大明高僧傳 5.17

5.17

釋景元號此菴。溫州永嘉張氏子也。年十八依靈山希拱和尚圓具戒。習台教三䆊。棄去謁圓悟勤禪師於鍾阜。聞僧讀死心和尚小參語。云。既迷須得箇悟。既悟須識悟中迷迷中悟。迷悟雙忘却從無迷悟處建立一切法。元聞而疑。即趨佛殿以手托開門扉。豁然大徹機辯逸發。圓悟目為聱頭元侍者。悟自讚像付之曰。生平只說聱頭禪。撞著聱頭如鐵壁。脫却羅籠截脚跟。大地撮來墨漆黑。晚年轉復沒刀刀。奮金剛椎碎窠窟。他時要識圓悟面。一為渠儂併坫出。自爾鏟彩埋光不求聞達。後為括蒼太守耿延禧慕元欲致開法南明。物色得元於台之報恩。迫其受命。僧問。三聖道。我逢人即出。出則不為人。意旨如何。曰八十翁翁嚼生鐵。僧又問。興化道。我逢人即不出。出則便為人。又作麼生。曰須彌頂上浪翻空。元後示疾。請西堂應庵華付囑院事。訓徒如常時。俄握拳而逝。荼毘得五色舍利。齒舌右拳不壞。塔于寺東北劉阮洞前。世壽五十三。

Shi Jingyuan was styled Ci'an. He was a son of the Zhang family of Yongjia in Wenzhou. At the age of eighteen, he relied on the Venerable Xigong of Lingshan and received full ordination. He studied Tiantai teachings for three years, then abandoned them to visit Chan Master Yuanwu Qin at Zhongfu. He heard a monk reciting the Venerable Sixin's words from an informal gathering, which said: "Having been deluded, one must obtain an awakening; having awakened, one must recognize delusion within awakening and awakening within delusion. When delusion and awakening are both forgotten, one establishes all dharmas right from the place of no delusion and no awakening." Yuan heard this and doubted it. He immediately hastened to the Buddha hall and pushed open the door leaf with his hand. Vastly and completely awakened, his sharp eloquence burst forth. Yuanwu regarded him as "Attendant Ao-tou Yuan" (Obstinate Yuan). Yuanwu personally inscribed a portrait and gave it to him, saying: / "In my life I have only spoken of obstinate Chan; / Bumping into the obstinate is like an iron wall. / Stripping away the snare and cutting off the heels, / Gathering up the great earth, it is pitch-black. / In my later years I have grown even less fussy; / Brandishing the vajra hammer, I shatter the dens and nests. / At another time, if you want to recognize Yuanwu's face, / Bring him out together with that fellow." / From then on, he concealed his talents and buried his light, not seeking renown or prominence. Later, Geng Yanxi, the prefect of Kuocang, admired Yuan and wished to invite him to open the Dharma at Nanming. Searching for Yuan, he found him at Bao'en in Tai, and pressed him to accept the appointment. A monk asked: "Sansheng said: 'Whenever I meet someone, I immediately step forth; yet in stepping forth, it is not for the sake of the person.' What is the meaning?" He said: "An eighty-year-old grandfather chewing raw iron." The monk also asked: "Xinghua said: 'Whenever I meet someone, I immediately do not step forth; yet in not stepping forth, it is precisely for the sake of the person.' How about that?" He said: "Waves churning the sky above the summit of Mount Sumeru." Later, Yuan manifested illness. He requested the retired abbot Ying'an Hua to be entrusted with the affairs of the monastery, and instructed his disciples as usual. Suddenly, he clenched his fist and passed away. Jhāpita yielded five-colored śarīra; his teeth, tongue, and right fist were undamaged. A stupa was built in front of Liu-Ruan Cave to the northeast of the monastery. His worldly age was fifty-three.