Firmly Vow to Awaken
Chan Master Lingyuan Qing, when he was first investigating [the buddha- dharma face-to-face] with [Chan Master] Huanglong Zuxin, along with the rest of the sangha participated in question-and-answer [sessions with Xin]. [Qing] didn’t know what was going on and had not a clue. [Every] night he would make a vow before the buddhas: “I will exhaust my body and life in order to be able to give the dharma [to all sentient beings]. I vow to quickly attain understanding [i.e., awakening]!” Later he was reading the Sayings [Record] of Xuansha; tired, [he did cross-legged sitting] facing a wall. He then got up [from sitting] and began walking meditation. As he walked he promptly lost a shoe. When he bent down to pick it up, suddenly he had a great awakening.