萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 2.43

2.43

師云。池州魯祖山寶雲禪師。凡見僧來。便面壁。自達磨九年之後。無人再行此令。且教諸方問佛。問祖向上向下底。大家識些痛痒。南泉是他同參。見人針錐不動。便與打傍通注破。我尋常向他道。空劫以前承當。佛未出世時會取。不得一箇半箇。意似放開一線。其實替他侍者傳法旨了也。又道。他恁麼驢年去。意似責他太孤峻生。其實賞他覿面分付。不見道。直饒說得十分。爭似一迴親到。所以靈山如畫月。曹溪如指月。爭似魯祖在水晶宮中。廣寒殿裡。披襟相見。保福見南泉魯祖破綻。問長慶道。只如魯祖。節文在什麼處。被南泉恁麼道。萬松道。保福如何道節文二字來。若非不萌枝上解辨春秋。難置此問。長慶對云。退己讓人萬中無一。萬松道。古人得恁麼眼明。玄覺云。南泉為復是唱和語。不肯語。萬松道。半遮半掩。謾渠一點不得。翠巖芝云。何勞如此。萬松道。已是起模畫樣了也。又云。若有僧來見箇什麼。萬松道。猶嫌少在。復云知時好。萬松道。若是陶淵明。攢眉便歸去。又云。我即不然。未具胞胎不得會。會得則打折爾腰。萬松道。和尚棒教誰喫。羅山云。王老師當時若見。背上與五火抄。為伊解放不解收。萬松道。五更侵早起。已有夜行人。玄沙云。我當時若見。也與五火抄。萬松云。惱亂春風卒未休。雲居錫云。羅山玄沙。總恁麼道。為復一般別有道理。萬松道。共計十火抄。又云。若揀得出。許尚座佛法有去處。萬松道。好與五火抄。諸仁者爾看。南泉恁麼貶屈魯祖。長慶却道。正是退己讓人。魯祖把斷關津。羅山却道。解放不解收。盡是魚前布網。賊過張弓。更看天童別作甚麼向當。頌云。

The Master said: Chan Master Baoyun of Mount Luzu in Chizhou, whenever he saw a monk coming, would immediately face the wall. Since Bodhidharma's nine years, no one had carried out this order again. For now, it makes those everywhere who ask about the Buddhas and ask about the Patriarchs, the upward and the downward, all know a bit of pain and itch. Nanquan was his fellow practitioner; seeing that the man's needle and awl did not budge, he immediately pierced through from the side for him, saying: 'I constantly say to them: Undertake it before the empty kalpa! Understand it when no Buddha has yet appeared in the world! Still, one does not get a single one or half a one.' In intention, it seems he opens a crack, but in fact he has transmitted the Dharma decree on behalf of his attendant. He also said: 'If he goes on like this, even until the Year of the Donkey [nothing will come of it].' In intention, it seems he reproaches him for being too stark and steep, but in fact he praises his face-to-face entrustment. Have you not heard it said: 'Even if you can explain it a hundred percent, how could that compare to arriving in person once?' Therefore, Spiritual Mountain was like painting the moon, and Caoxi was like pointing at the moon. How could they compare to Luzu in the Crystal Palace, inside the Hall of Vast Cold, opening his lapels and meeting face to face? Baofu saw the flaw in Nanquan and Luzu, and asked Changqing, 'As for Luzu, where was his measure, that he was spoken of like this by Nanquan?' Wansong says: How did Baofu come to speak the two words 'measure'? If not one who can distinguish spring and autumn on a budless branch, it would be difficult to pose this question. Changqing replied, 'Stepping back to yield to others—not one in ten thousand.' Wansong says: The ancients had such clear eyes! Xuanjue said, 'Was Nanquan singing in harmony, or was he not assenting?' Wansong says: Half-hiding and half-revealing, one cannot deceive him in the slightest. Cuiyan Zhi said, 'Why labor like this?' Wansong says: He has already set up the mold and drawn the pattern. He also said, 'If a monk comes, what does he see?' Wansong says: Still suspecting it is too little. He further said, 'It is good to know the season.' Wansong says: If it were Tao Yuanming, he would knit his brows and go home at once. He also said, 'With me, it is not so: before the womb is complete, you cannot understand; if you understand, I will break your back!' Wansong says: Whom does the Venerable's staff teach to take the beating? Luoshan said, 'If Old Master Wang [Nanquan] had seen him at that time, he should have given him five fire-tongs on his back, because he understands how to let loose, but does not understand how to gather in.' Wansong says: Rising early at the fifth watch, there are already night travelers on the road. Xuansha said, 'If I had seen him at that time, I would also have given him five fire-tongs.' Wansong says: Vexing the spring breeze, it never ceases. Yunju Xi said, 'Luoshan and Xuansha both spoke like this. Was it the same, or is there another principle?' Wansong says: In total, ten fire-tongs. He also said, 'If you can pick it out, I grant that you, Elder, have a place to go in the Buddha-Dharma.' Wansong says: Good to give five fire-tongs! All of you, look: Nanquan so depreciated Luzu, yet Changqing said, 'It is precisely stepping back to yield to others.' Luzu barred the pass, yet Luoshan said, 'He understands how to let loose, but does not understand how to gather in.' All of this is casting a net before the fish arrives, and drawing a bow after the thief has passed. Look further at what Tiantong does toward this. The verse says: