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師生信州。傅氏。參博山。因僧廠拽脫磨鼻。有省。呈偈。山曰。直須死卻識心。始得。師即揜關。六載。忽大悟。作雪關歌。呈山。稱善。令開關首眾。山問。如何是人天眼目。師曰。頂門上。曰。還假照鑑也無。師曰。君不看。山曰。不虛參見作家來。師揜耳。丁卯。後住瀛山。辛未。繼博山席。丙午。赴浙江虎跑。次妙行。崇禎丁丑。歸鼓山。示微恙。闐然。謐公問。和尚安否。師彈指。謐曰。末後句也須分付。師云。你道我生耶死耶。謐顧視。師已逝矣
「師生信州」：信州，江西上揚縣那個地方。「傅氏」：他俗家姓傅。「參博山」：他去參博山和尚，跟他、親近他。
「因僧廠拽脫磨鼻」：出家人住在一起，什樣都有。有的古靈精怪的，故意引著大家笑的。或者他挖挖耳朵啊、摸摸鼻子呀、擠擠眼睛呀，這是揚眉瞬目；這些個動作很奇怪的，有的就也很可笑的。那麼這時候，就有這樣子的，自己摸自己的鼻子。「有省」：他一看這個人這麼多怪樣子，他就開了悟了。
「呈偈」：就作了一首偈頌。「山曰」：那麼這一首偈頌，他一定就是分別這一些個境界。說來也好像開玩笑似的，因為這樣，這個博山就說了，「直須死卻識心」：你不應該用這種的識心，來分別這一些個東西；「始得」：那才可以的。「師即揜關，六載」：這個時候，他就閉關。六年，「忽大悟」：因為功到自然成。「鐵杵磨繡針，功到自然成」，他就大悟了。
「作雪關歌」：因為他閉關看見雪，所以作這個偈，叫雪關歌。「呈山」：就拿給博山和尚看。「稱善」：博山就說：「啊，你作得很好。」「令開關首眾」：就叫他不要閉關啦，出來帶眾修行。首眾，就是說做眾生之首，來帶著大家修行。
「山問，如何是人天眼目」：博山和尚就問他說，怎麼樣叫做人天眼目呀？這就是和他打機鋒。「師曰，頂門上」：那麼他說頂門上。現在的外道，也說「第三隻眼」，這個頂門上，就是五眼開了。所以他作人天的師表，也就是人天的眼目，就是人天的一個榜樣。如何是人天眼目？就是你憑什麼來作人天的師表、人天的榜樣、人天的眼目？他也就老實不客氣地說頂門上。那麼他因為有個目呀！他就說他自己的境界，說他開天眼了。開天眼叫頂門上。本來這個人天眼目是一個人的榜樣、人的師表。他說頂門上，這也是行家話，若是不是行家，聽了也不懂。
那麼博山就說「還假照鑑也無」：你要不要還假藉個照的鏡子，來看見頂門上這個眼呢？這就是再深一步來考驗他，試一試他。
「師曰，君不看」：說，那你沒看見嗎？還要照鏡子？你沒看見嗎？「山曰，不虛參見作家來」：博山和尚說，現在你還沒有白來到這兒一趟。那麼他聽見這話呢，「師揜耳」：他不聽這話。本來這一句話說他不虛此行，就是你到這兒，沒有白來呀！你得到什麼的？那麼他掩耳，就不聽你這話，為什麼不聽呢？本來是無智亦無得，沒有什麼可得的，又有什麼可說的？有什麼可聽的呢？所以他就把耳朵給揜上了。這也是機鋒，就不聽譭譽。你讚歎他，他也不聽；你譭他，他也不聽。不虛參見作家來，這是說你沒有白來這一趟。這是讚歎的話，可是他不聽。
「丁卯，後住瀛山」：丁卯，他住瀛山寺。「辛未」，「繼博山席」：做方丈。「丙午」，「赴浙江虎跑」：在那兒做方丈。「次妙行」：在妙行寺也做方丈。「崇禎丁丑，歸鼓山」：到丁丑年歸鼓山。「示微恙」：他就示現一種很小的病痛，「闐然」。「謐公問」：一個和尚就問他了，說「和尚安否」：說，和尚你身體還好嗎？「師彈指」：就是這麼一彈指，意思就是就像彈指這麼快。
「謐曰」：謐公又說了，「末後句也須分付」：那個最後的遺囑，你應該說一說，最末後句，怎麼樣子呀？「師云，你道我生耶、死耶」：道誾禪師說，你說一說看，我現在是在活著呢？是在死著呢？「謐顧視」：他說完這話，這個謐公就這麼看看、看看。看看他頭，看看他腳，看看他手呀；看看他身體呀，就在看的時候，你說怎麼樣呢？「師已逝矣」：道誾禪師他已經圓寂了。你看，這樣談笑而去。
待續
發 願
一日，老和尚告訴弟子們要發願時，一小沙彌即發願說：「我發願要去西方極樂世界，我不要去東方琉璃世界。因為那裡人的身體是透明的。我很愛吃比薩餅，如果我偷吃了比薩餅在我的肚子裡，大家都會看得見。」 |
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The Master was born in Xinzhou to the Fu family. He went to study with Master Boshan. Upon seeing a monk rub his nose, he had an awakening. Then he presented a verse. Master Boshan said, he conscious mind must die before you can attain it.” The Master went into seclusion for six years. Suddenly he experienced an enlightenment. He wrote “The Cloud Seclusion Song” and presented it to Master Boshan, who praised it and told him to come out of seclusion and lead the assembly.
Master Boshan asked, “What is meant by ‘an eye for humans and gods’?” The Master said, “It's on the crown of the head.”
“Do you need a mirror to see it?”
The Master said, “Don't you see it?”
Master Boshan said, “You have not come to see me in vain.” The Master covered his ears.
In the year of dingmao he dwelt at Yingshan Monastery. In the year of xinwei he assumed Master Boshan’s position. In the year of bingwu he went to Hupao (Tiger's Run) Monastery in Zhejiang Province. Following that he served as Abbot at Miaoheng (Wonderful Conduct) Monastery. In the year of dingchou of the Chongzhen Reign Period, he returned to Gushan, where he manifested a slight illness, but was still in high spirits. The Venerable Bi asked him, “Venerable One, are you all right?” The Master snapped his fingers. Bi said, “The final instructions still need to be given. The Master said, “Would you say I am alive or dead? When Bi took a look at him, the Master had already passed away.
Commentary:
The Master was born in Xinzhou to the Chuan family. Xinzhou is in Shangyang County in Jiangxi Province. His family name was Chuan. He went to study with Master Boshan. He drew near to and followed the Venerable Boshan.
Upon seeing a monk rub his nose, he had an awakening. In a community of left-home people, there are all sorts of characters. Some deliberately act very bizarre in order to make people laugh. They might stick their finger in their ear, rub their nose, squeeze their eyes shut, raise their eyebrows, or wink their eyes. They make these strange and funny-looking gestures. At that time the Master saw a monk rubbing his nose in a funny fashion, and he became enlightened.
Then he presented a verse. He composed a verse. In the verse, he must have analyzed the state he had, and it must have sounded like a joke. And so Master Boshan said, “The conscious mind must die before you can attain it. You shouldn't use your conscious mind to discriminate this kind of state. Then you'll get it.”
At that point, the Master went into seclusion for six years. Suddenly he experienced an enlightenment. As the saying goes, “In grinding an iron pestle down to the size of a sewing needle, when you have put in the effort, you will naturally accomplish it.” He put in enough effort, so he naturally became greatly enlightened.
He wrote “The Cloud Seclusion Song” and presented it to Master Boshan, who praised it and told him to come out of seclusion and lead the assembly. Since he had watched the clouds during his seclusion, he called it “The Cloud Seclusion Song.” When he showed it to the Venerable Boshan, the Venerable Master said, “That's a fine song you wrote!” Then he told the Master not to stay in seclusion anymore, but to come out and lead the assembly to cultivate. To “lead the assembly” means to be the leader of living beings, to lead everyone in cultivation.
Master Boshan asked, “What is meant by ‘an eye for humans and gods’?” He was sparring verbally with him. The Master said, “It's on the crown of the head.” There are some non-Buddhist religions that also talk about a “third eye” On the crown of the head of someone refers to one who has opened the Five Eyes. “An eye for humans and gods” refers to a person who can be a teacher and a model for people and gods. Master Boshan was asking him, “What makes you think you can be ‘an eye for humans and gods’? On what basis are you qualified to be a teacher and model for people and gods?” The Master very bluntly, without courtesy, said, “It's on the crown of the head.” Since he had opened the “eye,” he spoke of his own state, saying that he had opened the heavenly eye. Originally ‘an eye for humans and gods’ meant a model or teacher for people, but the Master answered that it was on the crown of his head. This was the talk of a seasoned cultivator. And only another seasoned cultivator could have understood it.
Master Boshan asked, “Do you need to use a mirror to see it--the eye?” He was testing him out further. “Do you need to look in the mirror to see the eye on the crown of your head?”
The Master said, “Don't you see it? Do you still need a mirror? Have you not seen it?” Master Boshan said, “You have not come to see me in vain.” Your trip here has not been in vain. When he heard that, the Master covered his ears. He didn't want to hear such talk. Master Boshan was saying that he hadn't come in vain, that he had attained something. But he plugged up his ears and refused to listen. Why? Because basically there is nothing to be understood and nothing to attain. So what is there to say? What is there to listen to? And so he covered his ears. This was also part of the Chan banter. He would not listen to praise or slander. If you praised him, he paid no heed. If you slandered him, he didn't listen either. Saying that he hadn't come in vain was praising him, but he didn't listen.
In the year of dingmao he dwelt at Yingshan Monastery. In the year of xinwei he assumed Master Boshan's position as the Abbot. In the year of bingwu he went to Hupao (Tiger's Run) Monastery in Zhejiang Province to be the Abbot. Following that he served as Abbot at Miaoheng (Wonderful Conduct) Monastery. In the year of dingchou of the Chongzhen Reign Period, he returned to Gushan, where he manifested a slight illness, but was still in high spirits. The Venerable Bi of Tianran, one of the monks, asked him, “Venerable One, are you all right? Is your health all right?” The Master snapped his fingers. He meant it would be as fast as a snap.
The Venerable Bi said, “The final instructions still need to be given. You should give us some last instructions.” The Master said, “Would you say I am alive or dead? Tell me, am I still alive or am I dead right now?” After the Master said that, when the Venerable Bi took a look at him, looking at his head, his hands and feet, and his body, what do you suppose happened? The Master had already passed away. He had already entered perfect stillness. See? He was chatting and joking even as he died.
To be continued
A Vow
One day when the Elder Master was teaching his disciples about making vows, a young novice made the following vow: “I vow to go the the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I don’t want to go to the Eastern Vaidurya Land because everyone there has see-through stomachs. I really love to eat pizza and if I sneak pizza to eat, then people will be able to see it in my stomach! |
