大慧普覺禪師語錄 27.15

27.15

承杜門壁觀，此息心良藥也。若更鑽故紙，定引起藏識中無始時來生死根苗，作善根難，作障道難無疑。得息心且息心已，過去底事，或善或惡，或逆或順，都莫思量；現在事得省便省，一刀兩段不要遲疑；未來事自然不相續矣。釋迦老子云：「心不妄取過去法，亦不貪著未來事，不於現在有所住，了達三世悉空寂。」但看，僧問趙州：「狗子還有佛性也無？」州云：「無。」請只把閑思量底心，回在無字上，試思量看。忽然向思量不及處，得這一念破，便是了達三世處也。了達時安排不得，計較不得，引證不得。何以故？了達處不容安排，不容計較，不容引證。縱然引證得，計較得，安排得，與了達底，了沒交涉。但放教蕩蕩地，善惡都莫思量，亦莫著意，亦莫忘懷，著意則流蕩，忘懷則昏沈。不著意不忘懷，善不是善，惡不是惡，若如此了達，生死魔何處摸𢱢。一箇汪彥章，聲名滿天下。平生安排得，計較得，引證得底，是文章，是名譽，是官職，晚年收因結果處，那箇是實？做了無限之乎者也，那一句得力？名譽既彰，與匿德藏光者，相去幾何？官職已做到大兩制，與作秀才時，相去多少？而今已近七十歲，儘公伎倆，待要如何？臘月三十日，作麼生折合去？無常殺鬼念念不停，雪峯真覺云：「光陰倏忽暫須臾，浮世那能得久居，出嶺年登三十二，入閩早是四旬餘。他非不用頻頻舉，己過還須旋旋除，為報滿城朱紫道，閻王不怕佩金魚。」古人苦口叮嚀，為甚麼事？世間愚庸之人，飢寒所迫，日用無他念，只得身上稍煖肚裏不飢，便了，只是這兩事，生死魔却不能為惱。以受富貴者較之，輕重大不等，受富貴底，身上既常煖，肚裏又常飽，既不被這兩事所迫，又却多一件不可說底無狀，以故常在生死魔網中，無由出離，除宿有靈骨方見得徹識得破。先聖云：「瞥起是病，不續是藥，不怕念起，唯恐覺遲。」佛者覺也，為其常覺故，謂之大覺，亦謂之覺王，然皆從凡夫中做得出來。彼既丈夫，我寧不爾？百年光景能得幾時，念念如救頭然，做好事尚恐做不辦，況念念在塵勞中而不覺也。可畏可畏。近收呂居仁四月初書，報曾叔夏、劉彥禮死，居仁云：「交遊中，時復抽了一兩人，直是可畏。」渠邇來為此事甚切，亦以瞥地回頭稍遲為恨。比已作書答之云：「只以末後知非底一念為正，不問遲速也。」知非底一念，便是成佛作祖底基本，破魔網底利器，出生死底路頭也。願公亦只如此做工夫，做得工夫漸熟，則日用二六時中便覺省力矣。覺得省力時，不要放緩，只就省力處崖將去，崖來崖去和這省力處，亦不知有時，不爭多也。但只看箇無宇，莫管得不得。至禱至禱。

I understand that you have closed your gates to practice wall contemplation; this is fine medicine for setting the mind at rest. If you were instead to bore into old papers, you would surely stir up the root sprouts of birth and death that have been in the storehouse consciousness from beginningless time, unquestionably creating difficulties for your good roots and creating obstacles to the Way. Having attained the setting of the mind at rest, just let it rest. Concerning past matters—whether good or bad, adverse or favorable—think about none of them. In present matters, simplify whenever you can simplify; cut them in two with a single blade without hesitating. Future matters will naturally not continue. Old Śākya said: 'The mind does not falsely grasp past phenomena, nor is it greedy for or attached to future matters; it does not abide in the present, thoroughly realizing that the three periods of time are entirely empty and quiet.' Just observe this: A monk asked Zhaozhou, 'Does even a dog have buddha-nature?' Zhaozhou said, 'No (wu).' Please take the mind of idle deliberation and turn it onto this word 'wu'; try deliberating upon it. When you suddenly break through this single thought at the place where deliberation cannot reach, that is the place where you thoroughly realize the three periods of time. When you thoroughly realize it, it cannot be arranged, cannot be calculated, and cannot be proven by citations. Why is this? The place of thorough realization does not allow arranging, does not allow calculating, and does not allow proving by citations. Even if you could prove it by citation, calculate it, and arrange it, it has no relation whatsoever to one who has thoroughly realized it. Just let it be vast and open: do not think of good or evil, neither paying deliberate attention nor sinking into forgetfulness. If you pay deliberate attention, you will drift; if you sink into forgetfulness, you will be torpid. Neither paying deliberate attention nor sinking into forgetfulness, good is not good, and evil is not evil. If you thoroughly realize it like this, where can the Māra of birth and death lay a hand on you? You are the one Wang Yanzhang whose fame fills the world. What you have arranged, calculated, and cited throughout your life are writings, reputation, and official posts; at the place where you reap the fruit in your later years, which of these is real? Having composed countless phrases of 'zhi hu zhe ye', which line brings you strength? Now that your reputation is renowned, how far apart is it from one who conceals virtue and hides his light? You have attained the high office of the Two Drafting Academies; how much difference is there from when you were an ordinary scholar? Now you are nearly seventy years old; exhausting your skills, what do you intend to do? On the thirtieth day of the twelfth month, how will you settle the account? The murderous ghost of impermanence does not halt for a single instant. Zhenjue of Xuefeng said: 'Time passes swiftly in a mere instant; / how could one dwell long in this floating world? / Crossing the ridge, I reached the age of thirty-two; / entering Min, I had already passed forty. / There is no need to constantly raise others' faults; / one's own errors must be continually removed. / Send word to the city full of purple and red robes: / King Yama is not afraid of those wearing the golden fish talisman.' Why did the ancients urge this with bitter mouths? The foolish and mediocre people of the world are pressed by hunger and cold; in their daily life they have no other thoughts. If only their bodies are somewhat warm and their bellies not hungry, it is enough; merely because of these two matters, the Māra of birth and death cannot trouble them. Compared with those who enjoy wealth and rank, the weight is not equal. For those who enjoy wealth and rank, their bodies are already constantly warm and their bellies constantly full; not being pressed by these two matters, they have an additional, unspeakable recklessness. Thus they are constantly in the demonic net of birth and death, without any way to escape, unless they possess extraordinary innate capacity from past lives to see through and break through it. The former sage said: 'The sudden arising [of a thought] is the sickness; not continuing it is the medicine. Do not fear thoughts arising; only fear realizing it late.' 'Buddha' means awakened; because he is constantly awakened, he is called the Great Awakened One and the King of Awakening. Yet all of this is achieved from within the ordinary person. If he is a true man, why should I not be as well? How much time can one have in a hundred years of fleeting light? Thought after thought, it is like rescuing one's head from fire. One still fears not being able to accomplish good deeds; how much more so when, thought after thought, one is in the worldly defilements without awakening! It is truly fearful, truly fearful. Recently I received a letter from Lü Juren in the fourth month, reporting the deaths of Zeng Shuxia and Liu Yanli. Juren said: 'Among my acquaintances, one or two are taken away from time to time; it is truly fearful.' Recently he has been very earnest about this matter, and he also regrets having turned his head somewhat late. I have recently written a letter in reply saying: 'Just take the final single thought of knowing the error as correct, regardless of whether it is late or early.' The single thought of knowing the error is the very foundation for becoming a buddha and making a patriarch, the sharp weapon for breaking the demonic net, and the starting path for escaping birth and death. I hope you will also apply your effort in this way. When your effort gradually matures, you will feel it saving effort during the twenty-four hours of daily life. When you feel it saving effort, do not relax; just push forward from the place where effort is saved. Pushing back and forth until you do not even know there is a place where effort is saved, you will not be far off. Just look into the word 'wu', and do not care whether you attain it or not. This is my most earnest prayer.