密菴和尚語錄 1.19

1.19

上堂：「有物先天地，無形本寂寥，能為萬象主，不逐四時凋。且道是什麼物？有般無鼻孔漢便道：『描也描不成，畫也畫不就，佛眼覷不見、不識不知。』如斯理論正所謂：『一句合頭語，萬劫繫驢橛。』烏巨有一則語，非是扶宗竪教，且要與天下衲僧剝盡貼肉汗衫，諸人切須諦聽。」良久云：「匙好挑飯，箸好筴菜。參！」

Ascending the hall: "There is a thing prior to heaven and earth, formless, originally tranquil and solitary. Capable of being the master of all phenomena, it does not wither following the four seasons. Now tell me, what thing is it? A bunch of fellows without nostrils would then say, 'Depict it and it cannot be depicted; paint it and it cannot be painted; the Buddha's eye cannot spy it, neither cognized nor known.' Such reasoning is precisely what is called: 'A phrase that fits the mark is a donkey-tethering stake for ten thousand kalpas.' Wuju has a turning phrase—not to bolster the lineage or establish teachings, but to strip all the patch-robed monks of the realm down to their bare skin beneath their undershirts. All of you must listen attentively!" After a long pause, he said, "A spoon is good for scooping rice; chopsticks are good for picking up greens. Practice!"