The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source, Scroll Seven

金陵報恩院玄則禪師

Chan Master Xuanze of Baoen Monastery in Jinling

滑州衛南人也。初問青峰。如何是學人自己。峰曰。丙丁童子來求火。後謁法眼。眼問。甚處來。師曰。青峰。眼曰。青峰有何言句。師舉前話。眼曰。上座作麼生會。師曰。丙丁屬火而更求火。如將自己求自己。眼曰。與麼會又爭得。師曰。某甲祇與麼。未審和尚如何。眼曰。你問我。我與你道。師問。如何是學人自己。眼曰。丙丁童子來求火。師於言下頓悟。開堂日。李王與法眼俱在會。僧問。龍吟霧起。虎嘯風生。學人知是出世邊事。到此為甚麼不會。師曰。會取好。僧舉頭看師。又看法眼。乃抽身入眾。法眼與李王當時失色。眼歸方丈。令侍者喚問話僧至。眼曰。上座適來問底話。許你具眼。人天眾前。何不禮拜葢覆卻。眼摵一坐具。其僧三日後吐光而終。僧問。了了見佛性。如何是佛性。師曰。不欲便道。問。如何是金剛大士。師曰。見也未。問。如何是諸聖密密處。師曰。卻須會取自己。曰。如何是和尚密密處。師曰。待汝會始得。上堂。諸上座。盡有常圓之月。各懷無價之珍。所以月在雲中。雖明而不照。智隱惑內。雖真而不通。無事久立。問。如何是不動尊。師曰。飛飛颺颺。問。如何是瞭然一句。師曰。對汝又何難。曰。恁麼道莫便是也無。師曰。不對又何難。曰。深領和尚恁麼道。師曰。汝道我道甚麼。問。亡僧遷化向甚麼處去也。師曰。待汝生即道。曰。賓主歷然。師曰。汝立地見亡僧。問。如何是學人本來心。師曰。汝還曾道著也未。曰。祇如道著。如何體會。師曰。待汝問始得。問。教中道。樹能生果。作玻瓈色。未審此果何人得吃。師曰。樹從何來。曰。學人有分。師曰。去果八萬四千。問。如何是不遷義。師曰。江河競注。日月旋流。問。宗乘中玄要處。請師一言。師曰。汝行腳來多少時也。曰。不曾逢伴侶。師曰。少瞌睡。

He was a man of Weinan in Huazhou. He first asked Qingfeng, 'What is the student's own self?' Qingfeng said, 'The bing-ding boy comes seeking fire.' Later he met Fayan. Fayan asked, 'Where have you come from?' The Master said, 'Qingfeng.' Fayan said, 'What words did Qingfeng have?' The Master brought up the earlier words. Fayan said, 'How do you understand it?' The Master said, 'Bing and ding belong to fire, and yet he seeks fire — it is like seeking oneself with oneself.' Fayan said, 'How can understanding it that way do?' The Master said, 'That is all I have. I wonder how the Reverend sees it?' Fayan said, 'You ask me, and I will tell you.' The Master asked, 'What is the student's own self?' Fayan said, 'The bing-ding boy comes seeking fire.' At these words the Master was suddenly awakened. On the day he opened the hall, King Li and Fayan were both in the assembly. A monk asked, 'The dragon sings and mist rises; the tiger roars and wind is born. The student knows this is a matter on the edge of coming into the world. Why does he not understand it here?' The Master said, 'Understand it well.' The monk raised his head, looked at the Master, then looked at Fayan, and withdrew into the assembly. Fayan and King Li at that moment changed color. Fayan returned to his quarters and told an attendant to call the monk who had asked the question. Fayan said, 'The words you asked just now — I grant that you have the eye. Before the assembly of men and gods, why did you not bow and cover it up?' Fayan threw down a sitting cloth. That monk, three days later, spat light and died. A monk asked, 'Clearly seeing the Buddha nature — what is the Buddha nature?' The Master said, 'I do not want to say it right off.' Someone asked, 'What is the great knight of the vajra?' The Master said, 'Have you seen him?' Someone asked, 'What is the secret secret place of all the sages?' The Master said, 'You must understand your own self.' The monk said, 'What is the Reverend's secret secret place?' The Master said, 'Wait until you understand, then you may have it.' Ascending the hall: 'You worthies all have the constantly round moon and each cherishes the priceless treasure. Therefore the moon within the clouds, though bright, does not shine; wisdom hidden within delusion, though true, does not penetrate. Nothing else. You have stood long.' Someone asked, 'What is the Immovable Honored One?' The Master said, 'Flying and fluttering.' Someone asked, 'What is the one phrase of clear understanding?' The Master said, 'What difficulty is there in answering you?' The monk said, 'Is speaking like this just it?' The Master said, 'What difficulty is there in not answering?' The monk said, 'I deeply receive the Reverend's speaking this way.' The Master said, 'What do you say I said?' Someone asked, 'Where has the deceased monk gone after his passing?' The Master said, 'When you are born, I will say.' The monk said, 'Host and guest are clearly distinguished.' The Master said, 'You see the dead monk standing on the ground.' Someone asked, 'What is the student's original mind?' The Master said, 'Have you ever spoken of it?' The monk said, 'If one speaks of it, how does one realize it?' The Master said, 'Wait until you ask, then you may have it.' Someone asked, 'The teachings say the tree can bear fruit of glass color. I wonder who gets to eat this fruit?' The Master said, 'Where does the tree come from?' The monk said, 'The student has a share.' The Master said, 'Go — the fruit is eighty-four thousand.' Someone asked, 'What is the meaning of non-movement?' The Master said, 'The rivers race on, the sun and moon whirl.' Someone asked, 'As for the mysterious essentials within the ancestral vehicle, I beg one word from the Master.' The Master said, 'How long have you been on pilgrimage?' The monk said, 'I have never met a companion.' The Master said, 'You are short on sleep.'

金陵淨德院智筠達觀禪師

Chan Master Zhijun Daguan of Jingde Monastery in Jinling

河中府王氏子。初住棲賢。上堂。從上諸聖方便門不少。大抵祇要諸仁者有箇見處。然雖未見。且不參差一絲髮許。諸仁者亦未甞違背一絲髮許。何以故。炟赫地顯露。如今便會取。更不費一毫氣力。還省要麼。設道毗盧有師。法身有主。斯乃抑揚。對機施說。諸仁者作麼生會對底道理。若也會。且莫嫌他佛語。莫重祖師。直下是自己眼明始得。僧問。如何是的的之言。師曰。道甚麼。問。紛然覓不得時如何。師曰。覓箇甚麼不得。問。如何是祖師意。師曰。用祖師意作甚麼。問。今朝呈遠瑞。正意為誰來。師曰。大眾盡見汝恁麼問。江南國主創淨德院。延請居之。署達觀禪師。上堂。夫欲慕道。也須上上根器始得。造次中下。不易承當。何以故。佛法非心意識境界。上座莫恁麼懱猰地。他古人道。沙門眼把定世界。函蓋乾坤。綿綿不漏絲髮。所以諸佛讚歎。讚歎不及比喻。比喻不及道。上座威光赫奕。亙古亙今。幸有如是家風。何不紹續取。為甚麼自生卑劣。枉受辛勤。不能曉悟。祇為如此。所以諸佛出興於世。祇為如此。所以諸佛唱入涅槃。祇為如此。所以祖師特地西來。僧問。諸聖皆入不二法門。如何是不二法門。師曰。但恁麼入。曰。恁麼則今古同然去也。師曰。汝道甚麼處是同。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。恰問著。曰。恁麼則學人禮拜也。師曰。汝作麼生會。問。如何是佛。師曰。如何不是。乃曰。吾不能投身巖谷。滅跡市鄽。而出入禁庭。以重煩世主。吾之過也。遂屢辭歸故山。國主錫以五峰棲玄蘭若。

was a son of the Wang family of Hezhong Prefecture. He first lived at Qixian. Ascending the hall: 'The expedient gates of the sages from of old are not few. For the most part they only want you good people to have a place of seeing. But though you have not yet seen, you do not deviate by a hair. Nor have you good people ever turned your backs on it by a hair. Why? Because it is blazingly manifest. If you understand it right now, you need not spend a thread of effort. Do you understand? Even to say Vairocana has a teacher and the dharma-body has a master is exalting and depreciating, speaking in accord with the mechanism. How will you good people understand the principle of understanding? If you do understand, then do not disdain the Buddha's words and do not prize the patriarch. Only when your own eye is clear right here do you get it.' A monk asked, 'What are words that hit the mark?' The Master said, 'What are you saying?' Asked, 'What about when one searches in confusion and cannot find it?' The Master said, 'What is it that you cannot find?' Asked, 'What is the patriarch's meaning?' The Master said, 'What use is the patriarch's meaning?' Asked, 'Today an auspicious omen has appeared from afar—for whom is the true meaning?' The Master said, 'The whole assembly sees you asking like this.' The king of Jiangnan founded Jingde Monastery and invited him to dwell there, giving him the title Chan Master Daguan. Ascending the hall: 'If one wishes to aspire to the Way, one must have the highest faculties. The hasty and the middling and lesser cannot easily bear it. Why? Because the Buddhadharma is not the realm of mind, intellect, and consciousness. Elders, do not be so violent and snarling. The ancients said: the monk's eye settles the world and encompasses heaven and earth, continuous and leaking not a hair. Therefore the Buddhas praise it, and their praise does not reach it, nor does their comparison reach it. It is said: the elder's majestic light blazes, from ancient times to the present. Fortunately you have such a house style—why not continue it? Why give rise to your own inferiority, suffer toil in vain, and fail to understand? It is just for this that the Buddhas appear in the world. It is just for this that the Buddhas enter nirvana. It is just for this that the patriarch came specially from the West.' A monk asked, 'The sages all enter the gate of non-duality. What is the gate of non-duality?' The Master said, 'Just enter like this.' The monk said, 'Then past and present are the same.' The Master said, 'Where do you say they are the same?' Asked, 'What is the great meaning of Buddhadharma?' The Master said, 'You have asked exactly right.' The monk said, 'Then I have bowed.' The Master said, 'How do you understand it?' Asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'How is it not?' Then he said, 'I cannot throw myself into the mountain valleys and wipe out my traces in the marketplace, yet I come and go in the palace, greatly troubling the lord of the world. That is my fault.' So he repeatedly asked to return to his old mountain. The king granted him the Qixuan Monastery of Five Peaks.

高麗國道峰山慧炬國師

National Teacher Huiju of Daofeng Mountain in the country of Koryo

始發機於法眼之室。本國主思慕。遣使來請。遂回故地。國主受心訣。禮待彌厚。一日請入王府。上堂。師指威鳳樓示眾曰。威鳳樓為諸上座舉揚了也。還會麼。儻若會。且作麼生會。若道不會。威鳳樓作麼生不會。珍重。

first brought forth the mechanism in Fayan's room. The king of his own country, longing for him, sent envoys to invite him, and he returned to his old land. The king received the mind formula and treated him with even greater honor. One day he invited him into the royal palace to ascend the hall. The Master pointed at the Weifeng Tower and addressed the assembly: 'The Weifeng Tower has raised and sung it for you elders. Do you understand? If you understand, how do you understand it? If you say you do not understand, how does the Weifeng Tower not understand? Take care.'

杭州真身寶塔寺紹巖禪師

Chan Master Shaoyan of the Zhenshen Pagoda Monastery in Hangzhou

雍州劉氏子。吳越王命師開法。署了空大智常照禪師。上堂。山僧素寡知見。本期閑放。念經待死。豈謂今日大王勤重。苦勉山僧。効諸方宿德。施張法筵。然大王致請。也祇圖諸仁者明心。此外別無道理。諸仁者還明心也未。莫不是語言譚笑時。凝然杜默時。參尋知識時。道伴商略時。觀山翫水時。耳目絕對時。是汝心否。如上所解。盡為魔魅所攝。豈曰明心。更有一類人。離身中妄想外。別認徧十方世界。含日月。包太虗。謂是本來真心。斯亦外道所計。非明心也。諸仁者要會麼。心無是者。亦無不是者。汝擬執認。其可得乎。僧問。六合澄清時如何。師曰。大眾誰信汝。師開寶四年七月示疾。謂門弟子曰。諸行無常。即常住相。言訖。跏趺而逝。

was a son of the Liu family of Yongzhou. The king of Wu and Yue ordered the Master to open the teaching and gave him the title Chan Master Kong Dazhi Changzhao. Ascending the hall: 'This mountain monk has always had few views and little knowledge, and originally hoped to be idle and at ease, reciting sutras and waiting for death. Who would have thought that today the Great King would be so earnest and would press this mountain monk hard to imitate the venerable ones everywhere and spread out the Dharma feast? Yet the Great King's invitation is only for the sake of you good people clarifying the mind. Beyond this there is no other principle. Have you good people clarified the mind or not? Is it not that when you speak and laugh, when you are still and silent, when you call on teachers, when you discuss with fellow practitioners, when you view mountains and enjoy waters, when your ears and eyes are cut off—is that your mind? The understandings described above are all seized by demons; how can they be called clarifying the mind? There is yet another sort of person who, apart from the deluded thoughts within the body, recognizes something else pervading the ten-direction world, containing sun and moon, embracing the great void, and calls it the original true mind. This too is the reckoning of outsiders; it is not clarifying the mind. Do you good people want to understand? The mind is not this, and it is also not not-this. If you try to grasp and recognize it, can you get it?' A monk asked, 'What about when the six directions are clear and pure?' The Master said, 'Who in the assembly believes you?' In the seventh month of the fourth year of Kaibao the Master showed illness and told his disciples, 'All formations are impermanent; this is the sign of permanence.' Having spoken, he sat cross-legged and passed away.

台州般若寺敬遵通慧禪師

Chan Master Jingzun Tonghui of Prajna Monastery in Taizhou

上堂。皎皎炟赫地。亙古互今。也未曾有纖毫間斷相。無時無節。長時拶定上座無通氣處。所以道。山河大地是上座善知識。放光動地。觸處露現。實無絲頭許法可作隔礙。如今因甚麼卻不會。特地生疑去。無事。不用久立。僧問。優曇花拆人皆覩。般若家風賜一言。師曰。不因上座問。不曾舉似人。曰。恁麼則般若雄峰。詎齊今古。師曰。也莫錯會。問。牛頭未見四祖時。為甚麼百鳥銜華。師曰。汝甚麼處見。曰。見後為甚麼不銜華。師曰。且領話好。問。靈山一會。迦葉親聞。未審今日一會。何人得聞。師曰。試舉迦葉聞底看。曰。恁麼則迦葉親聞去也。師曰。亂道作麼。師自述真讚曰。真兮寥廓。郢人圖雘。嶽聳雲空。澄潭月躍。

Ascending the hall: 'Bright and blazing, from ancient times to the present, there has never been the least sign of interruption. Without time and without season, it always presses the elder so that he has no place to breathe. Therefore it is said: mountains, rivers, and the great earth are the elder's good teacher. Radiating light and shaking the earth, it is revealed at every point of contact. Truly there is not a thread of dharma that can act as a barrier. Why then do you not understand now, and instead give rise to doubt? Nothing further. No need to stand long.' A monk asked, 'The udumbara flower has opened and everyone sees it. Grant us one phrase of the Prajna house style.' The Master said, 'Had the elder not asked, I would never have brought it up before anyone.' The monk said, 'Then the majestic peak of Prajna is not to be equated with past and present.' The Master said, 'Do not misunderstand.' Asked, 'Before Niutou saw the Fourth Patriarch, why did a hundred birds bring flowers?' The Master said, 'Where do you see it?' The monk said, 'And after seeing, why do they not bring flowers?' The Master said, 'Just take the words.' Asked, 'At the assembly on Vulture Peak Kasyapa heard it in person. I do not understand who hears it at today's assembly.' The Master said, 'Try to bring up what Kasyapa heard.' The monk said, 'Then Kasyapa heard it in person.' The Master said, 'Why talk nonsense?' The Master wrote a eulogy for his own portrait: 'True indeed and vast, the man of Ying paints it red. The peak towers in the cloudy sky, the clear pool leaps with the moon.'

廬山歸宗䇿真法施禪師

Chan Master Ceshen Fashi of Guizong on Mount Lu

曹州魏氏子也。初名慧超。謁法眼。問曰。慧超諮和尚。如何是佛。眼曰。汝是慧超。師從此悟入。住後。上堂。諸上座。見聞覺知。祇可一度。祇如會了。是見聞覺知不是見聞覺知。要會麼。與諸上座說破了也。待汝悟始得。久立。珍重。僧問。如何是佛。師曰。我向汝道即別有也。問。如何是歸宗境。師曰。是汝見甚麼。曰。如何是境中人。師曰。出去。問。國王請命。大啟法筵。不落見聞。請師速道。師曰。閑言語。曰。師意如何。師曰。又亂說。問。承教有言。將此深心奉塵剎。是則名為報佛恩。塵剎即不問。如何是報佛恩。師曰。汝若是。則報佛恩。問。無情說法。大地得聞。師子吼時如何。師曰。汝還聞麼。曰。恁麼則同無情也。師曰。汝不妨會得好。問。古人以不離見聞為宗。未審和尚以何為宗。師曰。此問甚好。曰。猶是三緣四緣。師曰。莫亂道。

was a son of the Wei family of Caozhou. His first name was Huichao. He saw Fayan and asked, 'Huichao asks the Master: what is the Buddha?' Fayan said, 'You are Huichao.' From this the Master entered awakening. After becoming abbot he ascended the hall: 'You elders, seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing can only happen once. Now that you have understood, is it seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing, or is it not? Do you want to understand? I have spoken it out plainly for you elders. You must wait until you awaken to get it. Standing long. Take care.' A monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'If I tell you, then there is something else.' Asked, 'What is the realm of Guizong?' The Master said, 'What do you see?' The monk said, 'What is the person in the realm?' The Master said, 'Get out.' Asked, 'The king has sent for you and a great Dharma feast is opened. Not falling into seeing and hearing—please, Master, speak quickly.' The Master said, 'Idle words.' The monk said, 'What is the Master's meaning?' The Master said, 'Nonsense again.' Asked, 'The teachings say: offering this deep mind to the dust-realms is what is called repaying the Buddha's grace. I do not ask about the dust-realms; what is repaying the Buddha's grace?' The Master said, 'If you are so, then you repay the Buddha's grace.' Asked, 'The insentient preach the Dharma and the great earth hears it. What about when the lion roars?' The Master said, 'Do you still hear it?' The monk said, 'Then one is the same as the insentient.' The Master said, 'You may indeed understand it well.' Asked, 'The ancients took not departing from seeing and hearing as their school. What does the Master take as his school?' The Master said, 'This question is very good.' The monk said, 'Still it is the three conditions and four conditions.' The Master said, 'Do not talk nonsense.'

洪州同安院紹顯禪師

Chan Master Shaoxian of Tong'an Monastery in Hongzhou

僧問。王恩降旨師親受。熊耳家風乞一言。師曰。已道了也。問。千里投師。請師一接。師曰。好入處。雲蓋山乞瓦造殿。有宮人問。既是雲蓋。何用乞瓦。僧無對。師代曰。罕遇其人。

A monk asked, 'The king's grace has sent down the decree and the Master has personally received it. Grant one phrase of the Xiong'er house style.' The Master said, 'I have already said it.' Asked, 'Traveling a thousand li to seek a teacher, please, Master, receive me once.' The Master said, 'A good place to enter.' Yun'gai Mountain begged for tiles to build a hall. A palace woman asked, 'Since it is Yun'gai (Cloud Canopy), what use are begged tiles?' The monk had no reply. The Master answered in his place, 'Rarely does one meet such a person.'

廬山棲賢慧圓禪師

Chan Master Huiyuan of Qixian on Mount Lu

上堂。出得僧堂門。見五老峰。一生參學事畢。何用更到這裡來。雖然如此。也勞上座一轉了也。珍重。僧問。不是風動。不是幡動。未審古人意旨如何。師曰。大眾一時會取。上堂。有僧擬問。師乃指其僧曰。住。住。其僧進步。問。從上宗乘。請師舉唱。師曰。前言不搆。後語難追。曰。未審今日事如何。師曰。不會人言語。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。好。問。如何是棲賢境。師曰。入得三門便合知。問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。此土不欠少。

Ascending the hall: 'Coming out of the monks' hall door and seeing the Five Elders Peak, the matter of a lifetime of study is finished. What need is there to come here too? Even so, you have troubled the elder to turn once. Take care.' A monk asked, 'It is not the wind that moves, and it is not the banner that moves. I do not understand the ancients' intent.' The Master said, 'Let the assembly all take it up at once.' Ascending the hall. A monk was just about to ask, and the Master pointed at that monk and said, 'Stop, stop.' The monk stepped forward and asked, 'The ancestral vehicle from of old—please, Master, raise and sing it.' The Master said, 'The former words do not reach it, and the latter words are hard to pursue.' The monk said, 'I do not understand the matter of today.' The Master said, 'You do not understand people's words.' Asked, 'What is the great meaning of Buddhadharma?' The Master said, 'Good.' Asked, 'What is the realm of Qixian?' The Master said, 'Having entered the three gates you should know.' Asked, 'What is the meaning of the patriarch's coming from the West?' The Master said, 'This land lacks nothing.'

洪州觀音院從顯禪師

Chan Master Congxian of Guanyin Monastery in Hongzhou

泉州人也。上堂。眾集。良久曰。文殊深讚居士。未審居士受讚也無。若受讚。何處有居士邪。若不受讚。文殊不可虗發言也。大眾作麼生會。若會。真箇衲僧。僧問。居士默然。文殊深讚。此意如何。師曰。汝問我答。曰。忽遇恁麼人出頭來。又作麼生。師曰。行到水窮處。坐看雲起時。問。如何是觀音家風。師曰。眼前看取。曰。忽遇作者來。作麼生見待。師曰。貧家祇如此。未必便言歸。問。久負沒絃琴。請師彈一曲。師曰。作麼生聽。其僧側耳。師曰。賺殺人。乃曰。盧行者當時大庾嶺頭謂明上座言。莫思善。莫思惡。還我明上座本來面目來。觀音今日不恁麼道還我明上座來。恁麼道。是曹溪子孫也無。若是曹溪子孫。又爭除卻四字。若不是。又過在甚麼處。試出來商量看。良久曰。此一眾真行腳人也。便下座。太平興國八年九月中。師謂檀那袁長史曰。老僧三兩日間歸鄉去。袁曰。和尚年尊。何更思鄉。師曰。歸鄉圖得好鹽吃。袁不測其言。翌日。師不疾。坐亡。袁建塔於西山。

was a man of Quanzhou. Ascending the hall. When the assembly had gathered, after a long while he said, 'Manjushri deeply praised the layman. I do not understand whether the layman received the praise. If he received it, where is the layman? If he did not receive it, Manjushri could not have spoken in vain. How will the assembly understand it? If you understand, you are truly a monk of the robe.' A monk asked, 'The layman was silent and Manjushri deeply praised him. What does this mean?' The Master said, 'You ask and I answer.' The monk said, 'If such a person suddenly steps forth, what then?' The Master said, 'Walk to where the water ends, and sit and watch when the clouds rise.' Asked, 'What is the house style of Guanyin?' The Master said, 'Look before your eyes.' The monk said, 'If a master suddenly comes, how will you receive him?' The Master said, 'A poor house is only like this; it does not necessarily say it is going home.' Asked, 'Long have I borne a stringless lute; please, Master, play a tune.' The Master said, 'How will you listen?' The monk pricked up his ears. The Master said, 'You will be the death of me.' Then he said, 'Luzhe at the Great Yu Ridge once told Elder Ming: do not think of good, do not think of evil—return to me Elder Ming's original face. Today Guanyin does not speak thus: return to me Elder Ming. Speaking thus, is one a descendant of Caoxi or not? If one is a descendant of Caoxi, why cut off those four words? If one is not, where then is the fault? Come forward and let us deliberate.' After a long while he said, 'This assembly are true pilgrims.' Then he descended from the seat. In the ninth month of the eighth year of Taiping Xingguo, the Master told the donor, the assistant magistrate Yuan, 'Within two or three days this old monk will go home to his village.' Yuan said, 'The Master is advanced in years—why think of home again?' The Master said, 'Going home I will get good salt to eat.' Yuan could not fathom his words. The next day the Master, without illness, passed away sitting. Yuan built a stupa for him on the western mountain.

洛京興善棲倫禪師

Chan Master Qilun of Xingshan in Luojing

僧問。如何是佛。師曰。向汝道甚麼即得。問。如何是西來意。師曰。適來猶記得。

A monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'Whatever I tell you will not do.' Asked, 'What is the meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'Just now I still remembered it.'

洪州嚴陽新興院齊禪師

Chan Master Qi of Xinyang Xingxing Monastery in Hongzhou

僧問。如何得出三界去。師曰。汝還信麼。曰。信則深信。乞和尚慈悲。師曰。祇此信心。亙古亙今。快須究取。何必沉吟。要出三界。三界唯心。師因雪謂眾曰。諸上座還見雪麼。見即有眼。不見無眼。有眼即常。無眼即斷。恁麼會得。佛身充滿。問。學人辭去泐潭。乞和尚示箇入路。師曰。好箇入路。道心堅固。隨眾參請。隨眾作務。要去便去。要住便住。去之與住。更無他故。若到泐潭。不審馬祖。

A monk asked, 'How can one get out of the three realms?' The Master said, 'Do you still have faith?' The monk said, 'As for faith, I have deep faith. I beg the Master's compassion.' The Master said, 'This very faith of yours is from ancient times to the present. Quickly investigate it; why ponder? To get out of the three realms—the three realms are only mind.' Because of snow, the Master told the assembly, 'Do you elders still see the snow? Seeing it, you have eyes; not seeing it, you have no eyes. Having eyes, it is permanent; having no eyes, it is annihilated. If you understand it thus, the Buddha's body is full.' Asked, 'I take leave to go to Letan; I beg the Master to show me a way in.' The Master said, 'What a good way in. If the mind of the Way is firm, then follow the assembly in calling and questioning, follow the assembly in work. If you want to go, go; if you want to stay, stay. Going and staying, there is no other matter. If you reach Letan, give greetings to Mazu.'

潤州慈雲𭅖達禪師

Chan Master Da of Ciyun in Runzhou

僧問。佛以一大事因緣故出現於世。未審和尚出世如何。師曰。恰好。曰。作麼生。師曰。不好。

A monk asked, 'The Buddha appeared in the world for the sake of one great cause. I do not understand how the Master appears in the world.' The Master said, 'Just right.' The monk said, 'How is it?' The Master said, 'Not good.'

蘇州薦福院紹明禪師

Chan Master Shaoming of Jianfu Monastery in Suzhou

州將錢仁奉請住持。乃問。如何是和尚家風。師曰。一切處看取。

The prefect Qian Renfeng invited him to be abbot, and asked at once, 'What is the Master's house style?' The Master said, 'Look in every place.'

澤州古賢院謹禪師

Chan Master Jin of Guxian Monastery in Zezhou

侍立法眼次。眼問一僧曰。自離此間。甚麼處去來。曰。入嶺來。眼曰。不易。曰。虗涉他如許多山水。眼曰。如許多山水也不惡。其僧無語。師於此有省。住後。僧問。如何是佛。師曰。築著你鼻孔。問僧曰。唯一堅密身。一切塵中現。如何是堅密身。僧竪指。師曰。現則現。你作麼生會。僧無語。

While in attendance on Fayan, Fayan asked a monk, 'Since you left here, where have you been?' The monk said, 'I came in from the ridges.' Fayan said, 'Not easy.' The monk said, 'I crossed all those mountains and rivers for nothing.' Fayan said, 'All those mountains and rivers are not bad either.' The monk was speechless. At this the Master had an insight. After becoming abbot, a monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'It pokes you in the nostril.' He asked a monk, 'The one solid and firm body appears in all dust. What is the solid and firm body?' The monk held up a finger. The Master said, 'Appearing is appearing. How do you understand it?' The monk was speechless.

宣州興福院可勳禪師

Chan Master Kexun of Xingfu Monastery in Xuanzhou

建州朱氏子。僧問。如何是興福正主。師曰。闍黎不識。曰。莫祇這便是麼。師曰。縱未歇狂。頭亦何失。問。如何是道。師曰。勤而行之。問。何雲法空。師曰。不空。有偈示眾曰。秋江煙島晴。鷗鷺行行立。不念觀世音。爭知普門入。

was a son of the Zhu family of Jianzhou. A monk asked, 'What is the true host of Xingfu?' The Master said, 'The Acharya does not know him.' The monk said, 'Is it just this?' The Master said, 'Even if your madness has not ceased, what have you lost in your head?' Asked, 'What is the Way?' The Master said, 'Practice it diligently.' Asked, 'Why is it called emptiness of dharmas?' The Master said, 'Not empty.' He had a verse to show the assembly: 'The autumn river and misty isle are clear; the gulls and herons stand in rows. If one does not think of Guanyin, how can one know the universal gate?'

洪州上藍院守訥禪師

Chan Master Shouna of Shanglan Monastery in Hongzhou

上堂。盡令提綱。無人掃地。叢林兄弟。相共證明。晚進之流。有疑請問。僧問。願開甘露門。當觀第一義。不落有無中。請師垂指示。師曰。大眾證明。曰。恁麼則莫相屈去也。師曰。閑言語。問。如何是佛。師曰。更問阿誰。

Ascending the hall: 'I have fully raised the main point, yet no one sweeps the ground. Brothers of the monastery, bear witness together. Those who have come late and have doubts, ask.' A monk asked, 'May the gate of sweet dew be opened? One should contemplate the first principle. Not falling into being or non-being—please, Master, grant instruction.' The Master said, 'Let the assembly bear witness.' The monk said, 'Then do not trouble yourself to bow to me.' The Master said, 'Idle words.' Asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'Who else will you ask?'

撫州覆船和尚

The Master of Fuchuan in Fuzhou

僧問。如何是佛。師曰。不識。問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。莫謗祖師好。

A monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'I do not know him.' Asked, 'What is the meaning of the patriarch's coming from the West?' The Master said, 'Do not slander the patriarch.'

杭州奉先寺法瓌法明普照禪師

Chan Master Fakui Faming Puzhao of Fengxian Monastery in Hangzhou

僧問。釋迦出世。天雨四華。地搖六動。未審今日有何祥瑞。師曰。大眾盡見。曰。法王法如是。師曰。人王見在。問。法眼寶印。和尚親傳。今日一會。當付何人。師曰。誰人無分。曰。恁麼則雷音普震無邊剎去也。師曰。也須善聽。

A monk asked, 'When Sakyamuni appeared in the world, heaven rained four flowers and the earth shook in six ways. I do not understand what auspicious sign there is today.' The Master said, 'The whole assembly sees it.' The monk said, 'The Dharma of the Dharma king is thus.' The Master said, 'The king of men is present.' Asked, 'The jewel seal of the Dharma eye the Master has personally transmitted. At today's assembly, to whom will it be entrusted?' The Master said, 'Who has no share?' The monk said, 'Then the thunder of the Dharma shakes the boundless lands everywhere.' The Master said, 'You must also listen well.'