虛堂和尚語錄 4.15

4.15

The utmost essential of the Buddha Dharma originally knows no difference between distant lands and foreign domains. It requires only that the person possess an uncommon mettle, fiercely summon spirit, directly sit until cutting off all gain, loss, right, and wrong, have firm faith and hold fast, stand solitary and towering without setting up any livelihood, and serenely illuminate impartially, spiritually self-possessed; by no means make wild conjectures within the nest of ignorance. The moment sacred measures are harboured, the passes and connections do not clear; you must turn further to that other side, like thunderous wrath in a blue sky, whirling winds, and scattered snow, so that everything is naturally free of obstruction. Only then will you secretly tally with the marvel of the utmost essential; you need not worry that the great affair of itinerant pilgrimage will go unaccomplished, nor fret that leaky thoughts of birth and death will not be cast off. Reaching the ground of no-reliance and no-desire, where principle and phenomena blend and merge, and meritorious striving cuts off duality, only then can you bring forth the treasures of your own house to relieve the solitary and base, without having made in vain the long journey over whale-swelling waves to visit good spiritual friends. Now you wish to return to your old capital; the moon is bright and the wind is high, and your arrival is expected within days. Go and use what you have attained from the masters to instruct those of great capacity, enabling everyone throughout Japan to achieve buddhahood without remainder—truly this will not fall short! If, perchance, views and interpretations still linger, causing you to fall into limits and bounds, you must cross the ocean once more; this old fist will never strike in vain.