佛果圜悟禪師碧巖錄 2.36

2.36

Suzong and Daizong were both descendants of Xuanzong. When they were crown princes, they always loved practicing Chan. Because there was a great rebel in the realm, Xuanzong fled to Shu. The Tang originally had its capital in Chang'an, but it was usurped and occupied by An Lushan; later the capital was at Luoyang, with Suzong holding the regency. At that time, National Teacher Zhong was staying in a hermitage on Mount Baiya in Dengzhou—which is today the Xiangyan practice center. For more than forty years he did not come down the mountain. His practice of the Way was heard of in the imperial capital. In the second year of the Shangyuan era, [the Emperor] dispatched an imperial envoy with an edict summoning him to the palace, treating him with the etiquette of a teacher, respecting him extremely. Once, when he expounded the supreme Way to the Emperor and the teacher was retiring from court, the Emperor himself held the carriage to see him off. The court ministers all showed displeasure, wishing to memorialize that it was inappropriate. The National Teacher possessed the supernormal knowledge of others' minds, and in advance, seeing the sovereign, memorialized: "Before Śakra, Lord of the Gods, I have seen emperors scattered like millet grains, like flashes of lightning." The Emperor respected him all the more. When Daizong ascended the throne, he again invited him to reside at Guangzhai Monastery for sixteen years, preaching the Dharma in response to potentials until he passed away in the tenth year of the Dali era. The Venerable Monk of Mount Qingcuo in Shannan Prefecture was formerly a fellow traveler of the National Teacher. The National Teacher once memorialized the Emperor to summon him; three edicts were issued, but he did not rise, constantly scolding the National Teacher for being addicted to fame, loving gain, and being attached to the human world. The National Teacher served as National Teacher during three reigns of their father and son. Their father and son simultaneously practiced Chan. According to the examination in the Transmission of the Lamp, this question was posed by Daizong; if it is the question asking the National Teacher, "What is the Regulator of Ten Bodies?", that was asked by Suzong. When the National Teacher's karmic conditions were ending and he was about to enter nirvāṇa, he took leave of Daizong. Daizong asked, "After the National Teacher's hundred years, what will you need?" This was merely an ordinary line of questioning. This old fellow stirred up waves where there was no wind, saying instead, "Build an unbroken stupa for this old monk." Now tell me, under the broad daylight and clear sky, why do this? Just making a stupa would have finished it; why say "make an unbroken stupa"? Daizong was also an adept; he gave him a press, saying, "Please provide the model of the stupa, Teacher." The National Teacher was silent for a good while and said, "Do you understand?" Extraordinary—this tiny bit is the most difficult to investigate! Great as the National Teacher was, pushed by him, his mouth was directly made like a carrying pole. Even so, had it not been for this old fellow, he would have nearly been toppled over. How many people say that the place where the National Teacher did not speak was itself the model of the stupa! If you understand it in this way, the entire school that circles the millstone is swept clean away! If you claim that remaining silent for a good while is it, then mutes should also understand Chan. Have you not seen: a non-Buddhist asked the Buddha, "I do not ask about the spoken; I do not ask about the unspoken." The World-Honoured One was silent for a good while. The non-Buddhist bowed in homage, praised him, and said, "The World-Honoured One, with great benevolence and great compassion, has cleared away the clouds of my delusion and enabled me to enter." After the non-Buddhist left, Ānanda asked the Buddha, "What did the non-Buddhist realize that he spoke of having entered?" The World-Honoured One said, "Like a fine horse in the world, running upon seeing the shadow of the whip." Many people seek understanding in the silence for a good while—what hold is there? My late teacher of Wuzu brought it up and said: "In front are pearls and agates; behind are agates and pearls. On the left are Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta; on the right are Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra. In the middle is a banner, blown by the wind, saying, 'Hulu, hulu!'" The National Teacher said, "Do you understand?" The Emperor said, "I do not understand." This is somewhat better. Now tell me: is this "I do not understand" the same as or different from Emperor Wu's "I do not know"? Although they seem alike, they are not quite. The National Teacher said, "I have a Dharma-heir disciple named Danyuan, who is well acquainted with this matter. Please issue an edict to ask him." Xuedou brought this up and said, "A single hand does not clap for nothing." Setting aside for a moment that Daizong did not understand, did Danyuan understand? It only took saying "Please provide the model of the stupa, Teacher"—the whole earth could do nothing about it. My late teacher of Wuzu brought this up and said: "You are the teacher of an entire country; why didn't you speak, but instead pushed it onto your disciple?" After the National Teacher passed away, the Emperor summoned Danyuan and asked what this meant. Danyuan then came to speak principles in barbarian words and Han phrases for the National Teacher's sake; naturally he understood the National Teacher's words. He needed only one verse (it is recorded in the Forest of Affairs from the Ancestral Hall as being of the Qi era): / "South of Xiang, north of Tan; / Therein is yellow gold filling a whole country. / Under the shadowless tree, the same boat; / On the vaidūrya palace terrace, no kalyāṇamitra." / Danyuan was named Yingzhen; he served as attendant at the National Teacher's place, and later resided at Danyuan Temple in Jizhou. At that time, Yangshan came to study with Danyuan. Danyuan's words were weighty and his temper severe, not to be crossed; one could not stay. Yangshan first went to study with Chan Master Xingkong. A monk asked Xingkong, "What is the intention of the ancestral master's coming from the West?" Kong said, "Suppose a person is in a thousand-foot well; if you can get this person out without using an inch of rope, I will answer your intention of coming from the West." The monk said, "Recently Venerable Chang of Hunan also talked east and west for people." Kong then called to a novice, "Drag out this dead corpse!" (The novice was Yangshan.) Later Yangshan brought this up to ask Danyuan, "How do you get the person out of the well?" Danyuan said, "Bah! Foolish fellow, who is in the well?" Yangshan did not tally with this. Later he asked Guishan. Guishan then called, "Huiji!" Shan responded, "Yes?" Gui said, "He is out!" Yangshan was greatly enlightened through this and said, "At Danyuan's place I attained the substance; at Guishan's place I attained the function." It is merely this single verse that has led people into quite a few crooked understandings. Many people misunderstand it, saying: 'Xiang' means seeing each other (xiangjian); 'Tan' means discussing (tanlun); and in between is the unbroken stupa—therefore it is said, 'Therein is yellow gold filling a whole country.' The dialogue between the Emperor and the National Teacher is precisely 'under the shadowless tree, the same boat.' The Emperor did not understand, hence it is said, 'On the vaidūrya palace terrace, no kalyāṇamitra.' There are also those who say: 'Xiang' is south of Xiangzhou, 'Tan' is north of Tanzhou; 'therein is yellow gold filling a whole country' praises the official's winking and looking around, saying, 'This is the unbroken stupa.' If you understand it like this, you do not get beyond emotional views. Take Xuedou's four turning words—how do you understand them? People today do not know the ancients' intent at all. Tell me: 'South of Xiang, north of Tan'—how do you understand it? 'Therein is yellow gold filling a whole country'—how do you understand it? 'Under the shadowless tree, the same boat'—how do you understand it? 'On the vaidūrya palace terrace, no kalyāṇamitra'—how do you understand it? If you can see it like this, it is indeed a lifelong joy! 'South of Xiang, north of Tan'—Xuedou says: 'A single hand does not clap for nothing.' Having no choice, he speaks to you. 'Therein is yellow gold filling a whole country'—Xuedou says: 'A staff in the shape of a mountain.' An ancient said: 'Recognize the staff, and a lifetime's task of study is finished.' 'Under the shadowless tree, the same boat'—Xuedou says: 'The sea is calm, the river is clear.' In an instant, the doors and windows are thrown open, lucid and transparent on all eight sides. 'On the vaidūrya palace terrace, no kalyāṇamitra'—Xuedou says: 'Plucked up and presented.' In an instant he has explained it all to you. It is indeed hard to see; if you can see it, that is fine, but there is still a bit of mistaken recognition, giving rise to understanding following words. Reaching the very end, saying 'Plucked up and presented' is somewhat better. Xuedou clearly gave words for each; afterward he specially chanted the unbroken stupa.