續傳燈錄 22.44

22.44

洪州奉新縣慧安慧淵禪師。北人孤硬自立。久參晦堂已有契證。復參真淨深詣幽奧。陸沈眾中與眾作息人無知者。時慧安禪院臨道左。凡衲子往來於泐潭黃龍洞山黃檗者無不經由。偶法席久虛。時真淨在寶峯。太守移書命擇人居之。眾中衲子耆宿皆憚其行。久之不決。師忽白真淨曰。慧淵去得否。真淨喜云。汝可去。遂復書舉師。時湛堂為首座。問師云。公去如何住持。師曰。慧淵無福。當為一切人結緣。自肩一栲栳打街供眾。湛堂云。須老兄始得。遂作頌餞之云。師入新吳誘携群有。且收驢脚先展佛手。指點是非分張好醜。秉殺活劍作師子吼。應群生機開布袋口。撒向南北東西。直教珠回玉走。含靈昧已之流。頓出無明窠臼。阿呵呵見三下。三三三如九。祖祖相傳佛佛授手。師既至逐日打化。遇暫到即延歸院中宿泊。且曰。容某甲歸修供養。如此三十五年風雨不易。鼎新創建佛殿輪藏羅漢堂。凡叢林所宜有者咸皆備焉。死心叟住黃龍訪之。師曰。新長老。汝常愛使沒意智一著子該抹人。今夜且宿此。待與公理會些細大法門。死心憚之語侍者云。這漢是真箇理會底。不能與他𤛆牙劈齒得。不若去休。不宿便行。師後納於慧安。闍維六根不壞者三。獲舍利無數。異香滿室累月不絕。奉新後遭兵火殘破無孑遺。獨慧安諸殿嶷然獨存。蓋願力成就神物護持所致云。

Chan Master Huiyuan of Hui'an in Fengxin County, Hongzhou, was a northerner who was solitary, unyielding, and self-reliant. Having long studied under Huitang, he already possessed experiential realization; later, he studied under Zhenjing and deeply penetrated the obscure arcana. He lay submerged among the assembly, working and resting with the monks, without anyone knowing him. At that time, the Chan monastery of Hui'an sat beside the road. Whenever patch-robed monks traveled back and forth among Letan, Huanglong, Dongshan, and Huangbo, none failed to pass by it. It happened that the abbot's seat had long been vacant. At that time, Zhenjing was at Baofeng, and the prefect sent a letter requesting that he select someone to occupy it. The monks and senior elders in the assembly all dreaded the assignment. For a long time, it remained undecided. The master suddenly said to Zhenjing, 'Can Huiyuan go?' Zhenjing said joyfully, 'You may go.' He then replied to the letter, recommending the master. At that time, Zhantang was the head monk. He asked the master, 'When you go, how will you serve as abbot?' The master said, 'Huiyuan lacks blessings. I shall establish karmic affinities with all beings, carrying a willow basket on my shoulder to walk the streets and make offerings to the assembly.' Zhantang said, 'It truly takes you, my elder brother, to manage it.' He then composed a verse to see him off, saying: / 'The master enters Xinxin to guide and lead all sentient beings; / let him put away the donkey's hooves and first extend the Buddha's hand. / Pointing out right and wrong, distinguishing the good and the bad, / wielding the sword that kills and gives life, he roars like a lion. / Responding to the capacities of sentient beings, he opens the mouth of his cloth bag; / scattering to south, north, east, and west, / making pearls turn and jade roll straightaway. / Those sentient beings who are blind to their own nature / instantly leap out of the nest of fundamental ignorance. / Aha! Seeing three times three, / three threes are nine; / patriarch to patriarch transmits, Buddha to Buddha extends the hand.' / After the master arrived, he begged for alms day after day. Whenever he encountered a transient monk, he invited him back to the monastery to lodge for the night, saying, 'Allow me to return and prepare offerings.' For thirty-five years, through wind and rain, he did not change. He newly constructed a Buddha hall, a revolving scripture repository, and an Arhat hall; whatever was appropriate for a monastery was completely provided. Old Man Sixin, while dwelling at Huanglong, came to visit him. The master said, 'New Abbot, you always like to use that mindless move to brush people aside. Tonight, lodge here for a while, and wait until I discuss the subtle and great Dharma-gate with you.' Sixin was wary of him and said to his attendant, 'This fellow is truly someone who understands. I cannot go gnashing teeth and tearing jaws with him; better to call it off.' Without lodging, he departed immediately. Later, the master passed away at Hui'an. Upon cremation, three of his six sense faculties remained undestroyed, and countless relics were obtained. An extraordinary fragrance filled the room, not dissipating for consecutive months. Fengxin later suffered destruction by military fires with nothing left standing, yet solely the various halls of Hui'an stood towering and solitary preserved. It was said to have been brought about by the fulfillment of his vow-power and the protection of divine beings.