釋氏稽古略 4.330

4.330

宋隆興泐潭草堂清禪師會中書記。名脩仰。南閩人。佛日杲禪師奉旨自衡州移梅陽。仰侍行。郡守謝朝議以佛日語僚屬曰。朝廷編置所謂長老者但一僧耳。兵馬司東偏之隙地從其居止。既而僧行日至幾數百指。施鍬钁而平基址。運竹木而縛屋廬。聽其指呼無敢怠者。守雖聞其服勤如此。亦未知果何人也。於是延見一二觀其能為。仰適承命乃與從容彌日語論英發。榷古商今逢原左右。守復徵等伍更有蘊異能者否。仰遂告以負大經論者有之。博極書史者有之。詩詞高妙者有之。翰墨飄逸者有之。其所以未能明徹。則佛祖大事因緣而已。是以不憚艱險隨侍而來得依仁政幸莫大焉。守且駭異知其徒侶皆為法忘軀之士自是於佛日禪師日益加敬遣其子純粹求入道捷徑佛日示以法語八篇存語錄中（雲臥紀談）。

In the Song, the scribe in the assembly of Chan Master Letan Caotang Qing in Longxing was named Xiuyang, a native of Southern Min. When Chan Master Fori Gao received the imperial decree to move from Hengzhou to Meiyang, Xiuyang accompanied him as an attendant. The commandery prefect, Court Gentleman for Consultation Xie, said to his subordinates regarding Fori: "The one whom the imperial court has interned, a so-called elder, is merely a single monk. Let him dwell in the vacant ground to the east of the Military Commission." Soon, the monks and practitioners arriving daily numbered several hundreds. They took up shovels and pickaxes to level the foundations, and transported bamboo and timber to construct the huts. Obedient to his directions and commands, none dared to be slack. Although the prefect heard of their diligent service like this, he still did not know what sort of man he really was. Thereupon he invited one or two to an audience to observe their capabilities. Xiuyang happened to receive the order, and thereupon conversed with him at ease for the entire day, his discourse brilliant and inspiring, evaluating antiquity and discussing the present, finding their source at every turn. The prefect further investigated among their ranks whether there were others possessing exceptional talents. Xiuyang then informed him that there were those who bore mastery of the great sūtras and treatises, those who were broadly versed in literature and history, those whose poetry was lofty and exquisite, and those whose brushwork and calligraphy were free and elegant: "That they have not yet achieved complete clarity is solely for the sake of the Buddhas and Patriarchs' great cause of the one great matter. For this reason, undaunted by hardship and peril, they have followed in attendance, and to be able to rely on your benevolent governance is indeed the greatest good fortune." The prefect was astonished and realized that his followers were all men who forgot their own bodies for the sake of the Dharma. From this point, his respect for Chan Master Fori increased day by day. He sent his son Chuncui to seek a shortcut to entering the Way, and Fori instructed him with eight pieces of Dharma talk, which are preserved in his recorded sayings (Yunwo jitan).