萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 6.25

6.25

師云。此讚臨濟。如謝超宗寔有鳳毛。黃蘗昔年曾掌百丈。今日遭他臨濟毒手。真龍生龍子。鳳長鳳雛。瑞應圖云。鳳有九包。一曰。歸命。二曰。心合度。謂天度也。三曰。耳聽達。四曰。舌曲申。五曰。彩光色。六曰。冠短州。當朱色也。七曰。銳鉤。八曰。音激揚。九曰。腹戶。九方堙為秦穆公相馬。果千里駒。此喻臨濟之神俊一日千里也。纔悟便解真機大用。諸方有一聯云。黃蘗腮邊轟一掌。大愚脇下築三拳。良由真風度籥。故得靈機發樞。上句稟受師承。下句自性宗通也。老子云。天地之間其猶槖籥乎。槖無底囊也。亦皮鞴也。籥三孔笛也。芭蕉徹云。譬如琴瑟箜篌雖有妙音。若無妙指終不能發。本出楞嚴經。劈面來時飛電急。言其峻機迅辯也。迷雲破處大陽孤。言其悟明也。捋虎鬚。莊子云。孔子見盜跖退而曰。丘所謂無病而自灸也。疾走撩虎頭。編虎鬚。幾不免虎口哉。見也無。天童指似于人。令參學人體取全機大用當仁不讓。喚作衲僧巴鼻。無盡居士作續清涼傳。所請輒應後。見說解脫禪師打文殊。不覺讚云。真大丈夫也。還見臨濟悟處麼。羞殺河陽新婦子。驚甦木塔老婆禪。

The Master said: This praises Linji as being truly endowed with phoenix feathers, like Xie Chaozong. In former days Huangbo slapped Baizhang; today he met with Linji's poisonous hand. A true dragon gives birth to a dragon's whelp; a phoenix nurtures a phoenix chick. The Chart of Auspicious Responses says: 'The phoenix has nine envelopes: first, taking refuge in fate; second, the heart conforms to measure—meaning heavenly measure; third, the ears hear comprehensively; fourth, the tongue curves and extends; fifth, its plumage is brilliantly colored; sixth, its crest is short and round—it should be vermilion; seventh, its claws are sharp and hooked; eighth, its voice is stirring and resonant; ninth, its belly has a doorway.' When Jiufang Yin evaluated horses for Duke Mu of Qin, [the horse found] was indeed a thousand-league steed. This is an analogy for Linji's spiritual excellence covering a thousand leagues in a single day. As soon as he was enlightened, he understood the true dynamic and the great function. In the various quarters there is a couplet that goes: 'A resounding slap across Huangbo's cheek; three punches beneath Dayu's ribs.' It is truly because the true wind passed through the pipes that the wondrous dynamic sprang from the pivot. The former line denotes inheriting the master's transmission; the latter line denotes the realization of one's own nature through the school. Laozi says: 'Is not the space between heaven and earth like a bellows?' The tuò is a bottomless sack, also a leather bellows; the yuè is a three-holed flute. Bajiao Che said: 'Just as lutes, harps, and dulcimers, though having wondrous sounds, can never produce them without wondrous fingers'—which originally comes from the Śūraṅgama-sūtra. 'Coming head-on, the flashing lightning is swift' speaks of his lofty dynamic and swift eloquence. 'Where deluded clouds break, the sun stands alone' speaks of his awakening and clarity. 'Stroking the tiger's whiskers'—Zhuangzi says: 'Confucius met Robber Zhi, and upon returning said: “I did what is called moxibustion without an illness. Running swiftly, I stroked the tiger's head and braided the tiger's whiskers, barely escaping the tiger's mouth!”' 'Do you see or not?' Tiantong points it out to people, causing practitioners to personally embody the complete dynamic and great function without yielding in the face of what is right, calling it the patchrobed monk's handle. When Layman Wujin wrote the Continuation to the Records of Clear Coolness, after [witnessing] prayers immediately answered, he heard of Chan Master Jietuo beating Mañjuśrī and unconsciously praised him, saying: 'Truly a great man!' Do you still see the place of Linji's enlightenment? It puts the bride of Heyang to utter shame, and startles to life the doting-grandmother Chan of the Wooden Pagoda.