虛堂和尚語錄 1.41

1.41

師就座，僧問：「金鷄唱曉，玉鳳㘅花，朝蓋臨筵，請師祝聖。」師云：「獨角麒麟登海嶼，九包鸞鳳舞神山。」僧云：「三聖道：『我逢人則出，出則不為人。』此意如何？」師云：「掘地深埋。」僧云：「興化道：『我逢人則不出，出則便為人。』又作麼生？」師云：「釣絲絞水。」僧云：「只如判府侍郎請和尚開堂演法，相送入寺，有何祥瑞？」師云：「恐動一城人。」僧云：「還有為人處也無？」師云：「獨有爾皮下無血。」僧云：「不因夜來雁，爭見海門秋。」便禮拜。

The master took his seat. A monk asked: "The golden rooster crows at dawn, the jade phoenix holds a flower in its beak; the court parasols attend the banquet—we ask the master to pray for the Emperor." The master said: "The single-horned qilin climbs the sea island; the nine-hued phoenix dances on the spirit mountain." The monk said: "Sansheng said, 'Whenever I meet someone, I step out; stepping out, I do not act for the sake of the person.' What is the meaning of this?" The master said: "Dig into the ground and bury it deep." The monk said: "Xinghua said, 'Whenever I meet someone, I do not step out; stepping out, I immediately act for the sake of the person.' What about this?" The master said: "A fishing line tangles the water." The monk said: "What auspicious sign is there when the Vice Minister Prefect invites the upādhyāya to open the hall and expound the Dharma, seeing you into the monastery?" The master said: "It alarms the people of the whole city." The monk said: "Is there still any acting for the sake of people?" The master said: "Only under your skin is there no blood." The monk said: "Were it not for the geese of the night, how could one see autumn at Haimen?" He then made prostrations.