贊曰：
一擊金聲，兩耳斷送；
拈得巾子，善乎動用。
坐斷象峰，翱翔綵鳳；
苕水淵淵，一滴一凍。
「一擊金聲，兩耳斷送」：耳朵震聾了，聽不見什麼東西。
「拈得巾子」：問他幹什麼來，他拿出一條手巾。
「善乎動用」：可是，這個手巾你要會用的；你要不會用，也沒有用。你要會用，它就有用。也就是說我們這個佛性，你要會用，就可以成佛；不會用呢，還是眾生。
「坐斷象峰」：他在這個象峰一這是一個山的峰；坐斷，就是表示他的功夫純熟了，到家了。所以在這四個道場他都是人中的龍象、法門的翹楚。
「翱翔綵鳳」：這個彩鳳，牠是在空中飛翔的；翱翔，就是在空中飛來飛去的。
「苕水淵淵」：這個苕水很深很深的。
「一滴一凍」：每一滴都凍成冰了。就是在他這個座下，無論哪兒去的人，都成為一個載道之器，都有一種成就。
或說偈曰：
天資愚癡少聰明，久參弁山苦用功；
璞玉琢成無價寶，純金煉就警世鐘。
一條手巾了生死，百千三昧化群萌；
高山仰止思不盡，歲寒然後有青松。
「天資愚癡少聰明」：說這個天愚禪師天資愚癡；少聰明，這是說他大概不太聰明，但是比我聰明得多。
「久參弁山苦用功」：因為他不太聰明，所以在弁山那兒很久；苦用功，他拼命地用功，不間斷地用功，這個鐵杵磨繡針，功到自然成。
「璞玉琢成無價寶」：這個璞玉，就是未經過雕琢的玉，像個石頭一樣。
（編按；以下中文註解由英文譯成，原講人是否為上人，則不明。）
「純金煉就警世鐘」：沒有煉過的金礦有砂子和雜質在裡面；要把雜質除去了，才能提煉出純金來。這就表示這位禪師講的法就好像警鐘似的，能把世上凡夫從夢中驚醒。
「一條手巾了生死」：當淨寶禪師去見石雨禪師時，他什麼都沒有，只有一條手巾；就用這條手巾表現出他已經開悟了，已經了生脫死了。
「百千三昧化群萌」：經過無數次那麼久的修煉，他深入了三昧的境界，所以能教化我們這些普通人。
「高山仰止思不盡」：他的教化和他的慈悲像山那麼高。他的話教我們怎麼樣了生死。我們永遠不會忘記他，會記得他的慈悲。
「歲寒然後有青松」：天氣冷的時侯，很多樹都死了；可是松樹是越冷顏色越綠。
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A verse in praise says:
With one strike of the gong, his two ears went deaf.
He picked up the handkerchief and said it was very useful.
He sat on Elephant Peak until it toppled.
Like a colorful phoenix he soared through the air.
The waters ran deep: Every drop turned to ice.
Commentary:
With one strike of the gong, his two ears went deaf. He couldn't hear anything.
He picked up the handkerchief. Upon being asked what he had come for, the Master whipped out his handkerchief and said it was very useful. But you have to know how to use it. If you don't know how to use it, it's useless. But if you know how, it can be of use. Likewise, if you know how to use the Buddha nature, you can realize Buddhahood. If you don't know how, you can't.
He sat on Elephant Peak, the name of a mountain, until it toppled. This means his skill was mature and perfected. Thus, he was a "dragon and elephant", a leader of people, at four monasteries. He was the cream of the crop within Buddhism.
Like a colorful phoenix he soared through the air, flying back and forth.
The waters ran deep: The waters were very deep.
Every drop turned to ice. In other words, every person who studied under him became a worthy vessel for the Way. All his students became accomplished.
Another verse says:
Dull in nature and lacking intelligence.
He studied under Bianshan for a long time and worked diligently.
Uncut jade was polished into a priceless gem.
Pure gold was forged into a bell for warning the world.
With a handkerchief, he put an end to birth and death.
With millions of samadhis, he transformed the multitudes.
Gazing up at the high mountain, one muses endlessly.
After the chilly weather, the pines stay green.
Commentary:
Dull in nature and lacking intelligence. This is referring to Dhyana Master Tianyu (Dull in Nature) and implies that he was probably not too intelligent. However, he was a lot smarter than I am. Since he wasn't too bright, he studied under Master Bianshan for a long time and worked diligently. He applied himself with relentless vigor.
In polishing an iron pestle down to the size of a sewing needle,
When you have put in the required effort, the job will naturally be accomplished.
Uncut jade was polished into a priceless gem. A rough, unpolished piece of jade can be worked until it becomes an invaluable treasure.
Pure gold was forged into a bell for warning the world.
[Editor's note: It is not clear whether the following English commentary is a translation of the Master's commentary or someone else's explanation.] Rough, unrefined gold has dross and sand in it. If you want to purify it, you have to smelt it until the dross is burned away and only the pure gold remains. That means the Master's lectures are like the sound of a bell that can awaken us common people from our dreams.
With a handkerchief, he put an end to birth and death. When the Master went to see the Venerable Shiyu, he didn't have anything—only a handkerchief. With that handkerchief, he showed that he was already enlightened and had ended birth and death.
With millions of samadhis, he transformed the multitudes. With the high state of samadhi that he realized after lengthy practice, he was able to teach ordinary people like us.
Gazing up at the high mountain, one muses endlessly. His lectures and his kindness are like a high, high mountain. His words teach us to end birth and death, and we will never forget them. We will always remember his kindness.
After the chilly weather, the pines stay green. When the weather turns cold, many trees die. But the colder it gets, the greener the pine tree becomes. This represents the Master's austere practices which he maintained for a long time.
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