觀心論 1.1.3

1.1.3

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.