<span class="chinese-post-title">第十二則地藏種田</span> Case 12 <span class="chinese-post-title">地藏種田</span> Dizang Planting the Fields

示眾云。才士筆耕。辯士舌耕。我衲僧家。慵看露地白牛。不顧無根瑞草。如何度日。

Introduction: Scholars plow with the pen, orators plow with the tongue. We patchrobed mendicants lazily watch a white ox on open ground, not paying attention to the rootless auspicious grass. How to pass the days?

舉。地藏問脩山主。甚處來(道不知來處得麼)。
脩云。南方來(好與下載)。
藏云。南方近日佛法如何(行說好話)。
脩云。商量浩浩地(低聲)。
藏云。爭如我這裏種田博飯喫(少賣弄)。
脩云。爭奈三界何(猶有這箇在)。
藏云。爾喚甚麼作三界(南方猶可北方更曬)。

Case: Dizang asked Xiushan, "Where do you come from?"(Can you say he doesn't know where he's come from?)
Xiushan said, "From the South."(Should unload for him.)
Dizang said, "How is Buddhism in the South these days?" (Action and speech worthy of talking about.)
Xiushan said, "There's extensive discussion."(Lower your voice.)
Dizang said, "How can that compare to me here planting the fields and making rice to eat?"(Don't brag so much.)
Xiushan said, "What can you do about the world?"(There's still this?)
Dizang said, "What do you call the world?"(In the South it's ok; the North is more critical.)

師云。漳州羅漢院桂琛禪師。漳州牧王公。於閩城西石山。建地藏院。請師住。逾紀遷漳州羅漢。故師又名地藏。脩山主。法眼。悟空。進山主。結友之湖外。至漳州阻雨雪。溪漲。寓城西地藏院。圍爐視地藏。若無人。藏欲驗之亦附火。乃曰。有事相借問得否。脩曰。有事請問。藏曰。山河大地與諸尚座。是同是別。脩曰。是別。藏竪兩指。脩急曰。是同是同。藏亦竪兩指起去。法眼曰。院主竪兩指其意如何。脩曰。亂與。眼曰。不得麁心欺他。脩曰。鼠口豈有象牙。次日辭行。前至宿處。眼曰。兄輩前去。吾依地藏。或有長處。無則復來相尋。眼既久參。脩等三人亦至地藏。遂問。南方佛法近日如何。當時只好。道與此方常日一般。却云商量浩浩地。自領出頭也不知。藏云。爭如我這裏種田博飯喫。當時便好。道恁麼則非但南方也。更道爭奈三界何。帶累他南方禪客。俗氣也不除。藏為慈悲之故。有落草之談。道爾喚甚麼作三界。不如只道箇老僧種田事忙。免得天童一狀領過。

Commentary: Chan Master Guichen of Lohan temple in Zhang province was previously asked by the governor of Zhang province to dwell in the Dizang temple, built by the governor in the Rocky Mountains west of Min City. After a year there the Master moved to Lohan. Therefore he is also called Dizang. The master of Xiushan joined with Fayan, Wudong, and the master of Jinshan, to travel beyond the lake region(of east central China). Coming to Zhang province, they were blocked by rain, snow, and swollen valley streams. They put up at Dizang temple west of the city. There they encircled the brazier and ignored master Dizang. Dizang wanted to test them, so he also drew near the fire and said, "There's something I would ask about; may I?" Xiushan said, "If there's some matter, please ask." Dizang said, "Are the mountains , rivers, and earth identical or separate from you elders?" Xiushan said, "Separate." Dizang held up two fingers; Xiushan hurriedly said, "Identical! Identical!" Dizang again held up two fingers, and then left. Fayan said, "What was the meaning of the abbot holding up two fingers?" Xiushan said, " He did that arbitrarily." Fayan said, "Don't crudely insult him." Xiushan said, "Are there any elephant tusks in a rat's mouth?" The next day they took leave and departed; first they went to the house. Fayan said, "You brothers go ahead; I'll stay with Dizang--he may have some strong point. If not, I'll come find you." After Fayan had studied there for a long tiem, the other three, including Xiushan, also came back to Dizang. Subsequently Dizang asked, "How's the Buddhism in the South these days?" At that point they just should have said, "Always the same as here," but instead (Xiushan) said, "There's a lot of discussion going on." He doesn't even know how to come forth on his own. Dizang said, "How can that compare to me here planting the fields and eating rice?" At that moment Xiushan should have said, "If so, then it is not just the South," but instead he said, "How about the world?" Dragging in the meditating travelers of the South, his mundane air was not yet gone. Out of compassion Dizang had a discussion in the weeds, saying, "What do you call the world?" It would have been better just to say, "I'm busy planting the fields," so to avoid Tiantong listing his crime on the same indictment.

頌云。宗說般般盡強為(今日不著便)。流傳耳口便支離(眾僧莫怪)。種田博飯家常事(不可別有)。不是飽參人不知(要知作麼)。參飽明知無所求(更須請益天童一遍)。子房終不貴封侯(也是靈龜曳尾)。忘機歸去同魚鳥(隨流得妙)。濯足滄浪煙木秋(受用不盡)。

Verse: Source and explanation variously are all made up;(Today there's no expedient.) Passing to ear from mouth, it comes apart.(Monks, don't think it strange.) Planting fields, making rice--ordinary household matters;(Couldn't be anything else.) Only those who have investigated to the full would know(Why want to know?)--Having investigated to the full, you clearly know there's nothing to seek:(You should still ask for more instruction from Tiantong once.) Zifang after all didn't care to be enfeoffed as a marquis;(This is still a sacred tortoise dragging its tail.) Forgetting his state he returned, same as fish and birds,(Finding the wonder along with the flow.) Washing his feet in the Canglang, the hazy waters of autumn.(The use of it is inexhaustible.)

師云。清涼道。宗通自修行。說通示未悟。本出楞伽經。佛告大慧。有二種通。宗通者。為緣自得勝進相。遠離言說文字妄想。趣無漏界。緣自覺趣。光明輝發。是名宗通相。云何說通相。謂說九部種種教法。離異不異有無等相。以巧方便。如應說法。是名說通相。講徒云。說通。宗不通。如日被雲籠。宗通。說不通。如蛇入竹箇。宗通。說亦通。如日處虛空。宗說俱不通。如犬吠茅叢。既分宗說。已是兩岐。那堪禪分五派。教列三乘。箇中一亦不立。皆強為也。何況出口入耳。請益拈頌。葛藤引蔓過新羅。鞏縣茶瓶湯不絕。非但南方商量浩浩地。若是道火不燒口底人。辯似懸河元無一字。種田博飯雖是家常。其奈不是飽參不知其趣。古人深山裏。钁頭邊。折脚鐺中。煮脫粟飯。富不過知足。一世不求人。貴不過清閑。何須印如斗。所以道。參飽明知無所求。子房終不貴封侯。史記漢六年封功臣。或謂張良未甞有戰闘功。高帝曰。運籌帷幄之中。決勝千里之外。子房功也。使自擇齊三萬戶。良曰。始臣下邳與上會留。此天以臣授陛下。用臣計而幸時中。臣願封留足矣。不敢當三萬戶。此頌不必開堂演法斆南方也。離騷經漁父歌曰。滄浪之水清兮。可以濯我纓。滄浪之水濁兮。可以濯我足。此乃猿鶴共處。魚鳥同游。且道。是甚麼人。本色檐板漢。

Qingliang said, "Communion with the source is one's own practice; communion by speech is showing it to those who are not yet enlightened." It originally comes from the Scripture on the Descent of the Great Vehicle into Lanka; the Buddha said to Mahamati, "There are two kinds of communion; communion with the source means by way of the character of transcending progress one attains to utterly detach from false conceptions from speech and symbols, and go to the realm of nonindulgence; by the process of self-awakening, light shines forth--this is called the character of communion with the source. What is the character of communion by speech? It means teaching the various inductive doctrines of the nine branches, avoiding signs of difference or nondifference, existence or nonexistence, and the like, using skillful techniques to explain the truth as it is needed. This is the character of communion by speech." Students of lecturers say, "Communion by speech without communion with the source is like the sun being hidden by clouds. Communion with the source without communion by speech is like a snake gone into a bamboo tube. Communion with the source and communion by speech together is like the sun in the open sky. Communion neither with the source nor by speech is like a dog howling in a thicket of reeds." If we distinguish the source and speech, these already are two pathways; how can Chan be divided into five branches and the teachings arranged in three vehicles? Here in not even one can stand up--all are artificial. How much the more so is going out the mouth into the ear, asking for instruction, reciting and eulogizing--the vines of entanglements and complications have extended into the next county already. The teapots of Gongxian are not without hot water. It is not just in the South that there is a lot of debate going on--if you are someone who can speak of fire without burning your mouth, your eloquence is like a torrent, but basically there's not so much as a letter. Even though planting the fields and making rice is ordinary, unless you investigate to the full you don't know their import. The ancients would reap and boil chestnuts and rice at the edge of a hoe, in a broken-legged pot, deep in the mountains--their fortune was no more than contentment; all their lives they never sought from anyone. Their nobility was no more than purity and serenity--what need for bushels of emblems? Thus, "Having investigated to the full, you clearly know there's nothing to seek: Zifang after all didn't care to be enfeoffed as a marquis." According to the Historical Records, in the sixth year of the Han dynasty they enfeoffed meritorious ministers; some said Zhang Liang had never achieved anything in war. The emperor said, "Setting forth plans in the tent to decide victory beyond a thousand miles is Zifang's (Zhang Liang's) achievement." Then the emperor had him choose thirty thousand households in Qi for himself. Liang said, "I first served in Lower Pei, where I met a deity in Liu City--this was given to your majesty by heaven through me; using my plans, fortunately the time was right. I wish to be enfeoffed with Liu City, that's enough--I cannot presume to take over thirty thousand households." This verse means it's not necessary to open a hall and expound the teaching as in the South. Leaving the clamor, going by way of a fisherman's song, When the waters of Canglang are clear, I can wash my tassels. When the waters of Canglang are muddy, I can wash my feet. This is the common ground of monkeys and cranes, where birds and fish both roam. But tell me, who is this person? A true boardbearer.