大明高僧傳 8.8

8.8

釋彥充號肯堂。杭之於潛盛氏子也。幼即慧性朗然善根內著。生而知有願脫塵羈。遂依明空院釋義堪薙髮。五夏學律一鉢孤征。逕造大愚宏智正堂大圓。後聞僧舉東林顏示眾曰。我此間別無玄妙。秖有木札羹鐵釘飯。一任汝等咬嚼。彥竊喜之直謁陳所見解。東林謂曰。據汝所見處正坐在鑑覺中也。彥盡將從前所得底一時颺下。專注一心精勤參究。一日聞傍僧舉南泉道時人見此一株花如夢相似。乃默自覺曰。打草秖要蛇驚耳。次日入室東林問。那裏是巖頭密啟其意處。彥曰。今日捉敗這老賊。林曰。達磨大師性命在汝手裏也。彥擬開口。驀然被林攔胸一拳。頓即大悟汗流浹背點首言曰。臨濟道黃蘗佛法無多子。豈虛語哉。呈偈曰。為人須為徹。殺人須見血。德山與巖頭。萬里一條鐵。林深然之。

Śramaṇa Shi Yanchong, styled Kengtang, was a son of the Sheng family of Yuqian in Hangzhou. From childhood his wisdom-nature was bright and clear, and good roots were rooted within him. Born knowing of [the Dharma], he vowed to cast off worldly entanglements. Thereupon he shaved his head under Shi Yikan of the Mingkong Cloister. For five summers he studied the Vinaya, then traveled alone with a single bowl. He went directly to Dayu, Hongzhi, Zhengtang, and Dayuan. Later he heard a monk cite Donglin Yan instructing the assembly, saying: 'Here I have no other profound marvels; there are only wood-shavings soup and iron-nail rice—you are completely left to chew on them.' Chong secretly rejoiced and went straight to call on him and state his understanding. Donglin said to him: 'According to where your view is, you are sitting squarely within reflective awareness.' Chong discarded all that he had attained before all at once, single-mindedly and diligently inquiring and investigating. One day he heard a nearby monk cite Nanquan saying: 'People of today see this single flower like a dream.' He silently realized to himself: 'Beating the grass is only to startle the snake.' The next day he entered the room, and Donglin asked: 'Where was it that Yantou secretly opened his intention?' Chong said: 'Today I have captured this old thief.' Lin said: 'Great Master Bodhidharma's life is in your hands.' As Chong was about to open his mouth, Lin suddenly struck him in the chest with a fist. Immediately he had a great awakening; sweat streamed down his back, and nodding his head, he said: 'Linji said that the Buddhadharma of Huangbo does not have much to it—how could that be empty words!' He presented a verse: 'To help a person, one must help thoroughly; / To kill a person, one must see blood. / Deshan and Yantou— / For ten thousand miles, a single strip of iron.' Lin deeply affirmed it.