虛堂和尚語錄 8.27

8.27

He brought up again: "Because a monk asked an ancient worthy, 'How is it when the year is depleted and the months exhausted?' the worthy said, 'Old Wang in the eastern village burns spirit money at night.'" The master said, "Arriving at phenomena and arriving at principle, principle and phenomena mutually harmonize, completely understanding objects and self. In recent years, this mountain monk has been like water soaking the head: principle and phenomena cannot restrict him. If someone were suddenly to ask, 'How is it when the year is depleted and the months exhausted?' I would strike him along with his voice. Why? Because he does not even know that another year has been added."