續傳燈錄 13.24

13.24

杭州臨安淨土善思禪師上堂云。咄咄咄。臨濟德山盡該抹。棒頭薦得不作家。喝下承當未奇絕。山僧宗旨不恁麼。覿面相呈辨賢哲。聲前一句早遲疑。語後持來底時節。勸禪人休饒舌。神龍尚自不知源。豈說盲龜敵跛鼈。不看神光傳祖位。纔見老胡心便歇。真妙訣。堂堂自己可憐生。直下承當第二月。大丈夫須勦絕。現成公案早多端。莫學癡人被摩捋。傷嗟末法有多途。邪黨成郡安可遏。初機入門無道眼。佛手生緣徒施設。禪流學得遍參遊。問著元來打不迭。古人開口便知音。尚言弄巧翻成拙。那堪看話得心通。正是虛空釘鐵橛。自慚道薄整頹綱。飲氣吞聲共誰說。特將鄙句報同風。本分禪人能辨別。大地山河盡放光。南無觀世音菩薩。

Chan Master Shansi of Jingtu in Lin'an, Hangzhou, ascended the hall and said: "Tut, tut, tut! Linji and Deshan are both swept aside. Understanding under the stick makes one no adept; taking it up under the shout is not yet supreme. This mountain monk's lineage tenets are not like that: meeting face to face, the worthy and the wise are distinguished. A single phrase before sound is already hesitant; what season is it when brought forth after words? I urge you Chan practitioners, stop running your tongues! Even the divine dragon does not know its own source; how can one speak of a blind turtle matching a lame terrapin? Do you not see Shenguang receiving the patriarchal seat? The moment he saw the old barbarian, his mind rested at once. Truly a wondrous directive! One's own magnificent self, how pitiful—to directly take up the second moon! A great hero must cut clean through; the ready-made gong'an is already full of complications. Do not learn from fools who let themselves be stroked and smoothed. I lament that in the degenerate age there are many paths; evil factions form in droves, how can they be stopped? Beginners entering the gate lack the Dharma eye; the Buddha's hand and born conditions are applied in vain. Chan practitioners learn through wandering pilgrimage everywhere, but when questioned, they cannot strike back at all. The ancients knew the tune as soon as a mouth opened, yet still said that being clever turns out clumsy. How much less can one attain mind-penetration by watching phrases? That is truly driving an iron spike into empty space! Ashamed of my own meager virtue in restoring the ruined order, swallowing my sighs and holding my breath, with whom can I speak? I specially offer these humble verses to repay those of the same style; a monk of genuine capacity will be able to tell. The great earth, mountains, and rivers all radiate light: Homage to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva!"