釋氏稽古略 4.199

4.199

Chan Master Baiyun of Shuzhou (now Anqing) was named Shouduan, a son of the Ge family of Hengyang. In his youth he practiced calligraphy and literature, and upon capping, he relied on Chan Master Chaling Yu to tonsure and shave his head. He went to study under Yangqi. One day Yangqi suddenly asked, 'Who was your tonsure master?' The Master said, 'Venerable Chaling Yu.' Yangqi said, 'I heard that when he crossed the bridge and suffered a stumble, he had an awakening and composed a verse. Can you recite it?' The Master recited: / 'I have a luminous pearl, / Long locked away by worldly dust. / Today the dust is gone and the light comes forth, / Illumination breaking through the myriad mountain peaks.' / Yangqi laughed and hastily stood up. The Master was astonished and could not sleep the whole night. At dawn he went to inquire about it. It happened to be the end of the year. Yangqi said, 'Did you see the exorcist performers yesterday?' He said, 'I saw them.' Yangqi said, 'You are inferior to them by a tally.' The Master was frightened again and said, 'What does this mean?' Yangqi said, 'They love to have people laugh; you fear to have people laugh.' The Master was greatly enlightened. After serving as attendant for a long time, he took leave to travel to Mount Lu. Chan Master Yuantong Ne recommended the Master to reside at Chengtian, and his renown spread widely. He also yielded the residence at Yuantong, and subsequently moved to Fahua, Longmen, Xinghua, and Haihui. Wherever he went, the crowd gathered like clouds. At this point, in the fifth year of Xining, he entered nirvāṇa at the age of forty-eight. He was the Dharma heir of Yangqi Hui; Hui was the heir of Chan Master Ciming Yuan (Sengbao lu).