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!"
蛇與修行
靈泉寺位居山區，偶有蛇來造訪。
一日，來了一條大蛇，
大眾不禁大叫。
和尚即說：
你們不要這樣對待人家，
牠也是來修行的，
你們要好好的相處。
一日，又來了一條小蛇，
在禪堂內，有規則地繞著長方形遊走，
香燈師即蹲下身來，
隨在其後，
為牠三皈依，請牠離開，
但小蛇仍然繼續牠的「經行」，不肯離去；
正不知如何是好，突然和尚走過來。
「去」的一聲，
小蛇即聞聲而去。
事後，香燈師向師兄弟嘆說：
有沒有修行差這麼多，
和尚『去』的一聲，就把蛇請走了，
我跟在牠身後半個多小時，
牠理都不理我！
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