景德傳燈錄 8.13

8.13

亮　主（洪州西山）本蜀人也。頗講經論。因參馬祖。祖問曰。見說座主大講得經論是否。亮云。不敢。祖云。將什麼講。亮云。將心講。祖云。心如工伎兒。意如和伎者。爭解講得經。亮抗聲云。心既講不得。虛空莫講得麼。祖云。却是虛空講得。亮不肯便出將下階。祖召云。座主。亮迴首。豁然大悟禮拜。祖云。遮鈍根阿師禮拜作麼。亮歸寺告聽眾云。某甲所講經論。謂無人及得。今日被馬大師一問。平生功夫氷釋而已。乃隱西山更無消息。

The Lecture Master Liang (of West Mountain in Hongzhou) was originally a native of Shu. He lectured considerably on the sūtras and treatises. When he visited Mazu, the Patriarch asked him, "I hear that you, Lecture Master, are very capable of lecturing on the sūtras and treatises; is that so?" Liang said, "I would not dare claim so." The Patriarch said, "What do you use to lecture?" Liang said, "I use the mind to lecture." The Patriarch said, "The mind is like a performer; the intellect is like an accompanist. How can they understand lecturing on the sūtras?" Liang said in a raised voice, "If the mind cannot lecture, can empty space lecture?" The Patriarch said, "It is precisely empty space that can lecture." Liang did not accept this and was about to descend the steps to leave. The Patriarch called out, "Lecture Master!" Liang turned his head, had a sudden great enlightenment, and bowed. The Patriarch said, "Why is this dull-rooted master bowing?" Liang returned to his monastery and announced to his listeners, "Regarding the sūtras and treatises I have lectured on, I used to think no one could equal me. Today, with a single question from Great Master Ma, the effort of my entire life has melted away like ice." Thereupon he went into hiding at West Mountain and was never heard from again.