宗鏡錄 6.4

6.4

答。如本師云。如來道場所得法者。是法非法。亦非非法。我於此法。智不能行。目不能見。無有行處。慧所不通。明不能了。問無有答。又古人云。此事似空不空。似有不有。隱隱常見。只是求其處所不可得。是以若定空則歸斷見。若實有則落常情。若有處所則成其境。故知此事非心所測。非智所知。如香嚴和尚頌云。擬議前後。安置中邊。不得一法。沒溺深泉。都不如是。我我現前。十方學者。如何參禪。若道如是。豈可會耶。所以古人云。直須妙會始得。斯乃不會之會。妙契其中矣。故先聖悟道頌云。有無去來心永息。內外中間都總無。欲見如來真佛處。但看石羊生得駒。如此妙達之後。道尚不存。豈可更論知解。會不會之妄想乎。如古德偈云。勸君學道莫貪求。萬事無心道合頭。無心始體無心道。體得無心道也休。先洞山和尚偈云。者箇猶不是。況復張三李。真空與非空。將來不相似。了了如目前。不容毫髮擬。只如云者箇。猶不是。豈況諸餘狂機謬解。所以經云。心不繫道。亦不結業。道尚不繫。降茲可知。入宗鏡中。自然冥合。

Answer: As our Original Teacher said: "The dharma obtained by the Tathāgata at the place of the Way is neither dharma nor non-dharma. In this dharma, wisdom cannot walk, eyes cannot see, and there is no place to proceed. Prajñā cannot penetrate it, clarity cannot comprehend it, and questions have no answers." Moreover, an ancient said: "This matter seems empty yet is not empty, seems to exist yet does not exist; faintly, it is constantly seen, but seeking its location is impossible." Therefore, if it were definitely empty, it would fall into the view of annihilation; if it were truly existing, it would fall into ordinary sentiment; if it had a location, it would become an object. Thus we know this matter is not measured by the mind, nor known by wisdom. As Venerable Xiangyan's verse says:
"Deliberating before and after,
Arranging middle and sides;
Not grasping a single dharma,
Drowning in a deep spring.
None of it is like this:
Me and mine appear before me.
Students of the ten directions,
How do you practice Chan?"
If the Way is like this, how could it be understood? Therefore, an ancient said: "One must directly have a marvelous understanding; only then will one get it." This is an understanding of non-understanding, marvelously tallying with it. Thus the verse on awakening to the Way by a former sage says:
"The minds of existence and non-existence, coming and going, are eternally stilled;
Inside, outside, and the middle are entirely non-existent.
If you wish to see the Tathāgata's true Buddha place,
Just watch the stone sheep give birth to a colt."
After reaching such marvelous comprehension, even the Way does not remain; how could one further discuss knowledge and understanding, the false thoughts of understanding or not understanding? As an ancient worthy's verse says:
"I urge you in studying the Way not to greedily seek;
When citta-less in the myriad affairs, you tally with the Way.
Only when citta-less do you realize the citta-less Way;
Having realized the citta-less, the Way also ceases."
The late Venerable Dongshan's verse says:
"Even this is not it;
How much less Zhang the Third or Li the Fourth?
True emptiness and non-emptiness,
When brought forth, do not resemble it.
Distinctly as before one's eyes,
Not allowing a hair's breadth of deliberation."
Just as it says that "even this is not it," how much less any other wild faculties and erroneous understandings! Therefore, a sūtra says: "Mind is not bound to the Way, nor does it form karma." Even the Way is not bound to it; things below this can be known. Entering into the Mirror of the Source, one will naturally unite with it.