28.改頭換裝習天台 Rectifying his appearance, changing clothes, and practicing the Tien Tai Teaching

改頭換裝習天台

公被老人痛下鉗錐直透到底。復請示。師曰教聽則住。不聽任去。曰特來親近焉敢不聽。師即贈以衣履。令剃髮沐浴。作務去。並教看「拖死尸是誰」話頭。進飲食。學天台教觀。勤勞作務。

宣化偈曰： 航海梯山訪明師。披星戴月參善知。 改頭換面還本體。一心專看誰拖尸。

Rectifying his appearance, changing clothes, and practicing the T’ien T’ai Teaching

The Master was painfully pierced to the heart by the Venerable Ching’s remark and again requested instruction. The Elder Master replied, “As long as you listen to and obey my teachings, you may stay. If you do not, however, you will be required to leave.”

The Master said, “Coming here specifically to draw near to the Venerable Master, how could I dare to be heedless?” Then, giving the Master robes and shoes, the Venerable Ching told him to shave his head and take a bath. He gave the Master work to do and taught him to look into the hua t’ou (meditation topic) “Who is dragging this corpse?” The Master diligently labored, ate and drank like the rest, and studied the contemplative teachings of the T’ien T’ai school.

The verse says: Crossing the sea and scaling the mountains, he called on a lucid teacher. Donning the stars and wearing the moon, he visited a sage. Changing his head to restore his face, he sought to return to the basic substance. With a single mind, he investigated “Just who is dragging this corpse?”