景德傳燈錄 26.67

26.67

Chan Master Xibian of Pumen Temple in Hangzhou was a native of Changshu in Suzhou. In his youth, he went forth from home, shaved his head, and received the full precepts under Chan Master Qixiang of Yanfu Cloister in his home district. He went to Mount Laṅkā to study the Vinaya. Soon he visited Tiantai and received the mind-seal. At the beginning of the Qiande era, King Zhongyi of Wuyue ordered him to reside at Qingtai Cloister in Yuezhou, granting him the title Chan Master Huizhi. During the Kaibao era, he was summoned again to reside at Pumen Temple (as the second generation to reside [there]). The Master went up to the hall and said, "This mountain monk has always lacked knowledge and views and has had little learning to retain. Although I formerly attended upon the upādhyāya in the mountains, I did not receive even a single phrase of instruction from him. And so today, meeting with you benevolent ones, there is not a single dharma with which I can assist or inspire you. How much less could I distinguish black from white or discuss ancient and modern for you benevolent ones! Do you still blame this mountain monk? If anyone blames me, tell me: does this person possess the eye or not possess the eye? Is there the meaning of guest and host, or is there no meaning of guest and host? Later students and beginners must investigate minutely." At that time, a monk asked, "What is the matter of Pumen's manifestation of spiritual penetrations?" The Master said, "If so, the ācārya blames this old monk." [The monk] said, "What about when there is no blame?" The Master said, "Go down to the hall for now and reflect on it." In the third year of the Taiping Xingguo era, when the King of Wuyue had an imperial audience, the Master accompanied the precious stūpa to an audience at the Zifu Palace, receiving a purple robe and the title Great Master Huiming. During the Duangong era, he submitted a memorial requesting permission to return to his hometown. An imperial decree granted this, bestowing imperial poems, and King Zhongyi donated gold. At his home mountain cloister in Changshu, they built a seven-tiered brick stūpa two hundred feet high. After the work was completed, on the twenty-fifth day of the eighth month of the third year of the Zhidao era, he manifested illness and passed away. He was seventy-seven years of age, with sixty-three rains retreats. A stūpa was erected at the northwest corner of the cloister.