虛堂和尚語錄 1.85

1.85

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Because a monk took leave, Zhaozhou said, 'Where are you going?' The monk said, 'Going to various places to study the Buddha Dharma.' Zhou said, 'Where there is a Buddha, do not stay; where there is no Buddha, run quickly past; for three thousand leagues beyond, meeting people, you must not quote [this] wrongly.' The monk said, 'Then I will not go.' Zhou said, 'Pick willow catkins, pick willow catkins.'" The Master said: "The Divine Arm Bow and Youji's arrows: when Zhaozhou used them, not a single shot failed to hit the mark. Even so, what to do about this monk coming from the Red Eyebrows band?"