佛祖統紀 42.94

42.94

清泰元年二月。功德使奏。每遇誕節乞令州郡奏薦僧尼。立講經禪定持念文章議論。為四科試其能否。制可（洪容齋三筆引舊五代史）○建州崇安縣扣氷古佛名藻先。初見雪峰。携鳧此一包醬一罐以為獻。峯曰。包中何物。曰鳧。此何處得來。泥中。泥深多少。無丈數。還更有麼。轉深轉有。又問。罐中何物。師曰醬。何處得來。自合得。還熟也未。不較多。峯曰。汝異日必為王侯師。常夏月衣楮而坐。冬月扣氷而浴。因號扣氷。閩王延鈞請居瑞巖。經臨建州。刺史陳誨飯僧千人。問師曰。今日會中有異人乎。師曰。無有。明當為公致一大士。誨翌日具齋以俟。有老姥自外至。延居上席。飯訖竟去。師曰。此水藏菩薩也。有頃姥復來指師曰。辟支古佛何為饒舌。言訖不見。

In the second month of the first year of the Qingtai reign period, the Commissioner of Merit and Virtue submitted a memorial: "Whenever the imperial birthday occurs, we request that the prefectures and commanderies be ordered to recommend monks and nuns by memorial, establishing four subjects to test their abilities: lecturing on the sūtras, dhyāna meditation, chanting and recitation, and essay composition and debate." This was approved by imperial decree. (Cited by Hong Rongzhai in his Sanbi from the Old History of the Five Dynasties.) ○ In Chong'an County, Jianzhou, there was the ancient Buddha Koubing, named Zaoxian. When he first met Xuefeng, he carried a bundle of wild ducks and a jar of paste to offer. Xuefeng said, "What is inside the bundle?" He said, "Wild ducks." "Where did they come from?" "From the mud." "How deep was the mud?" "Beyond fathom." "Is there yet more?" "The deeper one goes, the more there is." He also asked, "What is inside the jar?" The master said, "Paste." "Where did it come from?" "I blended it myself." "Is it fermented yet?" "Not much difference." Xuefeng said, "You will surely be a teacher to kings and nobles in future days." In the summer months he would constantly sit clad in paper garments; in the winter months he broke the ice to bathe. Because of this, he was named 'Koubing' (Ice-Breaker). Wang Yanjun, the King of Min, invited him to reside at Ruiyan. As he passed through Jianzhou, the Prefect Chen Hui provided a meal for a thousand monks and asked the master, "Is there an extraordinary person in today's assembly?" The master said, "There is none. Tomorrow I shall bring a Mahāsattva for you, Milord." The next day, Hui prepared a feast and waited. An old woman arrived from outside; she was invited to sit in the seat of honour. When the meal was finished, she departed forthwith. The master said, "This was the Bodhisattva Shuizang (Water-Store)." A moment later, the old woman returned, pointed at the master, and said, "Ancient Pratyekabuddha, why be so talkative?" Having spoken, she vanished from sight.