[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) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt) › 1.43 # 六祖大師法寶壇經 1.43 English (machine translation) 1.43 - **Language:** English ### [1.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.43) "Good friends! All sūtras and written words, the two vehicles of Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, and the twelve divisions of scriptures were all established on account of people. Only because of the nature of wisdom could they be instituted. If there were no worldly people, all the myriad phenomena would fundamentally not exist; therefore we know that all phenomena originally arise from human beings. All scriptures exist because they were spoken for people. It is because among people there are the foolish and the wise: the foolish are small persons, and the wise are great persons. The foolish ask the wise, and the wise expound the Dharma for the foolish. When the foolish suddenly awaken and their minds open, they are no different from the wise. Good friends! When unawakened, a buddha is a sentient being; at the moment of a single thought's awakening, a sentient being is a buddha. Therefore we know that all phenomena are entirely within one's own mind. Why do you not directly see the original nature of tathatā from within your own mind? The Bodhisattva Precepts Sūtra says: 'Our fundamental, original svabhāva is pure; if one recognizes one's own mind and sees into one's nature, all attain the Buddha path.' The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: 'Instantly opened and clear, one recovers one's original mind.' "Good friends! At the place of the upādhyāya Ren, as soon as I heard his words I awakened and suddenly saw the original nature of tathatā. For this reason I propagate this teaching, causing students of the Way to suddenly awaken to bodhi. Let each of you contemplate your own mind and see your own original nature! If you do not awaken on your own, you must seek a great spiritual guide who understands the Dharma of the Supreme Vehicle to directly point out the right path. Such a spiritual guide has great conditions of karma—namely, teaching and guiding so that you may attain seeing into one's nature. For all wholesome dharmas can be initiated because of a spiritual guide. The Buddhas of the three times and the twelve divisions of scriptures are originally fully present within human nature. If you cannot awaken on your own, you must seek a spiritual guide to point it out before you can see it; if you awaken on your own, you do not rely on outward seeking. If you insist on clinging to the idea that you must depend on another spiritual guide in order to attain liberation, there is no truth in that. Why is this? Within your own mind there is a guide that awakens by itself. If you give rise to wrong delusion, false thoughts, and inverted views, even if an external spiritual guide gives instruction, rescue cannot be obtained. If you give rise to genuine prajñā contemplation, in a single kṣaṇa all false thoughts will perish. If you recognize svabhāva, with a single awakening you directly arrive at the Buddha stage. "Good friends! When contemplation of wisdom is thoroughly clear inside and out, you recognize your own original mind. If you recognize your original mind, that is original liberation. If you attain liberation, that is prajñā-samādhi, that is thoughtlessness. What is called thoughtlessness? If you see all phenomena and the mind is not stained or attached, that is thoughtlessness. In function it pervades all places, yet it does not cling to any place. Just purify your original mind, let the six consciousnesses go out through the six gates, unstained and unmixed amidst the six sense dusts, coming and going freely, smoothly functioning without obstruction—this is prajñā-samādhi and sovereign liberation, named the conduct of thoughtlessness. If you think of nothing at all and cause thoughts to cease, that is Dharma-bondage, which is termed an extreme view. Good friends! Those who awaken to the Dharma of thoughtlessness fully penetrate all phenomena; those who awaken to the Dharma of thoughtlessness see the realm of all Buddhas; those who awaken to the Dharma of thoughtlessness arrive at the Buddha stage." - [Previous: 1.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.42) - [Next: 1.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.44) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1) ## Translations (1) - [The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.43) — John R. McRae 2000, English ## Linked texts (1) - [六祖大師法寶壇經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.43) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.43) · Pramāṇa