康熙八年九月十八日，師受請住忠州五峰山天寧禪寺。入院。
On the eighteenth day of the ninth month in the eighth year of the Kangxi reign, the Master accepted the invitation to reside at Tianning Chan Monastery on Mount Wufeng in Zhongzhou. He entered the monastery.
三門。「無量法門，百千妙義。新長老到此，不消舉足，踏過了也！」以拄杖畫一畫，遂進。
Three Gates. "Infinite Dharma gates, a hundred thousand wondrous meanings. Since the new elder has arrived here, there is no need to raise a foot—you've already stepped over!" With that, he drew a line with his staff and entered.
伽藍。「空盃一舉，便入山門，好不唧溜。新長老法令森嚴，不作者般去就。」拈拄杖畫一畫云：「放君出入，一毫也不能勾。天寧院裏破沙盤，大家出隻手。」
The temple gates. "With an empty cup raised, one enters the mountain gate—how swift and effortless. The new abbot's rules are strict; one cannot approach in this manner." He lifts his staff and draws a line, saying: "Even if I allow you to come and go, not a single hair's breadth can be grasped. In the Tianning Monastery, the sand tray is broken—everyone, lend a hand."
佛殿。「佛是自家屋裏底。」顧視左右云：「直下薦取！」遂展身作禮。
In the Buddha Hall. "The Buddha is right here in our own home." He looked around and said: "Recognize it directly!" Then he bowed, fully extending his body.
方丈。「從上古錐，據此室中，說道說理、談妙談玄，直饒簇錦攢花尖新巧妙，總無一字道著。天寧今日斬新一句合作麼生？」喝一喝云：「符到奉行。」
Abbot. "From ancient times until now, those who have occupied this hall, speaking of the Way and principles, discussing the profound and wondrous—even if they weave brocades and gather flowers, with subtle and ingenious words, not a single one has ever truly expressed it. Today, Tianning offers a fresh phrase—how should it be understood?" He shouts once and says, "When the order arrives, act accordingly."
祗園檀越請陞座。「山僧自到天寧，钁頭斧子日未釋手，運水搬柴是吾日用。到者裏，胸中佛法一點無存，更要抑逼山僧向曲彔床頭好肉剜瘡作麼？但舉則古人公案，以表檀信布髮之誠。昔帝釋隨世尊山行次，世尊以手指地云：『此處宜建一梵剎。』帝釋拈一莖草插于地云：『建梵剎竟。』世尊微笑。昔年張會極率姪瑞奇、男思勝舍宅為寺，復同本境眾檀信捐資重建，以比一莖功增萬倍，若論舉手未動分毫。雖然如是，畢竟如何舉唱？來年更有新條在，無限風光向後看。」陞座。「上大人、丘乙己，佳作人，可知禮。唵蘇嚧㗭唎㗭哩！」
A lay donor from Jetavana Grove invites the master to ascend the seat. "Since I, this mountain monk, arrived at Tianning Temple, the hoe and the axe have never left my hands; carrying water and hauling firewood—that is my daily work. At this point, there is not a trace of Dharma left in my chest. And now you want to force this mountain monk to sit on a crooked-legged bed and carve flesh from healthy skin—what for?
"Let me just bring up one ancient public case to express the sincerity of the lay believers who spread their hair. Long ago, Shakra followed the World-Honored One on a mountain walk. The World-Honored One pointed to the ground and said, 'This is a fitting place to build a temple.' Shakra picked up a single blade of grass, stuck it in the ground, and said, 'The temple is built.' The World-Honored One smiled.
"In years past, Zhang Huiji, along with his nephew Ruiqi and his son Sisheng, donated their home as a monastery, and together with the many lay believers of this region contributed funds to rebuild it. Compared to a single blade of grass, their merit is ten thousand times greater, and yet in terms of lifting a hand, they have not moved a hair's breadth. Even so, how should it ultimately be proclaimed? Next year there will be new branches, and endless scenery lies ahead."
Ascending the seat: "The great one above, Qiu Yi Ji, a fine person, knows propriety. Om Su Lu Xi Li Xi Li!"
示眾。「出家參禪，更無別法，直須向自己腳跟下薦取。若向外馳求則無禪也。何故？一切眾生有生以來，於一切塵勞境界中，縱六根、貪六塵，根塵無染、無明雜毒、妄想紛飛，隨起隨逐毫不知返，把本來清淨性體攪得渾擾擾地，未免六道輪迴好醜受報，如此是背塵合覺之眾生也；如修行人於二六時中，妄想起時便自覺照，攝六根、離六塵、破無明、絕紛飛，久之塵淨光生，方能證得清淨本體圓明無礙，如此即是背塵合覺之諸佛也。故曰：『迷時諸佛即眾生；悟時眾生即諸佛。』須是恁麼人，始解恁麼事。恁麼事且置，如何是恁麼人師？」召大眾云：「汝須會得好。」
Addressing the assembly: "For one who has left home to practice Zen meditation, there is no other method—you must directly realize it right beneath your own feet. If you seek outwardly, there is no Zen. Why? Since beginningless birth, all sentient beings have, within all defiling circumstances, indulged the six sense faculties and craved the six sense objects. With faculties and objects defiled, the poison of ignorance mixed in, and deluded thoughts flying wild, rising and chasing after them without the slightest awareness of turning back—they have stirred their originally pure essence into a murky mess. Inevitably, they undergo rebirth in the six realms, receiving good or ugly retribution. Such are sentient beings who turn away from dust and join with awakening. But when a practitioner, throughout the twenty-four hours of the day, the moment a deluded thought arises, immediately becomes aware and illuminates it—gathering in the six faculties, detaching from the six sense objects, breaking through ignorance, cutting off the wild flights—then after a long time, with dust settled and light born, they can realize the pure essential substance, perfect and luminous, unobstructed. Such are the Buddhas who turn away from dust and join with awakening. Therefore it is said: 'When deluded, the Buddhas are sentient beings; when awakened, sentient beings are Buddhas.' Only one who is such a person can understand such a matter. Setting aside such a matter for now—what is such a person? Teacher?" He called to the great assembly: "You must understand it well."