[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [真心直說](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a) › 1.27 # 真心直說 1.27 真心直說 1.27 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a.1.27) 或曰。如前息妄真心現前。且如妄未息時。但只歇妄做無心功夫。更有別法可對治諸妄耶。曰正助不同也。以無心息妄為正。以習眾善為助。譬如明鏡為塵所覆。雖以手力揩拭。要須妙藥磨瑩光始現也。塵垢煩惱也。手力無心功也。磨藥眾善也。鏡光真心也。起信論云。復次信成就發心者。發何等心。略有三種。云何為三。一者直心。正念真如法故。二者深心。集一切善行故。三者大悲心。欲拔一切眾生苦故。問曰。上說法界一相佛體無二。何故不唯念真如。復假求學諸善也。答曰。譬如大摩尼寶體性明淨而有鑛穢之垢。若人雖念寶性。不以方便種種磨治終無得淨。以垢無量遍一切法故。修一切善行。如是真如之法體性空淨。而有無量煩惱染垢。若人雖念真如。不以方便種種熏習亦無得淨。以垢無量遍一切法故。修一切善行以為對治。若人修行一切善法。自然歸順真如法故。據此所論。以休歇妄心為正。修諸善法為助。若修善時與無心相應不取著因果。若取因果便落凡夫人天報中。難證真如不脫生死。若與無心相應乃是證真如方便脫生死之要術。兼得廣大福德。金剛般若經云。須菩提。菩薩無住相布施其福德不可思量。今見世人有參學者。纔知有箇本來佛性。乃便自恃天真不習眾善豈只於真心不達。亦乃翻成懈怠。惡道尚不能免。況脫生死。此見大錯也。 > Someone asked: "As stated earlier, when delusion ceases, the true mind appears before one. Yet when delusion has not yet ceased, should one only rest delusion and perform the practice of no-mind, or are there other methods that can remedy the various delusions?" > I answered: "The primary and the auxiliary are different. Taking no-mind to cease delusion is primary; practicing various good deeds is auxiliary. It is like a bright mirror covered with dust: although one wipes it with the strength of one's hands, it still requires fine medicine to polish it before the radiance appears. The dust and dirt are the afflictions; the strength of the hands is the practice of no-mind; the polishing medicine is the various good deeds; the mirror's radiance is the true mind. The \*Dàshéng qǐxìn lùn\* says: 'Furthermore, regarding those who generate the mind through the perfection of faith, what kinds of mind do they generate? Briefly speaking, there are three kinds. What are the three? The first is the straight mind, because of rightly contemplating the dharma of tathatā. The second is the profound mind, because of gathering all good deeds. The third is the mind of great compassion, because of desiring to eradicate the suffering of all sentient beings.' Question: 'Above it was said that the dharmadhātu has a single characteristic and the Buddha's essence is not dual; why not merely contemplate tathatā, instead of also having recourse to learning all good deeds?' Answer: 'It is like a great maṇi jewel whose essence and nature are bright and pure, yet it has the dross and defilement of mineral impurities. Even if a person contemplates the jewel's nature, if he does not use various skillful means to polish and refine it, in the end he will not obtain purity. Because defilements are immeasurable and pervade all dharmas, one cultivates all good deeds. In this way, the dharma of tathatā has an essence and nature that are empty and pure, yet it has immeasurable defilements of affliction. Even if a person contemplates tathatā, if he does not use various skillful means to perfume and practice, he will likewise not obtain purity. Because defilements are immeasurable and pervade all dharmas, one cultivates all good deeds as remedies. If a person cultivates all good dharmas, he naturally accords with and returns to the dharma of tathatā.' Based on what is discussed here, taking the resting of the deluded mind is primary, and cultivating all good dharmas is auxiliary. If when cultivating good deeds one accords with no-mind, one will not grasp at cause and effect; if one grasps at cause and effect, one will fall into the retribution of ordinary humans and gods, find it difficult to realize tathatā, and fail to escape saṃsāra. If one accords with no-mind, it is indeed an essential technique for realizing tathatā as an upāya to escape saṃsāra, and in addition one obtains vast merit. The \*Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra\* says: 'Subhūti, if a bodhisattva gives without abiding in characteristics, his merit is immeasurable.' Today we see worldly students who, as soon as they know there is an original buddhadhātu, rely on their natural endowment and do not practice various good deeds. Not only do they fail to comprehend the true mind, but they also turn into indolent people. They cannot even escape the evil destinies, much less escape saṃsāra! This view is a great error." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a.1.26) - [Next: 1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a.1.28) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a~en-mt.1.27) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a.1.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2019a.1.27) · Pramāṇa