English Original
In the Tang Dynasty, there was a Guanyin Temple on the Southern Mountain of Hengshan. The temple was stately and solemn, with incense smoke curling all around.
One day, the eminent Chan Monk Huai Rang strolled into the temple hall and saw Monk Ma Zu sitting calmly on a rush cushion, with his palms together and eyes closed in deep meditation.
Knowing that Ma Zu aspired to become a Buddha, Huai Rang smiled to himself. He picked up a brick at random, squatted down, and began to grind it noisily.
Disturbed by the noise, Ma Zu opened his eyes and saw his master grinding a brick. He asked, "Master, what are you doing?"
Huai Rang replied, "I am grinding this brick to make a mirror."
Ma Zu laughed and said, "Can a brick be ground into a mirror?"
"If a brick cannot be ground into a mirror," replied Huai Rang, "then can you become a Buddha by sitting in deep meditation?"
Ma Zu was displeased and asked, "What do you mean?"
Huai Rang explained, "Consider an ox pulling a cart that does not move. Should you whip the ox or push the cart?"
Ma Zu hesitated and could not answer.
At this moment, Huai Rang said to him seriously, "You learn meditation to become a Buddha. However, becoming a Buddha relies on the wisdom and comprehension of the mind, not on sitting.
"A Buddha has no fixed form; therefore, the mind should not fixate on any single object. To seek Buddhism through seated meditation is to throttle the Buddha. If you obstinately cling to external forms, you will never comprehend the true Buddhist doctrine."
中文翻译
唐朝时，南岳衡山上有一座观音庙，庙宇庄严，香火缭绕。
一日，禅宗高僧怀让踱进佛殿，看见马祖和尚正端坐于蒲团之上，合掌闭目，静心禅定。
怀让知马祖一心求佛，暗自微笑。他随手拾起一块砖，蹲下身，哗啦哗啦地磨了起来。
噪声扰了马祖清修，他睁眼一看，原是师父在磨砖。便问：“师父，您在做什么？”
怀让答道：“磨砖做镜。”
马祖笑道：“砖头岂能磨成镜子？”
怀让反问：“砖既不能磨成镜，那你坐禅就能成佛吗？”
马祖不悦，问道：“此言何意？”
怀让解释道：“譬如牛拉车，车不动。你说，是该鞭打牛，还是去推车？”
马祖支支吾吾，答不上来。
此时，怀让正色道：“你学坐禅是为成佛。然成佛之道，在于心灵的颖悟，绝非端坐可得。
“佛本无定相，故心不可执著于一物。若想以坐禅学佛，无异于扼杀佛性。你若固执于外相，便永难领悟真正的佛理。”