虛堂和尚語錄 3.99

3.99

At the informal gathering for entering the summer retreat: "The Great Sage of India, during the three months of the summer, spread a sky-covering net to catch patch-robed monks throughout the world, calling it 'restricting foot travel to protect living beings and setting a term to attain realization.' Thus, in the inner and outer halls of Southern Mountain, rows of beds and sleeping mats are laid out, every monk like a pig-iron stake, holding out until the term is complete, each wanting a certificate of Chan to verify their rewarded labour. Even so, if there should suddenly be one who slips through the net, before the retreat was established, by the mountainside and waterside, chatting of east and west, suddenly slipping up and naming his father—what then? Come out quickly and utter a turning phrase!" Striking the staff, he said: "Gathering merit is relatively easy; making amends for faults is relatively difficult."