景德傳燈錄 28.3

28.3

Great Master Shenhui of Heze in Luojing addressed the assembly, saying: "Those who study must penetrate to their own source. The four fruits and three stages of worthies are all called 'taming and subduing.' Pratyekabuddhas and arhats have not yet severed their doubts. The two states of awakening, equal and sublime, are clearly and distinctly penetrated. Awakening has shallow and deep; the teachings have sudden and gradual. In the gradual, one passes through asaṃkhyeya kalpas and remains in saṃsāra. In the sudden, in the space of bending or extending an arm, one immediately ascends to sublime awakening. If one fundamentally lacks the seeds of the Way, to study much knowledge is in vain. Everything depends on the mind; crooked and straight come from oneself. Not thinking of a single thing is one's own mind. It is not known by knowledge. There is no other practice for awakening to and entering this. True samādhi: the Dharma has no coming or going, and its boundaries of before and after are severed. Therefore know that non-thought is the supreme vehicle. Vast, clear, and empty, it suddenly opens the treasury of jewels. The mind is not subject to birth and cessation; its nature is beyond movement and change. When one is naturally pure, sensory conditions and thoughts do not arise; where there is no contrivance, grasping conditions naturally ceases. In former days, I turned the irreversible wheel. Now I have attained the cultivation of both meditation and wisdom, like a fist and a hand. Seeing the substance of non-thought, one does not arise following things. Realizing the permanence of the Tathāgata, what else could arise? Now this illusory form is originally true and permanent; self-nature is like space, originally without characteristics. Having penetrated this principle, who fears and who grieves? Heaven and earth cannot alter its substance. When the mind returns to the Dharma realm, the myriad phenomena are one suchness. Far removed from conceptual thought, wisdom is identical to the Dharma nature. The thousands of sūtras and ten thousand treatises merely clarify the mind. Since no mind is established, one embodies true reality and attains nothing at all. I tell you students: do not seek outside. If it is the supreme vehicle, you should be non-contriving. Take care." A person asked, "Does the dharma of non-thought exist or not?" The master said, "It is not spoken of as existing or not existing." [The person] said, "At such a time, what is it like?" The master said, "There is also no 'such a time.' It is like a bright mirror: if it does not face an image, it ultimately does not see an image. If one sees no-thing, that is true seeing." The master had doubts about six points in the Great Canon and asked the Sixth Patriarch about them. The first question was about precepts, concentration, and wisdom: "How are precepts, concentration, and wisdom applied? What thing are precepts? From where is concentration cultivated? Due to what does wisdom arise? What I see does not flow freely through." The Sixth Patriarch replied: / "Concentration settles the mind; / Take precepts to discipline conduct. / In the nature there is always wisdom's illumination; / Knowing oneself and seeing oneself is profound." / The second question was: "Originally non-existent and now existing—what thing exists? Originally existent and now non-existent—what thing does not exist? Chanting sūtras without seeing the meaning of existence and non-existence / Truly resembles riding a donkey while still looking for a donkey." / [The Sixth Patriarch] replied: / "The evil karma of a previous thought was originally non-existent; / The goodness arising in a later thought now exists. / When thought after thought constantly performs good deeds, / Future rebirths among humans and devas will not be long in coming. / As you are now listening to my words, / I am precisely originally non-existent and now existing." / The third question was: "Using arising to eliminate cessation; / Using cessation to eliminate arising. / Not understanding the meaning of arising and cessation, / What is seen resembles being deaf and blind." / [The Sixth Patriarch] replied: / "Using arising to eliminate cessation / Causes people not to grasp at nature. / Using cessation to eliminate arising / Causes people's minds to leave sensory objects. / It is not as good as leaving both extremes behind, / Naturally eliminating the sickness of arising and cessation." / The fourth question was: "First sudden and then gradual; / First gradual and then sudden. / A person who does not awaken to sudden and gradual / Is always confused and troubled in mind." / [The Sixth Patriarch] replied: / "Hearing the Dharma: the gradual within the sudden. / Awakening to the Dharma: the sudden within the gradual. / Cultivating practice: the gradual within the sudden. / Realizing the fruit: the sudden within the gradual. / Sudden and gradual are constant causes; / In awakening there is no confusion or trouble." / The fifth question was: "First concentration and then wisdom, or first wisdom and then concentration? Concentration and wisdom, later and earlier: which arising is correct?" [The Sixth Patriarch] replied: / "Constantly giving rise to a pure mind, / Within concentration there is wisdom. / Having no mind toward sensory conditions, / Within wisdom there is concentration. / Concentration and wisdom are equal without precedence; / Cultivating both, one's own mind is upright." / The sixth question was: "First Buddha and then Dharma, or first Dharma and then Buddha? As for the fundamental root-source of Buddha and Dharma, from what place does its arising come forth?" [The Sixth Patriarch] replied: / "When speaking of it, first Buddha and then Dharma. / When listening to it, first Dharma and then Buddha. / If one discusses the fundamental root-source of Buddha and Dharma, / It comes forth from within the minds of all sentient beings."