景德傳燈錄 5.5

5.5

西域堀多三藏者天竺人也。東遊韶陽見六祖。於言下契悟。後遊五臺至定襄縣歷村。見一僧結庵而坐。三藏問曰。汝孤坐奚為。曰觀靜。三藏曰。觀者何人。靜者何物。其僧作禮問曰。此理何如。三藏曰。汝何不自觀自靜。彼僧茫然莫知其對。三藏曰。汝出誰門耶。曰神秀大師。三藏曰。我西域異道最下根者不墮此見。兀然空坐於道何益。其僧却問三藏。所師何人。三藏曰。我師六祖。汝何不速往曹谿決其真要。其僧即捨庵往參六祖具陳前事。六祖垂誨與三藏符合。其僧信入。三藏後不知所終。

Tripiṭaka Master Quduo of the Western Regions was an Indian. He traveled east to Shaoyang and met the Sixth Patriarch, attaining awakening upon his words. Later, he traveled to Mount Wutai and arrived at Li Village in Dingxiang County, where he saw a monk sitting in a built hut. The Tripiṭaka Master asked: "What are you doing sitting alone?" The monk said: "Contemplating stillness." The Tripiṭaka Master said: "Who is the one contemplating, and what thing is stillness?" The monk bowed and asked: "What is this principle?" The Tripiṭaka Master said: "Why do you not contemplate yourself and still yourself?" That monk was bewildered and did not know how to respond. The Tripiṭaka Master asked: "From whose school do you come?" He said: "Great Master Shenxiu." The Tripiṭaka Master said: "In my Western Regions, even the dullest adherents of external paths do not fall into such a view. Sitting blankly in vain—what benefit is there to the Way?" The monk then asked the Tripiṭaka Master: "Whom do you take as your master?" The Tripiṭaka Master said: "My master is the Sixth Patriarch. Why do you not quickly go to Caoxi to determine the true essentials?" The monk immediately abandoned his hut and went to call on the Sixth Patriarch, relating the previous matter in detail. The Sixth Patriarch's instruction coincided with the Tripiṭaka Master's words, and the monk attained faithful entry. Later, the Tripiṭaka Master's whereabouts were unknown.