禪源諸詮集都序 1.16.1

1.16.1

The above ten intentions have principles and examples that are abundantly clear. One need only carefully and thoroughly compare the three schools of dhyāna with the three types of doctrinal teachings: like the standard bushel and scale, they suffice to determine what is shallow and what is profound. I shall first narrate the gates of dhyāna, and later corroborate them with the doctrinal teachings.

The three schools of dhyāna are:
1. The school of pacifying delusion and cultivating the mind;
2. The school of absolute extinction and non-reliance;
3. The school of directly revealing the nature of mind.

The three types of doctrinal teachings are:
1. The teaching that relies on the nature to explain phenomenal marks through implicit intent;
2. The teaching that refutes phenomenal marks to reveal the nature through implicit intent;
3. The teaching that explicitly reveals the true mind as the nature.

The three doctrinal teachings on the right, in corresponding order to the preceding three schools, are paired with and corroborate them one by one. Afterwards, they will be synthesized into a single taste. For now, I shall first narrate the schools of Chan.

First, the school of pacifying delusion and cultivating the mind: It says that although sentient beings originally possess the buddhadhātu, beginningless avidyā veils it so that they do not see it, and thus they transmigrate in saṃsāra. The Buddhas have already severed vikalpa and therefore clearly perceive the nature; having transcended saṃsāra, their spiritual powers are unconstrained. One should know that the functions of the ordinary and the holy are not the same; the external objects and the internal mind each have their boundaries. Therefore, one must rely on the spoken instructions of a master to turn away from objects, contemplate the mind, and pacify and extinguish vikalpa. When thoughts are exhausted, one awakens and has nothing that is not known. Just like a mirror darkened with dust, which must be diligently wiped and polished: when the dust is gone, its brightness appears, and there is nothing it does not reflect. Furthermore, one must clearly understand the upāya for entering the realm of dhyāna: staying far away from turmoil and abiding in a quiet place; regulating the body and regulating the breath; sitting cross-legged in silent contemplation; pressing the tongue against the palate; and focusing the mind on a single object. The lineages of Nan Shen, Bei Xiu, Baotang, Xuanshi, and others are all of this kind. As for Niutou, Tiantai, Huichou, and Guṇa[bhadra], their traces in practicing upāya are largely the same, but their understanding is different.

Second, the school of absolute extinction and non-reliance: It says that all phenomena, ordinary and holy alike, are like dreams and illusions, having nothing whatsoever that exists. They are originally empty and quiescent, not merely becoming nonexistent now. Even this wisdom that penetrates nonexistence cannot be attained. In the equal dharmadhātu, there is no Buddha and no sentient beings; even “dharmadhātu” is merely a provisional designation. Since the mind does not exist, who speaks of a dharmadhātu? There is no cultivation and no non-cultivation, no Buddha and no non-Buddha. Even if there were a phenomenon surpassing nirvāṇa, I would say it too is like a dream or an illusion. There is no phenomenon to be bound by, and no Buddha to be made. Anything that is contrived is entirely delusion. Comprehending thus that fundamentally nothing is the matter, the mind has nothing upon which to rely, and only then does one escape inversion; only then is it named vimokṣa. From Shitou and Niutou down to Jingshan, all demonstrate this principle, directly causing mental conduct to accord with this and not allowing the feelings to cling to a single phenomenon. With time and consummate practice, dust-like habits naturally vanish, and then with regard to foes and kin, suffering and joy, one is completely unobstructed in all things. Consequently, there is a class of Daoists, Confucian scholars, and idle monks who superficially delve into Chan principles; they all utter these words, taking them to be the ultimate, unaware that this school does not merely take these words to be the Dharma. The lineages of Heze, Jiangxi, Tiantai, and others also speak of this principle, yet it is not what they take as primary.

Third, the school of directly revealing the nature of mind: It says that all phenomena, whether existent or empty, are solely the true nature. The true nature has no marks and is unconditioned; its substance is not any phenomenon—meaning it is neither ordinary nor holy, neither cause nor effect, neither good nor evil, and so forth. Yet it is the function of this substance that can produce all kinds of things—meaning it can become ordinary or holy, manifest form, manifest marks, and so forth. In pointing out the nature of mind within this, there are further two types:

The first says: That which right now is able to speak, act, give rise to greed and anger, show compassion and patience, generate good and evil, and experience suffering and joy—this is precisely your buddhadhātu. This very thing is fundamentally Buddha; apart from this, there is no other Buddha. Having understood this inherent spontaneity, one must not arouse the mind to cultivate the Way. The Way is precisely the mind; one cannot use the mind to cultivate the mind in return. Evil is also the mind; one cannot use the mind to sever the mind in return. Neither severing nor cultivating, letting things take their natural course in unconstrained freedom—only this is called vimokṣa. The nature is like empty space, neither increasing nor decreasing; why rely on additions or supplements? Simply at all times and in all places put an end to karmic activity and nourish the spirit; the holy embryo will grow, manifesting the natural and divine wonder. This, then, is true awakening, true cultivation, and true realization.

The second says: All phenomena are like a dream—this is spoken in common by all the holy ones. Therefore, vikalpa is fundamentally quiescent, and dust-like objects are fundamentally empty. The empty and quiescent mind possesses numinous awareness that is never obscured. This very empty, quiescent awareness is your true nature. Whether deluded or awakened, the mind is fundamentally aware of itself; it is not born dependent on conditions, nor does it arise due to objects. The single word “awareness” is the gateway of all wonders. Because of beginningless delusion, one falsely grasps body and mind as a self, giving rise to thoughts of greed, anger, and the like. If one obtains the instruction of a good friend, one suddenly awakens to this empty and quiescent awareness. Awareness is moreover without thought and without form; who could be the mark of a self or the mark of another? Awakening to the emptiness of all marks, the mind is naturally free from thoughts. When a thought arises, one immediately becomes aware of it; upon being aware of it, it ceases to exist. The wondrous gateway of cultivation lies solely in this. Therefore, although one fully cultivates the myriad practices, one takes only nirvikalpa as the essential. Once one attains the knowledge and vision of nirvikalpa, love and aversion will naturally become faint; compassion and wisdom will naturally increase and brighten; sinful karma will naturally be severed and eliminated; and meritorious practice will naturally advance. Having understood that all marks are not marks, there is naturally the cultivation of non-cultivation. When afflictions are exhausted, saṃsāra is completely severed. Once arising and ceasing have ceased, quiescent illumination becomes manifest, its responsive function inexhaustible: this is named “Buddha.”

Yet both of these two groups integrate phenomenal marks into the nature, and thus belong to the same school. However, within the three schools above, there are further differences: adhering to teachings or showing disdain for teachings; following phenomenal marks or destroying phenomenal marks; methods of fending off external challenges; skill-in-means for receiving external assemblies; and liturgical models for instructing disciples—various and diverse, these are all gates of practice for the two benefits, each following what is expedient, and nothing is amiss. But the principle that is held as primary must not be dual; hence it is necessary to bring them into harmony on the basis of the Buddha.

Next, the judgment of the Buddhist teachings in general into three types:
1. The teaching that relies on the nature to explain phenomenal marks through implicit intent (The Buddha saw that the three realms and the six destinies are all marks of the true nature. But because sentient beings arise from delusion regarding the nature, having no separate entity of their own, it is said to “rely on the nature.” However, those of dull faculties are hard to awaken abruptly; therefore, accommodating the objective marks that they perceive, he preached the Dharma to save them gradually, and thus it is called “explaining phenomenal marks.” Because it was not yet openly revealed, it is called “through implicit intent”). Within this one teaching, there are naturally three categories:
First, the teaching of cause and effect for humans and devas. It speaks of the retributions of good and evil karma to make them understand that cause and effect do not err, to make them fear the suffering of the three evil destinies and seek the bliss of humans and devas, and to cultivate giving, morality, dhyāna-concentration, and all other good practices, whereby they attain rebirth in the human realm, deva realms, or even the form and formless realms. This is called the teaching of humans and devas.
Second, the teaching of severing delusion to extinguish suffering and attain joy. It states that the three realms are unpeaceful, all having the suffering of a burning house, prompting them to sever the accumulation of karma and delusion and cultivate the Way to realize cessation; because it accommodates their faculties, the dharmas enumerated and explained are exclusively distinct.