續傳燈錄 4.23

4.23

Duke of Wen, the upāsaka Yang Yi, styled Danian, was a native of Jianning. In his youth he was cited as a prodigy, and upon reaching adulthood he bore a reputation for talent, yet he did not know that the Buddha existed. One day, visiting a colleague, he saw him reading the Diamond Sūtra. He laughed at and faulted him for it. The other went on reading as before. The Duke, puzzled by this, said, 'Does this somehow surpass Confucius and Mencius? Why are you so excessively flatteringly devoted to it?' Thereupon he browsed through several pages and was utterly bewildered. Only then did he begin to have a slight degree of respect and faith. Later, he met the Hanlin academician Li Wei, who encouraged him to participate and inquire [in Chan]. When he left his post as Director of the Palace Library to govern Ruzhou, he first called upon Guanghui. Guanghui received and saw the Duke, who immediately asked, 'When a cloth drum is struck before the veranda, who is the connoisseur?' / Guanghui said, 'Discerning the incoming wind deeply.' / The Duke said, 'If so, then when Chan guests meet, it is just a snap of the fingers.' / Guanghui said, 'A gentleman can be deceived.' / The Duke answered, 'Yes, yes.' / Guanghui said, 'The grass bandits suffer a great defeat.' / During their conversation at night, Guanghui asked, 'With what person has the Palace Director previously discussed the Way?' / The Duke said, 'I once asked Superintendent Liang of Yunyan, "When two big tigers bite each other, how is it?" Liang said, "A single composite form." I said, "I will just watch." I wonder, is speaking like that permissible?' / Guanghui said, 'Here it is not so.' / The Duke said, 'Please, Upādhyāya, give another turning word.' / Guanghui made the gesture of pulling a nose with his hand and said, 'This beast is still jumping around!' / Under these words, the Duke was thoroughly released from doubt. He composed a verse, saying: / 'An eight-cornered millstone runs through the empty sky; / A golden-haired lion turns into a dog. / If you intend to hide your body in the Northern Dipper, / You must join your palms behind the Southern Stars.' / He further set forth his lineage transmission and secret realization, sending it to Academician Li, saying: / 'This sick man formerly, through dull stupidity, received your encouragement and care, participating in hearing the purport of the Southern School and long accompanying you in journeys to the capital. In activity and stillness, consulting and inquiring, back and forth spurring each other on, causing me to have an attainment in emptying my mind and to be without shame facing the wall—this truly arose from beside your seat and beneath your couch! What is more, the late Great Master An constantly extended his guidance; ever since he extinguished his shadow in the Twin Trees and returned west with a single sandal, my inner mind was surging and vast, not knowing where to rest. In subsequent years, struck with lingering illness, my mental faculties were confused and bewildered. When there was a slight respite and I could once again discern the directions, I was fortunate to have the Mahāsattva Liang of Yunmen visit my thatched hut. Liang's purport ran on precisely the same track as Master An's; both came from Guizong on Mount Yunju in Mount Lu, and both are descendant streams of Fayan. Last year, having been temporarily assigned to govern this commandery, I happened to meet the Chan Elder Guanghui. He truly succeeded Nanyuan Nian; Nian succeeded Fengxue; Fengxue succeeded the former Nanyuan; Nanyuan succeeded Xinghua; Xinghua succeeded Linji; Linji succeeded Huangbo; Huangbo succeeded Baizhang; Baizhang succeeded Mazu; Mazu issued from Upādhyāya Rang; and Rang is the eldest direct heir of Caoxi. In the midst of my vegetarian retreat, my official duties were simple; in the leisure after dining, I either invited him over to sit or ordered my carriage to follow him. Asking and tapping without limit, my ignorance and stagnation were instantly released. After half a year, I was completely clear and without doubt. It was like suddenly remembering what was forgotten, like suddenly awakening from sleep. The things that normally obstructed my breast fell away with a crash; the matters that remained obscure through accumulated kalpas appeared expansively before me. Indeed, my determinations became penetratingly distinct, and my responses were without hesitation. Reflecting repeatedly upon the past worthies, they mostly engaged in widespread visits and inquiries. For instance, Xuefeng went up Mount Dong nine times and went to Touzi three times, finally succeeding Deshan. Linji attained the Dharma under Dayu, yet ultimately succeeded Huangbo. Yunyan received much instruction and guidance from Daowu, yet became a son of Yaoshan. Danxia personally received Mazu's seal of approval, yet ultimately became Stone Head's descendant. Such cases were frequent in antiquity, with no conflict in principle. This sick man's connection of inheritance now truly belongs to Guanghui, yet the source of stimulation and encouragement truly issued from Aofeng. How joyful and fortunate! How joyful and fortunate!' / The Duke asked Guanghui, 'I have heard that the Upādhyāya said all sinful karma is born from wealth and treasures, and you urge people to be detached from wealth and gain. Furthermore, the sentient beings of Southern Jambudvīpa consider wealth their very life, and states gather people by means of wealth. In the teachings there are the two kinds of giving—giving of material wealth and giving of the Dharma. How can you urge people to be detached from wealth?' / Guanghui said, 'An iron dragon's head on the tip of a banner pole.' / The Duke said, 'A horse on the ocean altar is as large as a donkey.' / Guanghui said, 'A chicken of Chu is not a phoenix of the Cinnabar Mountain.' / The Duke said, 'Two thousand years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, bhikṣus have little shame.' / The Duke posed one hundred questions asking Guanghui to answer; Guanghui answered them one by one and sent them back. / The Duke asked Commandant Li, 'What did Śākyamuni accomplish by six years of ascetic practice?' / The Commandant said, 'Only when the shoulder pole snaps do you know the weight of the firewood.' / The Duke, due to a slight indisposition, asked Great Master Huan, 'Today I am suddenly indisposed. In your compassion, Great Master, how will you treat and cure me?' / Huan said, 'A bowl of clove soup.' / The Duke thereupon made a vomiting gesture. / Huan said, 'Affectionate love becomes affliction.' / While Huan was decocting medicine for him, the Duke shouted, 'There is a thief!' / Huan placed the medicine before the Duke, clasped his hands, and stood to one side. The Duke glared at him with eyes wide and said, 'A fellow of little monastic training!' Huan flicked his sleeve and went out. / Another day, the Duke asked, 'My four elements are about to scatter; how will the Great Master save me?' / Huan thereupon beat his chest three times. / The Duke said, 'Fortunately, I encountered an adept.' / Huan said, 'After studying the Buddha's Dharma for how many years, your worldly air is still not eliminated?' / The Duke said, 'Misfortunes never come singly.' / Huan made a hissing sound. / The Duke wrote a verse and left it to Commandant Li, saying: / 'The arising of bubbles and the vanishing of bubbles: / The two phenomena are fundamentally equal. / If you wish to know the true place of return, / It is west of Zhaozhou's Eastern Cloister.' / When the Commandant saw it, he said, 'Selling paper money in the temple of Mount Tai.' By the time the Commandant arrived, the Duke had already passed away.