Linchuan Monastery sits in the Yanmin mountains, and occasionally will receive the visits of a snake or two. One day a big boa caught some people by surprise and they screamed. Master saw and said, "That's not courteous! He comes to cultivate, too. You should get along in harmony."
Another day, a small snake showed up in the Chan Hall. It was moving in a large rectangle as the monks usually do during walking meditation. The Hall attendant monk squatted down to give it the Three Refuges, and asked it to leave. The snake continued with its "meditation" and showed no signs of leaving. Finally the Master walked in, said, "Go!", and the snake went away immediately.
Afterwards, the Hall attendant monk sighed to other disciples, "Such difference in cultivation! A simple 'go' from the Master and the snake went away, whereas I followed it, begged it for half an hour, and it paid no attention at all!"
蛇与修行
灵泉寺位居山区，偶有蛇来造访。
一日，来了一条大蛇，
大众不禁大叫。
和尚即说：
你们不要这样对待人家，
它也是来修行的，
你们要好好的相处。
一日，又来了一条小蛇，
在禅堂内，有规则地绕着长方形游走，
香灯师即蹲下身来，
随在其后，
为它三皈依，请它离开，
但小蛇仍然继续它的“经行”，不肯离去；
正不知如何是好，突然和尚走过来。
“去”的一声，
小蛇即闻声而去。
事后，香灯师向师兄弟叹说：
有没有修行差这么多，
和尚‘去’的一声，就把蛇请走了，
我跟在它身后半个多小时，
它理都不理我！
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