大明高僧傳 7.25

7.25

系曰。能公不過一校書郎耳。纔覩禪冊便知落處。豈非再來人乎。況乃遨遊諸師之門。不無肯綮。方接大溈眉睫即解轉身。其利器固可知矣。溈尤未可。至問收劍因緣。前僧寧無入處。而終為揮下。及能公則別有通霄一路。乃拈莖草而作吹毛。大溈不免親遭鼈鼻一口。公可謂得大機用者歟。大溈固善為人師。能公亦不愧為人弟也。嗚呼世之師徒賓主相見能具此風彩作略。庶不辜遊法海。兩無遺憾。不然總為無孔鐵鎚負黃面漢不少矣。勉哉。

The appraisal says: Master Neng was merely a collation clerk. As soon as he saw a Chan book, he knew its destination; was he not a person of rebirth? What is more, wandering through the gates of various masters, his insights hit the vital points. The moment he met Dawei face to face, he immediately understood how to turn himself around; his sharp faculties were clearly evident! Dawei still did not approve him. When it came to the case of retrieving the sword, did the previous monk lack an entry? Yet he was dismissed in the end. But when it came to Master Neng, he had a separate path leading straight to the heavens: he picked up a blade of grass and turned it into a blow-hair sword, and Dawei could not avoid being personally bitten by the viper. Can the Master not be called one who attained the great dynamic function? Dawei was truly good at being a teacher, and Master Neng was indeed not ashamed of being a disciple. Alas, if masters and disciples, hosts and guests, meeting in this world, can possess such style and strategy, they may avoid failing their voyage in the Dharma ocean, leaving no regrets on either side. Otherwise, they will all be unperforated iron hammers, falling far short of the yellow-faced fellow! Strive on!