釋氏稽古略 4.158

4.158

Ciming: Chan Master Ciming of Mount Shishuang in Tanzhou was named Chuyuan, a son of the Li family of Quanzhou. In his youth he was a Confucian scholar. At the age of twenty he was ordained at Yinjing Monastery on Mount Xiang. His mother, who had virtuous conduct, sent him on itinerant pilgrimage. He visited Chan Master Fenyang Zhao. Zhao silently recognized his potential, but for ten years did not permit him to enter his chamber. Whenever he saw him, he would inevitably scold and curse him, or revile various quarters; and when he gave instructions, they were all vulgar worldly matters. One evening [Chuyuan] complained to him, saying, “Since coming to your Dharma seat, through two summers I have not received instruction, but have only increased my worldly toil. The months and years drift away, my own matter is not yet clarified, and I lose the benefit of leaving home.” Before he had finished speaking, Zhao cursed him, saying, “You bad spiritual friend, how dare you merchandise me!” In fury he raised his staff to drive him out. The Master tried to excuse himself, but Zhao suddenly covered his mouth. The Master thereupon had a great awakening and said, “Thus I know that Linji’s Way surpasses ordinary feelings.” He then served him for seven years before taking his leave. He went to rely on Chan Master Tangming Song. Song said to the Master, “Academician of the Hanlin Academy Yang Danian has elevated views and an unshakeable entry into the Way. You must not fail to see him.” The Master then went to see Danian. Danian asked, “Face to face we do not recognize each other, yet across a thousand miles we share the same wind.” The Master said, “I have recently accepted an invitation from the monastery.” Danian said, “Truly a fabrication!” The Master said, “Last month I left Tangming.” Danian said, “Just now I regretted asking you.” The Master said, “An adept!” Danian gave a shout. The Master said, “Exactly right.” Danian shouted again. The Master made a stroke with his hand. Danian stuck out his tongue and said, “Truly a dragon-elephant!” The Master said, “What kind of talk is that?” Danian looked back and ordered special tea to be served, saying, “It turns out you are one of our own family.” The Master said, “There was no need for that either.” After a long while, [Danian] asked again, “What is Senior Monk Yuan’s phrase for helping people?” The Master said, “Urgent.” Danian said, “An adept! An adept!” The Master said, “I spare the Academician twenty blows of the staff.” Danian slapped his knees and said, “What kind of place is this?” The Master clapped his hands and said, “It must not be let go!” Danian laughed loudly. He asked again, “Do you remember the circumstances of Tangming's awakening?” The Master said, “Tangming heard a monk ask Shoushan about the cardinal meaning of the Buddha Dharma. Shoushan said: ‘Beside the ramparts of King Chu, the river flows eastward.’” Danian said, “Just so—what is the meaning of these words?” The Master said, “Hanging a lantern-ball upon the water.” Danian said, “If so, you have betrayed the ancient.” The Master said, “If the Academician doubts it, consult someone else.” Danian said, “A three-legged toad jumps up to heaven.” The Master said, “Let it leap as it will!” Danian laughed again and lodged him in his studio, day and night examining doubts and verifying wisdom. Having heard of his former words and past deeds, he regretted meeting him so late. Danian (named Yi) entered the court and met the imperial son-in-law, Lord Li (Zunxu), saying, “Recently I found a man of the Way, truly a lion from west of the Yellow River.” Lord Li said, “Restrained by protocol, I cannot go to visit him; what can be done?” Danian was silent; returning, he told the Master, “Lord Li is a man of the Buddha Dharma. Hearing that your reputation for the Way has reached far, he wishes to see you, but because of regulations he cannot associate with palace attendants.” At dawn the Master went to visit Lord Li. Lord Li inspected his visiting card and sent a boy to ask him, saying, “If you can speak a phrase, you may meet with me.” The Master said, “Today I have specially come to call on you.” [Lord Li] again had the boy say, “On the stele are carved white characters; along the path are planted green pines.” The Master said, “Were it not for this occasion today, on other days it would surely be hard to meet.” The boy came out again and said, “The Commandant says: ‘If so, then I shall go to meet with the Senior Monk.’” The Master said, “At the tips and soles of his feet.” Lord Li then came out, sat down, and asked, “I hear that west of the Yellow River there is a golden-haired lion; is this so?” The Master said, “Where did you get this news?” Lord Li gave a shout. The Master said, “The cry of a wild fox!” Lord Li shouted again. The Master said, “Exactly right.” Lord Li laughed loudly. As he was about to leave, [Lord Li] asked for a departing phrase. The Master said, “Take good care of yourself.” Lord Li said, “How is that different from [what is said in] other quarters?” The Master said, “What would the Commandant say?” He replied, “I spare the Senior Monk twenty blows of the staff.” The Master said, “Exclusively for the sake of circulation.” Lord Li shouted again. The Master said, “Blind!” Lord Li said, “Farewell.” The Master said, “Yes, yes.” From then on he frequented the gates of Yang and Li, befriending them in the Dharma. After a long time he took his leave to return to Hedong. Danian said, “I have a word to send to Tangming.” The Master [said], “The bright moon shines on the night traveler.” Danian said, “That misses the mark.” The Master said, “Late at night it is still bearable; afternoon causes even more sorrow.” Danian said, “In front of Kaibao Monastery, why has the vajra-deity been sweating recently?” The Master said, “He knows.” Danian said, “Upon your departure, Senior Monk, do you not have a phrase for helping people?” The Master said, “A road of manifold mountain passes.” Danian said, “If so, then I shall follow the Senior Monk.” The Master made a hissing sound. Danian said, “Truly a lion’s cub!” The Master returned to Tangming (Tangming refers to Chan Master Zhicong of Sanjiao in Chengtian Monastery of Taiyuan Route; he was an heir of Shoushan Nian). Lord Li sent two monks to inquire after the Master. At the end of his letter, the Master drew a pair of feet and wrote the names of the visiting monks to send to him. Lord Li composed a verse: “A dark tail across more than a thousand miles; / From the whole coffin he revealed both feet. / Gods and humans are utterly unable to fathom it; / Farewell, red-bearded barbarian!” At that time, because his mother was old, the Master returned south to Ruizhou (now Jiangxi). He served as head monk in the community of Chan Master Cong of Dongshan, relying on him for three years. Previously, Fenyang had said, “I have extensively visited the descendants of Xuemen, regretting only that I never met Cong.” The Master therefore relied on him. He visited Mount Yang. The Prefect of Yuanzhou, Huang Zongdan, invited him to reside at Guangli Monastery on Mount Nanyuan. He moved to Daowu in Tanzhou, then to Chongshang Monastery on Mount Shishuang, then to Zhuangyan Monastery on Mount Nanyue, and then to Xinghua Monastery in Tanzhou. In the first year of Baoyuan, the imperial son-in-law, Lord Li Zunxu, sent an emissary to invite the Master, saying, “Among my Dharma friends within the seas, there were only you and Yang Danian. Danian has abandoned me and gone before; in recent years I have declined and grown frail, and am holding back death just to see you once.” The Master thereupon traveled east down to the capital and stayed with Lord Li for over a month. The Duke drew an enso and wrote a verse to bequeath to the Master: “The worlds have no support; / Mountains and rivers pose no obstruction. / The great ocean contains minute dust; / Mount Sumeru accommodates a mustard seed. / Picking up the turban; / Taking off the waistband. / If you search for life and death, / Inquire of this skin bag.” The Master said, “What is the original Buddha-nature?” The Duke said, “Today is hotter than yesterday,” and right upon these words he asked the Master, “What is your departing phrase?” The Master said, “Originally free from obstruction, / Adapting to square and round everywhere.” The Duke said, “In the evening I grow weary and will answer no more words.” The Master said, “Where there is no Buddha, act as the Buddha.” Thereupon the Duke peacefully passed away. Emperor Renzong heard of the Commandant’s passing and his dialogue with the Master, and praised it for a long time. The Master bade farewell at his grave. An imperial edict granted the Master an official boat to return south. At this point, on the fifth day of the first month of the first year of Kangding, the Master entered tranquility. His worldly age was fifty-four, and his monastic age was thirty-two summers. His deeds were inscribed at Xinghua Monastery, and his whole body was stupaed on Mount Shishuang. The Master was a Dharma heir of Fenyang Zhao, in the sixth generation of Linji. Those who inherited the Master’s lineage split into schools: Huanglong Nan and Yangqi Fanghui (Xudeng lu, Sengbao zhuan).