景德傳燈錄 7.6

7.6

虔州西堂智藏禪師者。虔化人也。姓廖氏。八歲從師。二十五具戒。有相者覩其殊表。謂之曰。師骨氣非凡。當為法王之輔佐也。師遂往佛迹巖參禮大寂。與百丈海禪師同為入室。皆承印記。一日大寂遣師詣長安。奉書于忠國師。國師問曰。汝師說什麼法。師從東過西而立。國師曰。只遮箇更別有。師却過東邊立。國師曰。遮箇是馬師底。仁者作麼生。師曰。早箇呈似和尚了。尋又送書往徑山與國一禪師（語在國一章）屬連帥路嗣恭延請大寂居府應期盛化。師迴郡得大寂付授納袈裟令學者親近。僧問馬祖。請和尚離四句絕百非。直指某甲西來意。祖云。我今日無心情。汝去問取智藏。其僧乃來問師。師云。汝何不問和尚。僧云。和尚令某甲來問上坐。師以手摩頭云。今日頭疼。汝去問海師兄。其僧又去問海（百丈和尚）海云。我到遮裏却不會。僧乃舉似馬祖。祖云。藏頭白海頭黑。馬祖一日問師云。子何不看經。師云。經豈異邪。祖云。然雖如此。汝向後為人也須得。曰智藏病思自養。敢言為人。祖云。子末年必興於世也。馬祖滅後。師唐貞元七年眾請開堂。李尚書翱嘗問僧。馬大師有什麼言教。僧云。大師或說即心即佛。或說非心非佛。李云。總過遮邊。李却問師。馬大師有什麼言教。師呼李翱。翱應諾。師云。鼓角動也。制空禪師謂師曰。日出太早生。師曰。正是時。師住西堂。後有一俗士問。有天堂地獄否。師曰有。曰有佛法僧寶否。師曰有。更有多問盡答言有。曰和尚恁麼道莫錯否。師曰。汝曾見尊宿來耶。曰某甲曾參徑山和尚來。師曰。徑山向汝作麼生道。曰他道一切總無。師曰。汝有妻否。曰有。師曰。徑山和尚有妻否。曰無。師曰。徑山和尚道無即得俗士禮謝而去。師元和九年四月八日歸寂。壽八十臘五十五。憲宗諡大宣教禪師。塔曰元和證真。至穆宗重諡大覺禪師。

Chan Master Xitang Zhizang of Qianzhou was a native of Qianhua. His family name was Liao. At age eight he followed a master, and at twenty-five he took full ordination. A physiognomist, seeing his extraordinary appearance, said to him: “Your skeletal structure and spirit are uncommon; you shall serve as an assistant to the Dharma King.” The master thereupon went to Mount Foji to visit and pay homage to Daji (Mazu). Together with Chan Master Baizhang Hai, he became an indoor disciple, and both received the seal of transmission. One day Daji sent the master to Chang'an to deliver a letter to National Teacher Zhong. The National Teacher asked, “What Dharma does your teacher expound?” The master walked from the east to the west and stood there. The National Teacher asked, “Is it only this, or is there anything else?” The master then went back over to the east side and stood there. The National Teacher said, “This is Master Ma’s. What about you, worthy one?” The master said, “I already presented it to you, Upādhyāya, long ago.” Soon afterward, he also delivered a letter to Mount Jingshan to Chan Master Guoyi (the conversation is in the chapter on Guoyi). It happened that the regional commander Lu Sigong invited Daji to reside in the prefecture to respond to the times with a grand teaching. When the master returned to the commandery, he received the transmission of the patched robe from Daji, who ordered students to draw near to him. A monk asked Mazu, “I ask the Upādhyāya to leave behind the four propositions and extinguish the hundred negations, and directly point out to me the meaning of coming from the west.” The Patriarch said, “I have no mood for it today. Go ask Zhizang.” The monk then came and asked the master. The master said, “Why did you not ask the Upādhyāya?” The monk said, “The Upādhyāya told me to come and ask you, Sthavira.” The master rubbed his head with his hand and said, “I have a headache today. Go ask senior brother Hai.” The monk then went to ask Hai (Upādhyāya Baizhang). Hai said, “Having come to this point, I don't understand either.” The monk then related this to Mazu. The Patriarch said, “Zang’s head is white; Hai’s head is black.” One day Mazu asked the master, “Why do you not read the scriptures?” The master said, “Are scriptures anything different?” The Patriarch said, “Although that may be so, later on you will still need it to teach people.” The master said, “Zhizang is ill and thinks only of nurturing himself; how would I dare speak of teaching people?” The Patriarch said, “In your later years, you will certainly flourish in the world.” After Mazu passed away, in the seventh year of the Zhenyuan era of the Tang, the assembly invited the master to open the hall. Minister Li Ao once asked a monk, “What teachings does Great Master Ma have?” The monk said, “The Great Master either says, ‘This mind itself is Buddha,’ or he says, ‘Neither mind nor Buddha.’” Li said, “They all cross beyond this side.” Li then asked the master, “What teachings does Great Master Ma have?” The master called out, “Li Ao!” Ao answered, “Yes?” The master said, “The drums and horns have stirred.” Chan Master Zhikong said to the master, “The sun has risen too early.” The master said, “It is just the right time.” When the master resided at Xitang, later a layman asked, “Are there a heaven and a hell?” The master said, “There are.” The layman asked, “Are there the treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha?” The master said, “There are.” To many further questions, he answered in every case, “There are.” The layman asked, “When the Upādhyāya speaks like this, could it be mistaken?” The master said, “Have you ever visited a venerable elder?” The layman said, “I once visited the Upādhyāya of Jingshan.” The master said, “What did Jingshan say to you?” The layman said, “He said that completely everything is non-existent.” The master said, “Do you have a wife?” The layman said, “I do.” The master said, “Does the Upādhyāya of Jingshan have a wife?” The layman said, “He does not.” The master said, “For the Upādhyāya of Jingshan to say 'non-existent' is acceptable.” The layman bowed in gratitude and departed. The master passed into extinction on the eighth day of the fourth month of the ninth year of the Yuanhe era, at the age of eighty, with fifty-five monastic years. Emperor Xianzong bestowed the posthumous title Chan Master Daxuanjiao, and his stūpa was named Yuanhe Zhengzhen. In the reign of Emperor Muzong, he was additionally posthumously titled Chan Master Dajue.