大慧普覺禪師宗門武庫 1.88

1.88

Chan Master Xuan of Guizong, a native of Hanzhou, was an heir of Guangzhao of Langya and had a close friendship with Guo Gongfu. Suddenly, one day the prefect of Nankang pressed him with an official matter. Xuan sent someone with a letter dispatched swiftly to Gongfu, and warned the messenger, saying, “Do not let the magistrate's wife see it.” Gongfu was at that time serving as the sheriff of Nanchang. The letter read: “I still have six years of worldly karmic conditions unexhausted; today, unable to bear the oppression, I wish to take rebirth in your family, hoping you will look after me.” He then passed away. When Gongfu received the letter, he was filled with surprise and joy. In the middle of the night, in a dream-like vision, his wife saw Xuan entering the bedroom, and she involuntarily blurted out, “This is not a place for a monk to come!” Gongfu asked her the reason, and his wife answered with what she had seen. Gongfu called for a lamp and showed her Xuan’s letter; indeed, she was pregnant. When the child was born, he was named Xuanlao. When he was just one full year old, his memory and inquiry were as of old. By the time he was three years old, Master Baiyun Duan passed by their house. Gongfu called him out to meet him; as soon as the child saw him from afar, he called him Dharma Nephew. Duan said, “How many years have we been parted from each other, Master?” Xuan bent his fingers and said, “Four years.” Duan said, “Where did we part?” Xuan said, “At White Lotus Manor.” Duan said, “What is the proof of it?” Xuan said, “Papa and Mama will invite the Venerable to a meal tomorrow.” Suddenly, a handcart passed by outside the gate. Duan said, “What sound is that outside the gate?” Xuan made the gesture of pushing a cart. Duan said, “After it has passed, what is it like?” Xuan said, “A trench in the flat ground.” When he reached just six years of age, he passed away without illness.