景德傳燈錄 11.26

11.26

When Chan Master Shijie of Shoushan in Fuzhou was on pilgrimage, he arrived at Dongshan's Dharma assembly. Dongshan asked, "Where is the ācārya's place of origin?" The Master said, "If the Upādhyāya asks me in truth, I am a native of Minzhong." Dongshan said, "What was your father's name?" The Master said, "Today, receiving this question from the Upādhyāya, I am completely made to forget what was before and lose what was behind." When he resided at Shoushan, he ascended the hall and said, "Sthaviras, fortunately there are true words of exhortation. All brothers should personally understand them for yourselves. When ordinary and holy sentiments are exhausted, the substance reveals True Suchness. Just put down all at once the former false, grasping, defiled mind of dust, making it like empty space. Someday in the future you will certainly recognize a little of good and bad." The military commander of Min asked, "How old is Shoushan?" The Master said, "Of the same age as empty space." [The commander] said, "How old is empty space?" The Master said, "Of the same age as Shoushan."