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師生崇禎甲戌，淮郡袁氏子。九歲隨父禮菩提密和尚出家。初生時不食乳，母焚香拜禱許蔬食，方受乳。年十二，聞菩提示人參禪，遂躍然心動。領話頭，日夜參究。丙申春，參睡翁依和尚於報恩寺。凡見問話者，輒痛打之。有省，遂遍參諸方。謁天童忞和尚，纔禮拜，童便打。師曰，門庭施設已見和尚妙手堂奧中事。更請垂示，童又打。師頓覺身心泰然。歸禮依和尚，嗣其法。初住文殊，嗣住湖心。集續近代尊宿錄行於世。
註解：
這是七十二世曹洞宗的祖師，他名字叫古巖，又有一個號叫興莞禪師。這位禪師生在明末崇禎甲戌那一年（1634）。「淮郡袁氏子」：就是淮河那個地方，姓袁的，和袁世凱有沒有關係，這不知道。「九歲隨父禮菩提密和尚出家。」「初生時不食乳」：在他剛剛出生的時候不食乳，大約沒有餓怕了，沒有餓得想吃東西。不吃，他母親就受不了了，小孩子不吃乳，這會餓死。你看，黃果君那位女孩子也是不吃乳的，但是她這媽媽不像這個媽媽這麼迷信，焚香禱告叫他吃齋，所以她到現在也沒吃齋。
「母焚香拜禱許蔬食，方受乳」：答應叫他吃齋，以後他就吃奶了。等了九歲，家裏大約半迷信不迷信，認為這個小孩子吃齋，這是大約應該出家吧？所以他爸爸也就迷迷糊糊的就帶他到這地方拜菩提密做師父，就出家了，回去被他媽媽一定大罵了一頓。那麼「禮菩提密和尚出家。年十二，聞菩提示人參禪」，教人怎麼樣參禪修行。「遂躍然心動」：躍躍欲試。「我也要試試，我也要參禪。」一定小孩子很天真。「師父、師父，我也要參禪，不參禪我就不吃飯囉。」那麼師父一看，這個小孩子一生下來不吃乳，現在也不吃飯。那好了，就教他一個話頭。
什麼話頭呢？就教他或者參「唸佛是誰」，或者參「如何是父母未生以前本來的面目」，又或者參「為什麼生出來不吃奶。」這種種的話頭，要參一參「你出生為什麼不吃奶？」他一想，為什麼？他自己不明白；不明白，所以就要參了。那麼「日夜參究」：他白天晚間都參這個話頭。
「丙申春」：丙申那年春天。「參睡翁」：睡翁，這一定很歡喜睡覺的。那麼他的話頭一定是「我怎樣能睡醒了」，這個話頭。「依和尚於報恩寺」：所以他拜依和尚，到那兒親近他於報恩寺。「凡見問話者」：因為他年紀很小的，在那兒當小侍者，有誰來請教睡翁，請他開示的，這就叫問話的。「輒痛打之」：這個依和尚說，「你來吵醒我，我在睡覺，你真討厭。」辟哩叭啦就一頓打。這因為他攪亂他不睡覺嘛！為什麼打？就為了這個。「有省」：他看看打人這法子也不錯的；一打人，人就什麼話也沒得講了。所以以後他就「遂遍參諸方」：到各處去當參學；到這個地方看看家風怎麼樣，到另外一個地方看看家風怎麼樣，到各地方當參學。
「謁天童忞和尚」：他又跑到天童寺親近忞和尚了。一定他也要嚐嚐那打的滋味。他說，我在菩提那兒看見人打，大約戲還沒看夠，所以他就又到天童那兒試試看，看看天童這個和尚打人是一種什麼味道？去到那兒，你猜怎麼樣呢？
「纔禮拜」：剛剛就叩頭禮拜的時候，這個天童忞和尚，你猜怎麼樣啊？「童便打」：老實不客氣就打。他拜還沒拜好呢，他就打起來。
「師曰」：這個興莞禪師就說了。「門庭施設已見」：說「你門庭這樣的家風我早就看過了。」這一類教化人的方法，我已經看過了。「和尚妙手，堂奧中事」：我已見和尚你的妙手，你這種教化人的方法。堂奧，就是你堂裏頭最奧妙的地方，我知道；這個中的事，我知道。「更請垂示」：我還請你給我講多一點開示。
「童又打」：好啊！這個忞和尚想，這好，你要多一點開示嘛，又打了。這回打得一定比以前更重了，所以「師頓覺身心泰然。」你瞧！被人打完了還身心泰然，覺得很舒服。他那時候大約想，「喔！這老和尚給我鬆骨呢，把我這個習氣毛病都給打跑了。」所以他那時候把所有的負擔都放下了。「歸禮依和尚」：他又回去到這個霸王這兒，又見這個睡翁了，看見睡翁還依然在那兒睡覺呢。
「嗣其法」：那麼問他說，「你這睡的法怎麼樣？可不可以傳給我？」所以這個睡翁說，「好！我把我的法傳給你。」那麼傳怎麼樣睡覺，我也不知道，因為當時這都是秘密法，你不要問我。
「初住文殊」：初一開始他住在文殊寺。「嗣住湖心」寺。「集續近代尊宿錄，行於世」：好像這個佛祖道影；不是高僧傳，就叫佛祖道影。他繼續又寫這個尊宿；尊就是很尊貴的，宿就是一些個明眼的善知識；錄到一起，給後人做一個榜樣，所以令行於世。
待續
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The Master was born the son of the Yuan family in the region of Huai, in the year of jiawu [1634], during the reign of Chongzhen. He became a monk at the age of nine when he accompanied his father to pay respects to the Venerable Putimi. He did not nurse when he was born, at first. He only began nursing when his mother lit incense, prayed, and vowed that he would be a vegetarian. At the age of twelve, he heard Putimi teach people how to meditate and his heart fluttered all of a sudden. Once having received a koan, he investigated the koan day and night. During the spring of binshen [1656], he visited the Sleeping Elder, Venerable Yi, at Bao'en (Repaying Kindness) Monastery. The Venerable One severely beat anyone who made an inquiry. Having learned his lesson, the Master began to travel. When he greeted the Venerable Ning of Tiantong, he was beaten as soon as he began to bow. Master Xingwan said, “1 have seen the secrets of the Wonderful Hands Hall according to your lineage. Please do instruct me further.” Tiantong beats him again. Instantaneously, the Master felt a sense of ease and relief in his body and mind. Therefore, the Master returned to bow to Monk Yi and to request his Dharma. Residing initially at Manjushri Monastery and thereafter at the Heart of the Lake Monastery, he continued to compile records of contemporary models of honor and circulated such writing around the world.
Commentary:
This is a patriarch of the seventy-second generation of the Caodong School. His name is Guyan (“Ancient Cliff”). He also has the title of Dhyana Master Xingguan. This Dhyana Master was bom
in the year of jiawu [1634], during the reign of Chongzheng near the end of Ming Dynasty.
The Master was born the son of the Yuan family in the region of Huai. The region of Huai is the area around the Huai River. His family name is Yuan. I don't know if he's related to Yuan Shikai.
He became a monk at the age of nine when he accompanied his father to pay respects to the Venerable Putimi. He did not nurse when he was born, at first. He refused to nurse when he was just born. He had never been starved before probably, so he didn't want to drink milk. His mother Couldn't stand the fact that he wasn't nursing, for she thought her baby would starve to death if he didn't drink any milk. Huang Guo Jun's daughter doesn't drink any milk either, but her mother isn't as superstitious as this mother—burning incense and praying and promising to raise him as a vegetarian. That's why Huang's daughter is still a non-vegetarian.
He only began nursing when his mother lit incense, prayed, and vowed that he would be a vegetarian. He began to drink milk only after his mother agreed that he would be a vegetarian. Being half superstitious, his family probably figured that since the child was vegetarian, he ought to become a monk. Therefore, at the age of nine, his father, being muddled, took him to Putimi as a pupil. He must have been chewed out by his wife when he went home.
At the age of twelve, he heard Putimi teach people how to meditate and cultivate,
and his heart fluttered all of a sudden. He was eager to try. “I want to try it. I want to investigate dhyana too.” This child was quite innocent, saying, “Master, Master, I want to investigate dhyana too. I won't eat if I don't get to investigate dhyana.” The Master must have seen how this child refused to drink milk when he was born and now would not eat meat, so he agreed to teach him a koan.
What koan did he teach him? Perhaps he taught him how to investigate, “Who is mindful of the Buddha?” or “What is my original face before my parents gave birth to me?” or “Why didn't I drink milk when I was born?” All these different koans are meditation topics. He couldn't figure out the answer to the question: “Why didn't 1 drink milk when I was born?” Since he didn't understand, he had to investigate it. Therefore,
he investigated the koan day and night.
During the spring of bingshen [1656], he visited the Sleeping Elder. The Sleeping Elder must have enjoyed sleeping. His koan must have been, “How can I wake up?”
Venerable Yi, at Bao'en (Repaying Kindness) Monastery. He took Venerable Yi for his teacher and drew near him at the Bao'en Monastery.
The Venerable One severely beat anyone who made an inquiry. Since he was quite young, he worked as a little attendant. Whoever come to ask the Sleeping Elder for instructions was severely beaten. Venerable Yi said, “I'm sleeping and you came to wake me up; you're really annoying.” The person making the inquiry received a good beating just like that. He disturbed the sleep of Venerable Yi, and that's why he was beaten.
Having learned his lesson. He saw that it wasn't so bad to be beaten. You're speechless once you're whacked. Henceforth,
he began to travel. He went to visit many places to learn the traditions of this lineage here and that lineage there.
When he greeted the Venerable Ning of Tiantong. He again ran to Tiantong Monastery to draw near Venerable Ning. He must've wanted to taste some beating. He said, “I saw how Putimi smacks people, but I haven't seen enough of those performances.” So he went to try it himself at Tiantong and experience exactly how it felt to be beaten by a monk. That's why he went there. Guess what happened after he went there?
He was beaten as soon as he bowed. Guess what Venerable Ning of Tiantong did? Without any politeness, he beat him before he was even finished with his prostrations.
Dhyana Master Xingguan said, “I have seen the monk's wonderful hands, the profundity of the hall. I have already seen the likes of such your tradition. I have seen these ways of teaching people. I have already noticed your wonderful hands, the way in which you teach and transform people. The profundity of the hall refers to the most profound aspect of your teaching, which I know.
Please do instruct me further.” I would like to request that you explain more of the meaning of your instruction for me.
Tiantong beat him again. “Okay,” Venerable Ning must have thought, “All right, since you want more instructions...” He beat him again. He must have hit him even harder that time. That's why,
instantaneously, the Master felt a sense of ease and relief in his body and mind. He felt a sense of ease and relief both physically and mentally when he had been beaten. He felt quite comfortable. He probably thought, “This old monk is loosening my joints for me, chasing away all of my habits and faults.” He must have put down all the burdens that he carried then.
Therefore, the Master returned to bow to Venerable Yi. He again went back to the tyrant, the Sleeping Elder, and saw that the Sleeping Elder was still there asleep.
...and to request his Dharma. The Master asked Putimi, “How's this dharma of sleeping? Can you pass this practice to me?” The Sleeping Elder said, “Okay! I will transmit my Dharma to you.” I don't know how he transmitted ways to sleep because they were all secret dharmas at the time, so don't ask me.
Residing initially at Manjushri Monastery and thereafter at the Heart of the Lake Monastery, he continued to compile records of contemporary models of honor and circulated such writings around the world. His writings were something similar to Lives of the Patriarchs, for instance. They resembled not Records of High Sanghans, but Lives of the Patriarchs. He continued to write about honorable Good Advisors whose visions are bright. He recorded and collected them as models for future generations. These writings were circulated throughout the world.
To be continued
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