續傳燈錄 12.35

12.35

澧州夾山自齡禪師。姓周氏。宜興人。受業於本州福聖寺。十八具戒。游叢林。造佛日才禪師法席悟明心要。給侍左右多歷年紀。才遷化復歷諸方。與石霜琳同行。因至黃龍南禪師會中。琳不曉黃龍宗旨投誠入室。師怒毆之絕交而去。至大溈真如喆禪師會下為首座。遂開法興化。僧問。混沌未分時如何。師曰。春風拂拂。曰分後如何。師曰。春日遲遲。曰向上更有事也無。師曰。一年三百六十日。上堂良久。顧大眾曰。月裏走金烏。誰云一物無。趙州東壁上。挂箇大葫蘆參。上堂良久。打一圓相曰。大眾。五千餘卷詮不盡。三世諸佛讚不及。令人却憶賣油翁。狼忙走下繩床立參。上堂。便乃忘機守默。已被金粟占先。擬欲展演詞鋒。落在瞿曇之後。離此二途作麼生。是納僧透脫一路。良久曰。好笑南泉提起處。刈茅鎌子曲彎彎。參。

Chan Master Ziling of Jiashan in Lizhou was of the Zhou family from Yixing. He undertook his novitiate at Fusheng Temple in his home prefecture and received the full ordination at eighteen. He wandered through the monasteries. When he went to the Dharma assembly of Chan Master Cai of Bori, he awoke clearly to the mind essential, attending upon him at his side for many years. When Cai passed away, he traveled again to various regions, journeying together with Lin of Shishuang. On account of this, they came into the assembly of Chan Master Nan of Huanglong. Lin did not comprehend the Huanglong lineage tenets and sincerely offered his devotion to enter the abbot's room; the Master, furious, struck him, severed their friendship, and departed. Coming into the assembly of Chan Master Zhenru Zhe of Dahui, he served as head monk. Thereupon he opened the Dharma hall and flourished in teaching. A monk asked, "How was it before the primal chaos divided?" The Master said, "The spring breeze blows gently." The monk said, "How about after it divided?" The Master said, "The spring days lengthen leisurely." The monk said, "Is there still anything beyond?" The Master said, "A year has three hundred and sixty days." Ascending the hall, after a long silence he looked around at the assembly and said, "Within the moon the golden crow flies; / who says that not a single thing exists? / On Zhaozhou's eastern wall, / hangs a great gourd. Practice!" Ascending the hall, after a long silence he drew a circle and said, "Great assembly! More than five thousand fascicles cannot explain it fully; the Buddhas of the three periods cannot praise it enough. It brings to mind that old oil-seller, / hastily running down from the corded chair to stand and practice." Ascending the hall, he said, "If you immediately forget contrivance and keep silence, Jinsu has already seized the lead. If you intend to deploy the sharp edge of words, you fall behind Gautama. Apart from these two paths, what is the single road on which a patch-robed monk breaks free?" After a long silence he said, "It is amusing where Nanquan brought it up: / the sickle for cutting reeds is curved and bent. Practice!"