景德傳燈錄 10.6

10.6

僧問。只如百丈竿頭如何進步。師云。朗州山澧州水。僧云。請師道。師云。四海五湖皇化裏。有客來謁。師召曰。尚書。其人應諾。師曰。不是尚書本命。對曰。不可離却即今秖對別有第二主人。師曰。喚尚書作至尊得麼。彼云。恁麼總不秖對時。莫是弟子主人否。師曰。非但秖對。與不秖對時。無始劫來是箇生死根本。有偈曰。

A monk asked, "Just as on the top of a hundred-foot pole, how does one take a step forward?"
The Master said, "The mountains of Langzhou, the waters of Lizhou."
The monk said, "Please explain, Master."
The Master said, "The four seas and five lakes are within the imperial transformation."
A guest came to call. The Master addressed him, saying, "Minister!"
The man answered, "Yes?"
The Master said, "That is not the Minister's original life-destiny."
He replied, "Apart from right now answering, there cannot be a second master."
The Master said, "Would it do to call the Minister the Supreme Emperor?"
He said, "When in this manner I do not answer at all, is that not this disciple's master?"
The Master said, "Not only when answering or not answering—from beginningless kalpas it is the root of birth and death."
He had a verse that said: