大慧普覺禪師語錄 4.21

4.21

Ascending the hall, a monk asked: "'Empty-handed, holding a hoe; walking, riding a water buffalo'—how is this?" The Master said: "An eel scurries into an oil jar." The monk continued: "I thought the barbarian's beard was red, but there is another barbarian with a red beard." The Master said: "A person crosses over a bridge; the bridge flows, the water does not flow." The monk continued: "Just as Mahāsattva Fu went to fish markets and wine shops to receive people, I wonder, where does the Master receive people?" The Master said: "I receive people everywhere." The monk continued: "I wonder how many you have received?" The Master said: "Only you, a lacquer bucket, do not understand." Then he said: "'Empty-handed, holding a hoe'—there are croton seeds in the rice. 'Walking, riding a water buffalo'—one stubs one's toe. 'A person crosses over a bridge'—how many people has it misled to death? 'The bridge flows, the water does not flow'—that is slightly better. If you can take it up like this, only then will you believe that: 'Maitreya, the true Maitreya, divides his body into hundreds of thousands of myriads, constantly manifesting to the people of the time, yet the people of the time do not recognize him.'" He slapped the meditation bed and stepped down from the seat.