南宗頓教最上大乘摩訶般若波羅蜜經六祖惠能大師於韶州大梵寺施法壇經 1.50

1.50

The Master said to Zhicheng, "I hear that when your dhyāna master teaches people, he transmits only śīla, samādhi, and prajñā. How does your reverend teacher instruct people in śīla, samādhi, and prajñā? Please explain it to me!" Zhicheng said, "Reverend Shenxiu says of śīla, samādhi, and prajñā: 'Not committing any evil is called śīla; practicing all goods is called prajñā; purifying one's own mind is called samādhi.' These are called śīla, samādhi, and prajñā. Such is his explanation; I do not know how the Master views it." Reverend Huineng answered, "This explanation is inconceivable, yet Huineng's view is different again." Zhicheng asked, "How is it different?" Huineng answered, "Seeing has slowness and quickness." Zhicheng asked the Master to explain his view of śīla, samādhi, and prajñā. The Master said, "Listen to what I say, and look at the place of my view: the mind-ground free of wrong is the śīla of one's own-nature; the mind-ground free of confusion is the samādhi of one's own-nature; the mind-ground free of foolishness is the prajñā of one's own-nature." The Master said, "Your teacher's śīla, samādhi, and prajñā exhort people of lesser faculties and wisdom; my śīla, samādhi, and prajñā exhort people of superior wisdom. If one awakens to one's own-nature, one does not even establish śīla, samādhi, and prajñā." Zhicheng said, "Please tell me, Master, what does it mean not to establish them?" The Master said, "One's own-nature is without wrong, without confusion, and without foolishness; in thought after thought, prajñā contemplates and illuminates, constantly transcending phenomenal characteristics—what is there to establish? One's own-nature is cultivated suddenly, without gradual stages, which is why they are not established." Zhicheng bowed in homage, and thereupon did not leave Caoxi Mountain; he became a disciple, never leaving the Master's side.