萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 6.91

6.91

師云。同光年號也。如大中天子即宣宗也。後唐莊宗。在位三年。癸未改同光元年。喚作中原一寶。已是強名。畢竟喚作甚麼。大小天童只道得箇君王底意語知音。看他莊宗行兵。則從真定服中山。取漁陽兼魏愽。策馬渡河。而梁氏失國。偏師西指。而劍閣不守。所以自稱收得中原一寶。只是無人酬價。此以衲僧分上未遇知音。不逢別者。終不開拳。興化傾誠。不敢辜負天府大寶。葵藿向日而傾。衛其足也。所以刖足鮑莊子不如葵也。掇出中原無價寶。此頌引幞頭脚。輪王髻中珠不可輕分付。古今天子對辯。未有如莊宗善用時機。佛事人情一時周足。有官人謁歸宗。宗拈起兩帽子脚。示之云。還會麼。官曰。不會。宗曰。老僧病頭風。莫怪不卸帽子。官人無語。萬松道。韓信功高誰與同。轉身拆却連雲棧。趙國有和氏之璧。燕昭王築臺。置千金於上。延天下之士。故名黃金臺。又頌云。中原之寶。一段光明。輝天鑒地。南泉道。不作貴不作賤。爾作麼生買。所以難定價也。金輪王王四天下。銀輪三天下。銅二。鐵一。准上可知。金輪雖有七寶。只能景耀四天下。不如中原一寶盡十方法界。皆是一段光明。尀耐興化。容易便道。略借陛下寶看。同光是一朝天子。作大檀越。布施與他。可謂作家君王天然有在。萬松常笑。三角示眾云。大凡說法須是應時及節。及至住庵時。值賊執刀問。和尚有珍寶否。角云。僧家之寶非君所宜。賊云。是甚麼寶。角便喝。賊不領以刃加之。法雨頌云。結茅絕頂居三角。家寶不能深蘊却。草次開囊欺鑒人。卞和刖足胡為錯。錯遇桀紂兮施禮樂。不似興化莊宗不傷和氣。僧問法雲圓通秀鐵壁。知師久蘊囊中寶。今日當筵略借看。壁云。君子愛財。取之有道。勿謂法雲拈不出。須知興化敢商量。

The Master said: "Tongguang was a reign title, just as the 'Son of Heaven of Dazhong' refers to Xuanzong. Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang reigned for three years; in the guiyou year he changed it to the first year of Tongguang. Calling it 'a single treasure of the Central Plains' was already a forced name; ultimately, what would you call it? Great and small Tiantong could only say, 'The sovereign's intention was spoken to an intimate friend.' Look at Zhuangzong's military campaigns: from Zhending he subdued Zhongshan; he took Yuyang and annexed Weibo; spurring his horse he crossed the Yellow River, and the Liang lost their state; sending a wing of his army westward, Jian'ge could not hold out. Hence he claimed for himself to have obtained a single treasure of the Central Plains, only that no one could set a price on it. From the standpoint of patch-robed monks, not having met an intimate friend, not encountering one who can distinguish it, one ultimately never opens one's fist. Xinghua inclined his sincere heart, not daring to fail the great treasure of the imperial storehouse. Mallows and sun-facing greens incline toward the sun to protect their roots—hence Bao Zhuangzi, having had his feet cut off, was not as wise as a mallow. 'Brought out the priceless treasure of the Central Plains'—this versifies his drawing out the flaps of his cap. The jewel in the topknot of a wheel-turning king must not be lightly conferred. In discussions facing sovereigns of ancient and modern times, none has been as adept at employing the occasion as Zhuangzong: both Buddha-work and human sentiments were fully satisfied at once. An official visited Guizong; Guizong held up the two flaps of his cap, showed them, and said, 'Do you understand?' The official said, 'I do not understand.' Guizong said, 'This old monk suffers from chronic head-winds; do not blame me for not taking off my cap.' The official had nothing to say. Wansong says: Han Xin's merit was lofty—who could match him? Turning around, he dismantled the cloud-connected plank path. The state of Zhao possessed the Jade of Mr. He; King Zhao of Yan built a terrace and placed a thousand pieces of gold upon it to invite the worthy scholars of the realm, hence it was called the Golden Terrace. Furthermore, the verse says: The treasure of the Central Plains is a stretch of radiant light, illuminating heaven and reflecting the earth. Nanquan said, 'I do not make it noble, nor do I make it base; how do you buy it?' Therefore it is difficult to set a price on it. A gold wheel-turning king rules four continents; a silver wheel, three continents; copper, two; iron, one. You may infer the above accordingly. Although the gold wheel-turning king has the seven treasures, he can only illuminate the four continents; this does not compare to the single treasure of the Central Plains, where the entire dharmadhātu of the ten directions is completely a stretch of radiant light. How exasperating that Xinghua so easily went and said, 'Lend it briefly to look at Your Majesty's treasure.' Tongguang was the Son of Heaven of a dynasty, acting as a great dānapati and bestowing it upon him; he can be called an adept sovereign, naturally possessed of it. Wansong often laughs at Sanjiao instructing the assembly: 'Generally speaking, when expounding the Dharma, one must respond to the season and fit the occasion.' When he later dwelt in a hermitage, he encountered a bandit wielding a blade, who asked, 'Does the Venerable have rare treasures or not?' Jiao said, 'A monk's treasure is not suited for you, sir.' The bandit said, 'What kind of treasure is it?' Jiao immediately gave a shout. The bandit, not comprehending, struck him with the blade. Fayu's verse says: 'Building a thatched hut on the precipitous peak, dwelling at Sanjiao, / The family treasure could not be deeply stored away. / Carelessly opening the pouch, deceiving one who could appraise it, / How could Bian He having his feet cut off have been a mistake? / Mistakenly meeting Jie and Zhou, oh, displaying ritual and music!' It was not like Xinghua and Zhuangzong, who did not harm harmony. A monk asked Fayun Yuantong Xiu 'Iron Wall': 'I know that the master has long harboured the treasure in the pouch; today, facing the mat, pray lend it briefly for us to see.' Iron Wall said: 'A gentleman loves wealth, but takes it in the proper way. Do not say that Fayun cannot bring it forth; you must know that Xinghua dared to negotiate.'"