萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 1.91

1.91

The Master said: The opening two lines versify 'does not abide in the skandhas or dhātus' and 'does not involve the myriad conditions' completely. As for the doctrinal enumerations of the Storehouse Teaching, the five skandhas, twelve bases, and eighteen dhātus are called the three categories. The Venerable briefly raised the head and tail, subsuming what lies between. In Sanskrit, ānāpāna is translated as 'exhalation and inhalation.' Its method has six [aspects]: first, counting; second, following; third, stopping; fourth, contemplating; fifth, returning; sixth, purifying. These are fully set forth in Tiantai's Shamatha-Vipaśyanā; those preparing against the unforeseen cannot afford not to know them. Guishan's Admonitions says, 'If one never applies one's mind to doctrine and principle, the mysterious Way has no cause to be realized.' The Precious Store Treatise says: 'Pitiable is the priceless jewel hidden in the pit of the skandhas and bases; when will the spiritual light shine alone, far detached from sense organs and dusts?' Tiantong's 'A cloud rhinoceros enjoys the moon, radiant and containing brilliance'—an ancient poem has 'The rhinoceros, through enjoying the moon, grows patterns on its horn.' Such good words are a pity to reduce to literary talent and emotional thought. 'A wooden horse wanders in spring, galloping unrestrained'—this versifies exhalation not involving the myriad conditions; it may be called 'good walking leaves no tracks.' 'Beneath the brows, a pair of cold green eyes'—Luopu said, 'Merely clarifying oneself, the Dharma-eye is not yet clear; this person possesses only a single eye.' If you want both eyes to be fully round and clear, none other than not abiding in the skandhas and dhātus and not involving the myriad conditions will do; only then, in the shadowless forest, high hangs the sun and moon, and on the unsprouting branch, one secretly discerns spring and autumn. 'How does reading the scriptures reach penetrating the cowhide?'—Changqing said, 'What fault has the eye?' The Śūraṅgama-sūtra says, 'Now look closely upon the holy assembly in this gathering; scanning them with the eyes, the eyes see all around, yet just as in a mirror, there is no differential analysis.' Here it was missed. Yaoshan said, 'Even the cowhide at the bottom must be pierced through.' Wansong says: Yet he possessed the vajra-eye. 'The lucid mind transcends countless kalpas'—the Third Patriarch said, 'Simply do not hate or love, and it is thoroughly lucid.' A single thought for ten thousand years, upheld without exhaustion. Lumen said, 'The entire great earth is a single scroll of scripture for this student; the whole universe is a single eye for this student. With this eye, reading such a scripture, through thousands, myriads, and kotis of kalpas, constantly without interruption.' Wansong says: Reading and reciting is not easy! 'Heroic strength shatters the multi-layered siege'—Wang Mang of the Later Han sent his younger brothers Wang Xun and Wang Yi to Kunyang, where they surrounded Emperor Guangwu in dozens of layers. Guangwu's troops were weak and wished to surrender to Xun and Yi, but Yi refused. Guangwu thereupon further strengthened his generals, went out to fight, and heavily defeated Xun and Yi. The Venerable was complete in both civil and military arts, going out as general and entering as chancellor; the skandhas, dhātus, and myriad conditions are not merely a multi-layered siege. 'The wondrously rounded pivot-hole turns the spiritual dynamic'—Erya says, 'The pivot is called the wei.' Guo Pu's commentary says, 'It is the doorleaf pivot.' Flowing water does not stagnate; the center pivot is not worm-eaten—this speaks of its liveliness. Before being prompted, the Venerable moved; without being turned, he rotated naturally. On this side or that side, nothing was unacceptable. Tiantong sifted gold from sand, weighed by the star and divided by the ounce, and passed flower-judgment completely. In the final two lines he has yet more surplus talent, saying: 'Cold Mountain forgets the road by which he came; / taking Pickup along, hand in hand they return.' This versifies the sea-like assembly at the state banquet drilling through paper and boring through windows; the Venerable's grandmotherly kindness briefly hooks up the screen to let the young swallow return, and bores through the paper to let the foolish fly out. Using Han Shan's poem, it fits like tally and token. The poem says: 'Wishing to find a peaceful resting place, / Cold Mountain can be long preserved. / A gentle breeze blows through hidden pines; / listening close, the sound is ever sweeter. / Beneath sits a white-haired man, / chattering on, reading Huang-Lao. / In ten years he cannot return, / forgetting the road by which he came.' When Lüqiu Yin visited, [Han Shan] took Shi De by the hand, walked out the pine gate, and never returned to the monastery. Some editions have 'muttering, reading Huang-Lao.' This versifies losing one's way in youth and forgetting to return, pointing out the road to one who is lost. Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang invited Chan Master Huayan Xiujing into the palace for a vegetarian feast. The Great Masters and Virtuous Ones all read scriptures; only the Master's entire assembly remained silent. The Emperor asked, 'Why do you not read the scriptures?' Jing said, 'When the Way is exalted, the Son of Heaven's decree is not proclaimed; when times are peaceful, singing songs of great peace is ceased.' The Emperor said, 'It is well if you alone do not read, Master; why do your disciples also not read?' Jing said, 'In the lion's den there are no other beasts; where the Elephant King walks, foxes' tracks are cut off.' The Emperor said, 'Why do the Great Masters and Virtuous Ones all read?' Jing said, 'The jellyfish originally has no eyes; to seek food it must rely on shrimp.' The Emperor was greatly pleased. Furthermore, Patriarch Venerable [Prajñātāra], from distant kalpas, was named Mahāsthāmaprāpta and recited profound sūtras; thus following his teacher he was named Prajñātāra. Turns out his habitual tendencies were not eliminated after all; he yielded to Huayan, who had the patchrobed monk's handle! Reaching here, Wansong cannot help laughing out loud. Now tell me: what is there to laugh at? Where Yunju Arhat bares his chest; when the Gong County tea pitcher joins its spout.