續傳燈錄 1.11

1.11

并州承天院三交智嵩禪師范陽人。參首山問。如何是佛法的的大意。山曰。楚王城畔汝水東流。師於此有省頓契佛意。乃作三玄偈曰。須用直須用。心意莫定動。三歲師子吼。十方沒狐種。我有真如性。如同幕裏隱。打破六門關。顯出毘盧印。真骨金剛體可誇。六塵一拂永無遮。廓落世界空為體。體上無為真到家。山聞乃請喫茶問。這三頌是汝作來邪。師曰是。山曰。或有人教汝現三十二相時如何。師曰。某甲不是野狐精。山曰。惜取眉毛。師曰。和尚落了多少。山以竹篦頭上打曰。這漢向後亂作去在。住後上堂。文殊仗劍五臺橫行。唐明一路把斷妖訛。三世諸佛未出教乘。網底游魚龍門難渡。垂鉤四海秖釣獰龍。格外玄談為求知識。若也舉揚宗旨。須彌直須粉碎。若也說佛說祖。海水便須枯竭。寶劍揮時毫光萬里。放汝一路通方說話。把斷咽喉諸人甚處出氣。僧問。鈍根樂小法不自信作佛。作佛後如何。師曰。水裏捉麒麟。曰與麼則便登高座也。師曰。騎牛上三十三天。問古人拈椎竪拂意旨如何。師曰。騎驢不著靴。問如何是奪人不奪境。師曰。家鄉有路無人到。曰如何是奪境不奪人。師曰。暗傳天子勅。倍行一百程。曰如何是人境雨俱奪。師曰。無頭蝦蟇脚指天。曰如何是人境俱不奪。師曰。晉祠南畔長柳巷。問古人東山西嶺青意作麼生。師曰。波斯鼻孔大。曰與麼則西天迦葉東土我師。師曰。金剛手板濶。問大悲千手眼那箇是正眼。師曰。開化石佛拍手笑。晉祠娘子解謳歌。問臨濟推倒黃檗。因甚維那喫棒。師曰。正狗不偷油。雞啣燈盞走。問如何是截人之機。師曰。要用便用。曰請和尚用。師曰。拕出這死漢。鄭工部問。百尺竿頭獨打毬。萬丈懸崖絲繫腰時如何。師曰。幽州著脚廣南廝撲。鄭無語。師曰。勘破這胡漢。鄭曰。二十年江南界裏這回却見禪師。師曰。瞎老婆吹火。僧問。二邊純莫立。中道不須安。未審意旨如何。師曰。廣南出象牙。曰不會請師直指。師曰。番國皮毬八百價。上堂。塞溫冷煖著衣喫飯自不欠少。波波地覓箇甚麼。秖是諸人不肯承當。如今還有承當底麼。有則不得孤負山河大地。珍重。問祖師西來三藏東去當明何事。師曰。佛殿部署修。僧堂老僧蓋。僧曰。與麼則全明今日事也。師曰。今日事作麼生。僧便喝。師便打。問如何是學人用心處。師曰。光剃頭淨洗鉢。曰如何是學人行履處。師曰。僧堂前佛殿後。上堂舉法眼偈曰。見山不是山。見水何曾別。山河與大地。都是一輪月。大小法眼未見出涅槃堂。三交即不然。見山河與大地錐刀各自用。珍重。

Chan Master Zhisong of Sanjiao in Chengtian Monastery of Bingzhou was a native of Fanyang. He called upon Shoushan and asked, "What is the precise main meaning of the Buddha Dharma?"
Shoushan said, "Beside the city of the King of Chu, the Ru River flows east."
At this, the Master had an insight and suddenly accorded with the Buddha's intent. Thereupon he composed three verses on the mystery gates:

"When it is needed, directly apply it;
Let the mind and intellect not stir or waver.
A three-year-old [lion] roars like a lion;
Throughout the ten directions, fox breeds vanish.

I possess the nature of tathatā,
As if hidden within a veil.
Break through the pass of the six gates,
And the seal of Vairocana is revealed.

True bone and vajra substance worthy of praise;
With a single wipe of the six dusts, unobstructed forever.
The vast, open realm has emptiness as its substance;
Above the substance is non-action, truly arriving home."

When Shoushan heard this, he invited him to drink tea and asked, "Did you compose these three verses?"
The Master said, "Yes."
Shoushan said, "What if someone told you to manifest the thirty-two marks?"
The Master said, "I am no wild fox spirit."
Shoushan said, "Spare your eyebrows."
The Master said, "How many has the Upādhyāya dropped?"
Shoushan struck him on the head with a bamboo scraper and said, "In days to come, this fellow will run wild!"

After becoming abbot, he ascended the hall and said, "Mañjuśrī brandishes a sword and struts across Wutai; along the route of Tangming, he cuts off all demonry and falsehood. The Buddhas of the three periods have never departed from the doctrinal vehicles; fish swimming beneath the net find it hard to cross the Dragon Gate. Lowering the hook into the four seas is only to catch ferocious dragons; mysterious discourse beyond the patterns is to seek true kalyāṇamitras. If one would hold up and make known the lineage tenets, Mount Sumeru must be smashed to powder. If one would speak of Buddhas and Patriarchs, the waters of the ocean must run dry. When the precious sword is swung, its blazing light reaches ten thousand leagues. I allow you an open avenue to speak thoroughly; yet once your throat is blocked off, where will you catch your breath?"

A monk asked, "Those of dull faculties delight in lesser teachings and do not believe that they themselves can become Buddhas. What happens after becoming a Buddha?"
The Master said, "Catching a qilin in the water."
The monk said, "In that case, one ascends the high seat directly."
The Master said, "Riding an ox up to the Thirty-Three Heavens."

[A monk] asked, "What was the meaning of the ancients taking up the mallet and raising the whisk?"
The Master said, "Riding a donkey without wearing boots."

[A monk] asked, "What is taking away the person but not taking away the environment?"
The Master said, "There is a road to one's homeland, but no one arrives."
[The monk] said, "What is taking away the environment but not taking away the person?"
The Master said, "Secretly carrying the Son of Heaven's imperial edict, covering double the journey of a hundred stages."
[The monk] said, "What is taking away both person and environment?"
The Master said, "A headless toad with its feet pointing to heaven."
[The monk] said, "What is taking away neither person nor environment?"
The Master said, "The long Willow Alley south of the Jin Shrine."

[A monk] asked, "What was the ancient's meaning when saying, 'The Eastern Mountain and Western Ridge are green'?"
The Master said, "The Persian's nostrils are huge."
[The monk] said, "In that case, in the Western Heavens it is Kāśyapa; in the Eastern Land, our Master."
The Master said, "The Vajra-bearer's palm is broad."

[A monk] asked, "Among Great Compassion's thousand hands and eyes, which is the main eye?"
The Master said, "The stone Buddha of Kaihua claps his hands and laughs; the Lady of the Jin Shrine knows how to sing songs."

[A monk] asked, "When Linji knocked Huangbo down, why did the karmadāna take the blows of the stick?"
The Master said, "An honest dog does not steal oil; a chicken runs off with the lamp saucer in its beak."

[A monk] asked, "What is intercepting someone's functioning?"
The Master said, "When it is needed, directly apply it."
[The monk] said, "Please apply it, Upādhyāya."
The Master said, "Drag this dead fellow out!"

Director Zheng of the Ministry of Works asked, "What about when one plays polo alone on a hundred-foot pole, or hangs over a cliff of ten thousand fathoms with a silk cord tied around one's waist?"
The Master said, "Planting feet in Youzhou, wrestling in Guangnan."
Zheng had nothing to say.
The Master said, "I have seen through this barbarian."
Zheng said, "For twenty years in Jiangnan, only this time have I met a Chan master."
The Master said, "A blind old woman blowing on a fire."

[A monk] asked, "'Do not establish the two extremes at all; there is no need to settle in the middle way.' What is the meaning of this?"
The Master said, "Guangnan produces elephant ivory."
[The monk] said, "I do not understand; please point it out directly, Master."
The Master said, "A barbarian leather ball costs eight hundred."

He ascended the hall and said, "From the cold border to warm comfort, wearing clothes and eating food, inherently nothing is lacking. What are you rushing around seeking? It is only that you are unwilling to take charge of it yourself. Is there anyone here now who will take charge? If there is, do not fail the mountains, rivers, and great earth. Take care!"

[A monk] asked, "When the Patriarch came from the West and the Tripiṭaka Master went to the East, what matter should be clarified?"
The Master said, "The Commander repairs the Buddha hall; this old monk roofs the monks' hall."
The monk said, "In that case, today's business is completely clarified."
The Master said, "What is today's business?"
The monk shouted.
The Master struck him.

[A monk] asked, "What is the student's place of mental application?"
The Master said, "Shave the head clean and wash the alms bowl thoroughly."
[The monk] said, "What is the student's realm of conduct?"
The Master said, "In front of the monks' hall, behind the Buddha hall."

He ascended the hall, cited Fayan's verse:
"Seeing mountains, they are not mountains;
Seeing waters, how have they ever differed?
Mountains, rivers, and the great earth—
All are a single wheel of the moon."

[and said,] "The great and small Fayans have not yet been seen leaving the Nirvāṇa Hall. Sanjiao is not like that: seeing mountains, rivers, and the great earth, awl and knife each serve their own purpose. Take care!"