虛堂和尚語錄 9.131

9.131

朝廷祈雨上堂，問答罷，師云：「神本不靈，敬而禱之則靈。敬而禱之既靈，則便能摶虛空於掌上，驅旱魃於天隅，布雲霧於四郊，注甘霖於九野，漁歌煙浦，咸稱富足之年，樵唱雲村，共樂昇平之化。然雖如是，且君臣慶會一句作麼生？」卓主丈：「明明生下，穆穆當中。」

Ascending the hall for the imperial court's prayer for rain, after questions and answers, the Master said: "Spirits are originally not efficacious; when revered and prayed to, they become efficacious. Revered and prayed to, having become efficacious, they can then knead empty space in the palm of the hand, drive the drought demon to the corners of heaven, spread clouds and mist across the four outskirts, and pour sweet rain across the nine realms. Fishermen sing by the misty inlets, all praising a year of abundance; woodcutters sing in cloudy villages, together rejoicing in peaceful transformation. Even though it is like this, what about the phrase for the joyous meeting of sovereign and minister?" He struck the staff: "Brilliantly born below, solemn and serene in the center."