大明高僧傳 6.8

6.8

Shi Shouxun was styled Fodeng. He was a son of the Shi family of that prefecture. At first he consulted Master Guangjian Ying, but did not resonate with him. He then visited Fojian. Following the assembly, he consulted and requested instruction, yet had no entry whatsoever. He then sealed his quilt, saying, "If I do not thoroughly penetrate in this life, I vow not to unroll this." Thereupon, day and night, standing through the dark, he was as if mourning his parents. After more than forty-nine days, Fojian suddenly ascended the hall and said, "All phenomena and the myriad forms are sealed by the single Dharma." Hearing this, Xun was suddenly awakened. Jian said, "Pity that a bright pearl was picked up by this lunatic!" He then questioned him, "Lingyun said, 'Ever since seeing peach blossoms once, right up to the present I have never doubted again.' What was the place where he did not doubt?" Xun said, "Do not say Lingyun had no doubts; even right now, seeking a place of doubt is entirely impossible." Jian said, "Xuansha said, 'Extremely accurate, exceedingly accurate, yet I dare guarantee that this elder brother has not yet thoroughly penetrated.' Where was the place he had not penetrated?" Xun said, "I deeply appreciate your grandmotherly concern, Master." Jian approved. Xun bowed, stood up, and presented a gāthā: / "All day long looking at the sky without raising the head, / Only when peach blossoms bloomed in profusion did I lift my eyes. / Though you may have a net that covers the sky, / Once past the firm barrier, one simply rests." / Jian enjoined him to maintain and protect it. That evening, unrolling his quilt, he said loudly, "This time, Senior Monk Xun will sleep soundly!" Hearing of this, Yuanwu privately doubted that it was so and said, "I must test him myself." He sent someone to summon him. Taking a walk in the mountains with him, they came upon a pool of water. Yuanwu pushed Xun into the water and abruptly asked, "How was it before Niutou met the Fourth Patriarch?" Xun said, "The pool is deep, fish gather." He asked, "How was it after meeting?" Xun said, "The tree is tall, it catches the wind." He asked, "How was it at the very time of meeting and not meeting?" Xun said, "Extending the foot within the withdrawn foot." Yuanwu praised him greatly. Later he emerged into the world, first presiding over Heshan, next Tiansheng, then moving to Heshan and Tianning. In the jiayin year of Shaoxing, he said to the lay devotee Zheng Ji, "The eighth day of the tenth month is the anniversary of the passing of my late master Fojian; my time has come. I ask to return south of Zhang." On the fourth day of the tenth month, the fellow monk Daoru was sent to inquire after him. Xun said, "You have come just at the right time. Though Fojian and I were born on the same branch, after all we will not die on the same branch. Tomorrow morning, find a small boat for me." Daoru asked, "Do you want a long one or a tall one?" Xun said, "About five feet tall." Three days later, at cockcrow, he sat upright as usual. The attendant requested a gāthā. Xun said, "I have never composed one." Having spoken, he passed away. After the jhāpita, his tongue-root was undamaged.