Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume Twenty-Six

僧問老宿雲。師子捉兔亦全其力。捉象亦全其力。未審全箇什麼力。老宿雲。不欺之力(法眼別雲。不會古人語)。

A monk asked an old adept, "When a lion catches a rabbit it also exerts its full power; when it catches an elephant it also exerts its full power. I do not know—what power does it exert fully?" The old adept said, "The power of not deceiving." (Fayan offered an alternative: "He does not understand the ancients' words.")

李翱尚書見老宿獨坐問曰。端居丈室當何所務。老宿曰。法身凝寂無去無來(法眼別雲。汝作什麼來。法燈別雲。非公境界)。

Minister Li Ao saw an old adept sitting alone and asked, "Sitting upright in the ten-foot room, what does one attend to?" The old adept said, "The dharma body is still and quiescent, neither going nor coming." (Fayan offered an alternative: "What did you come for?" Fadeng offered an alternative: "It is not your lordship's realm.")

有道流在佛殿前背坐。僧曰。道士莫背佛。道流曰。大德本教中道。佛身充滿於法界。向什麼處坐得。僧無對(法眼代雲。識得汝)。

There was a Daoist who sat with his back to the Buddha hall. A monk said, "Daoist, do not sit with your back to the Buddha." The Daoist said, "Great Virtue, in your own teaching it says that the Buddha's body fills the dharma realm. Where can one sit?" The monk had no reply. (Fayan substituted: "I recognize you.")

禪月詩云。禪客相逢只彈指。此心能有幾人知。大隨和尚舉問禪月。如何是此心。無對(歸宗柔代雲。能有幾人知)。

Chan Yue's poem says, "When Chan guests meet, they only snap their fingers. This mind—how many can know it?" Reverend Dasui brought this up and asked Chan Yue, "What is this mind?" He had no reply. (Guizong Rou substituted: "How many can know it?")

台州六通院僧欲渡船。有人問。既是六通為什麼假船。無對(天台韶國師代雲。不欲驚眾)。

A monk of Liutong Monastery in Taizhou wanted to cross by boat. Someone asked, "Since he has the six supernatural powers, why does he need a boat?" He had no reply. (National Teacher Tiantai Shao substituted: "He does not wish to alarm the crowd.")

聖僧像被屋漏滴。有人問。既是聖僧為什麼有漏(天台國師代雲。無漏不是聖僧)。

A statue of the holy monk was dripped on by a leak in the roof. Someone asked, "Since he is a holy monk, why is there leakage?" (National Teacher Tiantai substituted: "Without leakage it would not be a holy monk.")

死魚浮於水上。有人問僧。魚豈不是以水為命。僧曰是。曰為什麼卻向水中死。無對(杭州天龍機和尚代雲。是伊為什麼不去岸上死)。

A dead fish floated on the water. Someone asked a monk, "Is it not that a fish takes water as its life?" The monk said, "Yes." He said, "Why then did it die in the water?" The monk had no reply. (Hangzhou Tianlong Ji, the monk, said on his behalf, "Why did it not go to the shore to die?")

僧問雲臺欽和尚。如何是真言。欽曰。南無佛陀耶(大章如菴主別雲。作麼作麼)。

A monk asked Yuntai Qin, the monk, "What is the true word?" Qin said, "Namo Buddhaya." (Dazhang Ru'an, the master, separately said, "What do you make of it? What do you make of it?")

江南國主問老宿。予有一頭水牯牛萬裡無寸草。未審向什麼處放(歸宗柔代雲。好放處)。

The ruler of Jiangnan asked an old worthy, "Suppose I had one water buffalo, and for ten thousand li there was not an inch of grass. I wonder where it should be pastured." (Guizong Rou said on his behalf, "A good place to pasture.")

南泉和尚遷化。陸亙大夫來慰院主問。大夫何不哭先師。大夫曰。院主道得亙即哭。無對(歸宗柔代雲。哭哭)。

Nanquan, the master, passed away. Official Lu Gen came to offer condolences. The monastery steward asked, "Why does the official not weep for the late master?" The official said, "If the steward can say something, then I, Gen, will weep." The steward had no reply. (Guizong Rou said on his behalf, "Weep, weep.")

江南相馮延巳與數僧遊鍾山。至一人泉問。一人泉許多人爭得足。一僧對曰。不教欠少。延已不肯。乃別雲。誰人欠少(法眼別雲。誰是不足者)。

Jiangnan Minister Feng Yansi was traveling in Zhongshan with several monks. When they reached One Man Spring, he asked, "One Man Spring—how could many people get enough from it?" One monk replied, "Do not let it be lacking." Yansi did not approve, and then separately said, "Who is lacking?" (Fayan separately said, "Who is the one who is insufficient?")

有施主婦人入院行眾僧隨年錢。僧曰。聖僧前著一分。婦人曰。聖僧年多少。僧無對(法眼代雲。心期滿處即知)。

A laywoman donor entered the monastery and distributed the annual allowance to the monks. A monk said, "Set aside one share for the sage monk." The woman said, "How old is the sage monk?" The monk had no reply. (Fayan said on his behalf, "When the mind's aspiration is full, then one knows.")

法燈問新到僧。近離什麼處曰廬山。師拈起香合曰。廬山還有遮箇也無。僧無對(師自代雲。尋香來禮拜和尚)。

Fadeng asked a newly arrived monk, "Where have you recently come from?" He said, "Mount Lu." The master picked up an incense box and said, "Does Mount Lu also have this?" The monk had no reply. (The master said on his behalf, "I came seeking incense to bow to the master.")

僧問仰山。彎弓滿月齧鏃意如何。仰山曰。齧鏃。僧擬開口。仰山曰。開口驢年也不會。僧無對(南泉代側身而立)。

A monk asked Yangshan, "The bow is bent like a full moon; what is the meaning of biting the arrowhead?" Yangshan said, "Biting the arrowhead." The monk was about to open his mouth. Yangshan said, "If you open your mouth, you still will not understand even in the year of the donkey." The monk had no reply. (Nanquan said on his behalf, turning sideways and standing.)

有一行者隨法師入佛殿。行者向佛而唾。法師曰。行者少去就何以唾佛。行者曰。將無佛處來與某甲唾。無對(溈山雲。仁者卻不仁者。不仁者卻仁者。仰山代法師雲。但唾行者。又云。行者若有語即向伊道。還我無行者處來)。

Once a postulant accompanied a Dharma master into the Buddha hall. The postulant spat at the Buddha. The Dharma master said, "Postulant, you lack manners; why spit at the Buddha?" The postulant said, "Bring me the place where there is no Buddha for me to spit." The Dharma master had no reply. (Weishan said, "The benevolent are not benevolent; the unbenevolent are benevolent." Yangshan said on behalf of the Dharma master, "Just spit at the postulant." He also said, "If the postulant had something to say, then tell him: return to me the place where there is no postulant.")

偃臺感山主到圓通院相看。第一座問曰。圓通無路。山主爭得到來(歸宗柔代雲。不期又得相見)。

Yantai Gan, the mountain master, came to Yuan Tong Court to visit. The first seat asked, "Yuan Tong has no road. How did the mountain master manage to arrive?" (Guizong Rou said on his behalf, "I did not expect to meet again.")

有僧入冥見地藏菩薩。地藏問。是爾平生修何業。僧曰。念法華經。曰止止不須說我法妙難思。為是說是不說。無對(歸宗柔代雲。此迴歸去敢請流通)。

A monk entered the underworld and saw Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Ksitigarbha asked, "What karma have you cultivated in your life?" The monk said, "I recite the Lotus Sutra." He said, "Stop, stop, there is no need to speak. My Dharma is wondrous and hard to conceive. Is this speaking or not speaking?" The monk had no reply. (Guizong Rou said on his behalf, "This time when you return, I venture to ask you to circulate it.")

歸宗柔和尚問僧。看什麼經。曰寶積經。柔曰。既是沙門為什麼看寶積。無對(柔自代雲。古今用無極)。

Guizong Rou, the monk, asked a monk, "What scripture are you reading?" He said, "The Ratnakuta Sutra." Rou said, "Since you are a monk, why read the Ratnakuta?" The monk had no reply. (Rou himself said on his behalf, "Ancient and modern use the boundless.")

劉禹端公因雨問先雲居和尚。雨從何來。曰從端公問處來。端公歡喜讚歎。雲居卻問端公從何來。無語。有老宿代雲。適來道什麼(歸宗柔別雲。謝和尚再三)。

Because of rain, Official Liu Yuduan asked the late master Yunju, "Where does rain come from?" He said, "It comes from where the official asks." The official was delighted and praised him. Yunju then asked the official where he came from. The official had nothing to say. An old worthy said on his behalf, "What did you just say?" (Guizong Rou separately said, "Thank you, master, again and again.")

昔有三僧雲遊。擬謁徑山和尚。遇一婆子時方收稻次。一僧問曰。徑山路何處去。婆曰。驀直去。僧曰。前頭水深過得否。曰不濕腳。僧又問。上岸稻得恁麼好。下岸稻得恁麼怯。曰下岸稻總被螃蟹吃卻也。僧曰。太香生。曰勿氣息。僧又問婆。住在什麼處。曰只在遮裡。三僧乃入店內。婆煎茶一瓶將盞子三箇安盤上謂曰。和尚有神通者即吃茶。三人無對。又不敢傾茶。婆曰。看老朽自逞神通也。於是便拈盞子傾茶行。

Formerly, three monks were wandering about on pilgrimage, intending to call upon Master Jingshan. They met an old woman just as she was harvesting rice. One monk asked, "Where is the road to Jingshan?" The old woman said, "Go straight on." The monk said, "Ahead the water is deep—can we get across?" She said, "You won't get your feet wet." The monk again asked, "The rice on the upper bank is so good, why is the rice on the lower bank so poor?" She said, "The rice on the lower bank has all been eaten by crabs." The monk said, "It is too fragrant." She said, "Don't make a smell." The monk again asked the old woman, "Where do you live?" She said, "Right here." The three monks then entered the shop. The old woman boiled a pot of tea, placed three cups on a tray, and said, "If the reverend monks have spiritual powers, then drink tea." The three men had no reply, and again did not dare pour the tea. The old woman said, "Watch this old crone show off her own spiritual powers." Thereupon she picked up the cups, poured the tea, and served it.

法眼和尚謂小兒日。因子識得爾爺爾爺名什麼。無對(法燈代雲。但將衣袖掩面)。

Master Fayan said to a small child, "Because of your mother I recognize your father. What is your father's name?" There was no reply. (Fadeng spoke in place of the child: "Just cover your face with your sleeve.")

法眼卻問一僧。若是孝順之子合下得一轉語。且道合下得什麼語。無對(法眼自代雲。他是孝順之子)。

Fayan then asked a monk, "If he were a filial son, he ought to give a turning phrase. Tell me, what phrase ought he to give?" There was no reply. (Fayan himself spoke in place of the reply: "He is a filial son.")

僧問講彌陀經座主。水鳥樹林皆悉念佛念法念僧作麼生講。坐主曰。基法師道。真友不待請如母赴嬰兒。僧曰。如何是真友不待請(法眼代雲。此是基法師語)。

A monk asked the lecturer on the Amitabha Sutra, "Water birds and trees all chant Buddha, chant Dharma, chant Sangha. How do you lecture on that?" The lecturer said, "Master Ji said: A true friend does not wait to be invited, like a mother going to her infant." The monk said, "How is it that a true friend does not wait to be invited?" (Fayan spoke in place of the reply: "These are Master Ji's words.")

泉州王延彬入招慶院。見方丈門閉問演侍者。有人敢道大師在否。演曰。有人敢道大師不在否(法眼別雲。太傅識大師)。

Wang Yanbin of Quanzhou entered Zhaoqing Monastery. Seeing the abbot's quarters closed, he asked Attendant Yan, "Is there anyone who dares say the Master is here?" Yan said, "Is there anyone who dares say the Master is not here?" (Fayan said separately: "The Grand Tutor recognizes the Master.")

僧舉。佛說法有一女人忽來問訊。便於佛前入定。時文殊近前彈指。出此女人定不得。又托昇梵天亦出不得。佛曰。假使百千文殊亦出此女人定不得。下方有網明菩薩能出此定。須臾網明便至問訊佛了。去女人前彈指一聲。女人便從定而起(五雲和尚雲。不唯文殊不能出此定。但恐如來也出此定不得。只如教意怎生體解)。

A monk cited: When the Buddha was preaching the Dharma, a woman suddenly came to pay her respects and then entered samadhi right in front of the Buddha. Then Manjushri came forward and snapped his fingers, but could not bring that woman out of her samadhi. He also had her taken up to the Brahma heaven, and still could not bring her out. The Buddha said, "Even if there were hundreds of thousands of Manjushris, they still could not bring this woman out of her samadhi. Below there is a bodhisattva named Wangming who can bring her out of this samadhi." In a moment Wangming arrived, paid his respects to the Buddha, then went before the woman and snapped his fingers once, and the woman rose from samadhi. (Master Wuyun said, "Not only can Manjushri not bring her out of this samadhi; I fear even the Tathagata cannot bring her out of this samadhi. But as for the meaning of the teaching, how do you understand it?")

誌公雲。每日拈香擇火不知身是道場。玄沙雲。每日拈香擇火不知真箇道場(玄覺徵雲。只如此二尊者語還有親疎也無)。

Zhigong said, "Every day picking incense and choosing fire, not knowing the body is the bodhimanda." Xuansha said, "Every day picking incense and choosing fire, not knowing the true bodhimanda." (Xuanjue added as a challenge: "Just as with these two venerable ones' words, is there still intimacy or distance or not?")

雲巖院主遊石室迴。雲巖問。汝去入到石室裡許看為只恁麼便迴來(院主無對)洞山代雲。彼中已有人占了也。雲巖曰。汝更去作什麼。洞山曰。不可人情斷絕去也。

The director of Yunyan Monastery returned from visiting Shishi. Yunyan asked, "When you went in and got as far as Shishi, did you only look that much and then come back?" (The director had no reply.) Dongshan spoke in place of the reply: "Someone over there has already occupied it." Yunyan said, "Why go there again?" Dongshan said, "One cannot cut off human feelings and go."

鹽官會下有一主事僧。將死鬼使來取。僧告曰。某甲身為主事未暇修行。乞容七日得否。使曰。待為白王。若許即七日後來。不然須臾便至。言訖去。至七日後方來覓其僧不見。後有人舉問一僧。若來時如何抵擬他(洞山代雲。被他覓得也)洞山會下有老宿去雲巖迴。洞山問。汝去雲巖作什麼。答雲。不會(洞山自代雲。堆堆地)。

At Yanguan's assembly there was a monk serving as administrator. When he was about to die, a ghost messenger came to fetch him. The monk said, "I am the administrator and have had no leisure to practice. May I beg leave for seven days?" The messenger said, "I will wait to report to the king. If he permits, I will come back after seven days. Otherwise I will come again in a moment." Having said this, he left. He came back only after seven days and looked for the monk but did not see him. Later someone cited this and asked a monk, "If he comes, how will you counter him?" (Dongshan spoke in place of the reply: "He has been found by him.") Under Dongshan's assembly there was an old worthy who returned from Yunyan. Dongshan asked, "Why did you go to Yunyan?" He answered, "I do not understand." (Dongshan himself spoke in place of the reply: "Heaped up, indeed.")

臨濟見僧來舉起拂子。僧禮拜。師便打。別僧來。師舉拂子。僧並不顧。師亦打。又一僧來參。師舉拂子。僧曰。謝和尚見示。師亦打(雲門代雲。只疑老漢。大覺雲。得即得猶未見臨濟機在)。

Linji saw a monk coming and raised his whisk. The monk bowed. The master then struck him. Another monk came. The master raised his whisk. The monk did not even glance. The master also struck him. Yet another monk came to consult. The master raised his whisk. The monk said, "Thank you, Reverend, for showing me." The master also struck him. (Yunmen said in substitution, "I only suspect the old fellow." Dajue said, "You get it, but you still have not seen where Linji's mechanism is.")

閩王送玄沙和尚上船。玄沙扣船召曰。大王。爭能出得遮裡去。王曰。在裡許得多少時也(歸宗柔別雲。不因和尚不得到遮裡)。

The King of Min saw off Reverend Xuansha aboard a boat. Xuansha knocked on the boat and called out, saying, "Great King, how could you get out of here?" The King said, "How long have you been in here?" (Guizong Rou said in substitution, "If not for the Reverend, I would not have arrived here.")

僧問老宿。如何是密室中人。老宿曰。有客不答話(玄沙雲。何曾密。歸宗柔別老宿雲爾因什麼得見)。

A monk asked an old adept, "What is the person in the secret chamber?" The old adept said, "There is a guest; I do not answer." (Xuansha said, "How was it ever secret?" Guizong Rou said in substitution for the old adept, "How is it that you can see?")

法眼和尚問講百法論僧。百法是體用雙陳。明門是能所兼舉。座主是能法座是所。作麼生說兼舉(有老宿代雲。某甲喚作箇法座。歸宗柔別雲。不勞和尚如此)。

Reverend Fayan asked a monk who lectured on the Hundred Dharmas Treatise, "The Hundred Dharmas present both essence and function. The Gate of Illumination simultaneously raises both subject and object. The lecturer is the subject, the Dharma seat is the object. How do you explain the simultaneous raising?" (An old adept said in substitution, "I call it a Dharma seat." Guizong Rou said in substitution, "No need for the Reverend to be like this.")

僧舉教雲。文殊忽起佛見法見。被佛威神攝向二鐵圍山(五雲曰。什麼處是二鐵圍山。還會麼。如今若有人起佛法之見。吾與烹茶兩甌。且道賞伊罰伊。同教意不同教意)。

A monk cited the teachings, saying, "When Manjushri suddenly gave rise to the view of Buddha and the view of Dharma, he was seized by the Buddha's majestic power and taken to the two Iron Enclosure Mountains." (Wuyun said, "Where are the two Iron Enclosure Mountains? Do you understand? If someone today gives rise to views of Buddha and Dharma, I will brew two cups of tea for him. Tell me, is this rewarding him or punishing him? Is it in accord with the teaching's intent or not?")

洪州大寧院上狀請第二座開堂。人問。何不請第一座(法眼代雲。不勞如此)。

Da'ning Monastery in Hongzhou submitted a petition requesting the second seat to open the hall. Someone asked, "Why not invite the first seat?" (Fayan said in substitution, "No need for it to be like this.")

洞山行腳時會一官人曰。三祖信心銘弟子擬注。洞山曰。才有是非紛然失心。作麼生注(法眼代雲。恁麼即弟子不注也)。

When Dongshan was on pilgrimage, he met an official who said, "I intend to write a commentary on the Third Patriarch's Inscription on Faith in Mind." Dongshan said, "As soon as there is right and wrong, the mind is thrown into confusion and lost. How will you comment?" (Fayan said in substitution, "If so, then I will not comment.")

法眼和尚因患腳。僧問訊次師曰。非人來時不能動。及至人來動不得。且道佛法中下得什麼語。僧曰。和尚且喜得較。師不肯(自別雲。和尚今日似減)。

Reverend Fayan was suffering from a foot ailment. When a monk came to inquire after him, the master said, "When non-humans come, it cannot move. When humans come, it cannot move either. Tell me, what phrase can be placed in the Buddhadharma?" The monk said, "Reverend, you are fortunate to be somewhat better." The master did not approve. (He himself said in substitution, "The Reverend today seems a bit improved.")