續傳燈錄 31.33

31.33

潭州楚安慧方禪師。本郡許氏子。參道禪師於大別。未幾改寺為神霄宮。附商舟過湘南。舟中聞岸人操鄉音。厲聲云叫那。由是有省。即說偈曰。沔水江心喚一聲。此時方得契平生。多年相別重相見。千聖同歸一路行。住後上堂。臨老方稱住持。全無些子玄機。開口十字九乖。問東便乃答西。如斯出世討甚玄微。有時拈三放兩。有時就令而施。雖然如是同道方知。且道知底事作麼生。直須打翻鼻孔始得。上堂。達磨祖師在脚底。踏不著兮提不起。子細當頭放下看。病在當時誰手裏。張公會看脈。李公會使藥。兩箇競頭醫一時用不著藥不相投。錯錯喫茶去。

Chan Master Huifang of Chu'an in Tanzhou was a native of the Xu clan of that prefecture. He studied under Chan Master Dao at Dabie. Before long, the monastery was converted into a Shenxiao Daoist temple. He boarded a merchant boat to cross south of the Xiang River. Aboard the boat, he heard someone on the shore speaking in the local dialect, shouting loudly, 'Call who?' Thereupon he had an awakening. He immediately recited a verse:
'A single call in the heart of the Mian River—
At this moment, lifelong understanding was attained.
Parted for many years, meeting again,
The thousand sages return together, walking a single road.'
After becoming abbot, he ascended the hall and said: 'Only in my old age was I named an abbot, completely devoid of the slightest profound mechanism. Opening my mouth, nine times out of ten I go astray; asked about the east, I answer about the west. Appearing in the world like this, what mystery could be sought? Sometimes holding up three and letting go of two; sometimes administering strictly according to the order. Although it is like this, only those of the same Path understand. Tell me, what is the matter that is understood? One must overturn one's nostrils before getting it!' Ascending the hall, [he said]: 'Patriarch Bodhidharma is right beneath your feet: step on him, you cannot reach; lift him up, you cannot raise him. Examine carefully right before your eyes and let go to see: whose hands was the illness in at that time? Master Zhang knows how to read the pulse; Master Li knows how to administer medicine. When two rival physicians are employed at once, the medicines do not agree. Wrong, wrong! Go drink tea!'