景德傳燈錄 6.15

6.15

洛京佛光如滿禪師（曾住五臺山金閣寺）唐順宗問。佛從何方來滅向何方去。既言常住世。佛今在何處。師答曰。佛從無為來。滅向無為去。法身等虛空。常在無心處。有念歸無念。有住歸無住。來為眾生來。去為眾生去。清淨真如海。湛然體常住。智者善思惟。更勿生疑慮。帝又問。佛向王宮生。滅向雙林滅。住世四十九。又言無法說。山河及大海。天地及日月。時至皆歸盡。誰言不生滅。疑情猶若斯。智者善分別。師答曰。佛體本無為。迷情妄分別法身等虛空。未曾有生滅。有緣佛出世。無緣佛入滅。處處化眾生。猶如水中月。非常亦非斷。非生亦非滅。生亦未曾生。滅亦未曾滅。了見無心處。自然無法說。帝聞大悅益重禪宗。

Chan Master Foguang Ruman of the Capital of Luoyang (formerly resided at Jin'ge Monastery on Mount Wutai): Emperor Shunzong of the Tang asked: / "From what direction does the Buddha come, / And toward what direction does he go in extinction? / Since it is said that he constantly abides in the world, / Where is the Buddha now?" / The master answered: / "The Buddha comes from the unconditioned, / And goes into extinction toward the unconditioned. / The Dharma body is equal to empty space, / Constantly present in the place of no-mind. / Having thoughts, he returns to no-thought; / Having an abode, he returns to non-abiding. / Coming, he comes for the sake of sentient beings; / Going, he goes for the sake of sentient beings. / In the pure ocean of true suchness, / His essence is limpid and constantly abiding. / Let the wise contemplate this well, / And generate no further doubt or hesitation." / The Emperor asked again: / "The Buddha was born into the royal palace, / And extinguished beneath the twin trees; / Abiding in the world for forty-nine [years], / He also said there was no Dharma spoken. / Mountains, rivers, and the great sea, / Heaven, earth, sun, and moon— / When the time arrives, all return to extinction; / Who can say there is no birth and extinction? / My doubtful mind is just like this; / Let the wise distinguish it well." / The master answered: / "The Buddha's essence is fundamentally unconditioned; / Deluded sentiments falsely make distinctions. / The Dharma body is equal to empty space, / Never having had birth or extinction. / When conditions are present, the Buddha appears in the world; / When conditions are absent, the Buddha enters extinction. / Everywhere converting sentient beings, / He is like the moon in the water. / Neither permanent nor annihilated, / Neither born nor extinguished. / Born, he has never been born; / Extinguished, he has never been extinguished. / Clearly seeing the place of no-mind, / Naturally there is no Dharma to speak." / The Emperor was greatly pleased upon hearing this, and revered the Chan school all the more.