21Saving People示眾

師示眾云：「教化得底人，是今生事；教化不得底人，是第三生冤。若不教化，恐墮却一切眾生；教化亦是冤。是你還教化也無？」僧云：「教化。」師云：「一切眾生還見你也無？」學云：「不見。」師云：「為什麼不見？」學云：「無相。」師云：「即今還見老僧否？」學云：「和尚不是眾生。」師云：「自知罪過即得。」

Zhaozhou addressed the assembly: "To teach someone you can actually reach is this life's work. To teach someone you can't reach is three lifetimes of grief. But teach no one, and you abandon every living being. So teaching, too, is its own grief. Tell me, are you out there teaching anyone?"

A monk said, "I am."

Zhaozhou said, "And can any of those beings see you?"

The monk said, "No."

Zhaozhou said, "Why not?"

The monk said, "They have no form."

Zhaozhou said, "Then right now, can you see me?"

The monk said, "Master, you're not a living being."

Zhaozhou said, "Knowing your own fault is enough."