萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 5.19

5.19

The Master said: Master Jiezhu of Mount Feishan wrote the Discussion on the Mind Dharma Transmitted Separately, in which he censured Nanquan, saying, 'People like Yuan do not love learning and do not know the root; they are not fit to speak of the Tathāgata's teachings.' In the Appendices to the Lamp of the Inexhaustible, relying on conventional understanding, he hastily argued and recounted: Nanquan initially studied the Vinaya, next listened to the Avataṃsaka and the Laṅkāvatāra, and entered the contemplations of the Madhyamaka- and Śata-śāstras. Hearing that Mazu transmitted the Way outside the words, he repeatedly inquired into his purport and suddenly attained forgetting the fish-trap. One day while distributing congee, Mazu asked, 'What is in the bucket?' Quan said, 'This old fellow should shut his mouth! Why make such talk?' Quan did not yield to Mazu in sharp dynamic; being like this, he later had to repay his debt into Zhaozhou's hands. Quan asked a lecturer, 'What does the Nirvāṇa Sūtra take as the ultimate standard?' The lecturer said, 'It takes thusness as the ultimate standard.' Quan said, 'Calling it thusness is already changing it. These days, a śramaṇa must move among different species before he can get it.' In front of the Monks' Hall, Zhaozhou asked, 'I do not ask about "different"; what is "species"?' Quan then supported himself on the ground with both hands. Zhou kicked him with his foot, and Quan fell to the ground. Zhou ran into the Longevity Hall and shouted, 'I regret it, I regret it!' Quan ordered his attendant to ask Zhou, 'What do you regret?' Zhou said, 'I regret not giving him two more kicks.' Quan entered the hall and said, 'Since childhood, Old Master Wang has raised a water buffalo. Intending to graze it east of the brook, it cannot avoid eating that state's water and grass; grazing it west of the brook, it also cannot avoid eating that state's water and grass. Nowadays, it cannot avoid paying a little according to its lot, yet it is nowhere to be seen.' One day Quan saw the bath-master heating water for the bath and said, 'After the meal, invite the water buffalo to take a bath.' The bath-master went to invite him. Quan said, 'Did you bring a rope?' Zhou grabbed Quan's nose with his hand. Quan said, 'That's it, but it is too crude!' Zhou asked, 'Where does a person who knows it is there go?' Quan said, 'He goes to the patron's house before the mountain to become a water buffalo.' Zhou said, 'I thank the Master for your instruction.' Quan said, 'Last night at the third watch, the moon reached the window.' When Quan was about to pass away, the head monk asked, 'After your hundred years, Venerable Sir, where will you go?' Quan said, 'I will go beneath the mountain to become a water buffalo.' The head monk said, 'May I follow you, Venerable Sir?' Quan said, 'If you follow me, you must bring a stalk of grass in your mouth.' This talk of 'different species' was first led by Nanquan, harmonized by Guishan, and transmitted by Daowu and Yunyan; today it constitutes Caoshan's three fallings. When Daowu arrived at Nanquan's, Quan asked, 'What is the Ācārya's name?' Wu said, 'Zongzhi.' Quan said, 'Where wisdom does not reach, how can one take it as the source?' Wu said, 'Be sure not to speak of it!' Quan said, 'Truly, if you speak of it, horns will grow on your head!' Three days later, while Wu was handling a needle with Yunyan behind the latrine, Quan passed by and asked, 'The other day you said, "Where wisdom does not reach, be sure not to speak of it; if you speak of it, horns will grow on your head." How should one practice?' Wu then pulled himself away and entered the Monks' Hall; Quan then left. Yan asked Wu, 'Junior Brother, why did you not reply to the Venerable Sir just now?' Wu said, 'How could you be so clever?' Yan did not get it; instead, he went and asked Quan, 'Regarding the case just now, why did Dhūta Zhi not reply to the Venerable Sir?' Quan said, 'He, on the contrary, moves among different species.' Yan said, 'What is moving among different species?' Quan said, 'Haven't you heard it said: "Where wisdom does not reach, be sure not to speak of it; if you speak of it, horns will grow on your head"? You must go straight into moving among different species.' Yan still did not understand. Wu knew Yan did not get it and said, 'This person's conditions are not here.' Then they returned together to Yaoshan. Yan then raised the previous conversation. Yaoshan said, 'How did you understand that season of his, such that you returned?' Yan had no reply. Yaoshan then laughed heartily. Yan then asked, 'What is moving among different species?' Yaoshan said, 'I am tired today; come back another time.' Yan said, 'I returned especially for this matter.' Yaoshan said, 'Leave for now.' Yan then went out. Outside the Abbot's Room, Wu heard that Yan did not get it; without realizing it, he bit his finger until it bled. He then came down and asked, 'Senior Brother, what happened with that case you asked the Venerable Sir?' Yan said, 'The Venerable Sir did not explain it to me.' Wu then lowered his head. The two stood in attendance. Yaoshan asked, '"Where wisdom does not reach, be sure not to speak of it; if you speak of it, horns will grow on your head."' Wu immediately said, 'Take care,' and went out. Yan then asked Yaoshan, 'Why did Junior Brother Zhi not reply to the Venerable Sir?' Yaoshan said, 'My back aches today. He, however, understands; go ask him.' Yan then asked, 'Junior Brother, why did you not reply to the Venerable Sir just now?' Wu said, 'My head aches today; go ask the Venerable Sir.' Later, when Yunyan passed away, he sent someone speeding with a letter of farewell. After reading it, Wu said, 'Yunyan did not know it is there; I regret not having told him at that time. Nevertheless, in the end he did not violate being a son of Yaoshan.' Xuanjue said, 'The ancient spoke like this; did he still know it is there or not? Yunyan did not understand at that time; what was the place of not understanding?' Cuiyan Zhi said, 'Daowu said, "Yunyan did not know it is there; I regret not having told him at that time." Just speaking like this, did Daowu still know it is there or not?' Wansong says: Yunyan was the teacher of Dongshan and the source of a whole lineage; yet three times and four times he did not know there is this matter. Wansong records it completely, wanting also to give later people half a share of help in their side-inquiry. Is it only Yunyan who did not know it is there? Cuiyan Zhi said, 'Did Daowu still know it is there or not?' Wansong says: Not only Daowu—did Cuiyan still know it is there or not? Have you not seen: A monk asked Changsha, 'Why do the buddhas of the three periods not know it is there?' Sha said, 'Before entering the Deer Park, it was still a bit better.' The monk said, 'Why, on the contrary, do cats and white water buffaloes know it is there?' Sha said, 'How can you blame them?' When Wansong comes to this point, he can only look on from the side. Great or small, Tiantong has a share in praising it. The verse says: