Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Ten

韶州雲門煦禪師

Chan Master Xu of Yunmen in Shaozhou

僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。即今是甚麼意。僧曰。恰是。師便喝。

A monk asked, 'What is the Ancestor's meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'What meaning is it right now?' The monk said, 'Exactly so.' The Master then shouted.

瑞州黃檗法濟禪師

Chan Master Faji of Huangbo in Ruizhou

僧問。如何是和尚家風。師曰。與天下人作牓樣。問。如何是佛。師曰。眉麤眼大。上堂。良久曰。若識得黃檗帳子。平生行腳事畢。珍重。

A monk asked, 'What is the Reverend's family style?' The Master said, 'To be a model for the people of the world.' He asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'Thick brows and big eyes.' Ascending the hall, after a long while he said, 'If you recognize Huangbo's curtain, then your lifelong pilgrimage is finished. Take care.'

信州康國耀禪師

Chan Master Yao of Kangguo in Xinzhou

僧問。文殊與維摩對談何事。師曰。汝向髑髏後會。始得。曰。古人道。髑髏裡薦取又如何。師曰。汝還薦得麼。曰。恁麼則遠人得遇於師去也。師曰。莫謾語。

A monk asked, 'What did Manjushri and Vimalakirti discuss face to face?' The Master said, 'Only after you understand it behind the skull will you get it.' He said, 'The ancients said: take it up within the skull — how is that?' The Master said, 'Can you take it up?' He said, 'If so, then one from afar has met the Master.' The Master said, 'Do not talk nonsense.'

潭州谷山豐禪師

Chan Master Feng of Gushan in Tanzhou

僧問。師唱誰家曲。宗風嗣阿誰。師曰。雪嶺梅花綻。雲洞老僧驚。上堂。駿馬機前異。遊人肘後懸。既參雲外客。試為老僧看。時有僧才出。師便打。曰。何不早出頭來。便下座。

A monk asked, 'Whose family's tune does the Master sing, and whose school's wind does he inherit?' The Master said, 'The plum blossom bursts on Snowy Ridge, and the old monk in the cloud cave is startled.' Ascending the hall: 'The fine horse is different before the mechanism; the traveler hangs it behind his elbow. Since you have met the guest beyond the clouds, try showing it to this old monk.' At that time a monk had just come forward, and the Master beat him, saying, 'Why did you not come out earlier?' He then descended from the seat.

頴州羅漢𭅕果禪師

Chan Master Guoguo of Luohan in Yingzhou

僧問。如何是吹毛劒。師曰。了。問。和尚百年後。忽有人問向甚麼處去。如何詶對。師曰。久後遇作家。分明舉似。曰。誰是知音者。師曰。知音者即不恁麼問。問。鑿壁偷光時如何。師曰。錯。曰爭奈苦志專心。師曰。錯。錯。

A monk asked, 'What is the hair-cutting sword?' The Master said, 'Done.' He asked, 'A hundred years from now, if someone suddenly asks where the Reverend has gone, how should I answer?' The Master said, 'In time, meeting an adept, set it out clearly for him.' He said, 'Who is the one who knows the tone?' The Master said, 'One who knows the tone would not ask like that.' He asked, 'What about boring through the wall to steal light?' The Master said, 'Wrong.' He said, 'But what of bitter resolve and single-mindedness?' The Master said, 'Wrong, wrong.'

鼎州滄谿璘禪師

Chan Master Lin of Cangxi in Dingzhou

僧問。是法住法位。世間相常住。雲門和尚向甚麼處去也。師曰。見麼。曰。錯。師曰。錯。錯。問。如何是西來意。師曰。不錯。師因事示頌曰。天地之前徑。時人莫彊移。箇中生解會。眉上更安眉。

A monk asked, 'This dharma abides in the station of dharma; the marks of the world are ever abiding. Where has the Reverend Yunmen gone?' The Master said, 'Do you see?' He said, 'Wrong.' The Master said, 'Wrong, wrong.' He asked, 'What is the meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'Not wrong.' Once, because of some matter, the Master showed a verse: 'The path before heaven and earth — people of the time, do not force it to move. To give rise to understanding within it is to place a brow above the brow.'

瑞州洞山清稟禪師

Chan Master Qingbing of Dongshan in Ruizhou

泉州李氏子。參雲門。門問。今日離甚處。曰。慧林。門舉拄杖曰。慧林大師恁麼去。汝見麼。曰。深領此問。門顧左右微笑而已。師自此入室印悟。金陵主請居光睦。未幾命入澄心堂。集諸方語要。經十稔迎住洞山。開堂日。維那白槌曰。法筵龍象眾。當觀第一義。師曰。好箇消息。祇恐錯會。時有僧問。雲門一曲師親唱。今日新豐事若何。師曰。也要道卻。

He was a son of the Li family of Quanzhou. He studied under Yunmen. Yunmen asked, 'Where did you leave today?' He said, 'Huilin.' Yunmen raised his staff and said, 'The Great Master Huilin goes off like this — do you see?' He said, 'I deeply receive this question.' Yunmen looked left and right and merely smiled. From this the Master entered the room and was certified in awakening. The ruler of Jinling invited him to reside at Guangmu. Before long he was commanded to enter the Chengxin Hall to collect the essential words of the various quarters. After ten years he was welcomed to reside at Dongshan. On the day he opened the hall, the director of affairs struck the mallet and said, 'Assembly of dragons and elephants at the Dharma feast, you should contemplate the first principle.' The Master said, 'A fine message — I only fear you will misunderstand it.' At that time a monk asked, 'The Master himself sings the one tune of Yunmen; how is the matter at Xinfeng today?' The Master said, 'I must speak it out too.'

蘄州北禪悟通寂禪師

Chan Master Wutong Ji of Beichan in Qizhou

上堂。拈拄杖曰。過去．未來．現在三世諸佛微塵菩薩。一時在拄杖頭上轉大法輪。盡向諸人鼻孔裡過。還見麼。若見。與我拈將來。若不見。大似立地死漢。良久曰。風恬浪靜。不如歸堂。問僧。甚處來。曰。黃州。師曰。夏在甚處。曰。資福。師曰。福將何資。曰。兩重公案。師曰。爭奈在北禪手裡。曰。在手裡即收取。師便打。僧不甘。師隨後趂出。問。如何是佛。師曰。對面千里。

Ascending the hall, he picked up his staff and said, 'The Buddhas of the three ages — past, future and present — and the bodhisattvas numerous as dust motes, all at once turn the great Dharma wheel on the tip of this staff, and all pass through your nostrils. Do you see? If you see, bring it here to me. If you do not see, you are much like a dead man standing on the ground.' After a long while he said, 'The wind is calm and the waves are still; better to return to the hall.' He asked a monk, 'Where have you come from?' He said, 'Huangzhou.' The Master said, 'Where did you spend the summer?' He said, 'Zifu.' The Master said, 'With what does blessing bless?' He said, 'A double case.' The Master said, 'What can be done, since it is in Beichan's hand?' He said, 'If it is in your hand, then take it up.' The Master then beat him. The monk was not reconciled; the Master chased him out after him. He asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'Face to face, a thousand li away.'

廬州南天王永平禪師

Chan Master Yongping of South Heaven King in Luzhou

僧問。如何是西來意。師曰。不撒沙。問。如何是南天王境。師曰。一任觀看。曰。如何是境中人。師曰。且領前話。問。久戰沙場。為甚麼功名不就。師曰。祇為眠霜臥雪深。曰。恁麼則罷息干戈。束手歸朝去也。師曰。指揮使未到你在。

A monk asked, 'What is the meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'He does not scatter sand.' He asked, 'What is the realm of South Heaven King?' The Master said, 'You may look as you please.' He said, 'What is the man within the realm?' The Master said, 'Just take up the former words.' He asked, 'Long fighting on the battlefield, why has no merit or fame been achieved?' The Master said, 'Only because he sleeps in frost and lies in snow so deep.' He said, 'If so, then I will stop the spears and halberds and surrender to the court with hands bound.' The Master said, 'The commanding officer has not yet arrived where you are.'

湖南永安朗禪師

Chan Master Lang of Yongan in Hunan

僧問。如何是洞陽家風。師曰。入門便見。曰。如何是入門便見。師曰。客是主人相師。問。如何是至極之談。師曰。愛別離苦。

A monk asked, 'What is the family style of Dongyang?' The Master said, 'Enter the gate and you see it.' He said, 'What is entering the gate and seeing it?' The Master said, 'The guest is the host's physiognomist.' He asked, 'What is the utmost talk?' The Master said, 'The suffering of parting from the beloved.'

湖南湘潭明照禪師

Chan Master Mingzhao of Xiangtan in Hunan

僧問。如何是湘潭境。師曰。山連大嶽。水接瀟湘。曰。如何是境中人。師曰。便合知時。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。百惑謾勞神。

A monk asked, 'What is the realm of Xiangtan?' The Master said, 'The mountains join the great peak; the water meets the Xiao and Xiang.' He said, 'What is the man within the realm?' The Master said, 'He should know the time.' He asked, 'What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?' The Master said, 'A hundred delusions vainly weary the spirit.'

西川青城大面山乘禪師

Chan Master Cheng of Damian Mountain in Qingcheng, Xichuan

僧問。如何是相輪峰。師曰。直聳煙嵐際。曰。向上事如何。師曰。入地三尺五。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。興義門前𭽸鼕鼓。曰。學人不會。師曰。朝打三千。暮打八百。

A monk asked, 'What is Xianglun Peak?' The Master said, 'It rises straight into the mist and haze.' He said, 'What of the matter above?' The Master said, 'Three feet five into the ground.' He asked, 'What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?' The Master said, 'The winter drum before the Xingyi gate.' He said, 'The student does not understand.' The Master said, 'Three thousand blows in the morning, eight hundred at dusk.'

興元府普通封禪師

Chan Master Feng of Putong in Xingyuan Prefecture

僧問。今日一會。何似靈山。師曰。震動乾坤。問。如何是普通境。師曰。庭前有竹三冬秀。戶內無燈午夜明。

A monk asked, 'This assembly today — how does it compare with Vulture Peak?' The Master said, 'It shakes heaven and earth.' He asked, 'What is the realm of Putong?' The Master said, 'In the courtyard there is bamboo that flourishes through the three winters; in the room there is no lamp, yet at midnight it is bright.'

韶州燈峰淨源真禪師

Chan Master Jingyuan Zhen of Dengfeng in Shaozhou

上堂。古人道。山河大地普真如。大眾若得真如。即隱卻山河大地。若不得。即違古人至言。眾中道得者出來道看。若道不得。不如各自歸堂。珍重。僧問。達磨未來時如何。師曰。三家村裡。兩兩三三。曰。來後如何。師曰。千斜不如一直。問。諸法寂滅相即不問。如何是世間相。師曰。真不掩假。問。如何是和尚為人一句。師曰。不著力。

Ascending the hall: 'The ancients said: mountains, rivers and the great earth are universally suchness.' Assembly, if you attain suchness, you then conceal mountains, rivers and the great earth. If you do not attain it, you go against the ancients' utmost words. If anyone in the assembly can speak it, come out and say it. If you cannot, you had best each return to the hall. Take care.' A monk asked, 'What was it like before Bodhidharma came?' The Master said, 'In a village of three households, in twos and threes.' He said, 'And after he came?' The Master said, 'A thousand crooked is not as good as one straight.' He asked, 'I do not ask about the mark of the quiescence of all dharmas — what is the mark of the world?' The Master said, 'The true does not cover the false.' He asked, 'What is the one phrase by which the Reverend works for others?' The Master said, 'No effort.'

韶州大梵圓禪師

Chan Master Yuan of Dafan in Shaozhou

因見聖僧。乃問僧。此箇聖僧年多少。僧曰。恰共和尚同年。師喝曰。這竭鬥不易道得。

Once, seeing a holy monk image, he asked a monk, 'How old is this holy monk?' The monk said, 'Exactly the same age as the Reverend.' The Master shouted and said, 'This dullard finds it hard to speak.'

澧州藥山圓光禪師

Chan Master Yuanguang of Yaoshan in Lizhou

僧問。藥嶠燈聯。師當第幾。師曰。相逢盡道休官去。林下何曾見一人。問。水陸不涉者。師還接否。師曰。蘇嚕蘇嚕。師問新到。南來北來。曰。北來。師曰。不落言詮。速道。速道。曰。某甲是福建道人。善會鄉談。師曰。參眾去。僧曰。灼然。師曰。更𨁝跳便打。問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。道甚麼。

A monk asked, 'The Yaoshan lamp is joined in succession — what number does the Master hold?' The Master said, 'Meeting, all say they will resign office and go; in the forest, when has one man been seen?' He asked, 'For one who does not touch water or land — does the Master still receive him?' The Master said, 'Su lu su lu.' The Master asked a newcomer, 'Are you from the south or the north?' He said, 'From the north.' The Master said, 'Not falling into words — speak quickly, speak quickly.' He said, 'I am a man of the Way from Fujian and good at the local talk.' The Master said, 'Go join the assembly.' The monk said, 'Quite so.' The Master said, 'Jump again and you will be beaten.' He asked, 'What is the Ancestor's meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'What are you saying?'

信州鵝湖雲震禪師

Chan Master Yunzhen of Ehu in Xinzhou

僧問。如何是佛。師曰。闍黎不是。問僧。近離甚處。曰。兩浙。師曰。還將得吹毛劒來否。僧展兩手。師曰。將謂是箇爛柯仙。元來卻是樗蒲漢。問。如何是鵝湖家風。師曰。客是主人相師。曰。恁麼則謝師周旋去也。師曰。難下陳蕃之榻。

A monk asked, 'What is the Buddha?' The Master said, 'You, acharya, are not it.' He asked a monk, 'How far away did you just come from?' He said, 'The two Zhe.' The Master said, 'Have you brought the hair-cutting sword or not?' The monk spread out both hands. The Master said, 'I thought you were an immortal of the rotten axe handle; it turns out you are a dice-playing fellow.' He asked, 'What is the family style of Ehu?' The Master said, 'The guest is the host's physiognomist.' He said, 'If so, then I thank the Master for his attentions.' The Master said, 'It is hard to let down Chen Fan's couch.'

廬山開先清耀禪師

Chan Master Qingyao of Kaixian in Mount Lu

僧問。如何是燈燈不絕。師曰。青楊飜遞植。曰。學人不會。師曰。無根樹下唱虗名。問。披雲一句師親唱。長慶今朝事若何。師曰。家家觀世音。問。如何是披雲境。師曰。一缾淥水安牕下。便當生涯度幾秋。曰。如何是長慶境。師曰。堂裡老僧頭雪白。曰。二境同歸。應當別理。師曰。在處得人疑。問。古㵎寒泉。誰人能到。師曰。乾。曰。恁麼則到也。師曰。深多少。

A monk asked, 'What is it for lamp to succeed lamp without cease?' The Master said, 'Green poplars are transplanted in turn.' He said, 'The student does not understand.' The Master said, 'Beneath the rootless tree one sings a vain name.' He asked, 'The Master himself sings the one phrase of Piyun — how is the matter of Changqing today?' The Master said, 'Guanyin in every household.' He asked, 'What is the realm of Piyun?' The Master said, 'A bottle of clear water set beneath the window will do for a livelihood for how many autumns.' He said, 'What is the realm of Changqing?' The Master said, 'The old monk in the hall has hair white as snow.' He said, 'The two realms return together — they should be distinguished in principle.' The Master said, 'Wherever one is, one is doubted.' He asked, 'The cold spring in the ancient ravine — who can reach it?' The Master said, 'Dry.' He said, 'If so, then I have reached it.' The Master said, 'How deep is it?'