禪林寶訓 1.34

1.34

演祖曰。利生傳道務在得人。而知人之難聖哲所病。聽其言而未保其行。求其行而恐遺其才。自非素與交遊備詳本末。探其志行觀其器能。然後守道藏用者。可得而知。沽名飾貌者。不容其偽。縱其潛密亦見淵源。夫觀探詳聽之理。固非一朝一夕之所能。所以南岳讓見大鑒之後。猶執事十五秋。馬祖見讓之時。亦相從十餘載。是知先聖授受之際。固非淺薄所敢傳持。如一器水傳於一器。始堪克紹洪規。如當家種草。此其觀探詳聽之理明驗也。豈容巧言令色。便僻諂媚而充選者哉（圓悟書）。

Patriarch Yan said: "Benefiting beings and transmitting the Way depends entirely on obtaining the right people. Yet knowing people is difficult—something even sages and worthies found troublesome. If one listens to their words, one cannot guarantee their deeds; if one seeks their deeds, one fears overlooking their talents. Unless one has associated with them over time and knows their beginning and end in full detail, probing their aspirations and deeds and observing their capacity and ability, then those who preserve the Way and conceal their abilities can never be recognized, and those who seek fame and disguise their appearance cannot be prevented from their pretense. Even if they remain hidden and secretive, their source will be seen. The principle of observing, probing, examining in detail, and listening is certainly not something that can be accomplished in a single morning or evening. For this reason, after Nanyue Rang saw Dajian, he still served as an administrator for fifteen autumns; when Mazu saw Rang, he also followed him for more than ten years. From this we know that when the former sages conferred and received [the transmission], it was certainly not something shallow people dared to transmit and uphold. Only like pouring water from one vessel into another can one succeed to the grand model, like a true son taking up the ancestral lineage. This is the clear proof of the principle of observing, probing, examining in detail, and listening. How could one allow clever words, a fawning countenance, craftiness, and flattery to fill the selection?" (From A Letter to Yuanwu).