續傳燈錄 8

English (machine translation) 8

Language: English

8.1

Table of Contents for Continued Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, Fascicle Eight

Twelfth Generation under Dajian
Eighty-three Dharma heirs of Chan Master Tianyi Huai:
Chan Master Huilin Yuanzhao Zongben
Chan Master Fayun Faxiu
Chan Master Huilin Juehai Chong
Chan Master Changlu Yingfu
Chan Master Fori Zhicai
Chan Master Tianbo Zhongyuan
Chan Master Ruiyan Zihong
Chan Master Qixian Zhigian
Head Monk Jingzhong Fanyan
Chan Master Sanzu Chonghui
Chan Master Zishou Jie
Chan Master Guanyin Qi
Chan Master Tiantong Yuanshan
Chan Master Changlu Timing
Chan Master Kaiyuan Zhizi
Chan Master Chengzhao Huici
Chan Master Fayu Huiyuan
Chan Master Chongde Zhicheng
Chan Master Qiyin Youping
Chan Master Dinghui Yun
Chan Master Datong Wang
Chan Master Tiefo Yin
Chan Master Baoben Facun
Chan Master Kaisheng Qi
Chan Master Hengshan Weili
Chan Master Xianming Shanzi
Chan Master Qixia Hui'an
Chan Master Yunmen Lingkan
Chan Master Taiping Yuantan
Chan Master Fori Wenzu
Chan Master Wangxian Zong
Chan Master Wufeng Yongji
Chan Master Fozu Chuxiang
Chan Master Mingyin Huiyun
Chan Master Xitai Qibian
Chan Master Kaiyuan Zhitan
Chan Master Yongtai Zhijue
Chan Master Longhua Wenxi
Chan Master Yongtai Ziren
Chan Master Yan'en Fa'an
Vice Minister Upāsaka Yang Jie
(The above forty-one individuals have records)
Chan Master Ciyun Qingdang
Chan Master Lingyan Dongxie
Chan Master Tongcheng Quan
Chan Master Jinghui Kezheng
Chan Master Baolin Guangji
Chan Master Ganci Daobin
Chan Master Sizhou Zongshang
Chan Master Baita Hui
Chan Master Bao'en He
Chan Master Yanfeng Jianzhu
Chan Master Daowu Yuantai
Chan Master Wuwei Chuxian
Chan Master Bao'en Yingtan
Chan Master Longmen Zongben
Chan Master Xianqin Shunzong
Chan Master Chang'er Xiang
Chan Master Jianfu Huihong
Chan Master Yanfu En
Chan Master Jingde Pujun
Chan Master Jianfu Mingyin
Chan Master Kaihua Huiyuan
Chan Master Wanshou He
Upādhyāya Dingfa Ben
Chan Master Changlu Jian
Chan Master Moshan Youqi
Chan Master Shanglan Wenda
Chan Master Fahai Laishan
Chan Master Tongqing Zhixun
Chan Master Shangfang Zhen
Chan Master Wuxi Yingtan
Chan Master Baolin Zhong
Chan Master Bao'en Rubao
Chan Master Furong Ben
Chan Master Baiyun You
Chan Master Fayu Huishen
Chan Master Jingzhong Zeyan
Upādhyāya Lingquan
Upādhyāya Chating Neng
Upādhyāya Yongtai
Chan Master Sizhou Huihong
Chan Master Chonghua Xun
Upādhyāya Quanyong
(The above forty-two individuals have no records)

8.3

Continued Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, Fascicle Eight: Table of Contents

8.4

Twelfth Generation under Dajian

8.5

Dharma Heirs of Chan Master Tianyi Huai

8.6

Chan Master Zongben Yuanzhao of Huilin in the Eastern Capital was a son of the Guan family of Wuxi in Changzhou. His physical appearance was massive and stately, and his conduct was pure and substantial. At age nineteen, he relied upon Chan Master Daosheng of Chengtian Yong'an in Gusu to leave home. For ten years he served as an attendant, after which he shaved his head and received full ordination. After another three years, he took his leave and went wandering. Arriving in Chiyang, he paid visit to Zhenzong. Zong cited: 'Vasubandhu descended from Maitreya's inner palace. Asaṅga asked: "Four hundred human years are one day and night in that heaven. In a single moment Maitreya brings to fulfillment fifty billion devaputras, causing them to realize the tolerance of the unarisen Dharmas. I wonder, what Dharma did he preach?" Vasubandhu said: "He only preached this Dharma." What is this Dharma?' After a long time, the master had an awakening. One day in the abbot's room, [Zhenzong] asked the master: 'How is it when mind is Buddha itself?' He said: 'What is difficult about killing people and setting fires?' Thereupon his name spread throughout the realm. Li Fugui, the Fiscal Commissioner, invited the master to open the Dharma hall at Ruiguang, and his Dharma assembly grew flourished. Chen Xiang, governor of Wulin, ordered the master to choose between the two monasteries of Chengtian and Xingjiao for his residence. The people of Suzhou blocked the roads to detain him, and Jingci also earnestly invited him. A notice was sent to instruct the monastics and laity: 'We borrow the master for three years to cultivate merit for this prefecture, and dare not occupy him for long.' The monastics and laity then assented. In the fifth year of the Yuanfeng reign era, Emperor Shenzong issued an edict to divide the sixty-four cloisters of Xiangguo Monastery into eight Chan and two Vinaya cloisters, summoning the master to be the founding patriarch of Huilin. Upon his arrival, the Emperor dispatched an envoy to inquire after his wellbeing. After three days, an imperial decree was conveyed for him to expound the Dharma for the literati and common people at the temple's three gates. The next day, he was summoned for an audience at Yanhe Hall to inquire about the Way and was granted a seat. The master immediately sat cross-legged. The Emperor asked: 'At which monastery did you receive training?' He memorialized: 'At Chengtian Yong'an in Suzhou.' The Emperor was greatly pleased and bestowed tea. The master took up the cup and drank deeply, then swirled and shook it. The Emperor said: 'The Chan school is just now rising; it is proper to guide well.' The master memorialized: 'Your Majesty recognizes the existence of this Way just as the sun shines down. How would your servant dare be negligent?' He then took his leave and withdrew. The Emperor watched him leave and said to his attendants: 'Truly a monk of blessings and wisdom.' Later, when the Emperor passed away, he was commanded to enter Funing Hall to preach the Dharma. On account of old age, he begged to retire to the forests, and an edict granted his request: he was permitted to wander freely among the prefectures and commanderies, and none might compel him to serve as abbot. He struck the drum, took leave of the assembly, and uttered a verse: / 'Originally a guest without a home, / How could I not wander at will? / With a favorable wind adding oars and rudder, / The boat heads down to Yangzhou.' / Once he left the capital city, the carriages and riders of the princes, dukes, and nobles seeing him off followed one after another. Taking his departure, the master instructed them, saying: 'The months and years cannot be idly trifled with; old age and sickness make no appointment with man. Only diligence in practice without negligence is true consideration for one another.' Among those who heard this, none failed to weep with gratitude. In his late years he resided at Lingyan. Those who inherited his Dharma and transmitted the Way were beyond counting. A monk asked: 'What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?' The master said: 'Han Xin attending court.' The monk said: 'How should those of middling and lower capacity comprehend this?' The master said: 'Corpses lying for ten thousand li.' The monk said: 'Had I known of today's matters earlier, I would regret not being careful in the beginning.' The master said: 'Over the mounds of the Three Sovereigns, the grass grows lush and thick.' A monk asked: 'Above is heaven, below is earth; I wonder, what thing is in between?' The master said: 'Mountains, rivers, and the great earth.' The monk said: 'In that case, I thank the master for answering the question.' The master said: 'The great earth, mountains, and rivers.' The monk said: 'How can the upādhyāya deceive people?' The master said: 'Rather, it is this old monk's fault.' On the Lantern Festival, a monk asked: 'A thousand lamps illuminate one another, and wind and string instruments blend their notes. At just such a time, where is the Buddhadharma?' The master said: 'Thank you for the alms.' The monk said: 'Is this not the upādhyāya's way of instructing people?' The master said: 'It is very much like coming without having eaten the midday meal.' The master ascended the hall: 'On the tip of a single hair, the jewel king's lands appear; sitting within a speck of dust, the great wheel of Dharma turns.' He held up his staff and said: 'This is a speck of dust. How do you speak of the principle of turning the Dharma wheel? Today this mountain monk will not spare his eyebrows to lay it bare for all of you. Holding it up, ocean waters surge with waves, and Mount Sumeru totters. Laying it down, the four seas are peaceful and clear, and heaven and earth are hushed in tranquility. I venture to ask you all: Tell me, is holding up right, or is laying down right? Not deciding when decision is called for produces a double gong'an.' He struck the Chan bed and descended from the seat. The master ascended the hall: 'Look, look! A brilliant, auspicious light illuminates the trichiliocosm. A hundred billion dust-mote lands, a hundred billion great ocean waters, a hundred billion Mount Sumerus, a hundred billion suns and moons, a hundred billion four continents, down to dust-mote lands—all manifest simultaneously within the light. Venerable friends, do you see it? If you can see it, I allow that you are personally present in the auspicious light. If you do not see it, do not say that the auspicious light does not shine. Investigate it well!' The master ascended the hall: 'Head round, resembling heaven; feet square, like earth. An ancient visage towering and stark, a hero's mettle. Kicking over Mount Sumeru, trampling upside down the ocean waters, Śakra and the dragon king have no place to set their bodies.' He then held up his staff and said: 'They come instead onto the staff to take refuge! Bah! Let your supernatural powers transform as they will; in the end you must return right here.' He struck once with the staff. The master's whole body was stupaed at Lingyan in Suzhou.

8.7

Chan Master Faxiu Yuantong of Fayun Monastery in the Eastern Capital was a native of Longcheng in Qinzhou, born to the Xin family. His mother dreamt of an elderly monk asking for lodging, and upon waking she was pregnant. Prior to this, an elderly monk of Maiji Mountain had been close friends with Upādhyāya Lu of Yingqian Monastery. He had once wished to travel as an itinerant pilgrim with Lu. When Lu was departing, having grown old, his parting words were: "In the future, you must look for me in front of the Zhupu Slope, below the Tiechang Ridge." Later, Lu heard that a boy had suddenly been born in that area and immediately went to see him. The child smiled at him. At the age of three, he wished to follow Lu home, and so he took Lu's surname. At nineteen, he passed the scriptural examination and received full ordination. Striving diligently in the lecture halls, he studied the *Yuanjue* (*Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment*) and *Huayan* (*Avataṃsaka Sūtra*), penetrating their subtle and essential meanings. Hearing of the thriving Dharma assembly of Chan Master Huai of Tiefo Monastery in Wuwei Military Commandery, he went straight to pay respects. Huai asked, "Seat Master, what scripture do you lecture on?" The Master replied, "The *Huayan*." Huai asked, "What does the *Huayan* take as its lineage tenet?" The Master said, "The Dharma-realm is its lineage tenet." Huai asked, "What does the Dharma-realm take as its lineage tenet?" The Master said, "The mind is its lineage tenet." Huai asked, "What does the mind take as its lineage tenet?" The Master had no reply. Huai said, "A hair's breadth of difference, and heaven and earth are pulled far apart. You must look into it yourself; you will surely have an illumination." Later, the Master heard a monk recount the case of Baizhao visiting Baoci: "What is it like when emotions have not yet arisen?" Baoci replied, "Separated." The Master suddenly attained great awakening. He went straight to the abbot's room and presented his realization. Huai said, "You are a true Dharma vessel. Our lineage will be carried forth by you in days to come." He initially resided at Simian in Liangshu, and later was imperial summoned to reside at Changlu and Fayun as their founding ancestor. When Emperor Shenzong ascended to heaven, he was decreed to preach the Dharma before the imperial portrait and was bestowed the title Yuantong. A monk asked, "Without leaving saṃsāra, one attains nirvāṇa; without departing the realm of Māra, one enters the realm of the Buddha. What is the principle behind this?" The Master said, "Spreading red clay on cow's udders." The monk said, "Thank you, Master, for your reply." The Master said, "What was your topic about?" The monk hesitated, and the Master gave a shout. A monk asked, "In the second and third months of warm spring, all myriad things sprout. May I ask whether the sprout of the Dao also grows?" The Master said, "Look for yourself." The monk asked, "Isn't this precisely your instruction?" The Master said, "How tall is the plantain?" The monk said, "'Wildfires cannot burn it out; the spring wind blows, and it grows again.'" The Master said, "That belongs to Master Bai [Juyi]. What about yours?" The monk said, "Let us wait for another time." The Master said, "Look at you, unable to say a word." Ascending the hall, the Master said: "To set sails according to the wind is precisely following the waves and drifting with the surge. Cutting off the myriad streams still cannot avoid leaking as before. Measuring talent to assign office—how can it exceed length and shortness? Buying a hat to fit the head—it is difficult to make it just right. Even if you see no heaven above and no earth below, discern neither east nor west, and distinguish neither south nor north—of what use is that? Even if it is forged from pure steel or cast from pig iron, sweat must still pour from your forehead. If it is altogether not like this, how do you deliberate?" After a long pause, he said, "Who can know this piece by piece of sincere heart? It makes the stone girl of Huangmei laugh herself to death." Ascending the hall, he said: "This mountain monk cannot speak skillfully; for the most part, I merely respond to the season. Calling to each other to drink a bowl of tea, there are also no wondrous directives of the ancestral masters. If you Chan practitioners have not yet familiarized yourselves with it, stepping on it, the steelyard weight is harder than iron." Ascending the hall, he said: "Autumn clouds, autumn waters, green mountains filling the eyes—if you are clear right here, it is a thousand-fold and myriad-fold sufficient. If not yet so, the Daoist priest rides his ox backward. Consult!" Ascending the hall, he said: "The cold rain is fine, the north wind howls high; blowing sand and rolling stones, uprooting trees and making branches roar. All of you know it is there. But tell me, what color is the wind? If you can recognize it, I acknowledge you possess the eye. If you do not recognize it, do not blame me for deceiving you. Consult!" Ascending the hall, he said: "Shaolin sat coldly for nine years, yet was seen through by Shenguang. Today, jade and stone are difficult to distinguish; one can only wrap hemp in paper. Do you understand? Those who laugh at me are many; those who sneer at me are few." Ascending the hall, he said: "For a patch-robed monk, bowing high to Śākyamuni and not prostrating to Maitreya is not beyond his bounds. But what about sacrificing one's body for half a gāthā, or throwing oneself into fire for a single phrase? What was he aiming for?" After a long pause, he said, "Each of us is a mountain dweller; why must it be laid bare further?" Showing signs of illness, the Master told the assembly, "I have served as abbot in six places, troubling the temple officers, head monk, and the great assembly. Today my four elements are not steadfast; fire and wind are about to disperse. Each of you should rest secure in the Way and do not violate my instructions." He then said: "Coming, there is nothing; going, it is empty. North, south, east, and west—matters are all the same. Having served as abbot in six places brought no benefit..." The Master paused for a long time. The prior, Huidang, stepped forward and said, "Upādhyāya, why not speak the final phrase?" The Master said, "Take care! Take care!" Having spoken, he passed away.

8.8

Chan Master Ruochong Juehai of the Huilin Cloister at Xiangguo [Monastery] in the Eastern Capital was a native of Jiangning Prefecture, born to the Zhong family. Ascending the hall, he said: "The blue firmament is still without clouds, / The autumn sky is bright with the moon. / The Long River is lustrous as silk, / The clear breeze blows without pause. / Quiet is the person of the Way under the trees, / Looking at each other, their feelings share delight. / Virtuous ones, what was just spoken of—the clear breeze and bright moon—is still a matter within the gate of constructive transformation. What is the business of a person of the Way?" After a long pause, he said, "At leisure, coming upon the rock to watch the flowing water; / Wishing to wash the Chan robe, yet there is no dust." Ascending the hall, he said: "The boundless ocean of meaning entirely returns to a single glance; the myriad appearances and forms all enter into illumination. You people bump into it and stumble upon it—why then do you not know it?" After a long pause, he said, "Do not blame this mountain monk for being meddlesome: time flies like an arrow, swiftly urging us on. Take care!"

8.9

Chan Master Yingfu Guangzhao of Changlu in Zhenzhou was a native of Chuzhou, born to the Jiang family. A monk asked, "An ancient once said: 'Tathāgata Chan is granted for you to understand, elder brother; but of Patriarch Chan, you have not yet dreamed.' May I ask whether Tathāgata Chan and Patriarch Chan are the same or different?" The Master said, "A single arrow passes Silla." The monk hesitated, and the Master gave a shout. A monk asked, "What is it like when one recognizes the jewel within the garment?" The Master said, "Try bringing it out for me to see." The monk opened one hand. The Master said, "No need to point east and paint west. Where is the jewel?" The monk said, "What can be done about this student using it?" The Master said, "Try using it for me to see." The monk shook his sitting mat once. The Master said, "Everyone laughs at you." Ascending the hall, he called to the assembly: "Rivers and mountains encircle the railing, just like an ink-wash screen; halls and pavilions soar into the sky, splendid as caverns of the immortals. The manifold myriad phenomena interpenetrate in the oceanic reflection; a single ray of spiritual light is unobstructed. Do you people understand?" After a long pause, he said, "Vast are heaven and earth; standing alone, what limit to the gaze? Consult!" Ascending the hall, he looked around at the great assembly and said, "Why is this thing something that cannot be gathered by heaping it up, nor dispersed by sweeping it away? Wind cannot blow into it; water cannot sprinkle upon it; fire cannot burn it; knives cannot cut it through. What is this? Among the assembly, is there no patch-robed monk with an iron mouth and nails for teeth? Try settling it for this mountain monk. Is there anyone?" After a long pause, he said, "If not, this mountain monk loses out today. You have stood long."

8.10

Chan Master Zhicai of Fori in Lin'an Prefecture was a native of Taizhou, born to the Jin family. A monk asked, "What is the Dao?" The Master said, "Cold water generates ice." The monk asked, "What is the person within the Dao?" The Master said, "Spring snow melts easily." The monk asked, "How to discourse on it?" The Master snapped his fingers once. A monk asked, "The east and west secretly transmitted it to each other; why does everyone know of it?" The Master said, "In spring, there are no three days of clear sky." The monk said, "I specifically step forward to ask for instruction." The Master said, "Dragging through mud and dripping with water." The monk said, "Coming to this point, this student still does not understand." The Master said, "The thief's body is already exposed." Ascending the hall, he said: "The city is bustling and crowded; the empty mountain is solitary and quiet. Even though this is so, movement and stillness are as one; life and death are not two. The four seasons revolve; the nature of things is serene and clear. Summer does not depart, yet autumn arrives of itself; the wind is not cool, yet people feel refreshed of themselves. Present and antiquity do not alter a hair's breadth. Who lacks? Who has an excess? The body has no dual use. Virtuous Chan practitioners, since the body has no dual use, why did the dragon girl display the eighteen transformations? Have you not seen: 'To ride the tide, one must be a tide-rider'? Take care!" Ascending the hall, he said: "Wind and rain whistle, blocking your ear faculty. Falling leaves intermingle, blocking your eye faculty. Fragrances and stenches mingle in confusion, blocking your nose faculty. Cold, heat, sweet, and sugary, blocking your tongue faculty. Silks and brocades, warmth and cold, blocking your body faculty. Inverted delusions, blocking your mental faculty. Virtuous Chan practitioners, even if you can overturn them, it is still a bone pile on level ground. Consult!" Ascending the hall, he said: "A fierce wind scrapes the ground; the great wilderness is clear and cold. For ten thousand miles, the grasses are withered; across a thousand mountains, the trees are dim and dark. The grey falcon gains advantage, the swift hawk flies horizontally. This quite suits a patch-robed monk hanging his bowl bag high and walking alone to distant lands. It is like a valiant general entering the desolate wilderness: when facing the opportunity, he must strike the enemy. Today, is there anyone?" After a long pause, he said, "The precious sword in the scabbard, the golden mallet in the sleeve—happily encountering a time of great peace, they are hung on the wall. Consult!" Ascending the hall, he said: "Virtuous Chan practitioners, do you know? The birth parents of this mountain monk have died all at once. There is truly nowhere to rely on." Pounding his chest with his hand, he said, "Heaven! Heaven!" Again looking around at the great assembly for a long time, he said, "All of you also have hearts and livers forged of iron!" He then descended from the seat. Ascending the hall, he brought up the case of the cypress tree. The Master said: "Zhaozhou's cypress in the courtyard was spoken to the Chan traveler; a black-lacquered screen, pine and creeping vine brightly separated." A monk asked, "What is non-action?" The Master said, "In front of the mountain, the snow is half-melted." The monk said, "Please provide an expedient means, Master." The Master said, "The sound of water turns to sobbing."

8.11

Chan Master Zhongyuan Wenhui of Tianbo Monastery in the Northern Capital was a native of Qiancheng in Qingzhou, born to the Sun family. His mother dreamt that she swallowed a golden fruit before the Buddha, and subsequently gave birth to him. The Master's appearance and demeanor were extraordinary, strikingly different from ordinary children. At seventeen, he left home, and at the age of capping (twenty) he was fully ordained. Initially visiting lecture halls, he thoroughly understood both teaching and lineage. Once, while seated in contemplation in an ancient room, he suddenly heard a voice in the empty air telling him: 'Those who study the Supreme Vehicle should not linger here.' Startled, he went out to look, but there were no human traces at all. The next day, a guest arrived and produced the *Hanshan Ji* (*Collection of Cold Mountain*). With one glance, the Master yearned to investigate the mystery. He went to Tianyi's Dharma seat, where, encountering the assembly asking for instruction, he had an open and great awakening. Tianyi sealed and approved him, saying, 'This is our family's thousand-mile steed.' After appearing in the world, a monk asked, 'What is Chan?' The Master said, 'Entering a cage, entering a pen.' The monk clapped his hands. The Master said, 'One who leaps out is an expert.' The monk hesitated. The Master said, 'Finished.' A monk asked, 'What is the phrase that penetrates the Dharmakāya?' The Master said, 'Above is heaven, below is earth.' Ascending the hall, he said: 'In winter not suffering from cold, in summer not suffering from heat; clothing on the body and food in the mouth answering each time and season. It is not inherent and natural; it is entirely the fat and blood of everyone. Virtuous Chan practitioners, when this mountain monk speaks like this, is it worldly dharma or is it Buddha-dharma? If you can distinguish it clearly, you are worthy of consuming ten thousand ounces of yellow gold.' He gave a shout. Ascending the hall, he said: 'A piece of ground at Fusheng: you are free to walk, and you are free to stay. Stepping upon it at every step, only then do you know where you land. If not yet so, you must take a step back and look beneath your feet. Du!' Ascending the hall, he said: 'Heaven and earth of antiquity and today, the myriad phenomena dense and vast. Year after year, harvesting in autumn and storing in winter. Everyone says, "I understand it all." Is it really certain? Even if it is certain, compared to that in front of Cock's Foot Peak, what idle matter is this?' After a long pause, he said, 'Today is the first decade of the tenth month; the weather is cold, and we cannot have general labor. Consult!' The Master changed his residence to renowned monasteries four times; monastic and lay alike looked up to him. His manifestation of passing occurred in the height of summer: a pure wind penetrated the room, and an extraordinary fragrance filled the air. Wherever the cremation smoke and flames reached, five-colored relics were obtained. Grand Preceptor Wen Yanbo and those above bestowed a white glass bottle to store them, padded with brocade cushions, and personally interred them in a stupa. The relics of the frontal bone and teeth obtained by Upāsaka He Zhen were enshrined in a separately erected stupa.

8.12

Chan Master Zihong of Ruiyan in Taizhou was a native of the same prefecture, born to the Wu family. A monk asked, "What is the Dao?" The Master said, "Opening the eyes, gazing without seeing." A monk asked, "As things are by nature, not so—how to point the way?" The Master said, "Your words have fallen into error." The monk said, "I beg the Master for instruction." The Master laughed heartily: "Ha, ha!" Ascending the hall, he said: "Not guarding the one, not heading toward the two; above, below, and the four directions have no equal measure. Sailing an iron boat in the great ocean; churning whale-sized waves atop Mount Sumeru. Linji retracts his tongue; Deshan shelves his staff. Throughout thousand-fold and myriad-fold kalpas, standing solitary and majestic, left behind as a model for the human world."

8.13

Chan Master Zhīqiān of Qīxián on Mount Lú was a son of the Gāo family from Hángzhōu. A monk asked, "Asking questions and giving answers are all within the courtyard of establishing teachings. May I ask whether there is an affair beyond or not?"
The Master said, "There is."
[The monk] asked, "What is the affair beyond?"
The Master said, "Clouds follow the dragon; winds follow the tiger."
[The monk] said, "If so, then when the dragon gains water, its spirit swells; when the tiger encounters the mountain, its fierce awe grows."
The Master said, "What about raising clouds and bringing rain?"
The monk then gave a shout.
The Master said, "Is there anything more?"
The monk hesitated.
The Master scolded him, "You recite words from a made-up lineage!"
[A monk] asked, "What is the original mind?"
The Master said, "Dismantling the eastern fence to mend the western wall."
[The monk] said, "If so, then today's midday meal is late."
The Master said, "Step back!"
Ascending the hall, [the Master said], "Hearing the two words 'Buddha-Dharma' has already defiled my ears and eyes. Before you people have crossed the threshold of the Dharma hall, it would be well to give you thirty blows of the stick on the soles of your feet. Even though it is so, today the mountain monk has also exhausted his strength for the assembly. Take care!"
Ascending the hall, [the Master said], "What thing is it that can be so stubborn, deceitful, and blinking?" Clapping his hands and laughing heartily, he said, "Today's handle is such that even if the yellow-faced Gautama's whole body were a mouth, he could not explain it away either. Standing so long!"

8.14

Head Monk Fànyán of Jìngzhòng in Yuèzhōu instructed the assembly, "National Teacher Nányáng said: 'Preaching the Dharma with attainment—this is the howling of a jackal; preaching the Dharma without attainment—this is called the lion's roar.'"
The Master said, "The National Teacher's speaking like this is much like covering one's ears to steal a bell. Why? Speaking of existence and speaking of non-existence are entirely the howling of jackals. Do you all want to recognize the lion's roar? Scat!"

8.15

Chan Master Chōnghuì Yuánzhì of Mount Sāngǔ [and the monastery of the] Third Patriarch in Shūzhōu was a native of Lín'ān Prefecture. On the day he first opened the hall, a monk asked, "What is the supreme truth?"
The Master said, "A hundred shattered fragments."
[The monk] said, "If so, then the assembly at Bǎochán is no different from Gṛdhrakūṭa."
The Master said, "Bring the dung basket and broom!"
[A monk] asked, "The Master ascends the jeweled seat, like a thousand-fathom cliff; the true command is put into effect, cutting off the ten directions. May I ask how you act for people's sake?"
The Master said, "A crossbow of a thousand jun."
[The monk] said, "The great assembly receives your benevolence."
The Master said, "Appointing to office according to ability."
[A monk] asked, "'Although the principle is suddenly awakened to, phenomena must be gradually eliminated through expedients.' Not asking about elimination, what is the principle of sudden awakening?"
The Master said, "There is an echo within the words."
[The monk] said, "What then if it is just so?"
The Master said, "A golden-haired lion."
[A monk] asked, "'Being born is like putting on a shirt; dying is like taking off trousers.' May I ask what the intended meaning is?"
The Master said, "It is like leisure."
[The monk] said, "Why is it so?"
The Master said, "Because while walking, swinging one's arms does no harm."
[A monk] asked, "What is heaven?"
The Master said, "Far too distant."
[The monk] asked, "What is hell?"
The Master said, "I cannot let you off."
[The monk] said, "How far apart are heaven and hell?"
The Master said, "Scattered seven ways and eight."
[A monk] asked, "Where the white clouds part, the tower gates open. Why did Sudhana enter from the outside?"
The Master said, "Opening the eyes, one is blind."
[The monk] said, "May I ask where he falls?"
The Master said, "Filling ditches and choking ravines."
[A monk] asked, "Who is the Immovable Honored One?"
The Master said, "An inch of a step is a thousand miles."

8.16

Chan Master Jié of Zīshòu Cloister in Quánzhōu. A monk asked, "What is the great meaning of the Buddha-Dharma?"
The Master said, "An iron ox gives birth to a stone egg."
[The monk] asked, "What is the phrase that receives people?"
The Master said, "Joining palms before the triple gate."
[The monk] asked, "What is the phrase of great functioning?"
The Master said, "The crown of the head touching the ground."
[The monk] asked, "What is the phrase of having no concerns?"
The Master said, "Lying horizontally across the great road."
[The monk] asked, "What is the extraordinary phrase?"
The Master said, "Exact."

8.17

Chan Master Qǐ of Guānyīn in Hóngzhōu. A monk asked, "What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?"
The Master said, "Pines are tall; cypresses are short."
[The monk] asked, "What is the intended meaning?"
The Master said, "When leaves fall, they return to the root."

8.18

Chan Master Yuánshàn of Tiānzhāng in Yuèzhōu. A monk asked, "Large, with nothing outside it; small, with nothing inside it. Since there is neither inside nor outside, what thing is it ultimately?"
The Master said, "Opening the mouth, one sees the gallbladder."
[The monk] said, "The student does not understand."
The Master said, "Suffering within suffering."
[The monk] said, "Exhausting one's strength for the assembly, calamity comes from one's own gate."
The Master struck him and said, "Told to cease, you refuse to cease; you must wait until rain drench your head."
[A monk] asked, "What is the primary phrase?"
The Master said, "Ask the final one in the future."
[The monk] said, "Why is it so?"
The Master said, "Walking ahead, one does not arrive."
[The monk] said, "Entering the water, one sees the tall person."
The Master said, "The First Emperor of Qin beats the clay jar."
Ascending the hall, [the Master recited]:
"You ask of the meaning of the coming from the West—
Master Mǎ stomped Shuǐlǎo.
If you recognize a single hair-tip,
when have you ever known its rising and falling?
Just as the kalpa-fire blazes through,
ignorant men seek dry grass.
How could one know that the clear-eyed person
endures long sorrow and deep sighs for you?"

8.19

Chan Master Tǐmíng Yuánjiàn of Chánglú in Zhēnzhōu ascended the hall. Looking to the left, he said, "Can the lion's appearance avoid stretching?" Looking to the right, he said, "How could the deportment of the elephant king forget to glance back? Choosing this and fleeing that—how could a superior person endure it? Recognizing changes and discerning subtleties is the den of a wild fox. Arriving here, one must know that there is a place traversed by neither ordinary beings nor sages, a place unreached by past or present. And tell me, what kind of person walks there?" After a pause, he said, "A great man naturally possesses the will to pierce heaven; do not follow where the Tathāgata walks."

8.20

Chan Master Zhìzī of Kāiyuán in Tīngzhōu ascended the hall: "For patch-robed monks, concealing the body within an eye of a needle is somewhat spacious, while galloping a horse across the great ocean is extremely narrow. The general does not mount the floating bridge; the brave warrior wastes his effort putting on armor. Traveling three thousand by day and eight hundred by night is not questioned. How do you utter the phrase of not moving a step? If you can utter it, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta, Mañjuśrī, and Samantabhadra are right before your eyes. If you cannot utter it, you must hitch up your cloth skirt, tighten your straw sandals, and investigate!"
Ascending the hall, [he said], "The cold sky is vast and empty; the great earth is broad and boundless. Clouds emerge from the cave mouth; water pours forth from the high plateau. If you hold fast, the worlds of the ten directions are bewildered; if you let go, east, west, south, and north are clear and open. Throughout the boundless universe, people are countless, every single one with nostrils pointing to the heavens. Now let me ask you all: Is holding fast correct, or is letting go correct? Is there anyone who can decide? If no one can decide—outside the triple gate there are two big fellows: one raising his brows and gripping a sword, the other glaring with bulging eyes and swinging his fist. Investigate!"

8.21

Chan Master Huìcí of Chéngzhào in Píngjiāng Prefecture. A monk asked, "Clearly with nothing to attain, why are heaven high and earth broad?"
The Master said, "Narrow."
Ascending the hall, [the Master said], "If discussing this matter, twitching an eyebrow is already to miss it. How can you bear stepping forward, wanting the mountain monk to explain it thoroughly besides? Now I have explained it thoroughly. Do you understand yet? Yesterday it rained; today it is clear."

8.22

Chan Master Huìyuán of Fǎyǔ in Lín'ān Prefecture. A monk asked, "What is the primary phrase?"
The Master said, "The King of Liáng did not know."
[The monk] asked, "What is the final phrase?"
The Master said, "Bodhidharma crossed the river."

8.23

Chan Master Zhìchéng of Chóngdé in Xiùzhōu ascended the hall: "Meeting face-to-face, there is nothing else remaining. If it were so, wouldn't that be splendid? The mountain monk only does so out of necessity, accommodating you people with twists and turns. If brought before a patch-robed monk, not a single speck could be applied. Venerable Chan monks, tell me, what can be spoken before a patch-robed monk?" After a pause, he said, "In deep autumn, behind the blinds, a thousand homes in rain; on the sun-bathed terrace, the wind of a single flute."

8.24

Chan Master Yǒupíng of Qīyǐn in Quánzhōu. A monk asked, "What is the ordinary Way?"
The Master said, "The upādhyāya joins his palms; the Daoist priest raises his fist."
[The monk] asked, "Throughout the twelve periods of the day, how should one direct oneself?"
The Master said, "Wear clothes and eat food."
[The monk] asked, "Is there anything else or not?"
The Master said, "There is."
[The monk] said, "What is it?"
The Master said, "After the meal, please have another bowl of tea."

8.25

Chan Master Yún of Dìnghuì in Píngjiāng Prefecture. A monk asked, "What is the phrase that acts for people's sake?"
The Master said, "Seeing it, one does not take it."
[The monk] said, "The student does not understand."
The Master said, "Thinking of it, a thousand miles away."

8.26

Chan Master Wàng of Qiánfú Dàtóng Cloister in Jiànníng Prefecture. A monk asked, "What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?"
The Master said, "A turtle entering the marketplace."
[The monk] asked, "What is the intended meaning?"
The Master said, "When you can pull your head in, pull your head in for a while."

8.27

Chan Master Yīn of Tiěfó in Wúwéi Commandery. A monk asked, "What is the upādhyāya's house style?"
The Master said, "Eight feet of cold wood makes its own neighbor; who else recognizes the three robes of autumn clouds?"
[The monk] said, "I have received instruction on the upādhyāya's house style. What about the news of acting for people's sake?"
The Master said, "The new moon has a night of fullness; the human mind has no time of satisfaction."

8.28

Chan Master Fǎcún of Bàoběn in Ānjí Prefecture was a son of the Lù family of Qiántáng. A monk asked, "Flavorless talk blocks people's mouths. What is the phrase that blocks people's mouths?"
The Master struck him immediately.
The monk said, "If so, then when this phrase circulates, devas and humans will prick up their ears."
The Master said, "I only fear it is not jade; if it were jade, it would be extraordinary indeed."
[The monk] said, "It is solely for the sake of circulation."
The Master said, "Speak wildly as you like."
When receiving an invitation at Tiānyī, he ascended the hall and said, "Shèngshòu in Wújiāng invites me to become abbot. Without leisure to advance or retreat, I simply follow the conditions of my lot. This is all due to the Abbot Upādhyāya holding me by the ear to train and educate me, encouraging and praising me from beginning to end. If based on today, when the true command is to be carried out, it would be fitting to beat me to death with a single stick—how could he further permit me to stand before his seat? Even though it is so, only in raising a child does one realize a father's kindness."

8.29

Chan Master Qī of Kāishèng Cloister in Hézhōu gave a prompt upon opening the hall, saying, "The field for selecting buddhas is opened; humans and devas gather universally. Is there any Chan guest who has long traversed the bodhimaṇḍa and ceased investigation? Come out and meet me!" At that time a monk came forward. The Master said, "An adept! An adept!"
The monk said, "Do not be flustered."
The Master said, "It turns out you are not an adept."
The monk lifted his sitting cloth and said, "Look, look! Magadha personally enacts this command!"
The Master said, "What about right now?"
The monk bowed.
The Master said, "A dragon's head and a snake's tail."
[A monk] asked, "Unable to distinguish east from west, unable to discern south from north, the student comes forward and begs the Master to receive me."
The Master said, "I will not receive you."
[The monk] said, "Why not receive me?"
The Master said, "Because you cannot distinguish east from west or discern south from north."
[The monk] said, "I had thought the barbarian's beard was red, but there is still a red-bearded barbarian!"
The Master said, "Suru suru!"
[A monk] asked, "What is the Way?"
The Master said, "I spare you thirty blows of the stick."
[The monk] said, "Why is it so?"
The Master said, "Killing a person may be pardoned; lack of propriety is hard to tolerate."
Ascending the hall, he took up his staff and said, "Great assembly, look quickly! Mount Sumeru, with a single stroke, is broken into a hundred shattered fragments. Jambudvīpa, struck with a single blow, tilts east and topples west. Inevitably, Kāishèng must take it back into his hands and not let it breathe!" He struck once [with the staff].

8.30

Chan Master Wéilǐ of Hèngshān in Fúzhōu ascended the hall: "If discussing this matter, directly here it is difficult to clarify. The three ranks of worthy ones cannot measure it; the ten ranks of sages do not know it. Arriving here, one must hold aloft the ancestral command and brandish Moxie horizontally. When even Buddha does not remain, how could a tiny speck of dust stand? One must cause Sumeru to be pulverized and the great ocean to run dry, releasing a thread of a path to deliberate with you all. And tell me, what shall we deliberate on?" After a pause, he said, "Salt is expensive, rice is cheap."

8.31

Chan Master Shànzī of Xiǎnmíng on Mount Běi in Lín'ān Prefecture. A monk asked, "What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?"
The Master said, "Nine years of vainly gazing at the wall, embarrassed, he returned west again."
[The monk] asked, "Why is it so?"
The Master said, "Fine food is not suitable for a sated man to feast upon."
[A monk] asked, "What is the preaching of Dharma by non-sentient things?"
The Master said, "The lantern hangs upon the exposed pillar."
[The monk] said, "What kind of person gets to hear it?"
The Master said, "Walls have ears."

8.32

Chan Master Huì'ān of Qǐxiá in Míngzhōu. A monk asked, "All buddhas appear in the world for the sake of living beings. For whose sake does the upādhyāya appear in the world?"
The Master said, "Not for the ācārya's sake."
[The monk] said, "If so, then when the pool is deep, the waves are still; when learning is broad, the voice is quiet."
The Master said, "Atop the stick, one does not become a dragon."

8.33

Chan Master Lingkan of Yunmen in Yuezhou. A monk asked, "How should one apply the mind throughout the twelve periods of the day?" The Master said, "Burning incense in the Buddha hall." [The monk] said, "I do not understand." The Master said, "Joining palms at the main triple gate." Ascending the hall, [the Master said,] "When worldly defilements are not yet shattered, encountering objects brings a thousand differences. When the mirror of the mind is perfectly clear, not the slightest thing is established. The numinous light, bright and pure, is solely revealed and manifest before you. Past and present are both forgotten; the paths of sage and ordinary person are cut off. Only upon arriving here can one furl and unfurl at ease, apply its function without deficiency, appearing and disappearing, coming and going throughout the human world and the heavens. Great assembly! Although this is so, if you were suddenly seized by someone who asked, 'Tell me, where will you place your staff? How will you respond?' is there anyone who can speak? Come forth and say something!" The assembly made no reply. Thereupon he slapped the Chan bed and descended from the seat.

8.34

Chan Master Yuantan of Taiping in Tiantai ascended the hall: "This Dharma has no fixed principle; it is established according to conditions. Sounds, forms, motion, and stillness do not obscure seeing and hearing. Bringing it forth and applying it in a thousand various ways, it is like a bell awaiting the strike. If you comprehend it here, then just wear your clothes and eat your meals according to the time. If it were Deshan or Linji, they would still need to weave straw sandals and go on itinerant pilgrimage. Engage!"

8.35

Chan Master Wenzu of Fori in Lin'an Prefecture. A monk asked, "Please, Master, impart a teaching on the sheer and precipitous turning point." The Master said, "Standing figure-eight-legged at the crossroads." [The monk] said, "What about sailing a boat on the ocean floor or galloping a horse atop Mount Sumeru?" The Master said, "A mud turtle facing the fire." [The monk] said, "If so, one can ride the tiger's head and deftly grasp the tiger's tail." The Master tapped him once with his staff and said, "Make your prostrations!"

8.36

Chan Master Zong of Mount Wangxian in Yizhou. A monk asked, "Leaving aside the four seasons and eight solar terms, what is the matter of the ordinary phrase?" The Master said, "Heshan beating the drum." [The monk] said, "Could that be where the student should apply effort?" The Master said, "Guizong hauling stone." The monk was speechless. The Master said, "A true patch-robed monk!" Ascending the hall, [the Master said,] "Black-medicine root from Nantai, gastrodia from the northern sea, aconite from Silla, and cinnabar from Chenjin." After a long pause, he said, "Does the great assembly understand? You have been standing for a long time." Ascending the hall, [he said,] "Are you all willing to put it down? If you will not put it down, then shoulder it and be off!" He then descended from the seat.

8.37

Chan Master Yongji of the Jingjue Cloister on Mount Wufeng in Ruizhou. A monk asked, "What is the Way?" The Master said, "At the crossroads, you cannot tread upon it." [The monk] said, "What happens when one goes on just like that?" The Master said, "Take it slowly!" Ascending the hall, [the Master said,] "Qingping wading through the water; Touzi selling oil. Three hundred and sixty days in a year—no need to constantly seek among the numbers." Striking the Chan bed with his whisk, he descended from the seat.

8.38

Chan Master Chuxiang of Fozu in Wuwei Commandery. A monk asked, "What is the substance of prajñā?" The Master said, "A cold lamp concealed in a lapis lazuli hall." [The monk] said, "What is the function of prajñā?" The Master said, "Vividly and briskly active." [A monk] asked, "A single color without alteration is called the white ox on the open ground. Is it truly so or not?" The Master said, "Its horns have grown." [The monk] said, "What about before its horns grew?" The Master said, "Do not violate other people's sprouts and grain."

8.39

Chan Master Huiyun of Mingyin in Pingjiang Prefecture ascended the hall. Holding his staff horizontally, he said: "If one proceeds in this way, directly there is no second sun in heaven, no second king in the realm. Old Lord Śākya chokes back his breath and swallows his voice; the entire canon of teachings is like a worm gnawing wood. Even if you bore into and look up to it without catching up, it is truly an iron hammer without a hole. Even if you pick it up freely at will, it is still stale soup and spoiled rice. Only when you vomit it all out at once will there be a slight bit of accord. If you furthermore fall into empty voidness, that is still the livelihood of a ghost family. Do you want to understand? Only after the rain do you know the greenness of the mountains; only when affairs become difficult do you see the mind of a great man." Striking his staff, he descended from the seat.

8.40

Chan Master Qibian of Xitai in Xinghua Commandery ascended the hall. He cited Linji's words on the 'person of no rank', and then addressed the great assembly, saying: "That old fellow Linji usually had a backbone as stiff as iron. But when he came to this point, he was much like one losing his way at high noon, seeing phantom flowers in the sky. Even if one says the true person of no rank is a dried shit-scraper, that is truly a mud turtle dragging its tail. That monk only knew the extreme heat of late summer, but did not know the bitter cold of midwinter. According to that moment, what words should have been spoken to stop up the tongues of everyone under heaven? If Xitai were to just let it drop like that, it would simply be 'what the eyes do not see is clean.' I cannot avoid lending a hand and making a mess of it: Linji's one shoulder-load, Xitai's one heap; one shoulder-load and one heap, to whom are they entrusted? Let them be scattered to all directions, laughing to death that old awl of former days!"

8.41

Chan Master Zhitan of Kaiyuan in Tingzhou ascended the hall. A monk asked, "What is the unselfish phrase?" The Master said, "A sliver of moon pours down its brilliance, its radiance embracing the ten thousand forms." [The monk] said, "Thank you, Master, for pointing it out." The Master said, "What was pointed out?" [The monk] said, "How can it be helped that your words are still ringing in my ears?" The Master said, "What words were they?" [The monk] said, "'A sliver of moon pours down its brilliance, its radiance embracing the ten thousand forms.'" The Master said, "One who merely mimics words!" [A monk] asked, "What is the Way?" The Master said, "Spanning from antiquity to the present." [The monk] said, "Before our eyes there are no different roads; those who have attained it travel the same path." The Master said, "How do you understand it?" [The monk] said, "Stepping on a steelyard weight, hard as iron." The Master said, "That's a bit closer." [A monk] asked, "What is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?" The Master said, "Spring is cold; autumn is hot." [The monk] said, "I do not understand." The Master said, "Autumn is hot; spring is cold." [A monk] asked, "What is the house style of an ancient Buddha?" The Master said, "Praise cannot reach it." [The monk] said, "What is the seamless stūpa?" The Master said, "The wind cannot blow in." [The monk] said, "Who is the person inside the stūpa?" The Master said, "Nostrils large, head pointing downward." He then said, "Objects and self are darkly in accord, revealing the true dynamic. Phenomenon after phenomenon is numinous and penetrating; mind after mind alone shines bright. Furling and unfurling at ease, concealed or revealed without restraint. At times silent without a trace; at times vastly encompassing the sands of worlds. Within the light of prajñā, all is manifested. Since every speck of dust is thus, every thought is likewise. Why speak of Maudgalyāyana or Śāriputra possessing great supernatural powers? Arriving here, how could they grope for it?"

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續傳燈錄 — Classical Chinese