佛祖歷代通載 18.74

18.74

（丙戌）　楊岐方會禪師順寂。生冷氏。袁州宜春人也。少警敏滑稽談劇有味。及冠不喜從事筆硯。竄名商稅掌課最。坐不職當罰。宵遁去。遊筠州九峯。恍然如昔經行處。眷不忍去。遂落髮為大僧。閱經聞法。心融神會。能痛自折節依參老宿。慈明住南原。輔之安樂勤苦。及遷道吾石霜。會自請領監院事。非慈明之意。眾論揵然稱善。挾楮衾入典金谷。時時憃語摩怫慈明。諸方得以為當。慈明飯罷必山行。禪者問道多失所在。會闞其出未遠。即撾鼓集眾。明遽還數曰。少叢林莫而陞座。何從得此規繩會徐對曰。汾陽晚參也。何為非規繩乎。慈明無如之何。今叢林三八念誦罷猶參者此其原也。辭之還九峯萍實道俗請住楊岐。時九峯長老勤公不知會。驚曰。會監寺亦能禪乎。會受帖。問答罷乃曰。更有問話者麼。試出來相見。楊岐今日性命在汝諸人手裏。一任橫拕倒拽。為什麼如此。大丈夫兒須是對眾決擇。莫背地裏似水底按胡盧相似。當眾勘驗看。有麼。若無楊岐失利。下座。勤把住曰。今日且得箇同參。曰同參底事作麼生。勤曰。楊岐牽犁九峯拽把。曰正當與麼時。楊岐在前。九峯在前。勤無語托開曰。將謂同參。元來不是。自是名聞諸方。示眾曰。不見一法是大過患。拈主丈云。穿過釋迦老子鼻孔。作麼生道得脫身一句向水不洗水處。道將一句來。良久曰。向道莫行山下路。果聞猨叫斷腸聲。慶曆六年移住潭州雲蓋。以臨濟正脈付守端。

(Bingxu [1046]) Chan Master Yangqi Fanghui peacefully passed away. He was born of the Leng clan and was a native of Yichun in Yuanzhou. In his youth he was alert, sharp, humorous, and his conversation was delightful. When he came of age, he disliked working with brush and inkstone, so he registered as a commercial tax collector, attaining the highest tax yield. Found guilty of an offense in office and due for punishment, he fled by night. Wandering to Jiufeng in Yunzhou, he felt suddenly as if it were a place where he had practiced walking in a past life; fondly unable to bear leaving, he thereupon shaved his head to become a fully ordained monk. Reading scriptures and hearing the Dharma, his mind blended and harmonized with them. He was able to humble himself thoroughly to rely upon and study with senior masters. When Ciming resided at Nanyuan, Fanghui assisted him with peace and joyful diligence. When Ciming moved to Daowu and Shishuang, Fanghui personally requested to take charge of the monastery directorship, which went against Ciming’s intention; yet the public consensus warmly praised it as excellent. Carrying his paper quilt, he entered to manage the temple's treasury. From time to time, with blunt words he provoked Ciming, which the various quarters considered fitting. Whenever Ciming finished his meal, he would inevitably walk in the mountains; Chan students inquiring about the Way often could not find his whereabouts. Fanghui, spying that he had not gone far, immediately beat the drum to assemble the community. Ciming hurried back and scolded: “You lack monastery decorum! Ascending the rostrum at nightfall—from where did you get this regulation?” Fanghui calmly replied: “Fenyang held evening gatherings; why is this not a regulation?” Ciming could do nothing about it. Today’s custom in the monasteries of still having interviews after the chanting on the third and eighth days traces its origin to this. Taking leave of him, he returned to Jiufeng. The clergy and laity of Pingshi invited him to reside at Yangqi. At that time, the Abbot of Jiufeng, Venerable Qin, did not know Fanghui and said in surprise: “Can Director Hui also do Chan?” Fanghui received the document of appointment. After the questions and answers were concluded, he said: “Is there anyone else with questions? Come forward and meet me! Today, Yangqi’s life is in all of your hands; feel free to drag me sideways and pull me backwards! Why is it like this? A great man must make the decision before the assembly—do not act in secret like someone pushing a gourd under water! Let us examine it before the public! Is there anyone? If not, Yangqi loses the advantage.” He stepped down from the seat. Qin held him fast and said: “Today I have finally found a fellow cultivator!” Fanghui said: “What is this matter of a fellow cultivator?” Qin said: “Yangqi pulls the plow, Jiufeng drags the rake.” Fanghui said: “Just at such a time, is Yangqi in front, or is Jiufeng in front?” Qin was speechless. Pushing him away, Fanghui said: “I thought you were a fellow cultivator, but it turns out you are not!” From then on, his fame spread throughout the quarters. Addressing the assembly, he said: “Not seeing a single phenomenon is a great fault.” Raising his staff, he said: “Piercing through the nostrils of old Śākya! How can you speak a word of liberation? In the place where water does not wash water, speak a phrase!” After a long pause, he said: “I tell you not to take the path beneath the mountain; indeed one hears the gibbon’s cry that breaks the heart.” In the sixth year of Qingli [1046], he moved to dwell at Yungai in Tanzhou, and transmitted the orthodox lineage of Linji to Shouduan.