萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 6.89

6.89

師云。魏府興化存獎禪師。初依臨濟。濟圓寂為三聖首座。後見大覺。開堂拈香曰。此一炷香。本分為三聖師兄。三聖于我太孤。本分為大覺師兄。大覺于我太賒。不如供養臨濟先師。僧問。四方八面來時如何。化云。打中間底。僧作禮。化云。大眾興化。昨日赴箇村齋。半路逢卒風暴雨。却于神廟裏避得過。後唐莊宗幸河北。僧問。王程有限時如何。化云。日馳五百駕。迴至魏府行宮。詔化至。賜座茶畢。遂問。朕收下中原。獲得一寶。未曾有人酬價。化云。略借陛下寶。看。帝以兩手引幞頭脚。化云。君王之寶誰敢酬價。帝大悅賜紫衣師號。化皆不受。又賜御馬一疋。萬松道。第一要識取君王。更要知處中原。然後問爾寶下落。玄覺徵云。且道。興化肯同光。不肯同光。若肯興化眼在甚麼處。若不肯同光過在甚麼處。萬松道。空生不解金剛旨。問得疑心滿世間。雪竇云。至尊所得。只可旁觀。若非興化作家。往往高價酬却。萬松道。恰似不齋來。翠巖芝云。興化當時下著。可謂酩酊。如今作麼生斷。萬松道。喫棒了判案。雲峯悅云。真不掩偽。曲不藏直。有眼底辨取。萬松道。問著箇瞎漢。黃龍心云。興化一期見機而作。爭奈埋沒伊一朝天子。當時若但向道蚌蛤之珠收得也無用處。教伊向後別有生涯。免見遞相鈍躓。而今若有人問。又作麼生酬價。萬松道。七九六十三收。這一隊老漢沒箇敢著價者。唯有天童相物作價兩無虧欠。頌云。

The Master said: Chan Master Xinghua Cunjiang of Weifu at first relied on Linji; after Linji passed into complete stillness, he became head monk under Sansheng. Later he saw Dajue. When opening the hall and offering incense, he said: "This stick of incense originally should be for my senior brother Sansheng, but Sansheng was too aloof toward me; originally it should be for my senior brother Dajue, but Dajue was too distant toward me. It is better to offer it to my late master Linji." A monk asked, "What happens when they come from the four quarters and eight directions?" Hua said, "Strike the one in the middle." The monk bowed. Hua said, "Assembly, yesterday Xinghua attended a village vegetarian meal; halfway there I encountered sudden wind and violent rain, but managed to take shelter in a spirit shrine." When Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang traveled to Hebei, a monk asked, "What happens when the royal schedule is limited?" Hua said, "Racing five hundred carriages a day." Returning to the temporary palace in Weifu, the Emperor summoned Hua to arrive; after bestowing a seat and tea, he then asked, "I took the Central Plains and obtained a treasure, yet no one has ever named a price for it." Hua said, "May I briefly borrow Your Majesty's treasure to look at?" The Emperor pulled the straps of his headcloth with both hands. Hua said, "Who would dare to name a price for the ruler's treasure?" The Emperor was greatly pleased and bestowed a purple robe and a master title; Hua did not accept either. The Emperor also bestowed an imperial horse. Wansong says: First you must recognize the ruler, and furthermore you must know the Central Plains; only then will you be asked where your treasure is located. Xuanjue questioned: "Now tell me: did Xinghua agree with Tongguang, or not agree with Tongguang? If he agreed, where was Xinghua's eye? If he did not agree, where was Tongguang's fault?" Wansong says: Subhūti did not understand the import of the Diamond Sūtra, raising questions that filled the world with doubt. Xuedou said: "What the Most Venerable obtained can only be observed from the side. If it were not an adept like Xinghua, it would often have been priced high." Wansong says: Just like not having fasted. Cuiyan Zhi said: "Xinghua's move at that time can be called dead drunk. Now how would you judge it?" Wansong says: Passing sentence after taking the staff. Yunfeng Yue said: "The true does not conceal the false; the crooked does not hide the straight. Let those with eyes distinguish it." Wansong says: You asked a blind fellow. Huanglong Xin said: "Xinghua acted according to the opportunity for a time, yet how could he help obscuring that Son of Heaven of a dynasty? At that time, had he merely said to him, 'Even if the pearl of a clam is obtained, it is of no use,' he would have caused him afterward to have another livelihood, avoiding being mutually blunted and hindered. Now if someone asks, how would you name a price?" Wansong says: Seven times nine is sixty-three—take it! In this troop of old fellows, not one dared to set a price; only Tiantong appraised the object and set the price, with neither side falling short. The verse says: