虛堂和尚語錄 9.7

9.7

The master then said, "In the sublime realm of the Numinous Peak, divine dragons transform; where they appear and vanish, their cause is hard to fathom. Transcendent persons outside worldly things do not shrink from lofty ridges and precipitous peaks, arriving upon hearing the wind; not seeking jade on Mount Kunlun, nor looking for pearls in the Red Water, directly causing their heads to plunge into a tub of glue, right at the point where one should push one's body against a naked blade. The time approaches the summer regulation, with its intention in protecting life; the nature-ground is free from dust, with no life to be protected. And during these ninety days, cultivating pure conduct with diligence and accomplishing the body of wisdom—what is the single phrase?" He struck the staff: "'Only after the snow do we know the integrity of pines and cypresses; only when things are difficult do we see the mind of a hero.'"