虛堂和尚語錄 2.104

2.104

When the testament of Upādhyāya Duanpeng Yuan of Chengtian arrived, [the Master] ascended the hall. A monk asked, "Originally not apart from this in the past, and not coming today—tell me, where has the old fellow of Chengtian gone?" The Master said, "One cannot pursue a person, yet one pursues him." The monk asked, "Could it be that he has gone to the place of neither birth nor death?" The Master said, "Do not provoke this short-tempered old monk." The monk said, "When touched, the three poisons arise in him." The Master said, "How many people look up to him without being able to reach him!" The monk said, "When Dongshan passed away, a feast of foolishness was prepared. Now that Chengtian has passed away, what instructions are there?" The Master said, "There are instructions." The monk said, "What instructions are there?" The Master said, "I instruct you to step forward and step back, and firmly keep the huatou in mind." The monk said, "He too was a fellow who did not spare his karmic speech."