佛祖歷代通載 14.11

14.11

（六）　是年帝召國師惠忠入內。引太白山人見之。帝曰。此人頗有見解。請師驗之。忠曰。汝蘊何能。山人曰。忝識山識地識字善算。曰山人所居之山。是雄山是雌山。山人茫然不能對。忠曰。識地否。曰識。忠指殿上地問曰。此是何地。答曰。容弟子算方知。忠曰。識字否。曰識。忠於地上畫一畫曰。此甚字。山人曰。是一字。忠曰。土上一畫是王字。何謂一字耶。又問。能算否。曰能。忠曰。三七是多少。山人曰。國師琉弟子。三七豈非二十一。忠曰。却是山人算貧道。三七是十。何謂二十一。復問。更有何能。答曰。弟子縱有亦不敢向國師開口。忠曰。縱汝有能。亦俱未是。師却謂帝曰。問山不識山。問地不識地。問字不識字。問算不解算。陛下何處得此懵漢來。帝謂山人曰。朕有國位不足為寶。師乃國寶也。山人曰。陛下真識寶者矣。

(6) In this year, the Emperor summoned National Preceptor Huizhong to the palace and introduced a hermit from Mount Taibai to meet him. The Emperor said, "This man has quite some understanding; we invite the master to test him." Zhong said, "What ability do you possess?" The hermit said, "I humbly understand mountains, understand the earth, understand writing, and am skilled at calculating." Zhong said, "Is the mountain where the hermit dwells a male mountain or a female mountain?" The hermit was at a loss and unable to answer. Zhong said, "Do you understand the earth?" He answered, "I understand it." Zhong pointed to the ground in the hall and asked, "What earth/land is this?" He answered, "Permit your disciple to calculate, and then I will know." Zhong said, "Do you understand writing?" He answered, "I understand it." Zhong drew a single stroke on the ground and asked, "What character is this?" The hermit said, "It is the character 'one' (一)." Zhong said, "A single stroke atop 'earth' (土) is the character 'king' (王); why do you call it the character 'one'?" He asked again, "Can you calculate?" He answered, "I can." Zhong said, "How much is three-sevens?" The hermit said, "The National Preceptor is teasing his disciple; is three-sevens not twenty-one?" Zhong said, "Rather, it is the hermit calculating this poor monk; three-sevens is ten, why do you say twenty-one?" Zhong asked again, "What other abilities do you have?" He answered, "Even if your disciple had any, I would not dare open my mouth before the National Preceptor." Zhong said, "Even if you had abilities, none of them would be right." The master then addressed the Emperor, saying, "Asked about mountains, he does not know mountains; asked about the earth, he does not know the earth; asked about writing, he does not know writing; asked about calculating, he does not understand calculating. From where did Your Majesty fetch such an ignorant fellow?" The Emperor said to the hermit, "Our imperial position is not worthy of being considered a treasure; the master is indeed the treasure of the realm." The hermit said, "Your Majesty is truly one who recognizes treasure."