Thirty-Two: Even a Mouse Protects the Dharma 三十二、鼠也护法
Teacher Qi Zhijun | 2018-06-23 | Download | AI assisted translation
| 〖公案原文〗 |
[Original Text of the Koan] |
| 福严置和尚，东川人。初游方见真如和尚，发明正见。在沩山知客寮立僧，因语言过失，乞退作园头，以赎其罪。真如云：“汝福薄，事园供众，乃所宜也。” |
Venerable Zhi of Fuyan was from Dongchuan. When he first traveled in search of instruction, he met Venerable Zhenru and realized right view. At Weishan, he served in the guestmaster’s quarters as a stand-in monk, holding the fly whisk and teaching on his master’s behalf. Because he made an error in speech, he asked to resign and become the garden steward in order to atone for his fault. Zhenru said, “Your blessings are slight. Tending the garden and providing for the community is what suits you.” |
| 终二年，求替，辞真如，要参真净、五祖去。真如云：“遍历诸方先圣遗範，汝行，勿迟。”首造洞山，室中相契，真净举领众立僧。久之，又至四祖宣和尚会中，时时到五祖相见，祖勘辨，果有过人处。五祖谓四祖曰：“置首座，丛林达士，何不举他首众？”四祖如其言。五祖亦上堂称其知见作略。 |
After two years, he asked for a replacement, bade farewell to Zhenru, and wished to go and study with Zhenjing and Wuzu. Zhenru said, “Travel everywhere and visit the exemplary sites of the former sages. Go on your way; do not delay.” He first went to Dongshan, where he and the master were in accord during private interviews. Zhenjing appointed him to lead the community as a stand-in monk. After a long time, he went again to the assembly of Master Zhongxuan of Sizhu. From time to time, he also went to see Wuzu. The patriarch examined and tested him and found that he indeed possessed exceptional ability. Wuzu said to Sizhu, “Zhi, the head-seat monk, is an accomplished person of the Chan communities. Why do you not appoint him to lead the assembly?” Sizhu followed his advice. Wuzu also praised his understanding and conduct in his Dharma-hall talks. |
| 有李修撰帅长沙，四祖以书荐之。未几福严虚席，平普融复荐人。帅曰：“当先应副四祖，”但寻书未见，不识名字。因对客坐次，有鼠从架上拖一轴书，送在面前，收视之，乃《四祖举置首座书》。帅异之，遂敦请。 |
Li Xiuzhuan was military commissioner of Changsha, and Sizhu recommended him in a letter. Before long, when Fuyan’s abbot’s seat became vacant, Ping Purong also recommended someone. The commissioner said, “We should first act on Sizhu’s recommendation.” But although they searched for the letter, they could not find it and did not know the recommended person’s name. Once, while he was seated with guests, a mouse dragged a scroll down from a shelf and brought it before him. When he opened and examined it, it proved to be the “Letter of Sizhu Recommending Head-Seat Monk Zhi.” The commissioner found this astonishing and therefore earnestly invited him. |
| 〖锯解秤砣〗 |
[Sawing Apart a Scale Weight] |
| 这则公案牵涉的人较多，先列出一段传承谱系，再一一对号入座。 |
This koan involves quite a number of people. Let us first set out part of the lineage chart, and then identify them one by one. |
| ┌→云居元祐→智海智清→四祖仲宣 |
┌→ Yunju Yuanyou → Zhihai Zhiqing → Sizhu Zhongxuan |
| ┌→（黄龙派）黄龙慧南┴→宝峰克文 |
┌→ (Huanglong branch) Huanglong Huinan ┴→ Baofeng Kewen |
| （临济宗）石霜楚圆─┼→（杨歧派）杨歧方会─→白云守端→五祖法演 |
(Linji school) Shishuang Chuyuan ─┼→ (Yangqi branch) Yangqi Fanghui ─→ Baiyun Shouduan → Wuzu Fayan |
| └─────→翠岩可真─→大沩慕哲→福严置和尚 |
└─────→ Cuiyan Kezhen ─→ Dawei Muzhe → Venerable Zhi of Fuyan |
| 文中的沩山、洞山、五祖、四祖都是地名，古时人名往往以地名称谓。大沩慕哲禅师，即潭州大沩慕哲真如禅师，沩山就是真如和尚那里。宝峰克文禅师，即隆兴府宝峰克文云庵真净禅师，又称“洞山文和尚”。五祖，是指五祖法演禅师。 |
The Weishan, Dongshan, Wuzu, and Sizhu mentioned in the text are all place names; in ancient times, people were often known by the names of places. Chan Master Dawei Muzhe was Chan Master Muzhe Zhenru of Dawei in Tanzhou; Weishan refers to the place where Venerable Zhenru resided. Chan Master Baofeng Kewen was Chan Master Kewen Yun’an of Baofeng in Longxing Prefecture, also known as “Venerable Wen of Dongshan.” Wuzu refers to Chan Master Wuzu Fayan. |
| 福严置和尚在大沩慕哲真如和尚座下发明正见，先是立僧秉拂，代师说法。后因言语有失，就辞职种菜去了，无怪乎真如和尚说他福薄。种了两年菜，求人接替，要去参访真净禅师和法演禅师。 |
Under Venerable Muzhe Zhenru at Dawei, Venerable Zhi of Fuyan realized right view. At first, he served as a stand-in monk, holding the fly whisk and teaching on his master’s behalf. Later, because he had erred in speech, he resigned and went to grow vegetables. No wonder Venerable Zhenru said that his blessings were slight. After growing vegetables for two years, he sought someone to replace him and wished to study with Chan Master Zhenjing and Chan Master Fayan. |
| 他师父嘱咐他：“你应该遍参诸方，快去吧，别耽误。”于是他出发了。首造洞山——先到真净禅师那里去；室中相契——入室小参，甚契真净宗旨。真净禅师又请他立僧秉拂，代为说法。 |
His teacher instructed him: “You should visit teachers everywhere. Go quickly; do not delay.” So he set out. “He first went to Dongshan” means that he first went to Chan Master Zhenjing. “They were in accord during private interviews” means that in private instruction he was deeply in accord with Zhenjing’s teaching. Chan Master Zhenjing again asked him to serve as a stand-in monk, holding the fly whisk and teaching on his behalf. |
| 就这样过了很长时间，他又到四祖仲宣禅师那里去，还时不时地跑到五祖法演禅师那里参访（两寺相距不远）。经法演禅师勘验，他果然有过人之处。 |
After a long time had passed, he went again to Chan Master Zhongxuan of Sizhu. He also visited Chan Master Wuzu Fayan from time to time, since the two monasteries were not far apart. After Chan Master Fayan examined him, he found that he indeed possessed exceptional ability. |
| 有一次，五祖法演见了四祖仲宣，便推荐说：“你那里的置首座，是丛林达士啊。你怎么不请他领众呢？”仲宣和尚采纳了法演禅师的意见，请他立僧秉拂，代为说法。哈哈！他已经在三个地方做第一座了。法演禅师也常常称赞他的知见和作略。 |
Once, when Wuzu Fayan met Sizhu Zhongxuan, he recommended him, saying: “Your head-seat monk Zhi is an accomplished person of the Chan communities. Why do you not ask him to lead the assembly?” Venerable Zhongxuan accepted Fayan’s advice and asked him to serve as a stand-in monk, holding the fly whisk and teaching on his behalf. Ha! He had already served as the head-seat monk in three places. Chan Master Fayan also frequently praised his understanding and conduct. |
| 四祖宣和尚曾向官府呈递过《四祖举置首座书》，若哪个道场缺少住持，推荐他去坐道场。 |
Chan Master Zhongxuan of Sizhu had once submitted to the authorities the “Letter of Sizhu Recommending Head-Seat Monk Zhi,” recommending that, should any practice center lack an abbot, he be appointed to preside over it. |
| 不久，福严禅寺有缺，官府认为应该先应付四祖宣和尚的推荐（可见各禅寺推荐者不少），但却找不到那封推荐信，忘记了推荐的是谁，就先把这事撂下了。 |
Before long, a vacancy arose at Fuyan Chan Monastery. The authorities believed they should first act on Sizhu Zhongxuan’s recommendation—evidently, many Chan monasteries had submitted recommendations—but they could not find the letter, had forgotten whom it recommended, and so set the matter aside. |
| 官府管这事的李帅，在接待客人的时候，看见一个老鼠从书架上衔过来一封信，一看，正是《四祖举置首座书》。老鼠竟能衔来荐书，李帅很惊奇，马上就写了聘书，请他住持福严道场。从此，置首座就成了福严置和尚。 |
While Li, the military commissioner responsible for this matter, was receiving guests, he saw a mouse carry a letter from the bookshelf. Upon looking at it, he found that it was precisely the “Letter of Sizhu Recommending Head-Seat Monk Zhi.” Li was greatly astonished that a mouse could carry a letter of recommendation. He immediately wrote a letter of appointment, inviting him to preside over the Fuyan practice center. From then on, Head-Seat Monk Zhi became known as Venerable Zhi of Fuyan. |
| 护法者何止菩萨，推出者何止龙天。即使老鼠，也懂得护法、懂得推出呢。（菩萨戒云：不得饲养猫狸。） |
Those who protect the Dharma are not limited to bodhisattvas, nor are those who promote it limited to dragons and devas. Even a mouse understands how to protect the Dharma and how to bring someone forward. (The Bodhisattva Precepts say: “One must not keep cats or civets.”) |
