景德傳燈錄 29.166

29.166

唐貞元十九年秋八月。有大師曰凝公。遷化于東都聖善寺鉢塔院。越明年春二月有東來客白居易。作八漸偈。偈六句。句四言贊之。初居易嘗求心要於師。師賜我言焉。曰觀。曰覺。曰定。曰慧。曰明。曰通。曰濟。曰捨。繇是入於耳貫於心。嗚呼今師之報身則化。師之八言不化。至哉八言實無生忍觀之漸門也。故自觀至捨。次而贊之。廣一言為一偈。謂之八漸偈。蓋欲以發揮師之心教。且明居易不敢失墜也。既而升于堂禮于床。跪而唱泣而去。偈曰。

In the nineteenth year of the Zhenyuan era of the Tang dynasty, in the eighth month of autumn, the Great Master Ning passed away at the Botayuan (Alms-Bowl Stūpa Cloister) of Shengshan Monastery in the Eastern Capital. In the second month of the following spring, Bai Juyi, a traveler from the east, composed the "Verses on the Eight Gradual Steps" in praise of him, each verse having six lines with four characters per line. Formerly, Juyi had sought the essentials of mind from the master. The master bestowed eight words upon me, saying: "Contemplation (guan), Awakening (jue), Concentration (ding), Wisdom (hui), Clarity (ming), Penetration (tong), Deliverance (ji), and Renunciation (she)." Through this, they entered my ears and penetrated my heart. Alas! Now the master's reward body has transformed, but the master's eight words have not transformed. How supreme are these eight words! They are truly the gradual gate for contemplating the forbearance of non-arising. Therefore, from Contemplation down to Renunciation, I praise them in sequence, expanding one word into one verse, calling them the "Verses on the Eight Gradual Steps." This is intended to unfold the master's teaching of mind, and to make plain that Juyi dares not let it be lost. Thereupon, ascending to the hall and paying homage at his bed, I knelt, wept aloud, and departed. The verses say: