|
著有拈古、懷古等頌行世：
「著」是著作。現在的人著作在未死之前就要出版；古來的人著作要等死了之後才出版。為什麼呢？他活著的時候如果一出版就聲名遠播，好像有一點求名求利的行為了。所以古來的人寫作都是把它藏起來，等他圓寂了之後大家發現他這個稿子，才拿出來給他印，是這個樣子的。
所以現在的人一有什麼著作，就趕快要拿去印，趕快要流通。雖然說是能讓人看了會發菩提心，但是對於著作這個人不太好，所以古來的人存心和現在的人存心是不一樣的。古來的人唯恐他人知道自己的名；現在的人呢？唯恐人不知道自己的名。所以，今人與古人不同也就在這個地方。那麼古代的人，他是處處要實實在在的，腳踏實地去做去；現在的人是在皮毛上用工夫，在表面上用工夫，注重外表。我修行也怕人不知道；怎麼有智慧也怕人不知道；學問也怕人不知道；道德也怕人不知道，總是各處去賣廣告。好像這個某某人，喔！把自己相片登到報紙上。這麼一大張，一全篇的廣告就做個首頁，就寫個什麼花樣，弄得一些古古怪怪的，這都是開謊花，不結果，一時可以，不能永遠的。所以那個假的，到時候也會沒有了。
那麼眞的就不會沒有嗎？眞的也會沒有，也不一定眞的就會時時都存在。不過眞的沒有比你假的沒有，那個價值是不同的。佛說的法有正法時代、像法時代、末法時代，法還會末呢！那麼眞的怎麼就能永遠在這世界上？也不會的，不過這個價值不同。金子和黃銅雖然都是黃色的，但是不一樣的。
所以這位禪師他是刻苦自待，捨己為人；他是和大家同起同坐，同飲同食。有的不單吃小鍋子，有的地方的方丈一有了錢來了，有了地位了，有了勢力了，就自己天天都吃席，天天攪和那個菜，甚至於和皇帝差不多那個樣子。可是這位禪師是和人同甘共苦的，不別作食；就是別作食，也是吃得比大家都不好，並不是比大家吃得好。這一點我們必須要知道，所以這位禪師他是敝衣糲食的。
百廢摻作，他就躬行實踐也和大家去出坡，有百丈風，所以他著作「拈古」。拈古就是把古人特長或者特別的風格，先人這個特別的語錄，或者格言，他把它摘錄出來所以叫拈古。「懷古」：他又回憶古人這種德行道德、學問智慧，這種良好的作風。懷古，他著這個書在世間流通。
贊曰：
其容則威 其行彌苦
生死去來 雪峰石鼓
「贊曰」：做佛祖道影的這位法師讚嘆讚嘆這位祖師。
「其容則威」：說他的容貌是很威嚴很威嚴的，人人見著他都是敬鬼神而遠之，好像見了鬼似的很害怕的。他的威儀很夠威風的。
「其行彌苦」：可是他的行止自奉很簡略。他自己對自己是很刻苦的。
「生死去來」：生就是來，死就是去：他的生死來去很自由的，也很隨便的。
「雪峰石鼓」：他在雪峰和鼓山這個地方很用功修行。
待續
|
|
His works, including Selections from Ancient Times, Recollecting the Ancients, and other verses are still in circulation. Nowadays people want to publish their works before they die. In ancient times, people would not have their works published until after their death. Why was this? If their works were published during their lifetime and they gained widespread renown, it would seem like they were seeking fame and benefit. Therefore, in ancient times people would store their writings away, and after they passed away their manuscripts would be discovered and published for them. That's how it was.
Nowadays, as soon as people write something, they want to publish it and put it into circulation immediately. Although it's true that someone might read it and bring forth the resolve for
Bodhi, it is not too good for the writers themselves. The motives of the ancients are different from those of people today. The ancients feared that their name might become known; modern people fear that others might not know their name. That's where the difference lies. The ancients wanted to be honest and reliable in all they did. Modern people concentrate on superficials and pay attention to appearance. "I'm afraid people don't know about my cultivation, my wisdom, my erudition, and my virtue." They are always advertising for themselves. For example, there's a certain person who had his photo put in the paper, in a full-page ad on the front page, with all kinds of gimmicks. All of these are sterile blossoms that will not bear fruit. He might have temporary success, but it won't last. The false will always come to an end.
Will the truth not perish? The truth will also come to an end. It's not for sure that the truth will always stay around. But the truth, although it comes to an end, is still more worthwhile than the false. The Dharma spoken by the Buddha goes through the Proper Dharma Age, the Dharma Image Age, and the Dharma-ending Age. Yes, the Dharma will come to an end! How can the truth stay in the world forever? It won't. Even so, it still has a different value. By analogy, although gold and copper are both yellowish in color, they are different.
This Dhyana Master lived a frugal and austere lifestyle, devoting himself to others. He stood up and sat down at the same time as everyone else, and ate and drank together with everyone else. He did not have special food cooked separately for himself. In some places when the abbot has money, position, and power, he will eat banquet-style everyday, like an emperor. This Dhyana Master, however, shared the misery and sweetness with everyone else. He didn't have special food served for himself. If he had food different from others', the food was worse, not better. We should realize that this Dhyana Master wore shabby robes and ate coarse food.
He worked along with others in repairing the buildings, and his style was reminiscent of Great Master Baizhang. In his work, Selections from Ancient Times, he selected and compiled a collection of outstanding qualities, characters, and oral teachings from the ancients. In Recollecting the Ancients, he compiled recollections of the moral virtue, erudition, wisdom, and wholesome conduct of the ancients into a book which is still in circulation in the world.
A verse in praise says:
His appearance was stern and awesome.
His conduct was extremely austere.
Coming and going in birth and death,
He dwelt at Snowy Peak and Stone Drum.
Commentary:
His appearance was stern and awesome. He had a very forbidding and impressive demeanor. People who saw him would respectfully keep their distance. They were as apprehensive as if they had seen a ghost. His presence was very intimidating. His deportment was quite awesome.
His conduct was extremely austere. However, he was very hard on himself. He lived very frugally and austerely.
Coming and going in birth and death. Birth is coming; death is going. He was quite free coming and going, being born and dying. He could do as he pleased.
He dwelt at Snowy Peak and Stone
Drum. He cultivated zealously at those two places.
To be continued
|
