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前期提示:翻身踏斷來時路。
「點點星輝斗柄垂」：點點星輝，就是星星很少的，光量也不大。星輝，言其你自性裡的光明。點點星輝，就是星星很少的，光量也不大這是說心裡放出的光輝不太大。斗柄垂，斗柄垂的時候。點點，說這個星星，也可以說是火。點點星輝，那個火沒有多少的，一點點的。這個點點，可以說是少，星輝有那麼一點點呀！斗柄垂，形容斷欲了，再也沒有這個慾念了。因為你沒有慾念了，才能了生死。你有慾念，那就是生死；沒有慾念，那就是涅槃。所以斗柄垂，這個意思就是那個慾念連根拔出來了，沒有了。降伏其心了，也降心離相了。在這個地方，說起來，這談何容易哦！
「門可之」：雲門一聽他這麼說，就說對的，是這樣子，你能這樣子，那就可以了。「越二年」：又過了兩年。「門付之」：門就傳給他法啦！「崇禎戊辰」：是明朝崇禎，明朝最後的一個皇帝，戊辰時候，就「出世東山國慶寺」：在那兒做方丈。「次住梅墅。後兩主顯聖席」：在顯聖寺做了兩任方丈；每任是三年，兩任是六年。「庚辰」「仍還東山」：又回東山的國慶寺了。「壬午夏」：那個夏天的時候。「示微疾」：他示現有一點點小病。「絕食旬餘」：連著一個禮拜也沒吃東西。「化去時」：就是圓寂的時候，「談笑恍如平昔」：他到圓寂的時候，還連說帶笑的。一個人說說笑笑，就圓寂了，和大家好像開玩笑似的。你看看這個！「全身於顯聖」：在顯聖寺給他建一個肉身塔在那個地方。
讚曰
一聞鑼聲 忘卻故步
親到雲門 青天雲過
斗柄星輝 月船夜渡
薔微洞口 渾然不露
讚曰「一聞鑼聲」：一聽見這鑼聲。「忘卻故步」：把以前的那個習性毛病都忘了，沒有了。「親到雲門」：親自去到雲門。「青天雲過」：雨過天晴了，晴天雲彩都散了，就是雲開霧散了，就一切的無明都一掃而空，萬里無雲萬里天了。「斗柄星輝」：斗柄星在那兒放光了。「月船夜渡」：晚上走船，那個月亮總好像跟著夜渡的船走似的。
「薔薇洞口」：薔薇是一種花，是有蔓子的，是爬藤的野生東西。這野生的東西，他們都說叫野玫瑰嘛！也是有刺的，那麼開的花也很好，在這個山上，差不離的地方都有這種東西，長得很多。那麼它因為長得很多，雖然還有一個洞，可是都被它擋上了。「渾然不露」：誰也看不見那裡有個洞。這是表示什麼呢？這就是說這個真修道的人，你不要光芒外露，總要韜光晦跡，總要在那裡藏拙。不要盡搞名搞利，不要處處想把自己的名利也弄大大的，地位也弄得高高的，在名利上用功夫，就叫人認識自己。所以我對你們大家常常說：「古來修道的人啊，就是怕人知道自己的名字。只要這裡有人知道了，他就跑到另外一個地方。那麼另外一個地方又有人知道他了，他又跑了，就是不願意人知道！」。所以古來修道的人，都是這樣。
現在的人，怎麼樣呢？就怕人不知道自己的名字，自己想儘方法去到電視台呀，廣播電台呀，到各處去弄出一個新聞來。把自己那個名字，在那兒播一播、放一放。覺得驚天動地，真是放大光明。其實不必要的，這個薔微洞口就是山上那個洞被薔薇封上了，「渾然不露」：不想顯露出來，你們看不見的。你想要儘叫人家去知道你，那不是修行，那是儘在那裡搞名搞利的。所以這一點啊！我們每一個人應該特別注意的。我們真正是一個佛教徒，絕對不要執著這個名、執著這個地位、執著這個物質，什麼都不執著。這才是「渾然不露」。不要叫人知道自己是個修行人；不要教人知道自己怎樣了不起。你要養成大拙方為巧，學到如愚始見奇。你到沒有真正天命推摧你，將你推出來，去教化一方的時候，是不可以想著顯露自己的頭角，有頭角崢嶸。所以這一點大家要知道。這個薔薇洞口，就是那個山上的古洞，被薔薇給遮上了，所以渾然不露，你們誰也看不見。本來那裡有洞，可是沒有人看著；古來修道的人，是這樣的。
又說偈曰
決志參究本來人 忽聞鑼聲月西沉
放下身心勿罣礙 提起菩提有反聞
夜半霜寒行者少 修道至此莫因循
回頭踏破生死路 斗柄垂垂笑吟吟
「又說偈曰」：又沒有事情找一些事情來幹一幹，說幾句空話，說幾句淡而無味的話。
「決志參究本來人」：決志幹什麼呢？他就想參究本來面目。本來人，也就是本來面目。「忽聞鑼聲月西沉」：忽然聽見鑼聲。這時候就好像月亮到西邊落下去，所以就開一點小悟。月西沉也就是快天光了，月亮快落下去了。
「放下身心勿罣礙」：這時候，他把身心都放下了，內無身心，外無世界；一空一切空，一了一切了。無罣礙，故無有恐怖了，所以他也沒有什麼恐怖了。「提起菩提有反聞」：提起這個菩提念，「有反聞」，這有什麼呢？要反聞聞自性。這時候要向裡邊找，不要到外面去找了。
「夜半霜寒行者少」：等到晚間，又天寒地凍的，也很冷的。行者少，在這個時候，行者，就是修道的人，很少、很少了。
「修道至此莫因循」：修行的人到這個地方，不要拖泥帶水的；不要躑躅不前；不要想往前進又向後退。這個時候，正是緊要的關頭，生死的關頭。你進一步就是了生死；退一步就是輪迴。
「回頭踏破生死路」：回頭把來的路，去的路都踏斷了，了生死了。「斗柄垂垂笑吟吟」：斗柄垂垂也就是快天光的時候，這時候也就很高興的。你要真開悟了，那麼覺得也是滿足的。這一生的目的達到了，大事已畢，生死已了，這時候你說好，也就笑吟吟的。
-完-
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FROM LAST ISSUE: Turning back, he steps on and severs the path from which he came.
In the dim starlight, the handle of The Dipper falls. There are few stars, and the starlight is not bright. The mind is not emitting too much light. This is talking about the light of the inherent nature. The starlight can be compared to fire; there is not much fire, just a few sparks. The falling of the handle of The Dipper symbolizes the cutting off of desire. You have no more thoughts of desire. Only when there are no more thoughts of desire can birth and death be ended. If you have desire, you are still within birth and death. If you have no desire, that is Nirvana. The handle of The Dipper falling means desires have been pulled out by their roots. The mind has been subdued. The mind is subdued, and appearances are left behind. This is easy to talk about, but difficult to achieve!
Yunmen expressed his approval. When Master Yunmen heard him speak the verse, he said, “Right, that's just the way it is.” If you can be like that, then it's fine. After two years had passed, Master Yunmen entrusted the Dharma to him. In the year of wuchen (1628) of the Chongzhen reign period of the last emperor in the Ming dynasty, he became the Abbot of Guoqing (Nation's Celebration) Monastery at Dongshan (East Mountain). Next he dwelt at Meishu (Plum Abode), and then he served two terms as Abbot at Xiansheng (Manifest Sage) Monastery. Each term is three years, so two terms is six years. In the year of genchen (1640), he returned to Guoqing Monastery in Dongshan. In the summer of the year of renwu (1642), he manifested a slight illness and fasted for over a week. He didn't eat anything for a week. When he was about to pass away, right before he completed the stillness, he was still talking and laughing as usual. Talking and laughing, he entered the perfect stillness. It seemed as if he were playing a practical joke on everyone. Take a look at that! His body was preserved intact at Xiansheng Monastery. A stupa was built to house his body at Xiansheng Monastery.
A verse in praise says:
Upon hearing the sound of the gong,
He forgot his old ways.
He went in person to the Cloud Door (Yunmen).
Clouds drift by in the blue sky.
The handle of the Dipper glimmers.
The moon follows the night ferry.
Roses grow over the cave entrance,
Concealing it completely.
Commentary:
Upon hearing the sound of the gong, / He forgot his old ways. All his old habits and faults were forgotten. They were all gone. He went in person to the Cloud Door (Yunmen). / Clouds drift by in the blue sky. After a rain, the clouds and fog disperse, and there are clear skies. This means that all ignorance is swept away. There are “no clouds for ten thousand miles, just ten thousand miles of sky. The handle of the Dipper glimmers. The stars in the Dipper are twinkling. The moon follows the night ferry. When you take the boat at night, the moon seems to follow the boat as it travels.
Roses grow over the cave entrance, / Concealing it completely. Roses are a kind of flower. Here, it refers to a variety of climbing rose that grows in the wild. It has thorns. The flowers are very nice. This kind of rose can be found almost everywhere in the mountains. It grows very prolifically. Because it is so luxuriant, although there is a cave, the cave opening is completely concealed by the plant. Nobody can see inside the cave. What does this represent? It means that a cultivator of the Way should not show off. You should always maintain a low profile and play dumb. Don't chase after fame and benefit. Don't try to get yourself a big name and a high position. Don't spend your effort on name and gain, always wanting everyone to know who you are. That's why I always tell you that in the old days, a cultivator only feared that people might find out his name. If someone discovered his name, he would quickly leave and go to another place. If another person in that place found out his name, he would flee again. He didn't want anyone to recognize him. That's the way the cultivators of old were.
Nowadays, what are people like? They only fear that people will not know their names. They think of every possible way to make the news, so that they can have their names broadcast on T.V. or on the radio. Then they feel they have done something earthshaking, that they are really a big star. Actually, this is all unnecessary.
The rose vine has covered up the cave entrance, so the cave is hidden and obscured. You can't see it. If you only want people to know who you are, you are not cultivating, you are just chasing after fame and gain. We should all pay attention to this point. If we are true Buddhists, we definitely don't want to be attached to reputation, attached to position, attached to material things, or have any attachments whatsoever. That's what it means to be “concealed completely.” Don't let people know that you are a cultivator. Don't let people know how special you are. When you have nurtured a great stupidity, that is true ingenuity. When you learn to be like a fool, you will see what's rare. When divine destiny is not pushing you to go forth and teach the beings in a certain region, you should not think about showing off your talent or revealing your outstanding qualities. All of you should be aware of this. The verse is describing how the rose vines have blocked off the opening to an old mountain cave. So it is concealed and cannot be seen. Although the cave is there, nobody can see it. This is how the cultivators of ancient times were.
Another verse says:
He resolved to find out the person he originally was.
Suddenly hearing the gong as the moon was setting in the west,
He let go of mind and was free of hindrances.
Be mindful of Bodhi, and reverse the hearing.
Few are those who cultivate in the frosty cold of the night.
At this point in cultivation, one must not be remiss.
Turning around, he stepped on and broke through
the path of birth and death.
When the handle of The Dipper falls, one breaks into laughter.
Commentary:
Another verse says. Having nothing better to do, I spoke a few lines of empty words, a few lines that are bland and flavorless. He resolved to find out the person he originally was. What was his resolve? He wanted to investigate and find his original face. Suddenly hearing the gong as the moon was setting in the west. When he all of a sudden heard the sound of the gong, it was as if the moon were setting in the West. At that time he had a small awakening. When the moon is about to set, it also means day is about to break.
He let go of mind and was free of hindrances. At that point he put down both body and mind. There was no body or mind, and no external world. When one is empty, all are empty. When one is finished, all are finished. Since there are no hindrances, there is no fear. And so he wasn't afraid of anything. Be mindful of Bodhi, and reverse the hearing. Bring up the thought of Bodhi, and reverse the hearing to listen to your own nature. At this time you should look inside. Do not go searching outside.
Few are those who cultivate in the frosty cold of the night. In the night, when it is bitterly cold, there are few cultivators of the Way. There are few people who still continue to cultivate at that time. At this point in cultivation, one must not be remiss. When cultivators reach this point, they should not falter and hesitate. They should not be indecisive about whether to advance or retreat. This is the crucial point; it is the pivotal point of birth and death. If you take a step forward, you end birth and death. If you take a step back, you fall into the wheel of rebirth.
Turning around, he stepped on and broke through the path of birth and death. Turning back, he stepped through and severed the path from which he came and upon which he was going; he ended birth and death. When the handle of The Dipper falls, one breaks into laughter. When day is about to break, one feels very happy. If you are truly enlightened, you feel very content. You have reached your goal in life; you have accomplished the great deed and ended birth and death. And so you think it's fine; you are all smiles.
-The end-
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