宗鏡錄 98.51

98.51

Master Niutoushan Zhong: A student asked: 'For one entering the Way, how should one use the mind?' He answered: 'All dharmas are originally unarisen, and now they are without cessation. You need only let your mind be at ease and natural, with no need to restrain it. Directly see and directly hear; directly come and directly go. If you must walk, then walk; if you must stay, then stay. This is the true Way. A sūtra says: "Dependent origination is the site of awakening, because one knows it as it truly is."' He also asked: 'Now, wishing to cultivate the Way, by what skillful means does one attain liberation?' He answered: 'A person who seeks the Buddha employs no skillful means; they suddenly understand the source of the mind and clearly see the Buddha-nature. The mind itself is the Buddha, neither false nor true. Therefore a sūtra says: "Uprightly setting aside skillful means, I preach only the unsurpassed Way."' He also asked: 'The wondrous dharma of tathatā—its principle and wisdom are unfathomably deep. How can people of shallow understanding see it?' He answered: 'Do not slander the Buddha; the Buddha does not speak like that. All dharmas are neither deep nor shallow; you yourself do not see them and say they are exceedingly deep. If you see them, all that meets the eye is wondrous. Why elevate bodhisattvas on high and separately establish sages? Moreover, Master Daosheng said: "It is not that wisdom is deep; things are deeper than wisdom." These are words lamenting falling short. Do not pick and choose dharmas; do not hold a mind of taking and leaving. Therefore it is said: "Dharmas have no comparison, because they are without relative opposition." Now, sūtras take the body and mind as their meaning. The Avataṃsakasūtra says: "The body is the treasury of the true Dharma; the mind is the unhindered lamp. Illuminating and understanding the emptiness of all dharmas is called saving sentient beings."'