Case 35: Manjusri's "Three Three"

Manjusri asked Mujaku,
   "Where have you come from?" 
Mujaku answered,
   "From the south." [1] 
Manjusri said,
   "How is the Buddhist Dharma in the South maintained?"
Mujaku said, 
   "The monks of this age of the corrupted Dharma are venerating the precepts
   a little." 
Manjusri said,
   "How many monks are over there?"
Mujaku said, 
   "Three hundred here, five hundred there."
Mujaku asked Manjusri, 
   "How is the Buddhist Dharma maintained here?"
Manjusri said,
   "Worldly and Saints live together, dragons and snakes are mixed with
   each other." 
Mujaku said,
   "How many monks are here?" 
Manjusri said,
   "Three three before, three three behind."


[1]: The South of China, namely the region of Konan.