大鑑下一世
Next Generation of Great Master Dajian
南嶽大慧禪師。諱懷讓。金州人也。俗姓杜。於儀鳳二年四月八日降誕。感白氣應於玄象。在安康之分。太史瞻見。遂奏聞高宗皇帝。帝乃問。何祥瑞。 太史對曰。國之法器。不染世榮。帝傳敕金州太守韓偕親往存慰其家。 家有三子。惟師最小。年始三歲。炳然殊異。性惟恩讓。父乃安名懷讓。至年十歲。惟樂佛書。時有三藏玄靜。過舍見而奇之。告其父母曰。此子若出家。必獲上乘。廣度眾生。 至垂拱三年。方十五歲。辭親往荊州玉泉寺。依弘景律師出家。通天二年受戒。後習毗尼藏。一日。自歎曰。夫出家者。為無為法。天上人間無有勝者。時同學坦然。知師志氣高邁。勸師同謁嵩山安禪師。安啟發之。乃直詣曹谿禮六祖。 六祖問。什麼處來。 師云。嵩山安和尚處來。 祖云。什麼物與麼來。師無語。 遂經八載。忽然有省。乃白祖云。某甲有箇會處。祖云。作麼生。 師云。說似一物即不中。 祖云。還假修證也無。 師云。修證即不無。污染即不得。 祖云。只此不污染。是諸佛之護念。汝既如是。吾亦如是。西天二十七祖般若多羅讖汝曰。震旦雖闊無別路。要假兒孫脚下行。金鷄解衘一粒粟。供養什邡羅漢僧(又讖傳道一法)。心裏能藏事。說向漢江濵。湖波探水月。將照二三人。 祖云。先師有言。從吾向後。勿傳此衣。但以法傳。若傳此衣。命如懸絲。惟示道化。聽吾偈曰。心地含諸種。普雨悉皆萌。頓悟華情已。菩提果自成。汝向後出一馬駒。踏殺天下人。應在汝心。不須速說。師侍奉一十五載。唐先天二年。始往南嶽。居般若寺。示徒云。一切萬法皆從心生。心無所生。法無能住。若達心地。所作無礙。非遇上根。宜慎辭哉。 僧問。如鏡鑄像。像成後。光歸何處。 師云。如大德未出家寺相狀向什麼處去。 僧云。成後為什麼不鑑照。 師云。雖然不鑑照。謾他一點不得。馬祖居南嶽傳法院。獨處一庵。唯習坐禪。凡有來訪者都不顧。師往彼亦不顧。師觀其神宇有異。遂憶六祖讖。乃多方而誘導之。 一日。將甎於庵前磨。馬祖亦不顧。時既久。乃問曰。作什麼。 師云。磨作鏡。 馬祖云。磨甎豈得成鏡。 師云。磨甎既不成鏡。坐禪豈能成佛。 祖乃離座云。如何即是。 師云。譬牛駕車。車若不行。打牛即是。打車即是。又云。汝學坐禪。為學坐佛。若學坐禪。禪非坐臥。若學坐佛。佛非定相。於無住法。不應取捨。汝若坐佛。即是殺佛。若執坐相。非達其理。 馬祖聞斯示誨。豁然開悟。禮拜問云。如何用心。即合無相三昧。師云。汝學心地法門。如下種子。我說法要。譬彼天澤。汝緣合故。當見其道。 馬祖云。道非色相。云何能見。 師云。心地法眼能見乎道。無相三昧亦復然矣。 祖云。有成壞否。 師云。若以成壞聚散而見道者。非也。聽吾偈曰。心地含諸種。遇澤悉皆萌。三昧華無相。何壞復何成。 馬祖一蒙開悟。心地超然。侍奉十秋。日益深奧。師入室弟子六人。各印可曰。汝等六人同證吾身。各契其一。一人得吾眉。善威儀(常浩)。一人得吾眼。善顧盻(智達)。一人得吾耳。善聽理(坦然)。一人得吾鼻。善知氣(神照)。一人得吾舌。善談說(嚴峻)。一人得吾心。善古今(道一)。 後馬祖闡化於江西開元寺。師問眾曰。道一為眾說法否。 眾曰。已為眾說法。 師云。未見通箇消息來。遂遣一僧去。囑云。待伊上堂時。但問作麼生。記取答話來。 僧如教。迴。舉似師。馬祖云。自從胡亂後。三十年不曾少鹽醬。師然之。 師天寶三年八月十一日示寂於南嶽。敕諡大慧禪師最勝輪之塔。吏部侍郎歸登撰塔記。
**Biography of Chan Master Nanyue Dahui**
The Chan Master Nanyue Dahui, whose monastic name was Huairang, was from Jinzhou. His secular surname was Du. He was born on the eighth day of the fourth month in the second year of the Yifeng era (677 CE). At his birth, a white vapor appeared in the heavens, seen in the region of Ankang. When the imperial astrologer reported this omen to Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty, the Emperor asked, "Is this a good omen?" The astrologer replied, "This signifies a national treasure of the Dharma, one undefiled by worldly glory." The Emperor then ordered the Governor of Jinzhou, Han Xie, to personally visit and comfort the family.
His family had three sons, and Huairang was the youngest. At the age of three, he was already exceptionally bright and different from others. His nature was solely kind and yielding. His father named him "Huairang" (meaning "embracing yieldingness.") At ten, he delighted only in Buddhist scriptures. At that time, a Tripitaka Master named Xuanjing passed by their home and, seeing the boy, found him extraordinary. He told his parents, "If this child renounces the household life, he will surely attain the supreme vehicle and liberate countless beings."
In the third year of the Chuigong era (687 CE), at the age of fifteen, he took leave of his family and went to Yuquan Temple in Jingzhou, where he became a disciple of the Vinaya Master Hongjing. He received full ordination in the second year of the Tongtian era (697 CE) and subsequently studied the Vinaya (monastic rules). One day, he sighed to himself, "One who leaves home pursues the unconditioned Dharma. Nothing in the heavens or on earth surpasses it." At that time, his fellow student Tanran, recognizing his lofty aspirations, urged him to visit together with the Chan Master An of Songshan. Master An inspired him, and so he went directly to Caoxi to pay homage to the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng.
The Sixth Patriarch asked, "Where have you come from?" Huairang replied, "From the Venerable An of Songshan." The Patriarch asked, "What is this thing that has come thus?" Huairang was speechless.
Eight years passed. Then suddenly, he had an awakening. He said to the Patriarch, "I have a point of understanding." The Patriarch asked, "What is it?" Huairang said, "To say it's like any thing is incorrect." The Patriarch asked, "Does it still require cultivation and realization?" Huairang said, "Cultivation and realization are not absent, but defilement is impossible." The Patriarch said, "This very 'no defilement' is what all Buddhas protect and uphold. Since you are thus, I am also thus. The twenty-seventh Patriarch in India, Prajnatara, left a prophecy about you: 'Although the vast land of China ((This is also a prophecy about transmitting the Dharma to Mazu Daoyi)) has no separate path, it needs descendants to walk with their feet. A golden rooster will pick up a grain of rice and offer it to the Arhat monks of Shifang.' The Sixth Patriarch continued: "The mind-ground contains all seeds. With the universal rain, they all sprout. Suddenly understanding the nature of flowers, the Bodhi fruit spontaneously matures. In the future, a pony will come forth from you, trampling and killing everyone under heaven. This should be within your heart—do not speak of it too quickly."
Huairang served the Sixth Patriarch for fifteen years. In the second year of the Xiantian era of the Tang dynasty (713 CE), he went to Nanyue and dwelled at the Prajna Temple. He instructed his students, saying: "All myriad dharmas arise from the mind. If the mind is not produced, then dharmas have no place to abide. If you realize the mind-ground, all actions will be unobstructed. However, unless you encounter superior faculties, you should be careful in your words."
A monk asked, "It is like casting an image in a mirror. After the image is formed, where does the brilliance go?" The Master replied, "Just as when you, great virtuous one, had not yet left home, where did the appearance of your monastery go?" The monk asked, "After it is formed, why does it not reflect?" The Master replied, "Although it does not reflect, you cannot fool it in the slightest."
At that time, Mazu Daoyi was residing in the Chuan Dharma Hall on Nanyue, living alone in a hermitage, practicing only sitting meditation. He paid no attention to any visitors. The Master went to see him, but Mazu also ignored him. The Master observed that his demeanor was extraordinary and recalled the Sixth Patriarch's prophecy. So he used various means to guide him.
One day, the Master took a brick and began polishing it in front of Mazu's hermitage. Mazu paid no attention for a long time. Finally, he asked, "What are you doing?" The Master said, "Polishing it to make a mirror." Mazu said, "How can polishing a brick make a mirror?" The Master replied, "If polishing a brick cannot make a mirror, how can sitting in meditation make a Buddha?" Mazu then rose from his seat and asked, "Then what is the right way?" The Master said, "It is like an ox pulling a cart. If the cart doesn't move, do you hit the ox or the cart?" He continued, "Are you learning to sit in meditation, or are you learning to sit as a Buddha? If you learn to sit in meditation, meditation is not about sitting or lying down. If you learn to sit as a Buddha, the Buddha has no fixed form. In the dharma of no abiding, you should not grasp or reject. If you try to sit as a Buddha, that is killing the Buddha. If you cling to the posture of sitting, you have not realized the principle."
Upon hearing this instruction, Mazu had a sudden and thorough awakening. He bowed and asked, "How should I use my mind to be in accord with the formless samadhi?" The Master replied, "You are learning the dharma of the mind-ground. It is like planting a seed. My explanation of the essential teaching is like the moisture from the sky. Because the conditions are right, you will see the path." Mazu asked, "The path is not a form or appearance—how can it be seen?" The Master replied, "The dharma-eye of the mind-ground can see the path. The formless samadhi is also like this." Mazu asked, "Does it have formation and destruction?" The Master said, "If you see the path in terms of formation, destruction, gathering, or dispersing, that is not correct. Listen to my verse: The mind-ground contains all seeds, Meeting moisture, they all sprout. The formless samadhi flower— What is there to be destroyed, what to be formed?"
After this initial awakening, Mazu's mind-ground transcended the ordinary. He served the Master for ten years, and his realization grew increasingly profound.
The Master had six direct disciples who entered his room. To each he gave his approval, saying: "All six of you verify my body. Each one attains a part. One attains my eyebrows—skilled in dignified conduct (Changhao). One attains my eyes—skilled in looking around (Zhida). One attains my ears—skilled in hearing principle (Tanran). One attains my nose—skilled in knowing the subtlety of breath (Shenzhao). One attains my tongue—skilled in eloquent discourse (Yanjun). One attains my mind—skilled in all times (Daoyi (Mazu))."
Later, Mazu propagated the teaching at Kaiyuan Temple in Jiangxi. The Master asked the assembly, "Is Daoyi teaching the Dharma for the assembly?" They replied, "He is already teaching the Dharma for the assembly." The Master said, "I haven't yet seen any news of his understanding." So he sent a monk with these instructions: "When he ascends the hall to speak, just ask him, 'What is it?' Then remember his response and come back and tell me." The monk did as instructed and reported Mazu's answer: "Since the barbarian rebellion, I have never lacked for salt or soy sauce for thirty years." The Master approved of this statement.
The Master passed into stillness on the eleventh day of the eighth month in the third year of the Tianbao era (744 CE) on Nanyue. He was posthumously given the title "Chan Master Dahui" (Great Wisdom), and a stupa named "Most Excellent Wheel" was erected. The Vice Minister of the Board of Civil Office, Gui Deng, composed the stupa inscription.