續傳燈錄 28.80

28.80

上曰。作頌最難。師奏曰。昔時葉縣省禪師。有一法嗣住漢州什邡方水禪院曾作偈示眾曰。方水潭中鼈鼻蛇。擬心相向便榆椰。何人拔得蛇頭出。

His Majesty said, "Composing verses of praise is most difficult." The Master memorialized, saying, "In the past, Chan Master Sheng of Yexian had a Dharma heir who resided at the Fangshui Chan Cloister in Shifang, Hanzhou. He once composed a gāthā to instruct the assembly: / 'In the pool of Fangshui is a snub-nosed viper; / if you intend to face it, it immediately makes a mockery of you. / Who can pull out the serpent's head?'"