寄宿小旅店

十二月末拜至黄河铁渡。经过光武陵。是处无寺院。不得已寻旅店投宿过初一。行脚滋味异常辛苦。朝拜山川更为艰难。笔者亦曾亲尝其味。饱历风霜。自东北迢迢万里访明师。

宣化偈曰：
行脚参方受苦辛。朝山拜顶磨性真。
露宿霜眠无所住。披星戴月降其心。

Staying overnight at a small inn

At the end of the twelfth month, the Master, continuing his prostrations, reached the T'ieh Hsieh crossing of the Yellow River. He passed by the tomb of Kuang Wu (Bright Warrior), where there were no monasteries, and so there was no choice but to spend the evening at an inn. This was on the first day of the new year. The walking from then on became extraordinarily bleak and bitter, and making prostrations while climbing mountains and crossing rivers was even more difficult. The writer has also had this experience in the past, coming afar from Manchuria, traveling thousands of miles in search of a clear teacher.

The verse says:
He explored the country traveling by foot and underwent bitter suffering.
By visiting mountains and making obeisance, his character was improved.
He rested on dew and slept in the mist and had no place of dwelling.
Garbed in the stars and capped by the moon, he overcame his mind.