[68] Sansheng Huiji and Huiran 【六八】三圣惠寂惠然
Verses on Ancient Cases by Chan Master Xuedou Chongxian, with Commentary by Chan Master Yuanwu Keqin | 2019-04-01 | Download | AI assisted translation
| 【六八】三圣惠寂惠然 |
[Case 68] Sansheng, Huiji, and Huiran |
| 垂示云：掀天关、翻地轴，擒虎兕、辨龙蛇。须是个活鱍鱍汉，始得句句相投、机机相应。且从上来什么人合恁么？请举看。 |
The Pointer says: “To overturn the gate of heaven and turn the axis of earth; to seize tigers and rhinoceroses, to distinguish dragons from snakes—one must be a lively, vigorous fellow. Only then can every word correspond and every opportunity accord. But tell me, who among those of old was capable of this? Please cite an example and look.” |
| 【六八】举： |
[Case 68] The Case: |
| 仰山问三圣：汝名什么？【名实相夺。勾贼破家。】 |
Yangshan asked Sansheng, “What is your name?” [Name and reality are mutually wrested away. Hooking the thief, he ruins the household.] |
| 圣云：惠寂。【坐断舌头。搀旗夺鼓。】 |
Sansheng said, “Huiji.” [He cuts off the tongue at its source, seizing the banner and taking the drum.] |
| 仰山云：惠寂是我。【各自守封疆。】 |
Yangshan said, “Huiji is I.” [Each guards his own territory.] |
| 圣云：我名惠然。【闹市里夺去彼此。却守本分。】 |
Sansheng said, “My name is Huiran.” [In the bustling marketplace, he takes away both self and other, yet remains within his proper place.] |
| 仰山呵呵大笑。【可谓是个时节。锦上铺花。天下人不知落处。何故土广人稀？相逢者少。一似岩头笑，又非岩头笑。一等是笑，为什么却作两段？具眼者始定当看。】 |
Yangshan gave a hearty laugh. [It may be called the right moment: flowers laid upon brocade. No one in the world knows where it lands. Why? The land is vast and people are few; those who meet are rare. It resembles Yantou’s laugh, yet it is not Yantou’s laugh. Both are laughter; why, then, are they made into two different things? Only one with discerning eyes can judge.] |
| 三圣是临济下尊宿，少具出群作略，有大机、有大用，在众中昂昂藏藏，名闻诸方。后辞临济，遍游淮海到处丛林，皆以高宾待之。 |
Sansheng was a revered elder in Linji’s lineage. From an early age he displayed abilities that set him apart from the crowd; he possessed great capacity and great function. Among the assembly he was imposing and self-assured, and his reputation was known in every quarter. Later, after taking leave of Linji, he traveled throughout the Huai and Hai regions. Wherever he went, the monasteries received him as an honored guest. |
| 自向北至南方，先造雪峰，便问：“透网金鳞，未审以何为食？”峰云：“待汝出网来，即向汝道。”圣云：“一千五百人善知识，话头也不识。”峰云：“老僧住持事繁。 |
Traveling from north to south, he first visited Xuefeng and immediately asked, “When a golden-scaled fish has passed through the net, what does it take for food?” Xuefeng said, “When you have come out of the net, I shall tell you.” Sansheng said, “A good teacher of fifteen hundred people, yet you do not even recognize the critical phrase.” Xuefeng said, “This old monk is burdened with the many affairs of an abbot.” |
| ”峰往寺庄，路逢猕猴，乃云：“这猕猴各各佩一面古镜。”圣云：“历劫无名，何以彰为古镜？”峰云：“瑕生也。”圣云：“一千五百人善知识，话头也不识。”峰云：“罪过！老僧住持事繁。” |
As Xuefeng was going to the monastery estate, he encountered a monkey and said, “Each of these monkeys wears an ancient mirror.” Sansheng said, “Nameless throughout countless kalpas—how can it be called an ancient mirror?” Xuefeng said, “A flaw has arisen.” Sansheng said, “A good teacher of fifteen hundred people, yet you do not even recognize the critical phrase.” Xuefeng said, “My fault! This old monk is burdened with the many affairs of an abbot.” |
| 后至仰山，山极爱其俊利，待之于明窗下。一日有官人来参仰山，山问：“官居何位？”云：“推官。”山竖起拂子云：“还推得这个么？”官人无语。众人下语，俱不契仰山意。时三圣病在延寿堂，仰山令侍者持此语问之，圣云：“和尚有事也。”再令侍者问：“未审有什么事？”圣云：“再犯不容！”仰山深肯之。 |
Later he came to Yangshan. Yangshan greatly cherished his keen ability and lodged him beneath the bright window. One day an official came to consult Yangshan. Yangshan asked, “What post do you hold?” The official replied, “Investigating magistrate.” Yangshan raised his whisk and said, “Can you investigate this?” The official had no reply. Everyone in the assembly offered comments, but none accorded with Yangshan’s intent. At that time Sansheng was ill and staying in the Hall of Prolonged Life. Yangshan had an attendant take this question to ask him. Sansheng said, “The Master has something on his hands.” Yangshan again had the attendant ask, “What, then, does the Master have on his hands?” Sansheng said, “A second offense will not be tolerated!” Yangshan deeply approved of him. |
| 百丈当时以禅板蒲团付黄檗，拄杖拂子付沩山，沩山后付仰山。仰山既大肯三圣，圣一日辞去，仰山以拄杖拂子付三圣。圣云：“某甲已有师。”仰山诘其由，乃临济的子也。 |
At that time Baizhang gave the Chan board and meditation cushion to Huangbo, and the staff and whisk to Guishan; Guishan later gave them to Yangshan. Once Yangshan had fully approved of Sansheng, Sansheng took leave one day, and Yangshan gave him the staff and whisk. Sansheng said, “I already have a teacher.” Yangshan questioned him about it and learned that he was Linji’s true heir. |
| 只如仰山问三圣“汝名什么”，他不可不知其名，何故更恁么问？所以，作家要验人，得知子细。只似等闲问云“汝名什么”，更道无计较。何故三圣不云“惠然”，却道“惠寂”？看他具眼汉，自然不同。 |
Now, when Yangshan asked Sansheng, “What is your name?” he could not possibly have been unaware of Sansheng’s name. Why, then, did he ask in this way? A master craftsman tests a person in order to know him thoroughly. It seemed merely an ordinary question—“What is your name?”—with no calculation behind it. Why did Sansheng not say, “Huiran,” but instead say, “Huiji”? Observe how those with discerning eyes are naturally different. |
| 三圣恁么，又不是颠。一向搀旗夺鼓，意在仰山语外。此语不堕常情，难为摸索。这般汉手段，却活得人。所以道，他参活句，不参死句。若顺常情，则歇人不得。看他古人念道如此，用尽精神，始能大悟。既悟了，用时还同未悟时人相似。随分一言半句，不得落常情。 |
Sansheng’s response was not crazed. From beginning to end, he was seizing the banner and taking the drum; his intent lay beyond Yangshan’s words. This saying does not fall into ordinary sentiment and is difficult to grasp. The methods of such a man can bring others to life. Therefore it is said that he investigates living phrases, not dead phrases. If one follows ordinary sentiment, one cannot bring anyone to rest. See how the people of old devoted themselves to the Way in this manner, exhausting all their spirit before they could attain great awakening. Once awakened, however, they still appeared, in their functioning, much like those who had not yet awakened. In whatever fitting word or half-phrase they spoke, they could not fall into ordinary sentiment. |
| 三圣知他仰山落处，便向他道“我名惠寂”。仰山要收三圣，三圣倒收仰山。仰山只得就身打劫道“惠寂是我”，是放行处。三圣云：“我名惠然”，亦是放行。所以雪窦后面颂云“双收双放若为宗”，只一句内一时颂了。 |
Sansheng knew where Yangshan’s words landed, so he said to him, “My name is Huiji.” Yangshan wanted to take in Sansheng, but Sansheng instead took in Yangshan. Yangshan could only rob him on the spot, saying, “Huiji is I.” This was an act of letting go. Sansheng’s saying, “My name is Huiran,” was likewise an act of letting go. Therefore Xuedou later praised it, saying, “How can dual taking in and dual letting go become the principle?” In this one line, he praised both at once. |
| 仰山呵呵大笑，也有权有实、也有照有用。为他八面玲珑，所以用处得大自在。这个笑与岩头笑不同，岩头笑有毒药，这个笑，千古万古清风凛凛地。 |
Yangshan’s hearty laugh also contained the provisional and the real, illumination and function. Because he was adept on all sides, his functioning attained great freedom. This laugh differs from Yantou’s laugh: Yantou’s laugh contains poison, whereas this laugh has, through a thousand ages and ten thousand ages, the bracing clarity of a pure wind. |
| 雪窦颂云： |
Xuedou’s verse says: |
| 双收双放若为宗，【知他有几人？八面玲珑。将谓真个有恁么事。】 |
How can dual taking in and dual letting go become the principle? [How many are there who know this? Adept on all sides. One might suppose there were truly such a thing.] |
| 骑虎由来要绝功。【若不是顶门上有眼、肘臂下有符，争得到这里！骑则不妨，只恐尔下不得。不是恁么人，争明恁么事！】 |
To ride a tiger has always required consummate mastery. [Unless one has an eye atop one’s head and a talisman beneath one’s elbow, how could one reach this point? Riding it is no obstacle; one need only fear that you cannot get down. If you are not such a person, how could you understand such a matter?] |
| 笑罢不知何处去，【尽四百军州觅恁么人，也难得。言犹在耳。千古万古有清风。】 |
When the laughter ceased, none knew where they had gone. [Search all the four hundred prefectures and military districts for such a person, and one would still be hard to find. The words still ring in one’s ears. Through a thousand ages and ten thousand ages, there is a pure wind.] |
| 只应千古动悲风。【如今在什么处？咄！既是大笑，为什么却动悲风？大地黑漫漫。】 |
It can only stir a mournful wind through the ages. [Where are they now? Bah! Since it was a hearty laugh, why does it instead stir a mournful wind? The great earth is dark and vast.] |
| “双收双放若为宗”，放行互为宾主。仰山云“汝名什么”，圣云“我名惠寂”，是双放。仰山云“惠寂是我”，圣云“我名惠然”，是双收。其实是互换之机，收则大家收，放则大家放，雪窦一时颂尽了也。 |
“How can dual taking in and dual letting go become the principle?” In letting go, host and guest exchange with one another. When Yangshan said, “What is your name?” and Sansheng answered, “My name is Huiji,” this was dual letting go. When Yangshan said, “Huiji is I,” and Sansheng answered, “My name is Huiran,” this was dual taking in. In truth, it was the dynamic of mutual exchange: when taking in, both took in; when letting go, both let go. Xuedou praised it all at once. |
| 他意道，若不放收，若不互换，尔是尔、我是我，都来只四个字，因甚却于里头出没卷舒。古人道，尔若立我便坐、尔若坐我便立，若也同坐同立，二俱瞎汉！此是双收双放，可以为宗要。 |
His meaning was this: if there were no letting go and no taking in, no mutual exchange, then you would be you and I would be I—only four words altogether. Why, then, would there be appearing and disappearing, contracting and expanding within them? An ancient said, “If you stand, I sit; if you sit, I stand. But if we both sit or both stand, then both are blind men!” This is dual taking in and dual letting go, and it may serve as the essential principle. |
| “骑虎由来要绝功”，有如此之高风、最上之机要，要骑便骑、要下便下，据虎头亦得、收虎尾亦得。三圣、仰山，二俱有此之风。 |
“To ride a tiger has always required consummate mastery.” With such lofty conduct and supreme essential capacity, one rides when one wishes to ride and dismounts when one wishes to dismounts; one may grasp the tiger’s head or hold its tail. Sansheng and Yangshan both possessed this capacity. |
| “笑罢不知何处去”，且道他笑个什么？直得清风凛凛！为什么末后却道“只应千古动悲风”？也是死而不吊，一时与尔注解了也。争柰天下人啖啄不入，不知落处。纵是山僧，也不知落处。诸人还知么？ |
“When the laughter ceased, none knew where they had gone.” Tell me, what were they laughing at? It was enough to make the pure wind bracing and clear! Why, then, does the verse finally say, “It can only stir a mournful wind through the ages”? It is like death without mourning; this explains it all for you at once. Yet people everywhere cannot take it in and do not know where it lands. Even this mountain monk does not know where it lands. Do you all know? |
| 【婆子】：本来简简单单几句话给弄得恁地复杂 |
[Old Woman]: A few simple sentences have been made so complicated. |
| 【心明】：可能古文“惠”与“慧”通用。 |
[Clarification]: In Classical Chinese, 惠 and 慧 may possibly be used interchangeably. |
| 【lvm】：是的。 |
[lvm]: Yes. |
| 【心明】：这样看上文公案就不发蒙了。 |
[Xinming]: Seen this way, the koan above is no longer baffling. |
| 【莲农】：咦~~ |
[Liannong]: Eh~~ |
| 【心明】：咦，是莲农？莲农，是咦？ |
[Xinming]: Eh—is that Liannong? Liannong—is that “eh”? |
| 【莲农】：什么是什么！？“咦”一下都不让啊？ |
[Liannong]: What do you mean, “what is what”!? You will not even let me say “eh”? |
| 【心明】：什么是什么！“咦”一下都不让啊! |
[Xinming]: What do you mean, “what is what”!? You will not even let me say “eh”! |
| 【莲农】：晚风拂柳笛声残，夕阳山外山。 |
[Liannong]: The evening breeze brushes the willows; the flute’s notes fade. Beyond the setting sun, mountain after mountain. |
