師諱文偃，浙西嘉興張氏子。幼依空王寺志澄律師出家稟具，探窮律部。初參睦州蹤禪師，睦州纔見師來，便閉卻門，師乃扣門，睦州云：「誰？」師云：「某甲。」睦州云：「作什麼？」師云：「己事未明，乞師指示。」睦州開門一見，便閉卻。師如是連三日去扣門，至第三日，睦州始開門，師乃拶入，睦州便擒住云：「道！道！」師擬議，睦州拓開云：
The Master, whose Dharma name was Wen Yan, was from the Zhang family of Jiaxing in western Zhejiang. As a child, he left home life under the guidance of Precept Master and Master of Vinaya Studies, Layering Pure Doubt, at the Temple of Empty Kings, where he studied the monastic rules thoroughly. He first visited Meditation Master Zong of Muzhou. As soon as the Master arrived, Zong closed the gate. The Master knocked, and Zong asked, "Who is it?" The Master replied, "It’s me." Zong said, "What do you want?" The Master answered, "My own matter is not yet clear; please, Master, give me guidance." Zong opened the gate, took one look, and shut it again. The Master continued knocking like this for three days. On the third day, Zong finally opened the gate, and the Master pushed his way in. Zong grabbed him and said, "Speak! Speak!" As the Master hesitated, Zong pushed him out, saying,
「秦時𨍏轢鑽。」遂掩門，損師一足，師從此悟入。睦州指見雪峰，師到雪峰莊，見一僧，師問：「上座今日上山去那？」僧云：「是。」師云：「寄一則因緣問堂頭和尚，秪是不得道是別人語。」僧云：「得。」師云：「上座到山中，見和尚上堂，眾纔集，便出握腕立地云：『這老漢！項上鐵枷何不脫卻？』」其僧一依師教，雪峰見這僧與麼道，便下座攔胸把住其僧云：「速道！速道！」僧無對。雪峰拓開云：「不是汝語。」僧云：「是某甲語。」雪峰云：「侍者將繩棒來。」僧云：「不是某語，是莊上一浙中上座教某甲來道。」雪峰云：「大眾！去莊上迎取五百人善知識來。」師次日上山，雪峰纔見，便云：「因什麼得到與麼地？」師乃低頭。從茲契合，溫研積稔，密以宗印授焉。師出嶺，遍謁諸方，覈窮殊軌，鋒辯險絕，世所盛聞。後抵靈樹，冥符知聖禪師接首座之說。初知聖住靈樹二十年，不請首座，常云：「我首座生也，我首座牧牛也，我首座行腳也。」一日，令擊鐘，三門外接首座，眾出迓。師果至，直請入首座寮解包。俄廣主劉王將興兵，就知聖決可否。知聖前知之，手封奩子，語侍者云：「王來，出以示之。」於是怡然坐歿。王果至，聞知聖已化，大驚問：「何時有疾而遽亡耶？」侍者乃出奩子，如知聖所誡呈之。王發奩得簡云：「人天眼目，堂中上座。」劉乃命州牧何承範請師繼其法席，又迎至府開法，俄遷止雲門光泰寺。天下學者望風而至，於是稱雲門宗焉。
“It’s like trying to bore a hole in a stone in the Qin dynasty,” said the monk, and immediately shut the door, crushing one of the student’s feet. In that moment, the student was enlightened. Muzhou then directed him to see Xuefeng. On his way, the student stopped at Xuefeng’s farm and met a monk.
“Are you heading up the mountain today to see the master?” the student asked.
“Yes,” replied the monk.
“Then please deliver a question for me to the venerable monk in the hall,” said the student. “But don’t tell him someone else asked it.”
“Sure,” said the monk.
“When you get there and the master takes his seat,” the student instructed, “as soon as everyone gathers, stand up straight, clasp your hands, and say: ‘Old man! Why don’t you take off that iron chain around your neck?’”
The monk followed the student’s instructions exactly. When Xuefeng heard this, he left his seat, grabbed the monk by the chest, and demanded: “Speak now! Speak now!” The monk couldn't answer. Xuefeng pushed him away and said: “That’s not your idea.”
“It is,” the monk insisted.
“Attendant! Bring the rope and staff!” Xuefeng called out.
“It wasn’t me,” the monk admitted. “It was a student from Zhejiang at the farm who told me to say it.”
Xuefeng announced: “Everyone! Go to the farm and welcome the great teacher who can guide five hundred people!”
The next day, when the student arrived, Xuefeng saw him and asked: “How did you reach such an understanding?” The student simply bowed his head. From that moment, they connected deeply. After years of diligent study, Xuefeng secretly entrusted him with the seal of the teaching.
The student left Xuefeng and traveled widely, visiting many teachers to explore all methods. His sharp, fearless debates became widely known. Eventually he arrived at Ling Tree Temple, where the retired master knew he was the expected head monk. For twenty years, that master had never appointed a head monk, often saying: “My head monk has been born... he’s herding cattle... he’s on pilgrimage.” One day he ordered the bell rung to receive the head monk at the temple gate. Everyone went out to greet him. The student indeed arrived and was directly led into the head monk’s quarters to unpack.
Soon afterward, the ruler of Guang Prefecture, Liu, raised an army and came to ask the retired master whether he should proceed. The master knew in advance, sealed a small box, and told his attendant: “When the king comes, show him this.” Then he sat peacefully and passed away. When the king arrived and heard of the master’s death, he was shocked and asked: “When did he fall ill? How could he die so suddenly?” The attendant brought out the box as instructed. The king opened it and found a note: “The eyes of the world, the head monk of the hall.” King Liu then ordered the local governor to invite the student to take up the master’s seat. He was also brought to the capital to teach, and later moved to Yunmen Guangtai Temple. Students from everywhere flocked to him, and thus the Yunmen School was born.