續傳燈錄 2.23

2.23

Chan Master Bao of Dongshan in Ruizhou was a native of Shouzhou. Born in a brothel, he had no family name. He was pure and prudent in conduct, and by nature longed for the Buddha vehicle. He underwent his training at Xiashi Temple, practicing ascetic dhūta austerities, eating coarse food, and wearing soiled clothes. He consulted Upādhyāya Jie, clarified the mind-ground, and acquired great fame. He frequently managed temple affairs in Wuzu's assembly. One day Jie was ill and ordered an attendant to obtain fresh ginger from the storage office to decoct medicine. The Master scolded him. The attendant reported this to Jie, who instructed him to take money to buy it back. Only then did the Master take the ginger and give it to him. Jie esteemed him in his heart. Later, wandering through the monasteries, he arrived at Dongshan, where Elder Cong resided and treated him with special respect. When Cong was dying, his last words instructed that Bao should succeed to his seat. It happened that the commandery prefect also wrote a letter to Jie, requesting him to recommend someone he knew to serve as abbot. Jie said, 'The fellow who sold the ginger can hold the post.' Thereupon he opened the Dharma hall at Dongshan. A monk asked, "What is the Buddha?" The Master said, "The head resembles it." Or he said, "Long waist, short legs." The monk asked, "Whose song does the Master sing? Whose lineage style do you inherit?" The Master said, "The words are still in my ears." The monk said, "If so, you are a true son of Wuzu and a descendant of Yunmen." The Master said, "Galloping five hundred [li] a day." He instructed the assembly: "When everything is tranquil like this with winds calm and waves still, where does it come from? Suddenly encountering vast billowing waves and white billows surging to heaven, at such a time it is difficult even to find a sailor. Among the assembly, is there anyone who can take the helm or not?" The assembly had no answer. The Master said, "The whole boat of people has been ruined!" He moved to reside at Guizong. One day, leaning on his staff at the mountain gate, he saw attendants clearing the path ahead and asked, "What official is this?" An officer said, "The county sheriff orders you to clear the road." The Master stood on the left of the road to make way. The sheriff's horse knelt and would not proceed. The Master said, "This beast actually recognizes people." The sheriff, realizing it was the Master, made prostrations, and the horse then went forward. Later he moved again to Yunju. One night the mountain spirit carried the Master in a sedan chair around the monastery. The Master scolded, "Carry it up to the Abbot's Room!" The spirit carried it straight up to the Abbot's Room. The Master was meticulous and strict in upholding the monastic precepts. When he first went on his itinerant pilgrimage, he stayed at an inn. One night he was cornered by a courtesan who shared his bed. The Master sat in meditation until dawn. The courtesan demanded money for the lodging. The Master gave it to her, walked out the door, burned his own quilt, and departed. The courtesan told the old madam the truth, whereupon they invited him back, offered a vegetarian meal, and made prostrations in gratitude, calling him a true son of the Buddha. However, he had a fondness for fame and cared about appearances. When he first attained the Dharma from Upādhyāya Jie, Jie in his later years abandoned his assembly and visited him. Because Jie's conduct aroused suspicions among people, the Master did not pay him respects. Ascending the hall, he spoke a verse mocking him: 'Alas, seeing the world's deceptions, / Pure in speech yet foul in conduct are many. / Were it not for Old Yama, / Who could do anything about you?' Jie then went to Dayu. One day, leaning on his staff in front of the monks' hall, he passed away while chatting and laughing. Although the Master had great renown in the monasteries, they also looked down on him for this. The Master once composed a portrait eulogy for Patriarch Bodhidharma, which was greatly praised and recited in the monasteries. The preface read: 'The depiction of the Master's true image cannot be grasped in the three realms. If you intend to arrange it, know that you are greatly mistaken. Vainly laboring to point it out, where could you grope for it? If you wish to know the Master's true form, heaven and earth are vast and open.' The eulogy read: 'The Master's form: rare in the world! / The Master's brows: battle clouds hanging down! / The Master's eyes: lightning flashing! / The Master's nose: towering like Mount Sumeru! / The Master's mouth lacks teeth: whose fault is it? / Planning to cross the flowing sands: why not recognize your own error? / You and I are both great men: to whom did you transmit the Dharma? / Staying further at Shaolin: embarrassed, you returned to the West after all! / If you meet a patch-robed monk: he will give you a sound thrashing! / Although it is like this: if you do not understand, do not poke with needles and awls!'"}, public: true}, {