釋氏稽古略 3.281

3.281

Chancellor Lord Pei: Reaching this point, in the gengyin year of Xiantong, he passed away at the age of seventy-four. He served Chan Master Huangbo Yun with the etiquette of a disciple, and awakened to the essentials of the mind. The lord's personal name was Xiu, and his courtesy name was Gongmei; he was a native of Wenxi in Mengzhou, Hedong. In his childhood, he lived in seclusion with his brothers, lecturing on the classics by day and writing books by night. When someone presented him with a deer, Xiu would not eat it, saying, "Vegetable food is barely sufficient; if I eat meat once now, how can it be continued later?" He passed the jinshi examination. After successive promotions in office, while serving as prefect of Hongzhou, he entered Longxing Monastery, viewed the painted murals, and said, "Their appearance and deportment are admirable; where are the eminent monks?" None among the assembly could answer. The lord asked, "Is there a Chan monk here?" It happened that Chan Master Yun had left his assembly at Mount Huangbo in Lingnan and come to Da'an Hermitage, concealing his identity and sweeping the grounds; no one recognized him. Someone said, "There is a Chan practitioner." The lord invited him to come, and asked him the same question. Yun said in a clear voice, "Pei Xiu!" The lord answered, "Yes?" Yun said, "Where is he?" The lord was suddenly awakened and in accord. He thereupon welcomed him into his administrative quarters, inquiring into the Way morning and night. When the lord was transferred to govern Wanling (which is Xuanzhou), he invited Yun to accompany him. The lord held the reins of government during the reign of Xuanzong.