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 1.51

1.51

There was also a monk named Fada, who had constantly recited the Lotus Sūtra for seven years, yet his mind was deluded and he did not know the place of the true Dharma. He came to Caoxi Mountain, bowed in homage, and asked the Master, "Your disciple has constantly recited the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra for seven years, yet my mind is deluded and does not know the place of the true Dharma; I have doubts about the sūtra. The Master's wisdom is vast and great; will you please dispel my doubts?" The Master said, "Fada! The Dharma is very penetrated (da), but your mind is not penetrated! There are no doubts in the sūtra; it is your own mind that is crooked while seeking the true Dharma. When my own mind is in right samādhi, that is upholding the sūtra. Throughout my life I have never recognized letters. Bring the Lotus Sūtra here and read it through once to me; upon hearing it, I will know." Fada brought the sūtra and read it through once before the Master. Having heard it, the Sixth Patriarch immediately recognized the Buddha's intention, and thereupon explained the Lotus Sūtra to Fada. The Sixth Patriarch said, "Fada! The Lotus Sūtra does not have many words; its seven fascicles are entirely parables and causes and conditions. The Tathāgata widely taught the three vehicles solely because the worldly people have dull faculties. The sūtra text is clear: there are no other vehicles; there is only the One Buddha Vehicle." The Master said, "Fada! Listen to the One Buddha Vehicle and do not seek two Buddha vehicles, for delusion rejects your nature. Where in the sūtra is the One Buddha Vehicle? I will tell you. The sūtra says: 'The Buddhas, the Bhagavats, appear in the world solely on account of the one great causal condition.' (These sixteen characters above are the true Dharma.) How is this Dharma to be understood? How is this Dharma to be cultivated? Listen to what I say: when the human mind is free of conceptual thoughts, its original source is empty and quiescent; turning away from wrong views is precisely the one great causal condition. When neither internal nor external are deluded, one is free from the two extremes. Deluded externally, one is attached to characteristics; deluded internally, one is attached to emptiness. Being free of characteristics amid characteristics, and free of emptiness amid emptiness—this is non-delusion. If you awaken to this Dharma, in a single thought your mind opens, appearing in the world. What does the mind open? It opens the Buddha's knowledge and vision. 'Buddha' is like 'awakening'; it is divided into four gates: opening the awakened knowledge and vision, showing the awakened knowledge and vision, awakening to the awakened knowledge and vision, and entering the awakened knowledge and vision. These are called opening, showing, awakening, and entering. Entering from a single place is awakened knowledge and vision; seeing one's own original nature is transcending the world." The Master said, "Fada! I always wish that all people of the world would constantly open the Buddha's knowledge and vision in their own mind-ground, and not open the knowledge and vision of sentient beings. When the minds of worldly people are crooked, in ignorance and delusion they create evil, opening by themselves the knowledge and vision of sentient beings; when the minds of worldly people are straight, giving rise to the contemplative illumination of wisdom, they open by themselves the Buddha's knowledge and vision. Do not open the knowledge and vision of sentient beings; opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision is transcending the world." The Master said, "Fada! This is the One Vehicle Dharma of the Lotus Sūtra. Dividing it into three further down was done for the sake of deluded people. You should just rely on the One Buddha Vehicle." The Master said, "Fada! When the mind practices, it turns the Lotus; when it does not practice, it is turned by the Lotus. When the mind is straight, it turns the Lotus; when the mind is crooked, it is turned by the Lotus. Opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision turns the Lotus; opening the knowledge and vision of sentient beings is being turned by the Lotus." The Master said, "Strive to practice according to the Dharma, and that is turning the sūtra." Upon hearing this, Fada had a great awakening right at these words. Weeping with tears, he addressed the Master, "Reverend! Truly I had never turned the Lotus, but for seven years was turned by the Lotus. Henceforth I shall turn the Lotus, practicing Buddha-conduct in thought after thought." The Master said, "Buddha-conduct itself is the Buddha." Among those listening at that time, none failed to awaken.