續傳燈錄 30.20

30.20

安吉州烏回唯菴良範禪師。上堂。塵劫已前事。堂堂無背面。動靜莫能該。舒卷快如電。莫道凡不知。佛也覻不見。決定在何處。合取這兩片薦不薦。更為諸人通一線。良久曰。天下太平皇風永扇。上堂舉。僧問趙州。至道無難唯嫌揀擇。是時人窠窟否。州曰。曾有人問老僧。直得五年分疎不下。師召眾曰。趙州具頂門眼。向擊石火裏分緇素。閃電光中明縱奪。為甚麼却五年分疎不下。還委悉麼。易分雪裏粉。難辨墨中煤。

Chan Master Wei'an Liangfan of Wuhui in Anji Prefecture ascended the hall [and said], "The matter before dust-kalpas: / Imposing, without front or back. / Movement and stillness cannot contain it; / Unfolding and rolling up, it is as swift as lightning. / Do not say the ordinary do not know it— / Even Buddhas cannot see it. / Exactly where is it? / Close these two lips! Do you grasp it or not? I shall open a line for you further." After a long pause, he said, "Under heaven there is great peace; the imperial breeze fans forever." Ascending the hall, he cited: "A monk asked Zhaozhou, '"The Great Way is not difficult, it only dislikes choosing." Is this not the nest and burrow of contemporary people?' Zhou said, 'Someone once asked this old monk, and for five years I could not explain it away.'" The Master called to the assembly and said, "Zhaozhou possessed the eye on his crown: in the sparks struck from flint he distinguished black from white; in a flash of lightning he discerned giving and taking. Why then could he not explain it away for five years? Do you understand? It is easy to distinguish powder in snow, but hard to discern charcoal in ink."