'Xuefeng asked a monk, "Where are you going?" The monk said, "I'm going to do community work." Xuefeng said, "Go." Yunmen said, "Xuefeng understands people according to their words." Hongzhi said [about this dialogue], "Don't move. If you move I'll give you thirty blows. Why is this so? For a luminous jewel without flaw, if you carve a pattern its virtue is lost."' This is a classic example of a koan illustrating non-abiding. Both answers are perfect, but you cannot stick to either.


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