28The Sigh示眾
師示眾云：「是他不是不將來，老僧不是不祇對。」僧云：「和尚將什麼祇對？」師長吁一聲。云：「和尚將這箇祇對，莫辜負學人也無？」師云：「你適來肯我，我即辜負你。若不肯我，我即不辜負你。」
Zhaozhou addressed the assembly: "It isn't that you fail to bring me your question. And it isn't that I fail to answer it."
A monk asked, "Then what do you answer with, master?"
Zhaozhou let out a long sigh.
The monk said, "You answer with that? Haven't you shortchanged me?"
Zhaozhou said, "Just now you took it from me, so yes, I shortchanged you. Had you not taken it, I'd have shortchanged you of nothing."