緇門警訓 6.29

6.29

某啟欣審官舍多暇。焚香靜默坐進此道。何樂如之。參禪如應舉。應舉之志在乎登第。若不登第。而欲功名富貴光華一世者。不可得也。參禪之志在乎悟道。若不悟道而欲福德智惠超越三界者。不可得也。竊嘗思悟道之為易。登第之為難。何故學術在我。與奪在彼。以我之所見。合彼之所見。不亦難乎。是以登第之難也。參究在我。證入在我。以我之無見合彼之無見。不亦易乎。是以悟道之為易也。然參禪者眾。悟道者寡何也。有我故也。有我則不能證入。亦易中之難也。讀書者眾。及第者亦眾何也。見合故也。見合則推而應選。是難中之易也。故見合為易。無我為難。無我為易。無無為難無無為易。亦無無無為難。亦無無無為易。亦無無無亦無為難。亦無無無亦無為易。和座子撞翻為難。故龐居士云煉盡三山銕。鎔銷五嶽銅。豈欺人哉。因筆及此。庶火爐邊團圞頭說無生話時。聊發一咲。

So-and-so respectfully states: I am pleased to learn that your official residence has much leisure, and that you burn incense in quiet silence, sitting and advancing in this Way; what joy could compare to this? Chan inquiry is like sitting for the imperial examinations: the aspiration in sitting for the examinations lies in passing. If one does not pass, yet wishes for fame, wealth, and honor to glorify a lifetime, it cannot be attained. The aspiration in Chan inquiry lies in awakening to the Way: if one does not awaken to the Way, yet wishes for blessings, virtue, and prajñā to transcend the traidhātuka, it cannot be attained. I have ventured to reflect that awakening to the Way is easy, while passing the examinations is difficult. Why so? Scholarship lies with oneself, but granting or withholding lies with the other: to harmonize what I see with what the other sees, is that not difficult? Thus passing the examinations is difficult. Investigation lies with oneself, and realization lies with oneself: to harmonize my lack of views with the other's lack of views, is that not easy? Thus awakening to the Way is easy. Yet those who engage in Chan inquiry are many, while those who awaken to the Way are few; why is this? It is because there is a self. When there is a self, one cannot realize entry; this is also difficulty within ease. Those who read books are many, and those who pass the examinations are also many; why is this? It is because views harmonize. When views harmonize, one is recommended and passes selection; this is ease within difficulty. Therefore, harmonization of views is easy, while selflessness is difficult. Selflessness is easy, but the absence of nonexistence is difficult. The absence of nonexistence is easy, but also having no absence of nonexistence is difficult. Also having no absence of nonexistence is easy, but having neither the absence of nonexistence nor its absence is difficult. Having neither the absence of nonexistence nor its absence is easy, but knocking over the seat along with it is difficult. Therefore Layman Pang said: 'Smelting completely the iron of the three mountains, melting away the copper of the five peaks.' How could he be deceiving anyone? Writing has brought me to this, hoping that as you sit rounded together by the hearth talking of the unproduced, it may bring a brief smile.