禪關策進 1.56

1.56

山僧初見獨翁和尚。令參不是心不是佛不是物。後同雲峯月山等六人。立願互相究竟。次見淮西教無能。令提無字。次到長蘆。結伴煉磨。後遇淮上敬兄。問云。爾六七年有甚見地。某答。每日只是心下無一物。敬云。爾這一絡索甚處出來。某心裏似知不知。不敢開口。敬見我做處無省發。乃云。爾定中工夫不失動處便失。某被說著。心驚便問。畢竟明此大事。應作麼生。敬云。爾不聞川老子道。要知端的意。北斗面南看。說了便去。某被一問直得。行不知行。坐不知坐。五七日間。不提無字。倒只看要知端的意。北斗面南看。忽到淨頭寮。在一木上。與眾同坐。只是疑情不解。有飯食頃。頓覺心中空亮輕清。見情想破裂。如剝皮相似。目前人物。一切不見。猶如虛空。半昧省來。通身汗流。便悟得北斗面南看。遂見敬下語作頌。都無滯礙。尚有向上一路。不得洒落。後入香巖山中過夏。被蚊子咬兩手不。定。因念古人為法忘軀。何怖蚊子。盡情放下咬定牙關。揑定拳頭。單提無字。忍之又忍。不覺身心歸寂。如一座屋倒却四壁。體若虛空。無一物可當情。辰時一坐。未時出定。自知佛法不誤人。自是工夫不到。然雖見解明白。尚有微細隱密妄想未盡。又入光州山中。習定六年。陸安山中又住六年。光州山中又住三年。方得頴脫。

When this mountain monk first met the venerable master Duweng, he had me investigate: 'It is not mind, it is not buddha, it is not a thing.' Later, together with Yunfeng, Yueshan, and others, six people in all, we made vows to thoroughly investigate this with one another. Next I met Jiaowuneng of Huaixi, who had me raise the character Wu. Next I arrived at Changlu, where I joined companions in refining practice. Later I met Elder Brother Jing on the Huai River, who asked: 'For six or seven years, what insight have you gained?' I answered: 'Daily, within my mind there is simply not a single thing.' Jing said: 'Where did this tangled strand of yours come from?' In my mind I seemed to know yet did not know, not daring to open my mouth. Seeing that I had no awakening in what I did, Jing said: 'Your practice in stillness is not lost, but in activity it is lost.' Struck by his words, my heart was alarmed, and I asked: 'After all, to clarify this great matter, what should one do?' Jing said: 'Have you not heard what Old Chuan said? "If you want to know the true meaning, look at the Northern Dipper facing south." Having said this, he left. Having received this one question, I walked without knowing I was walking and sat without knowing I was sitting. For five to seven days, I did not raise the character Wu, but instead merely inspected: 'If you want to know the true meaning, look at the Northern Dipper facing south.' Suddenly I arrived at the latrine-cleaners' quarters and sat on a log together with the assembly, the feeling of doubt simply unresolved. For the duration of a meal, I suddenly felt my mind empty, bright, light, and clear; views, feelings, and thoughts shattered, just like peeling off skin. The people and things before my eyes were all unseen, just like empty space. Coming to half-dazed, sweat poured from my entire body; I then awakened to 'look at the Northern Dipper facing south.' Thereupon I met Jing, uttered words, and composed a gāthā, all without impediment. Yet there was still the road of transcendence, where I was not yet fully untrammeled. Later I entered Mount Xiangyan to spend the summer retreat, bitten by mosquitoes so that my two hands could not stay still. Thinking of how the ancients forgot their bodies for the Dharma, why should I fear mosquitoes? I let go completely, clenched my teeth, tightened my fists, and solely raised the character Wu, enduring and enduring again. Unwittingly, body and mind returned to quiescence, like a house whose four walls had collapsed, its substance like empty space, with not a single thing that could touch my feelings. Sitting down at the chen hour (7–9 a.m.), I came out of samādhi at the wei hour (1–3 p.m.). I personally knew that the Buddha Dharma does not deceive people; it was merely that my own practice had not reached the mark. However, although my understanding was clear, subtle and hidden delusive thoughts were not yet exhausted. I went again into the mountains of Guangzhou and practised samādhi for six years; lived in the mountains of Lu'an for another six years; and lived in the mountains of Guangzhou for yet another three years before finally achieving breakthrough and release.