大慧普覺禪師語錄 24.3

24.3

佛言：「若有欲知佛境界，當淨其意如虛空，遠離妄想及諸取，令心所向皆無礙。」決有此志學無上菩提，常令方寸虛豁豁地，不著言說不墮空寂，無言無說，兩頭俱勿依怙，善惡二事無取無捨，日用二六時中，將思量計較之心坐斷，不於空寂處住著，內不放出外不放，入，如空中雲，如水上泡，瞥然而有，忽然而無，只向這裏翻身一擲抹過太虛，當恁麼時，安排他不得，䬦飣他不得。何以故？大法本來如是，非是彊為。不見釋迦老子有言：「不取眾生所言說，一切有為虛妄事，雖復不依言語道，亦復不著無言說。」今時士大夫學此道者，平昔被聰明靈利所使，多於古人言語中作道理，要說教分曉。殊不知，枯骨頭上決定無汁可覓，縱有聞善知識所訶肯，離言說相離文字相，又坐在無言無說處，黑山下鬼窟裏不動，欲心所向無礙無窒，不亦難乎？既為無常迅速、生死事大，決定有志直取無上菩提，世間種種虛妄不實底事，一筆句下，却向不可取不可捨處，謾覷捕看，是有是無，直得無用心處、無開口處，方寸中如一團熱鐵相似時，莫要放却，只就這裏看箇話頭，僧問雲門：「殺父殺母向佛前懺悔，殺佛殺祖時却向甚處懺悔？」雲門云：「露。」若有決定志，但只看箇露字，把思量分別塵勞中事底心，移在露字上，行行坐坐以此露字提撕，日用應緣處，或喜或怒，或善或惡，侍奉尊長處、與朋友相酬酢處、讀聖人經史處，盡是提撕底時節，驀然不知不覺，向露字上絕却消息，三教聖人所說之法，不著一一問人，自然頭頭上明，物物上顯矣。佛不云乎：「菩薩摩訶薩以無障無礙智慧，信一切世間境界，是如來境界。」古德云：「入得世間，出世無餘。」便是這箇道理也，只怕無決定信決定志耳。無決定信，則有退轉心，無決定志，則學不到徹頭處。且那箇是有決定信而無退轉心，有決定志而學到徹頭處者？昔牛頭山第二世智巖禪師，曲阿人也，姓華氏，弱冠智勇過人，身長七尺六寸，隋大業中為郎將，常以弓挂一濾水囊，隨行所至汲用，累從大將征討，頻立戰功。唐武德中，年方四十，遂乞出家，入舒州皖公山，從寶月禪師為弟子。後一日晏坐，覩異僧身長丈餘，神姿爽拔，辭氣清朗，謂巖曰：「卿八十生出家，宜加精進。」言訖不見。又嘗在谷中入定，山水瀑漲，巖怡然不動，其水自退，有獵者過之，因改過修善。復有昔同從軍者二人，聞巖隱遁，乃共入山尋之。既見謂巖曰：「郎將狂耶，何為住此？」巖曰：「我狂欲惺，君狂正發。夫嗜色淫聲貪榮冒寵，流轉生死，何由自出？」二人感悟歎息而去。貞觀中歸建鄴，入牛頭山謁懶融禪師，發明大事，懶融謂巖曰：「吾受信大師真訣，所得都亡，設有一法過於涅槃，吾說亦如夢幻。夫一塵飛而翳天，一芥墮而覆地，汝今已過此見，吾復何云？山門化導，當付於汝。」遂為牛頭第二世祖師，此乃有決定信而無退轉心，有決定志而學到徹頭處底樣子也。三教聖人所說之法，無非勸善誡惡正人心術，心術不正則姦邪唯利是趨，心術正則忠義唯理是從，理者理義之理，非義理之理也。如尊丈節使，見義便為，逞非常之真勇，乃此理也。圭峯禪師云：「作有義事是惺悟心，作無義事是狂亂心。」狂亂由情念，臨終被業牽，惺悟不由情，臨終能轉業，亦此理也。佛云：「理則頓悟，乘悟併銷，事則漸除，因次第盡。」亦此理也。李長者云：「圓融不礙行布，即一而多；行布不礙圓融，即多而一。」亦此理也。永嘉云：「一地具足一切地，一法遍含一切法，一月普現一切水，一切水月一月攝。」亦此理也。華嚴云：「佛法世間法，若見其真實，一切無差別。」亦此理也，其差別在人，不在法也。忠義姦邪與生俱生，忠義者處姦邪中，如清淨摩尼寶珠置在淤泥之內，雖百千歲不能染污。何以故？本性清淨故。姦邪者處忠義中，如雜毒置於淨器，雖百千歲亦不能變改。何以故？本性濁穢故。前所云差別在人不在法，便是這箇道理也。如姦邪忠義二人，同讀聖人之書，聖人之書是法，元無差別，而姦邪忠義讀之，隨類而領解，則有差別矣。淨名云：「佛以一音演說法，眾生隨類各得解。」是也。忠義之士見義則本性發，姦邪之人見利則本性發，如磁石遇鐵，而火逢燥薪，雖欲禁制，不可得也。如尊丈節使，雄烈過人，唱大義於萬眾之中，聳動時聽亦本性忠義，而見義則發，非造作非安排，教中所謂譬如摩訶那伽大力勇士，若奮威怒，於其額上必生瘡疱，瘡若未合，閻浮提中一切人民無能制伏。佛以此喻發菩提心者，菩提心則忠義心也，名異而體同，但此心與義相遇，則世出世間一網打就，無少無剩矣。予雖學佛者，然愛君憂國之心，與忠義士大夫等，但力所不能，而年運往矣。喜正惡邪之志，與生俱生，永嘉所謂「假使鐵輪頂上旋，定慧圓明終不失」，予雖不敏，敢直下自信不疑。季恭志趣不凡，春秋鼎盛，正是奔走塵勞之時，能以此時回來學無上菩提，非夙植德本，焉能信得及，把得定，作得主宰？願堅固此心，終始如一，觸境遇緣，不變不動，方名有力大人。無常迅速生死事大，若念念以此一段大事因緣為未了未說，直下超證，是省得日用應緣處許多障道底惡業，況一念相應轉凡成聖耶！但辦肯心，必不相賺，古來自有為善底樣式，博極群書只要知聖人所用心處，知得了自家心術即正，心術正則種種雜毒種種邪說不相染污矣。季恭立志學儒，須是擴而充之，然後推其餘可以及物。何以故？學不至，不是學；學至而用不得，不是學；學不能化物，不是學；學到徹頭處，文亦在其中，武亦在其中，事亦在其中，理亦在其中，忠義孝道乃至治身治人安國安邦之術，無有不在其中者。釋迦老子云：「常在於其中，經行及坐臥。」便是這箇消息也。未有忠於君而不孝於親者，亦未有孝於親而不忠於君者。但聖人所讚者依而行之，聖人所訶者不敢違犯，則於忠於孝、於事於理，治身治人無不周旋、無不明了。行看尊丈節使，立大功凱旋而歸，季恭一躍青雲之上，成氏之門有武有文，無可疑者。季恭勉之。

The Buddha said: 'If anyone wishes to know the realm of the Buddha, they should purify their mind like empty space, leave far behind delusions and all graspings, and make wherever the mind turns completely unobstructed.' If you definitely have this resolution to study unsurpassed bodhi, constantly keep the square inch of your heart completely open and clear: do not attach to speech, do not fall into empty quiescence; with neither speech nor words, rely on neither extreme; with the two matters of good and evil, neither grasp nor abandon; throughout the twelve periods of the day, sit and cut off the mind of calculating and deliberating, yet do not abide in empty quiescence; let nothing out from within, let nothing in from outside—like clouds in the sky, like bubbles upon water, suddenly arising, abruptly vanishing. Turn around right here, cast yourself forward, and sweep across the great void. At such a time, one cannot arrange it, nor can one artificially embellish it. Why is this? The great Dharma is originally like this; it is not made by force. Have you not seen what old Shakyamuni said? 'Not taking up what sentient beings say, or all conditioned and false things, although not relying on the path of words, yet also not clinging to the absence of words.'

Nowadays, scholar-officials who study this Path have habitually been driven by cleverness and quick-wittedness; mostly they construct doctrines out of the words of the ancients, wanting to explain them with clarity. Little do they know that upon dry bones there is certainly no juice to be found. Even if some hear the admonitions and approvals of good spiritual friends, leave behind the characteristics of speech and words, they then sit in a place of no-words and no-speech, unmoved inside the ghosts' cave under the black mountain. If they wish wherever the mind turns to be unobstructed and unhindered, is it not difficult?

Since impermanence is swift and the matter of birth and death is great, if you are definitely determined to directly attain unsurpassed bodhi, write off all the various false and insubstantial matters of the world in one stroke! Then, toward the place where nothing can be grasped and nothing can be abandoned, quietly take a look and see: is it existent, or is it nonexistent? Go straight to the point where there is no place to apply your mind and no place to open your mouth, when within the square inch of your heart it is like a ball of hot iron—at that moment, do not let go! Right here, just look at this huatou: A monk asked Yunmen, 'If one kills father and kills mother, one repents before the Buddha; when one kills Buddha and kills Patriarch, where does one repent?' Yunmen said, 'Exposed (Lu).' If you have definite resolution, just look at this word 'Exposed.' Take the mind that calculates and discriminates the worldly dust of affairs and shift it onto the word 'Exposed.' Whether walking or sitting, raise and reflect on this word 'Exposed.' In your daily response to conditions—whether joy or anger, whether good or evil, in serving your elders, in social exchanges with friends, in reading the classics and histories of the sages—all are times to raise and reflect on it. Suddenly, without being aware, all news will be cut off on the word 'Exposed.' The teachings expounded by the sages of the Three Teachings need not be asked of others one by one: naturally on each and every thing they will be bright, and in each and every object they will be evident.

Did the Buddha not say: 'A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, with unimpeded and unobstructed wisdom, believes that all realms of the worldly are the realm of the Tathāgata'? An ancient worthy said: 'If you can enter the worldly, transcending the world leaves no residue.' It is just this principle! One only fears the absence of resolute faith and resolute aspiration. Without resolute faith, there is a mind of falling back; without resolute aspiration, one will not study through to the bottom. Now who has had resolute faith without a mind of falling back, and had resolute aspiration and studied through to the bottom? In the past, the second patriarch of Mount Niutou, Chan Master Zhiyan, was a native of Qu'e, surnamed Hua. In his youth, his wisdom and courage surpassed others; he stood seven feet six inches tall. During the Daye era of the Sui, he served as a court general. He always hung a water-filtration bag from his bow, drawing water for use wherever he went. Accompanying great generals on expeditions, he repeatedly achieved military distinctions. During the Wude era of the Tang, when he was just forty years of age, he begged to leave home, entering Mount Wangong in Shuzhou, and became a disciple under Chan Master Baoyue. Later, sitting in quietude one day, he saw an extraordinary monk over ten feet tall, with a refreshed and outstanding demeanor and clear, resonant speech, who said to Zhiyan: 'Sir, you have left home for eighty lifetimes; you should increase your vigor.' Having spoken, he disappeared. Once, while he was in samādhi in a ravine, the mountain waters suddenly swelled into a torrent; Zhiyan remained pleasantly unmoved, and the water receded of its own accord. A hunter passed by and, moved by this, repented and cultivated good. Furthermore, two former fellow soldiers, hearing that Zhiyan had gone into seclusion, went into the mountains together to seek him. Seeing him, they said to Zhiyan: 'General, are you mad? Why do you dwell here?' Zhiyan said: 'My madness is about to awaken; your madness is just breaking out. Craving sensual beauty, lusting after sounds, coveting glory, and risking all for favor, drifting through birth and death—how can you get out on your own?' The two were awakened, sighed, and departed. During the Zhenguan era, he returned to Jianye and entered Mount Niutou to call upon Chan Master Lanrong, thoroughly illuminating the great matter. Lanrong said to Zhiyan: 'I received the true secret from the Great Master [Daoxin], and everything attained was lost; even if there were a dharma surpassing nirvāṇa, I would say it is also like a dream or phantom. When a single speck of dust flies, it obscures the sky; when a single mustard seed falls, it covers the earth. You have now surpassed this view; what more can I say? The teaching and guidance of this mountain gate should be entrusted to you.' He then became the second patriarch of Niutou. This is a model of one who had resolute faith without a mind of falling back, and who had resolute aspiration and studied through to the bottom.

The teachings expounded by the sages of the Three Teachings are none other than encouraging good, warning against evil, and rectifying people's mental ways. If one's mental ways are not upright, then treacherous evil pursues only profit; if one's mental ways are upright, then loyalty and righteousness follow only principle. 'Principle' is the principle of rectitude and righteousness, not the principle of pedantic theory. Like your respected uncle, the Military Commissioner, who acts as soon as he sees what is right, displaying extraordinary true courage—this is this principle. Chan Master Guifeng said: 'Performing righteous deeds is the awakened mind; performing unrighteous deeds is the mad and chaotic mind. Madness and chaos stem from emotional thoughts, and at the end of life one is dragged by karma; awakening does not stem from emotions, and at the end of life one can transform karma.' This is also this principle. The Buddha said: 'Principle is suddenly awakened, and along with awakening all is dissolved; phenomena are gradually eliminated, coming to an end in due sequence.' This is also this principle. Elder Li said: 'Perfect fusion does not obstruct sequential steps: the one is precisely the many; sequential steps do not obstruct perfect fusion: the many are precisely the one.' This is also this principle. Yongjia said: 'One stage completely contains all stages, one dharma pervades and includes all dharmas, one moon universally appears in all waters, all waters' moons are gathered in the one moon.' This is also this principle. The *Avataṃsaka* says: 'The Buddha's teachings and worldly teachings—if one sees their reality, all are without difference.' This is also this principle. The difference lies in the person, not in the teaching.

Loyalty, righteousness, treachery, and evil are born together with one's life. When a loyal and righteous person is among the treacherous and evil, it is like a pure maṇi jewel placed in mud: even for hundreds of thousands of years, it cannot be defiled. Why is this? Because its original nature is pure. When a treacherous and evil person is among the loyal and righteous, it is like mixed poison placed in a pure vessel: even for hundreds of thousands of years, it cannot be changed. Why is this? Because its original nature is turbid and foul. What was said earlier—that the difference lies in the person, not in the teaching—is just this principle. For instance, when a treacherous person and a loyal person both read the books of the sages: the books of the sages are the teaching, originally without difference; yet when the treacherous and the loyal read them, they understand according to their kind, and thus there is difference. The *Vimalakīrti* says: 'The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice, and sentient beings each understand according to their kind.' This is it. When a gentleman of loyalty and righteousness sees righteousness, his original nature comes forth; when a person of treachery and evil sees profit, his original nature comes forth. It is like a lodestone meeting iron, or fire meeting dry firewood: even if one wished to restrain it, one could not. Like your respected uncle, the Military Commissioner, whose heroic strength surpasses others: declaring great righteousness before myriad people, he stirred the hearing of the times. This too was his original nature of loyalty and righteousness, which comes forth upon seeing righteousness; it is not artificial, not calculated. As the teaching says: For example, when a mighty warrior like a mahānāga rouses fierce wrath, a boil will inevitably grow upon his forehead; as long as the boil is not closed, no one among all the people of Jambudvīpa can subdue him. The Buddha used this as an analogy for one who gives rise to the bodhi-mind. The bodhi-mind is none other than the mind of loyalty and righteousness: the names differ, but the substance is the same. Once this mind meets with righteousness, the worldly and the supramundane are captured in a single net, with nothing missing and nothing left over.

Although I am a student of the Buddha, my mind of cherishing the sovereign and worrying for the state is equal to that of loyal and righteous scholar-officials; it is only that my strength is insufficient and my years have passed away. The resolution to love the upright and hate evil was born together with my life. As Yongjia said: 'Even if an iron wheel should whirl upon my head, the perfect clarity of samādhi and prajñā is never lost.' Incompetent though I am, I dare to trust myself directly without doubt. Jigong, your aspiration is extraordinary, and your years are in their prime—precisely the time of scurrying about in worldly dust. To be able to turn back at this time to study unsurpassed bodhi: unless you had planted the roots of virtue in past lives, how could you have reached such faith, held steady, and become your own master? May you strengthen this mind, consistent from beginning to end; encountering environments and meeting with conditions, remain unchanged and unmoved—only then are you called a great person of power.

Impermanence is swift and the matter of birth and death is great. If in thought after thought you consider this great cause and condition unresolved and unstated, and directly transcend and realize it, you will save yourself from much evil karma that obstructs the Path in your daily response to conditions—how much more so when a single thought corresponds, transforming the ordinary into the sagely! Only bring forth a resolute, willing mind, and you will certainly not be deceived. From ancient times, there have been models for doing good. In reading widely through the multitude of books, you need only know where the sages applied their minds. Once you know this, your own mental ways will be upright; when your mental ways are upright, various mixed poisons and various heterodox teachings cannot defile you. Jigong, in setting your mind on studying Confucianism, you must broaden and fulfill it, and then extend the remainder to reach other beings. Why is this? If study does not reach the goal, it is not study; if study reaches the goal but cannot be applied, it is not study; if study cannot transform beings, it is not study. When you study through to the bottom, civil accomplishments are within it, martial accomplishments are within it, phenomena are within it, principle is within it; loyalty, righteousness, and filial piety, down to the arts of cultivating oneself, governing others, and bringing peace to the country and state—there is nothing that is not within it. Old Shakyamuni said: 'Constantly dwelling within it, walking, sitting, and lying down.' This is just the message. There has never been one loyal to the sovereign who was not filial to his parents, nor has there ever been one filial to his parents who was not loyal to the sovereign. Just rely on and practice what the sages praised, and dare not violate what the sages admonished; then toward loyalty and filial piety, toward phenomena and principle, cultivating oneself and governing others, in all things you will adapt smoothly and understand clearly. Soon we shall see your respected uncle, the Military Commissioner, establish great merit and return in triumph, and Jigong leap above the blue clouds: in the Cheng family, there will be both martial and civil distinction—of this there is no doubt. Strive on, Jigong!