Text:
During Emperor Kangxi's reign, in the spring of the gui-mou year, Hongfu had a vacancy. Members of the four assemblies earnestly requested the Chan Master to exit seclusion and enter the world. It wasn't until one winter night during the gui-hai year that he appeared to have heard the sound of avalanches and earthquakes. That's why he cheerily announced, "The time has come." When he heard the ringing of the advisory bells at the fifth drumming, he summoned his attendant to fetch some rinse-water. After the Master sat as usual for a while, his attendant made obeisance. The Master had gone at the age of 74. His body was in a stupa to the left of Bodhi's stupa. Two successors inherited his Dharma.
Commentary:
During Emperor Kangxi's reign, in the spring of the gui-mou year, Hongfu had a vacancy. The abbot of Hongfu Monastery vacated so that the position was open. Members of the four assemblies earnestly requested the Chan Master to exit seclusion and enter the world. The four assemblies of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas and Upasikas sincerely pleaded with him to leave seclusion and enter the world. Everyone beseeched him to become the abbot of Hongfu Monastery.
It wasn't until one winter night during the gui-hai year, which is probably the twelfth or twenty-fourth year of a sixty-year cycle, that he appeared to have heard the sound of avalanches and earthquakes. One night he heard a loud noise resembling a tumbling avalanche or a quivering earthquake. That's why he cheerily announced, "The time has come." He delightedly proclaimed, "My time has arrived. I'm about to be liberated from birth and death."
When he heard the ringing of the advisory bells at the fifth drumming, which occurs at dawn as the roosters crow. He heard the advisory bells at that time. What are advisory bells? An advisory bell is a small bell about a foot and a half tall that you strike in the Chan Hall. The advisory bell is the smaller bell, not the large bell. He summoned his attendant to fetch some rinse-water. The Master told his attendant to bring him water so that the Master could wash his face.
After the Master sat as usual for a while; that is, sat in the full lotus meditation posture as he did typically, his attendant made obeisance. His attendant went over to greet him. Making obeisance here refers to a salutation, not necessarily prostration. The Master had gone. When the attendant greeted the Master, he saw the Master had already gone to rebirth. It didn't take too long. He died at the age of 74. His body was in a stupa to the left of Bodhi's stupa. The Chan Master's stupa was to the left, or east of High Master Bodhi's stupa. Two successors inherited his Dharma. He transmitted his line of Dharma to two people.
Praise:
The wisdom life of the Buddhist patriarchy—
Transmitted to this wise saga.
The philosopher king has come—
Grand, gallant and bedazzling.
Whether moving or still, the master
Resembles the sun and spring.
Within the brilliant universe on high,
Heaven and earth shine ever bright.
Commentary:
Praise:
The wisdom life of the Buddhist patriarchy.The wisdom life of the Buddhas and patriarchs is the Dharma practice of the mind. Transmitted to this wise sage.Who inherits this wisdom life? A wise sage who understands, or a bright-eyed, good and wise teacher.
The philosopher king has come.The bright-eyed, good and wise advisor has arrived. Grand, gallant and bedazzling.Now that this bright-eyed, good and wise advisor has emerged, the Dharma will brighten and expand and people will respect the Buddhadharma.
Whether moving or still, the master. To move is to walk and to be still is to stand in one place. In every move and every word, this patriarch, this Chan Master, resembles the sun and spring.He is similar to the sun that shines on a myriad of objects and the invigorating energy of spring.
Within the brilliant universe on high. Like the sun in the sky, the radiant sun that looms in empty space, heaven and earth shine ever bright. The rays are not harsh. Just as was mentioned in Han Yu's Original Way, "The way teaches us to use our radiance for humaneness." Radiance is imperfect if it's too intense. That heaven and earth shine ever bright means that it's always warm in heaven and earth.
Another verse says:
Hearing the forest roar as the night fell, he put it all down.
Homeless and bankrupt, he lost all notion of self and others.
In the vacuous space, birth and death come and go;
Fame and fortune are ephemeral as mirages of flora.
Mountains tumble and earth crumbles—the time had come.
Wide oceans and open skies: everywhere is home.
So he returns, strolling free and easy,
O'Mahasattva in the evil world of the five turbidities.
Commentary:
Another verse says:
Hearing the forest roar as the night fell, he put it all down. He heard the forest bellow at night and suddenly became enlightened. He set everything down. He had nothing to fear.
Homeless and bankrupt, he lost all notion of self and others.With neither a home nor assets, he had no I, no you, no they. There is no one. He had nothing more to say with a broken family and deaths of loved ones.
In the vacuous space, birth and death come and go.He no longer saw empty space, birth and death as problems, but as ordinary affairs.
Fame and fortune are ephemeral as mirages of flora.To be greedy for status, offerings, money, beauty, reputation, food or sleep is to pander after mirages.
Mountains tumble and earth crumbles—the time had come. He heard the sounds of the mountains topple and the earth split, informing the master that his time has come.
Wide oceans and open skies: everywhere is home. He's quite serene and unflappable at this time.
So he returns, strolling free and easy.This Chan master is at leisure and ease. O'Mahasattva in the evil world of the five turbidities. Yet this Bodhisattva manifests himself in the evil world of the five turbidities to teach living beings. This is a Bodhisattva Mahasattva in the Saha World, a great Bodhisattva among all Bodhisattvas.
The End |
