[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [觀心論疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921) › 1.39 # 觀心論疏 1.39 觀心論疏 1.39 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.1.39) 偈云：「年衰身帶疾，眼闇耳漸聾，心昏多忘漏，年不如一年。死王金翅鳥，不久吞命根，一旦業繩斷，氣絕豈能言。為是因緣故，須造觀心論。」此兩偈半明師自唱涅槃時至也。然從論初至于今說，猶屬序分。雖未正說深義，而先明三師四眾諸有得失。言方雖復淺近，而是即事所行之要行、道家之大障。而今行者識此諸失、知過必改者，可謂真行道人。雖未證無生，而無生不遠也。然二萬燈明佛一期將竟，而說《法華》即入涅槃。釋迦亦爾，特更別為一緣而說《涅槃》。今之大師一期隨緣，異說不同。今將欲涅槃故，撮要說其一論。何者？是論始終唯令觀心者，只為心是如來藏，具足一切佛法，而眾生不覺內衣有無價寶珠。今論正示眾生心中寶藏佛之知見，示悟眾生，與《法華》無別，故今唱衰老，即是欲入涅槃。所以說此論竟，即歸真滅度，更無言也。 > The verse states: 'Years wane, the body bears illness, / eyes darken, ears gradually grow deaf; / the mind is muddled, largely forgetful and failing, / year after year worsening. / The King of Death, the garuḍa bird, / will before long swallow the life-faculty; / once the cords of karma snap, / when breath ceases, how could one speak? / For these causes and conditions, / one must compose the Treatise on Contemplating the Mind.' These two and a half stanzas clarify that the Master himself proclaimed that the time of his nirvāṇa had arrived. However, from the beginning of the treatise up to this explanation, it still belongs to the introductory section. Although he has not yet directly explained the profound meaning, he has first clarified the respective gains and losses of the three masters and four assemblies. Although the words and methods are shallow and immediate, they are essential practices undertaken in direct relation to affairs, as well as great obstacles for cultivators of the Way. Now, if practitioners recognize these various faults and, knowing their errors, necessarily reform them, they may be called true practitioners of the Way. Although they have not yet realized non-arising, non-arising is not far off. Now, when the lifetime of the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa was drawing to its close, he preached the Lotus Sūtra and thereupon entered nirvāṇa. Śākyamuni was also like this, specifically preaching the Nirvāṇa Sūtra for another distinct condition. Our Great Master's lifetime followed conditions, with different explanations that were not uniform. Now, because he was about to enter nirvāṇa, he epitomized the essentials to preach this single treatise. Why is this? The beginning and end of this treatise only instruct people to contemplate the mind, simply because the mind is the tathāgatagarbha, fully endowed with all Buddhist teachings, yet sentient beings are unaware of the priceless jewel within their inner garments. This treatise directly points out the jewel-storehouse of the Buddha's knowledge and vision within the minds of sentient beings, revealing it to awaken sentient beings; it is no different from the Lotus Sūtra. Therefore, in proclaiming his decline and old age, he was indeed about to enter nirvāṇa. Consequently, having finished preaching this treatise, he returned to true extinction, with no further words. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.1.38) - [Next: 1.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.1.40) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921~en-mt.1.39) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.1.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.1.39) · Pramāṇa