人天眼目 4.19

4.19

While Yangshan was staying at Guanyin Temple in Hongzhou, sitting after porridge, a monk came and bowed. Yangshan took no notice. The monk asked Yangshan: “Do you recognize characters?” Yangshan said: “According to my capacity.” The monk then circled once to the right and said: “What character is this?” Yangshan wrote “十” (ten) on the ground in reply. The monk circled once to the left and said: “What character is this?” Yangshan then changed the “十” into a “卍” in reply. The monk again drew a circle figure ○ and lifted it with both hands, in the posture of an asura holding up the sun and moon, and said: “What character is this?” Yangshan drew the figure [○@卍] in response. The monk then made the posture of Rucika. Yangshan said: “Thus, thus! This is what all Buddhas protect and keep in mind. Since you are thus, I also am thus. Protect and preserve it well. Excellent, excellent! Go well.” The monk thereupon bowed in thanks and departed by flying up into space. At that time there was a postulant who, having seen this, five days later asked Yangshan. Yangshan said: “Did you see it?” The postulant said: “I saw him go out beyond the triple gate and depart by flying up into space.” Yangshan said: “This was an Indian arhat who came specifically to test my lineage's cardinal principle.” The postulant said: “Although I beheld these various samādhis, I do not distinguish their principle.” Yangshan said: “I will explain it to you in terms of meaning: these are eight kinds of samādhi. The ocean of awakening transformed into an ocean of meaning; their essence is identical, but their names are different. Yet this meaning combines cause and effect, the same time and different times; overall and particular, it is not separated from the body-concealing samādhi.”