虛堂和尚語錄 3.117

3.117

當晚小參，僧問：「言言言兮飄風洒雪，默默默兮雷轟電掣，藕絲孔裏騎大鵬，等閑埃落天邊月，未審何人得此機用？」答曰：「頭長三尺知是誰，相對無言獨足立。」僧曰：「恁麼則九重城裏大播芳猷。」答曰：「也是波斯入鬧市。」僧曰：「王常侍訪臨際，游僧堂次，曰：『這一堂僧還看經否？』際曰：『不看經。』此意如何？」答曰：「酒逢知己飲。」「常侍曰：『還習禪否？』際曰：『不習禪。』又作麼生？」答曰：「撥亂乾坤致太平。」僧曰：「常侍言：『既不看經，又不習禪，畢竟作箇甚麼？』際曰：『總教伊成佛作祖去。』此意如何？」答曰：「臨際老兒性命，落在常侍手裏。」僧曰：「今夜忽有箇衲僧出來道：『捉敗了也。』又作麼生？」答曰：「爾捉敗常侍？捉敗臨際？」僧曰：「總不恁麼。」答曰：「畢竟作麼生？」僧便喝，答曰：「甜瓜生得苦葫蘆。」僧曰：「不因天目近，那覺斗牛寒。」答曰：「切忌亂針錐。」僧禮拜。

That evening at the informal gathering, a monk asked: "'Words, words, words—blowing wind and swirling snow; silence, silence, silence—thundering lightning and striking thunder. Riding the great roc within the hole of a lotus thread, casually scattering the dust of the moon on the horizon.' I wonder who possesses this active function?" The Master answered: "Who knows the one whose head is three feet long? Facing each other without words, standing on a single leg." The monk said: "If so, then within the ninefold walls of the capital, his fragrant influence spreads wide." The Master answered: "This too is a Persian entering a bustling market." The monk said: "When Attendant Wang visited Linji, while touring the monks' hall, he asked, 'Do the monks in this hall read sutras?' Linji said, 'They do not read sutras.' What is the meaning of this?" The Master answered: "Drinking wine only when meeting an intimate friend." The monk said: "The Attendant asked, 'Do they practice meditation?' Linji said, 'They do not practice meditation.' What about that?" The Master answered: "Bringing order to chaos between heaven and earth to achieve great peace." The monk said: "The Attendant said, 'Since they do not read sutras and do not practice meditation, what after all do they do?' Linji said, 'All are made to become Buddhas and patriarchs.' What is the meaning of this?" The Master answered: "Old Linji's life fell into the Attendant's hands." The monk said: "If tonight a patch-robed monk suddenly came forth and said, 'He was caught red-handed,' what then?" The Master answered: "Did you catch the Attendant, or did you catch Linji?" The monk said: "It is entirely not like that." The Master answered: "What is it after all?" The monk then gave a shout. The Master answered: "A sweet melon produced a bitter gourd." The monk said: "Were it not that Mount Tianmu is near, how could one sense the cold of the northern stars?" The Master answered: "Take care not to prick about randomly with needle and awl." The monk made bows.