蓋余所事華嚴善知識，有朗目智和尚云：「犝牛是牿。」則昆明歸化古庭堅公，相好法身之所攝持也。談麈高揮則浮渡華嚴，古庭堅公言說法身之所震動也。兩公皆滇人，先後百四十年間，薪火交光，水月互影，將母方網三昧入定出定而作佛事耶。病堂散人睹面聞名，善根雙托，余則幸矣居久之。智公以藏輪之役去浮渡而金臺，於時故鄉陶使君葛閬方在公車，用南詢禮，請益世尊拈花以前一段公案，鍼芥乎？水乳哉？余不能舉其契。而堅公山雲水石，斷爛葛藤，從智公篋笥中起，向葛閬眼根放種種光，作師子吼矣。哲人既萎，弟子不能守典，遺文轉徒，若存若亡幾三十年，而愚子道凝射雉白門，得為水部紫閬操几垂一𦕎，次出所購堅公繫鶉衣寶，哲昆葛閬暨厥宗會稽大司成弟石梁，刮垢磨光，新其載牘，名「古庭語錄輯」，略凡四卷，以續無際之慧命，而芽臨濟之枯禪。使愚子投我一篇，徵引商之和於首簡。余雖錮疾反扃嚮異瞻奇，崖略以耳而三嘆焉。咄哉！此翁用心處若師王之奮全力于一兔，會心處若因陀之合多影于一珠，任運酬機，卷舒無跡，廣于輯略，東語西話，鑄古陶今，澈困婆心，單提向上，譬如雪山肥膩純出醍醐，撮要鉤玄則〈華嚴大意〉一篇，字字圓融，言言行布，勤求實到，舉一蔽諸他所芟夷，知不無拖泥帶水，可謂干將出沒尚惹煙霞，陘棟在山寧辭斤斧。陶氏三君子，功古庭也、功曹溪也、功靈鷲也，非復算數譬喻所能繇旬而劫波之矣。讀其書不可以不知其人，昭昭于初，冥冥于卒，豈三君子所以論世？而天界之席既禪，歸化之鐸未衰，栽竹垂絲，逢場作戲，夷考幻住，倫次闕如也。不知無字毒鼓所斷命根，為一、為多，為半、為滿？飛精綿邈尚友謂何，豈得髓而棄皮，抑舊章之無述而歸化梵剎望之皋如？麟臥狐眠，春來秋去，諸君子業為捧心，有筆如椽將亦鞠為茂草，而浮山野史謀于苔蘚，乃屬汗青所載。堅公涌沒津梁，因緣麤具、參承茲決，以事係年，考諸行腳供通，如對二月非是月影。奇哉！直指張公睹師貌于驅烏，而祖印三旬不愆于素，讀者取為久行玅道之符。大蘶倫稱天順癸未禮師足于浮山法窟而已，付受荷擔，不言何等，三十年胡亂鹽醬多少亦未之有聞也。君子以為二憾，而金谷之歌、伽藍之說、一真法界，觸境全章，文字言音了與《輯略》諸篇不別，為堅公廣長舌相無疑也。辭世偈言：「來從華藏海中來，文殊普賢；去從華藏海中去，觀音勢。至祗今還有不來不去的麼？咄！總在這裏。」智公聞諸歸化灌我耳根，足使吊古英靈作第一峰德雲想。而遠大師局前帶後，狼籍生涯，拈來臨濟金剛網，推入昆明華藏海，直得水枯石爛，雲散山空，向五十三善知識前同時作禮，故知智公齒牙別有堅公面目矣。佛手驢腳，影現重重，忍鎧悲輪，詎堪思議。是編同事諸上善人，大都下座毘那分形震旦，而余呵殿智公于浮渡之轂，斯已勤矣。卒業狂喜數事拾遺得其方便，克諧蘭若寓乘金湯究竟堅固。雖妙吉神手加我囪門，何以代此。而水部公亟以囑累為提獎也，倘亦天廨華嚴旁參熏變慈善根力，從臾刳心施及藐諸傳言送語，於劓刖之法供養而增若焉異日者。堅公法界願王，如時成熟，未委此淨信聚，誰為牧女？誰為純陀？一室千燈，雲興瓶瀉，而昔人來去華嚴顯密任持，法位常住，必斯文之為引業也夫。

I once studied under Master Langmu Zhihui, a teacher of the Huayan scriptures. He said, “A calf is bound to a post.” Then I thought of Master Gutin Jian of Kunming—his enlightened form and dharma body shine together. When his fly whisk swept high, it stirred the floating splendors of Huayan; Master Gutin Jian’s discourse on the dharma body was like a thunderclap. These two masters, both from Yunnan, lived a hundred and forty years apart. Their wisdom-lamps cast overlapping light, their reflections mingled like water and moon. Perhaps they entered and emerged from the “square-net samadhi” to perform Buddha’s work. As a sick-room hermit, I have seen their faces and heard their names, planting two roots of goodness. I am blessed to have lived long enough.

Meanwhile, Master Zhihui left the floating world for Jintai due to temple duties. At that time, Minister Tao Gelang of my homeland was traveling by carriage. Using the “southern search” ceremony, he asked about the fundamental case: “Before the World-Honored One held up the flower.” Was it like a needle meeting cotton? Like water mixing with milk? I cannot fully grasp the resonance. But Master Jian’s mountain clouds, flowing waters, and tangled vines arose from Zhihui’s bamboo chest, shining countless lights into Gelang’s eyes, roaring like a lion.

When the sage withered, his disciples could not preserve his teachings. His writings were scattered, nearly lost for thirty years. Then my ignorant son, Daoning—having shot a pheasant at the White Gate—served as an attendant to Minister Zilang of the Water Department for almost a year. He next brought out Master Jian’s tattered robe-treasure. The virtuous Gelang and his kinsman, the great scholar Shi Liang from the Kuaiji Academy, polished away the tarnish and refreshed the manuscripts. They compiled the “Selected Records of Gutin,” four volumes, to continue the boundless life of wisdom and revive the withered Chan of Linji. They asked me to write a preface for this work.

Though I am ill and reject the unusual, I have glimpsed its meaning and sighed three times. Ah! This elder’s focus was like a lion-king putting all his strength into a single rabbit; his insight was like Indra’s net merging many shadows into one pearl. He responded to conditions freely, rolling and unrolling without a trace. The compilation expands on east-west talk, casts ancient and modern forms, and shows a compassionate heart. It points directly upward like a snowy mountain yielding pure ghee—the essence distilled in his “Great Meaning of Huayan.” Every word is complete, every phrase is practice. Those who diligently seek and truly attain will find that all other traditions are pruned away. Though there may be some sticky mud and dripping water, it is like a sword emerging from its sheath still trailing misty clouds, or a mountain timber that cannot avoid the axe.

These three gentlemen of the Tao family have served Master Jian, served Caoxi, and served Vulture Peak. Their merit cannot be measured by numbers or compared to leagues or eons. To read his works, one must know the man. But his beginning was clear and his end obscure—how can these three judge his times? His seat at the Tianjie temple was already taken over by Chan, yet the bell of Guihua never faded. He planted bamboo and cast lines, playing along with the scene. But his eternal dwelling was scattered—his spiritual lineage is missing. Can we say that the poison drum of the wordless has cut his life-root into one or many, half or full? How can we befriend the flying spirit and discard the skin, leaving the old tradition unknown, while the Guihua temple looks desolate like a barren field? Unicorns sleep, foxes lie, spring comes and goes. These gentlemen have already offered their hearts. Even if they had brushes like beams, they would be turned to wild grass. So the field-historian of Mount Fu consulted the moss and entrusted this ink. Master Jian’s emergence and disappearance as a guide are now roughly recorded, with events linked to years. Those who examine his travel-record will face the second moon and not its reflection.

Marvelous! The direct pointer Zhang once saw the master’s face when he was a novice herding birds. His twenty-one-day seal of the patriarchs was never betrayed. Readers may take this as a charm of long-cultivated path. Dacheng Lun said he paid homage to the master’s feet at the Fushan dharma-cave in 1453 but only passed on the burden without stating its measure. For thirty years, no one heard of his salty or sour flavors. Gentlemen saw this as two regrets. Yet the song of Golden Valley, the theory of Sangha-rama, and the one-true-dharma-realm—all become full chapters when touching scenes. The words and sounds are no different from the “Selected Records.” This is surely Master Jian’s vast and long tongue. His death verse says: “Coming from the Huayan treasury sea—Manjushri, Samantabhadra. Going to the Huayan treasury sea—Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta. Is there one who neither comes nor goes? Ha! It is all right here.” Master Zhihui heard this from Guihua, pouring it into my ear—enough to make those mourning the past think of the First Peak’s young virtues. But the great master held the front and led the back, living a messy life. He picked up Linji’s diamond net and cast it into Kunming’s Huayan sea, until water dried and stones rotted, clouds scattered and mountains emptied. He bowed to all fifty-three virtuous teachers simultaneously. Thus I know that Master Zhihui’s teeth and tongue truly show Master Jian’s face.

The Buddha’s hand, the donkey’s hoof—shadows appear layer upon layer. The armor of patience and wheel of compassion cannot be measured. These companions in this work are mostly reincarnated deities in China. But I have escorted Master Zhihui on the moving hub of Floating Island—that is already diligent. When I finished and rejoiced, I found a few missing things and gained convenience. I harmonize with the temple and ride the protector’s vital energy for ultimate stability. Even if the divine hand of wonderful auspice pressed on my fontanel, it could not replace this. The Minister of Water hastened to entrust me with this praise. Perhaps, through the celestial liberation of Huayan and the transformative power of kindness and root-strength, I have been urged to speak on behalf of this humble inheritor. As a dharma offering of the truncated nose and ears, may it increase in the future.

In time, Master Jian’s dharma-realm king of vows may ripen. I do not know who among this pure assembly will be the milkmaid, who the pure-boatman. One room, a thousand lamps—clouds rise, bottles pour. Past people’s coming and going, Huayan’s open and secret modes, the permanence of dharma positions—surely this text leads the way.

Ancient Courtyard Zen Master's Recorded Sayings Excerpt (古庭禪師語錄輯略)

Ancient Courtyard Zen Master's Recorded Sayings Excerpt (古庭禪師語錄輯略)