大慧普覺禪師語錄 8.43

8.43

Instructing the assembly, he brought up [the following]: "Layman Pang asked Great Master Ma, 'Not ignoring the original body, please, Master, cast your eye high.' The Great Master looked straight down. The Layman said, 'The unique stringless zither—only you, Master, can play it wonderfully.' The Great Master looked straight up. The Layman bowed. The Great Master returned to the abbot's quarters. The Layman followed behind to the abbot's quarters and said, 'Just now I tried to be clever and made a blunder.'" The Master said, "Tell me: was it Great Master Ma who tried to be clever and made a blunder, or Layman Pang who tried to be clever and made a blunder? Is there anyone who can distinguish black from white? If you cannot distinguish black from white, [you are like] a mangy horse tied to a withered hitching post; even if you can distinguish black from white, it is still a grain of pepper in a toad's mouth."