Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Ten

潭州南臺道遵法雲禪師

Chan Master Daozun Fayun of Nantai in Tanzhou

上堂。從上宗乘。合作麼生提綱。合作麼生言論。佛法兩字當得麼。真如解脫當得麼。雖然如是。細不通風。大通車馬。若約理化門中。一言才啟。震動乾坤。山河大地。海晏河清。三世諸佛。說法現前。於此明得。古佛殿前。同登彼岸。無事。珍重。問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。下坡不走。問。牛頭未見四祖時如何。師曰。著衣吃飯。曰。見後如何。師曰。缽盂掛壁上。問。如何是真如含一切。師曰。分明。曰。為甚麼有利鈍。師曰。四天打鼓。樓上擊鐘。問。如何是南臺境。師曰。金剛手指天。問。如何是色空。師曰。道士著真紅。問。十二時中。時時不離時如何。師曰。諦。

Ascending the hall: 'In the school and vehicle from of old, how should one bring up the essentials, how should one speak and discuss? Do the two words "Buddha Dharma" serve? Do "suchness" and "liberation" serve? Though it is so, fine as it is, it lets not a breath of wind through; broad as it is, it admits carts and horses. If one takes the gate of teaching and transforming, the moment a single word is raised, it shakes heaven and earth, and mountains, rivers and the great earth; the seas are calm and the rivers clear. The Buddhas of the three ages speak the Dharma before one, and here one understands: before the ancient Buddha hall we board the other shore together. Nothing further. Take care.' A monk asked, 'What is the Ancestor's meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'On a downhill road he does not go.' He asked, 'What was it like before Niutou met the Fourth Ancestor?' The Master said, 'Wearing clothes, eating food.' He said, 'And after he met him?' The Master said, 'The bowl is hung on the wall.' He asked, 'What is it for suchness to contain all things?' The Master said, 'Clear.' He said, 'Why are there sharp and dull?' The Master said, 'In the four heavens they beat drums; on the tower they strike the bell.' He asked, 'What is the realm of Nantai?' The Master said, 'A vajra hand points to the sky.' He asked, 'What is form and emptiness?' The Master said, 'A Daoist priest wears true red.' He asked, 'Through the twelve hours, never parting from the hour — how is it?' The Master said, 'True.'

韶州雙峰竟欽禪師

Chan Master Jingqin of Shuangfeng in Shaozhou

益州人也。開堂日。雲門和尚躬臨證明。僧問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。日出方知天下朗。無油那點佛前燈。問。如何是雙峰境。師曰。夜聽水流庵後竹。晝看雲起面前山。問。如何是和尚為人一句。師曰。因風吹火。上堂。進一步則迷理。退一步則失事。饒你一向兀然去。又同無情。僧問。如何得不同無情去。師曰。動轉施為。曰。如何得不迷理失事去。師曰。進一步。退一步。僧作禮。師曰。向來有人恁麼會。老僧不肯伊。曰。請師直指。師便打出。問。如何是正法眼。師曰。山河大地。問。如何是法王劒。師曰。鉛刀徒逞。不若龍泉。曰。用者如何。師曰。藏鋒猶不許。露刃更何堪。問。賓頭盧應供四天下。還得徧也無。師曰。如月入水。問。如何是用而不雜。師曰。明月堂前垂玉露。水晶殿裡璨真珠。有行者問。某甲遇賊來時。若殺即違佛教。不殺又違王敕。未審師意如何。師曰。官不容針。私通車馬。廣主甞親問法要。錫慧真廣悟號。將示寂。告門人曰。吾不久去世。汝可就山頂預修墳塔。洎工畢。以聞。師曰。後日子時行矣。及期。會雲門爽和尚等七人夜話。侍者報三更也。師索香焚之。合掌而逝。

He was a man of Yizhou. On the day he opened the hall, the Reverend Yunmen came in person to certify him. A monk asked, 'What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?' The Master said, 'Only when the sun rises does one know the world is bright; with no oil, how could one light the lamp before the Buddha?' He asked, 'What is the realm of Shuangfeng?' The Master said, 'At night I hear water flowing in the bamboo behind the hut; by day I watch clouds rise on the mountain before me.' He asked, 'What is the one phrase by which the Reverend works for others?' The Master said, 'Following the wind to fan a fire.' Ascending the hall: 'Advance a step and you lose the principle; retreat a step and you lose the matter. Even if you keep still and blank all along, you are the same as the insentient.' A monk asked, 'How can one avoid being the same as the insentient?' The Master said, 'Moving and acting.' He said, 'How can one avoid losing the principle and losing the matter?' The Master said, 'Advance a step, retreat a step.' The monk bowed. The Master said, 'Hereafter if someone understands it like this, this old monk will not approve him.' He said, 'I beg the Master to point it out directly.' The Master then beat him and drove him out. He asked, 'What is the correct Dharma eye?' The Master said, 'Mountains, rivers and the great earth.' He asked, 'What is the Dharma king's sword?' The Master said, 'A lead blade only shows off; it is not the equal of Longquan.' He said, 'How is it for the one who uses it?' The Master said, 'Hiding the edge is still not permitted — how much less bearing the blade bare.' He asked, 'Pindola responds to offerings throughout the four heavens — does he reach everywhere or not?' The Master said, 'Like the moon entering water.' He asked, 'How is it to use without mixing?' The Master said, 'On the bright-moon hall hangs jade dew; in the crystal palace pearls glitter.' A postulant asked, 'When I meet a bandit, if I kill him I disobey the Buddha's teaching, and if I do not kill him I disobey the king's edict. I wonder what the Master's intent is?' The Master said, 'The official gate does not admit a needle; the private way admits carts and horses.' The lord of Guang once came in person to ask about the essentials of the Dharma: 'The title Hui Chen Guang Wu?' As he was about to pass away, he told his disciples, 'I shall not live long. You should build the burial stupa on the mountain top in advance, and when the work is done, report it to me.' The Master said, 'I will go at the hour of the rat on a later day.' When the time came, he was conversing at night with the Reverend Shuang of Yunmen and seven others. The attendant reported that it was the third watch. The Master asked for incense and burned it, joined his palms, and passed away.

韶州資福詮禪師

Chan Master Quan of Zifu in Shaozhou

僧問。不問宗乘。請師心印。師曰。不答這話。曰。為甚麼不答。師曰。不副前言。問。覿面難逢處。如何顧鑒咦。乞師垂半偈。免使後人疑。師曰。鋒前一句超調御。擬問如何歷劫違。曰。恁麼則東山西嶺時人知有。未審資福庭前誰家風月。師曰。且領前話。

A monk asked, 'I do not ask about the school and vehicle — I beg the Master for the mind seal.' The Master said, 'I do not answer that.' He said, 'Why do you not answer?' The Master said, 'It would not fit my former words.' He asked, 'Where face to face is hard to meet, how should one look and mirror? I beg the Master to let fall half a verse, so that later men are not left doubting.' The Master said, 'The phrase before the point surpasses the charioteer; to deliberate and ask how is to transgress through kalpas.' He said, 'If so, then people of the time know there is an east mountain and a west ridge, but I wonder whose family's wind and moon are before the Zifu courtyard?' The Master said, 'Just take up the former words.'

廣州黃雲元禪師

Chan Master Yuan of Huangyun in Guangzhou

初開堂日。以手拊繩床曰。諸人還識廣大須彌之座也無。若不識。老僧陞座去也。師便坐。僧問。如何是大漢國境。師曰。歌謠滿路。上堂。古人道。觸目未曾無。臨機何不道。山僧即不然。觸目未曾無。臨機道甚麼。珍重。

On the day he first opened the hall, he patted the rope chair with his hand and said, 'Do you people recognize the vast seat of Sumeru or not? If you do not, this old monk will ascend the seat.' The Master then sat. A monk asked, 'What is the realm of the land of the Great Han?' The Master said, 'Songs and ballads fill the roads.' Ascending the hall: 'The ancients said: what meets the eye is never absent. Facing the moment, why do you not speak? This mountain monk is not like that. What meets the eye is never absent — facing the moment, what will you say? Take care.'

廣州龍境倫禪師

Chan Master Lun of Longjing in Guangzhou

開堂陞座。提起拂子曰。還會麼。若會。頭上更增頭。若不會。斷頭取活。僧問。如何是龍境家風。師曰。豺狼虎豹。問。如何是佛。師曰。勤耕田。曰。學人不會。師曰。早收禾。問僧。甚麼處來。曰。黃雲來。師曰。作麼生是黃雲郎當媚痴抹躂為人一句。僧無對。示眾曰。作麼生是長連床上取性一句。道將來。

When he opened the hall and ascended the seat, he raised his whisk and said, 'Do you understand? If you understand, you add a head on top of a head. If you do not understand, cut off the head and take the life.' A monk asked, 'What is the family style of Longjing?' The Master said, 'Jackals, wolves, tigers and leopards.' He asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'Plow the field diligently.' He said, 'The student does not understand.' The Master said, 'Harvest the grain early.' He asked a monk, 'Where have you come from?' He said, 'From Huangyun.' The Master said, 'What is the one phrase of Huangyun's sloppy, fawning, foolish, smeared way of working for others?' The monk had no answer. He addressed the assembly: 'What is the one phrase of taking one's pleasure on the long meditation bench? Say it.'

韶州雲門山爽禪師

Chan Master Shuang of Yunmen Mountain in Shaozhou

上堂。僧問。如何是佛。師曰。聖躬萬歲。問。如何是透法身句。師曰。銀香臺上生蘿蔔。

Ascending the hall, a monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'Ten thousand years to the sacred person.' He asked, 'What is the phrase that penetrates the dharma body?' The Master said, 'A radish grows on a silver incense stand.'

韶州白雲聞禪師

Chan Master Wen of Baiyun in Shaozhou

上堂良久。僧出問。白雲一路。全因今日。師曰。不是。不是。曰。和尚又如何。師曰。白雲一路。草深一丈。便下座。問。擬伸一問。師還答否。師曰。皂莢樹頭懸。風吹曲不成。問。受施主供養。將何報答。師曰。作牛作馬。

Ascending the hall, after a long while a monk came forward and asked, 'The one road of white clouds — it is all because of today.' The Master said, 'Not so, not so.' He said, 'And how is the Reverend?' The Master said, 'The one road of white clouds, the grass is a zhang deep.' He then descended from the seat. A monk asked, and as he was about to put forward a question, 'Will the Master answer or not?' The Master said, 'Hanging on the honey-locust tree, the wind blows and the tune will not come.' He asked, 'Receiving the offerings of donors, how will you repay them?' The Master said, 'By being an ox, by being a horse.'

韶州淨法禪想章禪師

Chan Master Zhang of Jingfa Chanxiang in Shaozhou

廣主問。如何是禪。師乃良久。主罔測。因署其號。僧問。日月重明時如何。師曰。日月雖明。不鑒覆盆之下。問。既是金山。為甚麼鑿石。師曰。金山鑿石。問。如何是道。師曰。迢迢十萬餘。

The lord of Guang asked, 'What is Chan?' The Master was silent a long while. The lord could not fathom it, and so conferred a title on him. A monk asked, 'What about when sun and moon shine again?' The Master said, 'Though sun and moon are bright, they do not illumine beneath an overturned basin.' He asked, 'Since it is a golden mountain, why quarry stone?' The Master said, 'A golden mountain quarries stone.' He asked, 'What is the Way?' The Master said, 'Far, far off, more than a hundred thousand.'

韶州溫門山滿禪師

Chan Master Man of Wenmen Mountain in Shaozhou

僧問。如何是佛。師曰。胷題卍字。曰。如何是祖。師曰。不遊西土。有人指壁上畫問。既是千尺松。為甚麼卻在屋下。師曰。芥子納須彌作麼生。問。隔墻見角。便知是牛時如何。師便打。問。如何是和尚家風。師曰。汝曾讀書麼。問。太子初生為甚麼不識父母。師曰。迥然尊貴。

A monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'A swastika marked on the breast.' He said, 'What is the Ancestor?' The Master said, 'He does not roam the Western land.' Someone pointed at a painting on the wall and asked, 'Since it is a pine of a thousand feet, why is it under the roof?' The Master said, 'How is it that a mustard seed contains Sumeru?' He asked, 'Seeing the horns through a wall and knowing it is an ox — how is that?' The Master then beat him. He asked, 'What is the Reverend's family style?' The Master said, 'Have you ever read books?' He asked, 'Why did the crown prince, newly born, not recognize his father and mother?' The Master said, 'He is loftily noble.'

英州大容諲禪師

Chan Master Chen of Darong in Yingzhou

僧問。如何是大容水。師曰。還我一滴來。問。當來彌勒下生時如何。師曰。慈氏宮中三春草。問。如何是真空。師曰。拈卻拒陽著。曰。如何是妙用。師乃握拳。僧曰。真空妙用。相去幾何。師以手撥之。問。長蛇偃月即不問。匹馬單槍時如何。師曰。麻江橋下。會麼。曰。不會。師曰。聖壽寺前。問。既是大容。為甚麼趂出僧。師曰。大海不容塵。小溪多搕𢶍。問。如何是古佛一路。師指地。僧曰。不問這箇。師曰。去。師與一老宿相期他往。偶因事不去。宿曰。佛無二言。師曰。法無一向。

A monk asked, 'What is the water of Darong?' The Master said, 'Give me back a drop.' He asked, 'What about when Maitreya comes down to be born in the future?' The Master said, 'Spring grass in the palace of the Compassionate One.' He asked, 'What is true emptiness?' The Master said, 'Take away the sun-blocking screen.' He said, 'What is wonderful function?' The Master then clenched his fist. The monk said, 'True emptiness and wonderful function — how far apart are they?' The Master brushed it aside with his hand. The monk asked, 'I do not ask about the long snake and the crescent moon — what about a lone horse and a single spear?' The Master said, 'Below the Majiang bridge — do you understand?' He said, 'I do not understand.' The Master said, 'Before Shengshou Monastery.' He asked, 'Since it is a great capacity, why drive out a monk?' The Master said, 'The great sea holds no dust; the small stream has much rubbish.' He asked, 'What is the ancient Buddha's one road?' The Master pointed to the ground. The monk said, 'I am not asking about this.' The Master said, 'Go.' Once the Master and an old monk agreed to go somewhere together, but by chance the Master did not go because of some matter. The old monk said, 'The Buddha has no two words.' The Master said, 'The Dharma has no single direction.'

廣州羅山崇禪師

Chan Master Chong of Luoshan in Guangzhou

僧問。如何是大漢國境。師曰。玉狗吠時天未曉。金鷄啼處五更初。問。丹霞訪居士。女子不𢹂籃時如何。師曰。也要到這裡一轉。問。如何是羅山境。師曰。布水千尋。

A monk asked, 'What is the realm of the land of the Great Han?' The Master said, 'When the jade dog barks, the sky is not yet bright; where the golden rooster crows, it is the first of the fifth watch.' He asked, 'When Danxia visited the layman, and the girl did not lift her basket — how was it?' The Master said, 'One must turn around here too.' He asked, 'What is the realm of Luoshan?' The Master said, 'Cloth-water falls a thousand fathoms.'

韶州雲門常寶禪師

Chan Master Changbao of Yunmen in Shaozhou

上堂。至道無難。唯嫌揀擇。還有揀擇者麼。時有僧問。十方國土中。唯有一乘法。如何是一乘法。師曰。日月分明。曰。學人不會。師曰。清風滿路。

Ascending the hall: 'The utmost Way is not difficult; it only dislikes picking and choosing. Is there anyone who picks and chooses?' At that time a monk asked, 'In the lands of the ten directions there is only the One Vehicle Dharma — what is the One Vehicle Dharma?' The Master said, 'Sun and moon are clear.' He said, 'The student does not understand.' The Master said, 'Clear wind fills the road.'

郢州林谿竟脫禪師

Chan Master Jingtuo of Linxi in Yingzhou

僧問。如何是法身。師曰。四海五湖賓。曰。如何是透法身句。師曰。明眼人笑汝。問。如何是本來人。師曰。風吹滿面塵。問。牛頭未見四祖時如何。師曰。富貴多賓客。曰。見後如何。師曰。貧窮絕往還。問。如何是佛。師曰。十字路頭。曰。如何是法。師曰。三家村裡。曰。佛之與法。是一是二。師曰。露柱渡三江。猶懷感恨長。問。如何是無縫塔。師曰。復州城。曰。如何是塔中人。師曰。龍興寺。

A monk asked, 'What is the dharma body?' The Master said, 'A guest of the four seas and five lakes.' He said, 'What is the phrase that penetrates the dharma body?' The Master said, 'The clear-eyed laugh at you.' He asked, 'What is the original man?' The Master said, 'The wind blows dust all over his face.' He asked, 'What was it like before Niutou met the Fourth Ancestor?' The Master said, 'Rich and noble, with many guests.' He said, 'And after he met him?' The Master said, 'Poor, with no comings and goings.' He asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'The head of the crossroads.' He said, 'What is the Dharma?' The Master said, 'In a village of three households.' He said, 'The Buddha and the Dharma — are they one or two?' The Master said, 'The exposed pillar crosses the three rivers, and still holds a long resentment.' He asked, 'What is the seamless stupa?' The Master said, 'Fuzhou city.' He said, 'Who is the man within the stupa?' The Master said, 'Longxing Monastery.'

韶州廣悟禪師

Chan Master Guangwu of Shaozhou

僧問。如何是和尚為人一句。師曰。因風吹火。

A monk asked, 'What is the one phrase by which the Reverend works for others?' The Master said, 'Following the wind to fan a fire.'

廣州華嚴慧禪師

Chan Master Hui of Huayan in Guangzhou

僧問。承古有言。妄心無處即菩提。正當妄時。還有菩提也無。師曰。來音已照。曰。不會。師曰。妄心無處即菩提。

A monk asked, 'The ancients said: where the deluded mind does not abide, that is bodhi. At the very moment of delusion, is there bodhi or not?' The Master said, 'The coming sound has already illumined it.' He said, 'I do not understand.' The Master said, 'Where the deluded mind does not abide, that is bodhi.'

韶州長樂山政禪師

Chan Master Zheng of Changle Mountain in Shaozhou

僧問。祖師心印。何人提掇。師曰。石人妙手在。曰。學人還有分也無。師曰。木人整不齊。

A monk asked, 'The Ancestor's mind seal — who raises and carries it?' The Master said, 'The stone man's wondrous hand is there.' He said, 'Has the student a share or not?' The Master said, 'The wooden man cannot arrange it evenly.'

英州觀音和尚

The Reverend Guanyin of Yingzhou

因穿井次。僧問。井深多少。師曰。沒汝鼻孔。問。牛頭未見四祖時如何。師曰。英州觀音。曰。見後如何。師曰。英州觀音。問。如何是觀音妙智力。師曰。風射破牕鳴。

Once when they were digging a well, a monk asked, 'How deep is the well?' The Master said, 'It covers your nostrils.' He asked, 'What was it like before Niutou met the Fourth Ancestor?' The Master said, 'Guanyin of Yingzhou.' He said, 'And after he met him?' The Master said, 'Guanyin of Yingzhou.' He asked, 'What is Guanyin's wonderful wisdom power?' The Master said, 'The wind shoots through the broken window and it cries.'

韶州林泉和尚

The Reverend Linquan of Shaozhou

僧問。如何是林泉主。師曰。巖下白石。曰。如何是林泉家風。師曰。迎賓待客。問。如何是道。師曰。迢迢。曰。便恁麼領會時如何。師曰。久久忘緣者。寧懷去住情。

A monk asked, 'What is the master of Linquan?' The Master said, 'White stone below the cliff.' He said, 'What is the family style of Linquan?' The Master said, 'Welcoming guests, entertaining visitors.' He asked, 'What is the Way?' The Master said, 'Far, far off.' He said, 'What about understanding it just like that?' The Master said, 'One who long forgets conditions — how could he hold feelings of going and staying?'