Records of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Ten

新州延長山和尚(後住龍景山。真身現在)

The Reverend of Mount Yanchang, Xinzhou (later he dwelt at Mount Longjing; his incorrupt body is still there)

僧問。如何是和尚家風。師曰。醜拙不可當。曰。客來如何祇待。師曰。瓦盌竹筯。問。從上古聖向甚麼處去。師曰。不在山間。即居樹下。曰。未審成得箇甚麼。師曰。汝還知落處麼。僧無語。師便打。

A monk asked, 'What is the Reverend's family style?' The Master said, 'Ugly and clumsy beyond bearing.' He said, 'When a guest comes, how will you receive him?' The Master said, 'A tile bowl and bamboo chopsticks.' A monk asked, 'Where have the ancient sages gone?' The Master said, 'If not among the mountains, then dwelling beneath the trees.' He said, 'I wonder what they accomplished?' The Master said, 'Do you know where they have fallen?' The monk was silent. The Master struck him.

眉州福化充禪師

Chan Master Chong of Fuhua, Meizhou

僧問。如何是大人相。師曰。山僧這裡不曾容易對闍黎。曰。如何得相承去。師曰。白雲雖有影。綠竹且無陰。問。天皇也恁麼道。龍潭也恁麼道。未審和尚作麼生道。師曰。汝試道看。曰。比來請益。豈無方便。師曰。將謂是海東舶主。元來是北地番人。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。十字路頭華表柱。曰。學人不會。乞師再指。師曰。君自行東我向西。

A monk asked, 'What is the mark of a great man?' The Master said, 'Here this mountain monk has never lightly answered you, Acarya.' He said, 'How can one carry it on?' The Master said, 'Though white clouds have shadows, the green bamboo has no shade.' A monk asked, 'Tianhuang also spoke thus, Longtan also spoke thus—I wonder how the Reverend speaks?' The Master said, 'You try and speak.' He said, 'I have come to ask for instruction—how can there be no expedient means?' The Master said, 'I thought you were a sea-trader of the East; it turns out you are a barbarian of the northern lands.' A monk asked, 'What is the great meaning of the Buddha dharma?' The Master said, 'A memorial pillar at the crossroads.' He said, 'This student does not understand; I beg the Master to point again.' The Master said, 'You go east, I go west.'

眉州黃龍贊禪師

Chan Master Zan of Huanglong, Meizhou

僧問。如何是和尚關棙子。師曰。少人踏得著。曰。忽踏得著時如何。師曰。汝試進前看。僧便喝。師便打。問僧。近離甚處。曰。香林。師曰。在彼多少時。曰。六年。師曰。世尊在雪山六年。證無上菩提。汝在香林六年。成得箇甚麼。僧無語。師曰。移廚吃飯漢。

A monk asked, 'What is the Reverend's pivotal mechanism?' The Master said, 'Few can tread on it.' He said, 'What if one suddenly treads on it?' The Master said, 'You try stepping forward.' The monk shouted. The Master struck him. He asked a monk, 'Where have you recently come from?' He said, 'Xianglin.' The Master said, 'How long were you there?' He said, 'Six years.' The Master said, 'The World-Honored One was in the Snow Mountains six years and realized unsurpassed bodhi; you were at Xianglin six years—what did you accomplish?' The monk was silent. The Master said, 'A fellow who moves the kitchen to eat.'

衡州大聖院守賢禪師

Chan Master Shouxian of Dasheng Monastery, Hengzhou

僧問。如何是古佛道場。師曰。五通廟裡沒香爐。問。如何是佛法大意。師曰。南斗七。北斗八。

A monk asked, 'What is the bodhimanda of the ancient Buddha?' The Master said, 'In the Wutong shrine there is no incense burner.' A monk asked, 'What is the great meaning of the Buddha dharma?' The Master said, 'Seven in the Southern Dipper, eight in the Northern Dipper.'

舒州天柱山和尚

The Reverend of Mount Tianzhu, Shuzhou

上堂曰。莫有作家戰將麼。試出來與山僧相見。時有僧出禮拜。師曰。山僧打退鼓。曰。和尚是甚麼心行。師曰。敗將不戰。問。北斗藏身。意旨如何。師曰。闍黎豈不是荊南人。曰。是。師曰。祇見波瀾起。不測洞庭深。

Ascending the hall he said, 'Is there any expert warrior? Come forward and meet this mountain monk.' At that time a monk came forward and bowed. The Master said, 'This mountain monk beats the retreat drum.' He said, 'What is the Reverend's mind?' The Master said, 'A defeated general does not fight.' A monk asked, 'The Northern Dipper hides the body—what is the purport?' The Master said, 'Are you not a man of Jingnan, Acarya?' He said, 'Yes.' The Master said, 'You see only the waves rise; you cannot fathom the depth of Dongting.'

韶州雲門山朗上座

Upadhyaya Lang of Mount Yunmen, Shaozhou

自幼肄業講肆。聞僧問雲門。如何是透法身句。門曰。北斗裡藏身。師罔測微旨。遂造雲門。門才見便把住曰。道。道。師擬議。門拓開。乃示頌曰。雲門聳峻白雲低。水急遊魚不敢棲。入戶已知來見解。何勞再舉轢中泥。師因斯大悟。即便禮拜。自此依雲門為上座。僧問。如何是解脫。師曰。穿靴水上行。問。如何是透脫一路。師曰。南贍部州北鬱單越。曰。學人不會。意旨如何。師曰。朝遊羅浮。暮歸檀特。

From childhood he studied at the lecture halls. He heard a monk ask Yunmen, 'What is the phrase that penetrates the dharma-body?' Men said, 'Hiding the body in the Northern Dipper.' The Master could not fathom the subtle purport, so he went to Yunmen. Men had barely seen him when he seized him and said, 'Speak, speak!' As the Master started to deliberate, Men pushed him away. Then he showed him a verse: 'Yunmen towers steep, the white clouds low; the water runs swift, the swimming fish dare not rest. Entering the door I already know your understanding—why labor to bring up the mud in the rut again?' At this the Master had a great awakening. He bowed at once. From then on he attended Yunmen as chief seat. A monk asked, 'What is liberation?' The Master said, 'Wearing boots and walking on water.' A monk asked, 'What is the one road of penetrating release?' The Master said, 'Jambudvipa in the south, Uttarakuru in the north.' He said, 'This student does not understand; what is the purport?' The Master said, 'In the morning roaming Luofu, in the evening returning to Dantok.'

郢州纂子山菴主

The Hermitage Master of Mount Zuanzi, Yingzhou

僧問。如何是透法身句。師曰。朝看東南。暮看西北。

A monk asked, 'What is the phrase that penetrates the dharma-body?' The Master said, 'In the morning look southeast, in the evening look northwest.'

青原下八世

Eighth Generation below Qingyuan

白雲祥禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Xiang of Baiyun

韶州大歷和尚

The Reverend of Dali, Shaozhou

初參白雲。雲舉拳曰。我近來不恁麼也。師領旨禮拜。自此入室。住後。僧問。如何是西來意。師曰。破草鞋。問。如何是無為。師乃擺手。問。施主供養。將何報答。師以手撚髭。曰。有髭即撚。無髭又如何。師曰。非公境界。

He first called on Baiyun. Yun raised his fist and said, 'Recently I am not like that either.' The Master grasped the purport and bowed. From then on he entered the room. After he took up residence, a monk asked, 'What is the meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'A broken straw sandal.' A monk asked, 'What is non-action?' The Master waved his hand. A monk asked, 'The donor makes offerings—with what will you repay him?' The Master twisted his moustache with his hand. He said, 'If there is a moustache you twist it; if there is no moustache, what then?' The Master said, 'Not your province.'

連州寶華和尚

The Reverend of Baohua, Lianzhou

上堂。看天看地。新羅國裡。和南不審。日銷萬兩黃金。雖然如此。猶是少分。又曰。盡十方世界。是箇木羅漢。幡竿頭上道將一句來。又曰。天上龍飛鳳走。山間虎嘯猿啼。拈向鼻孔。道將一句來。問僧。甚處來。曰。大容來。師曰。大容近日作麼生。曰。近來合得一甕醬。師喚沙彌將一椀水來。與這僧照影。因有僧問大容曰。天賜六銖披掛後。將何報答我皇恩。容曰。來披三事衲。歸掛六銖衣。師聞之。乃曰。這老凍齈作恁麼語話。容聞。令人傳語曰。何似奴緣不斷。師曰。比為拋甎。祇圖引玉。師見一僧從法堂堦下過。師乃敲繩床。僧曰。若是這箇。不請拈出。師喜。下地詰之。僧無語。師便打。師有時戴冠子。謂眾曰。若道是俗。且身披袈裟。若道是僧。又頭戴冠子。眾無對。

Ascending the hall: 'Looking at heaven, looking at earth, in the land of Silla; greetings and inquiries—daily melting ten thousand ounces of yellow gold. Even so, it is still a small portion.' He also said, 'The whole ten-directions world is a wooden arhat—say a phrase from the top of the banner pole.' He also said, 'In the sky dragons fly and phoenixes run; in the mountains tigers roar and apes cry. Pick it up and put it at your nostril—say a phrase.' He asked a monk, 'Where have you come from?' He said, 'From Darong.' The Master said, 'How has Darong been lately?' He said, 'Recently he put together a jar of sauce.' The Master called a novice to bring a bowl of water and show this monk his reflection. Then a monk asked Darong, 'After heaven bestows the six-shu robe and you put it on, how will you repay our emperor's grace?' Rong said, 'Coming, I put on the three-matter robe; returning, I hang up the six-shu garment.' The Master heard of it and said, 'This old frozen snot speaks such words.' Rong heard of it and had someone convey a message: 'How does that compare with the slave whose karmic ties are not cut?' The Master said, 'I threw a brick only to draw jade.' The Master saw a monk pass below the steps of the dharma hall. The Master then tapped his rope chair. The monk said, 'If it is this, I beg you not to pick it out.' The Master was pleased, got down, and pressed him. The monk was silent. The Master struck him. Once the old Master wore a cap. He said to the assembly, 'If you say he is a layman, he wears a monk's robe; if you say he is a monk, he wears a cap.' The assembly had no reply.

韶州月華山月禪師

Chan Master Yue of Mount Yuehua, Shaozhou

初謁白雲。雲問。業箇甚麼。曰。念孔雀經。雲曰。好箇人家男女。隨鳥雀後走。師聞語驚異。遂依附。久之乃契旨。尋住月華。僧問。如何是月華家風。師曰。若問家風。即答家風。曰。學人問家風。師曰。金銅羅漢。上堂。舉一句語。徧大千界。還有人會得這箇時節麼。試出來道看。要知親切。良久曰。不出頭。是好手。久立。珍重。僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。梁王不識。曰。意旨如何。師曰。隻履西歸。師入京。上堂。有一官人出。禮拜起。低頭良久。師曰。掣電之機。徒勞佇思。有一老宿上法堂。東西顧視曰。好箇法堂。要且無主。師聞。乃召曰。且坐吃茶。宿問曰。玄中最的。猶是龜毛兔角。不向二諦中修。如何密用。師曰。測。宿曰。恁麼則抝折拄杖。割斷草鞋去也。師曰。細而詳之。

He first called on Baiyun. Yun asked, 'What work do you do?' He said, 'I recite the Peacock Sutra.' Yun said, 'A fine child of a good family, running after the birds and sparrows.' The Master heard these words and was startled. He then attached himself to Yun. After a long time he accorded with the purport. Soon he dwelt at Yuehua. A monk asked, 'What is the Yuehua family style?' The Master said, 'If you ask the family style, I answer the family style.' 'If you ask the family style, I answer the family style,' he said. Ascending the hall: 'Raise one phrase and it pervades the great thousand worlds. Is there anyone who understands this season? Come forward and speak, if you would know intimacy.' After a long while he said, 'Not stepping forward is the good hand. Long standing. Take care.' A monk asked, 'What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?' The Master said, 'King Liang did not recognize it.' He said, 'What is the purport?' The Master said, 'Returning west on one shoe.' The Master entered the capital. Ascending the hall: 'An official came forward, bowed, rose, lowered his head, and stood a long while.' The Master said, 'The mechanism of a lightning flash—it is labor in vain to stand and think. An old worthy came up to the dharma hall.' He looked east and west and said, 'A fine dharma hall, but there is no master.' The Master heard of it and called to him, saying, 'Sit and have tea.' The old worthy asked, 'The most precise within the mysterious is still a turtle's hair and a rabbit's horn. If one does not cultivate within the two truths, how does one function secretly?' The Master said, 'Fathom it.' The old worthy said, 'Then I will break the staff and cut the straw sandals.' The Master said, 'Examine it closely and in detail.'

南雄州地藏和尚

The Reverend of Dizang, Nanxiongzhou

上堂。僧問。今日供養地藏。地藏還來否。師曰。打開佛殿門。裝香換水。師與大容和尚在白雲開火路。容曰。三道寶堦。何似箇火路。師曰。甚麼處不是。

Ascending the hall. A monk asked, 'Today we make offerings to Dizang—will Dizang come?' The Master said, 'Open the Buddha hall doors, arrange incense, change the water.' The Master and the Reverend Darong were opening a firebreak at Baiyun. Rong said, 'The three jeweled steps—how do they compare with this firebreak?' The Master said, 'What place is not?'

英州樂淨含𭅕禪師

Chan Master Han of Lejing, Yingzhou

上堂。良久曰。摩竭提國。親行此令。去卻擔簦。截流相見。僧問。如何是西來意。師曰。側耳無功。問。如何是樂淨家風。師曰。天地養人。問。如何是樂淨境。師曰。有工貪種竹。無暇不栽松。曰。忽遇客來。將何供養。師曰。滿園秋果熟。要者近前甞。問。龍門有意透者如何。師曰。灘下接取。曰。學人不會。師曰。喚行頭來。問。但得本。莫愁末。如何是本。師曰。不要問人。曰。如何是末。師乃竪指。問。如何是樂淨境。師曰。滿月團圓菩薩面。庭前椶樹夜叉頭。僧辭。師問。甚處去。曰。大容去。師曰。大容若問樂淨有何言教。汝作麼生祇對。僧無語。師代雲。但道樂淨近日不肯大容。因普請打籬次。僧問。古人種種開方便門。和尚為甚麼卻攔截。師曰。牢下橛著。

Ascending the hall. After a long while he said, 'In the land of Magadha I personally carried out this command; putting down the umbrella, cutting off the stream, we meet.' A monk asked, 'What is the meaning of the coming from the West?' The Master said, 'Cocking the ear is to no avail.' A monk asked, 'What is the Lejing family style?' The Master said, 'Heaven and earth nourish people.' A monk asked, 'What is the Lejing realm?' The Master said, 'One has the labor to be fond of planting bamboo; one has no leisure and does not plant pines.' He said, 'If a guest suddenly comes, what will you offer him?' The Master said, 'The whole garden's autumn fruit is ripe; whoever wants it, come near and taste.' A monk asked, 'What of one who intends to pass through the Dragon Gate?' The Master said, 'Pick him up below the rapids.' He said, 'This student does not understand.' The Master said, 'Call the work head.' A monk asked, 'Only get the root, do not worry about the branches—what is the root?' The Master said, 'Do not ask others.' He said, 'What are the branches?' The Master then raised a finger. A monk asked, 'What is the Lejing realm?' The Master said, 'The full moon, round—a Bodhisattva's face; before the courtyard the palm tree—a yaksha's head.' A monk took his leave. The Master asked, 'Where are you going?' He said, 'To Darong.' The Master said, 'If Darong asks what teaching Lejing has, how will you answer?' The monk was silent. The Master answered for him: 'Just say that Lejing recently does not approve of Darong.' Once, during the general labor of building a fence, a monk asked, 'The ancients opened up all sorts of expedient gates—why does the Reverend block them off?' The Master said, 'Drive the stake in firmly.'

韶州後白雲和尚

The Later Reverend of Baiyun, Shaozhou

僧問。古琴絕韻請師彈。師曰。伯牙雖妙手。時人聽者希。曰。恁麼則再遇子期也。師曰。笑發驚絃斷。寧知調不同。問。昔日靈山一會。梵王為主。未審白雲甚麼人為主。師曰。有常侍在。曰。恁麼則法雨霶𩃱。群生有賴。師曰。汝莫這裡賣梔子。

A monk asked, 'The ancient zither's lingering strain—please, Master, play it.' The Master said, 'Though Boya had wondrous hands, those who listened were few.' He said, 'Then I have met another Ziqi.' The Master said, 'Laughter breaks out and the string snaps—how would you know the tune is not the same?' A monk asked, 'At the Vulture Peak assembly of old, Brahma was the host. I wonder who is host at Baiyun?' The Master said, 'The Attendant is here.' He said, 'Then the dharma rain pours down and living beings have something to rely on.' The Master said, 'Do not peddle gardenias here.'

韶州白雲福禪師

Chan Master Fu of Baiyun, Shaozhou

僧問。如何是佛法的的之意。師曰。直。曰。學人不會。意旨如何。師曰。崖州路上問知音。

A monk asked, 'What is the very precise meaning of the Buddha dharma?' The Master said, 'Straight.' He said, 'This student does not understand; what is the purport?' The Master said, 'On the Yazhou road, ask one who knows the tune.'

德山密禪師法嗣

Dharma heirs of Chan Master Mi of Deshan

鼎州文殊應真禪師

Chan Master Yingzhen of Wenshu, Dingzhou

上堂。直鉤釣獰龍。曲鉤釣蝦蟆蚯蚓。還有龍麼。良久曰。勞而無功。僧問。寶劒未出匣時如何。師曰。在甚麼處。曰。出匣後如何。師曰。臂長衫袖短。問。古人拊掌。意旨如何。師曰。家無小使。不成君子。

Ascending the hall: 'A straight hook catches fierce dragons; a bent hook catches toads and earthworms. Is there any dragon?' After a long while he said, 'Toil without achievement.' A monk asked, 'What of when the precious sword has not yet left its sheath?' The Master said, 'Where is it?' He said, 'And after it leaves the sheath?' The Master said, 'The arm is long and the sleeve is short.' A monk asked, 'The ancients clapped their hands—what is the purport?' The Master said, 'Without a servant in the house, one cannot be a gentleman.'

南嶽南臺勤禪師

Chan Master Qin of Nantai, South Mountain

僧問。如何是祖師西來意。師曰。一寸龜毛重七斤。

A monk asked, 'What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?' The Master said, 'An inch of turtle hair weighs seven catties.'

鼎州德山紹晏禪師

Chan Master Shaoyan of Deshan, Dingzhou