虛堂和尚語錄 2.142

2.142

Ascending the hall, a monk asked, "Under Linji's assembly, when the head monks of the two halls met, they let out a shout together. What was the intention behind this?" The master said, "Competing in poverty, not competing in wealth." The monk said, "A monk asked: 'Between these two shouts, is there still guest and host or not?' Linji said: 'Guest and host are clearly evident.' What about this?" The master said, "Covering the sun with a single hand." The monk said, "The chief monk of Erlin has sharp mechanism and wondrous function; the eyes of the assembly are hard to deceive. Are you the same as or different from these two shouts?" The master said, "Examine him for yourself and see." The monk said, "Before the assembly of humans and devas, he also cannot be covered up." The master said, "Tell me, which is guest and which is host?" The monk then shouted. The master said, "A ghost slipping away from its body."