The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source, Scroll One

福州陳氏子。參大溈得旨後。造雪峰請益。法無異味。甞遊五臺山。覩文殊化現。乃隨方建院。以文殊為額。開寶中樞密使李崇矩巡護南方。因入院覩地藏菩薩像。問僧。地藏何以展手。僧曰。手中珠被賊偷卻也。李卻問師。既是地藏。為甚麼遭賊。曰。今日捉下也。李禮謝之。

was a son of the Chen family of Fuzhou. After he had studied under Great Weishan and got the meaning, he went to Xuefeng to seek further instruction, and found no different flavor in the Dharma. Once he traveled to Mount Wutai and saw Manjushri manifest, and so he built a monastery wherever he was, naming it after Manjushri. In the Kaibao era the Privy Councillor Li Chongju was on an inspection tour of the south, and entering the monastery he saw the image of Ksitigarbha and asked a monk, 'Why does Ksitigarbha hold out his hand?' The monk said, 'The pearl in his hand has been stolen by a thief.' Li then asked the Master, 'Since he is Ksitigarbha, why did he meet with a thief?' He said, 'He has been caught today.' Li bowed and thanked him.

趙州諗禪師法嗣

Dharma Heirs of Chan Master Shen of Zhaozhou

洪州新興嚴陽尊者

The Venerable Yanyang of Xinxing in Hongzhou,

諱善信。初參趙州。問。一物不將來時如何。州曰。放下著。師曰。既是一物不將來。放下箇甚麼。州曰。放不下。擔取去。師於言下大悟。住後。僧問。如何是佛。師曰。土塊。曰。如何是法。師曰。地動也。曰。如何是僧。師曰。吃粥吃飯。問。如何是新興水。師曰。面前江裡。問。如何是應物現形。師曰。與我拈床子過來。師常有一蛇一虎。隨從手中與食。

whose personal name was Shanxin. He first studied under Zhaozhou and asked, 'What about when one brings not a single thing?' Zhou said, 'Put it down.' The Master said, 'Since I bring not a single thing, what is there to put down?' Zhou said, 'If you cannot put it down, pick it up and carry it off.' At these words the Master was greatly awakened. After he had settled there, a monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'A clod of earth.' He said, 'What is the Dharma?' The Master said, 'The earth moves.' He said, 'What is the Sangha?' The Master said, 'Eating gruel, eating rice.' Someone asked, 'What is the water of Xinxing?' The Master said, 'In the river in front.' Someone asked, 'What is responding to things and manifesting form?' The Master said, 'Bring me a stool.' The Master always had a snake and a tiger, which followed him and were fed from his hand.

揚州光孝院慧覺禪師

Chan Master Huijue of Guangxiao Monastery in Yangzhou

僧問。覺華才綻。遍滿娑婆。祖印西來。合談何事。師曰。情生智隔。曰。此是教意。師曰。汝披甚麼衣服。問。一棒打破虗空時如何。師曰。困即歇去。師問相國宋齊丘曰。還會道麼。宋曰。若是道也著不得。師曰。是有著不得。是無著不得。宋曰。總不恁麼。師曰。著不得底聻。宋無對。師領眾出。見露柱。乃合掌曰。不審世尊。僧曰。和尚。是露柱。師曰。啼得血流無用處。不如緘口過殘春。問。遠遠投師。師意如何。師曰。官家嚴切。不許安排。曰。豈無方便。師曰。且向火倉裡一宿。師到崇壽。法眼問。近離甚處。師曰。趙州。眼曰。承聞趙州有庭前栢樹子話。是否。師曰。無。眼曰。往來皆謂僧問。如何是祖師西來意。州曰。庭前栢樹子。上座何得言無。師曰。先師實無此語。和尚莫謗先師好。張居士問。爭奈老何。師曰。年多少。張曰。八十也。師曰。可謂老也。曰。究竟如何。師曰。直至千歲也未在。俗士問。某甲平生殺牛。還有罪否。師曰。無罪。曰。為甚麼無罪。師曰。殺一箇。還一箇。

A monk asked, 'The flower of enlightenment has just opened and fills the Saha world. The ancestral seal came from the West — what matter should be discussed?' The Master said, 'When feeling arises, wisdom is blocked.' He said, 'This is the meaning of the teachings.' The Master said, 'What clothes are you wearing?' Someone asked, 'What about when one blow smashes empty space?' The Master said, 'When tired, rest.' The Master asked the Chancellor Song Qiqiu, 'Can you still speak the Way?' Song said, 'If it is the Way, it cannot be grasped either.' The Master said, 'Is it that there is something that cannot be grasped, or that there is nothing that cannot be grasped?' Song said, 'Neither.' The Master said, 'And what of that which cannot be grasped?' Song had no reply. Once, when the Master was leading the assembly out, he saw an exposed pillar, and joining his palms he said, 'Greetings, World-Honored One.' A monk said, 'Reverend, that is an exposed pillar.' The Master said, 'Crying until blood flows is of no use; better to keep my mouth shut and pass the last of spring.' Someone asked, 'Coming from afar to seek the Master, what is the Master's meaning?' The Master said, 'The authorities are strict; no arrangements are permitted.' He said, 'Surely there are skillful means?' The Master said, 'For now, spend one night in the fire shed.' When the Master came to Chongshou, Fayan asked, 'Where have you come from recently?' The Master said, 'Zhaozhou.' Yan said, 'I have heard that Zhaozhou had the words about the cypress tree in the courtyard — is that so?' The Master said, 'No.' Yan said, 'Everyone says a monk asked what the meaning of the Ancestor's coming from the West was, and Zhou said the cypress tree in the courtyard. How can you say no?' The Master said, 'My late teacher truly said no such thing. Reverend, please do not slander my late teacher.' The layman Zhang asked, 'What is to be done about old age?' The Master said, 'How old are you?' Zhang said, 'Eighty.' The Master said, 'You may indeed be called old.' He said, 'And after all, how is it?' The Master said, 'Even at a thousand years it would not be so.' A layman asked, 'All my life I have slaughtered cattle — do I have any sin?' The Master said, 'No sin.' He said, 'Why no sin?' The Master said, 'You kill one, one is returned to you.'

隴州國清院奉禪師

Chan Master Feng of Guoqing Monastery in Longzhou

僧問。祖意教意是同是別。師曰。雨滋三草秀。春風不裹頭。曰。畢竟是一是二。師曰。祥雲競起。巖洞不虧。問。如何是和尚家風。師曰。臺盤椅子。火爐牕牗。問。如何是出家人。師曰。銅頭鐵額。鳥觜鹿身。曰。如何是出家人本分事。師曰。早起不審。夜間珍重。問。牛頭未見四祖時。為甚麼百鳥銜花。師曰。如陝府人送錢財與鐵牛。曰。見後為甚麼不銜花。師曰。木馬投明行八百。問。十二時中如何降伏其心。師曰。敲冰求火。論劫不逢。問。十二分教是止啼之義。離卻止啼。請師一句。師曰。孤峰頂上雙角女。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。釋迦是牛頭獄卒。祖師是馬面阿旁。問。如何是西來意。師曰。東壁打西壁。問。如何是撲不破底句。師曰。不隔毫氂。時人遠嚮。

A monk asked, 'Are the Ancestor's meaning and the teaching's meaning the same or different?' The Master said, 'Rain nourishes the three grasses into bloom; the spring wind does not wrap its head.' He said, 'After all, is it one or two?' The Master said, 'Auspicious clouds rise in rivalry, the mountain cave does not diminish.' Someone asked, 'What is the Reverend's family style?' The Master said, 'A table, a chair, a fire stove, a window.' Someone asked, 'What is a man who has left home?' The Master said, 'A bronze head and iron brow, a bird's beak and a deer's body.' He said, 'What is the original matter of a man who has left home?' The Master said, 'In the morning, greetings; at night, take care.' Someone asked, 'When Niutou had not yet met the Fourth Ancestor, why did a hundred birds bring him flowers?' The Master said, 'Like a man of Shaanfu giving money and goods to an iron ox.' He said, 'And why did they not bring flowers after he met him?' The Master said, 'A wooden horse sets out at dawn and travels eight hundred.' Someone asked, 'How can one subdue the mind throughout the twelve hours?' The Master said, 'Chipping ice to seek fire, and through a whole kalpa never finding it.' Someone asked, 'The twelve divisions of the teaching are the meaning of stopping a child's crying. Setting aside the stopping of crying, please, Master, one phrase.' The Master said, 'A two-horned woman on the summit of a lone peak.' Someone asked, 'What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?' The Master said, 'Sakyamuni is the ox-headed jailer, the Ancestor is the horse-faced demon.' Someone asked, 'What is the meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'Striking the east wall against the west wall.' Someone asked, 'What is a phrase that cannot be broken?' The Master said, 'Not separated by a hair's breadth, yet people of the time seek it far away.'

婺州木陳從朗禪師

Chan Master Conglang of Muchen in Wuzhou

僧問。放鶴出籠和雪去時如何。師曰。我道不一色。因金剛倒。僧問。既是金剛不壞身。為甚麼卻倒地。師敲禪床曰。行住坐臥。師將歸寂。有偈曰。三十年來住木陳。時中無一假功成。有人問我西來意。展似眉毛作麼生。

A monk asked, 'What about releasing the crane from its cage to go off with the snow?' The Master said, 'I say it is not one color.' Because a vajra statue had fallen, a monk asked, 'Since it is a vajra indestructible body, why has it fallen to the ground?' The Master struck the meditation seat and said, 'Walking, standing, sitting, lying.' When the Master was about to pass into quiescence, he had a verse: 'For thirty years I have lived at Muchen, and in all that time not one thing was achieved by false effort. If someone asks me the meaning of the coming from the West, what is the use of opening my eyebrows?'

婺州新建禪師

Chan Master Xinjian of Wuzhou

不度小師。有僧問。和尚年老。何不畜一童子侍奉。師曰。有瞽瞶者為吾討來。僧辭。師問。甚處去。曰。府下開元寺去。師曰。我有一信附與了寺主。汝將去得否。曰。便請。師曰。想汝也不奈何。

would not ordain young disciples. A monk asked, 'The Reverend is old — why not keep a boy to attend you?' The Master said, 'Find me one who is blind and deaf.' The monk took his leave. The Master asked, 'Where are you going?' He said, 'To Kaiyuan Monastery in the prefecture.' The Master said, 'I have a letter to entrust to the abbot there. Can you take it?' He said, 'Please do.' The Master said, 'I suppose there is nothing you can do about it either.'

杭州多福和尚

The Reverend of Duofu in Hangzhou

僧問。如何是多福一叢竹。師曰。一莖兩莖斜。曰。學人不會。師曰。三莖四莖曲。問。如何是衲衣下事。師曰。大有人疑著在。曰。為甚麼如是。師曰。月裡藏頭。

A monk asked, 'What is the single clump of bamboo at Duofu?' The Master said, 'One stalk, two stalks lean.' He said, 'The student does not understand.' The Master said, 'Three stalks, four stalks crooked.' Someone asked, 'What is the matter under the patch robe?' The Master said, 'A great many people are doubting it.' He said, 'Why is it so?' The Master said, 'Hiding its head in the moon.'

益州西睦和尚

The Reverend of Ximu in Yizhou

上堂。有俗士舉手曰。和尚便是一頭驢。師曰。老僧被汝騎。士無語。去後三日再來。白言。某甲三日前著賊。師拈杖趂出。師有時驀喚侍者。者應諾。師曰。更深夜靜。共伊商量。

Once when he had ascended the hall, a layman raised his hand and said, 'The Reverend is a donkey.' The Master said, 'This old monk is ridden by you.' The layman said nothing. Three days after he left he came again and said, 'Three days ago I was robbed.' The Master picked up his staff and drove him out. Sometimes the Master would suddenly call the attendant. The attendant would answer. The Master would say, 'Deep is the night and still; let us discuss it together.'

長沙岑禪師法嗣

Dharma Heirs of Chan Master Cen of Changsha

明州雪竇常通禪師

Chan Master Changtong of Xuedou in Mingzhou

邢州李氏子。參長沙。沙問。何處人。師曰。邢州人。沙曰。我道汝不從彼來。師曰。和尚還曾住此否。沙然之。乃容入室。住後。僧問。如何是密室。師曰。不通風信。曰。如何是密室中人。師曰。諸聖求覩不見。僧作禮。師曰。千聖不能思。萬聖不能議。乾坤壞不壞。虗空包不包。一切無比倫。三世唱不起。問。如何是三世諸佛出身處。師曰。伊不肯知有汝三世。僧良久。師曰。薦否。不然者且向著佛不得處體取。時中常在。識盡功亡。瞥然而起。即是傷他。而況言句乎。天祐二年七月示寂。塔於寺西南隅。

was a son of the Li family of Xingzhou. He studied under Changsha. Sha asked, 'Where are you from?' The Master said, 'A man of Xingzhou.' Sha said, 'I say you did not come from there.' The Master said, 'Has the Reverend ever lived there?' Sha agreed with him, and allowed him into the inner room. After he had settled there, a monk asked, 'What is the secret room?' The Master said, 'No news gets through.' He said, 'Who is the man in the secret room?' The Master said, 'The sages seek to see him and do not.' The monk bowed. The Master said, 'A thousand sages cannot think it, ten thousand sages cannot discuss it. Heaven and earth may be destroyed or not, empty space may contain it or not. Nothing in all the world compares to it; the three ages cannot sing of it.' Someone asked, 'What is the place where the Buddhas of the three ages come forth?' The Master said, 'He will not admit that there are three ages for you.' The monk was silent a long while. The Master said, 'Do you take it? If not, then investigate it where the Buddha cannot reach. Standing always in the midst of time, when knowing is exhausted, effort is gone. To stir for an instant is already to hurt him. How much more so with words and phrases?' He passed into quiescence in the seventh month of the second year of Tianyou. His stupa is in the southwest corner of the monastery.

茱萸和尚法嗣

Dharma Heirs of the Reverend of Zhuyu

石梯和尚

The Reverend of Shiti

因侍者請浴。師曰。既不洗塵。亦不洗體。汝作麼生。者曰。和尚先去。某甲將皂角來。師呵呵大笑。有新到於師前立。少頃便出去。師曰。有甚麼辨白處。僧再回。師曰。辨得也。曰。辨後作麼生。師曰。埋卻得也。曰。蒼天。蒼天。師曰。適來卻恁麼。如今還不當。僧乃出去。一日見侍者拓缽赴堂。乃喚侍者。者應諾。師曰。甚處去。者曰。上堂齋去。師曰。我豈不知汝上堂齋去。者曰。除此外別道箇甚麼。師曰。我祇問汝本分事。者曰。和尚若問本分事。某甲實是上堂齋去。師曰。汝不謬為吾侍者。

Once his attendant asked leave to bathe. The Master said, 'Since we wash neither the dust nor the body, how will you do it?' The attendant said, 'The Reverend go first; I will bring the soap pods.' The Master laughed heartily. Once a newly arrived monk stood before the Master, and after a short while went out. The Master said, 'What is there to explain?' The monk came back again. The Master said, 'You have explained it.' He said, 'And after explaining, how is it?' The Master said, 'You can be buried.' He said, 'O heavens, O heavens!' The Master said, 'Just now you were like that, and now you still do not measure up.' The monk then went out. One day, seeing his attendant carrying his bowl to the hall, he called the attendant. The attendant answered. The Master said, 'Where are you going?' The attendant said, 'To the hall for the midday meal.' The Master said, 'Do I not know that you are going to the hall for the midday meal?' The attendant said, 'What else would you have me say?' The Master said, 'I am only asking you about your original matter.' The attendant said, 'If the Reverend asks about my original matter, then I really am going to the hall for the midday meal.' The Master said, 'You do not falsely serve as my attendant.'

子湖蹤禪師法嗣

Dharma Heirs of Chan Master Zong of Zihu

台州勝光和尚

The Reverend of Shengguang in Taizhou

僧問。如何是和尚家風。師曰。福州茘枝。泉州刺桐。問。如何是佛法兩字。師曰。要道即道。曰。請師道。師曰。穿耳胡僧笑點頭。龍華照和尚來。師把住曰。作麼生。照曰。莫錯。師乃放手。照曰。久嚮勝光。師默然。照乃辭。師門送曰。自此一別。甚麼處相見。照呵呵而去。

A monk asked, 'What is the Reverend's family style?' The Master said, 'Fuzhou lychees, Quanzhou coral trees.' Someone asked, 'What are the two words Buddha Dharma?' The Master said, 'If you want me to say it, I will say it.' He said, 'Please, Master, say it.' The Master said, 'The ear-ringed barbarian monk laughs and nods.' The Reverend Zhao of Longhua came. The Master caught hold of him and said, 'How is it?' Zhao said, 'Do not be mistaken.' The Master then let go. Zhao said, 'I have long heard of Shengguang.' The Master was silent. Zhao then took his leave. The Master saw him to the gate and said, 'After this parting, where shall we meet?' Zhao laughed heartily and left.

漳州浮石和尚

The Reverend of Fushi in Zhangzhou

上堂。山僧開箇卜舖。能斷人貧富。定人生死。僧問。離卻生死貧富。不落五行。請師直道。師曰。金木水火土。

Ascending the hall: 'This mountain monk has opened a fortune-telling stall; he can determine a man's wealth or poverty and settle his life and death.' A monk asked, 'Setting aside life and death, wealth and poverty, and not falling under the five elements, please, Master, speak directly.' The Master said, 'Metal, wood, water, fire, earth.'

紫桐和尚

The Reverend of Zitong

僧問。如何是紫桐境。師曰。汝眼裡著沙得麼。曰。大好紫桐境也不識。師曰。老僧不諱此事。其僧擬出去。師下禪床擒住曰。今日好箇公案。老僧未得分文入手。曰。賴遇某甲是僧。師拓開曰。禍不單行。

A monk asked, 'What is the realm of Zitong?' The Master said, 'Can you get sand in your eyes?' He said, 'You do not even know the excellent realm of Zitong.' The Master said, 'This old monk does not conceal this matter.' The monk was about to go out. The Master came down from the meditation seat, seized him, and said, 'Today here is a fine public case, and this old monk has not got so much as a penny from it.' He said, 'It is lucky for you that I am a monk.' The Master pushed him away and said, 'Misfortunes never come singly.'

日容遠和尚

The Reverend Yuan of Rirong

因奯上座參。師拊掌三下。曰。猛虎當軒。誰是敵者。奯曰。俊鷂沖天。阿誰捉得。師曰。彼此難當。奯曰。且休。未要斷這公案。師將拄杖舞歸方丈。奯無語。師曰。死卻這漢也。

Once, when the elder Huo came to study, the Master clapped his hands three times and said, 'A fierce tiger before the hall — who is its match?' Huo said, 'A fine sparrowhawk soaring to the sky — who can catch it?' The Master said, 'Each of us is hard to withstand.' Huo said, 'Hold on for now; do not settle this public case yet.' The Master whirled his staff and went back to his quarters. Huo said nothing. The Master said, 'This fellow is dead.'

關南常禪師法嗣

Dharma Heirs of Chan Master Chang of Guannan

襄州關南道吾和尚

The Reverend Daowu of Guannan in Xiangzhou

始經村墅。聞巫者樂神雲識神無。忽然省悟。後參常禪師。印其所解。復遊德山之門。法味彌著。住後。凡上堂。戴蓮華笠。披襴執簡。擊鼓吹笛。口稱魯三郎神。識神不識神。神從空裡來。卻往空裡去。便下座。有時曰。打動關南鼓。唱起德山歌。僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師以簡揖曰。喏。有時執木劒。橫肩上作舞。僧問。手中劒甚處得來。師擲於地。僧卻置師手中。師曰。甚處得來。僧無對。師曰。容汝三日內。下取一轉語。其僧亦無對。師自代拈劒橫肩上。作舞曰。須恁麼始得。趙州訪師。師乃著豹皮裩。執吉獠棒。在三門下翹一足等候。才見州便高聲唱喏而立。州曰。小心祇候著。師又唱喏一聲而去。問。如何是和尚家風。師下禪床作女人拜曰。謝子遠來。無可祇待。問灌溪。作麼生。溪曰。無位。師曰。莫同虗空麼。溪曰。這屠兒。師曰。有生可殺即不倦。

He was first passing through a village when he heard a shaman invoking a spirit with the words, 'The knowing spirit is not the spirit' — and he suddenly awoke. Later he studied under Chan Master Chang, who confirmed his understanding. He then traveled to the door of Deshan, where the flavor of the Dharma became ever more evident. After he had settled there, whenever he ascended the hall he wore a lotus-flower hat, draped a robe over his shoulders and held a tablet, beat a drum and played a flute, and cried aloud to the spirit Lu Sanlang: 'The knowing spirit does not know the spirit; the spirit comes from emptiness and returns to emptiness.' Then he stepped down from the seat. Sometimes he said, 'Strike the drum of Guannan, sing the song of Deshan.' A monk asked, 'What is the meaning of the Ancestor's coming from the West?' The Master saluted with his tablet and said, 'Yes.' Sometimes he would hold a wooden sword, rest it across his shoulder, and dance. A monk asked, 'Where did the sword in your hand come from?' The Master threw it on the ground. The monk picked it up and put it back in the Master's hand. The Master said, 'Where did it come from?' The monk had no reply. The Master said, 'I grant you three days to bring down a turning word.' That monk also had no reply. The Master answered on his behalf, picking up the sword, laying it across his shoulder and dancing, saying, 'Only thus can you have it.' Zhaozhou came to visit the Master. The Master put on leopard-skin trousers, took up a wooden club, and stood at the triple gate on one leg waiting. As soon as he saw Zhou he sang out a greeting at the top of his voice and stood there. Zhou said, 'Be careful as you wait on me.' The Master sang out another greeting and left. Someone asked, 'What is the Reverend's family style?' The Master came down from the meditation seat and made a woman's bow, saying, 'Thank you for coming from afar; I have nothing to offer.' He asked Guanxi, 'How is it?' Xi said, 'No position.' The Master said, 'Is it the same as empty space?' Xi said, 'This butcher.' The Master said, 'If there is life to kill, I am never tired.'

漳州羅漢和尚

The Reverend of Luohan in Zhangzhou

初參關南。問。如何是大道之源。南打師一拳。師遂有省。乃為歌曰。咸通七載初參道。到處逢言不識言。心裡疑團若栲栳。三春不樂止林泉。忽遇法王氈上坐。便陳疑懇向師前。師從氈上那伽起。袒膊當胸打一拳。駭散疑團獦狚落。舉頭看見日初圓。從茲蹬蹬以碣碣。直至如今常快活。只聞肚裡飽膨脝。更不東西去持缽。又述偈曰。宇內為閒客。人中作野僧。任從他笑我。隨處自騰騰。

He first studied under Guannan and asked, 'What is the source of the great Way?' Nan gave the Master a punch. The Master then had an awakening, and made a song: 'In the seventh year of Xiantong I first sought the Way, and everywhere I met words without understanding them. The ball of doubt in my heart was like a basket, and for three springs I took no joy, keeping to the woods and springs. Then I met the Dharma King sitting on his mat, and laid my doubts earnestly before the Master. The Master rose from his mat in naga posture and, bare-armed, gave me a punch in the chest. The ball of doubt scattered in fright and fell away like a badger, and I raised my head and saw the sun just rounding. From then on I have gone on steadily and surely, and to this day I am always happy. I only hear my belly full and bulging; I no longer go east or west to beg with my bowl.' He also composed a verse: 'A leisured guest within the world, a wild monk among men. Let them laugh at me as they will; wherever I am, I bob along on my own.'