禅Caoshan Benji

proverb

Wine of Jade

Tang

Traditionally attributed

Text

There is a wine of jade in this house — invisible, scentless, intoxicating. The student who reaches for the cup misses it; the student who simply sits at the table is already drinking.

tr. Zen Lineage editorial

license: cc_by

Attribution

Lineage: Caodong

By Caoshan Benji

Sources

  • contentThe Book of Serenity: One Hundred Zen Dialogues

    Cleary, Thomas (trans.)

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Attribution status: traditional — see editorial policy for what this means.

1 supporting citation on record (see Sources above).

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