虛堂和尚語錄 1.45

1.45

He again brought up: "Fadeng instructed the assembly: 'Originally I wished to hide deep in the rocky ravines and pass the time in seclusion; but the old man of Qingliang had an unfinished gong'an, so I came out to finish it for him.' At that time, a monk came forward and asked, 'What is the unfinished gong'an?' Fadeng struck him and said, 'When ancestors do not settle it, misfortune reaches their children and grandchildren.'" The master said: "Fadeng lets go too lavishly and gathers in too sparingly. This monk's body presses against a naked blade, his righteous spirit brushing the clouds; yet examining it, it is still unsettled. This mountain monk lived in a small cloister for seven years, dragging through mud and dripping with water, his hands and feet not yet dry. Today, having just taken charge of Bao'en, worldly affairs are bustling; if there were an unfinished gong'an, I would not dare bring it forth. Why? I fear bringing disgrace upon my late master."