景德傳燈錄 7.22

7.22

Chan Master Wudeng of Ezhou was a native of Weishi. His secular surname was Li. He first left the household at Mount Gonggong, paid homage to Master Ma, and secretly received the mind essential. Later he resided at Tumen in Suizhou. He once paid a visit to the prefect, Attendant Wang. As the Master was retiring and about to leave the gate, Wang called after him: "Venerable!" The Master looked back, and Wang struck a pillar three times. The Master made a circular figure with his hand, brushed it three times, and then walked away.
The Master later resided at Daji Monastery in Wuchang. One day, during the evening assembly, the Master saw everyone coming up before him to inquire about his well-being. He then said to the assembly: "Assembly, where has that sound just now gone?"
A monk held up a finger.
The Master said: "Take care!"
When that monk came up for consultation the following morning, the Master turned around, lay facing the wall, and feigned groaning, saying: "For the past two or three days this old monk has not been very well. Does the Great Virtuous One have any medicine at hand to give this old monk a little?"
The monk patted a clean water-vase with his hand and said: "Where did this clean vase come from?"
The Master said: "This belongs to this old monk. Where is the Great Virtuous One's?"
The monk said: "It also belongs to the Venerable; it also belongs to me."
In the tenth month of the fourth year of the Dahe era of the Tang, he displayed cessation. His age was eighty-two.