The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source, Scroll Seven

僧問。祖師不在東西山。未審在甚麼處。師曰。且討。問。如何是天真佛。師曰。爭敢裝點。

A monk asked: 'The patriarch is not on the eastern or western mountain; I wonder where he is?' The master said: 'Look for him.' The monk asked: 'What is the heavenly true buddha?' The master said: 'How dare I embellish it?'

明州天童清簡禪師

Chan Master Tiantong Qingjian of Mingzhou

錢塘張氏子。師為事孤潔。時謂之簡浙客。僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。不欲向汝道。曰。請和尚道。師曰。達磨不可再來也。師晚居雪竇而終。塔於寺之東南隅。

He was a son of the Zhang family of Qiantang. In his affairs the master was solitary and pure, and at that time he was called Jian the Zhejiang Guest. A monk asked: 'What is the meaning of the patriarch's coming from the west?' The master said: 'I do not wish to tell you.' The monk said: 'Please, Master, tell me.' The master said: 'Bodhidharma cannot come again.' In his later years the master resided at Xuedou and died there. His stupa is in the southeast corner of the monastery.

百丈恆禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Baizhang Heng

廬山棲賢澄湜禪師

Chan Master Qixian Chengshi of Mount Lu

僧問。趙州石橋。度驢度馬。三峽石橋。當度何人。師曰。蝦蟇蚯蚓。曰。恁麼則物物盡霑恩。師曰。踏不著。問。仙洞昨朝師罷唱。棲賢今日請師宣。師曰。來日又作麼生。曰。未審如何領會。師曰。箭過新羅。問。如何是佛。師曰。張三李四。問。古人斬蛇意旨如何。師曰。猶未知痛癢。問。此是選佛場。心空及第歸。學人如何得及第歸。師曰。不才謹退。晚參眾集。師曰。早晨不與諸人相見。今晚不可無言。便下座。問。毗目仙人執善財手。見微塵諸佛。祇如未執手時。見箇甚麼。師曰。如今又見箇甚麼。上堂。良久曰。幸好一盤飯。不可糝椒薑。雖然如此。試唼噉看。便下座。

A monk asked: 'The stone bridge of Zhaozhou ferried donkeys and ferried horses. The stone bridge of the Three Gorges — whom should it ferry?' The master said: 'Frogs and earthworms.' The monk said: 'Then every thing receives the grace.' The master said: 'You do not tread on it.' The monk asked: 'Yesterday in the immortal cave the Master ceased his singing; today at Qixian we ask the Master to proclaim it.' The master said: 'What will you do tomorrow?' The monk said: 'I wonder how to understand it?' The master said: 'The arrow has passed Silla.' The monk asked: 'What is the Buddha?' The master said: 'Zhang San and Li Si.' The monk asked: 'What is the meaning of the ancients cutting the snake?' The master said: 'You still do not know pain and itch.' The monk asked: 'This is the place for choosing buddhas; with a mind empty one returns having passed. How can this student pass and return?' The master said: 'Untalented, I respectfully withdraw.' At the evening assembly the assembly gathered. The master said: 'I did not meet you people this morning, and tonight I cannot be silent.' Then he descended from the seat. A monk asked: 'The immortal Vimalakirti grasped Sudhana's hand and beheld the buddhas of the motes. What did he see before grasping the hand?' The master said: 'What do you see now?' He mounted the hall. After a long while he said: 'It happens to be a plate of rice; one must not sprinkle pepper and ginger on it. Even so, try a taste.' Then he descended from the seat.

蘇州萬壽德興禪師

Chan Master Wanshou Dexing of Suzhou

僧問。如何是佛。師曰。大眾一時瞻仰。問。如何是和尚為人一句。師曰。汝且自為。乃曰。問答俱備。其誰得意。若向他求。還成特地。老僧久處深山。比為藏拙。何期今日入到萬壽門下。可謂藏之不得。既藏不得。分明露現。未審諸人。阿誰先見。如有見處。出來對眾吐露箇消息。良久曰。久立。珍重。

A monk asked: 'What is the Buddha?' The master said: 'The great assembly looks up to him all at once.' The monk asked: 'What is the one phrase with which the Master acts for others?' The master said: 'You act for yourself for now.' Then he said: 'Question and answer are both complete — who gets the meaning? If one seeks it from another, it becomes something deliberate. This old monk has long dwelt in the deep mountains, thinking to hide his clumsiness. Who would have expected that today I would come under the gate of Wanshou, and it can be said that I cannot hide it. Since I cannot hide it, it is plainly revealed. I wonder which of you will see it first. If anyone has a place of seeing, come forward and before the assembly disclose a bit of news.' After a long while he said: 'You have stood long. Take care.'

越州雲門雍熈永禪師

Chan Master Yunmen Yongxi Yong of Yuezhou

僧問。師子未出窟時如何。師曰。且莫哮吼。曰。出窟後如何。師曰。退後著。問。如何是古佛徑跡。師曰。誰不履踐。問。如何是學人休心息意處。師曰。拗折拄杖得也未。問。心王出勑時如何。師曰。更宣一徧看。問。如何是決定義。師曰。不可執著。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。此意不小。

A monk asked: 'What of when the lion has not yet left its den?' The master said: 'Then do not roar.' The monk said: 'What of after it leaves the den?' The master said: 'Step back.' The monk asked: 'What is the ancient buddha's path?' The master said: 'Who does not tread it?' The monk asked: 'Where does a student rest his mind and still his thoughts?' The master said: 'Have you broken your staff yet?' The monk asked: 'What of when the king of mind issues an edict?' The master said: 'Proclaim it once more and let us see.' The monk asked: 'What is the definitive meaning?' The master said: 'One must not cling to it.' The monk asked: 'What is the great meaning of the buddhadharma?' The master said: 'This meaning is not small.'

永明潛禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Yongming Qian

杭州千光王寺瓌省禪師

Chan Master Qiansheng Wang Si Guisheng of Hangzhou

溫州鄭氏子。幼歲出家。精究律部。聽天台文句。棲心於圓頓止觀。後閱楞嚴。文理宏濬。未能洞曉。一夕誦經既久。就案假寐。夢中見日輪自空而降。開口吞之。自是倐然發悟。差別義門。渙然無滯。後參永明。永明唯印前解。無別指喻。以忠懿王所遺衲衣授之表信。住後。上堂。諸上座。佛法無事。昔之日月。今之日月。昔日風雨。今日風雨。昔日上座。今日上座。舉亦了。說亦了。一切成現好。珍重。開寶五年七月。寶樹浴池。忽現其前。師曰。凡所有相。皆是虗妄。越三日示疾。集眾言別。安坐而逝。闍維收舍利建塔。

He was a son of the Zheng family of Wenzhou. He left home young, diligently studied the vinaya, listened to the Tiantai texts and phrases, and set his mind on perfect and sudden cessation and contemplation. Later he read the Shurangama, whose text and meaning are vast and deep, and could not penetrate it clearly. One evening, after chanting the sutra for a long time, he dozed off at his desk. In a dream he saw the sun wheel descend from the sky, and he opened his mouth and swallowed it. From then on he suddenly awakened, and the differentiated gates of meaning opened up without obstruction. Later he consulted Yongming. Yongming only confirmed his former understanding and gave no other pointing. He gave him the patch robe left by King Zhongyi as a token of the transmission. After he became abbot he mounted the hall: 'Venerable ones, the buddhadharma has nothing to do. The sun and moon of former days are the sun and moon of today. The wind and rain of former days are the wind and rain of today. The venerable ones of former days are the venerable ones of today. Raising it is done, speaking it is done. Everything is accomplished before you. Take care.' In the seventh month of the fifth year of Kaibao, jeweled trees and bathing pools suddenly appeared before him. The master said: 'Whatever has marks is all false.' Three days later he showed signs of illness, gathered the assembly to take leave, and passed away sitting at ease. After cremation his relics were collected and a stupa was built.

衢州鎮境志澄禪師

Chan Master Zhenjing Zhicheng of Quzhou

僧問。如何是定乾坤底劒。師曰。不漏絲髮。曰。用者如何。師曰。不知。因普請次。僧問。鉏頭損傷蝦蟇蚯蚓。還有罪也無。師曰。阿誰下手。曰。恁麼則無罪過。師曰。因果歷然。

A monk asked: 'What is the sword that settles heaven and earth?' The master said: 'It does not leak a hair.' The monk said: 'What of the one who uses it?' The master said: 'I do not know.' During communal work a monk asked: 'If a hoe injures a frog or an earthworm, is there guilt or not?' The master said: 'Who struck the blow?' The monk said: 'Then there is no fault.' The master said: 'Cause and effect are clearly there.'

明州崇福院慶祥禪師

Chan Master Chongfu Yuan Qingxiang of Mingzhou

上堂。諸禪德。見性周徧。聞性亦然。洞徹十方。無內無外。所以古人道。隨緣無作。動寂常真。如此施為。全真智用。僧問。如何是本來人。師曰。堂堂六尺甚分明。曰。祇如本來人。還依如此相貌也無。師曰。汝喚甚麼作本來人。曰。乞師方便。師曰。教誰方便。

He mounted the hall: 'Virtuous ones of Chan, the nature of seeing is all-pervading, and the nature of hearing is likewise. It penetrates the ten directions, with no inside and no outside. Therefore the ancients said: following conditions without doing, moving and still, ever true. Acting in this way is the functioning of complete true wisdom.' A monk asked: 'What is the original person?' The master said: 'Dignified and six feet tall, quite distinct.' The monk said: 'As for the original person, does he also have such an appearance?' The master said: 'What do you call the original person?' The monk said: 'I beg the Master for skillful means.' The master said: 'Who is to be given skillful means?'

報恩明禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Bao'en Ming

福州保明院道誠通法禪師

Chan Master Bao'en Yuan Daocheng Tongfa of Fuzhou

上堂。如為一人。眾多亦然。珍重。僧問。圓音普震。三等齊聞。竺土僊心。請師密付。師良久。僧曰。恁麼則意馬已成於寶馬。心牛頓作於白牛去也。師曰。七顛八倒。曰。若然者幾招哂笑。師曰。禮拜了退。問。如何是和尚西來意。師曰。我不曾到西天。曰。如何是學人西來意。師曰。汝在東土多少時。

He mounted the hall: 'As for one person, so for the many likewise. Take care.' A monk asked: 'The perfect sound shakes all universally, and the three ranks hear it together. The immortal mind of the Indian land — pray, Master, transmit it secretly.' The master was silent a long while. The monk said: 'Then the mind horse has already become a precious horse, and the mind ox has turned into a white ox.' The master said: 'Topsy-turvy.' The monk said: 'If so, I have nearly invited ridicule.' The master said: 'Bow and withdraw.' The monk asked: 'What is the Master's meaning of the coming from the west?' The master said: 'I have never been to the Western Heaven.' The monk said: 'What is this student's meaning of the coming from the west?' The master said: 'How long have you been in the Eastern land?'

報慈言導師法嗣

Dharma heirs of the guiding master Bao'en Yan

南康軍雲居義能禪師

Chan Master Yunju Yineng of Nankang Prefecture

上堂。不用上來。堂中憍陳如上座為諸上座轉第一義法輪。還得麼。若信得及。各自歸堂參取。下座後卻問一僧。祇如山僧適來教上座參取聖僧。聖僧還道箇甚麼。僧曰。特謝和尚再舉。問。如何是佛。師曰。即心是佛。曰。學人不會。乞師方便。師曰。方便呼為佛。迴光返照看。身心是何物。

He mounted the hall: 'No need to come forward. In the hall the Venerable Kaundinya is turning the wheel of the foremost meaning for you venerable ones. Have you got it? If your faith is sufficient, each of you return to the hall and study it.' After descending from the seat he then asked a monk: 'Just now I told the Venerable One to study the holy monk. What does the holy monk say?' The monk said: 'Much obliged to the Master for raising it again.' The monk asked: 'What is the Buddha?' The master said: 'The very mind is the Buddha.' The monk said: 'This student does not understand; I beg the Master for skillful means.' The master said: 'Expediently he is called a buddha. Turn the light back to illuminate and see what body and mind are.'

崇壽稠禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Chongshou Chou

泉州雲臺山令岑禪師

Chan Master Lingcen of Yuntai Mountain, Quanzhou

僧問。如何是雲臺境。師曰。前山後山。曰。如何是境中人。師曰。瞌睡漢。

A monk asked: 'What is the realm of Yuntai?' The master said: 'The mountain in front, the mountain behind.' The monk said: 'What of the person within the realm?' The master said: 'Drowsy fellow.'

杭州資國圓進山主

The mountain chief Ziguo Yuanjin of Hangzhou

僧問。丹霞燒木佛。意旨如何。師曰。招因帶果。問。庭前栢樹子。意旨如何。師曰。碧眼胡僧笑點頭。問。古人道。東家作驢。西家作馬。意旨如何。師曰。相識滿天下。

A monk asked: 'What is the meaning of Danxia burning the wooden buddha?' The master said: 'It invites cause and brings effect.' The monk asked: 'What is the meaning of the cypress tree in the courtyard?' The master said: 'The blue-eyed barbarian monk laughs and nods.' The monk asked: 'The ancients said: he became a donkey in the eastern house and a horse in the western house. What is the meaning?' The master said: 'His acquaintance fills the world.'

報恩安禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Bao'en An

廬山棲賢道堅禪師

Chan Master Qixian Daojian of Mount Lu

有官人問。某甲收金陵。布陣殺人無數。還有罪也無。師曰。老僧祇管看。問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。洋瀾左蠡。無風浪起。

An official asked: 'I took Jinling and set out battle formations, killing countless men. Is there guilt or not?' The master said: 'This old monk only watches.' The monk asked: 'What is the meaning of the patriarch's coming from the west?' The master said: 'At Yanglan and Zuoli, waves rise without wind.'

廬山歸宗慧誠禪師

Chan Master Guizong Huicheng of Mount Lu

楊州人也。開堂日。於法堂前謂眾曰。天人得道。以此為證。恁麼便散去。已是周遮。其如未曉。即為重說。遂陞座。僧問。知郡臨筵。請師演法。師曰。我不及汝。問。如何是佛。師曰。如何不是。問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。不知。乃曰。問話且住。直饒問到窮劫。問也不著。答到窮劫。答也不及。何以故。祇為諸人各有本分事。圓滿十方。亙古亙今。乃至諸佛也不敢錯悞諸人。便謂之頂族。祇是助發上座。所以道。十方法界諸有情。念念以證善逝果。彼既丈夫我亦爾。何得自輕而退屈。諸上座。不要退屈。信取便休。祖師西來。祇道見性成佛。其餘所說。不及此說。更有箇奇特方便。舉似諸人。良久曰。分明記取。若到諸方。不得錯舉。久立。珍重。僧問。不通風處如何過得。師曰。汝從甚麼處來。僧舉南泉問鄧隱峰曰。銅缾是境。缾中有水。不得動著境。與老僧將水來。峰便拈缾瀉水。未審此意如何。師曰。鄧隱峰甚奇怪。要且亂瀉。

He was a man of Yangzhou. On the day he opened the hall, before the dharma hall he said to the assembly: 'That gods and men attain the way is witnessed by this. To disperse like this is already roundabout. But since you do not yet understand, I will speak it again.' Then he mounted the seat. A monk asked: 'The prefect attends the feast; please, Master, expound the dharma.' The master said: 'I am not your equal.' The monk asked: 'What is the Buddha?' The master said: 'What is not?' The monk asked: 'What is the meaning of the patriarch's coming from the west?' The master said: 'I do not know.' Then he said: 'Let the questions stop. Even if you question to the end of kalpas, the questioning does not hit it. Even if I answer to the end of kalpas, the answering does not reach it. Why? Only because each of you has his own proper business, perfect throughout the ten directions, from ancient times to the present. Even the buddhas would not dare to mistake you, and so it is called the summit. It is only to help you, Venerable Ones. Therefore it is said: all sentient beings of the ten directions of the dharma realm, thought after thought, realize the fruit of the Sugata. Since he is a great man, so am I; why should you belittle yourselves and retreat? Venerable Ones, do not retreat. Take it up in faith and be done. The patriarch came from the west only to say: see the nature and become a buddha. Whatever else he said does not come up to this saying. There is also a remarkable skillful means I will bring up for you people.' After a long while he said: 'Record it clearly. If you go to other quarters, do not bring it up wrongly. You have stood long. Take care.' A monk asked: 'How does one pass through a place where no wind blows?' The master said: 'Where do you come from?' The monk brought up how Nanquan asked Deng Yinfeng: 'The copper bottle is an object, and there is water in the bottle. Without moving the object, bring me the water.' Yinfeng then picked up the bottle and poured out the water. I wonder what this means. The master said: 'Deng Yinfeng was very remarkable, but he poured it out carelessly.'

長安規禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Chang'an Gui

廬州長安院辯實禪師

Chan Master Chang'an Yuan Bianshi of Luzhou

僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。少室靈峰住九霄。

A monk asked: 'What is the meaning of the patriarch's coming from the west?' The master said: 'The numinous peak of Shaoshi abides in the nine heavens.'