大慧普覺禪師語錄 19.18

19.18

凡看經教及古德入道因緣，心未明了，覺得迷悶沒滋味，如咬鐵橛相似時，正好著力。第一不得放捨，乃是意識不行、思想不到，絕分別、滅理路處。尋常可以說得道理、分別得行處，盡是情識邊事。往往多認賊為子，不可不知也。

Whenever you read the sūtras and teachings or the ancient worthies' conditions for entering the Way, when your mind is not yet clear, and you feel confused, stifled, and without flavor, just like chewing on an iron stake, that is precisely the time to apply effort. Above all, you must not give up: that is where mental consciousness does not operate, where thoughts cannot reach, where distinctions are severed, and where rational pathways are extinguished. Where you can ordinarily speak of principles and conduct discrimination is entirely the business of sensory consciousness. All too often people mistake a thief for their son—you cannot fail to know this.