景德傳燈錄 26.54

26.54

Great Master Zhifeng of the Huayan Place of Practice on Mount Wuyun in Hangzhou was a native of Yuhang. From birth he detested meat and blood, and his skin and body were fragrant and clean. In his youth, he left home at Langzhan Cloister on East Mountain in his native district. He received full ordination according to his years. He thoroughly mastered the three trainings and clearly understood nature and characteristics. He once dreamed that he ascended Mount Sumeru and saw three Buddhas seated in a row. First was Śākyamuni and next was Maitreya; he bowed at the feet of both. Only the third Buddha he did not recognize, and merely looked up at him. Then Śākyamuni instructed him, saying, "This is Buddha Siṃhacandra, the successor to Maitreya." Only then did the Master pay homage. After waking, he consulted the great canon of sūtras and found it tallied with what he had dreamed. During the Tianfu era, traveling on pilgrimage, he reached the Yunju Place of Practice on Mount Tiantai and studied under the State Preceptor. Guest and host accorded in affinity, and the mysterious secret suddenly burst open. One day, when he went into the Samantabhadra Hall to sit in quiet meditation, suddenly a spirit-man knelt before him. The Master asked him, saying, "Who are you?" The spirit said, "The precept-guarding spirit." The Master said, "I worry that I have past offenses not yet extinguished; do you know of them?" The spirit said, "What sin does the Master have? There is only one small fault." The Master said, "What is it?" The spirit said, "The water used to rinse your bowl is also an offering from the donors. The Master always pours it away and discards it, which is not fitting." Having spoken, he disappeared. From then on, the Master drank all the water used to wash his bowl. After a long time, this caused an ailment of the spleen and stomach, which healed only after ten years. (Whenever discarding leftover food and drink, as well as mucus, saliva, urine, and feces, one should snap the fingers, silently recite the mantra, arouse a mind of charity, and pour them out.) The King of Wuyue admired his style of the Way; he summoned him, bestowed the purple robe, and designated him Great Master Pujue. He was first ordered to reside at Gongchen Cloister in Lin'an, where students of the mystery gathered like spokes at a hub. The Master entered the hall and said, "You sthaviras abandon one kalyāṇamitra to study under another kalyāṇamitra, entirely imitating the pattern of Sudhana's southern pilgrimage. But let me ask you sthaviras: when Sudhana bowed and took leave of Mañjuśrī, intending to ascend Mount Miaofeng to visit the bhikṣu Meghasvara, upon arriving at that place, why did Meghasvara instead meet him on another peak? The intention of the teachings and the intention of the ancestors share the same skillful means, and in the end there is no different principle. If you understand that, this will also be brightly clear. You sthaviras who are currently crowding around this old monk: is this meeting, or is this not meeting? Is this place Mount Miaofeng, or is it another peak? If perhaps you realize it from here, it can be said that you do not fail this old monk, and that you also constantly see the bhikṣu Meghasvara, never having parted from him for a single kṣaṇa. Can you truly believe this?" A monk asked, "Proclaiming in the monastic groves is an accommodation for present times. What is the real intention of Gongchen?" The Master said, "Do you see?" The monk said, "If so, then the great assembly is full of joy." The Master said, "And I took you for a lion's cub." The monk asked, "Buddha to Buddha hands down, ancestor to ancestor transmits the mind. I wonder what the Upādhyāya transmits?" The Master said, "Can you undertake it?" The monk said, "I cannot undertake it. Is there someone else who can undertake it?" The Master said, "The great assembly laughs at you." The monk asked, "What is the Tathāgatagarbha?" The Master said, "Just hit upon the question." The monk asked, "What is the functioning of all Buddhas?" The Master said, "Can it be said to be so?" One day the Master entered the hall; after a long silence he said, "Assembly, look! Look!" He then stepped down from the seat and returned to the abbot's quarters. In the beginning of Kaibao, King Zhongyi founded Pumen Hermitage and three times invited him to assume the abbacy to proclaim once more the essentials of the school; this was the first generation of Pumen. The Master entered the hall and said, "When the ancients traveled on foot for the sake of the Dharma, they truly did not shrink from toil. For example, Upādhyāya Xuefeng went to Touzi three times and ascended Dongshan nine times; lingering back and forth, he still could not find a way of entry. Look at you people studying Chan in recent times: no sooner do you cross the threshold than you expect this old monk to guide you, pointing to his palm and talking about Chan! Furthermore, you wish to attain the ultimate mysterious Way; how could that be ordinary? Moreover, in this matter, awakening also has its time; how can you obtain it by seeking hastily? Do you all want to know the time of awakening? For now, each of you go down and sit quietly in the hall, and wait until Yangjia Peak nods its head; then this old monk will explain it for you." At that time, a monk came forward and said, "Yangjia Peak has nodded its head; please, Master, explain." The Master said, "Assembly, tell me: does this monk understand this old monk's words or not understand this old monk's words?" The monk bowed. The Master said, "Today I have accidentally failed in discernment." The monk asked, "What is the house style of Pumen?" The Master said, "How many people never tire of gazing at it!" The monk asked, "What is the realm of Pumen?" The Master said, "Wherever you go, just ask about the house style and be done with it." In the fourth year of Kaibao, the Master firmly declined the ruler of the state, claiming old age and wishing to rely on the forests and springs to nourish his health. At that time, General Ling Chao, having newly founded the Huayan Place of Practice on Mount Wuyun, offered it as a place for him to spend his final years. In the eleventh month of the second year of Yongxi, the year yiyou, he suddenly showed signs of illness. On the twenty-fifth day, he ordered his attendant monk to prepare scented water, bathed, and sat cross-legged. After a long while, he announced his passing. He was seventy-seven years of age, with fifty-eight Dharma years. His stūpa was named Baofeng Changzhao.