禪關策進 1.83

1.83

諸大德九十日中。還曾證悟也無。如其未悟。則此一冬。又是虛喪了也。若是本色道流。以十方法界為箇圓覺期。莫論長期短期。百日千日。結制解制。但以舉起話頭為始。若一年不悟。參一年。十年不悟。參十年。二十年不悟。參二十年。盡平生不悟。決定不移此志。直須要見箇真實究竟處。方是放參之日也○如未能言前契旨。但將一句阿彌陀佛。置之懷抱。默默體究。常時鞭起疑情。這念佛的是誰。念念相續。心心無間。如人行路到水窮山盡處。自然有箇轉身的道理。㘞地一聲。契入心體。

"Venerable ones, during these ninety days, have you experienced awakening or not? If you have not awakened, then this winter has been wasted in vain once again. If you are a true-born follower of the Way, take the dharma-realms of the ten directions as the period of complete enlightenment. Do not speak of long periods or short periods, a hundred days or a thousand days, entering retreat or ending retreat; just take bringing up the huatou as the beginning. If you do not awaken in one year, investigate for one year; if you do not awaken in ten years, investigate for ten years; if you do not awaken in twenty years, investigate for twenty years; if you do not awaken all your life, resolve never to waver from this ambition. You must see the real and ultimate place before it is the day to dismiss the investigation. If you cannot yet tally with the purport prior to words, just take the single phrase 'Amitābha Buddha,' hold it in your bosom, and quietly investigate it in your own person. Constantly whip up the feeling of doubt: 'Who is this one reciting the Buddha?' Let thought follow thought continuously, and mind follow mind without interruption. Like a person traveling until the water ends and the mountains are exhausted, naturally there will be a principle for turning oneself around: with a sudden 'wa!' sound, you tally into the mind-essence."