萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 2.73

2.73

師云。隋州隋城山護國淨果大師。諱守澄。與二世演化大師諱知遠。同在湖南報慈。慈陞座。師問如何是真如佛性。慈曰。誰無。參退。首座問。汝適來問和尚話還會麼。師曰。不會。座曰。和尚恁麼慈悲。汝為什麼不會。真如佛性誰無。乃至四生六道悉皆具足。師曰。感謝首座為某說破。淨果在傍齩齒曰。這老漢自家無眼更瞎他人。乃召師問。首座適來說箇什麼。師曰。某當時不會得他說破。具如前舉。淨果曰。上座佛法不是這箇道理。汝若不信去問取堂頭。師上堂頭具說前解。慈亦曰。佛法不是這箇道理。師曰。適來問第三座。他亦不肯。故教來問。且望慈悲為某決破。慈曰。汝去問取第三座去。師下來禮問。淨果曰。汝但問來。師便問。如何是真如佛性。淨果曰。誰有。師於言下契悟。再拜謝了。乃曰。首座或在眾。或出世。某誓願佐助。後遂相繼住持。此話諸方謂之護國三懡㦬。與保福四謾人為對。未透關者。極難奔湊。不見。僧問雲居簡禪師。孤峯獨宿時如何。居云。九間僧堂裏不臥。誰教爾孤峯獨宿。此話雖無玄妙甚有開發。舉此一隅。三隅可見。洞山玄中銘。峯巒秀異。鶴不停機。靈木迢然。鳳無依倚。這僧却問。鶴立孤松時如何。這僧癡坐功夫既到。將這些子本地風光。貼在額頭。逢人呈似。殊不知。孤危不立。道方高。天台教中謂之頂墮。所以護國道。地下底一場懡㦬。這僧不向孤危處作活計。又將氷枯雪老處呈上。又不知乾嚗嚗時。還生津潤。冷清清處。却要溫和。所以道。日出後一場懡㦬。這僧戈中兩翻。上來兩被護國格下。既沒奈何。却問教門興廢。疑難道。會昌沙汰時。護法善神向什麼處去也。唐武宗好仙。沙汰僧尼二十六萬五百人。會昌五年八月下旬。勒令歸俗。帝服方士丹藥。性加躁急。喜怒不常。至六年三月初。纔及半年以丹毒死。宣宗即位。佛寺復增三倍之多。以神道為論。不假武宗小廢。何致宣宗大興。善神權巧之方斷非凡下可及。若以衲僧見處。法門本無興廢。善神豈有去來。所以道。三門頭兩箇一場懡㦬。萬松恁麼道。錯為人下注脚了也。又不見。僧問。心法雙忘時如何。國云。不洗面。僧云。月落寒潭時如何。國云。不洗面。僧云。光境俱忘時如何。國云。不洗面。不可總從頭注解將去也。不注解時如何。自有天童頌古。

The Master said: Great Master Huguo Jingguo of Mount Suicheng in Suizhou, named Shouceng, was together with Great Master Yanhua the Second, named Zhiyuan, at Baoci in Hunan. Ci ascended the seat. The Master asked, "What is the true-suchness Buddha-nature?" Ci said, "Who lacks it?" After withdrawing from the assembly, the head monk asked, "Did you understand the Venerable's words just now?" The Master said, "I did not understand." The head monk said, "The Venerable was so compassionate; why did you not understand? True-suchness Buddha-nature—who lacks it? It is fully endowed even down to the four modes of birth and the six destinies." The Master said, "Thank you, Head Monk, for explaining it thoroughly to me." Jingguo, who was standing by, gritted his teeth and said, "This old fellow has no eyes himself and blinds others further." He then called the Master and asked, "What did the head monk just say?" The Master said, "At the time I did not understand, and he explained it thoroughly to me," relating it in full as above. Jingguo said, "Elder, the Buddhadharma is not this principle. If you do not believe it, go and ask the Abbot." The Master went up to the Abbot's quarters and related the previous interpretation in full. Ci also said, "The Buddhadharma is not this principle." The Master said, "Just now I asked the third seat, and he also did not approve, which is why he told me to come and ask. I beg you in your compassion to resolve it for me." Ci said, "Go and ask the third seat." The Master went down, bowed, and asked. Jingguo said, "Just ask." The Master then asked, "What is the true-suchness Buddha-nature?" Jingguo said, "Who has it?" At these words the Master was enlightened. He bowed in gratitude again and said, "Whether the head monk remains in the assembly or appears in the world, I vow to assist him." Later they successively held the abbacy. This dialogue is called by the community 'Huguo's Three Embarrassments,' paired with Baofu's 'Four Deceptions.' For one who has not passed through the checkpoint, it is extremely difficult to approach. Have you not seen? A monk asked Zen Master Yunju Jian, "How is it when one lodges alone on an isolated peak?" Ju said, "Not lying down in the nine-room monks' hall, who told you to lodge alone on an isolated peak?" Though this dialogue lacks mystery, it is very illuminating. When one corner is raised, the other three can be seen. Dongshan's Inscription on the Mysterious Middle says: 'The peaks are preeminent; the crane does not halt its flight. The spiritual tree stands aloof; the phoenix finds no perch.' This monk instead asked, "How is it when a crane perches on an isolated pine?" This monk's skill in foolish sitting having matured, he pasted this bit of original scenery onto his forehead, showing it to everyone he met. Little did he know that only when isolated danger is not maintained does the Way become high. In the Tiantai teachings, this is called 'falling from the peak.' Therefore Huguo said, "A scene of embarrassment on the ground." This monk did not make a living in the place of isolated danger, but instead presented a place of withered ice and aged snow. Again, he did not know that when completely parched, moisture is generated; and in a chilly, lonely place, one conversely needs warmth. Therefore it is said, "A scene of embarrassment after the sun comes out." This monk had his weapons turned twice, parried both times by Huguo. Having no other choice, he instead asked about the rise and fall of the teachings, raising a difficulty: "During the Huichang suppression, where did the good spirits who protect the Dharma go?" Emperor Wuzong of the Tang was fond of immortals, and defrocked two hundred sixty thousand five hundred monks and nuns. In the last ten days of the eighth month of the fifth year of Huichang, he ordered them to return to lay life. The Emperor took the alchemical elixirs of Daoist magicians; his temper grew irritable, his joy and anger unpredictable. By early in the third month of the sixth year, after scarcely half a year, he died of elixir poisoning. Emperor Xuanzong ascended the throne, and Buddhist temples were rebuilt in three times the former number. If discussed from the viewpoint of divine ways, without Wuzong's minor destruction, how could there have been Xuanzong's great prosperity? The skillful means of the good spirits are definitely beyond what ordinary mortals can fathom. Yet from the perspective of a patched-robed monk, the Dharma-gate originally has neither rise nor fall; how could the good spirits have coming and going? Therefore it is said, "The two at the triple gate were a scene of embarrassment." In speaking like this, Wansong has mistakenly provided footnotes for people! Have you not also seen? A monk asked, "How is it when mind and dharmas are both forgotten?" Guo said, "Do not wash your face." The monk said, "How is it when the moon sinks into the cold pool?" Guo said, "Do not wash your face." The monk said, "How is it when light and realm are both forgotten?" Guo said, "Do not wash your face." One cannot annotate everything from the beginning! How is it when there is no annotation? There is naturally Tiantong's verse on the old case.