宗鏡錄 9.13

9.13

答。為破他求故說須自證。為執自解。故從他印可。若當親省之時。迷悟悉空。自他俱絕。非限量之所及。豈言論之能詮。所以牛頭初祖云。夫道者。若一人得之。道即不遍。若眾人得之。道即有窮。若各各有之。道即有數。若總共有之。方便即空。若修行得之。造作非真。若本自有之。萬行虛設。何以故。離一切限量分別故。明知說自說他。言得言失者。若約聖教。則是隨世語言。破執方便。若依意解。盡是限量分別。不出情塵。但不執教以徇情。則方見性而達道。

Answer: To refute seeking from another, it is said that one must realize it oneself; for those who cling to self-understanding, verification is obtained from another. When one directly awakens for oneself, both delusion and awakening are completely empty, and both self and other are cut off; it is not reached by limits and measurements, so how could verbal formulations define it? Therefore, the First Patriarch of Niutou said: "As for the Path, if one person attains it, the Path would not be all-pervasive; if many people attain it, the Path would have an end. If each individually possesses it, the Path would be countable; if all collectively possess it, skillful means would be empty. If it is attained through cultivation, contrived action is not real; if it is originally possessed naturally, the ten thousand practices are set up in vain. Why is this? Because it is free from all limits, measurements, and discriminations." Clearly know that speaking of self and speaking of other, or speaking of gain and speaking of loss, if viewed according to the holy teachings, are conventional words adapted to the world, skillful means for breaking attachments. If based on mental understanding, all are limited discriminations that do not escape the dust of feelings. Only by not clinging to teachings so as to indulge feelings will one see the nature and penetrate the Path.