續傳燈錄 7.9

7.9

Chan Master Zanyuan Juehai of Jiangshan was a native of Yiwu in Wuzhou. His surname was Fu; he was a descendant of the Great Being [Fu Dashi]. Having cultivated the knowledge of seeds in past lives, he manifested birth in accordance with his vows. His parents felt auspicious omens, and the neighborhood considered him extraordinary. At three he left home; at seven he became a monk. At fifteen he traveled abroad, going far to Shishuang, where he ascended to the abbot's room. When Ciming saw him, he said, "Take good care of the stable!" The Master then brayed like a donkey. Ciming said, "A true vessel of the Dharma!" and made him his attendant. For twenty years he carried water and chopped firewood, undaunted by cold or heat, personally attending to everything in pursuit of the Way. Later he appeared in the world at Tianfeng, Longhua, and Baiyun in Sutai. The military commissioner invited him to reside at the bodhimaṇḍa of Baozhi. He presented the essential tenets, his responsive wit was swift, and his understanding and practice matched; all quarters deferred to him with deep respect. Prime Minister Wang Anshi respected the Master's virtue and prestige, and specially petitioned for a monastic robe and a master's title for him. The Duke also resolutely declined his high office and built a hut in the Dinglin Mountains, wandering freely with the Master beneath the trees, engaged in pure conversation all day long. He presented a verse to the Master: "Not conflicting with things, the true Way is vast; / Always following conditions as they arise, your Chan is naturally deep. / The faculty of the tongue is already pure—who can destroy it? / Your footprints are like empty space—can I ever find them?" This was indeed a rare event in an enlightened age. A monk asked, "What is the Upādhyāya's house style?" The Master said, "The east wall strikes the west wall." He said, "When a guest comes, how do you receive him?" The Master said, "Firewood on the mountain, water in the well." He asked, "What is the place where all Buddhas make their appearance?" The Master said, "A donkey's womb, a horse's belly." He asked, "What is the meaning of Ruzu gazing at the wall?" The Master said, "The abbot has many affairs." He asked, "What is a great kalyāṇamitra?" The Master said, "Slaughtering oxen and flaying sheep." He said, "Why is it like this?" The Master said, "Karma is within it." Ascending the hall, he said, "If this is it, it is like a tiger with horns. If this is not it, what do you call it?" After a long pause, he said, "Feed the donkeys, feed the horses. Take care!" In the first year of the Yuanyou era, the Master passed away. Prime Minister Wang wept bitterly at his stūpa and praised the Master's portrait: "Worthy indeed was this man! / His conduct was rigorous and his demeanor serene. / Knowing speech, he could remain silent. / He did not rejoice in praise and glory; / He was not grieved by disgrace and slander. / He was neither conceited nor boastful; / People naturally praised his virtue. / Clerics and laity / Came from north and south. / He neither complied nor opposed; / He neither resisted nor suppressed. / He looked not at your flowers, / But ate only his own fruit. / Who shall succeed him? / I have his bequeathed standard."