虛堂和尚語錄 1.120

1.120

除夜小參：「年去年來，迎新送舊，山僧謾諸人一點不得；大盡三十日，小盡二十九，諸人謾山僧一點不得。既知賓主不相謾，彼此喫飯須論噎。衲僧家各有一片田地，年頭至年尾，在裡許作活計，只是蹈不著，縱饒蹈得著，埋沒己靈、孤負先聖。且道是甚麼田地？」擊拂子，「春來草自生。」

An informal gathering on New Year's Eve: "Years depart and years come, welcoming the new and sending off the old; this mountain monk cannot deceive you in the least. The long month has thirty days, the short month twenty-nine; you cannot deceive this mountain monk in the least. Since we know host and guest do not deceive each other, when eating rice together we must discuss choking. Patch-robed monks each possess a plot of land; from year's beginning to year's end, they make their living within it, yet they just fail to step upon it. Even if you step upon it, you bury your own numinous nature and let down the ancient sages. Tell me, what land is it?" Striking the whisk: "When spring comes, the grass grows by itself."