少室六門 1.95

1.95

Entering the Way has many paths, but in brief they do not go beyond two kinds: the first is entrance by principle, and the second is entrance by practice. Entrance by principle means awakening to the essential through the teachings, deeply believing that all sentient beings share the identical true nature, which is obscured by adventitious defilements and false thoughts so that it cannot be clearly manifested. If one abandons the false and returns to the true, abiding stably in wall-contemplation, where there is neither self nor other, and ordinary and sage are equally one, firmly standing unmoved and no longer following the textual teachings, one quietly accords with the principle, without distinctions, serene and unconditioned; this is called entrance by principle. Entrance by practice refers to the four practices; all other practices are encompassed within these. What are the four? First, the practice of repaying grievances; second, the practice of following conditions; third, the practice of seeking nothing; fourth, the practice of according with the Dharma. What is the practice of repaying grievances? When a practitioner cultivating the Way encounters suffering, they should reflect: 'Throughout countless kalpas in the past, I abandoned the root and pursued the branches, wandering through various realms of existence, giving rise to much grievance and hatred, harming without end. Although I have not offended now, this is all past calamity, the ripening of evil karma, not something given by devas or mortals.' One willingly and patiently endures it, entirely without grievance or complaint. The sūtra states: 'Encountering suffering, one does not grieve. Why? Because of understanding.' When this mind arises, it accords with the principle; because one realizes grievances to advance on the Way, it is called the practice of repaying grievances. Second, the practice of following conditions: Sentient beings have no self; all are turned by conditions and karma. Suffering and joy are received together, all arising from conditions. If one obtains superior recompense, honor, and other matters, it is an effect of past causes, only now obtained. When conditions end, it returns to nothing; what joy is there? Gain and loss follow conditions, while the mind neither increases nor decreases. The wind of delight does not move it, implicitly according with the Way. Therefore it is called the practice of following conditions. Third, the practice of seeking nothing: People of the world are perpetually deluded, greedily attached everywhere; this is called seeking. The wise awaken to the true; principle opposes worldly ways. They ease the mind in the unconditioned, while the physical form follows the turns of fortune. All existence is empty; there is nothing to wish for or delight in. Merit and darkness constantly pursue each other. Dwelling long in the three realms is like a burning house; wherever there is a body, all is suffering—who can find peace? Thoroughly realizing this, one abandons all existences, stopping thoughts and seeking nothing. The sūtra states: 'Whatever is sought is all suffering; seeking nothing is joy.' One definitively knows that seeking nothing is truly the practice of the Way. Therefore it is called the practice of seeking nothing. Fourth, the practice of according with the Dharma: The principle of pure nature is designated as Dharma. Through faith and understanding in this principle, all marks are empty, without defilement and without attachment, without this and without that. The sūtra states: 'The Dharma has no sentient beings, because it is free from the defilement of sentient beings; the Dharma has no self, because it is free from the defilement of self.' If the wise can believe and understand this principle, they should act in accordance with the Dharma. The essence of the Dharma has no stinginess; one practices dāna, giving away body, life, and wealth, with a mind free of parsimony. Thoroughly realizing the three empties, not leaning and not attached, merely for the purpose of removing defilements, one adapts to transforming sentient beings without grasping at marks. This is one's own practice, and it can also benefit others and adorn the path of bodhi. As it is with dāna, so it is with the other five. To remove false thoughts, one cultivates the six pāramitās without anything practiced. This is the practice of according with the Dharma. A gāthā is spoken: