續傳燈錄 14.9

14.9

潤州金山法印善寧禪師江州人。受業於甘露寺。至圓照禪師法席。師資機感緣如夙契。戮力贊弼以揚法化。出世萬壽規矩嚴肅。躬己力行眾無不服。上堂僧問。天皇也恁麼道龍潭也恁麼道。未審和尚作麼生道。師曰。手握白玉鞭。驪珠盡擊碎。云退身有分。師曰。知過必改。問如何是祖師西來意。師曰。秤尾無星。云未審此意如何。師曰。斗方有底。云如何是佛。師曰。眉如初月眼似流星。云如何是法。師曰。義列交羅星分大野。云如何是僧。師曰。古貌稜層。丈夫意氣。問竿木隨身逢場作戲。今朝選佛場開請師方便。師曰。文不加點。云可謂古今罕聞。師曰。且道是什麼題目。僧擬議。師便打。乃顧視左右曰。古人道。在眼曰見。在耳曰聞。在鼻嗅香。在舌談論。在身覺觸。在意攀緣。雖然如是。秖見錐頭利。不見鑿頭方。若是萬壽即不然。有眼覷不見。有耳聽不聞。有鼻不知香。有舌無談論。有身不覺觸。有意不攀緣。一念相應六根解脫。敢問諸禪德。且道與前來是同是別。莫有具眼衲僧出來通箇消息。若無復為諸人重重注破。放開則私通車馬。揑聚則高下不存。若是慣戰作家。一任是非貶剝。又曰。撮玄機於掌上。挂古鑑於臺前。有何妖孽誰敢當禦。可謂昭昭法界自他而境智全收。歷歷真源彼此而聖凡俱寂。以此而推。僧堂佛殿對現色身。厨庫三門共揚斯事。但請抝折拄杖向目前參取。又曰。若也談禪說道。便見有生有滅。更乃舉揚古今。大似不觀時節。昨夜風雨瀟瀟。今朝頓除煩熱。到此善能參詳。達磨迷是不別。又曰。盡大地未嘗有一人真正舉揚宗教。若有一人。舉揚宗教。盡大地人並須鋩鋒結舌。莫是教諸人杜絕見聞契合斯道也無。如此見解譬如螢火燒須彌山。經塵沙劫終不能著。殊不知古聖垂示秖要後人眼正。眼正達者實謂古今罕聞。光前絕後。放行言言見諦句句明宗。收來眼眼從方明明側立。向什麼處見古人。良久曰。須知海岳歸明主。未信乾坤別有天。

Chan Master Fayin Shanning of Jinshan in Runzhou was a native of Jiangzhou. He undertook his studies at Ganlu Monastery. When he arrived at the Dharma assembly of Chan Master Yuanzhao, the master and disciple's dynamic affinities resonated as if by a past pact. He exerted all his efforts to assist and support him, spreading the Dharma transformation. When he appeared in the world at Wanshou, the regulations were rigorous and austere; he practiced diligently in person, and there was none among the assembly who did not submit. Ascending the hall, a monk asked, "Tianhuang spoke thus, and Longtan also spoke thus; I wonder, what does the Venerable say?" The Master said, "A white jade whip held in hand, the black dragon's pearls are smashed to pieces." The monk said, "Then there is a share for stepping back." The Master said, "Knowing an error, one must change it." A monk asked, "What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?" The Master said, "There are no star-markings at the end of the steelyard." The monk said, "I wonder, what is the meaning of this?" The Master said, "The square peck-measure has a bottom." The monk said, "What is the Buddha?" The Master said, "Eyebrows like the crescent moon, eyes like shooting stars." The monk said, "What is the Dharma?" The Master said, "Meanings arranged in an intersecting net, stars divided across the great wilderness." The monk said, "What is the Sangha?" The Master said, "An ancient countenance, craggy and steep; the spirited vitality of a great hero." A monk asked, "The pole-puppet is kept on one's person, putting on a play wherever an occasion arises. This morning, the arena for choosing buddhas opens; please, Master, provide an expedient means." The Master said, "The composition needs no correction." The monk said, "It may be called rarely heard of in ancient or modern times." The Master said, "Tell me, what was the topic?" The monk hesitated; the Master struck him at once. He then looked to the left and right and said, "The ancients said: 'In the eye it is called seeing; in the ear it is called hearing; in the nose it smells fragrance; on the tongue it speaks and discourses; in the body it perceives touch; in the mind it clings to conditions.' Although this is so, they only saw the sharpness of the awl's point, not the squareness of the chisel's head. As for Wanshou, it is not so: having eyes, one looks and does not see; having ears, one listens and does not hear; having a nose, one knows no fragrance; having a tongue, there is no speaking or discourse; having a body, one perceives no touch; having a mind, it does not cling to conditions. With one thought in accord, the six faculties are liberated. I dare to ask you Chan worthies: tell me, is this the same as or different from what came before? Is there a patch-robed monk with eyes who can come forward to communicate some news? If not, I shall again explain it thoroughly for you: let go, and carts and horses pass through secretly; gather together, and high and low no longer exist. If you are an adept accustomed to battle, you are left entirely free to criticize and disparage." He also said, "Gathering the mystery dynamic in the palm, hanging an ancient mirror before the terrace—what demon or monster would dare resist? It may be called the luminous Dharma realm: self and other, objective sphere and wisdom, are completely subsumed; the distinct true source: this and that, sage and ordinary, are entirely stilled. Inferring from this: the monks' hall and the Buddha hall manifest the form body face to face; the storehouse kitchen and the three gates jointly propagate this matter. Just please snap your staff and investigate right before your eyes." He also said, "If you discuss Chan and speak of the Way, you immediately see arising and ceasing. If you further bring up the ancient and the modern, it is very much like ignoring the season. Last night the wind and rain were dismal; this morning the oppressive heat is suddenly dispelled. If you can investigate and analyze skillfully up to this point, Bodhidharma's confusion is no different." He also said, "In the entire great earth there has never been a single person who genuinely raised and propagated the lineage teaching. If there were one person who raised and propagated the lineage teaching, all the people in the entire great earth would have to hold their tongues at the sword's edge. Could it be that I am teaching you all to cut off seeing and hearing to tally with this Way? Not at all! Views like this are like a firefly burning Mount Sumeru—even through kalpas as numerous as dust and sand, it could never catch fire. Little do they know that the ancient sages' teachings only require later people to have straight eyes. One whose eyes are straight and who has reached realization may indeed be called rarely heard of in ancient or modern times, outshining the past and surpassing the future. When let loose, every word sees the truth and every phrase illumines the lineage; when gathered in, eye to eye, they stand straight and distinct alongside each other. Where will you see the ancients?" After a long pause, he said, "One must know that the oceans and mountains return to the enlightened ruler; I do not believe there is another heaven beyond heaven and earth."