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淨符禪師喜愛浙江的山水，認為風光美妙，是個優山美地。加州的華人將Yosemite這有山有水、風光美妙地方，翻譯成「優山美地」，是很妙的。淨符禪師就在浙江住山了。住在什麼山？白巖。栖，本來是日落西山，鳥飛回樹上止息了，在這裏是說「住下來」。淨符禪師在白巖住下來，不走了；由於他是個有修行的道人，沒幾年，從四面八方就湧來許多仰慕他的學子，都聚集在他的法座下，要向他請益、討教。
淨符禪師著述了〈法門總系〉的書，把宗派源流詳細說明，因此聲名傳播天下；四方出家人奔走前來的，就好像百川匯流到大海似的。後來他示現有些小病，就圓寂了，骨灰放到寺右邊的塔裏供奉著。塔，在這裹當做動詞用，就是把骨灰放到塔裏。
讃曰：
聞師之名 玉振金聲
聆師之語 電閃雷轟
眼底爍爍 胸次空空
瞻仰莫及 儼若神龍
注釋：
「聞師之名」：聽到淨符禪師的名號。
「玉振金聲」：這是說他成就卓越，集各家的大成。「金聲」的「聲」，本來是個「宣」字，當「開音」講；「振」就是「合音」。中國交響樂團演奏時，通常都用響亮的金屬樂器來宣導、開啟樂章，所以叫「金宣」。等到八音齊奏，調理分明時，就用玉石的樂器來收束各音，使各種聲音和鳴共振，以至於曲終，這叫「玉振」
。像我們梵唱時，都用鐘來開音，敲大磬來收韻，道理也是一樣的。以前孟子稱讚孔子「玉振金聲」，集諸子百家學術的大成；這裏是稱讚淨符禪師參了許多老師，得到他們的精華，集各家的大成了。所以聽到淨符禪師的大名，眞是如雷灌耳，他很出名的。
「聆師之語」：聆聽大師的教誨。
「電閃雷轟」：就好像電光閃閃，雷聲隆隆，會教人嚇一跳的。
「眼底爍爍」：他的眼睛炯炯有神，好像會發光似的。
「胸次空空」：胸次，就是胸中。淨符禪師的胸懷坦蕩蕩，沒有執著。他什麼都空了，但空了，還不執著那個「空」。
「瞻仰莫及」：大家都仰望著他，都趕不上他。
「儼若神龍」：儼，就是很整齊的樣子 。這是說他很有威儀的，就好像一條神龍似的，見首不見尾，令人莫測高深。
或說偈曰：
問誰是我我是誰 騎驢覓驢枉尋追
博山弁山難陟屺 五峰九峰易升回
白嚴佳勝成蘭若 綠竹茂密饗光輝
凈符普化三干界 神龍變幻入玄微
注釋：
「問誰是我我是誰」：參那個「念佛是誰」、「誰是我本來面目」的話頭。
「騎驢覓驢枉尋追」：就好像已經騎在驢上，自己不知道，還到處去找：「咦？我的那頭驢哪兒去了？在哪兒呢？」就四處去找，不知道迴光反照。每天向外去找去；找、找、找，也找不著自己本來面目，所以就枉。枉，就是浪費。浪費什么呢？把時光也浪費了，把命光也空過了，嗐！什么也追尋不到！所以修道的人，要儻得放下；沒有執著，當下就見著本來面目。若是和那笨鳥一樣，只知緊緊啣著，終究不知梨是什么滋味，也就是隻笨鳥了！
「博山弁山難陟屺」：這「陟岵、屺」，本是〈詩經〉裏的一首詩。陟岵、屺，都是小山坡的意思。說我爬上小山坡，瞻望父母，想起臨行父母的告誡，要我努力向前，晝夜不息。在這裏是說，凈符禪師謹守他兩個師父——博山和弁山的教誡，再怎么樣艱難，也不鬆懈，就這么的緊用功。
「五峰九峰易升回」：就因為淨符禪師這麼的緊用功，所以很快就有了成就，不管是五峰老人或九峰和尚，他都趕上去了。
「白巖佳勝成蘭若」：在白巖這優山美地，他住山傳教，聚集前來學習的學子，很快就形成了一個大叢林。蘭若，是指清淨修行的道場。
「綠竹茂密養光輝」：在山裏頭，到處是翠綠的竹子，他在那裏專一其心地修行，涵養他的光輝。
「淨符普化三千界」：淨符禪師普遍地教化三千大千世界。你不要以為淨符禪師單單教化他座下的那些徒眾，他的影響是很深遠廣大的。
「神龍變幻入玄微」：淨符禪師的境界，就好像千變萬化的神龍一樣玄妙不可測。
（全文完）
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Adoring the marvelous
mountains and waters of Zhejiang,
Dhyana Master considered its scenery beautiful,
like that of
Yosemite. It's quite wonderful that the Chinese
people in California
transliterated Yosemite, known for the scenic beauty of its mountains and
waters, with the Chinese words meaning "excellent mountains
and beautiful land." Thus
he, Dhyana Master
Jingfu, settled
in Zhejiang. At which mountain?
At White Cliffs.
The character for "settled" is an allusion to birds flying
to their trees at sunset and settling down to rest. Dhyana
Master Jingfu settled down at White Cliffs to live and did
not go elsewhere. Since he was a cultivator of the Way,
in just a few years'
time, he gathered a large following. Many admiring
students flocked from every direction to convene beneath his
Dharma seat, in order to inquire from him and receive his
instruction. He wrote
A Compendium of Dharma
Lineages. He explained in detail the lineages of the
various sects in that book, which
won him widespread
renown. His fame spread throughout the country.
Monks from the four
quarters quickly flocked to him as the hundred streams flow
into the great ocean. Later,
showing signs of a
slight illness, he entered complete stillness. His remains,
his ashes, were
housed in a stupa
to the right of the monastery.
A verse in praise says:
Hearing the Master's name-
Chiming jade and resounding brass.
Listening to the Master's words-
Flashing lightning and roaring thunder.
Brilliant were his eyes;
Empty was his heart.
Matchless was he, admired by all-
Majestic as a divine dragon.
Commentary:
Hearing the Master's
name-the
name of Dhyana Master Jingfu-chiming jade and resounding brass. This expresses that his
achievements were outstanding. He was able to merge the
accomplishments of various teachers. In the original quote,
the word "proclaiming" instead of "resounding" was used and
referred to the opening notes of a piece of music. "Chiming" refers to harmonizing the sounds.When a
Chinese symphony performed,usually the resounding brass
instruments would open the piece, hence the phrase,"
proclaiming brass".When the "eight sounds" were all
playing,each sounding distinctly,jade and stone instruments
would be used to harmonize all the instruments so that they
resonated together to the end of the piece,hence the phrase,
"chiming jade".It's the same principle in our Buddhist
ceremonies,for example,where we always begin with the bell
and end with the da qing,the large,bowl-like instrument. Mencius in the past used the
phrase"chiming jade and resounding brass"to praise
Confucius, who had collected and absorbed the great
scholarly accomplishments of the various philosophers.
Here,the text praises Dhyana Master Jingfu for having
studied with numerous masters and acquired the essence of
their teachings. Thus, hearing his illustrious name was like
hearing the rumbling of thunder;that's how renowned he was.
Listening to the Master's words,to the Great Master's teachings,was like experiencing
flashing lightning
and roaring thunder-a scary experience.
Brilliant were his eyes;his eyes were full of spirit and seemed to glow.Empty was his heart. However,Dhyana Master Jingfu had a very open
mind and no attachments.He saw everything as empty,yet was
not attached to emptiness either.
Matchless was he,admired by all.Everyone looked up to him,but no one could catch up
with him.Majestic as
a divine dragon.He had the awesome demeanor of a
spiritual dragon-you can see its head ,but not its
tail;people could not fathom his loftiness or profundity.
Another verse says:
Asking who am I? I am who?
He
sought in vain for his donkey while riding upon it!
Mount Bo and Mount Bian he climbed with difficulty.
Five Peaks and Nine Peaks he ascended with ease.
In
the beautiful White Cliffs,he built his aranya
And nurtured his brilliance among the flourishing green
bamboo.
Jingfu universally transformed the trichiliocosm.
Mysterious and magical-the divine dragon's transformations.
Commentary:
Asking who am I? I am who? He investigated the meditation topic,"who is
mindful of the Buddha?""what is my original face?"
He
sought in vain for his donkey while riding upon it!It
was as if he were riding upon a donkey without realizing
it,and searching everywhere for his donkey:" Oh, where is my
donkey? Where has it gone?"He went looking everywhere for
it.Instead of turning his attention inward,he went out daily
searching, searching, searching...but could not find his
original face(his true identity).Thus the verse says"in
vain".He wasted his time and squandered his life in vain.His
search was fruitless.So,cultivators of the Way must know how
to let go of things and not get attached.Then
they will
see their original face right there. If, however, one
emulates the dumb bird that only knew how to carry the pear
but didn't know what it tasted like, then one is no better
than the dumb bird!
Mount Bo and Mount Bian he
climbed with difficulty. This is an
allusion to a verse in the
Book of Odes about
someone climbing a hill to gaze in the direction of his
parents, recollecting the advice his parents had given him
when he set forth on his journey: to strive to make progress
without ever resting. Dhyana Master Jingfu diligently heeded
the instruction and admonishments of his two teachers,
Masters Boshan (Mount Bo) and Bianshan (Mount Bian). No
matter how difficult it was, he never slacked off. That's
how diligent he was.
Five Peaks and Nine Peaks
he ascended with ease.
Due to his hard work, Dhyana Master Jingfu became
accomplished very quickly. Whether it was Elder Five Peaks
or Venerable Nine Peaks (Jiufeng), he was able to catch up
with them.
In the beautiful White
Cliffs, he built his
aranya.
In the "Yosemite" of White Cliffs, he dwelt in the
mountains and propagated the teachings. As more and more
students flocked to him, his place soon became a large
monastic community. An
aranya is a pure Bodhimanda where people can cultivate.
And nurtured his brilliance
among the flourishing green bamboo.
Verdant bamboo grew abundantly in the mountains. In their
midst, he concentrated single-mindedly on his practice and
nurtured his light.
Dhyana Master Jingfu
universally transformed the trichiliocosm. Don't assume
that he only taught those disciples who studied with him;
his influence was very profound, vast, and far-reaching.
Mysterious and magical-the
divine dragon's transformations.
Dhyana Master Jingfu's state of mind was as mysterious,
profound, and unfathomable as the ten thousand
transformations of a divine dragon.
(The End)
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