景德傳燈錄 16.14

16.14

Chan Master Daoqian of Jiufeng in Junzhou was a native of Houguan in Fuzhou surnamed Liu. Having travelled through assemblies of the Dharma everywhere, he later received Shishuang's seal of transmission, and converted disciples at Jiufeng. The master took the high seat, and a monk asked, "What practice does a person in the Avīci Hell practice?" The master said, "The practice of beasts." He said, "And what practice do beasts practice?" The master said, "The practice of Avīci." He said, "This is still someone on the road of long life." The master said, "You must know there is one who does not share their life." He said, "What life does he not share?" The master said, "The breath of long life is not constant." The master also said, "Brothers, do you recognize life yet? If you wish to know life: the flowing spring is life, and still silence is the body. A thousand competing waves surging forth is Mañjuśrī's realm; a stretch of clear sky is Samantabhadra's couch. Next, borrowing a single phrase is pointing at the moon; the matter within is discussing the moon. The matter of the ancestral school from of old is like the military commissioner's token-flag. Moreover, before the former worthies of all quarters established so many designations to point out and explain, based on what substance did you brothers deliberate up to this point? Without relying on three inches [of tongue], try discussing it and see! Without relying on the ear-faculty, try listening to it and see! Without relying on the eyes, try discerning it and see! Therefore it is said: 'Before the sound, it cannot be cast out; behind the phrase, it does not conceal its form.' The entire universe, all of it, is your own person's substance. Where can you place eyes, ears, nose, and tongue? Do not merely scheme and form interpretations beneath the faculty of mind; to the end of future time there will still be no time of rest. Therefore an ancient said: 'Intending to use mind and thought to study the mysterious school / Is like wanting to travel west yet turning east.' At that time a monk asked, "When there is no news from the ninefold palace, whence does the gracious amnesty come?" The master said, "Though the streaming light is everywhere, inside the palace gates it is not complete." He said, "How far apart are the streaming light and the inside of the palace gates?" The master said, "Clear waters churn with waves; green mountains have verdant beauty." He asked, "Everyone says they seek instruction; I wonder how the Master will deliver them?" The master said, "Tell me, has the great mountain ever lacked an inch of earth?" He said, "If so, what is the purpose of seeking across the four seas?" The master said, "Yajñadatta, deluded about his head, became crazy in his own mind." He said, "Is there also one who is not crazy?" The master said, "There is." He said, "Who is the one who is not crazy?" The master said, "At sudden dawn on the road, his eyes do not open." He asked, "What is the student's self?" The master said, "Whom else do you ask?" He said, "What about when one accepts it just like that?" The master said, "Does Mount Sumeru carry another Mount Sumeru on its head?" He asked, "Ancestor transmits to ancestor; what Dharma do they transmit?" The master said, "Śākyamuni is stingy; Kāśyapa is rich." He said, "Ultimately, how is the thing transmitted?" The master said, "Old men of the same age share a night lamp." He asked, "'All Buddhas are not my way'—what is my way?" The master said, "My way is not all Buddhas." He said, "Since it is not all Buddhas, why set up 'my way'?" The master said, "Just now I briefly called it in; now I send it out." He said, "Why send it out?" The master said, "If not sent out, dust arises in the eyes." He asked, "Not finding it in any place—is this not being sacred?" The master said, "What sacred?" He said, "Before Niutou saw the Fourth Ancestor, was he not sacred?" The master said, "The sacred realm was not yet forgotten." He said, "How far apart are the two sages?" The master said, "Though within the dust there is an art of hiding one's form, how can one help entering the emperor's capital in full body?" He asked, "It is said in an ancient text: 'The true mind and the deluded mind.' How is that?" The master said, "This is establishing the true to reveal the deluded." He said, "What is the true mind?" The master said, "Not eating mixed foods." He said, "What is the deluded mind?" The master said, "Arising upon conditioning and turning upside down is it." He said, "Leaving aside these two paths, what is the student's original substance?" The master said, "The original substance is not apart [from them]." He said, "Why is it not apart?" The master said, "If you do not revere Śrīmahādevī, who would loathe the Dark Maiden?" He asked, "It is said in an ancient text: 'The entire universe, all of it, is an eye.' What is the eye of the universe?" The master said, "The universe is within it." He said, "Where is the eye of the universe?" The master said, "It is precisely the eye of the universe." He said, "Does it still illuminate?" The master said, "It does not borrow the power of the three luminaries." He said, "Since it does not borrow the power of the three luminaries, on what basis is it called the eye of the universe?" The master said, "If it were not so, those who see ghosts before a skull would be countless." He asked, "Why is it that with a single brush of colors one cannot portray it?" The master said, "Sengyou yielded to Zhigong." He said, "I wonder from whom Sengyou obtained verification that he yielded to Zhigong?" The master said, "A black tortoise bows its head to the Sumeru pillar." He asked, "'Moving the countenance, one sinks into the ancient road; / Only when the body is lost does one know it.' What is the meaning of this?" The master said, "Stealing the Buddha's money to buy the Buddha's incense." He said, "The student does not understand." The master said, "If you do not understand, then burn incense to make offerings to your original father and mother." Later the master resided at Letan, where he passed away. He was given the posthumous title Chan Master Dajue, and his pagoda was called Yuanji (Complete Stillness).