圓悟佛果禪師語錄 17.35

17.35

[The Master] cited: "Long ago, a scholar asked Changsha: 'I once read the Sutra of the Names of the Thousand Buddhas: one sees only the names of the hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, but I do not know in what lands they abide.' Changsha called to the scholar; the scholar responded. Changsha said: 'After Cui Hao inscribed his verse on the Yellow Crane Tower, did you ever inscribe one, scholar?' The scholar said: 'I have not inscribed one.' Changsha said: 'When you find leisure, it would be good to compose a piece.'"
The Master critiqued: "A sudden blade slashing across the face—who can discern it? An arrow split right at the chest—how many can take responsibility? If you can, where the blade passes through the rushing current and the wind blows past blazing flames, see Changsha laying down his body for the sake of beings, dispatched without even a squeeze. If, following words and explanations, one enters into entanglement, one would say he answered west when asked east, twisting and turning the topic. But what is Changsha's exact point? Do you understand thoroughly? The sword that kills people, the sword that brings people to life."