虛堂和尚語錄 3.69

3.69

上堂，舉：「趙州聞沙彌喝參，州云：『侍者教伊去。』沙彌珍重便行，州謂旁僧云：『沙彌得入門，侍者在門外。』」師云：「逼生蠶作繭則易，要特牛產兒較難。」

Ascending the hall, he brought up: "Zhaozhou heard a śrāmaṇera shout upon entering for interview. Zhaozhou said, 'Attendant, teach him to leave.' The śrāmaṇera said 'Take care' and immediately departed. Zhaozhou said to a monk beside him, 'The śrāmaṇera managed to enter the gate, but the attendant is outside the gate.'" The Master said: "Forcing silkworms to spin cocoons is easy, but wanting a bull to give birth to a calf is rather difficult."