萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 4.69

4.69

The Master said: The preface to the Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment says: 'The mind is fundamentally the Buddha; through the arising of thoughts, it drifts and sinks. The riverbank does not in fact move; because the boat travels, it rushes swiftly by.' The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'There is a great scripture scroll, equal in measure to the chiliocosm, situated within a single minute particle of dust; and all particles of dust are likewise. There is a clear-sighted person who breaks open the dust particle and brings forth the scripture scroll, benefiting and saving all beings.' Tiantong cites two great scriptures, combining them into a single couplet for his verse. As for 'setting aside myriad phenomena'—who, then, are the myriad phenomena? Whose is the unique disclosure? This is a ready-made gong'an; the family custom is ever-abiding. Who would further establish a gate and household, or open doors and windows? In the Huayan school, 'three boats enjoy the moon, each followed by the moon; traveling along a single clear river, a thousand li answer in solitude.' Huichong's poem says: 'The river divides where the ridge's contour breaks; / Spring enters where burned traces turn green.' Xie Xuanhui's poem says: 'Residual clouds disperse into patterned brocade; / The clear river is pure as washed white silk.' The moon follows the three boats; spring follows the myriad grasses. The three boats and myriad grasses are the myriad phenomena; the moon and spring are the unique disclosure. Tiantong's verse sees 'setting aside or not setting aside' as exceedingly coarse-minded. Here, one must only be detailed and attentive. Have you not seen? Senior Monk Zifang also came from Changqing. Fayan also brought up the previous story to ask him. Fang also raised his fly-whisk. Fayan said, 'How can it be got in such a manner?' Fang said, 'What is the Venerable's venerable intention?' Fayan said, 'What do you call the myriad phenomena?' Fang said, 'The ancients did not set aside myriad phenomena.' Fayan said, 'In the midst of myriad phenomena, the solitary body is revealed—what is there to say about setting aside or not setting aside?' Fang suddenly attained awakening. At the end of the previous story, Fayan said, 'In the midst of myriad phenomena, the solitary body is revealed, is it not?' At the end of this story, he again said, 'In the midst of myriad phenomena, the solitary body is revealed—what is there to say about setting aside or not setting aside?' This can be called: wanting to go, one simply returns; returning, one immediately attains it. All considered, the plot of land is not painfully large. Both Master Zhao and Master Fang investigated the subtle but lost the fundamental source—the fault of turbid intellect flowing on. Tao Yuanming's *Return Home*: 'The three paths are overgrown with weeds, but pine and chrysanthemum still remain.' Jiang Xu, courtesy name Yuanqing, opened three paths, and only Yang Zhong and Qiu Zhong associated and roamed with him. This verse shows that Fayan, following words, matched the source; the subtlety of opening and illuminating the two masters did not lose Changqing's purport. What is Changqing's purport? 'In the midst of myriad phenomena, the solitary body is revealed.'