大慧普覺禪師宗門武庫 1.10

1.10

葉縣省和尚嚴冷枯淡，衲子敬畏之。浮山遠天衣懷在眾時，特往參扣，正值雪寒，省訶罵驅逐，以至將水潑旦過，衣服皆濕，其他僧皆怒而去，惟遠懷併疊敷具整衣，復坐於旦過中。省到訶曰：「爾更不去，我打爾。」遠近前云：「某二人數千里，特來參和尚禪，豈以一杓水潑之便去？若打殺也不去。」省笑曰：「爾兩箇要參禪，却去挂搭。」續請遠充典座，眾苦其枯淡，省偶出莊，遠竊鑰匙取油麵作五味粥，粥熟省忽歸赴堂，粥罷坐堂外令請典座，遠至首云：「實取油麵煮粥，情願乞和尚責罰。」省令算所直，估衣鉢還訖，打三十拄杖出院。遠舍於市中，託道友解免，省不允，又曰：「若不容歸，秖乞隨眾入室。」亦不允。一日出街次，見遠獨於旅邸前立，乃云：「此是院門房廊，爾在此住許多時，曾還租錢否？」令計所欠追取。遠無難色，持鉢於市化錢還之。省又一日出街，見之持鉢，歸為眾曰：「遠真有意參禪。」遂呼其歸。

Venerable Yexian Sheng was austere, cold, withered, and plain, so patch-robed monks revered and feared him. When Fushan Yuan and Tianyi Huai were among the assembly, they specially went to call upon and question him. It was just during the freezing snow; Sheng scolded, cursed, and drove them out, even throwing water into the transient quarters so that their robes were all soaked. The other monks all left in anger, but Yuan and Huai alone folded their spreadings, adjusted their robes, and sat back down in the transient quarters. Sheng came up and scolded them, "If you still do not leave, I will strike you." Yuan stepped forward and said, "The two of us have traveled several thousand li specially to investigate the Venerable's Chan. How could we leave just because a ladle of water was thrown on us? Even if you beat us to death, we would not leave." Sheng laughed and said, "If the two of you want to investigate Chan, go register for quarters." Later he invited Yuan to serve as cook. The assembly suffered from his withered plainness. When Sheng happened to go out to the estate, Yuan secretly took the key, fetched oil and flour, and made five-flavor porridge. When the porridge was done, Sheng suddenly returned and joined the meal in the hall. After the porridge, he sat outside the hall and ordered the cook to be summoned. When Yuan arrived, he confessed first, "I indeed took the oil and flour to cook the porridge; I willingly beg the Venerable to punish me." Sheng ordered the cost to be calculated, assessed the value of his robes and bowl to repay it fully, struck him thirty blows with the staff, and expelled him from the monastery. Yuan stayed in the marketplace and entrusted friends in the Dharma to plead for him, but Sheng refused. He further said, "If you will not allow me to return, I only ask to follow the assembly into the room." He also refused. One day, while walking in the street, Sheng saw Yuan standing alone in front of an inn, and said, "These are monastery lodgings. You have stayed here so long; have you ever paid the rent?" He ordered the arrears to be calculated and recovered. Yuan showed no sign of hardship; carrying his bowl in the marketplace, he begged for money and repaid it. On another day, Sheng went out into the street again and saw him carrying his bowl. Returning, he said to the assembly, "Yuan is truly intent on investigating Chan." He then called him back.