抗聲曰。心既講不得。虗空莫講得麼。祖曰。卻是虗空講得。師不肯。便出。將下堦。祖召曰。座主。師回首。祖曰。是甚麼。師豁然大悟。便禮拜。祖曰。這鈍根阿師。禮拜作麼。師曰。某甲所講經論。將謂無人及得。今日被大師一問。平生功業。一時氷釋。禮謝而退。乃隱於洪州西山。更無消息。
He was a native of Shu and often lectured on sutras and treatises. He went to visit Mazu. Mazu asked, ‘I hear you lecture very well on the sutras and treatises. Is that so?’ The master said, ‘I would not presume.’ Mazu asked, ‘Then what do you lecture with?’ The master said, ‘With the mind.’ Mazu said, ‘The mind is like a skilled performer, and thought like the one accompanying the act. How could they lecture?’ The master replied loudly, ‘If the mind cannot lecture, can empty space not lecture?’ Mazu said, ‘Empty space can indeed lecture.’ The master did not accept this and left. As he was descending the steps, Mazu called, ‘Lecturer!’ The master looked back. Mazu asked, ‘What is it?’ At that, the master suddenly awakened and bowed. Mazu said, ‘You dull-witted monk, why bow?’ The master said, ‘I thought no one could surpass the sutras and treatises I lecture on. Today, with one question from the Great Master, the work of my whole life dissolved like ice.’ He thanked Mazu and withdrew. He then lived in seclusion on Xishan west of Hongzhou, and nothing more was heard of him.
黑眼和尚
Master Black Eyes
僧問。如何是不出世師。師曰。善財拄杖子。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。十年賣炭漢。不知秤畔星。
A monk asked, ‘Who is a master who has not left the world?’ The master said, ‘Manjushri’s staff.’ Asked, ‘What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?’ he said, ‘A man who has sold charcoal for ten years still does not know the star mark beside the weighing scale.’
米嶺和尚
Master Miling
僧問。如何是衲衣下事。師曰。醜陋任君嫌。不掛雲霞色。師將示滅。遺偈曰。祖祖不思議。不許常住世。大眾審思惟。畢竟祇這是。言訖而寂。
A monk asked, ‘What is the matter beneath the patched robe?’ The master said, ‘Let anyone dislike its ugliness; it is not adorned with the colors of clouds.’ As he was about to pass away, the master left this verse: ‘The lineage masters are inconceivable; none may remain in this world forever. All of you, consider this carefully: in the end, it is only this.’ Having finished speaking, he died.
齊峰和尚
Master Qifeng