景德傳燈錄 15.5

15.5

Upādhyāya Baofeng of Letan in Hongzhou. A monk newly arrived. The Master said to him, "Matters within it are easy to speak of; matters not falling within it are hard to speak of from beginning to end." The monk said, "While on the road, I already knew there would be this question." The Master said, "Even with another twenty years of pilgrimage, it would not be too much." He said, "Could it be that it does not accord with the upādhyāya's mind?" The Master said, "How can bitter gourd be fit to treat a guest?" The Master asked a monk, "The ancients had a single road to guide beginners among later generations. Do you know it?" He said, "Please, Master, point out the ancients' single road." The Master said, "In that case, the ācārya already knows it." He said, "Putting another head on top of a head." The Master said, "Baofeng should not have questioned the benevolent one." He said, "What harm is there in questioning?" The Master said, "Here, no one has ever left talking wildly about principles."