虛堂和尚語錄 1.71

1.71

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Yaoshan had not ascended the hall for a long time. The administrator said, 'The great assembly has long yearned for the Upādhyāya's instruction.' Shan said, 'Strike the bell.' As the assembly just gathered, Shan shut the door. The administrator said, 'Since you consented to ascend the hall for the assembly, why did you not offer a single word?' Shan said, 'For the sūtras there are sūtra masters, for the śāstras there are śāstra masters; how can you blame this old monk?'" The Master said, "The ancients injured compassion for the sake of beings, and in doing so, there was a flaw. If that monk at that time, as soon as he saw the door shut, had simply drawn a circle on the ground and let everyone disperse, he would have ensured that Yaoshan could not open the door."