禪林寶訓 2.71

2.71

Master Kong of Dongshan replied in a letter to Yu Caimao, who requested porters: "Previously I was honored by your gracious visit, and I am deeply grateful for your generous kindness. After our parting, I received your kind letter, which made me feel even more touched and unworthy. I am originally a person of crags and caves, indifferent to worldly matters; you, Caimao, seem to know this. Although I am now an elder residing in the abbot's quarters, I am merely the same Senior Kong as before. Whether the permanent property of the saṃgha exists or not is entirely entrusted to the administrators. Income and expenditure records never pass before my eyes. I do not store extra robes and bowls, I do not make personal use of the permanent property of the saṃgha, I do not attend external invitations, and I do not seek external assistance. Abiding in accordance with conditions, I make no plans whatsoever for tomorrow. Since you, Caimao, refer to me as an old friend in the Way, we ought to forget each other in the Way. Now in your letter you seek several porters; I wonder whether these porters come from the permanent property of the saṃgha, or from Senior Kong? If they come from Kong, what does Kong possess? If they come from the permanent property of the saṃgha, this is using the permanent property of the saṃgha for private purposes. Once private interests are involved, it is theft. How could a kalyāṇamitra steal and misappropriate the permanent property of the saṃgha? Since you, sir, have entered the imperial capital to seek advancement, you ought not to engage in such dealings with monasteries. You, sir, are a man of Min; all that you have seen and known are the elders of Min. Once they reside in a monastery, they steal all of the permanent property of the saṃgha and make it their own: either using it to curry favor with the noble, or using it to supply their secular families, or using it to entertain their personal acquaintances. They do not consider at all that it is the cāturdiśa saṃgha property of the permanent property of the saṃgha of the ten directions. Those who today wear horns and bear fur to repay what they owe are mostly people of this kind. The former Buddha spoke of this clearly—how can one not be afraid? In recent years, monasteries have fallen into ruins and the assembly of monks has dwindled; all are the faults of such people. I hope you will not place me among their ranks. If you truly trust me, then politely decline and do not take what other temples have promised; then your future prospects, sir, will be immeasurable. These words grate on the ear, and I do not know what you will think of them. In this cold season, take care of yourself on the road."