續傳燈錄 12.71

12.71

襄州鹿門法燈禪師。成都劉氏子。依大慈寶範為僧。俾聽華嚴得其要。棄謁芙蓉。蓉問曰。如何是空劫已前自己。師於言下心跡泯然。從容進曰。靈然一句超群象逈出三乘不假修。蓉撫而印之。開法鹿門。僧問。虛玄不犯寶鑑光寒時如何。師曰。掘地深埋。問如何是逍遙物外底人。師曰。遍身紅爛不可扶持。

Chan Master Fadeng of Lumen in Xiangzhou was a native of the Liu clan in Chengdu. He took refuge with Baofan of Daci and became a monk. He was made to listen to the Avataṃsaka-sūtra and grasp its essentials. Discarding this, he went to visit Furong. Furong asked him: 'What is your original self prior to the empty kalpa?' At these words, the master's traces of mind were utterly obliterated. Calmly coming forward, he said: 'The numinous single phrase transcends all forms; towering aloft beyond the three vehicles, it requires no cultivation.' Furong patted him and bestowed his seal of approval. He opened the Dharma hall at Lumen. A monk asked: 'What is it like when empty mystery is unencumbered and the precious mirror's brilliance is chilled?'
The master said: 'Dig the earth and bury it deep.'
[The monk] asked: 'What is the person who wanders carefree outside worldly things like?'
The master said: 'His entire body is red and ulcerated, beyond support.'