虛堂和尚語錄 2.97

2.97

When Upādhyāya Xibai arrived, ascending the hall, a monk asked: "'If one does not speak of it for three days, white mold grows around the mouth.' The student has been away for more than forty days; what about that?" The master said: "Wait until green grass grows around your mouth, and then I will tell you." The monk said: "Lower your voice, lower your voice; the walls have ears." The master said: "Everyone must know as well." The monk said: "Does a person around whose mouth green grass grows still have an expedient means or not?" The master said: "He has great expedient means." The monk said: "Where is his expedient means?" The master said: "Let oxen gore and horses trample as they will." The monk said: "The student does not understand." The master then said: "Fengxue was in several ruined rooms, living alone for seven years, and later became the true lineage of Linji. The person of the Way, Xibai, is just such a person. In deep clouds and ancient trees, both eyes are cold and clear; great sound has rare notes—how could it be like ordinary tunes?"