景德傳燈錄 19.11

19.11

Chan Master Congzhan of Baofu Monastery in Zhangzhou was a native of Fuzhou surnamed Chen. At age fifteen, he bowed to Xuefeng as his tonsure master. At eighteen, he received the full precepts at Dazhong Monastery in his home prefecture, and traveled through Wu and Chu. Later he returned to serve Xuefeng as his attendant. One day Xuefeng suddenly called out, saying, “Do you understand yet?” The Master started to step forward; Xuefeng held him back with his staff. The Master immediately knew where to return, made prostrations, and withdrew. He also frequently questioned Elder Changqing Leng on ancient and modern skillful means, and Leng deeply approved of him.

Once Elder Changqing Leng said, “Rather say an arhat has the three poisons than say the Tathāgata has two kinds of words. I do not say the Tathāgata has no words, only that he has no two kinds of words.”
The Master asked, “What are the Tathāgata's words?”
Leng replied, “How can a deaf person hear them?”
The Master said, “I knew full well you were speaking toward the secondary level, Venerable.”
Changqing then asked, “What are the Tathāgata's words?”
The Master said, “Go drink tea.” (Yunju Xi said, “Where was it that Changqing spoke toward the secondary level?”)

Because Panshan had said, “When light and realm both vanish, what is it again?” and Dongshan had said, “When light and realm have not yet vanished, what is it again?”, the Master said, “Based on these two venerables’ deliberations, it was not yet cut off cleanly.” He then asked Changqing, “Nowadays, how could it be said so as to cut it off cleanly?”
Changqing remained silent for a good while.
The Master said, “I knew full well that you, Venerable, make your living inside a mountain ghost’s cave.”
Changqing then asked, “How [would you say it]?”
The Master said, “Both hands holding the plow, the water over the knees.”

One day Changqing asked, “Seeing form, one immediately sees mind. Do you still see the boat?”
The Master said, “I see it.”
Leng said, “Setting the boat aside for now, what is the mind?”
The Master instead pointed to the boat. (Guizong Rou offered an alternative: “The Venerable only knows how to question others.”)

Xuefeng said to the assembly, “Sthaviras, when reaching Wangzhou Pavilion, I met with you sthaviras. When reaching Wushi Ridge, I met with you sthaviras. When reaching the front of the Sangha hall, I met with you sthaviras.”
The Master cited this and asked Ehu, “Meeting before the Sangha hall is set aside for now; as for Wangzhou Pavilion and Wushi Ridge, where was the meeting?”
Ehu strode quickly into the abbot's quarters. The Master returned to the Sangha hall. (Dongshan Qi said, “Did these two venerable elders meet at their point of understanding or not? Try to judge it.”)

In the fourth year of Zhenming of the Liang dynasty (a Dingchou year), the prefect of Zhangzhou, Lord Wang, revering his reputation in the Way, founded the Baofu Chan Cloister and invited him to dwell there. On the day of opening the hall, Lord Wang knelt and requested three times, personally supporting him as he ascended the hall.
The Master said, “Why must you make such a laughing matter? Yet even so, having been urged again and again, there is no way to decline. Worthy people, do you recognise it? If you recognise it, you will stand shoulder to shoulder with the ancient Buddhas.”
At that time a monk came forward and was just bowing. The Master said, “Refusing to go when the sky is clear and dry, you have to wait until rain pours over your head!”
The monk then stepped forward with a question, saying, “The governor has erected a monastery and broadly proclaimed the true tradition; we invite the upādhyāya to raise and propagate the宗 religion.”
The Master said, “Do you understand?”
The monk said, “If so, then all sentient beings may rely upon it.”
The Master said, “Better not smear others with such filth.”

Another monk came out and bowed. The Master said, “It was good for you to be thus, Great Virtuous; do not capsize the boat.”

[A monk] asked, “When taking silence and stillness, what is taken as the rule?”
The Master said, “Where does it fall?”
The monk said, “I do not understand.”
The Master said, “Get out, you sleepy fellow!”

Seeing a monk, the Master struck the open pillar with his staff, and then struck the monk's head. The monk cried out in pain. The Master said, “Why does that one not feel pain?” The monk had no reply. (Xuanjue offered an alternative: “Coveting the stroke of the staff.”)

[A monk] asked, “When Moteng entered the Han dynasty, the whole canon became distinct and clear. What did Bodhidharma point to when he came from the West?”
The Master said, “What about your wandering practice, sthavira?”
The monk said, “I do not understand.”
The Master said, “If you do not understand, you had better understand it! Do not go around accepting instructions from others. If you have been in the monasteries long enough to vaguely understand near and far, you can follow your true nature anywhere. But if beginners and later students do not yet know the order of things, this mountain monk does not spare his mouth’s karma: I tell you that matters of dust-eons are right here now. Do you understand? Moreover, the Buddha-dharma was entrusted to kings, great ministers, and prefects; having shared the Buddha's assembly in the past, they are like this today. Setting aside good fortune and honors, as for the matter entrusted by the Buddha at that time, do you still remember it? If you recognise it, you stand shoulder to shoulder with the thousand sages. If not yet recognised, you must genuinely and firmly believe. This matter is not obtained from others, nor is it oneself having many words. The more words, the further from the Way. Even if you say ‘the path of words is cut off, the place of mental activity extinguished,’ that is still not it. You have been standing long. Take care.”

Another day, when he ascended the hall and the great assembly gathered like clouds, the Master said, “When someone walks past the back of the Buddha hall, he sees Zhang the Third and Li the Fourth. When he walks past the front of the Buddha hall, why does he not see them? Tell me, where does the crucial point of the Buddha-dharma lie?”
A monk said, “Because there is a portion of coarse objects, he does not see.”
The Master scolded him, and spoke in his place: “If it is the Buddha hall, then it is not seen.”
The monk said, “If it is not the Buddha hall, can it still be seen?”
The Master said, “If it is not the Buddha hall, what is seen?”

[A monk] asked, “Throughout the twelve divisions of the day, how does one find verification?”
The Master said, “Right then is just the verification.”
The monk asked, “Why does the student not see it?”
The Master said, “One cannot knead one’s eyes even further.”

[A monk] asked, “Host and guest are layer upon layer, singing together throughout the ten directions. What is singing together throughout the ten directions?”
The Master said, “Why don't you have someone else ask?”

[A monk] asked, “When meaning is discerned through words, how is it?”
The Master said, “Through what words?”
The monk lowered his head for a good while.
The Master said, “At the lightning-flash juncture, waiting and thinking in vain.”

[A monk] asked, “Wishing to enter the sea of the unconditioned, one must board the boat of prajñā. What is the boat of prajñā?”
The Master said, “Please proceed.”
The monk said, “When one enters directly like this, how is it?”
The Master said, “Just another fellow in the Nirvāṇa Hall.”

Seeing a monk eating, the Master held up his bowl and said, “Everyday fare.”
The monk said, “What kind of intention does the upādhyāya have?”

A nun came to visit. The Master asked, “Who is it?”
The attendant reported, “Nun Jue.”
The Master said, “Since you are Nun Jue (‘Awakening’), what is the use of coming?”
The nun said, “Within the Way of benevolence and righteousness, it is certainly not lacking.”
The Master gave an alternative for her: “What kind of intention does the upādhyāya have?” (Xuanjue cited: “When Fayan saw a monk carrying earth, he placed a clod of earth on the carrying pole and said, ‘I am helping you.’ The monk said, ‘Thank you for your compassion, Upādhyāya.’ Fayan did not accept it. Another monk gave an alternative: ‘What kind of intention does the upādhyāya have?’ Fayan then dropped it. Xuanjue asked, ‘These three sayings are of one kind, or is there another principle? Where is the locus of intention?’ ”)

The commander of Min sent an envoy to deliver an official cinnabar seal. The Master ascended the hall and said, “If you leave, it seals you in; if you stay, it shatters the seal.”
A monk said, “Neither leaving nor staying, what is the use of using the seal?”
The Master struck him.
The monk said, “If so, then the mountain ghost’s cave is entirely due to today.”
The Master remained silent. (Xuanjue said, “Where is the mountain ghost’s cave? The monasteries say that dwelling in the place of neither leaving nor staying is the mountain ghost’s cave, which is why it is shattered. Deliberating like this is truly the ghost’s cave. Now tell me: what was Baofu’s intention in striking him?”)

The Master asked a monk, “Where do you come from?”
The monk said, “Jiangxi.”
The Master said, “What about what you have learned?”
The monk said, “I cannot bring it out.”
The Master said, “How is it?” (Fayan gave an alternative: “Deceitful words.”)
The monk had no reply.

The Master cited Dongshan's portrait eulogy: “Vainly gazing at paper and ink, this is not the person in the mountains.”
A monk asked, “Who is the person in the mountains?”
The Master said, “Try to sketch him.”
The monk said, “If not a clever fellow, one could hardly sketch him.”
The Master said, “You are a clever fellow.”
The monk said, “What kind of intention does the upādhyāya have?”
The Master said, “The words that came were not abundant.”

Seeing a monk counting coins, the Master held out his hand and said, “Beg me a coin.”
The monk said, “Why has the upādhyāya arrived at such a stage?”
The Master said, “I have arrived at such a stage.”
The monk said, “If you have arrived at such a stage, take one coin and go.”
The Master said, “Why have you arrived at such a stage?”

The Master asked a monk, “Where do you come from?”
The monk said, “Guanyin [Monastery] in Jiangxi.”
The Master said, “Do you still see Guanyin?”
The monk said, “I see him.”
The Master said, “Do you see him on the left or on the right?”
The monk said, “When seeing, it does not involve left or right.” (Fayan gave an alternative: “As the upādhyāya sees.”)

[A monk] asked, “What is entering fire without being burned and entering water without being drowned?”
The Master said, “If it is water and fire, one is burned and drowned.”

The Master asked the cook, “How wide is the cauldron?”
The cook said, “Let the upādhyāya try to measure it.”
The Master gestured with his hands as if measuring.
The cook said, “Do not deceive me, Upādhyāya.”
The Master said, “Rather, it is you who deceive me.”

[A monk] asked, “Wishing to reach the path of the unborn, one should recognise the original source. What is the original source?”
The Master remained silent for a good while, then asked the attendant, “What did the monk ask just now?”
The monk repeated his question. The Master then shouted him out, saying, “I do not suffer from deafness.”

[A monk] asked, “The student has newly entered the monastery; I beg the master to completely show the entrance path.”
The Master said, “If I were to completely show it, I would have to bow to you instead.”

The Master saw a monk and said, “What karma did you create to become so tall and big?”
The monk said, “How much shorter are you, Upādhyāya?”
The Master squatted down to make himself short.
The monk said, “Better not deceive people, Upādhyāya.”
The Master said, “Rather, it is you who deceive me.”

The Master ordered his attendant to invite Elder Longshou, saying, “Just come alone; do not bring your attendant.”
Shou said, “If not permitted to bring him, how could I part from him?”
The Master said, “An excess of affection.”
Shou had no reply. The Master gave an alternative for him: “Further thanks to the upādhyāya’s senior disciple for delivering the message.”

The Master resided at Baofu for barely twelve years, and his students never numbered fewer than seven hundred. His interactions with faculties and aiding of beings cannot be fully recorded. The military governor of Min deeply respected him and petitioned to grant him an official robe. In the third year of Tiancheng of the Tang dynasty (a Wuzi year), he manifested a slight illness. A monk entered the abbot's quarters to inquire after his health. The Master said to him, “You and I have known each other for many years; what art or remedy do you have to save me?”
The monk said, “I have plenty of remedies, but I hear that the upādhyāya does not know how to abstain from harmful foods.” (Fadeng gave an alternative: “Does the upādhyāya know how to abstain from harmful foods?”)

He also said to the assembly, “Over the past ten days, my strength has been weary and weak; there is nothing else, only that the time has come.”
A monk asked, “Since the time has come, is the master's going right, or is his staying right?”
The Master said, “Speak!”
The monk said, “If so, then I dare not act rashly.”
The Master said, “Losing money and incurring blame.”
Having spoken, he crossed his legs and announced his passing; it was the twenty-first day of the third month.