萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 4.79

4.79

The Master said: Chan Master Daoqian of Jiufeng in Junzhou was a native of Guanhuai in Fuzhou, surnamed Liu. Although he visited assemblies of the Dharma everywhere, he received the seal from Shishuang. At first he dwelt at Jiufeng, where dark-inquiry students were especially flourishing; later he resided at Letan in Hongzhou and died there, with the imperially bestowed posthumous title Dajue. One day a monk asked, 'What is the head?' If the eye of the Way is not completely bright and differential wisdom is not equipped, when discussing head and tail, before and after, the mind is bewildered, not knowing where it lands. Feng said, 'Opening the eyes without realizing it is dawn.' A monk once asked, 'Everyone speaks of requesting instruction; I wonder, with what dharma does the Master save them?' Feng said, 'Do you say the great peak ever lacked an inch of earth?' The monk said, 'Then for what purpose do people seek throughout the four seas?' Feng said, 'Yajñadatta lost his head, his mind wildly deranged.' The monk said, 'Is there anyone not deranged?' Feng said, 'There is.' The monk said, 'Who is the one not deranged?' Feng said, 'On the road in broad daylight, his eyes do not open.' This is the model of 'opening the eyes without realizing it is dawn.' The monk said, 'What is the tail?' Feng said, 'Not sitting on the ten-thousand-year bench.' Another monk asked, 'What is it before Dīpaṃkara?' Feng said, 'Toiling diligently without getting strength.' The monk said, 'What is it right at the time of Dīpaṃkara?' Feng said, 'Big head and small tail.' The monk said, 'What is it after Dīpaṃkara?' Feng said, 'Stepping down from the position without knowing leisure.' This is the model of 'not sitting on the ten-thousand-year bench.' The monk said, 'What about when there is a head but no tail?' Feng said, 'In the end, it is not noble.' That is opening the eyes and realizing it is dawn. The monk said, 'What about when there is a tail but no head?' Feng said, 'Though full, without strength.' That is stepping down from the position and knowing leisure. The monk said, 'What about when head and tail correspond exactly?' Feng said, 'Children and grandchildren have strength'—full and having strength. 'Unknown within the room'—in the end, truly noble. The Record of the Source Mirror says: 'Upon entering our school, one must first recognize the existence [of the fundamental]; thereafter, protect and maintain it.' It also says: 'Head and tail must correspond; there must be no lack in principle and practice, no contradiction between mind and mouth. If one enters the Source Mirror, principle and practice are both complete.' Shishuang was Jiufeng's master. He instructed the assembly, saying: 'When beginning practitioners have not yet mastered the great matter, they must first recognize the head; the tail will arrive on its own.' Shoushan came forward and asked, 'What is the head?' Shuang said, 'One must directly recognize the existence.' Shan said, 'What is the tail?' Shuang said, 'Exhaust the present moment.' Shan said, 'What about when there is a head but no tail?' Shuang said, 'Vomiting gold—what can it be used for?' Shan said, 'What about when there is a tail but no head?' Shuang said, 'There is still something relied upon.' Shan said, 'What about when head and tail correspond exactly?' Shuang said, 'He does not form an understanding, nor do I grant him [approval] yet.' Therefore Jiufeng said: 'Venerables! When the ancients spoke of the head, it was only to make you recognize the existence; when they spoke of the tail, it was only to teach you to exhaust the present moment. With so many discordant matters, you are taught to clear them away and dissolve them here, enabling you today to correspond and accomplish it. If you personally embody it, truly and constantly as such, you cannot speak this way anymore. Even though it is so, one must be such a person to begin with. Do not speak with different mouths in one voice. Hastily make effort! Take care.' Wansong has verified Jiufeng's gong'an with Jiufeng's gong'an; annotated it and explained it thoroughly. The remaining flavor is entrusted to Tiantong. The verse says: