虛堂和尚語錄 2.94

2.94

Ascending the hall, he cited: "Zhaozhou was asked by a monk: 'How is it when not a single thing is brought along?' Zhaozhou said: 'Put it down.' The monk said: 'Not a single thing is brought along; what is there to put down?' Zhaozhou said: 'If you cannot put it down, carry it along.'" The master said: "Zhaozhou drove a needle into where it hurt this monk, which was indeed extraordinary; yet the illness had already penetrated into the vitals, making it hard to apply medicine."