景德傳燈錄 10.71

10.71

湖南祇林和尚。每叱文殊普賢皆為精魅。手持木劍自謂降魔。才有僧參禮。便云。魔來也魔來也。以劍亂揮潛入方丈如是十二年。後置劍無言。僧問。十二年前為什麼降魔。師曰。賊不打貧兒家。曰十二年後為什麼不降魔。師曰。賊不打貧兒家。

Upādhyāya Qilin of Hunan would always scold Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra as demonic spirits. Holding a wooden sword, he claimed to subdue demons. As soon as a monk came to pay respects, he would say, “A demon has come! A demon has come!” Flailing the sword wildly, he would slip into the abbot's quarters; this went on for twelve years. Later he put down the sword without a word. A monk asked, “Why did you subdue demons twelve years ago?” The Master said, “Thieves do not rob a poor man's house.” [The monk] said, “Why do you not subdue demons after twelve years?” The Master said, “Thieves do not rob a poor man's house.”