虛堂和尚語錄 9.64

9.64

上堂，舉：「疎山造壽塔次，知事白云：『將幾錢與匠人？』山云：『為將三文與匠人好？為將兩文與匠人好？為將一文與匠人好？若道得，與吾親造壽塔。』其僧茫然。後有僧舉似大嶺，嶺云：『還有人道得麼？』僧云：『未有人道得。』嶺云：『爾歸舉似和尚，若將三文與匠人，此生決不得塔；若將兩文與匠人，和尚與匠人，共出一隻手；若將一文與匠人，帶累匠人，眉鬚墮落。』僧回舉似疎山，疎山禮拜云：『大嶺古佛，放光射至此間。雖然，也是臘月裏蓮花。』大嶺聞得云：『我與麼道，早是龜毛長數尺。』」師拈云：「二大老向針頭上削鐵擬鑄太阿，殺佛殺祖，爭柰未有人橫點頭。徑山壽塔，是崑山薦嚴嗣子寶葉造來，亦不知其價直。且道，與大嶺古佛放光射至此間，相去多少？」卓主文：「多年曆日如能用，免被巡官指上推。」

Ascending the hall, he cited: "When Shushan was building his longevity stupa, the administrative monk reported, 'How much coin should we give the craftsman?' Shushan said, 'Is it better to give the craftsman three coins? Is it better to give the craftsman two coins? Or is it better to give the craftsman one coin? If you can speak, build the longevity stupa for me in person.' The monk was bewildered. Later, a monk cited this to Daling. Daling said, 'Was there anyone who could say something?' The monk said, 'No one has yet been able to say.' Daling said, 'Go back and cite it to the upādhyāya: if you give the craftsman three coins, in this life you will definitely not obtain a stupa; if you give the craftsman two coins, you and the craftsman will put forth a single hand together; if you give the craftsman one coin, you will implicate the craftsman so that his eyebrows and beard fall off.' The monk returned and cited it to Shushan. Shushan bowed and said, 'Daling, the ancient Buddha, radiates light shining all the way to this place. Even so, it is still a lotus in the twelfth month.' When Daling heard this, he said, 'My speaking like that had already made turtle hair grow several feet long.'" The master brought this up and said: "The two great elders shaved iron from the tip of a needle intending to forge the Tai'e sword to slay buddhas and slay patriarchs, but alas, no one has yet nodded their head sideways. Jingshan's longevity stupa was built by Baoye, the Dharma heir of Jianyan in Kunshan; nor do I know its price. Tell me, how far is it from Daling the ancient Buddha's light shining all the way to this place?" Striking the staff: "If an old calendar can still be used, one avoids being reckoned on the fingertips of the patrol official."