Hsueh Feng travelled with Yen T'ou and Ch'in Shan. In all, he went to Mt. T'ou Tzu three times, and climbed Mt. Tung nine times. Later he called on Te Shan, and only then did he smash the lacquer bucket. One day he went along with Yen T'ou to visit Ch'in Shan. They got as far as an inn on Tortoise Mountain (in Hunan) when they were snowed in. Day after day Yen T'ou just slept, while Hsueh Feng constantly sat in meditation. Yen T'ou yelled at him and said, "Get some sleep! Every day you're on the meditation seat, exactly like a clay image. Another time, another day, you'll fool the sons and daughters of other people's families." Feng pointed to his breast and said, "I am not yet at peace here; I don't dare deceive myself." T'ou said, "I had thought that later on you would go to the summit of a solitary peak, build a hut of straw, and propagate the great teaching: but you're still making such a statement as this." Feng said, "I am really not yet at peace." T'ou said, "If you're really like this, bring forth your views one by one; where they're correct I'll approve them for you, and where they're wrong I'll prune them away for you."
Then Hsueh Feng related, "When I saw Yen Kuan up in the hall bringing up the meaning of form and void, I gained an entry." Yen T'ou said, "Henceforth for thirty years avoid mentioning this." Again Feng said, "When I saw Tung Shan's verse on crossing the river, I had an insight." T'ou said, "This way, you won't be able to save yourself." Feng went on, "Later when I got to Te Shan I asked, 'Do I have a part in the affair of the vehicle of the most ancient sect, or not?' Shan struck me a blow of his staff and said, 'What are you saying?' At that time it was like the bottom of the bucket dropping out for me." Thereupon Yen T'ou shouted and said, "Haven't you heard it said that what comes in through the gate is not the family jewels?" Feng said, "Then what should I do?" T'ou said, "In the future, if you want to propagate the great teaching, let each point flow out from your own breast, to come out and cover heaven and earth for me." At these words Hsueh Feng was greatly enlightened. Then he bowed, crying out again and again, "Today on Tortoise Mountain I've finally achieved the Way! Today on Tortoise Mountain I've finally achieved the Way!"
Later Hsueh Feng returned to Min (Fukien) and lived on Elephant Bone Mountain. He left behind this verse about himself:
Human life so hectic and hurried is but a brief instant;
How can you dwell for long in the fleeting world?
As I reached thirty-two I emerged from the mountains;
Already over forty, I return to Min.
No use bringing up the faults of others again and again;
One's own mistakes must be cleared away continually.
I humbly report to the purple-clad nobles who fill the court:
The King of Death has no awe of the golden emblems of rank you wear.
Submitted August 06, 2017 at 05:51PM by Chilltouch http://ift.tt/2udlptG
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