集神州三寶感通錄 3.8

3.8

高齊初有異僧。投鄴下寺中夏坐。與同房僧亡名欵曲意得。客僧患痢甚困。名以酒與之。客曰。不可也。名曰。但飲酒。雖是戒禁有患通開。客嚬眉為飲之。患損。夏滿辭還本寺。相送出都。客曰。頗聞鼓山竹林寺乎。名曰。聞之。古來虛傳竟無至者。客曰。無心相造。何由而至。一夏同房多相惱亂。患痢給酒乃是佳藥。本非所欲為患而飲。願不以此及人。山寺孤逈時可歷覽。想一登陟以副虛懷。名聞喜踊曰。必能導達夕死無恨。至九月間剋望尋展。幸賜提引不爾無由。客曰。若來可從鼓山東面而上。東度小谷又東北上。即至山寺。至期與好事者五六人直詣石窟寺。山僧曰。何以得來。曰欲往竹林道由於此。僧曰。世人可笑專聽妖言。此山東西我並遊涉。何處有寺。古有斯言。不勞往也。名曰。彼客致詞。極非孟浪。何有虛也。止得尋之。尋而不獲非余咎也。石窟寺僧十數相隨。依言東上。度谷尋嶺。忽見一翁把钁𣃆地。又見一僧來至。鋤禾四邊把鋤曳钁曰。去年官寺道人。放馬食我禾盡。今年復來蹋我秋苗。舉钁趂僧。並皆返歸。唯名一人東北獨上。翁曰。放儞上山乞虫喫却。遂依東上林木深茂。聞南嶺上有吟詠聲。名曰。非往者客耶。曰是也。排榛而出。執手敘闊相將造寺。瞬目間忽見崇峯造日修竹干雲。重門洞開複殿基列。門外東西槽櫪飾以金鋪。似有馬蹤而無繫者。行至門首曰。且住此。入通和上去。須臾便出引入至佛殿。前禮拜訖。西至廊下。和上可年九十許。眉長鼻高狀如西域。傍有官吏可三十人。執文簿有所判斷。舉手告曰。下里山寺殊無可觀。何能遠涉。名即禮拜十數。和上曰。行來疲頓可止。將至房去。便引西房。北東轉見。僧憑案讀經。名便禮拜。都不慰問。便引盡北行東出。至本客房中。歡笑通宵屢言永住。彼曰。一任和上不敢為礙。待明為諮。報曰。和上不許。乃至中食。不異鄴中臨別。和上曰。知欲永住知友情也。然出家人不可兩處安名。本寺受供可得乖否。必欲永住可除彼名。好去。便辭。送出執手悢悢既別。悽然行一里間。數數返顧。寺塔林竹依然滿目。更行二里。返顧一無。但是峰崖雜樹。行行西下。依隨本道。不見田苗亦無田父乃至石窟。備為諸僧說之。

At the beginning of the Northern Qi, there was an extraordinary monk who went to a monastery in Ye for the summer retreat. He became close friends with Wangming, a monk who shared his room, and their minds were in harmony. The visiting monk suffered severely from dysentery and was in great distress. Wangming offered him wine. The guest said, "I cannot." Wangming said, "Just drink it. Although it is a preceptual prohibition, when one is afflicted it is permitted." Knitting his brows, the guest drank it on his account, and his illness subsided. When the summer ended, he took his leave to return to his original monastery. As Wangming saw him off outside the capital, the guest said, "Have you ever heard of Zhulin Temple on Mount Gu?" Wangming said, "I have heard of it. From ancient times it has been a hollow rumor, and ultimately no one has ever reached it." The guest said, "If one has no heart to visit it, how could one reach it? Sharing a room for a summer, I troubled and disturbed you greatly. Supplying wine when I suffered from dysentery was truly a fine medicine. Originally it was not what I desired, but I drank it on account of illness. I hope you will not let this reach others. The mountain monastery is solitary and distant, but you may tour it at times. I hope you will make the climb once to fulfill your empty longing." Hearing this, Wangming leapt with joy and said, "If you can indeed guide me there, I would die in the evening without regret. Around the ninth month I definitely hope to seek you out; happily bestow your guidance, for otherwise there will be no way." The guest said, "If you come, you may ascend from the eastern face of Mount Gu. Cross a small valley eastward, and then go up to the northeast, and you will arrive at the mountain monastery." When the appointed time arrived, [Wangming] went directly to Shiku Temple together with five or six curious companions. The mountain monks said, "Why have you come?" He said, "We wish to go to Zhulin; our path lies through here." The monks said, "Worldly people are ridiculous, listening solely to bizarre talk. I have roamed and crossed both east and west on this mountain; where is there any monastery? Ancient sayings have had this; you need not bother going." Wangming said, "That guest's words were by no means rash; how could they be false? I must simply seek it out. If I seek and do not find it, the fault is not mine." A dozen monks of Shiku Temple accompanied them. Following the directions, they ascended eastward, crossed a valley, and sought along the ridge. Suddenly they saw an old man holding a mattock and clearing the ground. They also saw a monk arrive, weeding all around the grain, holding a hoe and dragging a mattock, who said, "Last year the monks from the official monastery let loose their horses and ate all my grain. This year they come again to trample my autumn sprouts!" Raising his mattock, he chased the monks, and they all turned back. Only Wangming alone went up to the northeast. The old man said, "I let you go up the mountain to be eaten up by beasts!" Thereupon he ascended following the east. The forest trees were deep and lush. He heard the sound of chanting upon the southern ridge. Wangming said, "Is that not the former guest?" [The voice] said, "It is indeed." Pushing through the thickets, [the monk] came forth. Taking hands, they recounted their time apart and led each other toward the monastery. In the blink of an eye, he suddenly saw towering peaks reaching toward the sun and tall bamboos piercing the clouds. Tiered gates stood wide open, and compound halls were arrayed on their foundations. Outside the gate to the east and west, the mangers were adorned with gilded fittings; there seemed to be horse tracks, but none were tethered. Arriving at the gate entrance, [the guest] said, "Wait here for a moment. I will go in to announce you to the abbot (upādhyāya)." In a brief moment he came out, led him in, and arrived at the Buddha hall. After paying homage at the front, they went west to the corridor. The abbot was about ninety years of age, with long eyebrows and a high nose, looking like someone from the Western Regions. Beside him were about thirty officials holding registers and passing judgments. Raising his hand, [the abbot] said, "A mountain monastery in the rustic countryside has nothing at all to behold; how could you travel so far?" Wangming then prostrated himself a dozen times. The abbot said, "You are exhausted from traveling; you may rest. Take him to his room." [The guest] then led him to the western room. Turning northeast, he saw a monk leaning on a desk reading a sūtra. Wangming bowed to him, but the monk gave no greeting at all. [The guest] then led him to the far north and turned east, arriving in the guest monk's own room. They laughed and rejoiced throughout the night, [Wangming] repeatedly saying he would stay forever. The guest said, "This is entirely up to the abbot; I dare not obstruct it. Wait until morning and I will consult him." He reported back, "The abbot does not permit it." When it came to the midday meal, it was no different from [that in] Ye. When they were about to part, the abbot said, "I know you wish to stay forever, and I know your feeling of friendship. However, a renunciant cannot register his name in two places. Could you go against the offerings you receive in your original monastery? If you definitely wish to stay forever, you may remove your name there. Farewell." [Wangming] then took his leave. [The host] saw him out, clasping hands with sorrowful regret. Having parted, he walked sorrowfully for about one li, frequently looking back: the monastery, stūpas, forest, and bamboos still filled his gaze. Walking another two li, he looked back and there was nothing at all, only peak cliffs and mixed trees. Walking on and on, he descended westward, following his original path. He saw no field sprouts, nor was there any old farmer, until he reached Shiku, where he related everything in full to the monks.