雲門匡真禪師廣錄 3.192

3.192

伏聞：有限色身，詎免榮枯之歎；無形實相，孰云遷變之期。既風燈炬焰難留，在水月空華何適，罔避典彛之咎，將陳委蛻之詞，臣中謝。伏念臣跡本寒微生，從草莽爰自髫齓，切慕空門，潔誠誓屏於他緣，銳志唯探於內典，其或忘餐待問、立雪求知，困風霜於十七年間、涉南北於數千里外，始見心猿罷跳、意馬休馳，身隈韶石之雲、頭變楚山之雪，以至榮逢景運，屢沐天波，詰道談空，誓答乾坤之德，開蒙發滯，星馳雲水之徒，獲揚利益之因，逈自聖明之澤，加以聯叨鳳詔、累對龍庭，繼奉頒宣、重疊慶賜，撫躬惆悵，殞命何酬！不謂臣駑馬年衰，難勝睿渥，遽縈淪於疲瘵，唯待盡於朝昏。星漢程遙，遐眄而纔瞻北極；波濤去速，迴眸而已逐東流。伏願，鳳曆長春，扇皇風於拂石之劫；龍圖永固，齊壽考於芥子之城。臣限餘景無時，微躬將謝，不獲奔辭丹闕、祝別彤庭，臣無任瞻天戀聖，激切屏營之至，謹奉表以聞。

I have respectfully heard: how can the finite physical body avoid the lament of flourishing and withering? How can anyone speak of a time of alteration for the formless dharmatā? Since the flame of the torch in the wind is hard to detain, and the moon in the water and flowers in the sky have nowhere to go, without avoiding the fault of violating conventional etiquette, I am about to offer words on casting off this molted husk; your subject expresses profound gratitude. I humbly reflect that your subject's origins were originally humble and lowly, born from the wilderness. Ever since childhood, I earnestly yearned for the gate of emptiness; with pure sincerity, I vowed to abandon other worldly ties, and with sharp determination, I explored solely the inner scriptures. Sometimes forgetting meals while waiting to ask questions, or standing in the snow seeking knowledge, I suffered wind and frost for seventeen years and traversed north and south over several thousand leagues, before I finally saw the mind-monkey cease jumping and the thought-horse rest its gallop. My body nestled in the clouds of the Shaoshi rocks, and my head turned into the snow of the Chu mountains. Eventually I had the honor of meeting the glorious era and repeatedly bathed in heavenly grace; discussing the Way and discoursing on emptiness, I vowed to repay the virtue of heaven and earth. Enlightening the ignorant and inspiring the stagnant, followers of clouds and water rushed like shooting stars; that I was able to propagate the causes of benefit was entirely due to the sagacious and enlightened benevolence. Moreover, I repeatedly received imperial edicts and multiple times faced the dragon court, continuously receiving proclamations and heaped-up celebratory gifts. Looking upon myself, I feel melancholy; how could giving my life repay it! Unexpectedly, your subject is an old horse worn down by years, unable to bear the imperial benevolence, and have suddenly fallen into weary illness, only awaiting my end from morning to evening. The path of the Milky Way is far away; gazing into the distance, I barely look toward the Northern Star. The surging waves flow rapidly away; turning my gaze, they have already followed the eastern stream. I humbly wish that the phoenix calendar may enjoy eternal spring, fanning the imperial style throughout the kalpa of rubbing the rock; and that the dragon charts may stand firm forever, matching long life with the city of mustard seeds. Your subject's remaining daylight is running out and will soon end; my humble body is about to perish, unable to hasten to the vermilion palace gates to bid farewell and pray before the scarlet court. Your subject, beyond measure in looking up to Heaven and longing for the Sage, with the utmost agitated anxiety and trepidation, respectfully presents this memorial to be heard.