虛堂和尚語錄 8.53

8.53

Ascending the hall, [the master] cited: "When Chan Master Yunfeng Yue first studied under Dayu, [Dayu] instructed the assembly: 'Everyone gathers together to eat a stalk of pickled vegetable; if you call it a stalk of pickled vegetable, you enter hell like an arrow shot.' Feng considered this extraordinary and sought to enter the hall. Later he went to the abbot's quarters to request instruction. Zhi said: 'The Buddha Dharma will not rot away. I have no leisure even to endure the cold; how would I have leisure to explain the Buddha Dharma for you? Go and solicit charcoal for a while.' When he returned, he requested instruction again; Zhi said: 'The Buddha Dharma will not rot away. I have no leisure even to endure hunger; how would I have leisure to explain the Buddha Dharma for you? Go out with the almsbowl again.' On the day he returned, he went again to the abbot's quarters to request instruction; Zhi said: 'The Buddha Dharma will not rot away. The hall office is short of staff; serve as the karmadāna for me for a while.' Suddenly one day, behind the monks' hall, seeing a bucket hoop burst open, he had an awakening. Rushing to the abbot's quarters, Zhi met him with a smile, saying: 'Karmadāna! What a joy that the great matter is finished!' [Yunfeng] bowed twice, broke into a sweat, and hurried out without a word." The master took this up and said: "Without applying needle or moxibustion, Dayu cured Yunfeng's illness from deep within. Later people are not clear under the pointing finger, and only look at the place where medicine and sickness treat each other."