佛祖歷代通載 15

English (machine translation) 15

Language: English

15.1

Compiled by Nianchang of Huating, Abbot of Dazhong Xiangfu Chan Monastery in Jiaxing Route

(1. Bingxu [806]) Emperor Xianzong, [whose personal name was] Chun, changed the reign era to Yuanhe. (He was the eldest son of Shunzong. He appointed the Northern Turk Cheng Guan as pacification commissioner. Bai Juyi presented [memorials] advising that eunuchs should not serve as commander-in-chief. The realm was peaceful and secure; all acclaimed him as a ruler of dynastic restoration. A dream descended from the Heavenly Sovereign of the North, bidding him to cause the Buddhadharma to flourish, but the Emperor did not follow this command. He loved to ingest elixir medicines, which caused his temperament to become irascible. Later he was assassinated by the eunuch Chen Hongzhi, at the age of forty-three. He was buried at Jingling. At that time there were renowned and worthy figures such as Liu Zihou [Liu Zongyuan], Han Tuizhi [Han Yu], Yuan Weizhi [Yuan Zhen], Liu Yuxi, and Bai Juyi. He was on the throne for fifteen years).

15.4

(2) Chan Master Dayi of Ehu in Xinzhou was a native of Xujiang in Quzhou, of the surname Xu. Li Ao once asked the master: “What does the Great Compassionate One use a thousand hands and eyes for?” The master said: “What does the present Emperor use you for?” There was a monk who begged to erect a stūpa. Minister Li asked: “In the teachings it is not permitted to carry a corpse beneath a stūpa. What about this?” The monk had no answer; he returned and asked the master. The master said: “He has obtained the status of a great icchantika.” The Emperor summoned him into the palace to debate in the Linde Hall. A Dharma master asked: “What are the Four Truths?” The master said: “His Sagely Majesty is one emperor. Where are the other three emperors?” He also asked: “In the realm of desire there is no dhyāna; dhyāna abides in the realm of form. Based on what is dhyāna established in this land?” The master said: “The Dharma master only knows that in the realm of desire there is no dhyāna, but does not know that in the realm of dhyāna there is no desire.” The Dharma master said: “What is dhyāna?” The master pointed at the empty air with his hand; the Dharma master had no reply. The Emperor said: “The Dharma master lectures on inexhaustible sūtras and treatises, yet he cannot handle even this one point!” The master then asked the eminent elders: “In walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, what ultimately is the Way?” Someone replied: “Knowing is the Way.” The master said: “It cannot be known through knowing, nor cognized through consciousness. How can knowing be the Way?” Someone replied: “Non-discrimination is the Way.” The master said: “Skillfully discriminating the marks of all phenomena while remaining unmoved in the primary truth—how can non-discrimination be the Way?” Someone replied: “The four dhyānas and eight concentrations are the Way.” The master said: “The Buddha-body is unconditioned (asaṃskṛta) and does not fall into numerical categories. How can the four dhyānas and eight concentrations be the Way?” The assembly all held their tongues. The master also cited: “Emperor Shun asked Chan Master Shili: ‘Great master, how do sentient beings see their nature and become Buddhas?’ Shili said: ‘Buddha-nature is like the moon in the water: it can be seen, but cannot be grasped.’ ” He then said to the Emperor: “The Buddha-nature cannot be seen by necessity. How can the moon in the water be seized?” The Emperor then asked: “What is the Buddha-nature?” The master replied: “It is not apart from what Your Majesty has asked.” The Emperor silently accorded with the true doctrine.

15.5

(3) [The Emperor] revered him all the more. On the seventh day of the first month in the thirteenth year of Yuanhe, the master entered extinction at the age of seventy-four. He was imperially posthumously titled Chan Master Huijue, and his stūpa named Jianxing (Seeing the Nature).

15.6

At that time there was Master Hanshan. No one knew his clan or home village. He lived in seclusion at Hanyan (Cold Rock) in Tangxing County, Taizhou; thus the elders called him Master Hanshan. In appearance he was emaciated and rustic. He liked to wear a birch-bark hat and wooden clogs, and his ragged fur coat and patched robes made him look like a madman. He laughed and sang as if nothing else mattered. His dwelling was close to Guoqing Monastery on Mount Tiantai. A monk of the monastery, Fenggan, was also an extraordinary man. He would fetch firewood and carry water himself, toiling at the mortar and pestle to supply the assembly, and was an otherworldly friend to Master Hanshan. Earlier, Fenggan had been walking along the road of Chicheng when he heard a child crying amid the grass and greens. Looking, he saw a boy of some ten years. When asked where he was from, he initially gave no answer. Feeling this was strange, he led him back to the monastery and had him sweep. Because he had found him in the wild, he named him Shide (Found). When he grew up, his ascetic dhūta practices were exceptionally acute and peerless, and he was deeply esteemed by Fenggan and Hanshan, who roamed together with him. The three of them enjoyed great mutual accord. The monks of the monastery all found them strange, yet in their hearts they were suspicious and did not understand them. Daily, Shide washed the vessels, hoping for leftover scraps of food, which he would put in a bamboo tube and keep as provisions for Hanshan. Both men were gifted at poetry. Sometimes, bantering in the villages and hamlets, whenever an event inspired their feelings, they would compose a poem to express their mind. They wrote them on rock walls, on tree leaves, or in wine shops. Their words were transcendent and extraordinary; even famous writers of old could not equal them. Hanshan said of himself in verse: / “Originally I was no reclusive scholar, / But called myself a dweller of the mountain woods. / In Lu, I covered my head with a white cap; / In the morning, I like to tie on a coarse headband. / In the Way, I have the integrity of Chao and Xu; / I would be ashamed to be a minister to Yao and Shun. / A monkey capped with a hat— / It is not that I study to escape the mundane world.” / He also said: / “If you wish to obtain a peaceful dwelling, / Cold Mountain can be kept for long. / A gentle breeze blows through the secluded pines; / Listening closely, the sound is all the finer. / Below sits a white-haired man, / Murmuring, chanting the Huang-Lao texts. / Ten years unable to return, / He has forgotten the road by which he came.” / He also said: / “Having a body or having no body, / Is it me, or is it not me? / Deliberating thus carefully, / Hesitating, I sit leaning against the rock. / Green grass sprouts between my feet; / Red dust falls on the crown of my head. / Thus I see people of the mundane world / Offering wine and fruit at the spirit bier.” / He also said: / “In the jade hall hangs a pearl curtain; / Inside is a lovely maiden, / Her countenance surpassing the immortals, / Her beauty like peaches and plums. / Over the eastern house spring mists gather; / Over the western lodge autumn winds arise. / After thirty more years have passed, / She will be just like sugarcane dregs.” / Lines such as these were very numerous. Shide once took charge of offerings; when it was mealtime, he would eat facing the Buddha image. He also reprimanded the image of Kauṇḍinya, saying: “You of inferior capacity and ruined seed, what are you doing here?” The monastery monks found him exceedingly strange and did not allow him to attend to the offerings. Furthermore, the gruel and rice for the monastery guardian deity was often pecked away by crows and kites. Shide struck the deity with a staff and reviled it, saying: “You cannot even protect your own food—how can you protect the monastery?” The deity appeared in dreams to all the monks of the monastery, saying: “Shide has whipped me.” At dawn, they spoke of it to each other, and all their stories were identical; from then on, the assembly was terrified of him. Fenggan went out on itinerant wanderings. At the end of the Zhenyuan era, Lüqiu Yin was appointed governor of Taizhou. When he was about to take up his post, he suffered from head-wind disease, which no famous physician could cure. Fenggan happened to come to his house and claimed he was skilled at treating this illness. Lüqiu heard of it and granted him an audience. Fenggan called for water and spurted it on him, and in an instant the affliction was suddenly eliminated. Lüqiu was overjoyed and revered him greatly. He asked where he came from, and Fenggan said: “Guoqing on Mount Tiantai.” He asked: “Are there any worthy and eminent figures there?” He replied: “There are, but they cannot be sought through worldly matters. Hanshan and Shide are manifestations of Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra. The two of them mix incognito at Guoqing. When you take up your post, you should go to see them; do not delay.” Not long after Lüqiu arrived in the south to take office, he went to the monastery to visit the traces left by Fenggan. He saw only a desolate thatched hut, with a tiger crouching beside it. He then entered the monastery to pay homage to the two Mahāsattvas. The monks led him to the rear kitchen. Lüqiu bowed and paid homage to them. The two Mahāsattvas sprang up and ran, saying: “You do not recognize the talkative Amitābha—why do you bow to us?” They hurried back to Hanyan. The next day, Lüqiu sent men with gifts for them. When Hanshan saw the emissary coming, he cursed: “Thieves, thieves!” and vanished into a rock. Shide also slipped away, and no one knew where they ended up.

15.7

(4. Zihai [807]) Chan Master Daowu of Tianhuang [Monastery] east of Jingzhou city. The harmonizer of the pitch-pipes Fu Zai wrote his stele inscription, which roughly says: His surname was Zhang, and he was a native of Dongyang in Wuzhou. He left home (pravrajyā) at the age of fourteen, shaving his head under a Venerable in Mingzhou. At twenty-five, he received the precepts at Zhulin Monastery in Hangzhou. At first he studied under Guoyi, serving him with diligence for five years. In the eleventh year of Dali, he lived in seclusion on Mount Damei. In the early Jianzhong era, he visited Mazu in Jiangxi, and in the second year, he studied under Shitou and attained great awakening. He then lived in seclusion on Mount Ziling in Dangyang. Later, east of the city of Jingnan was Tianhuang Monastery, which had recently been ruined by fire. The monk Lingjian planned to restore it, saying: “If we can get Master [Dao]wu to be the converting abbot, it will surely bring us good fortune.” At that time, the prefect of Jiangling and Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, Lord Pei, bowed and inquired about the Dharma, sending respectful invitations to bring him. The master was not accustomed to welcoming or seeing off visitors; whether guests were noble or lowly, he merely sat and bowed with folded hands. Pei respected him all the more. The way of Shitou flourished here through him. The master suffered from back pain. Nearing the end, the assembly inquired about his illness. The master abruptly summoned the superintendent of meals to step forward, and asked: “Do you understand?” He replied: “I do not understand.” The master took his pillow, threw it to the ground, and thereupon announced his passing. He lived to sixty, with thirty-five summer retreats. His Dharma heirs spanned three generations: Huizhen, Youxian, and Wenben. This was indeed on the thirteenth day of the fourth month in the second year of Yuanhe.

15.8

(5) On the thirteenth day of the fourth month in the thirteenth year of Yuanhe, Chan Master Daowu of Tianwang [Monastery] entered extinction. Qiu Xuansu, Grand Master for Closing Court, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Manager of Affairs, and Military Commissioner of Jingnan under the Tang, composed his stele inscription, saying: Daowu was a native of Zhugong, of the surname Cui, a descendant of Ziyu. At the age of fifteen, he left home under Vinaya Master Tanzhu of Changsha Monastery. At twenty-three, he went to Mount Song to receive the precepts. At thirty-three, he studied under Shitou; though he repeatedly received instructions, his mind had not yet accorded. Next he visited National Preceptor Zhong. At thirty-four, he returned south with National Preceptor’s attendant Yingzhen to visit Mazu. Mazu said: “Recognize your own mind as originally being the Buddha; it does not belong to stages, nor does it require cultivation. Its essence is naturally suchness, completely endowed with the myriad virtues.” The master attained great awakening upon these words. Mazu instructed him: “If you act as an abbot, do not depart from your former place.” Having received this instruction, the master immediately returned to Jingzhou, and not far from the city wall, thatched grass to make a hut. Later, the military commissioner inquired about him, and his attendants reported his circumstances. The military commissioner went in person to inquire after the Way. Seeing the road was narrow and difficult for horses and carriages, and overgrown weeds extended as far as the eye could see without ever having been trimmed, he grew furious at the sight and ordered men to seize the master and throw him into the water. As his banners were just returning, he saw fires breaking out throughout the government office, with massive blazes inside and out that none could approach. Only a voice was heard from the sky saying: “I am the Heavenly King deity! I am the Heavenly King deity!” The commissioner had a change of heart, arranged offerings, and prostrated; the smoke and flames completely subsided, just as before. He then went to the riverbank and saw the master in the water, his clothes not wet at all. The commissioner repeatedly expressed repentance, invited him to the government office, and provided offerings. To the west of the prefecture, he built a monastery titled Tianwang (Heavenly King). The master would often say: “Joyful, joyful!” But nearing his end, he cried out: “Suffering, suffering!” and also said: “King Yama has come to take me!” The temple director asked: “When the Master was thrown into the water by the military commissioner back then, your expression did not change; how is it that now you are like this?” The master raised his pillow and said: “Tell me: was it right back then, or is it right now?” The temple director had no reply, and the master entered extinction. He lived to eighty-two, with sixty-three summer retreats. He had one Dharma heir, Chongxin, that is, [Longtan Chongxin] of Longtan. [Evaluation]: The treatise states:

15.9

(Venerable Jiyin said: "Chan Master Daowu of Tianwang Monastery in Jingzhou—if one follows what is recorded in the *Transmission of the Lamp*, it says that Daowu obtained the Dharma from Shitou, that the monastery where he resided was called Tianhuang, that he was a native of Dongyang in Wuzhou surnamed Zhang, went forth from the household at fourteen, had his head shaved under a Great Worthy of Mingzhou, received full ordination at Zhulin Monastery in Hangzhou at age twenty-five, first visited Chan Master Guoyi of Jingshan and served him diligently for five years, arrived in Zhongling during the Dali era to visit Great Master Ma, and after two summers then went to Shitou; and that in the fourth month of the dinghai year of the Yuanhe era he showed nirvana, living sixty years, with thirty-five years of monastic seniority. Yet when one looks at the *Lineages of the Five Houses* compiled by Chan Master Daguan Ying, it says that Daowu was a Dharma heir of Mazu, citing a stele inscription of several thousand words composed by Qiu Xuansu of the Tang dynasty, which states in brief: 'The master's name was Daowu. He was a native of Zhugong surnamed Cui, a descendant of [Cui] Ziyu. At age fifteen he paid homage to Vinaya Master Tanhong at Changsha Monastery and went forth from the household. At twenty-three he went to the Vinaya Master of Mount Song and received the śīla. He visited Shitou and knocked on the silence, but after two years had no awakening. He then entered Chang'an and closely served National Teacher Zhong. At thirty-four, together with the attendant Yingzhen, he returned south to visit Great Master Ma, and had a great awakening upon his words. [Mazu] instructed him, saying, "In the future, do not leave your old place." Hence he returned to Zhugong. In the wuxu year, the thirteenth year of the Yuanhe era, he showed illness at the beginning of the fourth month, and passed into silence on the thirteenth day, living eighty-two years, with sixty-three years of monastic seniority.' Examining their biographies, they truly seem to be two different persons. Yet what Xuansu recorded says: 'He had one person to whom he transmitted the Dharma, Chongxin, who resided at Longtan in Lizhou.' The stele of Chan Master Rang of Nanyue, composed by the Tang celebrity Gui Deng, lists several Dharma grandsons at the end, among whom is the name Daowu. Guifeng's *Memorial on the Tenets of the Chan Sect in Response to Prime Minister Pei* lists six Dharma heirs of Mazu, the first of which is Daowu of Jiangling, with a note beneath saying, 'He also received instructions from Jingshan.' Today, those who falsely engage in rivalries between the Yunmen and Linji houses can only provoke a laugh." This is from the *Linjian lu*.

The *Preface to the Revised Edition of the Lineages of the Five Houses from the Hall of Awakening from Dreams* says: "During the Jingde era, the monk Daoyuan of Wu compiled the thirty fascicles of the *Record of the Transmission of the Lamp*. Below Caoxi, it separated into two lineages: one called Rang of Nanyue, from whom came Great Master Ma; one called Si of Qingyuan, from whom came Qian of Shitou. Below these two lineages, they further divided into the Five Houses. From Great Master Ma came eighty-four good spiritual friends, among whom was Hai of Baizhang. From Hai came two men: Yun of Huangbo and You of Dawei. Under Yun came Xuan of Linji, hence called the Linji house. Under You came Ji of Yangshan, hence called the Weiyang house. Among the eighty-four men, there was also Wu of Tianwang. From Wu came Xin of Longtan; from Xin came Jian of Deshan; from Jian came Cun of Xuefeng. Under Cun came Yan of Yunmen, called the Yunmen house. Next was Bei of Xuansha; from Bei came Chen of Dizang; from Chen came Qingliang. Yi was called the Fayan house. Next, from Qian of Shitou came two men: Yan of Yaoshan and Wu of Tianhuang. Under Wu came Huizhen; from Zhen came Youjian; from Jian came Wenben; after three generations it ended. Only Yaoshan had Sheng of Yunyan; from Sheng came Jie of Dongshan; from Jie came Zhang of Caoshan: this is the Caodong house. The present *Transmission of the Lamp*, however, takes the two houses of Yunmen and Fayan and subordinates them under Shitou, which is an error. The reason is that at the same time there were two persons named Daowu. One was Daowu of Tianwang Monastery in the west of Jiangling City, a native of Zhugong and a descendant of Cui Ziyu, who was a Dharma heir of Mazu and passed away on the thirteenth day of the fourth month of the twelfth year of the Yuanhe era. Qiu Xuansu, Grand Master for Closing Court, composed the stupa inscription of several thousand words, which states in brief: 'Mazu instructed him, saying, "In the future do not leave your old place," and so he returned to Zhugong.' The other was Daowu of Tianhuang Monastery in the east of Jiangling City, a native of Dongyang in Wuzhou surnamed Zhang, who was a Dharma heir of Shitou and passed away in the dinghai year, the second year of the Yuanhe era. Fu Zai, Assistant Director of Music, composed the stupa inscription. The circumstances of birth and career recorded in the two steles are very detailed. However, when Daoyuan compiled the *Transmission of the Lamp*, he did not investigate each person by going in person, but merely relied on indirect reports and entrusted people to gather them up, so his errors can be understood. From the Jingde era until now, all under heaven take the *Transmission of the Lamp* as the standard; even those who hold positions in prominent monasteries and establish lineages are unable to investigate and discern this. Only the Prime Minister, Layman Wujin Master Zhang, and Master Lü Xiaqing—these two gentlemen—whenever they conferred on matters within the ancestral school, used to say: 'Shitou had Yaoshan, and Yaoshan had Caodong; the doctrine, practice, fruit, and teachings of this one house are winding and subtle. Moreover, from Daowu of Tianhuang came that Zhou the Diamond, who scolded the wind and cursed the rain, so that even Buddhas and Patriarchs dared not face his sharp edge. We fear that from Tianhuang on there may be an error.' Venerable Jiyin also once suspected this, saying that there seemed to be two persons named Daowu. Later, Layman Wujin obtained the stupa inscription of Daowu of Tianhuang composed by Fu Zai of the Tang from Chan Master Daguan Ying, and also obtained the stupa inscription of Daowu of Tianwang composed by Qiu Xuansu. Bearing them, he showed them everywhere throughout the various quarters, saying: 'I used to doubt why Deshan and Dongshan, both coming from under Shitou, were so different in how their teachings and functions killed and brought to life. Now, verifying it with these two records by Qiu and Fu, it is clear and luminous. Only now do I believe that my discernment of the Dharma and evaluation of people were not mistaken.' Jiyin said: 'Guifeng's *Memorial on the Tenets of the Chan Sect in Response to Prime Minister Fei* lists six Dharma heirs of Mazu, the first of which is Daowu of Jiangling, with a note beneath saying, "He also received instructions from Jingshan." Today, those who falsely engage in rivalries between the Yunmen and Linji houses can only provoke a laugh.' A brief outline has been written to transmit to the discerning, so that they may know that the orthodox lineages of the Five Houses are just like this.)

15.10

(6) Senior Monk Hutang Liang asked Chan Master Beilan Rang of Jiangxi: "I have respectfully heard that you, Elder Brother, have painted a true portrait of our late master. I beg to view and pay homage to it for a moment." The master parted his chest with both hands and showed it to him. Liang then made a prostration. The master said, "Do not bow, do not bow!" Liang said, "Elder Brother is mistaken; I am not bowing to you, Elder Brother." The master said, "Are you bowing to the late master's true portrait?" Liang said, "Why do you tell me not to bow?" The master said, "When was I ever mistaken?")

15.11

(7. Yichou) In the fourth year of the Yuanhe era, the Emperor asked his attendants: "In governance, which comes first, leniency or severity?" Prime Minister Quan Deyu replied: "The house of Tang inherited the harsh tyranny of the Sui and placed benevolence and generosity foremost. When Emperor Taizong saw the diagram of the Mingtang, he promptly banned the punishment of flogging the back. What the successive sagely rulers followed was entirely to value moral instruction. Therefore, when the great rebels of the Tianbao era covertly arose, they were suddenly extinguished. This is because our dynasty's transformation has moved people's hearts so deeply." The Emperor said: "It is truly as you say." Deyu was skilled in debate, presenting the origins and ends of past and present to awaken the ruler of men. In assisting as prime minister, he was lenient and harmonious, not seeking a reputation for pettiness and scrutiny. His writing was elegant, correct, copious, and rich; the prominent dukes, ministers, and feudal lords of the time whose meritorious virtue was outstanding all had their inscriptions and records composed by him. Although his comportment lacked outward adornment, his refined culture and bearing were naturally admirable. During the Zhenyuan and Yuanhe eras, he was an exemplar for the scholar-officials.

15.12

(8) Deyu once wrote *A Record of the Chan Master in Grass Clothing Sitting in Meditation*, saying: "At Nanyue in Xinzhou, there is a pure place for sitting in meditation, and a Chan master dwells there. Whence the master came cannot be known in detail. Initially, a woodcutter of the prefecture encountered him in the wilderness, his form solid and immobile among the grass and trees. After consulting the prefectural magistrate, he was invited to this place, and thirty years have passed. The people of the prefecture do not know why he is so, and so they call him 'Grass Clothing.' His feet do not tread the earth, his mouth tastes no food; his days know no distinction of night, his seasons know neither cold nor heat. His realm of tranquil silence is merely a single rope-bed. While the myriad phenomena are noisy, this body remains motionless. Internally, he regards the three times and five aggregates as all arising from false fabrication, and then, through the truth of existing dharmas, contemplates the twelve links of dependent origination; amidst correct wisdom, he attains the truly eternal and true self. The space of his mind is clear, still, and void; both his body and wisdom are pure. Subtle words and gentle speech are heard from time to time. Reaching far and near according to people's realms, according with their capacities high and low, like rain moistening the myriad things or wind blowing through the sky, all who cross his threshold gain entry. Were it not for operating the profound mechanism in the boundless and exhausting the source and foundation of true reality, the four seasons would attack from without and a hundred illnesses would arise from within. What the ancients called 'abandoning objects and departing from people to stand in solitary independence'—the Chan master has attained it. Alas! Worldly people are affected by objects and wander in their minds; when the mind shifts toward objects, gain and harm arise, and good and ill fortune take shape. Entangled in petty bridles, they drift and do not return. The ultimate person, however, turns back from motion to tranquility and returns nature to emotion. The differences of longevity and early death, benevolence and meanness, arise from this. This is merely one discourse of conventional truth; compared to the Chan master's Way, is it not like tares and weeds? In the second year of the Jianzhong era, I was on official duty travelling through Shangrao. At that time, Master Cui, Bureau Director of the Left Office, came out to serve as assistant prefect. Seeking to experience the master's flavor, he explained it thoroughly to me. Shaking off the dust of my cap ribbons, taking hands and greeting feet, he cleansed me with goodness derived from the master's demeanor and form, moreover considering that the wondrous import of the *Śūraṅgama* and the esoteric functions of Vimalakīrti were all here. Furthermore, how can one know that his sitting in meditation in this place is not preaching the Dharma in other lands? Therefore, I have roughly written what I heard and saw to record it upon stone."

15.13

(9. Gengyin) The Emperor asked National Teacher Chengguan: "What is meant by the 'Dharma realm' explained in the *Avataṃsaka*?" He memorialized: "The Dharma realm is the fundamental substance of the body and mind of all sentient beings. From the very beginning, it is spiritually luminous, vast, and distinct, expansive, empty, and silent—it is simply the single realm of reality. Having no form or appearance, yet the great chiliocosm is densely arrayed within it; having no boundaries, yet it contains the myriad existences. It is brilliantly manifest between mind and eye, yet its form cannot be seen; it shines radiantly within sensory forms, yet its principle cannot be divided. Except through the eye of wisdom that penetrates phenomena and the luminous intelligence freed from thoughts, one cannot see such spiritual permeability of one's own mind. Therefore, when the Bhagavān first realized right awakening, he sighed: 'How marvelous! I now everywhere see that all sentient beings possess the wisdom, virtuous qualities, and physical marks of a Tathāgata, but because of false thoughts and attachments they cannot realize and attain it.' Thereupon, matching the nature of the Dharma realm, he preached the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*, entirely eliminating sentiments through true emptiness, fusing phenomena and principle, all-pervasive and frozen in silence." The Emperor was endowed by Heaven with sagely brilliance; once he heard this profound discourse, he was expansive and self-possessed. Thereupon, he ordered the authorities to prepare the rites and cast a seal, promoting the National Teacher to lead and head the clergy under heaven, with the title Buddhist Primate National Teacher Qingliang.

15.14

(10) At that time, the Chan practitioner Wuzhuo entered Mount Wutai to seek an audience with the Great Being Mañjuśrī. Arriving before the Diamond Cave, he lit incense and paid homage. While sitting in meditation with his eyes closed for a short while, he heard someone shouting at an ox. Wuzhuo abruptly opened his eyes and saw an old mountain man of rugged, strange appearance leading an ox toward a stream to drink. Wuzhuo rose and bowed with hands clasped. The mountain elder asked, “Why have you come?” He replied, “I wish to see the Great Being Mañjuśrī.” The elder said, “The Great Being is not yet to be seen. Have you eaten?” Wuzhuo said, “Not yet.” The elder led the ox back, and Wuzhuo followed in his footsteps. Presently they entered a monastery. The elder called out, “Juntī!” A young boy responded to the call and came out to welcome them. The elder let go of the ox and led Wuzhuo up into the hall. The halls were entirely made of gold and jade. The elder sat upon a couch, pointed to an embroidered stool, and bade Wuzhuo sit. Presently the boy brought in a glass cup filled with something like cream and curd. He bowed and shared the drink with him. When Wuzhuo tasted it, he suddenly felt his mind and spirit become exceptionally bright and clear. The elder asked, “Where have you come from recently?” Wuzhuo said, “From the south.” The elder asked, “How is the Buddhadharma maintained in the south?” Wuzhuo said, “In the degenerate age, bhikṣus rarely uphold the precepts.” The elder asked, “How large are the assemblies?” He replied, “Sometimes three hundred, sometimes five hundred.” Wuzhuo asked, “How is the Buddhadharma maintained here?” The elder said, “Dragons and snakes are intermingled; commoners and sages dwell together.” He asked, “How many are in the assembly?” The elder said, “The former three-three, and the latter three-three.” They then talked on until dusk. Wuzhuo wished to stay, but the elder would not permit it. Wuzhuo lingered, unwilling to leave immediately. The elder flapped his sleeves, rose, and shouted for the boy to lead Wuzhuo out. Wuzhuo could not remain. Before walking far, he asked the boy, “What monastery was that just now?” The boy said, “The Prajñā Monastery.” Grief-stricken, Wuzhuo realized that the elder was Mañjuśrī and could not be seen again. He at once bowed at the boy's feet, wishing to beg a single word of farewell. The boy hid his form and sang: / “A face without anger is an offering utensil; / A mouth without anger emits wondrous fragrance; / A mind without anger is a precious jewel; / Freedom from stain and defilement is the truly eternal.” / Wuzhuo consequently planted his staff at Wutai, and it is said that he frequently met and conversed with Mañjuśrī. (The Master was a son of the Zhu clan of Yuxi in Jiahe; at the age of seven he relied upon Changle Monastery, now Chongfu Monastery, in his native district.)

15.15

(11: Xinmao [791 CE]) An imperial edict was issued transferring Chan Master Huaiyun of Zhangjing Monastery in the capital to take up residence at the superior monastery. Followers of the profound gathered like spokes at a hub. Yun instructed the assembly, saying: “The ultimate principle transcends speech. People of the world, failing to comprehend it, force themselves to practice other matters and take that as spiritual achievement, not knowing that self-nature is originally not an objective realm. It is an exquisite and great gateway to liberation. Whatever perception and awareness [arise], they are neither defiled nor obstructed. Such radiance has never ceased or been abandoned; from past kalpas until now, it has indeed never altered, just like the solar disc shining everywhere, near and far. Though reaching all colors, it does not blend with anything. The wondrous illumination of the spiritual torch does not depend on forging or smelting. Because they do not understand it, they grasp at material forms, just as conjuring up monstrosities and vainly giving rise to flowers in the sky, wearing themselves out to no purpose and passing through kalpas in vain. If one can reflect back upon oneself, there is no second person; all movements and deeds will never fall short of the true mark.” (Styled Boyan, surnamed Xie. During the turmoil of Jin he vowed to wear the monastic garb. Quan Deyu composed his memorial inscription. The rest is as in the *Record of the Transmission of the Lamp*.)

15.16

(12) The lay practitioner Pang Yun, styled Daoxuan, was a native of Hengyang. His family had practiced Confucianism for generations. Early in the Zhenyuan era, he called upon Master Shitou, and their profound discourse miraculously tallied. One day Shitou asked, “Since you came to see me, how have you conducted your daily affairs?” He replied, “If you ask about daily affairs, there is no place to open my mouth.” He then presented a verse, saying: / “Daily affairs are nothing different, / Only I myself naturally harmonize with them. / Not grasping or rejecting in any matter, / Nowhere going against or in discord. / Who cares for red and purple insignia? / The hills and mountains are utterly devoid of dust. / Spiritual powers and wondrous functioning: / Hauling water and carrying firewood.” / Shitou approved of it. Later, he visited Mazu and asked, “Who is the person that does not keep company with the ten thousand dharmas?” The Patriarch said, “Wait until you have swallowed all the water of the West River in a single gulp, and then I will tell you.” At these words, the lay practitioner attained great enlightenment. From then on, his profound faculties and wondrous phrases astounded all quarters. He was on the friendliest terms with Danxia. One day he visited Master Bailing, and they met on the road. Ling asked, “Have you ever presented to anyone that phrase in which you found satisfaction with Shitou in the past?” The layman said, “I have presented it.” Ling said, “To whom did you present it?” The layman pointed to himself with his hand and said, “To Old Pang.” Ling said, “Truly you are a Mañjuśrī or a Subhūti!” praising the layman beyond measure. The layman then asked, “Who knows the Master’s phrase that brought strength?” Ling put on his bamboo hat and walked away. The layman said, “Take good care on the road!” Ling went on without looking back even once. He also visited Master Zechuan. Chuan said, “Do you still remember the principle from when you first saw Shitou?” The layman said, “It still depends on the Reverend to bring it up again.” Chuan said, “I knew long practice would make you neglectful.” The layman said, “The Reverend is decrepit, no less than Old Pang.” Chuan said, “We two are contemporaries; how much difference is there between us?” The layman said, “Old Pang is fresh and vigorous, slightly superior to the Reverend.” Chuan said, “It is not that you surpass me; you have merely turned your headcloth around.” The layman said, “That is just like you, Master.” Chuan simply laughed heartily. Once while picking tea, the layman said, “The dharma realm does not accommodate the body. Master, do you still see me?” Chuan said, “It is not that this old monk is afraid to answer your words.” The layman said, “Having questions and having answers is merely ordinary.” Chuan went on picking tea and would not listen. The layman said, “Do not blame me for asking so lightly just now.” Chuan paid no attention. The layman said, “This ill-mannered fellow! Just wait until I recount this one by one to those with clear eyes!” Chuan then threw down his tea basket and returned to the abbot’s quarters. He also visited Master Songshan. While drinking tea, the layman held up a tea bowl and said, “Everyone has a share. Why can no one speak of it?” Shan said, “Precisely because everyone has a share, they cannot speak of it.” The layman said, “Why, elder brother, can you speak of it then?” Shan said, “One cannot remain without words.” The layman said, “Clearly so, clearly so!” Shan went on drinking tea. The layman said, “Elder brother, when drinking tea, why do you not bow to your guest?” Shan said, “Who?” The layman said, “Old Pang.” Shan said, “Why should I bow again?” Later Danxia heard of this and said, “If it were not for Songshan, he would almost have been thrown into confusion by that old man.” When the layman heard this, he sent word to Danxia, saying, “Why did you not understand the moment the tea bowl was held up?” He also visited Master Qifeng. Feng said, “Why does a layman come so frequently to a monk’s dwelling to seek something?” The layman looked back to both sides and said, “Who spoke like that? Who spoke like that?” Qifeng then shouted at him. The layman said, “Yet it is right here.” Feng said, “Could it be the one speaking right before us?” The layman said, “What about the one behind your back?” Feng turned his head and said, “Look, look!” The layman said, “The grass bandits have suffered a great defeat!” Feng had nothing to say. He also visited Master Shilin. Lin raised his fly-whisk and said, “You have fallen into Danxia's mechanism. Try saying a phrase!” The layman snatched away the fly-whisk and raised his fist. Lin said, “That is precisely Danxia's mechanism.” The layman said, “Show me how not to fall into it!” Lin said, “Danxia suffers from muteness; Old Pang suffers from deafness.” The layman said, “Precisely so.” On another day, Lin said, “I have an inquiry; layman, do not spare your words.” The layman said, “Please go ahead.” Lin said, “So you do spare your words after all!” The layman said, “This greeting inadvertently fell into his trap.” Lin covered his ears. The layman said, “An adept! An adept!” One day Danxia visited the layman and saw his daughter Lingzhao picking vegetables. Xia asked, “Is the layman in?” The daughter put down her basket and stood with hands folded. He asked again, “Is the layman in?” The daughter picked up her basket and left. At that time he lived in Xiangyang. Lingzhao always accompanied him, making bamboo strainers and selling them to provide for their daily needs. When the layman was about to pass away, he told Lingzhao to watch the sun, and to report when it reached noon. Lingzhao quickly reported, saying, “It is noon, but there is an eclipse!” When the layman went out to observe the sun, Lingzhao ascended her father’s seat, sat upright with palms joined, and passed away. The layman smiled and said, “My daughter is sharp indeed!” Thereupon the layman prolonged his life for another seven days. The Prefect of Xiangzhou, Lord Yu, condescended to visit and inquire after him. The layman talked and laughed with him for a long time. Looking at the Lord, the layman said, “I only wish that you empty all that exists, and beware not to take as real all that does not exist. Farewell in the world, which is just like shadows and echoes.” Having spoken, he rested his head upon the Lord's knee and passed away.

15.17

(13: Renchin [792 CE]) Liu Zongyuan, the Marshal of Yongzhou, composed a stele for Upādhyāya Mituo of Nanyue. The inscription reads: In the time of Emperor Daizong, there was the monk Fazhao who served as National Preceptor. He declared that his master, the Great Elder of Nanyue, possessed extraordinary virtue, and the Son of Heaven turned south and bowed in homage to him. Estimating that his Way could not be summoned, he named his dwelling the Pratyutpanna Bodhimanḍa to honor his station. The Master initially dwelt beneath the crags and boulders southwest of the mountain. If people gave him food, he ate; if not, he ate earth and mud and consumed grass and wood. The clothes he obtained were like this too. From the furthest south of the oceanic fringes to Youdu here, people came to seek his Way. Some encountered him in cliffs and valleys, emaciated in form and with dirt on his face, personally carrying firewood; thinking him a servant, they treated him lightly, yet it was the Master. In converting people, he established the Middle Way and taught them through expedient means so that they might arrive swiftly. Therefore, he demonstrated exclusive mindfulness, writing on paths and alleys and carving into valleys, exerting great diligence in guiding and leading to rescue those below. Without seeking, his Way was complete; without speaking, things were accomplished. All carried cloth and cut timber and stone, laying them at the threshold of his crag. Without refusing and without managing, the shrine halls were fully prepared, extending down to Emperor Dezong who issued an edict praising and establishing it; this is the Mituo Monastery. Surplus offerings were given to the hungry and sick, and he took no credit for his achievements. The Master first studied under Master Tang of Chengdu, next under Master Shen of Zichuan; Master Shen had studied under Master Ren of Dongshan, all of whom possessed the Way. Arriving in Jingzhou, he further studied under Master Zhen of Yuquan. Master Zhen conferred Mount Heng upon the Master, making him the foremost teacher. Those who followed and were transformed by him were numbered in the tens of thousands. Formerly, when Fazhao dwelt on Mount Lu, he proceeded from right samādhi to the Land of Peace and Joy, where he saw one in coarse clothing attending the Buddha. The Buddha told him, “This is Chengyuan of Mount Heng.” Emerging, he sought this teacher, found his likeness, and followed him to study. That his teaching spread throughout the realm was due to the Master's instruction. The Master was a monk for fifty-six years in all, and lived to the age of ninety-one. On the nineteenth day of the seventh month in the eighteenth year of Zhenyuan [802 CE], he passed away at the monastery. He was buried on the southern ridge of the monastery, and stone was carved to the right of the monastery’s main gate. The inscription reads: / The single breath swirls and bounds, boundless in pattern; / Above it has no beginning, below it has no end. / What was separated unites; what was obstructed becomes patent. / Beginnings and endings may differ, but now they are the same. / In vacuity and obscurity, the Way is merged. / The sage leaves no trace, yet demonstrates teaching and merit. / The Master’s leadership of the assembly was strict yet accommodating; / The Master’s establishment of sincerity was released in the center. / Garbed in the protection of grass and wood, sheltered beneath the vault of heaven, / Reaching up to gather and looking down to pick, finding sustenance to be full. / His physical form roamed the limitless, communing with the Great Hero; / The Son of Heaven bowed his head, his master following the wind of virtue. / From the four quarters people hurried like following clouds; / Begun from a mere foot and fathom, the spiritual palace was completed. / Originating on the Shu roads and reaching Linhong, / Inquiring and conferring back and forth, exhausting the true lineage. / The disciple who transmitted his teaching was the Lord National Preceptor; / Its transformative influence flowed to millions, revered through generations. / They bear the Master's lingering form upon the southern ridge; / The young call him Hongyuan, possessing only filial reverence. / Setting up this stone, they record his profound traces.

15.18

(14) This year, the construction of the Pure Land Cloister in Yongzhou was completed. Liu Zongyuan, the Marshal, wrote a commemorative record for it, which stated: 'Several tens of thousands of leagues west of the Central State, there is a country named Shendu [Sindhu], the place where Śākyamuni Tathāgata manifested. That Buddha said that, passing beyond a hundred thousand billion lands to the west, there is a world named Utmost Bliss; the Buddha's title is the Tathāgata of Measureless Life. That land has no three poisons or eight difficulties; it is adorned with many treasures. Its people have no ten fetters or nine vexations; the multitudes of sages are their companions. If there are those who can with sincere hearts and great vows take refuge in this land, if their mindfulness power is complete, they will be born in that country. Thereafter they go beyond the three realms, and with respect to the Buddha Path they will not regress. His words are free of all deception. In Jin times, Dharma Master Huiyuan of Mount Lu composed the "Chant on the Buddha-Mindfulness Samādhi," greatly exhorting [people] at the time. Afterwards, Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai wrote the *Treatise Explaining the Ten Doubts Concerning the Pure Land*, expanding and proclaiming its teaching. Through its thorough, meticulous, and subtle teachings, the deluded all found reliance. Those who have left behind extraordinary traces and departed are truly numerous. Li Chengxie, the former Prefectural Governor of Longxing Monastery in Yongzhou, and the monk Falin established a Pure Land Hall on the western side of the monastery, regularly revering this practice. More than twenty years have passed down to the present; the corners collapsed and deteriorated, and the images fell into ruin. It happened that Superior Xun took up residence beneath its roofs, and only then was it restored. The Superior cultivates the Supreme Vehicle and understands the foremost principle. Leaving behind no traces of [the Hinayāna] realizing emptiness through analyzing form, he has reached the true source; grasping the names of provisional being and borrowed non-being, he has entered the true mark. Object and wisdom merge; phenomena and principle unite. Therefore, although it is a cause for rebirth [in the Pure Land], he does not abandon forms and functions. He vowed to repair these halls to open the way for later students. A faithful layman painted an image of the Buddha, and the marks of the Dharma were fully equipped. The present Governor, Master Ping, built a great gate to mark its location. I then extended the four eaves, surrounded it with verandas, painted images of the two Great Beings, and provided silk canopies and streamers to bring it to completion. Alas! If there are those who can seek the birth of non-birth, do they know that the raft exists? Therefore, the *Ten Doubts of Tiantai* was inscribed upon the walls to inspire faith in the viewers.'

15.19

(15) Dharma Master Zhixuan's awakening and understanding were peerless, and he wrote many works. Yet he had few disciples. He therefore abandoned lecturing and lived at Hengyue Monastery. Every time he read what he had written, he would invariably sigh three times in admiration, thinking, 'My comprehensive understanding is like this, yet I meet no one who appreciates my tune.' By chance one day, a senior elder arrived, borrowed Zhixuan's writings, and read them. He then said, 'Your understanding is exceedingly lofty and accords quite well with the Buddha's intention. That you now lack a following is merely because you lack karmic affinity with people. Even a Buddha cannot deliver those without affinity; how much less can a beginner? You may prepare food and give it to the flying and running beasts; twenty years from now, you will naturally have a following.' As soon as he spoke, he vanished in a blur. Zhixuan then followed his instructions, sold his robes and single mat to buy rice, cooked it, and scattered it in the outskirts. Moved by this, flocks of birds gathered in large numbers, snatched the rice, and flew away. Zhixuan prayed over them, saying, 'May those who eat my rice become my companions in the Dharma.' Twenty years later, Zhixuan went to Yecheng to lecture. Beneath his seat was a crowd of more than a thousand people; indeed, they were all young bhikṣus.

15.20

(16) This year, Chan Master Daoshu passed away. The Master initially called upon Chan Master Shenxiu and attained the essential purport. He built a thatched hut on Mount Sanfeng in Shouzhou. There was a wild man whose clothes were plain and simple, and whose speech was bizarre. At times he would miraculously manifest the forms of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, heavenly immortals, and the like, or radiate extraordinary light, or emit noises—hundreds of forms of demonic illusions. The Master's followers were constantly alarmed and frightened, and none could comprehend it. It was like this for ten years before he vanished without a trace. The Master told the assembly, 'The wild man displayed endless tricks to dazzle and confuse people. It only took this old monk neither seeing nor hearing; his tricks are finite, but my neither seeing nor hearing is infinite.' Because of this, when those far and near heard of it, there was none who did not admire and submit to him. This is what is meant by 'seeing the uncanny and not being amazed by it, the uncanny naturally defeats itself.'

15.21

(Wu Yuanji rebelled and resisted the imperial army.)

15.22

(17) In the first month of this year, Chan Master Baizhang Huaihai passed away at the age of ninety-five. The Master was a man of Changle in Fuzhou. From his youth he left the dust behind, becoming thoroughly seasoned in the three trainings. When Mazu was expounding the transformation in Jiangxi, the Master inclined his heart to rely upon him, and together with Chan Master Xitang Zhizang, was titled an 'enterer of the chamber.' At that time, hundreds and thousands gathered to study at Mazu's gate, and the two Great Beings stood like horn-tips among them. When the Patriarch transformed and departed, the Master went to Mount Baizhang in Xiwu to dwell. In less than a month, students of the mysterious converged from the four quarters like spokes to a hub. Although the Master was advanced in monastic age, in all work and rest he invariably shared equally with the assembly. He once said, 'A day without work is a day without food.' A monk asked, 'What is the Great Vehicle's Dharma-gate of sudden awakening?' The Master said: 'You must first put all conditions to rest, ceasing all affairs. Good and non-good, mundane and supramundane—as for all phenomena, do not remember them and do not grasp at them in thought. Cast away body and mind, letting them be at ease. Let the mind be like wood and stone, without differentiation. Let the mind have nowhere to go; if the mind-ground is like emptiness, the sun of wisdom will naturally appear, like the sun coming out when the clouds disperse. This is called a liberated person. Facing all objects, the mind is without quietude or disturbance; it neither gathers nor scatters, and has no obstruction before any sound or form. Right and wrong, good and ugly, principle and non-principle—all knowledges and views are completely exhausted, and one is not bound by them. Abiding with an unobstructed mind, one is called a newly resolved bodhisattva, immediately ascending to the buddhabhūmi. If the mind of defilement and purity is exhausted, not abiding in bondage and fundamentally abiding in liberation, there is no bondage or liberation of all conditioned and unconditioned things. With an equal measure of mind, one abides in birth and death with the mind at ease. Ultimately one does not join together with illusory defilement, aggregates, realms, birth and death, or the various sense bases. Far elevated and without reliance, unconstrained by anything, going and staying are without obstruction; coming and going in birth and death is like a door swinging open. If one encounters various kinds of pain and pleasure or disagreeable things, the mind does not shrink back. One does not think of fame, reputation, clothing, or food, does not crave merit or benefit, and is not hindered by worldly phenomena. Even though the mind personally undergoes pain and pleasure, they do not concern the breast. One takes coarse food to preserve life and patches clothes to ward off cold. One is dull like a fool, like a deaf person. Only then is there some small measure of intimacy. Widely studying knowledge and understanding within birth and death, seeking merit and seeking wisdom, is of no benefit to principle; one is simply drifted away by the winds of cognitive objects and swept back into the ocean of birth and death. The Buddha is a person of no-seeking; to seek him is immediately to go astray. Principle is a principle of no-seeking; to seek it is immediately to lose it. If you grasp at no-seeking, you are again identical to seeking. This Dharma is neither real nor illusory. If you can make the mind throughout a lifetime like wood and stone, not drifted away or drowned by the aggregates, realms, the five desires, and the eight winds, then the causes of birth and death are cut off, and coming and going are free.' A monk asked, 'Now, receiving the precepts with body and mind pure, already equipped with all virtues, does one attain liberation or not?' He answered, 'A minor share of liberation, but not yet liberation of mind.' [The monk] asked, 'What is liberation of mind?' He answered, 'Not seeking the Buddha, not seeking knowledge and understanding, the feelings of defilement and purity exhausted, yet not holding to no-seeking as correct; not abiding where [all is] exhausted; also not fearing the pains of hell, not loving the pleasures of heaven; unconstrained by any phenomena—only this is called liberation without hindrance. Do not say that having a minor share of moral virtue makes you complete! There are doors of undefiled morality, concentration, and wisdom like the sands of the Ganges, none of which you have touched in the slightest. Exert yourself vigorously! Do not wait until your ears are deaf, eyes dim, hair white, and face wrinkled—when the pains of old age reach your body, tears flow from your eyes, and your heart is panicking with nowhere to go. When it comes to such a time, you will not be able to arrange your hands and feet. Even if you have merit, wisdom, and broad learning, none of it will be of any use. Because you grasp at objects in thought and do not know how to reflect back, and moreover do not see the Buddha Path, all the evil karma of a lifetime will appear before you, transforming into alluring realms; according to where what you see is heavy, you will take birth, having no share of freedom whatsoever. Whether as a dragon, a beast, noble, or base is completely undecided.' [The monk] asked, 'How does one attain freedom?' He answered, 'Now, facing the five desires and eight winds, feelings have no taking or relinquishing; defilement and purity are both obliterated. Like the sun and moon in space, shining without dependence; also like a fragrant elephant cutting across the stream and crossing over, without any further hesitation or delay—such a person cannot be gathered in by heaven or hell. Whenever reading sūtras and looking at teachings, all must be adapted and brought home to oneself. All spoken teachings merely illuminate the self of present awareness; neither is swayed by any phenomena of being or non-being. This is called a Guide. Being able to illuminate and shatter all objects and phenomena of being or non-being is called the Adamantine. Then one has a share of freedom and independence. If you cannot be like this, even if you can recite the twelve Vedas, it will only become superior conceit, which is rather slandering the Buddha and not cultivation. Reading sūtras and looking at teachings, judged by worldly standards, is a fine and good affair. But if you enumerate these before a person of clear sight, this is an obstructed person. A person of the tenth ground cannot escape this and flows into the river of birth and death. Only do not seek knowledge, understanding, language, or semantic phrases; separate from all phenomena of being and non-being, penetrate beyond the three phrases, and naturally you will not differ from the Buddha. Since you yourself are the Buddha, why worry that the Buddha does not understand words? Only fear that you are not the Buddha and are swayed by all phenomena of being and non-being, unable to attain freedom. Therefore, if before principle is established one is first carried away by merit and wisdom, it is knowing how to make the base employ the noble. It is better to first establish principle and have merit and wisdom afterward; when the time comes, one can be the master, grasping earth to make gold, turning seawater into butter and ghee, breaking Mount Sumeru into fine dust, making measureless meanings out of a single meaning, and making a single meaning out of measureless meanings.' Whenever the Master finished expounding the Dharma and the great assembly was descending from the hall, he would call out to them. The assembly would turn their heads, and the Master would say, 'What is it?' The various quarters termed this 'Baizhang's phrase upon descending the hall.'

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佛祖歷代通載 — Classical Chinese