虛堂和尚語錄 9.26

9.26

冬至小參：「陰極陽生，理隨事變，是爾衲僧家家具子，若能一念知歸，不被寒暑之所遷，自然靈脈貫通，暖氣相接，道饒葭管飛灰、繡紋添線，也是什麼閑絡索。忽然傍不甘底，出來道：『不涉化機，乞師指示。』山僧只向他道：『胡地冬抽筍，江南雪亞梅。』」

Informal gathering for the winter solstice: "The extreme of yin gives birth to yang; principle changes along with phenomena. These are the tools of you patch-robed monks. If in a single thought you know where to return, not being shifted by cold or heat, naturally the spiritual conduit will be connected through and the warm qi will join together. Granted that the reed pipe's ashes fly and embroidered patterns add thread, what idle entanglements are these? If someone dissatisfied from the side suddenly came forward and said, 'Without involving teaching mechanisms, I beg the master to give instruction,' this mountain monk would only say to him, 'In barbarian lands, bamboo shoots sprout in winter; south of the river, snow bends the plum branches.'"