續傳燈錄 6.49

6.49

越州諸暨鐘山報恩譚禪師。僧問。至道無難唯嫌揀擇。如何是不揀擇。師曰。昨日初三今日初四。僧云。此猶是揀擇。師曰。龍蛇易辨衲子難瞞。問一問一答猶落建化門庭。未審第一義中如何舉唱。師曰。簷前雨滴雪滿長空。僧云。若然者到頭霜夜月任運落前溪。師曰。作家禪客。僧云。和尚莫瞞人好。師曰。却是爾瞞我。問如何是祖師西來意。師曰。隻履已歸𦵇嶺久。而今休更問來端。僧云。便與麼去時如何。師曰。南山起雲北山下雨。問杖錫已居於此日。請師一句利人天。師曰。鼻孔大頭向下。僧云。向上還有事也無。師曰有。僧云。如何則是。師曰。欲窮千里目更上一層樓乃曰。法身無像應物現形。諸禪德作麼生說箇應物現形底道理。拈拄杖示眾曰。世尊身長丈六。這箇拄杖子亦長丈六。彌勒身長千尺。這箇拄杖子亦長千尺。方圓任器隱顯從他。大包天地細入微塵。如驢覷井如井覷驢。得之者。運籌帷幄把斷要津。失之者杳杳忽忽虛生浪死。得失二途一時放却。敢問諸人。且道山僧拄杖子畢竟長多少。良久曰。笑指客從何處來。擊香臺一下。

Chan Master Tan of Bao'en on Mount Zhong in Zhuji, Yuezhou: A monk asked, "'The Supreme Way is not difficult, only avoiding picking and choosing.' What is non-picking and choosing?" The Master said, "Yesterday was the third; today is the fourth." The monk said, "This is still picking and choosing." The Master said, "Dragons and snakes are easy to distinguish; patch-robed monks are hard to deceive." [The monk] asked, "One question and one answer still fall into the threshold of provisional teaching; without knowing, how is it proclaimed in the ultimate truth?" The Master said, "Raindrops before the eaves; snow fills the vast sky." The monk said, "If so, then in the end, on a frosty night, the moon naturally sets into the stream before us." The Master said, "An adept Chan traveler!" The monk said, "The Upādhyāya had better not deceive people." The Master said, "Rather, it is you who deceive me." [The monk] asked, "What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?" The Master said, "The single shoe has long returned beyond the Xiong'er Mountains; nowadays cease inquiring further into the origin of its coming." The monk said, "How is it when one goes on like this?" The Master said, "Clouds arise on the southern mountain; rain falls on the northern mountain." [The monk] asked, "Leaning on your staff, you have resided here today; please, Master, speak a phrase to benefit humans and devas." The Master said, "The nostrils have their big end pointing down." The monk said, "Is there still an affair beyond?" The Master said, "There is." The monk said, "What is it?" The Master said, "'Wishing to widen one's gaze to a thousand li, climb yet another storey of the tower.'" He then said: "'The Dharma-body is without form, appearing in shapes according to things.' How do you Chan worthies explain this principle of appearing in shapes according to things?" Holding up his staff, he showed it to the assembly and said: "The World-Honoured One was sixteen feet tall; this staff is also sixteen feet long. Maitreya is a thousand feet tall; this staff is also a thousand feet long. Square or round according to the vessel; hidden or revealed, following the other. Vastly, it envelops heaven and earth; minutely, it enters subtle dust. Like a donkey peering into a well; like a well peering at a donkey. One who attains it devises strategies in the command tent and blocks the vital ford. One who loses it is obscure and confused, living in vain and dying aimlessly. Set aside both paths of gaining and losing all at once. I venture to ask you all: tell me, how long after all is this mountain monk's staff?" After a long pause, he said, "With a smile I point: from where does the guest come?" and struck the incense stand once.