密菴和尚語錄 1.194

1.194

璨禪人薦考，請小參：「佛法至妙，妙在明心，心若洞明，前後際斷，三祇劫空，覓其空處了不可得，如紅爐上一點雪相似。到箇裏，生也生他不得，死也死他不得。既生死他不得，即無生死可出，亦無菩提可求，人與非人性相平等，全體是箇大解脫門。二六時中受用轉轆轆地，出生入死不犯毫鋩，或去或留全超曠劫。所以道：『一念普觀無量劫，無去無來亦無住，如是了知三世事，超諸方便成十力。』又道：『生滅去來，本如來藏，當處出生，隨處滅盡。』祖師又道：『起諸善業亦是幻，造諸惡業亦是幻，身如聚沫心如風，幻出無根無實性。』從上諸聖盡向生死海中頭出頭沒，互相激揚，只要當人直截承當，自見諸人不肯回光返照流浪生死。且如山河大地是幻；日月星辰是幻；明暗色空是幻；四聖六凡是幻；山僧說底口中水漉漉地是幻；諸人耳裏聽底寂寂惺惺是幻，作麼生說箇幻出底道理？向遮裏挨得一機通，拶得一機透，在諸佛分上不增一絲毫，在諸人分上不減一絲毫，便識得致政承務出生入死，得大自在落處。非唯識得承務落處，又且識得璨禪人起一念心，為嚴父追修落處功不浪施。有時恁麼也得；有時不恁麼也得；有時恁麼不恁麼總得。苟或情存限量，墮在聲前句後，今夜不免和泥合水，更為諸人重說偈言：山河大地不是幻；日月星辰不是幻；明暗色空不是幻；四聖六凡不是幻；山僧說底不是幻；諸人聽底不是幻。恁麼會得，便知幻出底道理分分曉曉地。然雖如是，且致政承務即今在什麼處安身立命？」良久云：「日出心光耀，明明不覆藏。」復舉：「祖師道：『父母非我親』」師云：「眼裏耳裏絕纖塵。『諸佛非我道』」師云：「鐵眼銅睛覷不破。『汝言與心親』」師云：「蚊子排頭咬鐵釘。『汝行與道合』」師云：「上下四維俱匌匝，只將此語報深恩，朵朵紅蓮火裏發。」

Informal sermon requested by Zen practitioner Can for the dedication of merit to his late father: "The Buddha Dharma is exceedingly marvelous; its marvel lies in illuminating the mind. If the mind is thoroughly illuminated, the boundaries before and after are severed, the three asaikṣa kalpas are empty, and when you seek that emptiness, it cannot be found at all, just like a single flake of snow on a red-hot stove. Arriving here, birth cannot give birth to it, and death cannot kill it. Since birth and death cannot affect it, there is no birth and death to escape, nor is there any bodhi to seek; human and non-human are equal in nature and appearance, and the whole body is the great gate of liberation. Throughout the twelve periods of the day, function turns freely like a wheel; emerging into birth and entering into death, it does not touch the finest tip, whether departing or staying, wholly transcending vast kalpas. Therefore it is said: 'In a single thought, one universally contemplates immeasurable kalpas; there is no going, no coming, and no abiding. Understanding in this way the matters of the three periods of time, one transcends all expedient means and accomplishes the ten powers.' It is also said: 'Arising and ceasing, going and coming, are originally the Tathāgatagarbha; appearing in their very place, they are extinguished wherever they are.' A patriarch also said: 'Arousing good karmas is also an illusion; creating evil karmas is also an illusion. The body is like gathered foam, the mind is like wind; illusive manifestations have no root and no real nature.' The sages from antiquity have all bobbed their heads up and down in the ocean of birth and death, stimulating and inspiring one another, only wanting the person directly to undertake it; seeing that you people are unwilling to turn your light inward and reflect, you wander in birth and death. For instance, the mountains, rivers, and the great earth are an illusion; the sun, moon, and stars are an illusion; light and darkness, form and emptiness are an illusion; the four noble ones and the six ordinary realms are an illusion; what this mountain monk says with wet, driveling mouth is an illusion; what everyone hears in their ears, silent and alert, is an illusion. How do you speak of the principle of illusive manifestation? If you can push through a mechanism here, and press through a mechanism, it does not increase by a hair's breadth in the Buddhas, nor does it decrease by a hair's breadth in you people; then you will know the place where Chengwu of the Board of Administration, emerging into birth and entering death, attains great freedom. Not only will you know Chengwu's landing place, but you will also know the landing place where Zen practitioner Can aroused a single thought to cultivate merit in dedication to his strict father, so that his effort was not spent in vain. Sometimes thus is acceptable; sometimes not thus is acceptable; sometimes both thus and not thus are completely acceptable. If your feelings retain limitations and fall before sound and after phrase, tonight I cannot avoid mixing mud with water to speak a verse again for you: Mountains, rivers, and the great earth are not an illusion; / The sun, moon, and stars are not an illusion; / Light and darkness, form and emptiness are not an illusion; / The four noble ones and the six ordinary realms are not an illusion; / What this mountain monk says is not an illusion; / What everyone hears is not an illusion. / If you understand in this way, you will clearly know the principle of illusive manifestation. Even though it is so, just tell me: where does Chengwu of the Board of Administration right now settle his life and establish his destiny?" After a long pause, he said, "The sun comes forth, the light of mind shines brilliantly, brightly unhidden." He further cited: "A patriarch said: 'Parents are not my kin.'" The master said, "In the eyes and in the ears, not a speck of dust." "'The Buddhas are not my way.'" The master said, "Iron eyes and bronze pupils cannot see through it." "'Your words are kin to my mind.'" The master said, "Mosquitoes lining up to bite an iron nail." "'Your practice accords with the Way.'" The master said, "Above, below, and in the four directions, all is completely enveloped. Merely taking these words to repay profound benevolence, / Blosssoms of red lotuses open within the fire."