禪林寶訓 3.6

3.6

Xuetang said: "Whenever Gao'an faced the assembly, he would certainly say: 'In the assembly, one must know that there are discerning people.' I therefore asked him the reason. Gao'an said: 'Have you not seen Guishan say: "In your conduct, look to those of superior caliber; do not carelessly follow the vulgar and base"? My remaining free from sinking into the depths of foolishness while in the assembly all my life came entirely from these words. In a great crowd of people, the base are many and the discerning are few. The base are easy to become accustomed to, while the discerning are difficult to draw close to. If one can truly rouse one's aspiration among them, it is like one person contending against ten thousand; once the force of the habit of the vulgar and base is exhausted, one is truly an outstanding person of immeasurable capacity.' I put his words into practice throughout my life, and only then was I able not to fail my aspiration in leaving the household."