景德傳燈錄 18.13

18.13

Chan Master Jiaoran of Mount Changsheng in Fuzhou was a native of this commandery. Entering Xuefeng's room, he secretly received the mind-seal and served him personally for ten years. Once, while chopping down a tree with a monk, Xuefeng said, "When you chop down to the heart, stop." The Master said, "Chop it right off." Xuefeng said, "The ancients transmitted mind with mind. Why do you say to chop it off?" The Master threw down his axe and said, "Transmitted!" Xuefeng struck him with his staff and left. A monk asked Xuefeng, "What is the first phrase?" Xuefeng remained silent for a long time. The monk stepped back and related this to the Master. The Master said, "This is the second phrase." Xuefeng again bade that monk come, and [the monk] asked, "What is the first phrase?" The Master said, "Blue heaven, blue heaven!" During a communal labor to carry firewood, Xuefeng asked the Master, "An ancient said, 'Who knows that under the mat-hat is originally the former man of sorrow?' What was the ancient's meaning?" The Master wore his bamboo hat tilted to one side and said, "Whose words are these?" Xuefeng asked the Master, "One who upholds the sūtras is able to shoulder the Tathāgata. What is shouldering the Tathāgata?" The Master thereupon lifted Xuefeng and placed him onto the meditation bed. When Xuefeng returned from communal labor, he was personally carrying a bundle of rattan. Meeting a monk on the road, he put down the rattan, folded his hands, and stood. When the monk stepped forward to pick it up, Xuefeng kicked the monk and returned to the monastery. Later, he recounted it to the Master, saying, "Today, kicking that monk was so delightful!" The Master replied, "The Upādhyāya should instead enter the nirvāṇa hall on behalf of that monk." (When Fayan resided at Chongshou Temple, two monks each explained principles and asked the Master to judge. Fayan said, "Both of you monks enter the nirvāṇa hall at the same time." Xuanjue said, "What place is it to enter the nirvāṇa hall on behalf of that monk?" Chongshou Chou said, "This turning phrase is returned to the venerable elder brother." Dongchan Qi said, "Just as for Changsheng's meaning, what is it?") The Master once visited a hermitage master and chatted intimately. The hermitage master said, "Recently a monk asked me about the meaning of the [Patriarch's] coming from the West. Thereupon I raised the whisk and showed it to him. I wonder if it passed or not?" The Master said, "How could I dare say whether it passed or not? Someone asked the hermitage master: 'Regarding this matter, some maintain it like a tiger's head growing horns, while some despise and discard it as not worth a single cash. Why are the disparagement and praise of this matter not the same? Please try to pick it out and see.'" [The hermitage master] said, "What happened just now came out by chance; how could I pick it out?" The Master said, "If so, hereafter you may not act as a teacher for people." (Xuanjue said, "Equally being such a matter, why is there gain and loss? If a sthavira lacks the wisdom eye, it is difficult to distinguish gain and loss.") Xuefeng asked the Master, "When both light and realm are obliterated, what thing is it again?" The Master said, "If you let Jiaoran pass, I would dare to have a discussion." Xuefeng said, "I allow you to pass; how do you discuss it?" [The Master] said, "Jiaoran also lets the Upādhyāya pass." Xuefeng deeply approved of him. Soon he received prediction and resided on Mount Changsheng to branch out and transform beings. A monk asked, "How is the ancestral vehicle of the school expounded?" The Master said, "I cannot allow Mount Changsheng to go desolate for the Ācārya's sake." [A monk] asked, "An ancient had a saying: 'Ignorance is itself Buddha-nature; afflictions need not be eliminated.' What is ignorance being itself Buddha-nature?" The Master indignantly changed countenance, raised his fist, and scolded, "Today I shall beat this monk away!" The monk said, "What is afflictions needing not to be eliminated?" The Master scratched his head with his hand and said, "This monk manages to stir up a person's karma so much!" [A monk] asked, "When meeting a person who has attained the Way on the road, one should not respond with speech or silence. I wonder, what should one respond with?" The Master said, "What can be made on paper and ink?" The Military Commissioner of Min titled him Chan Master Dashi. It is not known where he ended his life.