密菴和尚語錄 1.341

1.341

承喻，二十歲時便知自己一段大事，此乃是無量劫來，般若光中熏習，今生出頭來便爾也；又道每與尊宿往來，稍稍純熟不至費力。竊觀來教，語意亹亹，非是錯用其心也，且為說箇喻子：恰如被人引向大官驛路上，合眼也日行千萬里都無疑慮，但不曾撞著箇惡手段，從面前劄箇硬塞，後面驅重兵趕逐，直是上天無路入地無門，求生不得求死不得，平生學得機智，到遮裏一點也用不著。果夙有力量，抖擻精神，驀地拶得一路通四方八面，活鱍鱍地，千人萬人羅籠不住，恁時方有自由自在分。終日在聲色中出沒，聲色不能染污，世出世間如蓮花不著水，豈不慶快平生？若只管向他人口頭取辨，方策中尋要契合心田，縱饒參到彌勒下生也不能得悟，也不能得安樂。何故？蓋起心動念便被情識欃先為累也。所以二祖參初祖，種種說心說性，祖乃示一偈云：「外息諸緣，內心無喘，心如牆壁，可以入道。」初無奇異語似之，外息諸緣內心無喘且置之勿論，作麼生說箇心如牆壁可以入道？遮裏疑不破，只在遮裏疑。古者道：「大疑之下，必有大悟。」誠不誣也。

I received your instruction stating that at the age of twenty you already knew your own great matter; this is indeed the result of perfuming within the light of prajñā over immeasurable kalpas, which is why it appeared as soon as you came into this life. You also said that whenever you associate with venerable elders, you have become somewhat proficient without expending effort. In my humble reading of your letter, the words and thoughts are unflagging, and it is not that you have misapplied your mind. Let me offer an analogy: it is just like being guided onto an official post road, where even with your eyes closed you can travel ten thousand li a day without any doubt or anxiety; but you have never encountered a ruthless measure where a formidable barricade is set up right in front of you while heavy troops pursue you from behind. Truly, there is no road to heaven and no gate into the earth; you cannot seek life, nor can you seek death. All the cleverness you learned in your life cannot be used in the slightest at this point. If you truly have strength from past lives, shake yourself awake, and suddenly burst through, a road will open in all directions—vivid and lively, uncapturable by thousands or tens of thousands of people. Only at that moment will you have your share of complete freedom. All day long appearing and disappearing amid sights and sounds, sights and sounds cannot defile you; within the worldly and transworldly, like a lotus flower untouched by water, how would that not be a lifelong joy? If you only keep looking for clarity in other people's mouths and seeking to accord with the mind-ground in books, even if you investigate until Maitreya's descent to birth, you will neither attain awakening nor find peace and happiness. Why? Because whenever you stir a thought or move an intention, you are immediately encumbered by sensory consciousness rushing to the fore. Therefore, when the Second Patriarch visited the First Patriarch, he spoke in various ways of mind and nature; the Patriarch then gave a verse saying: 'Externally cease all conditions; internally have no gasping in the mind. When the mind is like a wall, one can enter the Way.' At first he did not use any bizarre words to tell him. Putting aside 'externally cease all conditions and internally have no gasping in the mind,' how do you explain 'the mind is like a wall, one can enter the Way'? Where you cannot break through the doubt, right there maintain the doubt. An ancient said: 'Under great doubt, there must be great awakening.' This is truly not false.