大慧普覺禪師語錄 20.16

20.16

Studying mundane dharmas relies entirely on oral debate and mental deliberation; in studying supramundane dharmas, if one uses oral debate and mental deliberation, one is far off indeed. Has not the Buddha said: "This Dharma is not something that can be understood by thinking and conceptual discrimination"? Yongjia said: "Wasting the wealth of Dharma and annihilating merit—nothing is not caused by this mind, intellect, and consciousness." Mind, intellect, and consciousness are indeed the den of thinking and conceptual discrimination. If you are determined to shoulder this great cause, please summon up fierce energy and, with a single slash of the blade, sever this root of the demon of birth and death that comes as the vanguard and departs as the rearguard; this will be the time of thorough penetration. Precisely at such a time, oral debate and mental deliberation may first be put to use. Why is this? Once the eighth consciousness is eliminated, the demon of birth and death has nowhere to roost; with nowhere for the demon of birth and death to roost, that which thinks and discriminates is entirely the wondrous wisdom of prajñā, without the slightest hair remaining to form an obstacle for me. Therefore it is said: "Observe the sequence of dharmas, discriminate with wisdom, deliberate and determine right and wrong, not violating the seal of Dharma." Having reached this ground, completely displaying cleverness and completely explaining principles are all the realm of great cessation, great consummation, and great liberation, and nothing else. Therefore Panshan said: "The whole mind is just Buddha; the whole Buddha is just man." This is it. Before attaining this, you must simply not let the mind, intellect, and consciousness have their way while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. After a long time, when it has become completely ripe, naturally you will not need to exert effort to dismiss them. Reflect upon this.