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師，諱弘曇，宇靈瑞，生青州蘇氏子。無嗜好，獨有出世志，稍長愈發憤。時嵩乳密和尚行道沃州，師棄家求剃度。一日趨座前，未及禮拜，嵩震威一喝，師頓釋所疑，踴躍而出，即南游。謁天童悟和尚。立石上，師作圓相呈之。悟顧視，師禮拜。悟驀頭一棒，師便喝。悟又打，師又喝，便出歸省沃州。遂蒙付囑，開法於報恩、菩提、卓錫。康熙辛亥冬，跌坐而逝。生萬曆壬寅，十一月十六日，世壽七十。塔全身於報恩之右。
這位是曹洞宗第七十一代的祖師。他的字；字就是他的號，叫靈瑞禪師。名字叫弘曇；曇就是曇花的曇。曇花是祥瑞的，很稀有的一種花，所以這位禪師也是很稀有的一位禪師。
「師諱弘曇」：諱，就是指他的名。為什麼說是諱呢？諱是避諱，就是說不敢稱他的名字，尊重他；諱字就是有尊重的意思在裡頭。他的「字」叫「靈瑞」。「生青州諸城」：這位禪師是山東青州人。青州那地方的人歡喜跟人打架，也很強硬的；諸城是一個縣城。「蘇氏子」：他的俗家姓。「無嗜好」：他一出生什麼也不歡喜，無嗜好並不是說什麼都沒有。他所歡喜的「獨有出世志」：他天天所想的就是要出家，旁的他都看得不重要。「稍長愈發憤」：等他年紀愈長大的時候，這個志願更堅。
「不貪世緣」：對財、色、名、食、睡，這五欲他都不要了。在這「時」候有「嵩乳道密和尚行道沃州」：行道就是在那兒教化眾生，弘揚佛法。「師棄家求剃度」：這時候弘曇禪師就離開了家，求剃度出家做和尚。
「一日」：有一天。「趨座前」：他到方文和尚的座位前面。「未及禮拜」：他叩頭還沒叩下去呢。「嵩震威一喝」：這個嵩乳和尚，就是這位道密和尚，大喝了一聲，發發威好像獅子吼似的。「師頓釋所疑」：他一聽喊的這一聲，把以前的疑情，以前所不明白的都明白了。「踴躍而出」：他很高興，歡喜得幾幾乎要跳起來了。可是這並不是一定跳起來，就是歡喜得要跳起來的模樣。
「即南游」：於是乎他到南方那兒去當參學去了。「謁天童悟和尚」：到了天童寺去見悟和尚。「立石上」：這位悟和尚這時候正在石頭上站著。「師做圓相呈之」：這時候他也很調皮的，就對著悟和尚畫了一圓圈，就是送為禮物了。
「悟顧視師」：他在虛空裡頭畫個圓圈，悟和尚被他蒙住了，看看他畫什麼。然後他看（悟和尚）沒有注意的時候，就跪下去了。跪下去麼樣呢？
「師禮拜」：就給他叩頭。這個悟和尚一看這個人真是混帳到極點，該打了。拿起了禪杖，照頭上就打了一棒！「悟驀頭一棒，師便喝」：這打了他一下，他（弘曇禪師）就大叫一聲。「悟」和尚「又打」：那悟和尚又打了，弘曇禪師又出聲了。悟和尚又打，師又喝；這當面關是不容易過的。「便出」：於是乎他（弘曇禪師）就出去了。
「師歸省沃州」：他又回到沃州那兒去見嵩乳密和尚。「遂蒙付囑」：這時候嵩乳和尚也看他出去當參學回來了，也真正明白了，於是就傳授心法給他。「開法於報恩」：他在報恩寺那兒弘揚佛法，或者「菩提」寺，或者「卓錫」寺，有好幾個地方。
「康熙辛亥冬」：康熙辛亥那年(1671)冬天。「趺坐而逝」：這一段文我們大家要注意；注意什麼呢？注意這趺坐而逝；這是坐脫，就是坐下去就圓寂了。這坐著圓寂，不是誰都可以辦到的。你平時如果沒有功夫，不要說你坐著那麼無疾而終，你就是躺在那個地方也死不了；活也活不成，在那病著呻吟，很苦惱的。所以修道的人就在這臨命終的時候才能見他們有沒有功夫。平時各種攀緣，各種化緣，各種求緣，等到臨命終的時候手忙腳亂。那時候，到什麼地方去也不知道；從什麼地方來也不知道，這就是白到世界上來一次。出家人為什麼要出家這麼苦幹呢？為什麼要忍人所不能忍？讓人所不能讓？吃人所不能吃？受人所不能受？為什麼要這樣也不貪、也無所求、也不爭、也不自私、也不打妄語呢？就因為要了生脫死。
了生脫死，不是說一說就可以了的，一定要有真實的工夫。好像他這麼坐著含笑而去結雙跏趺坐，大家還講笑呢就走了。這多灑脫！多自由！修行就要修得來明去白。來明，我知道我是什麼地方來的；去白，我不是到黑暗的地方而是到光明的地方。我去的地方不是三塗——地獄、餓鬼、畜生，也不是升天而是到極樂世界，到常寂光淨土。
你想要去常寂光淨土得到無餘涅槃，你今世必須要時時刻刻檢點自己；不能有絲毫的毛病，不能有絲毫的虛偽，處要腳踏實地認真學習。我們習氣毛病總是不能改，總是自私自利在哪兒向外馳求。因為這樣，所以又爭又貪，結果把自己一生的光陰都空過了，沒有什麼大意思。你爭，你貪財，等死了也帶不去；貪色死了也是空的；貪名，死了這個名也還回去了；你貪吃好東西，等到死了什麼味道也沒有；你貪睡，等到長眠地下叫你永遠地睡在那兒，睡也睡不醒。所以財色名食睡這地獄五條根，都要不貪了。
待續
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Text:
TheMaster'sname was Hongtan; his title was Lingrui. He was born into
the Su Family in the City of Zhu, Qin Province. The Master had no
particular inclinations other than the aspiration to transcend the
world. When he grew older, he became even more vigorous in this pursuit.
When High Master Songru Daomi was practicing the Way in Wo District,
the Master left home and sought to have his head shaved. One day he
approached High Master Songru. Even before he had a chance to bow,
however, Master Songru let out an imposing roar that resolved all of
the Master's doubts. Master Lingrui jumped for
joy. He then proceeded southward to visit High Master Wu at Tiantong.
High Master Wu was standing on a rock at the time. Master Lingrui drew
a circle and presented it to the High Master.As Wu observed the Master,
the Master bowed in respect. Wu suddenly struck the Master on his head,
so the Master shouted. Wu beat the Master again. The Master yelled
again.
Afterwards, the Master left and returned to Wo District. There High
Master Songru instructed the Master to propagate the Dharma at Bao'en,
Bodhi, and Zhuoxi onasteries.
In the winter of the year xinhai [1671]during the Kangxi reign
period, the Master died while sitting in meditation. The Master was
born on the sixteenth of the eleventh month in the year renyin [1602]
during the Wanli reign period. He lived to the age of seventy. A stupa
housing his whole body was built to the right of Bao'en Monastery.
Commentary:
The Master was a Patriarch of
the 71st generation of Caodong Sect.
His title was Dhyana Master Lingrui. His name was Hongtan. Tan
refers to the
night-blooming cereus. The cereus is an auspicious and rare flower,
symbolizing the rarity of this Dhyana Master.
The Master's name was
Hongtan. In Chinese the word hui, meaning to shun the use
of, is used before the
name to signify that one should avoid saying his personal name. Why was
the author afraid to mention the Master's name? Out of respect.
However, his title was Lingrui (Efficacious Portent), because
the cereus is an auspicious portent and a rare flower. He was born
into the Su Family in the City of Zhu, Qin Province. This Dhyana
Master was a native of Shandong, Qin Province. The people of Qin
Province are tough and like to fight. They have stubborn dispositions.
The City of Zhu is a town in the province. His family name was Su.
The Master had no particular
inclinations.Ever since he was born, he didn't like anything in
particular. It's not that
he had no habits whatsoever. He didn't care about much, other than
the aspiration to transcend the world. All he thought about every
day was leaving home. Nothing else was important to him. When he
grew older, he became even more vigorous in this pursuit. When he
got older, he became even more resolved and diligent in pursuing this
goal. He was not greedy for the conditions of this world. He didn't
want any of the five desires: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. When
High Master Songru Daomi was practicing the Way in Wo District, the
Master left home and sought to have his head shaved. At this time,
Dhyana Master Hongtan left home and requested to have his head shaved
and become a monk.
One day he approached High
Master Songru. He headed to where the Abbot sat. Even before
he had a chance to bow, just
as he was about to prostrate, however, Master Songru let out an
imposing roar. High Master Songru Daomi let out a loud bellow,
showing his might the way lions roar. That resolved all of the
Master's doubts. That shout chased away all his doubts. He
suddenly understood everything he didn't understand before. Master
Lingrui jumped for joy. He was so happy that he practically
jumped. He didn't literally jump, but he was so happy that he looked as
if he wanted to jump.
He then proceeded southward. Then
he went to study in the south. He went to visit High Master Wu at
Tiantong.He went to Tiantong Monastery to see the High
Master there. High Master Wu was standing on a rock at the time.
Master Lingrui drew a
circle and presented it to the High Master. The Dhyana Master was
quite playful, drawing a circle and presenting it as a gift to High
Master Wu.
As Wu observed the Master. The
Master drew a circle in thin air and High Master Wu was tricked into
checking out what he was drawing. When High Master Wu was not paying
attention, the
Master knelt and bowed in respect. He prostrated to High
Master Wu. High Master Wu thought, "This person is extremely naughty;
he deserves a beating." Wu suddenly struck the Master on his head. He
took his Dhyana staff and struck the Master on his head! So the
Master shouted. Since the Master yelled, Wu beat the Master
again. The Master yelled again. Since he was beaten, he let out
another cry. That test was not easy to pass.
Afterwards, the Master left
and returned to Wo District. He went back to Wo District to see
High Master Songru
Daomi. There High Master Songru instructed the Master. At that
time, High Master Songru saw that the Master had completed his studies
and had truly understood, so he transmitted the Mind-Dharma to him. He instructed
the Master to propagate the Dharma at Bao'en, Bodhi, and Zhuoxi
Monasteries, and many other places.
In the winter of the year xinhai[1671]
during the Kangxi reign period, the Master died while sitting in
meditation. We should pay attention to this passage. Pay attention
to what? Pay attention to how he died while sitting in meditation. This
is called "sitting liberation," entering perfect stillness while
sitting. Not everyone can do this. If you usually lack skill, you can
forget sitting and dying free of disease—you can hardly lie there and
die. You feel as if you cannot die and cannot live because you're
embroiled in illness and pain. Thus, you can tell whether someone has
true skill when he is at the brink of death. If you climb on conditions
and beg from everyone, then you will lose your bearings when you're
about to die. You certainly won't know where you came from and where
you'll go. You'll have wasted your time coming to this world. Why do
monks and nuns leave home and practice in bitterness? Why do they
endure what others cannot endure, yield what others cannot yield, eat
what others cannot eat, and suffer what others cannot suffer? Why
should they not fight, not be greedy, not seek, not be selfish, not
pursue personal advantage, and not lie? Why should they be this way? To
leave the cycle of birth and death.
Leaving the cycle of birth and
death doesn't happen just with a few words. You must have true skill.
True skill is
the ability to sit and die with a smile on your face like this Master
did. He passed away while sitting in the full lotus posture and joking
with everyone. See how free and at ease he was. To cultivate is to
cultivate to the extent that you understand your own coming and going.
I know where I came from and know that I will head to a bright spot and
not a dark place. I'm not going to the three evil paths of hells,
hungry ghosts and animals. I'm also not ascending to the heavens.
Instead I'm going to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is the Pure Land
of Eternal Tranquility and Light.
If you want to go to the Pure
Land of Eternal Tranquility and Light and attain the most supreme
Nirvana, the Nirvana
of non-residue, then you must constantly check on yourself. You cannot
have the slightest flaw, the slightest bit of pretense. You must be
grounded in every step of studies; otherwise, your habits and flaws are
hard to correct. People always selfishly seek for things outside; for
that reason, they fight and covet things, and waste an entire lifetime.
Such a life is not particularly meaningful. You may fight for and hoard
money; but in the end, you cannot take any of it with you. Sex is empty
at death. You may covet fame, but you have to return your fame when you
die. You may have a huge appetite for tasty foods now, but when you die
you won't recognize any taste. If you're greedy for sleep now, when you
die you may hibernate underground. You may sleep forever and never
awake. Wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep are the five roots of the
hells, and you should not be greedy for any of them.
To be
continued
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