續傳燈錄 25.31

25.31

潭州南嶽承天自賢禪師。僧問。大眾已集仰聽雷音。猊座既登請師剖露。師曰。剎竿頭上翻筋斗。僧云。恁麼則嶽麓山前祥霧起。祝融峯下瑞雲生。師曰。紫羅帳裏撒真珠。乃拈拄杖曰。不是心不是佛不是物。打禪床一下云。與君打破精靈窟。簸土揚塵無處尋。千山萬山空突屼。復敲禪床一下曰。歸堂參。又上堂曰。一身高隱唯南嶽。自笑孤雲未是閑。松下水邊端坐者。也應隨例說居山。咄又曰。五更殘月落。天曉白雲飛。分明目前事。不是目前機。既是目前事。為什麼不是目前機。良久曰。欲言言不及。林下好商量。又曰。佛祖不能正觀。天地不能蓋載。且道為什麼如此。良久曰。人人有箇皮袋。

Chan Master Zixian of Chengtian on Mount Nanyue in Tanzhou. A monk asked, "The great assembly has gathered, looking up to hear the thunderous voice. Having mounted the lion seat, please disclose it, Master." The master said, "Turning a somersault on top of the flagpole." The monk said, "If so, then before Mount Yuelu auspicious mist arises; beneath Zhurong Peak auspicious clouds are born." The master said, "Scattering real pearls inside the purple silk curtain." He then took up his staff and said, "Not mind, not Buddha, not a thing." Striking the meditation bench once, he said: "Smashed the spirit cave for you! / Sifting earth and raising dust, nowhere to be sought; / A thousand mountains, ten thousand mountains, emptily towering." He again knocked on the meditation bench once and said, "Return to the hall and practice." Again ascending the hall, he said: "Dwelling alone in high seclusion, only on South Peak; / Laughing at myself that the solitary cloud is not yet at leisure. / Those sitting upright beneath the pines and by the water / Should also speak of residing in the mountains according to custom. Bah!" He also said: "At the fifth watch, the waning moon sets; / At daybreak, white clouds fly. / Clearly an affair before one's eyes, / Yet not the mechanism before one's eyes. Since it is an affair before one's eyes, why is it not the mechanism before one's eyes?" After a long pause, he said, "Wishing to speak, words fail to reach; / Beneath the forest, it is fine to discuss." He also said, "Buddhas and ancestors cannot view it correctly; heaven and earth cannot cover or contain it. Now tell me, why is it like this?" After a long pause, he said, "Everyone has a skin bag."