[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [六祖大師法寶壇經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008) › 1.70 # 六祖大師法寶壇經 1.70 六祖大師法寶壇經 1.70 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.70](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.70) 坐禪第五 > fundamental nature of suchness. Suchness is the essence of thought, thought > > is the function of suchness. Thought is activated in the self-nature of such- > > ness—it is not the case that the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue are able to think, > > it is because of the self-nature of suchness that thoughts are activated. If > > suchness were nonexistent, then eyes and ears, forms and sounds would be > > simultaneously destroyed. > > “Good friends, thoughts are activated from the self-nature of suchness. > > Although the six sensory faculties possess perceptual cognition, they do not > > defile the myriad realms. And yet the true nature is always autonomous. There- > > fore, the sutra says, ‘When one is able to discriminate well the characteris- > > tics of the dharmas, this is to be unmoving within the cardinal meaning.’”80 > > Number Five: Seated Meditation > > Number Five: Seated Meditation The master addressed the assembly, “In this teaching of seated meditation, one fundamentally does not concentrate on mind, nor does one concentrate on purity, nor is it motionlessness. If one is to concentrate on the mind, then the mind \[involved\] is fundamentally false. You should understand that the mind is like a phantasm, so nothing can concentrate on it. If one is to concentrate on purity, then \[realize that because\] our natures are fundamentally pure, it is through false thoughts that suchness is covered up. Just be without false thoughts and the nature is pure of itself. If you activate your mind to become attached to purity, you will only generate the falseness of purity. The false is without location; it is the concentration that is false. Purity is without shape and characteristics; you only create the characteristics of purity and say this is ‘effort’ \[in meditation\]. To have such a view is to obscure one’s own fundamental nature, and only to be fettered by purity. > > “Good friends, if you cultivate motionlessness, just see all people: when doing so, do not see the right and wrong, the good and bad, the transgressions and disasters of people. This is the motionlessness of the self-nature. > > “Good friends, the deluded person may be motionless in body, but he opens his mouth and speaks of the right and wrong, the strength and weakness, the good and bad of others. This is to go against the Way. If you concentrate on the mind or concentrate on purity, this is to impede the Way (i.e., enlightenment).” > > The master addressed the assembly, “Good friends, what is seated meditation (zuochan)? In this teaching, there is no impediment and no hindrance. Externally, for the mind to refrain from activating thoughts with regard to all the good and bad realms is called ‘seated’ (zuo). Internally, to see the motionlessness of the self-nature is called ‘meditation’ (chan). > > “Good friends, what is it that is called meditative concentration (chanding; samādhi)? Externally, to transcend characteristics is ‘meditation’ (chan). Internally, to be undisturbed is ‘concentration’ (ding). If one concentrates on characteristics externally, internally the mind is disturbed. If one transcends characteristics externally, the mind will not be disturbed. The fundamental nature is naturally pure and naturally concentrated; it is only by seeing the realms and thinking of the realms that one is disturbed. If one can > > see the various realms without the mind being disturbed, this is true con- > > centration. > > “Good friends, to transcend characteristics externally is ‘meditation.’ > > To be undisturbed internally is ‘concentration.’ Externally ‘meditation’ and > > internally ‘concentration’ is meditative concentration. > > “The Sutra of the Bodhisattva Precepts says, ‘My fundamental self- > > nature is pure.’ Good friends, within every moment of thought you should > > see yourself that your fundamental nature is pure. You should cultivate for > > yourself, practice for yourself, and accomplish for yourself the enlighten- > > ment of buddhahood.” > > At one time Great Master \[Huineng\], seeing that literati and commoners > > from all over the Guang\[zhou and\] Shao\[zhou\] areas had gathered at the > — John R. McRae 2000, The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch - [Previous: 1.69](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.69) - [Next: 1.71](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.71) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1) ## Translations (2) - [The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.70) — John R. McRae 2000, English - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.70) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.70](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.70) · Pramāṇa