景德傳燈錄 6.18

6.18

Chan Master Hong'en of Zhongyi in Langzhou. When Yangshan first received the newly-taken precepts, he came to give thanks for the precepts. Seeing him come, the Master clapped his hands from the meditation seat and said, "Hehe!" Yangshan then stood on the east side, then stood on the west side, and then stood in the center. Afterward, having finished giving thanks for the precepts, he stepped back and stood. The Master said, "Where did you obtain this samādhi?" Yangshan said, "I learned it by taking an impression from the seal at Caoxi." The Master said, "Tell me, whom did Caoxi receive using this samādhi?" Yangshan said, "He used this samādhi to receive the One-Night Enlightened One." Yangshan said, "Where did the Upādhyāya obtain this samādhi from?" The Master said, "I learned this samādhi at Great Master Ma's place." [Yangshan] asked, "How can one see one's nature?" The Master said, "Suppose there is a house. The house has six windows, and inside there is a monkey. From the east side, someone calls, 'Shan! Shan!' and it responds. In this way, all six windows are called and all respond." Yangshan bowed in gratitude, arose, and said, "I fully understand the analogy the Upādhyāya has bestowed. But there is still one thing: what if the inner monkey falls asleep, and an outer monkey wants to meet with it?" The Master stepped down from the rope chair, grasped Yangshan's hand, danced, and said, "Shan, Shan, I have met with you! It is just like a midge building a nest on a mosquito's eyelash and calling out at the crossroads, 'The land is vast, people are few, and those who meet each other are rare!'" (Yunju Xi said, "At that time, if Zhongyi had not obtained this single phrase from Yangshan, where would Zhongyi be?" Chongshou Chou said, "Is there still anyone who can settle this principle? If it cannot be settled, it is merely the maneuvers of someone playing with a phantom spirit. Where does the meaning of Buddha-nature lie?" Xuanjue said, "If not for Yangshan, how could one see Zhongyi? But tell me: where is the place where Yangshan was able to see Zhongyi?")