續傳燈錄 28.11

28.11

眉州象耳山袁覺禪師。郡之袁氏子。出家傳燈試經得度。本名圓覺。郡守填祠牒誤作袁字。疑師慊然。戲謂之曰。一字名可乎。師笑曰。一字已多。郡守異之。既受具出蜀。遍謁有道尊宿。後往大溈依佛性。頃之入室陳所見。性曰。汝忒殺遠在。然知其為法器。俾充侍者掌賓客。師每侍性。性必舉法華開示悟入四字令下語。又曰。直待我竪點頭時汝方是也。偶不職被斥。制中無依。寓俗士家。一日誦法華。至亦復不知何者是火何者為舍乃豁然。制罷歸省。性見首肯之。圓悟再得　旨住雲居。師至彼以所得白悟。悟呵云。本是淨地屙屎作麼。師所疑頓釋。紹興丁巳眉之象耳虛席。郡守謂此道場久為蟊螣囊槖。非名流勝士莫能起廢。諸禪舉師應聘。嘗語客曰。東坡云。我持此石歸。袖中有東海。山谷云。惠崇煙雨蘆雁。坐我瀟湘洞庭。欲喚扁舟歸去。傍人謂是丹青。此禪髓也。又曰。我敲床竪拂時。釋迦老子孔夫子都齊立在下風。有舉此語似佛海遠禪師。遠曰。此覺老語也。我此間即不恁麼。

Chan Master Yuanjue of Mount Xianger in Meizhou was a native of the Yuan clan of that commandery. He left home and, passing the scripture examination during the Chuandeng era, received ordination. His original name was Yuanjue ('Round Awakening'). When filling out the official ordination certificate, the commandery governor erroneously wrote the character 'Yuan' [of his surname]. Suspecting that the Master might be displeased, he playfully asked him, 'Is a one-character name acceptable?' The Master smiled and said, 'Even one character is already too much.' The commandery governor marveled at him. After receiving full ordination, he left Shu and visited everywhere to pay respects to venerable masters of the Way. Later, he went to Dawei to rely on Foxing. Soon after, he entered the room and presented his insight. Foxing said, 'You are excessively far off.' Yet knowing he was a Dharma vessel, he had him serve as attendant in charge of guests. Whenever the Master attended Foxing, Foxing would inevitably bring up the four characters 'open, reveal, awaken, and enter' from the Lotus Sūtra and order him to give a turning word. He also said, 'Wait until I nod my head upright; only then will you be right.' Once, failing in his duty, he was expelled. Having no one to rely on during the summer retreat, he lodged at a layman's house. One day, while reciting the Lotus Sūtra, he reached [the line], 'nor do they know what is fire or what is the house,' whereupon he had a sudden realization. When the retreat ended, he returned to pay respects; seeing him, Foxing nodded in approval. Later, when Yuanwu again received an imperial decree to reside at Yunju, the Master went there and reported his attainment to Yuanwu. Yuanwu scolded him, saying, 'Originally it was clean ground; why are you defecating on it?' The Master's remaining doubts were instantly dispelled. In the dingsi year of the Shaoxing era, the seat at Xianger in Mei fell vacant. The commandery governor said that this bodhimaṇḍa had long been a bag and baggage for destructive vermin, and unless a renowned and superior gentleman took charge, none could revive what had lapsed. The Chan assembly recommended the Master to accept the invitation. He once said to a guest: 'Dongpo said: "I bring this stone back with me; in my sleeve is the Eastern Sea." Shangu said: "Huichong's misty rain, reeds, and wild geese make me sit by the Xiao, Xiang, and Dongting. Wanting to call a small skiff to return, bystanders say it is but a painting." This is the marrow of Chan.' He also said, 'When I strike the bed and raise the whisk, Old Man Śākya and Master Confucius both stand downwind.' Someone cited these words to Chan Master Fohai Yuan. Yuan said, 'Those are Old Jue's words. Here with me, it is not like that.'