佛祖統紀 1.2

1.2

The Buddha conferred the mind-seal upon the Patriarch, and patriarch to patriarch sealed one another down to our masters. In this lineage, establishing explanations according to capacity, revealing the real by expedient means, the threads divided and merged in ways truly inconceivable. Recently, while resting at Mount Wuzhan, I was unexpectedly invited by Magistrate Lord You to the Chenxin Pavilion of Minister of Justice Gu, who entrusted me with the task of proofreading. Asking what he wished to print, it was the *Fozu tongji*. Having long aspired to elucidate and expound it, I dared not decline on grounds of lack of ability. Just as I burned incense and unrolled the scrolls, a guest entered and said, "I have heard that 'mind, Buddha, and sentient beings—these three are without difference.' How can there be any distinction between Buddha and patriarchs? The Dao transcends boundary and limit, and the principle is not a matter of numbers. How then can there be a unified chronicle? If one takes mind and object as the basis of Chan contemplation, having inherent clarified butter of one's own flavour, why should one rigidly search for a cow and milk it in a village?" I said, "Your words seem plausible, yet they are not sufficient to speak of the Dao. If the Dao has no unifying lineage, it disperses; if the lineage has no chronicle, it falls into chaos. When dispersion and chaos arise, on what can principle rely? Furthermore, the Dao is made manifest through words; principle is clarified through teaching. How could one leave behind words and teachings to seek principle? Consider this scripture by analogy to a village; the expressive words and phrases are like the cow; the various meanings expressed are like the milk, curds, butter, and clarified butter. If one says that one should directly take the supreme flavour of clarified butter without troubling over cow's milk and the like, may I ask you to seek a flavour of clarified butter apart from cow's milk—is that possible? For those who wish to comprehend the Dao of the ancient sages, this chronicle is the ultimate guide. What doubts do you still have? This is why Censor Yang brought forth his aspiration for the sake of the Buddhas and patriarchs, and Magistrate You extended his helping hand for the sake of sentient beings. Could this man of the Dao, Yu, bear to mislead students by mistaking 'emperor' for 'tiger'?" The guest smiled broadly, bowed, and withdrew.