大慧普覺禪師宗門武庫 1.23

1.23

Yong Huayan was a spiritual son of Chan Master Yuanzhao Ben. Because he stumbled and fell, he had an awakening and composed a verse: 'This one fall, this one fall— / Ten thousand ounces of yellow gold it would take to balance it! / A bamboo hat on the head, a bundle at the waist, / Pure wind and the bright moon carried on the tip of the staff.' Duke Fu Zheng often consulted him; one day, seeing him ascend the hall and look to the left and right, he suddenly accorded with awakening, and sent a verse to Yuanzhao: 'At a single sight of Master Yong, the awakening entered deep; / Through conditions was transmitted the old master's mind. / Separated by a thousand miles of rivers and mountains, / Face to face with the wondrous light and subtle sound.' When Duke Zheng was dismissed from the prime ministership and lived in Luoyang, he longed for Yong's instructions and invited him to dwell at Zhaoti. Hearing that Yong had entered the borders, he went out in person to welcome him. As he was about to board the carriage, Duke Sima Wen happened to arrive and asked: 'Where is Your Excellency going?' Duke Zheng said: 'To receive Chan Master Yong of Zhaoti.' Duke Wen said: 'I will go along as well.' With bridles side by side they rode out of the outer wall and waited at the post station for a long time. Suddenly they saw several dozen carrying-poles pass by. Duke Wen asked whose baggage it was, and the bearers replied: 'It is the baggage of the new Reverend of Zhaoti.' Duke Wen thereupon asked for his horse to return. Duke Zheng asked: 'You wished to see Huayan; why do you return first?' Duke Wen said: 'I have already seen him.' In the end, he returned first. Miaoxi once heard Vice Minister Li Yizhong speak of this.