景德傳燈錄 7.14

7.14

Chan Master Qi'an of Zhenguo Haichang Cloister in Yanguan, Hangzhou, was a native of Haimen commandery. His family name was Li. When he was born, a divine light illuminated the room. An extraordinary monk also said to him, "He who erects the banner of the invincible and causes the sun of the Buddha to shine back—is that not you?" He thereupon followed Chan Master Yuncong of his native commandery to have his head shaved and receive full ordination. Later, hearing that Daji was converting beings at Mount Gonggong, he shook his mendicant's staff and went there. The Master had an extraordinary appearance. Daji saw him once, regarded him highly as an exceptional vessel, and summoned him to enter his chamber to secretly show him the correct Dharma. A monk asked, "What is one's own fundamental Vairocana Buddha?" The Master said, "Bring me that copper bottle." The monk then brought the pure bottle. The Master said, "Take it back to its original place and put it down." After the monk had placed the bottle back in its original place, he came back and pressed the Master with the former question. The Master said, "The ancient Buddha has also long since passed." A lecturing monk came to study. The Master asked, "What enterprise does the lecture master harbor?" He replied, "I lecture on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra." The Master said, "How many kinds of dharmadhātu are there?" He replied, "Expounded broadly, they are layer upon layer without end; expounded briefly, there are four kinds of dharmadhātu." The Master held up his whisk and said, "Which kind of dharmadhātu is this?" The lecture master hesitated and slowly thought of an answer. The Master said, "Knowing through thinking and understanding through deliberation—this is the ghost's livelihood, a solitary lamp under the sun; as expected, its light is lost." (Baofu, hearing this, said, "If he had made a prostration, he would have tasted the upādhyāya's staff." Heshan said in his place, "Do not blame me for not troubling the upādhyāya." Fayan clapped his hands three times in his place.) A monk asked Damei, "What is the meaning of coming from the west?" Damei said, "Coming from the west has no meaning." The Master heard this and said, "One coffin, two corpses." (Xuansha said, "Yanguan is an expert.") The Master called his attendant and said, "Bring the rhinoceros fan." The attendant said, "It is broken." The Master said, "The fan is broken; give me back the rhinoceros!" The attendant had no reply. (Touzi said in his place, "I do not refuse to bring it out, but I fear its head and horns are not complete." Zifu in his place drew a circular figure and wrote the character 'ox' in its center. Shishuang said in his place, "If I give it back to the upādhyāya, then there will be none." Baofu said, "The upādhyāya is advanced in years; it would be better to invite someone else.") One day, the Master said to the assembly, "Space as the drum, Mount Sumeru as the drumstick—who can strike it?" The assembly had no reply. (Someone related this to Nanquan. Nanquan said, "Old Master Wang does not strike this broken drum." Fayan said alternatively, "Old Master Wang does not strike.") Chan Master Fakong arrived and asked about various meanings in the sūtras. The Master answered each of them, and then said, "Since the Chan Master arrived, I, a poor monk, have not yet been able to be the host." Fakong said, "I invite the upādhyāya to act as host further." The Master said, "It is late today. Return to your quarters and rest; come back tomorrow." Fakong went down. The next morning, the Master instructed a novice to invite Chan Master Fakong. When Fakong arrived, the Master looked at the novice and said, "Bah! This novice cannot handle affairs. I told you to invite Chan Master Fakong, but instead you brought a hall-keeping servant!" Fakong was speechless. Director of the Cloister Faxin came to call. The Master asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "Faxin." The Master said, "I do not know you." Xin was speechless. Later, without illness, the Master passed away while sitting peacefully. He was posthumously granted the title Chan Master Wukong ("Awakened to Emptiness").