第十二則智門蓮華
Case 12: Zhimen's Lotus
舉僧問智門。蓮華未出水時如何。(點溪荷葉疊青錢)門云。蓮花。(趂口快)僧云。出水後如何。(藕根依舊在青泥)門云。荷葉。(且就對)天童拈云。靈龜無卦兆。空殻不勞鑽。(杜撰巡官)復舉僧問淨眾。蓮華未出水時如何。(鈍滯殺人)眾云。菡萏滿池流。(隱而彌彰)僧云。出水後如何。(不妨慶快)眾云。葉落不知秋。(顯而不露)天童拈云。李陵持漢節。(列士恥莊周)潘閬倒騎驢(梵志翻著韈)。
A monk asked Zimen, "What about when the lotus has not yet emerged from the water?"(Leaves of new lotus, piled coins of green, dots the pond) Zimen said, "Lotus."(Quickly spoken) The monk asked, "What about after it emerges?"(The roots remain in the mud as before) Zimen said, "Lotus leaves."(Simply responding)
Tiantong commented: A spirit turtle has no divination marks; an empty shell needs no drilling.(A sham fortune-teller)
Another monk asked Jingzhong, "What about when the lotus has not yet emerged from the water?"(Dull and heavy, killing one's spirit) Jingzhong said, "The pond overflows with buds."(Hidden, yet more clearly revealed) The monk asked, "What about after it emerges?"(What a refreshing release) Jingzhong said, "Leaves fall but you don’t know it’s autumn."(Revealed, yet not exposed)
Tiantong commented: Li Ling held the Han emblem.(A man of honor disdains being Zhuang Zhou) Pan Lang rides his donkey backward(A hermit wears his socks inside out).
師云。隋州智門光祚禪師。嗣香林遠。雲門孫也。祚出雪竇。光大雲門一宗。自普安道禪師。發明三句迅雷之辨。不及掩耳。所謂言無展事。語不投機。荷葉蓮華。寧拘出入。往往壓沙覓油。鉢盂上安柄。向出水未出時定斷。智門祇將蓮華荷葉奉他。左右逢原。無不可者。鑽龜打瓦。一任卜度。天童覷破伊底蘊。便道靈龜無卦兆。空殻不勞鑽。若向爻象未分時便了。禍不入慎家之門。擬議不來。吉凶自兆。又有益州淨眾歸信禪師。嗣鳳翔府青峰傅楚禪師。洛浦孫也。依前問蓮華未出水時如何。淨眾答道。菡萏滿池流。進云。出水後如何。答道。葉落不知秋。若道與前話全同。天童不合兩次拈出。若道全異。眼腦雙(去聲)生相似。雲門下迅雷之辨。洛浦下無舌人解語。同出湖南一派。持節李陵。銜一鳥不歸之恨。倒鞍潘閬。入同州看華之圖。雪竇道。問既有宗。答亦攸同。還會麼。荷葉蓮華中供佛。李陵潘閬快吟詩。
The Master said: "Chan Master Zhimen Guangzuo of Suizhou was a disciple of Xianglin Yuansong, a descendant of Yunmen. Guangzuo produced Master Xuedou and greatly expanded the Yunmen lineage. From Chan Master Puan Dao onward, the teaching of the three phrases was revealed with the speed of sudden thunder, so swift even the ears couldn't close. As it is said: 'Words do not capture events; speech must not chase circumstances.' Lotus flowers and lotus leaves are never confined to coming or going. People often try to press sand for oil, or attach a handle to an alms bowl. They judge things as incomplete at the moment of emergence. Zhimen simply presented the lotus leaves and flowers to others. Wherever he turned, he found the source—nothing was unsuitable. Cracking a turtle shell or striking tiles, one may divine as one pleases."
"Tiantong had already broken through his inner core, saying, 'The sacred turtle has no trigrams or omens; an empty shell requires no drilling.' If one understands before signs and lines are distinguished, disaster never enters the gate of a cautious family. When conceptual thinking doesn’t arise, good and bad fortune naturally appear."
"There was also Master Jingzhong Guixin of Yizhou, a disciple of Master Qingfeng Fuchu of Fengxiang Prefecture, a descendant of Luopu. The same question was once asked: 'What is it like before the lotus emerges from the water?' Jingzhong replied: 'The water is brimming with lotus buds.' The question continued: 'What about after it emerges?' He answered: 'Leaves fall, and you don’t recognize autumn.'"
"If this talk is said to be completely identical to the earlier dialogue, Tiantong would not have mentioned it twice. If said to be completely different, the eyes and brain have the same double birth. Under the thunder-quick discrimination of Yunmen, and under the speech of those without tongues from Luopu’s lineage, both arise from the same branch south of Lake Dongting. Like Li Ling holding his ordeals, bearing the regret of a returning bird; like Pan Lang falling from his saddle painting a picture of rising sun at Tongzhou."
"Xuedou said: 'Since there is an essence in the question, the answer is also naturally rooted.' Do you understand? Lotus flowers and leaves adorn the Buddha offering. Li Ling and Pan Lang recite poetry with swift appreciation."