大慧普覺禪師語錄 19.48

19.48

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.