樂邦遺稿 2.28

2.28

《傳燈錄》紀溫造尚書問圭峰密公曰：「悟理息妄之人不結業，一期壽盡，靈性何依耶？」師答曰：「一切眾生具有覺性靈明，與佛無殊。但以無始未曾了性，妄執我相，故生愛惡等情。隨情造業，遂長劫輪迴。然則身中覺性未曾生死。若能明悟，此性即是法身，本自無生，何有依託？但多生習性喜怒哀樂微細流注難以卒除，須長覺察，豈可一生所修便同諸佛力用？但可以空寂為體，勿認色身。以靈知為心，勿認妄念。妄念若起，都不隨之。臨命終時，自然業不能繫。雖有中陰，所向自由，天上人間隨意寄託。若愛惡之念已泯，即不受分段之身，唯圓覺大智朗然獨存，名之為佛矣。」

The Chuandeng lu records that Minister Wen Zao asked the Venerable Mi of Guifeng: 'When a person who has awakened to the principle and extinguished delusion generates no karma, when their single lifespan comes to an end, upon what does the numinous nature depend?' The Master answered: 'All sentient beings possess an awakened nature that is numinous and luminous, no different from that of a Buddha. It is merely because from beginningless time they have never understood this nature, falsely grasping at the mark of self, that emotions such as attachment and aversion arise. Creating karma in accordance with these emotions, they consequently transmigrate through kalpas of long duration. Yet the awakened nature within the body has never been born or died. If one can clearly awaken, this nature is itself the Dharmakāya; fundamentally free of arising, what dependence could it have? However, the habits of many lifetimes—joy, anger, sorrow, and delight—are subtle undercurrents that are difficult to eliminate at once; one must constantly remain vigilant. How could what is cultivated in a single lifetime equal the power and functioning of the Buddhas? One can only take empty stillness as the essence and not identify with the physical body; take numinous knowing as the mind and not identify with deluded thoughts. If deluded thoughts arise, do not follow them at all. At the time of approaching the end of life, karma will naturally be unable to bind one. Though the intermediate state exists, one's destination is free, lodging at will in the heavens or the human realm. If thoughts of attachment and aversion have already vanished, one will not receive a body of fragmented life and death; only the great wisdom of perfect awakening brightly and independently endures, which is called a Buddha.'