景德傳燈錄 25.14

25.14

Chan Master Shouren of Luohan Monastery in Zhangzhou was a native of Yongchun in Quanzhou. At first he studied under Jinghui, and later he returned to his home commandery to dwell at the Upper Quarters of Xingjiao Temple in Dong'an. He addressed the assembly, saying: "Judging solely by the present moment, who lacks anything, and who has an excess? Even so, this is still the gate of secondary truth. If you sthaviras can arrive at clear understanding, is it one or is it two? You must examine it even more closely." A monk asked, "What is the exact meaning of the ancestral master's coming from the west?" The master said, "What meaning is there right now?" [The monk] asked, "What is nirvāṇa?" The master said, "Birth and death." [The monk] said, "What is birth and death?" The master said, "What did you say just now?" The monastic assembly gathered for evening instruction. The master said to the assembly: "Things originally have no location; / A round bright moon is reflected in the mind's pool." He then returned to the abbot's quarters. The master subsequently dwelled at Bao'en Monastery in Zhangzhou. He said to the assembly: "Here at Bao'en, I have never picked apart phrases for people. Today, I shall pick apart a phrase or two for you sthaviras. Would you welcome that? Sthaviras! The crane's legs are long; the wild duck's legs are short. Licorice is sweet; phellodendron is bitter. Does discriminating like this satisfy your refined tastes? Sthaviras, do not say that the bloodlines do not communicate or that mud and water separate them! Do not misunderstand! Take care!" A monk asked, "What is the meaning of coming from the west?" The master said, "What do you call the meaning of coming from the west?" [The monk] said, "Then there is no coming from the west." The master said, "That comes from your mouth." [The monk] asked, "What is Bao'en's house style?" The master said, "There is no place for you to set your eyes." [The monk] asked, "The student has not yet understood the transmission; please, Master, provide skillful means." The master said, "Are we failing each other?" [The monk] said, "Then there is the distinction between teacher and disciple." The master said, "Such views are plentiful in the monasteries." [The monk] asked, "What is the great meaning of the Buddha-dharma?" The master said, "What did I say to you?" [The monk] asked, "What is the characteristic of non-arising?" The master said, "Casting off the body and receiving a body." [The monk] said, "Then there is no fault in birth and death." The master said, "I expected you to understand it that way." The master also said: "Every person is completely endowed with the Principle; each and every thing is wholly perfect and eternal." [A monk] asked, "What is the principle of the perfect and eternal?" The master said, "Nothing is not uneven." [The monk] said, "Then it is the unhindered realm of phenomena." The master said, "What difficulty is there in speaking skillfully?" [The monk] asked, "What is not reaching three inches?" The master said, "You ask, and I answer." The master asked a monk, "Where do you come from?" [The monk] said, "I come from Fuzhou." The master said, "Having traveled across so many mountain ridges, which one is the sthavira's own self?" [The monk] said, "I personally departed from Fuzhou." The master said, "To discuss it like that requires another discussion." [The monk] said, "How else should it be discussed?" The master said, "You have fallen into speech." [A monk] asked, "Without being blind to conditions and dust, please, Master, receive me." The master said, "What do you call conditions and dust?" The monk said, "If I do not present a question, how can doubt be put to rest?" The master said, "Were it not for today, you would have made a legal case."