《星雲禪話》〈知恩報恩〉

                     ～ 量大、德大、恩大、禪大
文／星雲大師
　　臨濟禪師向親教老師黃檗禪師告辭他去。
　　黃檗禪師問道︰你要到哪裏去？
　　臨濟禪師答道︰不是到河南，就是去河北。
　　黃檗禪師當場就打臨濟禪師一拳，臨濟禪師抓住黃檗禪師回打他一巴掌。黃檗禪師被打後，哈哈大笑著呼叫侍者道︰
　　「你去把百丈先師的禪板和經案給我拿來。」
　　臨濟禪師也高呼道︰沙彌！順便將火拿來。
　　黃檗禪師道︰我話雖然如此說，火也燒不著的，你儘管去你的，今後你必須堵塞天下人的嘴巴。
　　後來溈山靈祐就這件事問仰山禪師道︰
　　「像臨濟的言行，是否背叛了老師黃檗？」
　　仰山︰並非如此。
　　溈山︰你究竟作如何想法呢？
　　仰山︰只有知恩的人才懂得報恩。
　　溈山︰在古代聖賢之中，有沒有類似的事情發生？
　　仰山︰有的，只是時代已經很遠，我不想向老師敘述。
　　溈山︰雖然事情已過去，可是我並不知道，還是請你說說看！
　　仰山︰例如在《楞嚴經》中，阿難讚美佛陀說︰「我願把一顆赤誠之心奉獻給像塵埃那麼多的國家和眾生。」其實，那就叫做『報佛恩』。這不就是報恩的實例嗎！
　　溈山︰的確如此，的確如此。見識和老師的程度相同時，會減損老師的一半盛德；唯獨見識超出老師時，才可以傳授老師的遺教。

　　在禪宗史上，黃檗希運禪師和臨濟義玄禪師傳承禪法，叫做臨濟宗；溈山靈祐和仰山慧寂禪師傳承的禪法，叫做溈仰宗。他們同是百丈懷海禪師的門人或再傳弟子，溈山的年歲比黃檗和臨濟都長，溈山（七七一～八五三）比黃檗大五歲（七七六～八五六），比臨濟大十六歲，而且宗風不盡相同，能一再推崇黃檗和臨濟，此即所謂量大、德大、恩大、禪大了。

REQUITING KINDNESS
Ch’an Master Lin-chi was about to take leave of his teacher Ch’an Master Huang-po. The latter asked him, "Where are you going?"
"Either to Henan or to Hepei, "Lin-chi answered.
Huang-po immediately slapped him. Grabbing the teacher Lin-chi slapped him back. Although he had been struck, Huang-po laughed heartily and said to his attendant in a loud voice, "Go and get the late Master Pai-chang’s Ch’an board and sutra stand for me. 
Lin-chi also called out, " Bring some fire too."
Huang-po turned to Lin-chi and said, "Although I said this the fire will not burn. Just go as you wish. Only you’ll have to keep the people of the whole world quiet."
Later, when Ch’an Master Kuei-shan Ling-yu discussed this incident with Yang-shan , he asked, "Did Lin-chi insult his teacher Huang-po by his behavior?"
"No not really" Yang-shan replied.
"Would you please explain?" Implored Kuei-shan.
"By slapping Huang-po Ling-chi actually acknowledged his teacher's kindness to him. Only those who acknowledge a kindness will requite it." Yang-shan explained.
Do you know any such examples among sages or virtuous individuals in ancient times?" asked Kuei-shan.
"Yes I do. But since they are from the distant past I won't repeat them to you."
"But I’ve never heard of them. Please tell me " urged Kuei-shan.
"All right. In the Surangama Sutra, Ananda praised the Buddha pledging ‘I’m willing to offer my utter devotion to as many nations and people as there are dust particles.' This is called 'requiting the Buddha’s kindnesses' and is an example from ancient times.
"Indeed, " Kuei-shan said agreeably.
"If a disciple has only as much knowledge and experience as the master this will decrease the master’s virtues when the disciple tries to pass the teachings on. Only when one surpasses one’s teacher will one be able to impart fully the teacher’s wisdom."

In the Ch’an School the teaching methods that had been passed on from Master Huang-po and Lin-chi belonged to the Lin-chi School, while those from Master Kuei-shan and Yang-shan belonged to the Kuei-yang School. These masters were all first and second generation disciples of Ch’an Master Pai-chang. Although Kuei-shan (771-853C.E.) was five years older than Huang-po (776-856C.E.)
sixteen years older than Lin-chi and belonged to a different school he always held these two masters in high esteem. This is what is known as being magnanimous virtuous and enlightened.
――摘錄自《星雲禪話》中英對照第3集