虛堂和尚語錄 3.53

3.53

Informal gathering upon concluding the summer retreat: "During the long term of one hundred and twenty days, working diligently and untiringly, the swift falcon has nested in clouds for two thousand years. Old tales renewed, the black ox lies in water. If understood in this way, then the subtle within the coarse is still easy, but the subtle within the subtle is still difficult. Therefore, our old teacher of India was not careful in examining himself and measured others by himself, causing the bhikṣus of the final age mostly to mistake shrimp for eyes. The assembly of Yuwang clearly observes the changes of the times, entirely outside the rules. Why?" He struck with his staff: "Sometimes picking up a stone by the stream, / Carrying moss and clouds, I pillow upon the green shade."