禪林寶訓 2.8

2.8

Zhantang said to Miaoxi: 'In the semblance age, bhikṣus mostly comply with external things on the outside and fail to illumine their minds within. Even if they accomplish grand undertakings, none are ultimate. This is because what they attach themselves to is base and vulgar. A horsefly that strikes an ox can fly only a few paces; but if it clings to the tail of a thoroughbred, it immediately acquires the power to chase the wind and pursue the sun. This is the excellence of what it relies upon. For this reason, a student must choose their dwelling carefully and associate only with worthy scholars; thus they will be able to cut off the crooked and depraved, draw near to the central and upright, and hear correct speech. In the past, the Venerable Ya of Fuyan always admired Zhenru Zhe's exemplary character as worthy of esteem, but did not yet know whom he associated with. One day, seeing him walking together with Daning Kuan, Jiangshan Yuan, and Cuiyan Zhen, Ya was overjoyed beyond measure. Calmly he said to Zhe: "These great beings are dragons and elephants of the Dharma gate. Now that you are able to travel in their company, in the future you will support the collapsing pillars of our Way and manifest the salvific benefit of the ancestral teachings; it surely does not require many admonitions from me."' (*Rishe ji*).