 青原思祖生吉州安成，劉姓，幼歲出家，每群居論道，祖唯默然。聞曹谿法席，乃往參禮。問當何所務，即不落階級。曰，汝曾作什麼來。祖曰。聖諦亦不為。日落何階級。祖曰。聖諦尚不為，何階之有。曹谿曰。如是如是。善自護持。即令首眾。嗣後又謂祖曰。汝宜分化一方。無滯於此。祖還本郡。創青原靜居寺。說法三十餘載。開元十八年十一月十三日。陞堂告眾。跏趺而逝。禧宗謠弘濟禪師。歸真之塔。
註解：
這是中國的三十四祖，青原行思。青原是一個地方，他的名字叫行思。「青原思祖生吉州安成」，他是吉州安成縣那個地方的人。
「劉姓幼歲出家」，很年輕11就出家了。「每群居論道」，群居是大家在一起，來談論道的時候。「祖唯默然」，這位行思禪師他就不講話，有多少人在一起，他不講話的。「聞曹谿法席」，聽聞曹谿南華寺六祖大師那個道場。「乃往參禮」，到南華寺六祖大師那兒去禮拜六祖。
「問」，他就問六祖。「當何所務」，要怎麼樣子，做什麼事情「即不落階級？」沒有一種階級，就是這麼一步一步的。
「曰汝曾作什麼來」，六祖大師就問他，你做什麼來著？你以前是做什麼的？
「祖曰」，行思禪師就說了。「聖諦亦不為」，說我呀，我連怎麼樣學聖人的這種道理 --諦就是諦理 -- 亦不為，我都不做了。「何階之有」，有什麼階級呢？沒有什麼階級了。
「曹谿曰。如是如是」，你要不明白呢，那麼你就要去找啦！你已經明白了，已經得道了，不需要了！你已經吃飽了，不要再吃了。所以就是這個如是如是，六祖說，是這樣子。「善自護持」，說你好好地保護你自己的這種智慧。
「即令首眾」，六祖就叫他做大家的一個首座。「嗣後又謂祖日」，以後六祖又對行思禪師說了。「汝宜分化一方」，說你啊，應該去到另外一個地方做一個說法主，分化一方。「無滯於此」，你不要停留在我這個地方了，不要在南華寺了。你應該到外邊去做一方的教化主，來教化人，不要在這地方待著了。
待續
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Text:
Patriarch Si of Qingyuan was born in Jizhou in Ancheng. His surname was Liu. He left the home-life in his youth. Whenever people gathered to discuss the Way, only the Patriarch remained silent. When he heard about the Dharma assembly at Caoxi, he went there to pay his respects and bow.
He asked, "What can we take as fundamental so that we don't fall into successive stages?"
"What do you usually do?"
The Patriarch said, "I do not even take action regarding the truth of Sages."
"Then what successive stages are there?"
The Patriarch said, "Since no action is taken regarding the truth of Sages, what successive stages can there be?"
Master Caoxi said, "So it is, so it is. Take good care of yourself and protect it." Then he appointed him leader of the assembly. After the appointment, he said to the Patriarch, "It is fitting for you to depart and go teach in another place. Do not remain at this place."
The Patriarch went back to his original county, Ancheng. He founded Jingju (Tranquil Dwelling) Monastery in Qingyuan and spoke Dharma for over thirty years. In the eighteenth year of the Kaiyuan reign period, in the eleventh month, on the thirteenth day, he announced his intent to the assembly. Then he sat in full lotus and departed. Emperor Xi bestowed upon him a posthumous name, Dhyana Master Hongji (Vast Deliverance), and called the stupa "Returning to the Truth."
Commentary:
Master Xingsi of Qingyuan was one of the thirty-fourth generation of Patriarchs in China. Qingyuan is a place, and Xingsi is the Dhyana Master's name. Patriarch Si of Qingyuan was born in Jizhou (Auspicious Province) in Ancheng county.
His surname was Liu. He left the home-life in his youth. When he was quite young, he left home. Whenever people gathered to discuss the Way, only the Patriarch remained silent. The Thirty-fourth Patriarch, Dhyana Master Xingsi, did not say anything. No matter how many people were gathered together, he didn't talk. When he heard about the Dharma assembly at Caoxi, at Nanhua (South China) Monastery, the Way-place of the Great Master, the Sixth Patriarch, he went there to pay his respects and bow. He went to Nanhua Monastery, to where the Sixth Patriarch was, in order to make obeisance to him.
He asked, "What can we take as fundamental so that we don't fall into successive stages?" How can we be so that there is no sequence, no stages, no step-by-step.
"What do you usually do?" The Great Master, the Sixth Patriarch, questioned him in response to his question about how not to fall into successive stages. The Sixth Patriarch asked him, "What do you do? In the past what have you done?"
The Patriarch, Dhyana Master Xingsi, said, "I do not even take action regarding the truth of Sages." I do not even concern myself with the principles of how to learn from the Sages."
The Sixth Patriarch said, "Then what successive stages are there?" The Patriarch, Dhyana Master Xingsi, said, "Since no action is taken regarding the truth of Sages, what successive stages can there be?"
Master Caoxi, the Sixth Patriarch, said, "So it is, so it is. Right. That's correct. Why don't you take action with regard to the truth of the Sages? It's because you already understand. If you didn't understand, you'd have to go searching. But you already understand. You have already obtained it, and so there's no need. You've already eaten your fill, there's no need to eat any more." That's how it is, and so he says, "So it is, so it is." The Sixth Patriarch said, "That's how it is, that's how it is. Take good care of yourself and protect it. Look after yourself well and protect your wisdom. " Then he appointed him leader of the assembly. He thereupon told him to be senior-seated one. After the appointment, he said to the Patriarch, the Sixth Patriarch said to Dhyana Master Xingsi, "It is fitting for you to depart and go teach in another place. You should go to another place and become a Dharma-speaking host. Do not remain at this place. Don't stay here where I am. You do not belong at Nanhua Monastery. You should go out and become a teacher in another area. Go out to teach and transform people. Do not remain here."
To be continued |
