Shānduó Zhēnzài chánshī yǔlù 山鐸真在禪師語錄
Recorded Sayings of Chán Master Shān-duó Zhēn-zài by 真在 (說), 機雲 (等錄), 智旭 (等錄)
Single-juan yǔlù of Shānduó Zhēnzài 真在 山鐸真在 (1621-12-31 – 1672-11-04, age 52, sēnglà 28), LínjìYángqí 32nd-generation dharma-heir of Jièān Wùjìn 介菴悟進 (1612–1673), thus a co-disciple of 圓法 (cf. KR6q0532) and 真璨 (cf. KR6q0533). Native of Jiāngzhōu Déhuàxiàn Sāngluò 江州德化縣桑落 (Jiǔjiāng region, Jiāngxī), lay surname Lǐ 李. Co-recorded by two of his major dharma-heirs: Shíyuán Jīyún 機雲 (later continuator of his teacher’s 《徑石滴乳集》 KR6q0255) and Huìyuè Zhìxù 智旭 (Línjì-lineage; not the famous Ŏuyì Zhìxù).
Zhēnzài’s career spanned three abbacies in the central Yangtze region: Lúshān Dōnglín Xīnglóngyuàn 廬山東林興龍禪院 (entered 康熙甲辰春 = 1664 spring), ChǔQí Huáguì Néngrénsì 楚蘄華桂能仁寺 (entered 康熙乙巳秋 = 1665 autumn), and finally Huángān Bìyúnshān Lóngxīng chányuàn 黃安碧雲山龍興禪院 (entered 康熙己酉仲春望日 = 1669-04-15), where he died. notBefore = 1664 (Dōnglín entry); notAfter = 1672 (death). Printed as Jiāxīng Canon J38 B414.
Contents. Single juan: three abbacy yǔ-lù (Dōng-lín, Néng-rén, Lóng-xīng); jī-yuán; kān-biàn; niān-gǔ; sòng-gǔ; fǎ-yǔ (示惟範琪侍者, 示石航宗上座, 示胡文學); chá-huà; fó-shì; shī-jì including the lián-fāng-jì (verse-bestowal poems for his major dharma-heirs); and the closing 行狀 (biographical inscription) — a lengthy account containing detailed dating evidence and a vivid portrait of the master’s character (described as preferring rough garments and “elbows out, heels exposed”, reading the Śūraṅgama through more than ten times in his own hand, refusing to lie down for twenty years).
Tiyao
Not applicable — Jiā-xīng-canon imprint (J38 B414).
Other points of interest
The closing 行狀 records Zhēnzài’s “三禁” — three prohibitions left as final instructions: (1) no formal mourning rites in the lay manner, no burning of paper money; (2) no stupa construction, but rather to scatter his bones into the rivers and seas to feed fish, shrimp, and crabs and so be of benefit to sentient beings; (3) no spirit-tablet, no seven-day rituals, no scripture-recitation. Violators “are not my disciples.” The writer of the 行狀 — clearly the disciple-recorder, perhaps Zhìxù — notes with regret that “sōngyuánān Juéyī” 松月庵覺一 was unable to fulfill these instructions, since the lay community insisted on the customary funerary rites. The cremation produced unusually clean white bones; a stupa was nonetheless erected at Dōnglín against Zhēnzài’s wishes.