大慧普覺禪師語錄 19.48

19.48

僧問趙州：「柏樹子還有佛性也無？」州云：「有。」僧云：「幾時成佛？」州云：「待虛空落地。」僧云：「虛空幾時落地？」州云：「待柏樹子成佛。」看此話，不得作柏樹子不成佛想，虛空不落地想。畢竟如何？虛空落地時，柏樹子成佛，柏樹子成佛時，虛空落地定也。思之。

A monk asked Zhaozhou: 'Does the cypress tree also have buddha-nature or not?' Zhaozhou said: 'It has.' The monk said: 'When will it become a buddha?' Zhaozhou said: 'Wait until empty space falls to the ground.' The monk said: 'When will empty space fall to the ground?' Zhaozhou said: 'Wait until the cypress tree becomes a buddha.' In examining this huatou, you must not conceive that the cypress tree will not become a buddha, nor conceive that empty space will not fall to the ground. Ultimately, how is it? When empty space falls to the ground, the cypress tree becomes a buddha; when the cypress tree becomes a buddha, it is certain that empty space falls to the ground. Reflect on this.