Looking for a Successor
053 尋棒人
中文原著：隆門圓通法師
英文翻譯：張惠平
Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong.
Translated by Huei Ping Chang.
往昔六祖的大弟子南嶽懷讓禪師感覺自己的年齡大了，需要找一個接棒的人。古來學法，徒弟找師父千辛萬苦，師父找徒弟那也是萬苦千辛。達摩祖師面壁九年，不辭險阻艱辛，關山萬里，跑到河南少林寺去打坐，為的是什麼？ 他並不是為打坐，而是要等一個人，等誰？等二祖。等到了二祖，他的法就可以傳下去。 南獄懷讓禪師也是一樣，感到該傳燈接續了，就到處查訪，查到馬祖道一禪師，覺得這個人根器好、質素好。找到馬祖以後，看到馬祖禪師在那兒打坐，跟他打招呼，馬祖根本不理不睬。
懷讓禪師與眾不同的是，有極高的智慧和很好的方便。南嶽見馬祖不理睬，就拿塊磚頭在他面前的地上磨，唏哩嘩啦的製造噪音，馬祖忍不住了！
說：「 唉！老法師，你在做什麼？」
答：「我磨鏡子啊！」
「這磚頭怎麼可以做鏡子呢？」
答：「你說我開玩笑！那我問你，你在幹什麼？」
馬祖回答：「我打坐啊！」
「你打坐為了什麼呢？」
馬祖回答：「我打坐為了成佛啊！」
「那我這磚頭要是磨不成鏡子，你打坐成得了佛嗎？」
這句話，把馬祖道一給打動了。
馬祖就問： 「那你說怎麼做才對呢？」
南獄說： 「我們打個譬喻，譬如牛拉車，車子不走，你打牛對？還是打車對？」
馬祖說： 「當然是打牛。」
南嶽說： 「現在你卻明明在打車！」
從這則故事，可以知道，禪宗的特色，並不執著有形的修持。
禪宗不拘泥修行的形式，禪是重內明、注重心態，行、住、坐、臥，
都保持定慧圓明，禪是極為活潑、生動的。
賢善吉祥
資料來源：心靈甘露(二)，隆門圓通法師著。
Looking for a Successor
In the past, a disciple found it hard to look for a good master, and a master found it hard to look for a good disciple, too. After sitting facing the wall in meditation for nine years, Bodhidharma travelled for thousands of miles, went through numerous dangers and hardships, and finally went to the Shao Lin Temple in Henan, China to meditate. Why did he do so? He went there in order not to meditate, but to wait for Er Tzu. As long as he met Er Tzu, his Dharma would be passed on.
Master Nan Yu Huai Rang, the major disciple of Liu Tzu (Master Huei Nen, founder of the Zen Buddhism), felt that he was old and needed a successor. So he travelled around and visited people. Finally Nan Yu Huai Rang met Master Ma Tzu Dao Yi and found that he had high capabilities and good qualities. Upon seeing Ma Tzu Dao Yi in meditation, Nan Yu Huai Rang greeted him, but Ma Tzu Dao Yi did not respond at all.
What made Nan Yu Huai Rang different was his high wisdom and skillful means. When he saw this scene, he rubbed a brick on the ground in front of Ma Tzu Dao Yi, making loud noises.
Unable to bear this, Ma Tzu Dao Yi said, “Alas! What are you doing, old master?” Nan Yu Huai Rang answered, “I’m rubbing a mirror.”
Ma Tzu Dao Yi asked, “How can this brick become a mirror?”
Nan Yu Huai Rang answered, “You mean I am joking. Let me ask you. What are you doing?”
Ma Tzu Dao Yi answered, “I am meditating.”
Nan Yu Huai Rang asked, “Why do you meditate?”
Ma Tzu Dao Yi answered, “I meditate to become a Buddha.”
Nan Yu Huai Rang went on, “If this brick keeps being rubbed and still cannot become a mirror, then can you become a Buddha by keeping meditating?”
Moved by this sentence, Ma Tzu Dao Yi asked, “Then, what should I do?”
Nan Yu Huai Rang answered, “Take the ox pulling a cart for example. If the cart doesn’t move, will you whip the ox or the cart?
Ma Tzu Dao Yi answered, “Of course I will whip the ox.”
Nan Yu Huai Rang said, “But obviously you are whipping the cart now.”
This story tells us that the Zen Buddhism does not adhere to the visible cultivation and is not confined to the form of cultivation. Rather, the inner brightness and attitudes are emphasized. Each move in one’s everyday life should be kept stable, wise, perfect, and bright. Zen is actually very lively and vivid.
May you be virtuous, kind, and auspicious!
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol.II), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong.