虛堂和尚語錄 10.178

10.178

師諱智愚，四明象山陳氏子，虛堂其號也。家近邑之普明寺，相距一里許，有山，其祖欲卜壽穴，相者謂：「此地高則廕子孫富盛，低則當出異僧。」祖曰：「願得僧以副吾崇佛之志。」及祖葬未數年，母鄭氏甞夢一老僧脩而癯，長挹乞飯，因而娠焉。逮生之夕，母復夢如前。年十二，父母携師，拜祖墳，言其事，師若有所憶。至十六歲，無經世意，父母見有異相，舌貫鼻端，聽其依普明寺僧師蘊出家。一日聞誦杜工部天河詩「長時任顯悔，秋至輒分明，縱被微雲掩，終能永夜清。」忽有警發，辭親出鄉，首依雪竇煥和尚、淨慈中庵皎和尚，公務外，惟坐禪，二老撫愛，常置之左右。道過金山，掩室和尚一見甚器重，通夕與語無倦。是時運庵師祖謝事，真之天寧，解后語話，見其氣宇不凡，未幾赴道場，携師過霅上薙染，為不釐務侍者，凡入室，常舉古帆未掛因緣，不許下語。思之，古帆未掛話，有甚難會，其實只是一漚未發已前事，何得不教人下語？造方丈，通見解聲未絕，庵云：「何不合取狗口？靜地裏密密體取去。」歸寮不覺躁悶，忽然會得古帆未掛話，清淨行者不入涅槃話。次日入室，却問：「南泉斬猫兒如何？」師云：「大地載不起。」庵低頭微笑。自此遍歷諸大老之門，與石帆衍叔結盟，游江淮湘漢，巡禮祖塔，坐夏荊門玉泉。因思虞察院於疎山壽塔因緣發明，孜孜參究，因過廬山。大雪彌月，在東林旦過堂，夜坐無心中，會得大嶺古佛放光時節，自此凝滯泮然，其時無二月和尚主福嚴，奔走龍象，師往依之，即命典藏。有脩首座飽參碩學，歸隱南嶽，影不出山，未甞容易肯可諸方，師與商略古今，反覆博約，深相契合。有北禪禮和尚，機辯峻捷，衲子少得登其門者，師一日訪之，厲聲曰：「新到相看。」禮云：「長老不在。」師云：「已得真人好消息。」禮出喚行者云：「新到僧在那裏？」師指露柱云：「和尚問，爾何不答？」禮云：「甚處來？」師云：「福嚴。」禮云：「行李在甚麼處？」師云：「在旦過堂。」禮云：「我不問爾者箇行李。」師云：「若是那箇行李，北禪門下著不得，傾倒不忍舍。」由是回浙到淨慈。見淨和尚，淨問云：「爾還知所生父母通身紅爛，在荊棘林中麼？」師云：「好事不在怱忙。」淨隨後打一拳，師展兩手云：「且緩緩。」時笑翁和尚住靈隱，以虎丘舊職，命師再尸藏事，舉住杭之廣覺，力辭忠獻史衛王秉鈞軸。嘉禾天寧別浦，以師名聞之，出世興聖，實紹定二年也。復遷報恩，開府存畊趙公，以明之顯孝，力請開山，復遷瑞巖，二年丐退，掩關啟霞，萃成頌古代別。延福虛席，侍郎黃公堅請主之，繼遷婺之寶林。五年嬰強𡨥之難，歸松源塔下。東谷和尚主冷泉，欲舉立僧，恐不俯就，衲子再三禮請，師從之，開室普說，垂三轉語，罔有湊泊。寶祐戊午，育王虛席，禪衲毅然陳乞，有司節齋尚書陳公，嘉其公議，特與敷奏，是年四月領寺事。三年，吳制相信讒懷隙，辱師欲損其德。師怡然自若，始終拒抗，略無變色。聖旨宣諭釋放，作偈奉謝云：「去時曉露消袢暑，歸日秋聲滿夕陽，恩渥重重何以報，望無雲處祝天長。」古愚余尚書典鄉郡，特以金文延之，迫於晚景，退閑明覺塔下，作終焉計。景定甲子有旨，詔住淨慈，衲子奔集，堂單無以容，半居堂外，上徹宸聽，賜絹百疋造帳米伍伯碩，楮券十萬貫。是年秋，又賜田參阡餘畆，即今天錫莊是也。十月　帝崩，召師入內，對靈普說，兩宮宣賚憂渥。丁卯秋，遷徑山，冬十月　朝廷降香，遣使禱雪，問師期應，師曰：「今夕。」果至期無爽。回奏賜綾牒貳拾道，銀券等，一新僧堂浴堂行堂，區區工役中，猶勵眾無怠。師感兩朝恩遇之寵，將所賜帑帛，創小庵於望雲亭之東，扁曰「天澤」，就築塔為歸藏之地。師平生性不通方，與時寡合，臨事無所寬假，言纔脫口，則釋然無間，以是學者畏而仰之。二十年常舉靈雲兩處不答，徵問衲子，少有契其意者。己巳十月五日，祖忌拈香罷，忽感微疾，越二日，書偈沐浴，端坐而逝。春秋八十五，夏臘五十三，嗣法十數人，語錄二帙，已行於世。門人奉全身，瘞于塔焉。咸淳十年十月十一日，新劄差。

The Master's taboo name was Zhiyu; he was a son of the Chen family of Xiangshan in Siming. 'Xutang' was his appellation. His home was near the Puming Monastery of the county, about a li away, where there was a mountain. His grandfather wished to divine a burial site, and a geomancer said: 'If this ground is high, it will shelter descendants with wealth and flourishing; if low, an extraordinary monk will emerge.' The grandfather said: 'I wish to have a monk to fulfill my aspiration of venerating the Buddha.' Within a few years after the grandfather was buried, his mother, née Zheng, dreamed of an old monk, tall and lean, making a deep bow and begging for food, and she consequently became pregnant. On the night of his birth, the mother dreamed as before. At the age of twelve, his parents brought the Master to pay respects at the ancestral grave; when they spoke of that matter, the Master seemed to recall something. By sixteen, he had no intention of engaging in worldly affairs. His parents saw his extraordinary marks—his tongue could reach the tip of his nose—and permitted him to leave home under the monk Shiyun of Puming Monastery. One day, hearing a recitation of Du Fu's poem 'The Heavenly River'—'Always left to manifest or hide, / When autumn comes it is distinctly clear; / Even if obscured by light clouds, / In the end it can be clear the entire night'—he suddenly experienced an awakening. He bade farewell to his parents, left his hometown, and first relied on Venerable Huan of Xuedou and Venerable Jiao of Zhong'an at Jingci. Outside of official duties, he only sat in meditation; the two elders cherished him and constantly kept him by their sides. Passing by Jinshan, Venerable Yanshi regarded him as a great vessel upon their first meeting, talking with him through the night without fatigue. At that time, Patriarch Master Yun'an had retired from his duties and was living in Tianning at Zhenzhou; meeting by chance and conversing, he saw that the Master's air and disposition were uncommon. Soon after, he went to lead a training center and brought the Master across to Zhashang to shave his head and dye his robes, making him an attendant without administrative duties. Whenever he entered the room, Yun'an constantly brought up the case of 'the ancient sail is not yet hoisted,' not permitting any word to be spoken. Reflecting upon it, what was so difficult to understand about the case of 'the ancient sail is not yet hoisted'? In truth, it was merely the matter before a single bubble arose—why would he not let someone speak a word? He approached the abbot's quarters, and before the sound of reporting his view had ceased, Yun'an said: 'Why don't you close your dog mouth and go secretly embody it in a quiet place?' Returning to the dormitory, he felt an unconscious restlessness, and suddenly understood the phrase 'the ancient sail is not yet hoisted' and the phrase 'the pure practitioner does not enter nirvāṇa.' The next day he entered the room, and Yun'an instead asked: 'How about Nanquan cutting the cat?' The Master said: 'The great earth cannot bear it.' Yun'an lowered his head and smiled faintly. From then on he traveled widely through the gates of various great elders, forming an alliance with Uncle Yan of Shifan, roaming through Jianghuai, Xiang, and Han, making pilgrimages to patriarchal pagodas, and spending the summer retreat at Yuquan in Jingmen. Reflecting on Inspector Yu's awakening through the case of Shushan's stupa, he diligently investigated it. He then passed Mount Lu; heavy snow lasted for a full month, and in the overnight hall of Donglin, while sitting at night with no mind, he understood the occasion when the ancient buddha of Daling emitted light. From then on, his blockages melted away. At that time, Venerable Wuer Yue was abbot of Fuyan, where dragons and elephants gathered; the Master went to rely on him, and was immediately appointed librarian. There was Chief Seat Xiu, a veteran of vast learning who had retired to Nanyue and never let his shadow leave the mountain, rarely approving of anyone from any direction; the Master discussed ancient and modern with him, extensively and concisely, and they deeply agreed with each other. There was Venerable Li of Beichan, whose dynamic sharpness was swift and precipitous, such that few patch-robed monks could enter his gate. One day the Master visited him and called out loudly: 'The newcomer comes to pay respects!' Li said: 'The elder is not here.' The Master said: 'I have already received good news of the true person.' Li came out, called an attendant, and said: 'Where is the newly arrived monk?' The Master pointed to the exposed pillar and said: 'The upādhyāya asks, why do you not answer?' Li said: 'Where did you come from?' The Master said: 'Fuyan.' Li said: 'Where is your luggage?' The Master said: 'In the overnight hall.' Li said: 'I am not asking about that luggage of yours.' The Master said: 'If it were that luggage, Beichan's gate could not contain it; I pour it out and cannot bear to leave it.' Thereupon he returned to Zhe and arrived at Jingci. Meeting Venerable Jing, Jing asked: 'Do you know that the parents who bore you have their whole bodies red and ulcerated in the briar patch?' The Master said: 'Good things are not done in a hurry.' Jing followed with a punch; the Master spread his two hands and said: 'Just take it easy.' At that time Venerable Xiaoweng was residing at Lingyin; because of the Master's former post at Huqiu, he commanded the Master to manage the canon once again, and recommended him to reside at Guangjue in Hangzhou. He firmly declined, but Duke Shi Weiwang of Zhongxian held the reins of power; Biepu of Tianning in Jiahe brought the Master's name to his attention, and he appeared in the world at Xingsheng—this was truly the second year of the Shaoding era [1229]. He was then transferred to Bao'en. Grand Preceptor Zhao Cungeng, on account of Xianxiao in Mingzhou, earnestly invited him to be the founding abbot. He then moved to Ruiyan; after two years he begged to retire, shut his doors at Qixia, and compiled verses on ancient cases and alternate verses. The seat at Yanfu becoming vacant, Vice Minister Duke Huang firmly requested him to lead it; subsequently he was transferred to Baolin in Wu. In his fifth year, he encountered the calamity of violent bandits, and returned beneath the pagoda of Songyuan. Venerable Donggu was abbot of Lengquan, and wished to recommend him as front-seat monk; fearing he would not comply, the patch-robed monks repeatedly bowed and requested him, and the Master consented. Opening his room to give general discourses, he put forward three turning words, yet none could approach them. In the wuwu year of the Baoyou era [1258], the seat of Yuwang became vacant; the Chan monks resolutely submitted a petition, and Minister Chen Jizhai of the authorities, praising their fair deliberation, specially submitted a memorial to the throne. In the fourth month of that year, the Master took charge of temple affairs. After three years, Military Commissioner Wu believed slander and harbored resentment, insulting the Master in a desire to damage his virtue. The Master was calm and composed, resisting from beginning to end, his countenance completely unchanged. An imperial edict declared his release, and he composed a verse to offer thanks: 'When I left, morning dew dispelled the stifling heat; / On the day of return, autumn sounds fill the setting sun. / How can I repay such heavy grace and favor? / Gazing where there are no clouds, I pray for the longevity of Heaven.' Minister Yu Guyu, who governed the local commandery, specially invited him with an engraved text; pressed by his advanced years, the Master retired to rest beneath the pagoda of Mingjue, planning to make it his final place. In the jiazi year of the Jingding era [1264], an edict was issued commanding him to reside at Jingci. Patch-robed monks rushed to gather; the hall registers could not accommodate them, and half lived outside the hall. This reached the Emperor's ears, and he bestowed one hundred bolts of silk to make canopies, five hundred piculs of rice, and one hundred thousand strings of paper money. In the autumn of that year, he was also granted more than three thousand mu of land, which is the present Tianci Estate. In the tenth month, the Emperor passed away; the Master was summoned to the palace to give a general discourse before the imperial spirit, and the two palaces bestowed abundant gifts. In the autumn of the dingmao year [1267], he moved to Jingshan. In the tenth month of winter, the court sent incense and dispatched an emissary to pray for snow, asking the Master when it would respond; the Master said: 'Tonight.' Indeed, it arrived at the time without fail. Reporting back to the court, he was granted twenty ordination certificates, silver certificates, and so forth. He completely renewed the monks' hall, the bathhouse, and the practitioners' hall; even amidst minor construction labors, he still urged the assembly never to be idle. The Master was deeply moved by the imperial favor of two reigns; using the bestowed treasury silks, he built a small hermitage east of the Wangyun Pavilion, plaque-named 'Tianze,' and constructed a pagoda beside it as his burial place. Throughout his life, the Master's nature was uncompromising, and he had few agreements with the worldly trends; when facing matters he made no allowances, yet as soon as words left his mouth, he was at ease and without separation; therefore students feared and looked up to him. For twenty years, he constantly brought up Lingyun's two points of no answer, examining patch-robed monks, but few ever matched his intent. On the fifth day of the tenth month of the yisi year [1269], after offering incense on the patriarchal memorial day, he suddenly felt a slight illness. After two days, he wrote a verse, bathed, sat upright, and passed away. His spring and autumn were eighty-five; his monastic age was fifty-three. More than ten men inherited his Dharma. His recorded sayings in two fascicles already circulate in the world. His disciples took his whole body and entombed it in the pagoda. On the eleventh day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the Xianchun era [1274], under the newly issued official appointment.