[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) › [The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk) › 1.44 # 六祖大師法寶壇經 1.44 The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch 1.44 - **Language:** English ### [1.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.44) mind, causing the six consciousnesses to emerge from the six \[sensory\] gates, \[causing one to be\] without defilement or heterogeneity within the six types of sensory data (literally, the “six dusts”), autonomous in the coming and going \[of mental phenomena\], one’s penetrating function without stagnation. This is the samādhi of prajñā, the autonomous emancipation. This is called the practice of nonthought. “If one does not think of the hundred things in order to cause thought to be eradicated, this is bondage within the Dharma. This is called an extreme view. “Good friends, to be enlightened to the Dharma of nonthought is for the myriad dharmas to be completely penetrated. To be enlightened to the Dharma of nonthought is to see the realms of \[all\] the buddhas. To be enlightened to the Dharma of nonthought is to arrive at the stage of buddhahood. “Good friends, those who attain my Dharma in later generations will see and practice according to this sudden teaching exactly as I have explained. Because they will generate the vow \[to attain buddhahood\] and maintain it just as if they are serving the Buddha, they will not regress during their entire lives and will definitely enter the stage of sagehood. But they must transmit that which has been silently transmitted from before, imparting it without obscuring the true Dharma. If they do not see and practice as I have explained, but \[operate\] within \[the context of\] another Dharma, the transmission will not occur and they will do a disservice to (literally, “harm”) their predecessors. Ultimately, this would be of no benefit \[to sentient beings\]. I fear that stupid people will not understand and will revile this teaching, for which they will eradicate their seeds of buddhahood for a hundred eons and a thousand lives! “Good friends, I have a formless verse, which you should all listen to. Whether you are a householder or one who has left home, you should simply cultivate in reliance on this. To not cultivate \[enlightenment\] yourself, but merely to memorize what I say, would be of no benefit at all. Listen to my verse: The penetration of preaching and the penetration of mind Are like the sun located in space. I transmit only the Dharma of seeing the nature; I have appeared in the world to destroy the false teachings. There are no sudden and gradual in the Dharma, It is delusion and enlightenment that are slow or fast. It is only this teaching of seeing the nature Which stupid people cannot comprehend. Although there are a myriad ways to explain it, Those which are reasonable all revert to the one. Within the dark house of the afflictions There always lives the sun of wisdom. The false comes, and the afflictions arrive \[too\]. The correct comes, and the afflictions are eliminated. Allowing neither false nor correct to function, In purity, one arrives at the remainderless \[nirvana\]. Bodhi fundamentally is the self-nature. Activate the mind, and \[all is\] false. Purify the mind within the false. Just be correct in being without the three hindrances. If people of this world cultivate the Way (i.e., enlightenment), They will not be hindered by anything at all. Always see one’s own errors, and Be in accord with the Way. The categories of form have their own ways, and They do not hinder or afflict each other. If one seeks the way apart from the Way, One will never see the Way. If one passes one’s life in prevarication, One will ultimately only cause oneself grief. If you want to see the true Way, - [Previous: 1.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.43) - [Next: 1.46](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.46) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.44) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [六祖大師法寶壇經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.44) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.44) · Pramāṇa