前期提示:雲門叫明雪禪師看溪水的樣子，說出一句，看！明雪禪師說：敲空有響，擊木無聲。
「六祖大師說：『佛法在世間，不離世間覺；離世覓菩提，猶如求兔角。』那不就還說在世間？」就是世間法你能轉了，那就是佛法。你要轉了，回頭轉向，你把這個身轉過來，那就是佛法。
所以世間人，貪吃的，天天要吃好的；我們不貪，我們天天不餓就可以，不一定要吃好的。穿衣服，世間人要穿美麗的，要華美的、漂亮的；修道呢？不需要！就穿上這個能遮寒，能遮暑，也就可以了。總而言之，修道和世間正是不一樣。所以我才說「敲空有響，擊木無聲」，是叫你有一種反省的力量，有一種覺悟––你本來是迷嘛！現在你要覺了。
所以「門喜」：雲門聽他這麼一說，知道他懂這個道理了，知道他能背塵合覺了。這就是「敲空有響，擊木無聲」，這就叫背塵合覺。你若是「敲空無聲，擊木有響」呢，那就是背覺合塵了，跟著塵的境界跑了；你沒能返本還原，沒能把這個真的感悟。所以門喜，就很歡喜的。很歡喜；這就是嘉許的意思，說：「你對了！」「越六日」：又等了六日。「聞鐘聲大徹」：當時還沒有真明白，可是又過了六天，他因為念茲在茲的，自己也莫名其妙了，「嘿！我說『敲空有響，擊木無聲』，雖然是衝口而出，究竟是怎麼回事呢？」就這麼念茲在茲的，他自己還是追究不到；他自己說出來，還沒有真懂，這沒有真懂，就沒有真正地徹悟，沒有真正地暸解。等到一聽鐘聲，啊！他大徹大悟了！回頭轉身了，認識本來的面目。
「自是機辯杰出」：從此之後，他就辯才無礙。機，就對什麼機，誰也說不過他，誰也沒有他那麼聰明了。他是聰明智慧，辯才無礙。杰出，是個傑出的人才。
「門付囑」：雲門就傳授心法給他，傳衣缽給他。「門逝」：雲門圓寂了，「師繼主顯聖」：這位明雪禪師，就接著雲門的位子，就在顯聖寺做方丈。
「崇禎庚午」年，「開湖州弁山古龍華」寺，「凡八座道場」：他在八個道場都做過方丈。「辛巳三月望」：在辛巳那一年，三月十五那天，「命侍僧扶入龕」：龕，就是一個佛龕的樣子，是個四方的，上面像個小廟似的，那麼裡面能坐一個人，這叫龕。這又叫坐棺，坐著的棺材，又叫龕。
「書偈」：就寫了一首偈頌，然後就招手，叫大家到他身邊來。「以手招眾」：用手來叫大家，就是：你來一來，來一來。「眾前」：大家都到他跟前了。「師已逝矣」：等大家都走到他的面前，他已經圓寂了。「塔全身於龍華」：在龍華寺給他造了一個全身塔、肉身塔。
贊曰：
大匠迭興 昏衢日曉
父子機投 金獅震吼
正中妙協 法潤枯槁
瞻之仰之 堂堂師表
「大匠迭興」：大匠就是大作家，也就是大善知識。「昏衢日曉」：就好像黑暗的街上，有太陽的時候。
「父子機投」：師子道合，這叫父子––師父和弟子機緣相投了。「金獅震吼」：就好像金毛獅子似地那麼震吼，大吼一聲。
「正中妙協」：正中這個妙協，就是很協調的。「法潤枯槁」：法潤枯槁，好像「槁」字，和下邊的「表」，「槁，表」有一個韻。法潤，佛法的滋潤著枯槁的樹木、枯槁的眾生。
「瞻之仰之」：可以說是，他「活真明而悟白骨」，令本來是應該死的，他都能變成活了，所以大家都瞻望他，仰慕他。「堂堂師表」：他這個做師父的，是堂堂正正的，是一個明眼的大善知識。
又說偈曰：
瑞雪飄飄潔而白 一切眾生歸去來
四大假合誰為主 萬慮皆空我快哉
拖屍行走無覺者 念佛求生有蓮臺
敲響擊聲入三昧 胎卵濕化莫發呆
「瑞雪飄飄潔而白」：瑞雪，就是很祥瑞的雪；飄飄，在虛空裡飄飄，又乾淨，又白。「一切眾生歸去來」：所以一切眾生看見這種雪景，都應該回到自己故有的家鄉去。
「四大假合誰為主」：地、水、火、風，四大假合，哪一個是主呀？沒有的。「萬慮皆空我快哉」：這萬慮皆空，什麼都沒有了，你說我多快樂！也不掛著南朝，也不掛著北國，也不掛著東，也不掛著西，什麼都不記得了，這多好！
「拖屍行走無覺者」：這個世界上，拖著死屍行走的這一些個沒有覺者，他們都還在那兒背覺合塵，都不覺悟。「念佛求生有蓮臺」：你若是想要了生脫死嘛，你念佛求生淨土，那兒有個現成的蓮華臺給你預備了，阿彌陀佛早就給你預備了。
「敲響擊聲入三昧」：你好像打鼓似的敲響。擊聲，你擊木有聲。入三昧，這都是到三昧的境界才能有一種變化，也並不是有神通。這不是使神通的時候，他只是說兩句話，這根本談不到什麼神通。所以，果海！你不要那麼敏感，你不要以為說句話，那裡頭又有了神通了。不是那樣的！那樣子就是你想入非非了。所以入三昧，這可以說是三昧現前的境界，那有聲無聲都沒有什麼問題了。
「胎卵濕化莫發呆」：無論你是胎生、卵生、濕生、化生，不要在那兒發呆了！還等著？在那個地方覺得不錯似的，有什麼快樂享受的？那是發呆呢！那是在那地方不覺悟呢！ |
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From last issue: When Master Yunmen asked Master Mingxue to say something about the stream, he said, "Knocking on space makes a sound. Beating on wood makes no noise."
Someone might ask, "But didn't the Sixth Patriarch say, 'The Buddhadharma is here in the world; / Enlightenment is not apart from the world. / To search for Bodhi apart from the world / Is like looking for a hare with horns'? Isn't he saying that it's still in the world?"
If you can turn worldly dharmas around, they become the Buddhadharma. If you can turn yourself around, then you have the Buddhadharma.
Worldly people crave good food. They insist on eating well every day. We, on the other hand, aren't greedy for good food; as long as we don't go hungry, that's good enough. Worldly people enjoy wearing beautiful and fine clothes; cultivators of the Way don't need that. They are satisfied as long as their clothes serve to protect them from excessive cold and heat. In general, those who cultivate have to be different from worldly people. That's why I say, "Knocking on space makes a sound. Beating on wood makes no noise." I want to awaken you and make you aware. You were confused before, and now you ought to wake up.
Hearing him, Master Yunmen was pleased and knew that he understood, that he had turned his back on worldly defilement and had merged with enlightenment. "Knocking on space makes a sound; beating on wood makes no noise" represents turning one's back on defilement and merging with enlightenment. If "knocking on space makes no sound and beating on wood does make noise," then that is turning one's back on enlightenment and merging with defilement. It means one is pursuing worldly states and is unable to return to the origin and go back to the source; one has not truly become enlightened. Master Yunmen was very delighted with him, so he showed his approval, saying, "You're right!"
The Master had not yet truly understood at that point. But he continued applying effort without a break, wondering to himself, "I blurted out, 'Knocking on space makes a sound; beating on wood makes no noise,' but what exactly does that mean?" He kept up his investigation of the question, because he hadn't found the answer yet. Even though the words had come from his own mouth, he hadn't truly understood them. That is, he hadn't fully fathomed their meaning; his awakening was not complete. But six days later, upon hearing the tolling of the bell, he experienced a great awakening. He became thoroughly enlightened. He turned around and recognized his original face.
From then on, his eloquence was outstanding in all situations. From that point on, his eloquence was unlimited. No one could outdebate him. No one could match his intelligence. His intelligence, wisdom, and eloquence were without bounds. He was peerless.
Master Yunmen transmitted the Mind Dharma and the robe and bowl to him. When Master Yunmen passed away, the Master became the next abbot of Xiansheng Monastery. Dhyana Master Mingxue took Master Yunmen's place as the abbot of Xiansheng Monastery after Master Yunmen completed the stillness.
In the year of gengwu during the reign of Chongzhen, he founded the Ancient Longhua ("Dragon Flower") Monastery at Bianshan in Huzhou and served as the abbot at eight monasteries. On the fifteenth day of the third lunar month in the year of xingsi, he told his attendant to help ease him into an upright coffin. This kind of coffin is rectangular in shape and the top of it resembles a miniature temple. There is room for one person to sit inside it, so it's also called a "sitting coffin."
He wrote a verse and then beckoned everyone with a wave of his hand. By the time they walked over to him, he had already passed away. He waved his hand telling everyone to gather around, but when they reached him, he'd already completed the stillness. A stupa containing his whole body was erected at Longhua Monastery. A stupa holding his flesh body was built for him at Longhua Monastery.
A verse in praise says:
The master craftsman flourishes in his time,
Like the sun lighting up the dark streets.
The teacher and the disciple see eye-to-eye;
The golden lion lets out a great roar.
Subtly harmonious is the proper, middle path.
The parched and thirsty receive the nourishment of the Dharma.
Grave and dignified is this exemplary teacher
Whom everyone looks up to in admiration.
Commentary:
The master craftsman flourishes in his time, / Like the sun lighting up the dark streets. The "master craftsman" is a great artisan, a great spiritual teacher. He is compared to the sun rising above the dark streets.
The teacher and the disciple see eye-to-eye; / The golden lion lets out a great roar. The teacher and the disciple meet each other and find that their views agree. Their mutual concordance is compared to the thunderous roar of a golden lion.
Subtly harmonious is the proper, middle path. / The parched and thirsty receive the nourishment of the Dharma. The Buddha-dharma moisturizes thirsty living beings, just as water moistens dry, withered trees.
Grave and dignified is this exemplary teacher / Whom everyone looks up to in admiration. One could say that he "revived the souls of the dying." He was able to bring those who were supposed to die back to life. That's why people all looked up to and admired him. As a teacher, he was very upright and proper. He was a bright-eyed spiritual advisor.
Another verse says:
Pure and white are the flurries of auspicious snow.
All living beings return to their homes.
The four elements are but temporarily joined; who is the host?
When all thoughts are emptied, how happy I'll be!
Those who are unenlightened drag their corpses about.
One who recites the Buddha's name and seeks rebirth will have a lotus dais.
The sounds of knocking and beating cause one to enter samadhi.
Whether you are born from a womb, an egg, moisture,or by transformation, don't be dazed.
Commentary:
Pure and white are the flurries of auspicious snow. / All living beings return to their homes. The auspicious snowflakes drift in the air, clean and white. Seeing the snowy scene, every living being should return to his own original hometown.
The four elements are but temporarily joined; who is the host? Of the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air which are temporarily combined, which is the host? There isn't one. When all thoughts are emptied, how happy I'll be! When the myriad thoughts are emptied and there is nothing at all, just think how happy I'll be! I won't be worried about the affairs of the north, south, east or west. I won't remember anything at all. How fine!
Those who are unenlightened drag their corpses about. People in the world who drag their corpses around are unawakened; they have turned their backs on enlightenment and merged with the "dust" of the world. They fail to wake up. One who recites the Buddha's name and seeks rebirth will have a lotus dais. If you want to be liberated from birth and death, simply recite the Buddha's time and seek rebirth in the Pure Land. A ready-made lotus dais is waiting for you there. Amitabha Buddha prepared it for you long ago.
The sounds of knocking and beating cause one to enter samadhi. When you beat on a drum or knock on wood, a sound is made. Only when one enters a state of samadhi can there be a change. This is not referring to the use of spiritual powers. He simply spoke two verses, and it had nothing to do with spiritual powers. So don't be so quick to think that his speaking a sentence involved the use of spiritual powers. It wasn't that way. If you think it was, you're just indulging your imagination. He was in a state of samadhi, so that it didn't matter whether a sound was made or not.
Whether you are born from a womb, an egg, moisture, or by transformation, don't be dazed. Don't get stuck in that state and think that it's pretty nice, that it's quite enjoyable. You're just dazed! You're not enlightened! |
