宏智禪師廣錄 3.74

3.74

[Hongzhi] cited: A monk asked Caoshan, "What is the most precious thing in the world?" Caoshan said, "A dead cat is the most precious." The monk said, "Why is a dead cat the most precious?" Caoshan said, "Because no one puts a price on it." The Master [Hongzhi] said, "Caoshan's merchandise does not enter the market. If you inspect it closely, it is truly not worth a single cash. When Caoshan encounters the cheap, it becomes precious; here with me, when encountering the precious, it becomes cheap. And tell me, is there any contradiction?"