景德傳燈錄 13.19

13.19

Chan Master Yanzhao of Fengxue in Ruzhou was a native of Yuhang. He initially set out under Master Shunde of Jingqing in Yuezhou, but did not reach the inner sanctum. Soon he proceeded to the Huayan Monastery in Xiangzhou, where he encountered Sthavira Shoulang, who was the attendant of Nanyuan of Ruzhou. Thereupon he secretly explored Nanyuan's essential tenet. Later, he arrived at Nanyuan; upon his first encounter, he did not bow, but directly asked: "Entering the gate, one must distinguish the master; please, Master, determine this definitively!" Nanyuan patted his knee with his left hand. The Master shouted. Nanyuan patted his knee with his right hand. The Master shouted again. Nanyuan raised his left hand and said: "This one is conceded to the ācārya." He then raised his right hand and said: "What about this one?" The Master said: "Blind!" As Nanyuan was about to take up his staff, the Master said: "What are you doing? If I snatch the staff and strike the venerable monk, do not say I did not warn you." Nanyuan said: "I have been abbot for thirty years, and today I am framed at my own door by a yellow-faced native of Zhejiang!" The Master said: "The venerable monk is much like one who fails to receive food in his alms-bowl and pretends he is not hungry." Nanyuan said: "When have you ever come to Nanyuan before, ācārya?" The Master said: "What sort of talk is this?" Nanyuan said: "This old monk asks you in earnest." The Master said: "Neither can this be let pass." Nanyuan said: "Sit a while and drink tea." Only then did the Master carry out the formalities between master and disciple. From then on, fulfilling the prophetic prediction of Guiyang, he appeared in the world and gathered followers. The Dharma-way of Nanyuan was greatly invigorated in all quarters through him.

The Master went up to the hall and addressed the assembly, saying: "Those studying and inquiring need eyes: when meeting the dynamic condition, the great function must directly appear before you; do not bind yourselves with minor details. Even if you attain understanding before words are spoken, you are still stuck in the shell and deluded by conventions. Even if you are thoroughly versed right beneath the phrases, you will not avoid wild views when encountering situations. Looking at all of you, up to now you must have relied on others to form interpretations. The two forks of light and dark are swept away for you all at once, so that each one of you may be like a lion cub, fiercely roaring once, standing like a wall a thousand fathoms high! Who would dare gaze directly at it? If one gazes at it, one's eyes will be blinded."

The Master also attended the regional office in Yingzhou. Ascending the seat, he instructed the assembly, saying: "The Patriarch's mind-seal is like the dynamic mechanism of the Iron Ox. When it moves, the seal remains behind; when it remains, the seal is broken. But what if it neither moves nor remains: should it be sealed, or should it not be sealed? Can anyone say?" At that time, Elder Lubei came forward and asked: "This student possesses the dynamic mechanism of the Iron Ox; I ask the Master not to apply the seal." The Master said: "Accustomed to angling for whales and leviathans to calm the vast deep, / I only lament the frog's stride lying wallowed in mud and sand." (The *Shishi Yuan* of Duke Qing says: "Frog" [蛙 *wa*] should be written as "hollow" [洼 *wa*], meaning a horse emerging from the waters of Wowa. What Fengxue meant by "lying wallowed" [*kui*] was that a fine horse emerges from pure waters and instead lies wallowed in mud and sand; that was his meaning. The current record says "frog," meaning a toad; how could it perform a horse's stride and lie wallowed? *Kui* is pronounced *kuài*.) Lubei hesitated in thought. The Master shouted and said: "Why does the Elder not advance a word?" Lubei hesitated. The Master struck him with his whisk and said: "Do you still remember the opening phrase? Try to raise it and see!" Lubei was about to open his mouth when the Master struck him with the whisk again. The regional governor said: "Truly I know that the Buddha's law and the king's law are of one accord." The Master said: "What principle do you see?" The governor said: "When decision is called for and one does not decide, it turns back to bring disorder." The Master then stepped down from the seat.

Ascending the hall, a monk asked: "Whose melody does the Master sing? Whose tradition of the school do you inherit?" The Master said: "Transcending and far outstripping beyond the age of Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja; / raising one foot in vain to praise Tiṣya." (The *Jātaka Sūtra* says: Long ago in the past there was a Buddha named Tiṣya. At that time there were two bodhisattvas: the first was named Śākyamuni, and the second Maitreya. That Buddha observed that Śākyamuni's mind was not yet mature, whereas his disciples' minds were all fully mature. He thought: 'The mind of one person can easily and quickly be transformed, but the minds of a crowd are difficult to reform swiftly.' He then went up the Snow Mountains, entered a jeweled cave, and entered into great meditative absorption. At that time, Bodhisattva Śākyamuni was a non-Buddhist hermit. Going up the mountain to gather medicinal herbs, he saw Tiṣya Buddha. Having seen him, joyful reverence arose in his heart. Standing on one foot with palms clasped toward the Buddha, he gazed with single-minded devotion without blinking. For seven days and seven nights, he praised the Buddha with a verse, saying: 'In heaven and on earth there is none like the Buddha; / in the worlds of the ten directions there is also none to compare. / Whatever exists in the world I have seen completely; / among all things, there is none like the Buddha.' Thereupon he leaped over nine kalpas, and attained anuttarā samyak-saṃbodhi in ninety-one kalpas.)

A monk asked: "The ancient melody has no tone or rhyme; how can it be harmonized?" The Master said: "The wooden rooster crows at midnight; the straw dog barks at dawn."

He asked: "What is it to utter 'Homage to the Buddha' once?" The Master said: "Lamps linked with phoenix wings illuminate the hall; / the crescent moon's shadow falls on the tilted face looking upward."

He asked: "What is the Buddha?" The Master said: "What is not the Buddha?"

He asked: "I do not yet understand the profound words; please, Master, point directly." The Master said: "My house is by the isle at the sea's mouth; Fusang is illuminated first."

He asked: "How is it when the bright moon is in the sky?" The Master said: "It does not roll down from the heavens; let it be buried in the earth."

He asked: "What is the Buddha?" The Master said: "The wooden horse neighing in the wind is unbound by conditions; / the mud ox with horns reversed is struck hard with the whip."

He asked: "What is the sword of Guanghui?" The Master said: "It does not cut down dead fellows."

He asked: "How was it before the ancient mirror was polished?" The Master said: "The celestial demons' gallbladders split." The monk said: "How about after it is polished?" The Master said: "Xuanyuan had no virtue."

A monk asked: "How is it when the bright moon is in the sky?" The Master said: "It is not in the round vault of heaven; for now it resides in Youli."

He asked: "Contradictions originally form the disease of double cataracts; what is the matter regarding the bright pearls in Indra's net?" The Master said: "To build a mountain, ascend nine fathoms; to weigh a thousand jun, pinch a bit of earth." The monk said: "How so?" The Master said: "How so?"

He asked: "Duanmu served Marquis Wen; how many people truly understood his mind?" The Master said: "In youth he broke through the dragon-and-snake formation; down on his luck, he yet listens to children's songs."

He asked: "Who is the master of Mount Qingliang?" The Master said: "Not having time for a single phrase in answer to Wuzhuo, / even until now he acts as a wandering monk of the wilds."

He asked: "When phrases do not fit the conditions, how does one manifest the Way?" The Master said: "Though the Pleiades share the same sky, the sun's orb is not at noon."

He asked: "What is the venerable monk's house style?" The Master said: "The crane in the ninefold marsh finds it hard to spread its wings; / the horse that cannot run a thousand li chases the wind in vain."

He asked: "What is the Buddha?" The Master said: "Do not let strangers hear it."

He asked: "Please, Master, attempt to speak of what has never been said." The Master said: "Entering the marketplace, one can whistle long; returning home, one puts on short garments."

He asked: "Today the summer retreat ends; what is the Master's intention?" The Master said: "Not pitying the goose guarding the snow, / I am rather pleased with the wax man in the ice."

He asked: "How is it when there is no road to return to one's native land?" The Master said: "Gazing evenly where all is red and rotten / thoroughly gladdens one's whole life."

The Master attended an invitation at the prefectural administrative office and ascended the hall. A monk asked: "How is it when the king of men and the king of the Dharma meet?" The Master said: "A great dance encircles the woods and springs; in the world there is neither sorrow nor joy." The monk said: "What do they discuss together?" The Master said: "Before the cliff of tigers and leopards they once sat in meditation; / within the brilliance of falcon banners they spread the true tradition."

He asked: "Picking leaves and seeking branches I do not ask about; what is cutting straight to the root source?" The Master said: "Going to an offering in the early morning; entering the opened hall, returning in the rain."

He asked: "Whatever is asked is all fabricated absurdity; please, Master, cut straight to the root source." The Master said: "Rarely does one encounter a pierced-ear guest; mostly one meets people who mark the boat."

He asked: "How is it right at such a moment?" The Master said: "Though a blind turtle meeting a log rests securely, / a withered tree blossoming flowers is spring beyond worldly things."

He asked: "What is the matter inside the secret chamber?" The Master said: "Approaching one's sleeve, speaking of past and present; turning the face, alone knitting the brows."

He asked: "How can one obtain the pearl beneath the black dragon's chin?" The Master said: "I once dried bamboo thorns by the seashore, / and right down to the present day I fashion a plain zither."

He asked: "When a great barge shakes the sky, how does one lift the oars?" The Master said: "Naturally not touching one's chest; the whole family dislikes seeing it."

He asked: "Chasing the wind is hard to hold; how is it with hurrying on one's forward journey?" The Master said: "The Persian's coat-strings come undone."

He asked: "Does the prince at birth still require passing the examination?" The Master said: "With one phrase I intended to illuminate the Chan student's question; / with three seals I fear betraying the ancient ones' mechanism."

He asked: "For one who accords with conditions without changing, how is it when suddenly meeting an intimate friend?" The Master said: "Wearing a rush-cape with a tilted bamboo hat amidst a thousand peaks; / channeling water to water the vegetables in front of the Five Old Peaks."

He asked: "When marking the boat yields nothing, what about the thing itself?" The Master said: "Great merit receives no formal reward; by the brushwood gate the grass naturally grows deep."

He asked: "From ancient times, the ancients' seals tallied with one another; what is the eye of the seal?" The Master said: "A frivolous, boisterous practitioner knows how to adapt to changes; / hand him a towel wet with tears to wipe his soul."

He asked: "For the reward of the ninety-day summer retreat, please, Master, present a phrase." The Master said: "Leaving the cliffs, brushing open the rain of the dragon cave; / floating on waves, the monk brings forth the flowers in his bowl-bag."

He asked: "At the initial Pravarāṇa, to whom should one confess?" The Master said: "A handful of fragrant straw has not yet been set down; / the six-ringed golden staff rings and shakes the void."

He asked: "Please, Master, state definitively what was transmitted from the Western Patriarch." The Master said: "One dog barks at an illusion; a thousand shaggy hounds yap at the real." (Note: *Nao* should be *nong*, meaning a vicious, long-haired dog; *nao* means a monkey, which is inappropriate here. *Ai* means dogs fighting.)

He asked: "How far apart are the king's way and the Buddha's way?" The Master said: "When the straw dog barks, heaven and earth unite; / after the wooden rooster crows, the ancestral lamp shines brightly."

He asked: "Please, Master, wipe clean the Patriarch's mind-seal." The Master said: "The ancestral moon soars into the void, perfecting holy wisdom; / on which mountain are the pines and cypresses not green?"

He asked: "The great assembly has gathered like clouds; please, Master, preach the Dharma." The Master said: "The barefoot man chases the hare; the booted man eats the meat."

He asked: "Having never widely browsed the teachings of the King of Emptiness, I briefly borrow the profound dynamic; please try to speak of it." The Master said: "White jade without blemish; Bian He had his feet cut off."

He asked: "What is the phrase of non-action?" The Master said: "The precious candle shines before the veranda; / red light gleams across the great void."

He asked: "What is the phrase appropriate to the occasion?" The Master said: "Blowing on the fire by means of the wind uses little effort."

He asked: "How is it when one's plain face is shown?" The Master said: "Take away the veil covering the face."

He asked: "What is the breath of a patch-robed monk?" The Master said: "Creeping on knees and elbows, seen by the whole assembly."

He asked: "The purple chrysanthemums are half-open, autumn has arrived; the moon is full facing the door—what is the meaning of this?" The Master said: "When the moon rises over Penglai, everyone gazes at it; / last night it met with frost, which you did not know."

He asked: "What is the direct road?" The Master said: "The direct is crooked."

He asked: "What is the lion's roar?" The Master said: "Who wants your wild fox yapping?"

He asked: "What are words of true reality?" The Master said: "The heart hung upon the wall."

He asked: "How is it when the mind cannot conceptualize and the mouth cannot speak?" The Master said: "Whenever you meet someone, just raise it like this and see."

He asked: "How is it when a dragon penetrates the clear pool?" The Master said: "Sealing its hooves and pressing down its tail."

He asked: "How is it when one drifts and sinks according to one's nature?" The Master said: "Leading an ox that will not enter the pen."

He asked: "How is it when both existence and nonexistence have nowhere to go?" The Master said: "In the third month, too lazy to stroll the path beneath the flowers; / the whole family sorrowfully shuts the door in the rain."

He asked: "Speech and silence relate to detachment and subtlety—how can one pass through without violation?" (Master Zhao's *Baozang lun*, in the chapter 'Purity of the Essence of Detachment and Subtlety', says: 'Entering is detachment; emerging is subtlety. Knowing entry to be detachment, external dust has nothing to rely upon. Knowing emergence to be subtlety, the internal mind has nothing to do. When the internal mind has nothing to do, the various views cannot shift it. When external dust has nothing to rely upon, the myriad things cannot stir it. When the myriad things cannot stir it, thoughts and deliberations do not gallop forth. When the various views cannot shift it, quiescent cessation is inconceivable. This can be called the originally pure essence of detachment and subtlety. Grounded in entry, it is called detachment; considered in terms of function, it is called subtlety. Blended into one, there is neither detachment nor subtlety. The pure essence cannot be defiled; because there is no defilement, there is no purity. The subtle essence cannot exist; because there is no existence, there is no nonexistence.') The Master said: "I constantly recall the third month in Jiangnan, / where the partridges cry and wild flowers are fragrant."

He asked: "How is it when all hundred things are settled and a thousand matters handled?" The Master said: "Walking by night is not permitted; one must arrive at dawn."

He asked: "How is it when there is no place to contain one's body?" The Master said: "The Bear's Ear Pagoda is open, with no guest knocking." The monk said: "What then is right?" The Master said: "Quickly sever it!"

He asked: "If people of the entire earth come all at once with questions, how will you respond?" The Master said: "Few understand the melody of Boya's zither."

He asked: "How was it when Aṅgulimāla pressed upon the Buddha?" The Master said: "Everyone protects him; Wan Hui is foolish."

He asked: "When the mind-seal is not yet clarified, how can one enter?" The Master said: "Though I hear that the commander of You has surrendered, / I have not yet seen him leading a sheep and offering jade."

He asked: "What is the matter of the Linji lineage?" The Master said: "Jie's dog barks at Yao."

He asked: "What is the matter of biting the arrowhead?" (The *Taiping Guangji* records: At the end of the Sui, there was Du Junmo, who was skilled at shooting with closed eyes. If he aimed at the eye, he hit the eye; if he aimed at the mouth, he hit the mouth. There was Wang Lingzhi, who studied archery under Mo. Thinking he had mastered all its subtleties, he wanted to shoot and kill Mo to monopolize the skill. Mo held a short knife; whenever an arrow came, he sliced it. There was only one arrow left; Mo opened his mouth and received it, thereby biting the arrowhead. Laughing, he said: 'You studied for three years, but I had not yet taught you the technique of biting the arrowhead.') The Master said: "Recklessly borrowing words to discourse on the horns of a horse."

He asked: "If one does not cultivate concentration and wisdom, why is becoming a Buddha beyond doubt?" The Master said: "The golden rooster exclusively announces the dawn; the lacquered bucket emits black light."

He asked: "How is it when a single thought lasts ten thousand years?" The Master said: "Brushing the rock, the immortal's robe is worn out."

He asked: "How is it before the great bell is struck?" The Master said: "Filling the great chiliocosm, there is nothing that does not resound; / subtly containing deep mystery, how could it be divided?" The monk said: "How about after it is struck?" The Master said: "Stone cliffs, mountains, and rivers are unobstructed; / once the cataracts clear and open, it is fine to hear."

He asked: "What is the meaning of the Western Ancestor's coming?" The Master said: "Searching the mountains until the water ends, the mountains are endless."

He asked: "Why are the marks of a great person not complete?" The Master said: "At midnight, the owl insults the hawk and falcon."

He asked: "Past and present are distinct in talents; please, Master, grant the secret essential." The Master said: "Cut off the double tongue."

He asked: "What are the marks of a great person?" The Master said: "Utterly destitute." The monk said: "I wonder how the Master fares during the two meal periods?" The Master said: "Carrying a basket and holding a staff."

He asked: "What is the master within the guest?" The Master said: "Entering the market, both pupils are blind." He asked: "What is the guest within the master?" The Master said: "The imperial carriage returns, the two luminaries are fresh." He asked: "What is the guest within the guest?" The Master said: "Knitting the brows, sitting in the white clouds." He asked: "What is the master within the master?" The Master said: "Grinding and polishing the three-foot blade, / waiting to behead the unrighteous."

He asked: "What is the matter beside the hoe?" The Master said: "In front of the mountain, a patch of green."

He asked: "What is the Buddha?" The Master said: "The whip of bamboo twigs beneath Mount Yaṣṭivana." (The *Xiyu Ji* says: Long ago in the country of Magadha, there was a Brahmin who heard that Śākyamuni Buddha's body was sixteen feet tall. Constantly harboring doubt, he did not believe it. Taking a sixteen-foot bamboo staff, he wished to measure the Buddha's body. The top of the staff was constantly exceeded by sixteen feet. Rising higher and higher like this, he could not fathom the reality. Thereupon he threw away the staff and left. Consequently, it took root. Now the bamboo grove is lush and flourishing, covering the mountains and filling the valleys.)