曆代法寶記 1.13.2

1.13.2

‘You are the very last.’ The nun said to the World-Honoured One, ‘In this assembly there are no arhats; why do you say I am the last?’ The World-Honoured One told the nun, ‘Subhūti was in his stone chamber, constantly in samādhi, and therefore he was able to see my dharmakāya. Even though you have come and seen my physical body, you are therefore behind.’ The Buddha gave explicit teaching on this; therefore Wuzhu did not go. Master Daoyi, who lived with him, practiced chanting and worshipful recitation, while the Master [Wuzhu] single-mindedly cut off all thoughts and deliberations and entered the realm of personal realisation. Daoyi and the other junior fellow-disciples said to the Master, ‘We ask to perform the repentance rituals during the six periods of the day; we prostrate and pray you will grant permission.’ The Master said to Daoyi and the others, ‘Here our provisions are entirely cut off, and people cannot transport goods into the deep mountains. If one cultivates practice according to the Dharma, why wish to study mad ways? None of this is correct. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: “When the mad mind does not cease, its cessation is bodhi.” The supreme, pure, and luminous mind is originally identical with the dharmadhātu. No-thought is indeed seeing the Buddha; having thought is indeed saṃsāra. If you wish to perform worship and recitation, then leave the mountain; down on the plains there are plenty of spacious and quiet temples. Go as you please. If you wish to live together with me, you must be single-mindedly in no-thought. If you can do so, live here as you will; if you cannot, you must go down the mountain.’ Seeing that his intention could not be fulfilled, Master Daoyi took leave of the Master and left Mount Tiancang, arriving at Jingquan Temple in Yizhou. He first met Prior Kong and others and said, ‘Chan Master Wuzhu in the mountains does not practice repentance, chanting, or recitation, but merely sits in idleness.’ When He Kong and the others heard this, they were extraordinarily astonished and said, ‘How could this be a leader of the Buddha-Dharma?’ Master Daoyi went to see Reverend Jin. Before Daoyi had finished bowing, He Kong and the others consulted Reverend Jin, saying, ‘Chan Master Wuzhu of Mount Tiancang merely sits in Chan idly; he is unwilling to perform worship and recitation, nor does he teach those living with him to do worship and recitation. How could such a matter be the Buddha-Dharma?’ Reverend Jin scolded He Kong, Daoyi, and the others: ‘Step back, you lot! When I was on the stage of learning, I did not even have time to eat; I merely sat in idleness, having no leisure even to relieve myself. You people do not understand. When I was at Mount Tiangu, I also did not do worship or recitation. When my fellow-disciples became angry, I still did not leave the mountain. With no one sending grain, I only refined earth for food and had no spare time. When I left the mountain, I single-mindedly sat in idleness. When Abbot Meng heard the fellow-disciples say that I sat in idleness, he slandered me to Reverend Tang. When Reverend Tang heard this, his joy doubled. While at Mount Tiangu, I did not even know of the slander. When I heard that Reverend Tang’s four elements were in disharmony, I went from Mount Tiangu to Dechun Temple in Zizhou. When Abbot Meng saw me coming, he would not let me into the temple. When Reverend Tang heard of my arrival, he sent someone to call me. When I arrived in front of the hall and had not yet finished bowing, Reverend Tang asked, “What work did you do at Mount Tiangu?” I answered, “I did nothing at all, only kept busy like this.” Reverend Tang said to me, “You were busy there, and I too was busy.” Reverend Tang knew what the assembly did not understand.’ The Master said, ‘Layman, the single branch of Patriarch Bodhidharma’s Buddha-Dharma that flowed to Jiannan is none other than Reverend Jin. If you do not receive the conditions [for teaching], it will be just like returning empty-handed from a mountain of jewels.’ Having heard this, Xuan joined his palms and stood up, saying, ‘Your disciple will go to Chengdu Prefecture at once to receive the conditions.’ The Master on the mountain knew that Reverend Jin in the mountains was distantly recollecting him. Knowing this recollection, he said to Xuan, ‘Here is half a catty of tea buds. Layman, take these tea buds as a token of faith and present them to Reverend Jin, conveying Wuzhu’s words: “I make prostrations to Reverend Jin.” If Reverend Jin asks about Wuzhu, say: “Wuzhu does not yet intend to come out of the mountains.”’ Xuan then took leave of the Master, and bringing the offered tea buds, arrived at Jingquan Temple in Chengdu Prefecture on the thirteenth day of the fourth month. Because the Reverend’s four bodily elements were in disharmony, absolutely no one was permitted to see him. Dong Xuan met Master Bodhi, who led him to see Reverend Jin, and he presented in full the tea buds offered by Chan Master Wuzhu and conveyed his prostrations. When Reverend Jin heard this and saw the tea buds, he was extremely pleased, and said to Dong Xuan, ‘Since Chan Master Wuzhu has sent a token of faith, why has he not come in person?’ Dong Xuan replied, ‘When Chan Master Wuzhu departs [one day, it will be so]; for now he does not yet intend to come out of the mountains.’ Reverend Jin asked Dong Xuan, ‘Who are you?’ Dong Xuan deceived Reverend Jin, answering, ‘I am Chan Master Wuzhu’s personal attendant disciple.’ Reverend Jin said to Dong Xuan, ‘On the day you return to Mount Baiya, I will have a token of faith to send. You must come to see me.’ On the fifteenth day, he saw Reverend Jin. Xuan wished to return to Mount Baiya and seek the Reverend’s instructions. At that time, [the Reverend] dismissed his personal attendants on the left and right, saying, ‘All of you go outside the hall,’ and then summoned Dong Xuan into the hall. The Reverend then took out a kāṣāya robe—the one in the human world—and showed it to Xuan, saying, ‘This was given by Empress Zetian to Reverend Shen, Reverend Shen gave it to Reverend Tang, Reverend Tang gave it to me, and I transmit it to Chan Master Wuzhu. Guard and cherish this robe through the ages; do not let people know of it.’ Having spoken, he choked with grief and tears, saying, ‘This robe has been directly transmitted from master to heir. Exert yourself, exert yourself!’ He then took off the kāṣāya from his body, the shoulder-cover, skirt, tunic, and sitting mat, seventeen items in all. ‘I am getting old. Take these robes and items and secretly deliver them to Chan Master Wuzhu. Convey my words: “Take good care of yourself and exert yourself, exert yourself! Before leaving the mountain, wait another three to five years; naturally an eminent person will welcome you, and then you may come out.”’ He then dispatched Dong Xuan to leave quickly: ‘Do not let anyone see you.’ After Dong Xuan had gone, Reverend Jin said, ‘Though this item sets out late, in the end it will surely arrive.’ Just when Reverend Jin was speaking, there was no one on his left or right. When the disciples outside the hall heard the sound of the Reverend’s voice, they all entered the hall at once and asked the Reverend, ‘Why were you speaking to yourself?’ ‘I was only speaking thus.’ Because Reverend Jin’s four elements were in disharmony, everyone harboured suspicions and asked the Reverend, ‘Where is the robe of verification transmitted from the past? Reverend, to whom has the Buddha-Dharma been entrusted?’ Reverend Jin said, ‘The Dharma has gone to a place without abiding [wuzhu]; the robe is hanging upon a wooden pole. Not a single person has obtained it.’ Reverend Jin said to the assembly, ‘This is not your realm; return, each of you, to your own places.’ On the fifteenth day of the fourth month of the first year, [the era name] was changed to the first year of Baoying, the fifth month, the fifteenth day. The distant entrustment having been completed, it came to the nineteenth day.