觀心論 1.1

can this contemplation of the mind be called definitive?

It is asked again: Above you explained that the true suchness of the Buddha-nature and all meritorious virtues have awakening as their root. I do not yet understand what the root is of the mind of ignorance and all evils?

Answer: Although the mind of ignorance possesses eighty-four thousand afflictions, passions, and desires, as well as myriad evils as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, measureless and boundless, to state the essentials: they all take the three poisons as their fundamental root. These three poisons are greed, anger, and delusion. These three poisonous minds are naturally capable of complete possession of all evils. It is like a great tree: though its root is single, the branches and leaves it produces are immeasurable in number. The evil karmas produced from the root of those three poisons exceed the former by a hundred thousand million times beyond compare. Such a mind within its original substance naturally acts as the three poisons. If it manifests responsive to the six sense faculties, they are also called the six thieves. These six thieves are indeed called the six consciousnesses. Entering and exiting the various sense faculties, they greedily cling to the myriad sensory realms. Capable of creating evil karma and damaging the substance of true suchness, they are therefore called the six thieves. All sentient beings, on account of these three poisons and the six thieves, have their bodies and minds deluded and confused, and sink down into birth and death, transmigrating through the six destinies and suffering various afflictions. Furthermore, there are rivers that, due to a small spring of water flowing ceaselessly, can expand into rolling waves across ten thousand miles. If there were someone who cut off their original source, then all the streams would cease. Those who seek liberation eliminate the three poisons and the six thieves, and naturally can eliminate all suffering.

It is asked again: The three realms and six destinies are vast and boundless. If one only contemplates the mind, how can one escape those sufferings?

Answer: The karmic retributions of the three realms are produced solely by the mind. Originally, if there is no mind, then there are no three realms. The three realms are none other than the three poisons: greed is the desire realm, anger is the form realm, and delusion is the formless realm. Because these three minds assemble all evil karmas and karmic retributions, completing transmigration without lack, they are therefore called the three realms. Moreover, according to whether the karma created by the three poisons is light or heavy, the destinies received differ and are divided into six places; therefore they are called the six destinies.

It is asked again: How does the light and heavy divide them into six?

Answer: If there are sentient beings who do not understand the correct cause and cultivate goodness with a deluded mind, they will not escape the three realms, but will be born in the three lighter destinies. What are the three lighter ones? Practicing all the ten good deeds and falsely seeking pleasure, they do not escape the realm of greed, and are born in [the heavenly] destinies. Maintaining all the five precepts and falsely giving rise to love and hatred, they do not escape the realm of anger, and are born in the human destiny. Deludedly clinging to conditioned phenomena and trusting in heterodoxy to seek blessings, they do not escape the realm of delusion, and are born as asuras. Such three categories are called the three [lighter] ones. What are the three heavier ones? So-called giving free rein to the mind of the three poisons and creating only evil karma, they fall into the three heavier destinies. If greed-karma is heavy, one falls into the hungry ghost destiny. If anger-karma is heavy, one falls into the hell destiny. If delusion-karma is heavy, one falls into the animal destiny. These three heavier ones, together with the previous three lighter ones, subsequently form the six destinies. Therefore, know that all good and bad karmas are produced from one's own mind. If one can only collect the mind and separate from all evils, the karmas of transmigration through the three realms and six destinies will naturally be eradicated. Being able to eradicate all suffering is called liberation.

It is asked again: As the Buddha said, 'I, through three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas of immeasurable diligent suffering, only then attained the Buddha Way.' Why do you now say that only eliminating the three poisons is called liberation?

Answer: What the Buddha referred to as the three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas is none other than the minds of the three poisons. In the western language it is asaṃkhyeya; in the language of the Han it means innumerable. These three poisonous minds, in a single thought-instant, each constitute all the sands of the Ganges, which are innumerable. Since the nature of true suchness is covered and obscured by the three poisons, if one does not transcend those poisonous and evil thoughts numerous as the sands of the three Ganges rivers, how could it be called attaining liberation? Now, being able to eliminate the three kinds of poisonous minds such as greed, anger, and delusion—this is called having crossed over the three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas. Sentient beings of the end times are foolish and of dull faculties; not understanding the Tathāgata's esoteric teaching of the three kinds of asaṃkhyeya, they subsequently say that it requires traversing the end of kalpas. Does this not cause doubt and confusion in practitioners, [thinking that only after] reaching non-retrogression of bodhi does one then accomplish the Buddha Way?

[If] now you make learners only need to contemplate the mind without cultivating the practice of the precepts, how can they accomplish the vast merits? As for 'assemblage' (saṃvara): because being able to restrain the three poisons means that the three vast merits are universally gathered in the mind, they are called the three collections of pure precepts. As for 'pāramitā': it is Sanskrit, which in the language of the Han means 'reaching the other shore.' Because the six sense faculties are purified and undefiled by worldly dust, one immediately leaves afflictions behind and can reach the shore of bodhi; therefore they are called the six pāramitās.

It is asked again: As the sūtras explain, the three collections of pure precepts are the vow to sever all evil, the vow to cultivate all good, and the vow to deliver all sentient beings. Now you speak of restraining the mind of the three poisons; does this not diverge from the meaning of the text?

Answer: The sūtras spoken by the Buddha are true words and must be without error. When the bodhisattva cultivated ascetic practices in the past as a cause, confronting the poison of greed, he vowed to sever all evil and constantly cultivated the precepts. Confronting the poison of anger, he vowed to cultivate all good and constantly cultivated concentration. Confronting the poison of delusion, he vowed to deliver all sentient beings and constantly cultivated wisdom. By upholding these three pure dharmas of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, he was able to transcend those evil karmas of the three poisons and immediately become a Buddha. Because restraining the three poisons extinguishes all evil, it is called 'severing.' Because being able to uphold the three precepts fully endows all good, it is called 'cultivating.' Because through cultivation one is able to sever, the myriad practices are accomplished: benefiting oneself and others, one universally saves all sentient beings; therefore it is called 'delivering.' Knowing already that the practice of the precepts cultivated is not separate from the mind, if [the mind] itself is pure, all meritorious virtues are therefore completely pure.

It is also said: 'If one wishes to attain a pure Buddha [land], one should purify one's mind; following the purity of its mind, the Buddha land is pure.' If one can restrain the three kinds of poisonous minds, the three collections of pure precepts are naturally accomplished.

It is also asked: As explained in the sūtras, the six pāramitās are also called the six crossings—namely, giving, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. Now you say that the purification of the six sense faculties is the six pāramitās. How can these be reconciled? Moreover, as for the six crossings, what is their meaning?

Answer: If one wishes to cultivate the six crossings, one should purify the six sense faculties; if one wishes to purify the six sense faculties, one must first subdue the six thieves. Being able to cast off the eye-thief, separating from all realms of form with a mind free of lingering stinginess, is called giving. Being able to restrain the ear-thief, not allowing it to indulge in those sound-dusts, is called morality. Being able to eliminate the nose-thief, treating all fragrances and foul odors with equanimity, being at ease and gentle, is called patience. Being able to control the tongue-thief, not being greedy for heterodox flavors, praising, reciting, and expounding without weariness, is called diligence. Being able to subdue the body-thief, keeping the mind profoundly calm and motionless regarding all tactile desires, is called meditation. Being able to collect the mind-thief...

Not complying with ignorance, constantly cultivating awakening wisdom, and delighting in all merits is called wisdom. Furthermore, to cross over (du) means to transport: the six pāramitās are compared to a boat or raft that can transport sentient beings to reach the other shore; therefore they are called the six crossings [six pāramitās]. It was asked again: "It is said that when Śākyamuni Tathāgata was a bodhisattva, he attained the Buddha path only after drinking three dǒu and six shēng of milk gruel. This means that he first partook of milk and only afterwards realized the fruit of buddhahood. How then can one attain liberation merely by contemplating the mind?" The answer is: Truly it is as you say, without falsehood. He necessarily partook of milk and only then began to become a Buddha. The Buddha spoke of drinking milk; [yet] there are two kinds of milk. What the Buddha consumed was not worldly, impure milk, but the pure Dharma-milk of True Suchness. The three dǒu are the three categories of pure precepts. The six shēng are the six pāramitās. At the time of attaining the Buddha path, he consumed such Dharma-milk and only then realized the fruit of buddhahood. If one says that the Tathāgata consumed the impure, rank, and foul milk of a worldly cow born of sexual union, would that not constitute a grave slander of the Dharma? The Tathāgata is himself the adamantine, indestructible, outflow-free Dharma body, eternally separated from all worldly suffering. How could he need such impure milk to satisfy hunger and thirst? The cow that was spoken of does not dwell on high plateaus, nor does it dwell in low damp places; it does not eat grain, wheat, chaff, bran, or beans, and does not herd with bulls. Its body is of purplish-burnished gold. This cow refers to Rocana Buddha. Out of great kindness and great compassion, feeling pity [for sentient beings], from within his pure body he nurtures all sentient beings seeking liberation with this wondrous Dharma-milk of the three categories of pure precepts and the six pāramitās. It is not only the True Tathāgata who, drinking this pure milk from within truth, attained the path; if all sentient beings consume it, they will all attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. It was asked again: "In the scriptures it is said that the Buddha stated that if sentient beings build monasteries, cast images, burn incense, scatter flowers, light ever-burning lamps, circumambulate stūpas and practice the path during the six intervals of the day and night, observe fasts, and perform prostrations, by such manifold merits they will all attain the Buddha path. If merely contemplating the mind encompasses all practices, then such matters must be false!" The answer is: The Buddha taught immeasurable skillful means. All sentient beings are of dull faculties and narrow inferiority; [because the truth is] extremely profound, he used conditioned things as metaphors for the unconditioned. If one does not practice internally but only seeks externally, hoping to obtain blessings, that is impossible. The word saṅghārāma is Sanskrit from the Western lands; in this region it is translated as 'pure place'. If one eternally eliminates the three poisons and constantly purifies the six sense faculties, with body and mind clear and tranquil, pure inside and out, this is called 'building a monastery'. Furthermore, casting images means that sentient beings seeking the Buddha path cultivate various awakening practices to emulate the Tathāgata; how could it refer to the casting and pouring of bronze and gold? Therefore, those who seek liberation take the body as the furnace, the Dharma as the fire, wisdom as the craftsman, and the three categories of pure precepts and the six pāramitās as the draft and pattern. They smelt the body, mind, and the True Suchness Buddha-nature, pouring it everywhere into the mould of all monastic rules, practicing according to the teachings without defect or leakage, naturally bringing to completion an image of the true countenance. What is wrought is the ultimate, eternally abiding, wondrous form body, not a conditioned, corruptible phenomenon. If a person seeking the path does not understand this casting of the true countenance, on what basis can they rashly claim to have accomplished merit? Furthermore, burning incense is also not worldly incense with form, but rather the unconditioned incense of the true Dharma, which perfumes all defiled and evil karmas, causing them all to be purified and extinguished. This incense of the true Dharma has five substances: the first is the incense of precepts, which means being able to cut off all evils and cultivate all goods; the second is the incense of concentration, which means resolving faith in the Great Vehicle with a mind that never backslides; the third is the incense of wisdom, which means constantly observing body and mind, internally and externally; the fourth is the incense of liberation, which means being able to sever all bonds of ignorance; the fifth is the incense of the knowledge and vision of liberation, which means awakening insight constantly penetrating without obstacle of ignorance. These five incenses are peerless in the world. When the Buddha was in the world, he had all his disciples burn this priceless incense with the fire of wisdom to make offerings to all Buddhas of the ten directions. Sentient beings nowadays are foolish and of dull faculties; not understanding the Tathāgata's true meaning, they merely use external fire to burn worldly, material incenses such as agarwood, sandalwood, and frankincense. Hoping for a retribution of blessings, how could they obtain it? Furthermore, scattering flowers has the same meaning. It means expounding the true Dharma to speak the flowers of merit, benefiting sentient beings, scattering them so they moisten all, universally bestowing adornment upon the nature of True Suchness. These flowers of merit are praised by the Buddha; ultimately eternally abiding, they have no time of withering and falling. If someone scatters such flowers, they will obtain immeasurable blessings. If the Tathāgata had sentient beings cut silk and damage plants and trees to scatter flowers, that would be impossible. Why is that? One who upholds pure precepts does not cause any violation against all the myriad phenomena of the great earth; one who mistakenly violates them incurs great sin. How much more so if one now intentionally violates the prohibitions and injures the myriad things to seek a retribution of blessings? Wishing for benefit, one brings about harm instead; how could this be so? [The questioner] asked again: [The master continued:] As for lamps, they are the awakening of the correct mind: clarity of wisdom is compared to a lamp. Therefore, all who seek liberation constantly take the body as the lampstand, the mind as the lamp cup, faith as the wick, and the increase of all precept practices as the adding of oil. The radiant penetration of wisdom is compared to the lamp flame constantly burning. Such a bright lamp of True Suchness right awakening destroys all darkness of ignorance and delusion. Being able to use this Dharma to awaken one another sequentially is precisely one lamp lighting hundreds of thousands of lamps; by lamp continuing light, the light is never exhausted in the end. Because it is inexhaustible, it is called 'ever-burning'. In the past there was a Buddha named Dīpaṃkara; the meaning is also like this. Foolish sentient beings do not comprehend the Tathāgata's skillful means; exclusively practicing vanity, clinging to the conditioned, they then light lamps of worldly butter and oil to illuminate a single room, claiming this complies with the teaching. Is this not an error? Why is that? The Buddha emits from between his brows the light of a white curl of hair that illuminates eighteen thousand worlds above. If the light of his body fully shines, it permeates the ten directions universally. How could he rely on such mundane lamps for benefit? When carefully examining this principle, should it not be otherwise? Furthermore, practicing the path during the six intervals means constantly practicing the Buddha path among the six sense faculties at all times. 'Path' (dao) means awakening: it is cultivating awakening practices to tame the six feelings; not abandoning pure practice over a long period is called 'practicing the path during the six intervals'. A stūpa is the body; constantly having awakening wisdom circumambulate body and mind without stopping for a single thought-moment is called 'circumambulating a stūpa'. In the past, noble saṅgha members practiced the path like this and attained nirvāṇa. If those seeking liberation do not comprehend this principle, how can it be called practicing the path?

I observe that nowadays foolish, dull-witted beings have never cultivated inwardly, but exclusively cling to seeking externally. They take their material bodies and circumambulate worldly stūpas, running day and night, merely fatiguing themselves in vain, while bringing not the slightest benefit to their true nature. Such profound delusion is truly pitiable! Furthermore, those who maintain the fast must understand its meaning; otherwise its benefit is mere vanity and empty effort. 'Fast' (zhai) means 'to regulate' (qi); that is, regulating body and mind so they are not scattered or confused. 'Maintaining' (chi) means 'protecting' (hu); that is, guarding and upholding moral conduct according to the Dharma: one must restrain the six senses, control the three poisons, diligently examine [oneself], and purify body and mind. Understanding this meaning is what is called fasting. Moreover, maintaining the fast has five kinds [of food]: First is the food of Dharma joy, which means happily practicing in accord with the Tathāgata's correct Dharma. Second is the food of dhyāna bliss, which means realizing inner and outer stillness, with body and mind joyful and glad. Third is the food of mindfulness, which means constantly being mindful of the Buddhas, with mind and speech in accord. Fourth is the food of vows, which means constantly seeking virtuous vows while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. Fifth is the food of liberation, which means the mind being ever pure and unstained by worldly defilement. These pure foods are called fasting foods. If there are people later who do not consume these five kinds of pure food, to keep the fast externally has no validity. As for this food: if one [instead feeds on] the food of ignorance and evil karma, how can one who breaks the fast obtain merit? Some are foolish and confused and do not comprehend this principle; with body and mind undisciplined, they commit every evil, indulging in greed and desire without any shame, and merely abstain from external food while calling themselves keepers of the fast. How is this different from seeing a decaying corpse and declaring it alive? Such a sight is utterly futile. Furthermore, prostration must be in accord with the Dharma. One must be inwardly clear about the essential principle while adapting to affairs; the principle is never abandoned, while affairs have their times of action and concealment. Comprehending this meaning is called being in accord with the Dharma. Now, 'propriety' (li) means respect, and 'bowing' (bai) is what is done: revering the true nature and subjugating ignorance—this constitutes prostration. Because of reverence, one does not dare to harm [virtue]; because of subjugation, one does not let [afflictions] run wild. If one can cut off evil sentiments forever and maintain wholesome thoughts constantly, though without visible signs, it is always called prostration. The phenomenal aspect is the bodily appearance; in order to show humility to the worldly, one subjugates the outer mind and displays the appearance of reverence. When employed, it is manifest; when discarded, it is concealed. Being aware externally and clear internally, they correspond to one another. If one again fails to practice the Dharma of the principle and only clings to the gate of external affairs, inwardly indulging greed and delusion and constantly committing evil karma while outwardly presenting an empty physical form, this cannot be called prostration. Lacking shame before the holy and deceiving ordinary people, one will not escape falling into ruin; how could this achieve merit? Since nothing is attained, how can it save one on the Path? Question: The Bathhouse Sūtra states that bathing the saṅgha yields immeasurable merit. Based on what phenomenal Dharma is such merit accomplished? Can this correspond only to contemplating the mind? Answer: 'The saṅgha' does not refer to worldly, conditioned affairs. At that time, when the World-Honoured One preached the Bathhouse Sūtra to his disciples, he wished for them to receive and uphold the method of bathing; therefore, he borrowed worldly affairs as an analogy for the true doctrine. He spoke of seven items: first, pure water; second, lighting a fire; third, bath-powder; fourth, willow twigs (tooth-sticks); fifth, pure ash; sixth, oil ointment; and seventh, an undergarment. Adducing these seven items serves as an analogy for seven dharmas. Through these seven dharmas, all sentient beings bathe and adorn themselves, capable of removing the stains and defilements of the three poisons and ignorance. These seven dharmas are: First, pure precepts wash and cleanse body and mind, just as clear, pure water washes away dust and grime. Second, wisdom examines inside and outside, just as lighting a fire can warm the water. Third, discrimination and selection discard [the bad], just as bath-powder can remove dirt and grease. Fourth, truthfulness cuts off all false speech, just as chewing a willow twig can dispel bad breath. Fifth, right faith is completely devoid of doubts, just as rubbing ash on the body can ward off cold winds. Sixth, gentleness softens rigidity, just as oil ointment moistens the skin. Seventh, shame and repentance cover over evil karma, just as an undergarment conceals an unsightly form. The seven dharmas above are all secret meanings within the sūtra. At that time, the Tathāgata spoke for those of Mahāyāna with sharp faculties, not for inferior ordinary persons of small wisdom; this is why people today cannot understand. The 'bathhouse' is the body itself. Thus, one lights the fire of wisdom to warm the water of pure precepts, washes away [defilements] to reveal the Buddha-nature within the body, and upholds the seven dharmas to adorn oneself. At that time, the monks were intelligent and sharp-witted, and all understood the holy intention; practicing this, their merit was accomplished, and they directly ascended to the holy fruition. Nowadays, beings are foolish and of dull faculties; unable to fathom these affairs, they take worldly water to wash their material bodies and claim to follow the sūtra—is this not delusion? Moreover, the Buddha-nature is not an ordinary form, and the dust of afflictions is fundamentally formless; how can one take water with material obstruction to wash a non-conditioned body? The matter does not correspond; how could it be possible? If one says the obstructed body is pure: consider that this body is produced from the impurities of greed and desire; foul and stinking, crowded inside and out. If one washes this body seeking purity, it is like digging a ditch to remove mud: when the mud is gone, one should stop. Verifying with this, one clearly knows that external washing was not what the Buddha taught. Question: The sūtra says that being mindful of the Buddha with an earnest mind will certainly bring liberation. Answer: In mindfulness of the Buddha, right mindfulness must be considered correct; not understanding the definitive meaning is wrong [mindfulness]. Right mindfulness will certainly bring rebirth in the pure land; how could wrong mindfulness reach it? 'Buddha' means awakened; it refers to examining the source of the mind so as not to let evil arise. 'Mindfulness' (nian) means recollection; it refers to firmly upholding moral conduct without forgetting it, striving diligently, and understanding the Tathāgata's meaning—this is called right mindfulness. Therefore, know that mindfulness lies in the mind, not in words. One uses a fish trap to catch fish; having caught the fish, one forgets the trap. One uses words to seek meaning; having grasped the meaning, one forgets the words. Since it is called mindfulness of the Buddha, one must practice the essence of mindfulness of the Buddha. If the mind lacks reality and the mouth chants empty words, one vainly practices empty effort; what benefit could it achieve? Furthermore, chanting and mindfulness differ greatly in name and meaning: what is in the mouth is called chanting; what is in the mind is called mindfulness. Therefore, know that mindfulness arises from the mind and is called the gate of awakened practice, whereas chanting is in the mouth and is merely the characteristic of sound. Clinging to characteristics to seek merit will never succeed. Thus the sūtra says, 'All characteristics are empty and false.' It also says, 'If one sees me by form or seeks me by sound, this person walks a heterodox path and cannot see the Tathāgata.' Viewing it from this, one knows that phenomenal characteristics are not the true reality.

The merits cultivated by all Buddhas of the past were never spoken of externally; they exclusively addressed the mind. The mind is the source of all virtues and the master of all evils. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'Permanent bliss arises from one's own mind; transmigration through the three realms and six destinies arises from the mind.' The mind is the gateway to transcendence; the mind is the harbor of liberation. How could one who knows the gateway worry that it is hard to accomplish? Why should one who recognizes the harbor fear that one will not arrive? I observe that nowadays those of shallow understanding consider seeing characteristics as merit alone: they waste wealth and treasures, abundantly pile up food of land and water, falsely construct images and stūpas, vainly labor workmen, stack wood and lay mud, and paint in cinnabar and green. Devoting their minds and exhausting their strength, they delude themselves and others, not yet understanding shame—when have they ever been awakened? Seeing what exists, they zealously cling to it; speaking of formlessness, they are dazed as if lost. Only craving the small mercy before their eyes, they are unaware that in the future they will enter great suffering. Such practice and study only tires themselves in vain; turning their backs on the correct and heading for the heterodox, they falsely claim to obtain merit. If one can only restrain the mind to illuminate inwardly, with observation and contemplation ever bright, cutting off the three poisons so they are destroyed forever and not letting the six thieves invade, then naturally merits as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and various adornments, and countless Dharma gates, will all be accomplished. Transcending the ordinary and realizing the holy will be right before one's eyes, not far off; awakening is in an instant, so why trouble oneself until one's head is white with age? The Dharma gate is subtle and secret; how could it be fully set forth? I have briefly discussed the mind, detailing only a small part.