百丈大智禪師。僧問。大通智勝佛。十劫坐道場。佛法不現前。不得成佛道。如何。師云。劫者。滯也。亦云住也。住一善。滯於十善。西國云佛。此土云覺。自己鑒覺。滯著於善。善根人無佛性。故云佛法不現前。不得成佛道。觸惡住惡。名眾生覺。觸善住善。名聲聞覺。不住善惡二邊。不依住將為是者。名二乘覺。亦名辟支佛覺。既不依住善惡二邊。亦不作不依住知解。名菩薩覺。既不依住。亦不作無依住知解。始得名為佛覺。如云。佛不住佛。名真福田。若於千萬人中。忽有一人得者。名無價寶。能於一切處為導師。無佛處云是佛。無法處云是法。無僧處云是僧。名轉大法輪。問。從上祖宗。皆有密語遞相傳授。如何。師云。無有密語。如來無有祕密藏。祇如今鑑覺。語言分明。覓形相了不可得。是密語。從須陀洹向上直至十地。但有語句。盡屬法之塵垢。但有語句。盡屬煩惱邊收。但有語句。盡屬不了義教。但有語句。盡不許也。了義教俱非也。更討什麼密語。問。空生大覺中。如海一漚發。如何。師云。空喻於漚。海喻於性。自己靈覺之性。過於虗空。故云空生大覺中。如海一漚發。問。伐林莫伐樹。如何。師云。林者喻於心。樹者喻於身。因說林故生怖。故云伐林莫伐樹。問。語也垛生招箭。言既垛生。不得無患。患累既同。緇素何辯。師云。但却發箭。途中相拄。如其相差。必有所傷。谷中尋響。累劫無形。響在口邊。得失在於來問。却問所歸。還被於箭。亦如知幻不是幻。三祖云。不識玄旨。徒勞念靜。亦云認物為見。如持瓦礫。用將何為。若言不見。木石何殊。是故見與不見。二俱有失。舉一例諸。問。本無煩惱。三十二相如何。師云。是佛邊事。本有煩惱。今有三十二相。祇如今凡情是。問。無邊身菩薩不見如來頂相。如何。師云。為作有邊見．無邊見。所以不見如來頂相。祇如今都無一切有無等見。亦無無見。是名頂相現。問。如今沙門盡言我依佛教。學一經一論。一禪一律。一知一解。合受檀越四事供養。為消得否。師云。但約如今照用。一聲一色．一香一味。於一切有無諸法。一一境上都無纖塵取染。亦不依住無取染。亦無不依住知解。者箇人日食萬兩黃金亦能消得。祇如今照一切有無等法。於六根門頭刮削併當。貪愛有纖毫治不去。乃至乞施主一粒米．一縷線。箇箇披毛戴角。牽犂負重。一一須償他始得。為不依佛。佛是無著人．無求人．無依人。如今波波貪覓佛。盡皆背也。故云。久親近於佛。不識於佛性。唯觀救世者。輪迴六趣中。久乃見佛者。為說佛難值。文殊是七佛祖師。亦云是娑婆世界第一主首菩薩。無端作見佛想。聞法想。被佛威神力故。猶降二鐵圍山。不是不解。特與諸學人作標則。令諸後學人莫作與麼見聞。但無一切有無等法。有無等見。一一箇箇透過三句外。是名如意寶。是名寶華承足。若作佛見法見。但是一切有無等見。名眼翳。見所見故。亦名見纏。亦名見蓋。亦名見孽。祇如今念念及一切見聞覺知。及一切塵垢祛得盡。但是一塵一色總是一佛。但起一念。總是一佛。三世五陰。念念誰知其數。是名佛𨵩塞虗空。是名分身佛。是名寶塔。是以常歎言。嗟見今日所依之命。依一顆米．一莖菜。餉時不得食飢死。不得水渴死。不得火寒死。欠一日不生。欠一日不死。被四大把定。不如先達者。入火不燒。入水不溺。倘要燒便燒。要溺便溺。要生即生。要死即死。去住自由。者箇人有自由分。心若不亂。不用求佛．求菩提涅槃。若著佛求。屬貪。貪變成病。故云佛病最難治。謗佛毀法乃可取食。食者。是自己靈覺性無漏飯．解脫食。此語治十地菩薩病。是從初至十地也。祇如今但有一切求心。盡名破戒比丘．名字羅漢。盡名野干。灼然銷他供養不得。祇如今聞聲如響等。齅香如風等。離一切有無等法。亦不住於離。亦無不住知解。此人一切罪垢不能相累。為求無上菩提涅槃。故名出家。猶是邪願。況乎世間諍論覓勝負。說我能我解。貪一門徒。愛一弟子。戀一住處。結一檀越。一衣一食。一名一利。又言我得一切無閡。祇是自誑。祇如今能於自己五陰不為其主。被人割截。節節支解。都無怨吝之心。亦不煩惱。乃至自己弟子被人鞭打。從頭至足。如上一一等事。都無一念生彼我心。猶依住無一念將為是。此名法塵垢。十地之人脫不去。流入生死河。所以常勸眾人。須懼法塵煩惱如懼三塗。乃有獨立分。假使有一法過於涅槃者。亦無少許生珍重想。此人步步是佛。不假脚踏蓮華。分身百億。祇如今於一切有無等法。有纖毫愛染心。縱然脚踏蓮華。亦同魔作。若執本清淨．本解脫．自是佛．自是禪道解者。即屬自然外道。若執因緣修成證得者。即屬因緣外道。執有。即屬常見外道。執無。即屬斷見外道。執亦有亦無。即屬邊見外道。執非有非無。即屬空見外道。亦云愚癡外道。祇如今但莫作佛見．涅槃等見。都無一切有無等見。亦無無見。名正見。無一切聞。亦無無聞。名正聞。是名摧伏外道。無凡夫魔來。是大神呪。無二乘魔來。是大明呪。無菩薩魔來。是無上呪。乃至亦無佛魔來。是無等等呪。一變眾生諂曲修羅。二變二乘曲諂修羅。三變菩薩諂曲修羅。是三變淨土。但是一切有無凡聖等法。喻如金鑛。自己如理。喻如於金。金與鑛各相去離。真金露現。忽有人覓錢覓寶。變金為錢與他。亦如麵體。真正無諸沙鹵。有人乞䭔。變麵為䭔與他。亦如智臣善解王意。王若行時索僊陀婆。即便奉馬。食時索僊陀婆。即便奉鹽。此等喻學玄旨人。善能通達。應機不失。亦云六絕師子。誌公云。隨人造作百變。十地菩薩不飢不飽。入水不溺。入火不燒。倘要燒。且不可得燒。他被量數管定。佛則不與麼。入火不燒。倘要燒便燒。要溺便溺。他使得四大風水自由。一切色是佛色。一切聲是佛聲。自己滓穢諂曲心。盡透過三句外。得說此語。菩薩清淨。弟子。明白所有言說。不執無有。一切照用。不拘清濁。有病不喫藥。是愚人。無病喫藥。是聲聞人。定執一法。名定性聲聞。一向多聞。名增上慢聲聞。知他。名有學聲聞。沈空滯寂及自知。名無學聲聞。貪瞋癡等是毒。十二分教是藥。毒未銷。藥不得除。無病喫藥。藥變成病。病去藥不消。不生不滅。是無常義。涅槃經云。有三惡欲。一．欲得四眾圍繞。二．欲得一切人為我門徒。三．欲得一切人知我是聖人及阿羅漢。迦葉經云。一．欲求見未來佛。二．欲求轉輪王。三．欲求剎利大姓。四．欲得婆羅門大姓。乃至厭生死。求涅槃。如是惡欲。先須斷之。祇如今但有取染動念。盡名惡欲。盡屬六天。總被波旬管。問。二十年中常令除糞。如何。師云。但息一切有無知見。但息一切貪求。箇箇透過三句外。是名除糞。祇如今求佛求菩提。求一切有無等法。是名運糞入。不名運糞出。祇如今作佛見。作佛解。但有所見．所求．所著。盡名戲論之糞。亦名麤言。亦名死語。如云大海不宿死屍。等閑說話不名戲論。說者辯清濁名戲論。教文都總有二十一般空。淘擇眾生塵累。沙門持齋持戒。忍辱柔和。慈悲喜捨。尋常是僧家法則。會與麼會。宛然依佛教。祇是不許貪著依執。若希望得佛．得菩提等法者。似手觸火。文殊云。若起佛見．法見。應當害己。所以文殊執劍於瞿曇。鴦掘持刀於釋氏。如云菩薩行五無間。而不入無間地獄。他是圓通無間。不同眾生五逆無間。從波旬直至佛。盡是垢膩。都無纖毫。依執如是名二乘道。況乎諍論覓勝負。說我能我解。祇名諍論僧。不名無為僧。祇如今但不貪染一切有無諸法。是名無生。是名正信。信著一切法。名信不具。亦名信不圓。亦名偏信不具。故名一闡提。如今欲得驀直悟解。但人法俱泯。人法俱絕。人法俱空。透三句外。是名不墮諸數。人者是信。法者是戒施聞慧等。菩薩忍不成佛。忍不作眾生。忍不持戒。忍不破戒。故云不持不犯。智濁照清。慧清識濁。在佛名照慧。在菩薩名智。在二乘及眾生邊則名識。亦名煩惱。在佛名果中說因。在眾生名因中說果。在佛名轉法輪。在眾生名法輪轉。在菩薩名瓔珞莊嚴具。在眾生名五陰叢林。在佛名本地無明。是無明明。故云無明為道體。不同眾生暗蔽無明。彼是所。此是能。彼是所聞。此是能聞。不一不異。不斷不常。不來不去。是生語句。是出轍語句。不明不暗。不佛不眾生。總與麼也。來去斷常。佛與眾生是死語。徧不徧．同異．斷常等是外道義。般若波羅蜜是自己佛性。亦云摩訶衍。摩訶是大義。衍是乘義。若守住自己知覺。又成自然外道。不用守。如今鑑覺。不用別求佛。若更別求。又屬因緣外道。此土初祖云。心有所是。必有所非。若貴一物。則被一物惑。若重一物。則被一物惑。信被信惑。不信又成謗。莫貴莫不貴。莫信莫不信。佛亦不是無為。雖不是無為。又不是冥寞。猶如虗空。佛是大心眾生。鑑覺多。鑑覺雖多。他鑑覺清淨。貪瞋鬼捉他不著。佛是纏外人。無纖毫愛取。亦無無愛取知解。是名具足六度萬行。若要莊嚴具。種種皆有。如不要。他不用亦不失。他使得因果福智自由。是修行。非是執勞負重。喚作修行。却不與麼。三身一體。一體三身。一者．法身實相佛。法身佛不明不暗。明暗屬幻化。實相由對虗得名。本無一切名目。如云佛身無為。不墮諸數。成佛獻蓋等。是升合擔語。要從濁辯清得名。故云實相法身佛。是名清淨法身毗盧遮那佛。亦名虗空法身佛。亦名大圓鏡智。亦名第八識。亦名性宗。亦名空宗。亦名佛居不淨不穢土。亦名在窟師子。亦名金剛後得智。亦名無垢檀。亦名第一義空。亦名玄旨。三祖云。不識玄旨。徒勞念靜。二．報身佛。菩提樹下佛。亦名幻化佛。亦名相好佛。亦名應身佛。是名圓滿報身盧舍那佛。亦名平等性智。亦名第七識。亦名酬因答果佛。同五十二禪那數。同阿羅漢．辟支佛。同一切菩薩等。同受生滅等苦。不同眾生繫業等苦。三．化身佛。祇如今於一切有無諸法都無貪染。亦無無染。離四句外。所有言說辯才名化身佛。是名千百億化身釋迦牟尼佛。亦名大神變。亦名遊戲神通。亦名妙觀察智。亦名第六識。供養者。淨三業。前際無煩惱可斷。中際無自性可守。後際無佛可成。是三際斷。是三業清淨。是三輪空。是三檀空。云何比丘給侍於佛。所謂不漏六根者。亦名莊嚴。空無諸漏林樹莊嚴。空無諸染華果莊嚴。空無佛眼約修行人法眼辯清濁。亦不作辯清濁知解。是名乃至無眼。寶積經云。法身不可以見聞覺知求。非肉眼所見。以無色故。非天眼所見。以無妄故。非慧眼所見。以離相故。非法眼所見。以離諸行故。非佛眼所見。以離諸識故。若不作如是見。是名佛見。同色非形色。名真色。同空非太虗。名真空。色空亦是藥病相治語。法界觀云。不可言即色不即色。亦不可言即空不即空。眼．耳．鼻．舌．身．意。不納一切有無諸法。名轉入第七地。七地菩薩不退。七地向上三地。菩薩心地明白易染。說火即燒。從色界向上。布施是病。慳貪是藥。從色界向下。慳貪是病。布施是藥。有作戒者。割斷世間法。但不身手作無過。名無作戒。亦云無表戒。亦云無漏戒。但有舉心動念。盡名破戒。祇如今但不被一切有無諸境惑亂。亦不依住不惑亂。亦無不依住知解。是名徧學。是名勤護念。是名廣流布。未悟未解時名母。悟了名子。亦無無悟解知解。是名母子俱喪。無善纏。無惡纏。無佛纏。無眾生纏。量數亦然。乃至都無一切量數纏。故云佛是出纏過量人。貪愛知解義句。如母愛子。唯多與兒酥喫。消與不消。都總不知。此語喻十地受人天尊貴煩惱。生色界．無色界禪定福樂煩惱。不得自在神通。飛騰隱顯。徧至十方諸佛淨土聽法之煩惱。學慈悲喜捨因緣煩惱。學空．平等．中道煩惱。學三明六通．四無閡煩惱。學大乘心。發四弘誓願煩惱。初地．二地．三地．四地。明解煩惱。五地．六地．七地。諸知見煩惱。八地．九地．十地菩薩。雙照二諦煩惱。乃至學佛果。百萬阿僧祇諸行煩惱。唯貪義句知解。不知却是繫縛煩惱。故云見河能漂香象。問。見否。答曰。見。問。見後如何。答曰。見無二。既云見無二。不以見見於見。若見更見。為前見是。為後見是。如云見見之時。見非是見。見猶離見。見不能及。所以不行見法。不行聞法。不行覺法。諸佛疾與授記。難曰。見既不是授記之言。復何用記。師云。先悟宗人。不被一切有無諸法相拘。如浣垢衣。故云離相名佛。虗實盡不存。中旨獨玄玄。達一路同道。後進契其階。故云授記耳。無明為父。貪愛為母。自己是病。還醫自己是藥。自己是刀。還殺自己無明貪愛父母。故云殺父害母。一語類破一切法。喫非時食者。亦復如是。祇如今但是一切有無等法。盡是喫非時食。亦名惡食。是穢食置於寶器。是破戒。是妄語。是雜食。佛是無求人。如今貪求一切有無諸法。但是所有所作皆背也。却是謗佛。但有貪染。盡名授手。祇如今但不貪染。亦不依住不貪染。亦無不依住知解。是名般若火。是燒手指。是不惜軀命。是節節支解。是出世間。是掌世界於他方。祇如今若於十二分教及一切有無諸法。於藏腑中有纖毫停留。是不出網。但有所求所得。但有生心動念。盡名野干。祇如今於藏腑中都無所求。都無所得。此人是大施主。是師子吼。亦不依住無所得。亦無不依住知解。是名六絕師子。人我不生。諸惡不起。是納須彌於芥子中。不起一切貪瞋八風等。是悉能噏四大海水入口中。不受一切虗妄語言。是不入耳中。不令身起一切惡於人。是納一切火於腹中。祇如今於一一境不惑不亂。不瞋不喜。於自己六根門頭刮削併當得淨潔。是無事人。勝一切知解。頭陀精進。是名天眼。亦名了照為眼。是名法界性。是作車載因果。佛出世度眾生。則前念不生。後念莫續。前念業謝。名度眾生。前念若瞋。即將喜藥治之。即名為有佛度眾生。但是一切言教。祇如治病。為病不同。藥亦不同。所以有時說有佛。有時說無佛。實語治病。病若得瘥。箇箇是實語。治病若不瘥。箇箇是虗妄語。實語是虗妄語。生見故。虗妄是實語。斷眾生顛倒故。為病是虗妄。祇有虗妄藥相治。佛出世度眾生。是九部教語。是不了義教語。瞋及喜。病及藥。總是自己。更無兩人。何處有佛出世。何處有眾生可度。如經云。實無眾生得滅度者。亦云。不愛佛菩提。不貪染有無諸法。名為度他。亦不守住自己。名為自度。為病不同。藥亦不同。處方不同。不得一向。固執依佛依菩提等法。盡是依方。故云至於智者。不得一向。教中所辯。喻於黃葉。亦如空拳誑小兒。若人不知此理。名同無明。如云行般若菩薩。不得取我語。及依教敕。瞋如石頭。愛如河水。祇如今但無瞋無愛。是透山河石壁。直為治聾俗病。多聞辯說治眼病。從人至佛是得。從人至地獄是失。是非亦然。三祖云。得失是非。一時放却。不執住一切有無諸法。是名不住有緣。亦不依住不依住。是名不住空忍。執自己是佛。自己是禪道解者。名內見。執因緣修證而成者。名外見。誌公云。內見．外見俱錯。眼耳鼻舌各各不貪染一切有無諸法。是名受持四句偈。亦名四果。六入無迹。亦名六通。祇如今但不被一切有無諸法閡。亦不依住不閡。亦無不依住知解。是名神通。不守此神通。是名無神通。如云無神通菩薩足迹不可尋。是佛向上人最不可思議。人是自己。天是智照。讚即喜。喜者屬境。境是天。讚是人。人天交接。兩得相見。亦云淨智為天。正智為人。本不是佛。向渠說是佛。名體結。祇如今但莫作佛知解。亦無無不依住知解。是名滅結。亦名真如。亦名體如。求佛求菩提。名現身意。祇如今但有一切求心。盡名現身意。如云求菩提。雖是勝求。重增塵累。求佛是佛眾。求一切有無諸法是眾生眾。祇如今鑑覺。但不依住一切有無諸法。是不入眾數。祇如今於一一聲．香．味．觸．法等不愛。於一一境不貪。但無十句濁心。是了因成佛。學文句覓解者。名緣因成佛。見佛知佛。則得說佛。有知有見。却是謗佛。若云佛知．佛見．佛聞．佛說即得。見火即得。火見即不得。如刀割物即得。物割刀即不得。知佛人．見佛人．聞佛人．說佛人。如恒河沙。是佛知。是佛見。是佛聞。是佛說。萬中無一。祇為自無眼。依他作眼。教中喚作比量智。祇如今貪佛知解。亦是比量智。世間譬喻是順喻。不了義教是順喻。了義教是逆喻。捨頭目髓腦是逆喻。如今不愛佛菩提等法是逆喻。難捨喻於頭目髓腦。如照著一切有無境法名頭。被一切有無境法相撓著名手。都未照前境時名髓腦。聖地習凡因。佛入眾生中。同類誘引化導。同渠餓鬼肢節火然。與渠說般若波羅蜜。令渠發心。若一向在聖地。憑何得至彼共渠語。佛入諸類。與眾生作船筏。同渠受苦。無限勞極。佛入苦處亦同眾生受苦。佛祇是去住自由。不同眾生。佛不是虗空。受苦何得不苦。若說不苦。此語違負。等閑莫說。錯說佛神通自在不自在。且慚愧人。不敢說佛是有為是無為。不敢說佛自由不自由。除讚藥方外。不欲得露現兩頭醜陋。教云。若人安佛菩提。置有所是邊。其人得大罪。亦云。如不識佛人前。向渠與麼說無過。如無漏牛乳。能治有漏病。其牛者。不在高原。不居下隰。此牛乳堪作藥。高原喻於佛。下隰喻於眾生。如云如來實智法身。又無此病。辯才無閡。昇騰自在。不生不滅。是名生老病死。疼痛㿇㿇。是暗喫菌羮。患痢疾而終。是暗為藏明頭迹。明暗都遣。莫取無取。亦無無取。他不明不暗。王宮生。納耶輸陀羅。八相成道。聲聞外道。妄想所計。如云非雜食身。純陀云。我知如來決定不受不食。第一須具兩隻眼。照破兩頭事。莫祇帶一隻眼向一邊行。即有那箇邊到。功德天．黑暗女相隨。有智主人。二俱不受。祇如今心如虗空相似。學始有所成。西國高祖云。雪山喻大涅槃。此土初祖云。心心如木石。三祖云。兀爾忘緣。曹谿云。善惡都莫思量。先師云。如迷人不辯方所。肇公云。閉智塞聰。獨覺冥冥者矣。文殊云。心同虗空故。敬禮無所觀。甚深修多羅。不聞不受持。祇如今但是一切有無諸法都不見不聞。六根杜塞。若能與麼學。與麼持經。始有修行分。者箇語逆耳苦口。可中與麼作得。至第二第三生。能向無佛處坐大道場。示現成等正覺。變惡為善。變善為惡。使惡法教化十地菩薩。使善法教化地獄餓鬼。能向明處解明縛。能向暗處解暗縛。撮金成土。撮土成金。百般作得。變弄自由。於恒沙世界外有求救者。婆伽婆即披三十二相。現其人前。同渠語音。與渠說法。隨機感化。應物殊形。變現諸趣。離我我所。猶屬彼邊事。猶是小用。亦是佛事門中收。大用者。大身隱於無形。大音匿於希聲。如木中之火。如鐘皷之聲。因緣未具時。不可言其有無。傍報生天。棄之如涕唾。菩薩六度萬行。如乘死屍過岸。如在牢獄。廁孔得出。佛披三十二相。相喚作垢膩之衣。亦云。若說佛一向不受五陰。無有是處。佛不是虗空。何得一向不受。佛祇是去住自由。不同眾生。從一天界至一天界。從一佛剎至一佛剎。諸佛常法。又云。若據三乘教。受他信施供養。他在地獄中。菩薩行慈悲。同類化導報恩。不可常在涅槃。又云。如火見火。但莫手觸。火不燒人。祇如今但無十句濁心。貪心．愛心．染心．瞋心．執心．住心．依心．著心．取心．戀心。但是一句各有三句。箇箇透過三句外。但是一切照用。任聽縱橫。但是一切舉動施為。語默啼笑。盡是佛慧。

The Baizhang Great Wisdom Zen Master. A monk asked, "The Buddha Great Penetration and Supreme Victory sat in the practice place for ten kalpas, yet the Buddha-dharma did not appear before him, and he could not attain Buddhahood. What does this mean?"

The Master said, "'Kalpa' means stagnation, also means dwelling. Dwelling in one good thing is stagnation in the ten good deeds. In the Western lands they say 'Buddha'; here we say 'awakening.' One's own awareness that is stagnant and attached to goodness—a person of good roots has no Buddha-nature. Therefore it is said, 'The Buddha-dharma does not appear before him, and he cannot attain Buddhahood.' Touch evil and dwell in evil—this is called the awakening of sentient beings. Touch good and dwell in good—this is called the awakening of hearers. Not dwelling in either extreme of good or evil, yet holding onto not-dwelling as right—this is called the awakening of the two vehicles, also called the awakening of the Pratyekabuddha. Since one neither relies on nor dwells in the two extremes of good and evil, and also does not create the conceptual understanding of not-relying or not-dwelling—this is called the awakening of the Bodhisattva. Since one neither relies nor dwells, and also does not create the conceptual understanding of no-reliance or no-dwelling—only then is it called the awakening of the Buddha. As it is said, 'The Buddha does not dwell in Buddha—this is called the true field of merit.' If among thousands of beings, one person suddenly attains this, it is called a priceless treasure. Such a one can be a guide everywhere. Where there is no Buddha, he is called Buddha. Where there is no Dharma, he is called Dharma. Where there is no Sangha, he is called Sangha. This is called turning the great Dharma wheel."

A monk asked, "The ancestral masters of old all had secret words transmitted from one to another. What about this?"

The Master said, "There is no secret word. The Tathagata has no secret treasury. Only this present awareness—with its clear and distinct speech, yet when you seek its form or characteristics, nothing can be found—this is the secret word. From Stream-enterer upward to the Tenth Ground, whatever words or phrases exist all belong to the dust of Dharma. Whatever words or phrases exist all fall within the category of affliction. Whatever words or phrases exist all belong to incomplete teachings. Whatever words or phrases exist are all rejected. Complete teachings are also negated. What more secret word are you looking for?"

A monk asked, "Emptiness arises within great awakening, like a bubble emerging in the ocean. What does this mean?"

The Master said, "Emptiness is compared to the bubble; the ocean is compared to the nature. One's own spiritually aware nature surpasses empty space itself. Therefore it is said, 'Emptiness arises within great awakening, like a bubble emerging in the ocean.'"

A monk asked, "Cut down the forest, not the trees. What does this mean?"

The Master said, "The forest is a metaphor for the mind; the tree is a metaphor for the body. Because the forest is mentioned, fear arises. Therefore it is said, 'Cut down the forest, not the trees.'"

A monk asked, "Words become a target that attracts arrows. Since words are already a target, one cannot avoid harm. Since the accumulation of harm is the same, how do we distinguish black from white [monks from laypeople]?"

The Master said, "Just release the arrow—on the path it will meet its match. If it misses, there will surely be injury. Seeking echoes in a valley—for kalpas nothing appears. The echo is at the edge of the mouth; gain or loss lies in the question that comes. Turn back and ask where it returns—you are hit by your own arrow. It is also like knowing illusion is not illusion. The Third Patriarch said, 'Not understanding the profound purport, you vainly labor at stilling the mind.' It is also said, 'Recognizing objects as seeing—like holding onto tile and pebbles, what use are they?' If you say you do not see, how are you different from wood or stone? Therefore, both seeing and not seeing have their faults. One example covers all cases."

A monk asked, "Originally there are no afflictions—how can there be the thirty-two marks?"

The Master said, "That is a matter on the Buddha's side. Originally there are afflictions; now there are the thirty-two marks. Only this present ordinary mind is it."

A monk asked, "The Bodhisattva of Boundless Body could not see the Tathagata's cranial protrusion. What does this mean?"

The Master said, "Because he held views of bounded and unbounded, he could not see the Tathagata's cranial protrusion. Only when there are presently no views of existence, non-existence, and so forth—and also no view of no-view—is this called the manifestation of the cranial protrusion."

A monk asked, "Monks nowadays all say, 'I rely on the Buddha's teaching, studying one sutra, one treatise, one meditation, one precept, one knowledge, one understanding—I am worthy of receiving the four offerings from donors.' Can they digest it or not?"

The Master said, "Only according to this present illumination and function—one sound, one form, one fragrance, one taste—toward all dharmas of existence and non-existence, on each and every object-field without a single dust-mote of grasping or defilement, nor relying on non-grasping, nor having the conceptual understanding of not-relying—such a person can digest ten thousand ounces of gold a day. But this present illumination of all dharmas of existence and non-existence—if at the six sense gates, when scraping and cleaning, even a trace of greed or attachment cannot be removed, then even begging one grain of rice or one thread from a donor—each of these creatures will grow fur and horns, pull plows and carry burdens, and must repay every bit before it is done. Because they do not rely on Buddha. Buddha is a person without attachment, without seeking, without reliance. Those who frantically seek Buddha have all turned their backs on it. Therefore it is said, 'Having long been close to Buddha, they do not recognize the Buddha-nature. Only looking at the world-savior, they revolve in the six paths. Those who see Buddha only after a long time are told that Buddha is hard to encounter.' Manjushri is the ancestral teacher of the seven Buddhas, also said to be the foremost leading Bodhisattva of the Saha world. Yet without reason he formed thoughts of seeing Buddha and hearing the Dharma, and through the Buddha's majestic power, he was still brought down by two iron-ring mountains. It is not that he did not understand—it was specifically to serve as a standard for all students, so that later learners would not form such views and perceptions. Just have no dharmas of existence and non-existence, no views of existence and non-existence—each and every one penetrates beyond the three statements. This is called the wish-fulfilling jewel, this is called precious flowers supporting the feet. If you form views of Buddha or views of Dharma—that is, any views of existence or non-existence—it is called an eye ailment. Because you see what is seen, it is also called the entanglement of views, also called the veil of views, also called the aberration of views. Only this present moment-to-moment awareness, along with all seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, along with all defilement, completely removed—then each and every dust-mote, each and every form, is itself Buddha. Each single thought that arises is itself Buddha. Past, present, and future—the five aggregates—moment to moment, who can count their number? This is called the Buddha filling all space, this is called the manifested bodies of Buddha, this is called the precious stupa."

Therefore he often sighed and said, "Alas, look at what people today rely on for life—one grain of rice, one stalk of vegetable. When meal-time comes and there is no food, they starve. Without water, they die of thirst. Without fire, they die of cold. Lacking one day, they are not born; lacking one day, they do not die. They are pinned down by the four elements. Not like the ancients who entered fire without burning, entered water without drowning. If they want to burn, they burn; if they want to drown, they drown; if they want to live, they live; if they want to die, they die. Coming and going are free. Such a person has freedom. If the mind is not confused, there is no need to seek Buddha, seek Bodhi or Nirvana. If you cling to seeking Buddha, it belongs to greed. Greed turns into sickness. Therefore it is said, 'The Buddha-sickness is hardest to cure.' Slandering Buddha and destroying Dharma—only then can you take food. Food is one's own spiritually aware nature's undefiled meal, liberation food. This saying cures the sickness of tenth-ground Bodhisattvas—from the first to the tenth ground."

"Only this present moment—if there is any mind of seeking at all, it is all called a precept-breaking monk, a nominal Arhat, all called a wild fox. Such a one absolutely cannot digest offerings. Only this present moment—hearing sounds like echoes, smelling fragrances like wind, apart from all dharmas of existence and non-existence, also not dwelling in separation, also without the conceptual understanding of non-dwelling—this person cannot be burdened by any guilt or defilement. Because they seek supreme Bodhi and Nirvana, they are called renunciants—but this is still a wrong vow. How much more so for those who dispute in the world seeking victory and defeat, saying 'I can, I understand,' greedily seeking a following, doting on one disciple, clinging to one dwelling, cultivating one patron, one robe, one meal, one name, one profit—and then claiming, 'I have attained all unobstructedness.' This is merely self-deception."

"Only this present moment—if one can be master of one's own five aggregates, and when cut apart limb by limb, feel no resentment or regret, no affliction—even when one's own disciple is beaten from head to toe—without a single thought of self or other arising... yet still relying on and dwelling in 'no-thought' and taking that as right—this is called the dust of Dharma. People of the tenth ground cannot escape it and flow into the river of birth and death. Therefore I always urge people: fear the affliction of Dharma-dust as you fear the three evil paths. Only then is there an independent standing. Even if there were a dharma surpassing Nirvana, one would not have the slightest thought of cherishing it. Such a person is Buddha at every step, without needing to tread on lotus flowers, manifesting a hundred billion bodies."

"Only this present moment—if toward all dharmas of existence and non-existence there is even a trace of loving attachment, even treading on lotus flowers, it is the same as Mara's deeds. If you hold that you are originally pure, originally liberated, originally Buddha, originally the path of Zen—this belongs to the naturalist heretics. If you hold that you cultivated causes and conditions and accomplished realization—this belongs to the causist heretics. Holding existence—this belongs to the eternalist heretics. Holding non-existence—this belongs to the annihilationist heretics. Holding both existence and non-existence—this belongs to the partialist heretics. Holding neither existence nor non-existence—this belongs to the emptiness-view heretics, also called the foolish heretics."

"Only this present moment—just do not form views of Buddha, views of Nirvana, and so forth. Have no views of existence or non-existence at all, and also no view of no-view—this is called right view. Have no hearing of anything, and also no non-hearing—this is called right hearing. This is called subduing heretics. No ordinary-being demon comes—this is the great spirit mantra. No two-vehicle demon comes—this is the great bright mantra. No Bodhisattva demon comes—this is the unsurpassed mantra. Even no Buddha demon comes—this is the unequalled mantra. First transformation: the flattering, crooked Asuras of sentient beings. Second transformation: the flattering, crooked Asuras of the two vehicles. Third transformation: the flattering, crooked Asuras of Bodhisattvas. These three transformations are the pure land."

"All dharmas of existence and non-existence, ordinary and sacred, are compared to gold ore. One's own principle is compared to gold. When gold and ore are separated, true gold appears. If someone suddenly seeks money or treasure, you transform the gold into money and give it to them. It is also like salt: truly pure, without sand or saline. If someone begs for a cake, you transform the salt into a cake and give it to them. It is also like a wise minister who understands the king's intent: when the king travels and asks for 'saintobha,' the minister immediately presents a horse; when the king eats and asks for 'saintobha,' he immediately presents salt. These metaphors describe people who study the profound purport, who are skilled in penetrating understanding, responding to opportunities without failure. This is also called the six-fold lion. Master Zhi said, 'Following people's creations, a hundred transformations.' Tenth-ground Bodhisattvas are neither hungry nor full, do not drown in water, do not burn in fire. If they want to burn, they cannot be burned—they are constrained by measurement and number. Buddha is not like this: entering fire without burning, yet if he wants to burn, he burns; if he wants to drown, he drowns. He freely commands the four elements of wind and water. All form is Buddha-form, all sound is Buddha-sound. When one's own sediment of flattering crookedness has completely penetrated beyond the three statements, only then can one speak these words."

"A pure Bodhisattva disciple understands that all speech does not grasp existence or non-existence. All illumination and function is not bound by pure or impure. Being sick and not taking medicine is foolish. Being well and taking medicine is a hearer. Firmly grasping one dharma is called a person of fixed nature among hearers. Always listening widely is called an arrogant hearer. Knowing others is called a learner hearer. Sinking in emptiness, stagnating in stillness, along with self-knowing, is called a non-learner hearer."

"Greed, anger, and delusion are poison; the twelve divisions of scripture are medicine. When the poison has not dissolved, the medicine cannot be removed. Taking medicine when not sick turns medicine into sickness. When the sickness is gone but the medicine is not removed—this is the meaning of 'neither born nor destroyed is impermanence.' The Nirvana Sutra says there are three evil desires: first, wanting to be surrounded by the four assemblies; second, wanting everyone to become one's disciple; third, wanting everyone to know one is a sage or Arhat. The Kashyapa Sutra says: first, seeking to see a future Buddha; second, seeking to be a wheel-turning king; third, seeking to be of a noble warrior caste; fourth, seeking to be of a noble Brahmin caste—even to the point of being wearied by birth and death and seeking Nirvana. Such evil desires must first be cut off. Only this present moment—any thought of grasping, defilement, or movement is all called evil desire, all belonging to the six heavens, all controlled by Mara."

A monk asked, "For twenty years, always commanded to remove dung. What does this mean?"

The Master said, "Just cease all views and knowledge of existence and non-existence. Just cease all greed and seeking. Each and every one penetrating beyond the three statements—this is called removing dung. Only this present moment—seeking Buddha, seeking Bodhi, seeking all dharmas of existence and non-existence—this is called carrying dung in, not carrying dung out. Only this present moment—forming views of Buddha, forming understandings of Buddha—whatever is seen, sought, or grasped is all called the dung of foolish talk, also called coarse speech, also called dead words. As it is said, 'The great ocean does not harbor dead corpses.' Ordinary conversation is not called foolish talk. Speech that discriminates pure and impure is called foolish talk. In the scriptures there are altogether twenty-one kinds of emptiness for sifting the defilements of sentient beings. Monks maintaining vegetarian meals and precepts, patience and gentleness, loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity—these are the ordinary rules of the monastic life. If you understand in this way, you are truly following the Buddha's teaching. But you must not be greedy for or attached to them. If you hope to attain Buddha, attain Bodhi, and such things, it is like your hand touching fire. Manjushri said, 'If thoughts of Buddha or thoughts of Dharma arise, you should harm yourself.' Therefore Manjushri raised his sword against Gautama, and Angulimala held his knife against Shakya. As it is said, 'Bodhisattvas practice the five heinous acts without entering the hell of uninterrupted suffering.' They are in perfect unimpeded continuity, unlike sentient beings' five rebellious acts of uninterrupted suffering."

"From Mara up to Buddha, all are grease and filth. When there is not a trace of reliance or grasping—this is called the two-vehicle path. How much more so for those who dispute seeking victory and defeat, saying 'I can, I understand'—they are only called disputing monks, not monks of non-action. Only this present moment—if you do not greedily defile any dharmas of existence or non-existence, this is called non-arising, this is called right faith. Being attached to all dharmas is called incomplete faith, also called imperfect faith, also called one-sided incomplete faith. Therefore it is called an icchantika. Now, if you want direct awakening and understanding, then person and dharma both vanish, person and dharma both cease, person and dharma both are empty, penetrating beyond the three statements—this is called not falling into any category. Person means faith; dharma means precepts, giving, hearing, wisdom, and so forth."

"Bodhisattvas are patient in not becoming Buddha, patient in not becoming sentient beings, patient in not upholding precepts, patient in not breaking precepts. Therefore it is said, 'Neither upholding nor violating.'"

"Wisdom is turbid, illumination is clear. Wisdom is clear, consciousness is turbid. In Buddha it is called illumination-wisdom. In Bodhisattva it is called wisdom. In the two vehicles and sentient beings it is called consciousness, also called affliction. In Buddha it is called speaking of cause within fruit. In sentient beings it is called speaking of fruit within cause. In Buddha it is called turning the Dharma wheel. In sentient beings it is called the wheel of Dharma turning. In Bodhisattva it is called the adornments of the jeweled garland. In sentient beings it is called the forest of the five aggregates. In Buddha it is called the fundamental ignorance—ignorance that is bright. Therefore it is said, 'Ignorance is the substance of the path.' Unlike sentient beings' dark, obstructed ignorance."

"That is the object; this is the subject. That is what is heard; this is the hearer. Not one, not different; not cut off, not permanent; not coming, not going. These are living words, words beyond the rut. Not bright, not dark; not Buddha, not sentient being—all are thus. Coming and going, cut off and permanent, Buddha and sentient beings—these are dead words. Pervasive or not pervasive, same or different, cut off or permanent—these are the views of heretics. Prajna-paramita is one's own Buddha-nature, also called Mahayana. Maha means great; yana means vehicle. If you guard your own awareness, you again become a naturalist heretic. Do not guard it. This present awareness—do not separately seek Buddha. If you separately seek, you fall into causist heresy."

"The first patriarch of this land said, 'If the mind holds something as right, there must be something it considers wrong. If you value one thing, you are deluded by that thing. If you esteem one thing, you are deluded by that thing.' Faith is deluded by faith; not believing becomes slander. Do not value, do not not-value. Do not believe, do not not-believe. Buddha is not non-action. Although not non-action, neither is he dark and dull. He is like empty space. Buddha is a great-hearted sentient being. His awareness is vast. Although his awareness is vast, his awareness is pure—the ghosts of greed and anger cannot catch him. Buddha is one beyond entanglement, without a trace of love or grasping, nor the conceptual understanding of no love or no grasping. This is called perfecting the six paramitas and ten thousand practices. If you want ornaments, all kinds are present. If you do not want them, he does not use them yet does not lose them. He freely commands cause and effect, merit and wisdom. This is cultivation—not the weary labor of carrying burdens that is called cultivation. It is not like that at all."

"Three bodies, one substance; one substance, three bodies. First, the Dharma-body, the Buddha of true reality. The Dharma-body Buddha is not bright, not dark. Bright and dark belong to illusion. True reality is named in contrast to emptiness. Originally there are no names at all. As it is said, 'The Buddha-body is unconditioned, not falling into categories.' 'Attaining Buddhahood, offering canopies,' and so forth, are words of measure—named by distinguishing pure from turbid. Therefore it is called the true-reality Dharma-body Buddha. This is also called the pure Dharma-body Vairochana Buddha, also called the empty-space Dharma-body Buddha, also called the great perfect mirror wisdom, also called the eighth consciousness, also called the nature school, also called the emptiness school, also called Buddha dwelling in the neither-pure-nor-impure land, also called the lion in the cave, also called the post-attainment wisdom of the diamond, also called the undefiled dana, also called the ultimate emptiness of the first meaning, also called the profound purport. The Third Patriarch said, 'Not understanding the profound purport, you vainly labor at stilling the mind.'"

"Second, the reward-body Buddha—the Buddha under the Bodhi tree. Also called the illusory-transformation Buddha, also called the Buddha of excellent marks, also called the response-body Buddha. This is called the complete reward-body Lochana Buddha, also called the wisdom of equality, also called the seventh consciousness, also called the Buddha who repays causes and answers effects. He shares the number of the fifty-two stages of diyana, shares with Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas, shares with all Bodhisattvas, shares in undergoing the suffering of birth and death. Yet he does not share the suffering of sentient beings bound by karma."

"Third, the transformation-body Buddha. Only this present moment—toward all dharmas of existence and non-existence, without any greed or defilement, also without non-defilement, beyond the four statements—all speech and eloquence is called the transformation-body Buddha. This is called the hundred-thousand-million transformation-body Shakyamuni Buddha, also called the great miraculous transformation, also called playfully exercising spiritual powers, also called the wisdom of wonderful observation, also called the sixth consciousness."

"Those who make offerings purify the three karmas. In the past, there is no affliction to cut off. In the present, there is no self-nature to guard. In the future, there is no Buddha to attain. This is the cutting off of the three times, the purification of the three karmas, the emptiness of the three wheels, the emptiness of the three kinds of giving."

"How does a monk attend upon the Buddha? It means not leaking through the six sense faculties. This is also called adornment. Empty, without the adornment of the forest of outflows; empty, without the adornment of flowers and fruits of defilement; empty, without the Buddha-eye—toward practitioners, the Dharma-eye distinguishes pure from turbid, yet without forming the conceptual understanding of distinguishing pure and turbid. This is called 'even to no eye.' The Ratnakuta Sutra says: 'The Dharma-body cannot be sought through seeing, hearing, awareness, or knowing. It is not seen by the physical eye, because it has no form. Not seen by the divine eye, because it has no illusion. Not seen by the wisdom eye, because it is free of characteristics. Not seen by the Dharma eye, because it is free of all activities. Not seen by the Buddha eye, because it is free of all consciousnesses. If you do not form such views, this is called the Buddha view.' Same as form yet not physical form—called true form. Same as space yet not vast emptiness—called true emptiness. Form and emptiness are also words of medicine treating sickness. The Dharmadhatu Contemplation says: 'One cannot say it is form or not form. One also cannot say it is emptiness or not emptiness.'"

"Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind not admitting any dharmas of existence or non-existence—this is called turning into the seventh ground. Seventh-ground Bodhisattvas do not regress. From the seventh ground up three grounds—Bodhisattvas' minds are clear and easy to stain: speak of fire and it burns. From the form realm upward, giving is sickness, stinginess is medicine. From the form realm downward, stinginess is sickness, giving is medicine. There is a precept of action that cuts off worldly dharmas. But if one does not commit offenses with body or hand, it is called the precept of non-action, also called the precept of non-manifestation, also called the undefiled precept. If there is any raising of mind or movement of thought, it is all called breaking the precept. Only this present moment—if one is not deluded or disturbed by any objects of existence or non-existence, nor relying on non-delusion, nor having the conceptual understanding of not-relying—this is called universal study, called diligent protection and mindfulness, called vast propagation. Before awakening and understanding, it is called mother. After awakening, it is called child. Yet without the conceptual understanding of awakening or non-awakening—this is called mother and child both dying. No entanglement of good, no entanglement of evil, no entanglement of Buddha, no entanglement of sentient beings. Measurement and number are the same—even to having no entanglement with any measurement or number at all. Therefore it is said, 'Buddha is one beyond entanglement, beyond measure.'"

"Greedily loving intellectual understanding and doctrinal phrases is like a mother loving her child, only giving the child butter to eat—whether it digests or not, she does not know. This metaphor describes the afflictions of tenth-ground people who receive honor and veneration from gods and humans; the afflictions of the bliss of dhyana and samadhi in the form and formless realms; the affliction of not attaining free spiritual powers—soaring, hiding, appearing and disappearing, reaching the pure lands of the ten directions to hear the Dharma; the affliction of studying loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity as causes and conditions; the affliction of studying emptiness, equality, and the middle way; the affliction of studying the three insights, six powers, and four unobstructed wisdoms; the affliction of developing the great vehicle mind and making the four vast vows; the affliction of clear understanding in the first, second, third, and fourth grounds; the affliction of views and knowledge in the fifth, sixth, and seventh grounds; the affliction of eighth, ninth, and tenth-ground Bodhisattvas illuminating both truths simultaneously; even to the affliction of studying the Buddha-fruit and the millions of asamkhyeya practices. Only greedy for doctrinal phrases and intellectual understanding, not knowing they are binding afflictions. Therefore it is said, 'The river of views can float away even a perfumed elephant.'"

A monk asked, "Do you see or not?"

The Master replied, "I see."

The monk asked, "What after seeing?"

The Master replied, "Seeing is without duality."

Since it is said "seeing is without duality," one does not use seeing to see seeing. If seeing sees further, is the former seeing right or the latter seeing right? As it is said, "At the moment of seeing, seeing is not seeing. Seeing is still apart from seeing—seeing cannot reach it." Therefore, one does not practice the dharma of seeing, does not practice the dharma of hearing, does not practice the dharma of awareness. The Buddhas quickly confer the prophecy.

The monk objected, "Since seeing is not the words of prophecy, what use is the prophecy?"

The Master said, "One who has first awakened to the principle is not constrained by any characteristics of dharmas of existence or non-existence. Like washing a dirty robe, therefore it is said, 'Freedom from characteristics is called Buddha.' Both empty and real are not retained; the middle purport alone is profoundly mysterious. Attaining the one path, one joins the Way. Later students ascend by this stair. Therefore it is called the prophecy. Ignorance is the father; craving is the mother. Oneself is the sickness; oneself is the medicine. Oneself is the knife; oneself kills one's own ignorance, craving, father and mother. Therefore it is said, 'Killing father and harming mother.' One phrase categorically destroys all dharmas. Eating at improper times is also like this. Only this present moment—all dharmas of existence and non-existence are all eating at improper times, also called evil food, also called impure food placed in a precious vessel. This is breaking the precepts, this is false speech, this is mixed food. Buddha is one without seeking. Now, greedily seeking all dharmas of existence and non-existence—whatever is done or made is all turning your back. This is slandering Buddha. Any greed or defilement is all called extending a hand. Only this present moment—without greed or defilement, also not relying on non-greed or non-defilement, also without the conceptual understanding of not-relying—this is called the fire of prajna, this is burning the finger, this is not cherishing body or life, this is being cut apart limb by limb, this is transcending the world, this is holding the world in the palm and placing it in another direction."

"Only this present moment—if in the twelve divisions of scripture and all dharmas of existence and non-existence there remains even a trace of lingering in the viscera, this is not yet out of the net. Any seeking, any attaining, any arising of thought or movement—all called wild fox. Only this present moment—when in the viscera there is nothing sought, nothing attained—this person is a great benefactor, a lion's roar. Yet also not relying on non-attainment, also without the conceptual understanding of not-relying. This is called the six-fold lion. When self and other do not arise and all evils do not arise, this is containing Mount Sumeru in a mustard seed. When one does not raise any greed, anger, or the eight winds, this is swallowing the waters of the four great seas into the mouth. When one does not accept any false words, this is not letting them enter the ear. When one does not let the body give rise to any evil toward others, this is taking all fire into the belly."

"Only this present moment—toward each and every object-field, not deluded, not disturbed, not angry, not delighted. At one's own six sense gates, scraping and cleaning until pure and clean—this is a person of no concerns, surpassing all intellectual understanding. Austere practice and diligence—this is called the divine eye, also called clear illumination as the eye, also called the nature of the dharma-realm, this is making the cart carry cause and effect. When a Buddha appears in the world to liberate sentient beings: do not give rise to the previous thought, do not continue the later thought. When the previous thought's karma is dissolved, this is called liberating sentient beings. If the previous thought was anger, use the medicine of joy to cure it—this is called having a Buddha liberating sentient beings. But all verbal teachings are only like treating sickness. Because the sicknesses differ, the medicines also differ. Therefore sometimes it is said there is a Buddha, sometimes it is said there is no Buddha. True words cure sickness. If the sickness is cured, each and every one is true words. If the sickness is not cured, each and every one is false words. True words are false words—because views arise. False words are true words—because they cut off sentient beings' inversion. Because the sickness is false, only false medicine can treat it."

"A Buddha appearing in the world to liberate sentient beings—this is the words of the nine-part teaching, this is the words of incomplete teachings. Anger and joy, sickness and medicine—all are oneself. There are no two people. Where is there a Buddha appearing in the world? Where is there a sentient being to liberate? As the sutra says, 'In truth, no sentient being has been liberated.' It is also said, 'Not loving Buddha or Bodhi, not greedily defiling dharmas of existence or non-existence—this is called liberating others. Also not guarding oneself—this is called self-liberation.' Because the sicknesses differ, the medicines also differ. The prescriptions differ—one must not be one-sided. Stubbornly clinging to relying on Buddha, relying on Bodhi, and such dharmas—all are relying on prescriptions. Therefore it is said, 'As for the wise, one must not be one-sided.'"

"What is distinguished in the teachings is compared to yellow leaves, also like an empty fist deceiving a child. If a person does not know this principle, they are the same as ignorance. As it is said, 'One who practices prajna must not grasp my words, nor rely on the teachings.' Anger is like a rock; love is like river water. Only this present moment—without anger, without love—this is penetrating mountains, rivers, and stone walls. It is specifically to cure the sickness of the deaf and vulgar. Extensive learning and eloquence cure the sickness of the eyes. From human to Buddha is gain. From human to hell is loss. Right and wrong are the same. The Third Patriarch said, 'Gain and loss, right and wrong—let them all go at once.'"

"Not grasping any dharmas of existence or non-existence—this is called not dwelling in conditioned conditions. Also not relying on not-relying—this is called not dwelling in the patience of emptiness. Grasping that oneself is Buddha, that oneself understands Zen—this is called inner view. Grasping that causes and conditions cultivate and accomplish—this is called outer view. Master Zhi said, 'Inner view and outer view are both wrong.' Eye, ear, nose, tongue—each not greedily defiling any dharmas of existence or non-existence—this is called receiving and upholding the four-line gatha, also called the four fruits. The six sense entries with no traces—also called the six powers. Only this present moment—if one is not obstructed by any dharmas of existence or non-existence, also not relying on non-obstruction, also without the conceptual understanding of not-relying—this is called spiritual power. Not guarding this spiritual power—this is called no spiritual power. As it is said, 'The footprints of a Bodhisattva without spiritual power cannot be found.' This person above Buddha is most inconceivable. Person is oneself; heaven is wisdom-illumination. Praise brings joy. Joy belongs to the object; the object is heaven. Praise is the person. Person and heaven connect—both see each other. It is also said: pure wisdom is heaven; right wisdom is person."

"Originally not Buddha, yet telling someone they are Buddha—this is called the knot of substance and name. Only this present moment—just do not form the intellectual understanding of Buddha, nor have the conceptual understanding of not-not-relying—this is called extinguishing the knot, also called suchness, also called substance-suchness. Seeking Buddha, seeking Bodhi—this is called manifesting body and mind. Only this present moment—any mind of seeking at all is all called manifesting body and mind. As it is said, 'Seeking Bodhi, though a superior seeking, heavily increases the dust of defilement.' Seeking Buddha is the Buddha assembly. Seeking all dharmas of existence and non-existence is the assembly of sentient beings. Only this present awareness—if one does not rely on or dwell in any dharmas of existence or non-existence, this is not entering the count of assemblies. Only this present moment—toward each sound, fragrance, taste, touch, and dharma, without love; toward each object-field, without greed—just have no ten-phrase turbid mind. This is the cause of awakening to become Buddha. Studying words and phrases seeking understanding is called the conditional cause of becoming Buddha. Seeing Buddha, knowing Buddha—then one can speak of Buddha. Having knowledge and views is slandering Buddha. If one says 'Buddha knows, Buddha sees, Buddha hears, Buddha speaks,' that is acceptable. Seeing fire is acceptable; fire seeing is not. As a knife cutting things is acceptable; things cutting the knife is not. Those who know Buddha, see Buddha, hear Buddha, speak Buddha—numerous as the sands of the Ganges. But Buddha-knowing, Buddha-seeing, Buddha-hearing, Buddha-speaking—not one in ten thousand. Only because oneself has no eyes, one borrows others' eyes. In the teachings this is called comparative cognition. Only this present moment—greedily seeking the intellectual understanding of Buddha is also comparative cognition."

"Worldly metaphors are complying metaphors. Incomplete teachings are complying metaphors. Complete teachings are contrary metaphors. Giving up head, eyes, marrow, and brain are contrary metaphors. Not loving Buddha, Bodhi, and such dharmas are contrary metaphors. What is hard to give up is compared to head, eyes, marrow, and brain. Illumining all objects and dharmas of existence and non-existence is called head. Being disturbed by all objects and dharmas of existence and non-existence is called hands. Before illumining the former objects is called marrow and brain. Holy ground practices the causes of the ordinary. Buddha enters among sentient beings, in the same kind, to attract, guide, and transform. In the same manner as hungry ghosts whose limbs burn with fire, he speaks prajna-paramita to them, causing them to arouse the mind. If he were always on holy ground, by what means could he reach them and speak with them? Buddha enters all kinds, making rafts for sentient beings, sharing their suffering, with unlimited weariness. Buddha enters places of suffering and suffers like sentient beings. Buddha is only free in coming and going—unlike sentient beings. Buddha is not empty space—how could he suffer and not feel it? If one says he does not suffer, this saying contradicts itself. Do not speak carelessly. Do not mistakenly say whether Buddha's spiritual powers are free or not free. Moreover, people should be ashamed—not daring to say whether Buddha is conditioned or unconditioned, not daring to say whether Buddha is free or not free. Apart from praising the medicine prescription, one should not expose the ugliness of both ends."

"The teachings say: 'If a person places Buddha and Bodhi in the category of something that is, that person incurs great offense.' It is also said: 'Before people who do not recognize Buddha, speaking to them in this way is no fault.' Like the milk of an undefiled cow that can cure the sickness of defilement. That cow is neither on the high plateau nor in the low marsh. This cow's milk can be used as medicine. The high plateau is a metaphor for Buddha; the low marsh is a metaphor for sentient beings. As it is said, 'The Tathagata's true wisdom, the Dharma-body, is without this sickness.' Eloquence unobstructed, soaring freely, neither born nor destroyed—this is called birth, aging, sickness, and death. Pain and aching are secretly eating poisonous mushrooms, dying of dysentery. This is secretly being the head of brightness within hiding. Both bright and dark are discarded. Do not grasp non-grasping, and also have no non-grasping. He is not bright, not dark. Born in the royal palace, marrying Yashodhara, accomplishing the path through eight aspects—these are the deluded imaginings of hearers and heretics. As it is said, 'Not a body of mixed food.' Chunda said, 'I know the Tathagata is determined not to receive or eat.' First one must have both eyes, illumining the matters of both ends. Do not carry only one eye and walk to one side—then that side arrives. Virtue goddess and darkness maiden follow each other. The wise master accepts neither."

"Only this present moment—if the mind is like empty space, then study has begun to accomplish. The Western ancestor said, 'Snow Mountain is a metaphor for great Nirvana.' This land's first patriarch said, 'Mind after mind like wood and stone.' The Third Patriarch said, 'Still and unmoving, forgetting conditions.' Caoxi said, 'Think neither of good nor evil.' My late teacher said, 'Like a confused person who cannot distinguish direction.' Master Zhao said, 'Closing wisdom, blocking acuity, solitary awareness in darkness.' Manjushri said, 'Because the mind is like empty space, I pay homage without an object of contemplation. The profound sutras—I do not hear and do not receive them.' Only this present moment—all dharmas of existence and non-existence are neither seen nor heard. The six faculties are blocked and stopped. If you can study this way, uphold the sutras this way, only then is there a share in cultivation."

"These words are harsh to the ear and bitter to the mouth. If you can practice in this way, then in the second or third lifetime, you can sit in the great practice place where there is no Buddha, manifesting the attainment of perfect enlightenment. Transform evil into good, transform good into evil. Use evil dharmas to teach tenth-ground Bodhisattvas; use good dharmas to teach hell-beings and hungry ghosts. You can untie the bondage of brightness in bright places, untie the bondage of darkness in dark places. Gather gold and make earth; gather earth and make gold. You can do a hundred kinds of things, transforming and playing freely. If beyond worlds as many as the sands of the Ganges someone cries for help, the Bhagavan dons the thirty-two marks, appears before that person, speaks in their language, and teaches them the Dharma, responding to their capabilities and transforming them accordingly."

"Responding to things with different forms, manifesting transformations in all realms of existence—apart from self and what belongs to self—still belongs to the other side, still is a small use, still included in the gateway of Buddha's activities. The great use: the great body hidden in formlessness, the great sound concealed in the faintest voice. Like fire within wood, like the sound of bell and drum—before causes and conditions are complete, one cannot say it exists or does not exist. The reward of being born in heaven—discarded like spit and mucus. A Bodhisattva's six paramitas and ten thousand practices are like riding a corpse across the shore, like being in prison and finding a hole in the latrine to escape. Buddha wears the thirty-two marks—which are called the robe of grease and filth. It is also said: 'If one says Buddha is entirely free of the five aggregates, that is not so.' Buddha is not empty space—how could he be entirely free? Buddha is only free in coming and going, unlike sentient beings. From one heaven realm to another heaven realm, from one Buddha-land to another Buddha-land—this is the constant way of all Buddhas."

"Moreover, it is said: 'According to the three-vehicle teachings, if one receives believers' offerings and support, and that supporter is in hell, the Bodhisattva practices compassion and teaches and guides in the same kind to repay kindness. One cannot always remain in Nirvana.'"

"Also said: 'Like fire seeing fire—just do not touch it with your hand, and the fire will not burn you.' Only this present moment—if there is no ten-phrase turbid mind: the mind of greed, the mind of love, the mind of defilement, the mind of anger, the mind of grasping, the mind of dwelling, the mind of relying, the mind of attachment, the mind of taking, the mind of longing. Each phrase has three phrases; each and every one penetrating beyond the three statements. Then all illumination and function—let it be free and unrestrained. All actions and activities, speech, silence, tears, and laughter—all are Buddha's wisdom."

筠州黃檗斷際禪師。諱希運。乃福州人也。師初到洛京行乞。吟添鉢聲。有一嫗出林扉間云。太無厭生。師云。汝猶未施。責我無厭。何耶。嫗笑而掩扉。師異之。進而與語。多所發。檗須臾辭去。嫗告之曰。可往南昌見馬大師。師至南昌。大師已遷寂。聞塔於石門。遂往瞻禮。時百丈大智禪師廬于塔傍。師序其遠來之意。願聞平日得力句。百丈乃問。巍巍堂堂從何方來。師曰。巍巍堂堂從嶺南來。丈曰。巍巍堂堂當為何事。師曰。巍巍堂堂不為別事。便禮拜。又舉。我再參馬大師。侍立次。大師顧繩牀角拂子。我問。即此用。離此用。大師云。汝他後開兩片皮。將何為人。我取拂子豎起。大師云。即此用。離此用。我挂拂子舊處。被大師震威一喝。我直得三日耳聾。師聞是語。不覺吐舌。丈云。子已後莫承嗣馬大師去否。師云。不然。今日因師舉。得見馬祖大機大用。且不識馬祖。若嗣馬祖。已後喪我兒孫。丈云。見與師齊。減師半德。子甚有超師之作。百丈一日問師。甚處來。師云。大雄山下採菌子來。丈云。還見大蟲麼。師作大蟲聲。丈拈斧作斫勢。師與丈一掌。丈吟吟而笑即歸。上堂云。大雄山下有一大蟲。汝等諸人也須好看。百丈老漢今日親遭一口。師在百丈。普請開田次。丈問。運闍棃。開田不易。師云。隨眾作務。丈云。有煩道用。師云。爭敢辭勞。丈云。開得多少田。師將钁築地三下。丈便喝。師掩耳而去。師問百丈。從上宗乘。如何指示於人。丈據坐。師云。後代兒孫將何傳受。丈云。我將謂你是箇人。便起去。南泉問師。黃金為城。白銀為壁。是甚麼人居止處。師云。聖人居止處。泉云。更有一人居何國土。師近前叉手而立。泉云。道不得。何不請王老師道。師云。更有一人居何國土。泉云。可惜許。

The Chan Master Xiyun of Huangbo, also known as Duanji, was from Fuzhou. When he first arrived in Luoyang, he wandered about begging for alms, ringing his bowl as was customary. An old woman came out from the forest and said, "Aren't you being a bit too greedy?" The Master replied, "You haven't even given anything yet, so why accuse me of greed?" The woman smiled and closed the door. Surprised, the Master approached to speak with her further and gained many insights from their conversation. Soon after, he took his leave, and the woman advised him, "Go to Nanchang and see Master Ma."

When the Master arrived in Nanchang, Master Ma had already passed away, and his stupa was built at Shimen. The Master went to pay his respects. At that time, the great Chan Master Baizhang Dazhi was living in a hut beside the stupa. The Master explained that he had come from afar and wished to hear about Baizhang's daily practical teachings. Baizhang asked, "Majestic and dignified, from where have you come?" The Master replied, "Majestic and dignified, from Lingnan." Baizhang asked, "Majestic and dignified, what have you come for?" The Master answered, "Majestic and dignified, for no other purpose," and then bowed.

Baizhang then recounted, "When I went to visit Master Ma, I stood beside him as his attendant. He glanced at the whisk on the corner of the meditation bench. I asked, 'Is it this that is used, or is it apart from this?' Master Ma said, 'Later, when you open your two lips, how will you teach others?' I picked up the whisk and held it upright. Master Ma said, 'Is it this that is used, or is it apart from this?' I returned the whisk to its original place, and Master Ma gave a sharp shout. I was deaf for three days."

Upon hearing this, the Master stuck out his tongue in astonishment. Baizhang asked, "Do you intend to inherit Master Ma's lineage?" The Master replied, "No. Thanks to your teaching today, I have seen Master Ma's great function and great use, but I never actually knew him. If I were to inherit his lineage, I would later lose my own descendants." Baizhang said, "If your understanding is equal to your teacher's, you have only half his virtue. But you have the potential to surpass your teacher."

One day, Baizhang asked the Master, "Where have you been?" The Master replied, "I went to pick mushrooms at Daxiong Mountain." Baizhang asked, "Did you see the great tiger?" The Master imitated a tiger's roar. Baizhang picked up an axe and made a chopping motion. The Master gave Baizhang a slap. Baizhang laughed and returned to his quarters. Later, Baizhang addressed the assembly: "On Daxiong Mountain, there is a great tiger. You should all be careful. Today, this old man Baizhang was bitten by him firsthand."

When the Master was working in the fields with the community, Baizhang asked, "Yun, tilling the field is not easy." The Master replied, "Just working along with the community." Baizhang said, "There is a need for your effort." The Master said, "How dare I refuse the work?" Baizhang asked, "How much land have you cultivated?" The Master struck the ground three times with his hoe. Baizhang shouted, and the Master covered his ears and left.

The Master asked Baizhang, "From the beginning, how has the direct teaching of the ancestral lineage been pointed out to people?" Baizhang sat in silence. The Master asked, "How will later generations pass on and receive it?" Baizhang said, "I thought you were a person," and then got up and left.

Nanquan asked the Master, "With golden walls and silver chambers, what kind of person dwells there?" The Master replied, "Sages dwell there." Nanquan asked, "In what land does one more person dwell?" The Master stepped forward, joined his palms, and stood still. Nanquan said, "You can't say it. Why not ask old Wang to speak?" The Master asked again, "In what land does one more person dwell?" Nanquan said, "What a pity!"

師上堂。大眾纔集。師拈拄杖一時打散。復召大眾。眾回首。師云。月似彎弓。少雨多風。師一日揑拳謂眾云。天下老和尚總在這裏。我若放一線道。從汝七縱八橫。若不放過。不消一揑。時有僧問。放一線道時如何。師云。七縱八橫。云。不放過時如何。師云。普。裴相國一日請師至郡。以所解一編示師。師接置於座。略不披閱。良久。曰。會麼。裴曰。未測。師曰。若便恁麼會得。猶較些子。若也形於紙墨。何有吾宗。裴乃贈詩一章曰。自從大士傳心印。額有圓珠七尺身。挂錫十年棲蜀水。浮杯今日渡漳濵。一千龍象隨高步。萬里香華結勝因。擬欲事師為弟子。不知將法付何人。師亦無喜色。自爾。黃檗門風盛于江表矣。問。如何是道。如何修行。師云。道是何物。汝欲修行。問。諸方宗師相承。參禪學道如何。師云。接引鈍根人語。未可依憑。云。此既是接引鈍根人語。未審接上根人復說何法。師云。若是上根人。何處更就他覓他。自己尚不可得。何況更別有法當情。不見教中云。法法何狀。云。若如此。則都不要求覓也。師云。若與麼。則省心力。云。如是則渾成斷絕。不可是無也。師云。阿誰教他無。他是阿誰。你擬覓他。云。既不許覓。何故又言莫斷他。師云。若不覓即便休。誰教你斷。你見目前虗空作麼生斷他。云。此法可得便同虗空否。師云。虗空早晚向你道有同有異。我暫如此說。你便向者裏生解。云。應是不與人生解耶。師云。我不曾障你。要且解屬於情。情生則智隔。云。向者裏莫生情。是否。師云。若不生情。阿誰道是。問。纔向和尚處發言。為什麼便道話墮。師云。汝自是不解語人。有什麼墮負。問。向來如許多言說皆是抵敵語。未曾有實法指示於人。師云。實法無顛倒。汝今問處自生顛倒。覓什麼實法。云。既是問處自生顛倒。和尚答處如何。師云。你且將物照面看。莫管他人。又云。只如箇癡狗相似。見物動處便吠。風吹草木也不別。又云。我此禪宗從上相承已來。不曾教人求知求解。只云學道。早是接引之詞。然道亦不可學。情存學者。却成迷道。道無方所。名大乘心。此心不在內外中間。實無方所。第一不得作知解。只是說汝如今情量處為道。情量若盡。心無方所。此道天真。本無名字。只為世人不識。迷在情中。所以諸佛出來說破此事。恐你諸人不了。權立道名。不可守名而生解。故云得魚忘筌。身心自然。達道。識心達本源。故號為沙門。沙門果者。從息慮而成。不從學得。汝如今將心求心。傍他家舍只擬學取。有什麼得時。古人心利。纔聞一言。便乃絕學。所以喚作絕學無為閑道人。今時人只欲得多知多解。廣求文義喚作修行。不知多知多解飜成壅塞。唯知多與兒酥乳喫。消與不消。都總不知。三乘學道人皆是此樣。盡名食不消者。所謂知解不消。皆為毒藥。盡向生滅中取。真如之中都無此事。故云我王庫內無如是刀。從前所有一切解處。盡須併却令空。即是空如來藏。如來藏者。更無纖塵可有。即是破有法王出現世間。亦云。我於然燈佛所。無少法可得。此語只為空。你情解知量但消融。表裏情盡。都無依執。是無事人。三乘教網只是應機之藥。隨宜所說。臨時施設。各各不同。但能了知。即不被惑。第一不得於一機一教邊守文作解。何以如此。實無有定法如來可說。我此宗門不論此事。但知息心即休。更不用思前慮後。問。從上來皆云即心是佛。未審即那箇心是佛。師云。你有幾箇心。云。為復即凡心是佛。即聖是佛。師云。何處有凡聖心耶。云。即今三乘中說有凡聖。和尚何得言無。師云。三乘中分明向你道。凡聖心是妄。你今不解。返執為有。將空作實。豈不是妄。妄故迷心。汝但除却凡情聖境。心外更無別佛。祖師西來。直指一切人全體是佛。汝今不識。執凡執聖。向外馳騁。還自迷心。所以向汝道即心是佛。一念情生即墮異趣。無始已來不異今日。無有異法。故名成等正覺。云。和尚所言即者是何道理。師云。覓什麼道理。纔有道理。便即心異。云。前言無始已來不異今日。此理如何。師云。只為覓故。汝自異他。汝若不覓。何處有異。云。既是不異。何更用說即。師云。汝若不認凡聖。阿誰向汝道即。即若不即。心亦不心。可中心即俱忘。阿你更擬向何處覓去。問。妄能障自心。未審而今以何遣妄。師云。起妄遣妄亦成妄。妄本無根。只因分別而有。你但於凡聖兩處情莫計念。自然無妄。更擬若為遣他。都不得有纖毫依執。名為我捨兩臂必當得佛。云。既無依執。當何相承。師云。以心傳心。云。若心相傳。云何言心亦無。師云。不得一法。名為傳心。若了此心。即是無心無法。云。若無心無法。云何名傳。師云。汝聞道傳心。將謂有可得也。所以祖師云。認得心性時。可說不思議。了了無所得。得時不說知。此事若教會。何堪也。問。只如目前虗空。可不是境。豈無指境見心乎。師云。什麼心教汝向境上見。設汝見得。只是箇照境底心。如人以鏡照面。縱然得見眉目分明。元來只是影像。何關汝事。云。若不因照。何時得見。師云。若也涉因。常須假物。有什麼了時。汝不見他向汝道。撒手似君無一物。徒勞謾說數千般。云。他若識了。照亦無物耶。師云。若是無物。更何用照。你莫開眼䆿語去。

The Master ascended the hall. As soon as the assembly gathered, he picked up his staff and scattered them all. Then he called out to the assembly. The crowd turned back. The Master said, "The moon is like a drawn bow—little rain, much wind."

Another day, the Master clenched his fist and said to the assembly, "All the old masters under heaven are right here. If I let out a thread of a path, you can go wild in all directions. But if I don't let go, it won't take a single squeeze."

A monk asked, "What about when you let out a thread of a path?"

The Master said, "Free in all directions."

The monk said, "And when you don't let go?"

The Master said, "Nothing at all."

One day, Minister Pei invited the Master to the prefecture and presented him with a volume of his own commentaries. The Master took it, placed it on his seat, and did not even glance at it. After a long while, he said, "Do you understand?"

Pei said, "I cannot fathom it."

The Master said, "If you could understand it that way, you'd be getting close. But if it's set down in ink on paper, what does it have to do with our school?"

Pei then offered a poem:

"Since the Great Being transmitted the mind-seal, A round pearl on the forehead, a seven-foot body. Ten years dwelling by Shu waters, Today crossing the Zhang river on a floating cup. A thousand dragons and elephants follow his high steps, For ten thousand miles, incense and flowers form superior conditions. I wish to take the Master as my teacher— But to whom will the Dharma be entrusted?"

The Master showed no sign of pleasure. From then on, Huangbo's style flourished throughout the region south of the Yangtze.

A monk asked, "What is the Path? How does one cultivate it?"

The Master said, "What kind of thing is the Path that you want to cultivate it?"

The monk asked, "The patriarchs of all directions have transmitted it through successive generations. How does one practice Zen meditation and study the Path?"

The Master said, "That's just expedient words to guide dull people—not something to rely on."

The monk said, "Since this is guidance for dull people, what Dharma do you teach to those of superior capacity?"

The Master said, "For one of superior capacity, where would he go searching for anything outside himself? His own self is already unobtainable—how much less any separate Dharma to grasp? Haven't you noticed the scriptures say, 'Dharma after Dharma—what form do they have?'"

The monk said, "If that's so, then there's nothing to seek at all."

The Master said, "If it's like that, then you save yourself some effort."

The monk said, "In that case, everything falls into utter severance—surely it can't be nothing?"

The Master said, "Who told you it was nothing? Who is this 'it'? You want to find it?"

The monk said, "Since you don't allow seeking, why do you also say not to cut it off?"

The Master said, "If you don't seek, that's the end of it. Who told you to cut it off? Look at the empty space before your eyes—how would you cut that off?"

The monk said, "Can this Dharma be obtained and be the same as empty space?"

The Master said, "Has empty space ever told you it's the same or different? I make a tentative statement like this, and you immediately start generating interpretations from it."

The monk said, "Then should we not give rise to interpretations?"

The Master said, "I've never obstructed you. But interpretations belong to emotional consciousness. When emotions arise, wisdom is cut off."

The monk said, "Should we not give rise to emotions in this place?"

The Master said, "If no emotion arises, then who is saying 'yes'?"

A monk asked, "As soon as I start to speak to you, why do you say my words have already fallen?"

The Master said, "You're the one who doesn't understand language—what falling is there?"

A monk asked, "All these many verbal explanations are just defensive talk—never have you pointed to any real Dharma for people."

The Master said, "The real Dharma is without distortion. The place where you ask is already self-generated distortion. What real Dharma are you looking for?"

The monk said, "Since my question arises from distortion, what about your answer?"

The Master said, "Take something and look at your own face—don't worry about others." Then he added, "You're just like a crazy dog: when it sees something move, it barks—even when the wind rustles the grass and trees, it makes no distinction."

He also said, "In this Zen school of mine, from the ancient transmission onward, we have never taught people to seek knowledge or understanding. Even saying 'study the Path' is already a concession to guide people. But the Path itself cannot be studied. If the thought of studying remains, you've already lost the Path. The Path has no location—it is called the Great Vehicle Mind. This mind is not inside, not outside, not in between—truly without location. Above all, do not make it into knowledge or interpretation. I only speak of the place where your emotional measuring occurs as the Path. When emotional measuring is exhausted, the mind has no location. This Path is naturally so—fundamentally without a name. Only because people of the world don't recognize it and remain lost in emotion do the Buddhas come forth to point this out. Fearing you might not understand, they provisionally established the name 'Path.' But you must not cling to the name and generate interpretations. Thus it's said: 'When you've caught the fish, forget the trap.' When body and mind are naturally at ease, you reach the Path. Recognizing the mind, you reach the source—therefore you are called a Shramana.

"The fruit of the Shramana is accomplished by ceasing mental agitation, not by learning. If you now use mind to seek mind, leaning on others' households, only trying to imitate and acquire—when will you ever gain anything? The ancients had sharp faculties. The moment they heard one phrase, they ended all study. That's why they're called 'those who have ended study, the effortless, the leisurely ones of the Path.' People today only want more knowledge, more interpretations—broadly seeking verbal meanings, calling that cultivation. They don't realize that abundant knowledge and interpretation becomes blockage. It's like feeding children only rich milk and cream—whether it digests or not, no one knows. All those who study the Three Vehicles are like this. They're all called 'those who cannot digest their food'—meaning their knowledge and interpretations are indigestible, all becoming poison. Everything is grasped within birth and death. In suchness, none of this exists. Therefore it's said: 'In the king's treasury, there is no such sword.'

"All the interpretations you've ever had must be cast off and emptied—that is the emptiness of the Tathāgatagarbha. The Tathāgatagarbha has not even a trace of dust in it. This is the Dharma King who breaks through existence appearing in the world. It's also said: 'At the feet of Dīpaṃkara Buddha, I obtained not a single Dharma.' This saying is merely to empty out your emotional understanding and intellectual measures. Just let them dissolve—when inner and outer emotions are exhausted, with nothing to cling to, you are a person of no business. The net of the Three Vehicles' teachings is just medicine administered according to conditions—provisional words spoken to fit the occasion, each different in its arrangement. But if you can clearly understand this, you won't be deceived. Above all, do not cling to words and form interpretations around any single teaching or mechanism. Why? Because truly there is no fixed Dharma that the Tathāgata can speak. This school of mine doesn't concern itself with such matters. Just know that when the mind is stilled, it's over—no need to think ahead or worry behind."

A monk asked, "From ancient times it's been said, 'This very mind is Buddha.' May I ask which mind is Buddha?"

The Master said, "How many minds do you have?"

The monk said, "Is the ordinary mind Buddha, or the sage's mind Buddha?"

The Master said, "Where is there an ordinary mind or a sage's mind?"

The monk said, "But right now the Three Vehicles speak of ordinary and sage—how can you say they don't exist?"

The Master said, "The Three Vehicles clearly tell you that the ordinary and sage mind is delusion. You don't understand, and instead cling to it as real. Taking emptiness as solidity—isn't that delusion? Because of delusion, you lose the mind. Just set aside the categories of ordinary feeling and sage states—outside the mind there is no other Buddha. When the Patriarchs came from the West, they directly pointed out that the whole of every person is Buddha. You don't recognize this now, but cling to ordinary, cling to sage, racing about outwardly—you delude your own mind. That's why I tell you: this very mind is Buddha. The moment a single thought of emotion arises, you fall into another realm. From beginningless time to this very day, there has been no separate Dharma—this is what's called 'perfectly enlightened, equal and right.'

The monk said, "What principle is this 'this very' that you speak of?"

The Master said, "What principle are you looking for? The moment there's a principle, the mind becomes something else."

The monk said, "You said earlier, 'From beginningless time to this very day, nothing is different.' How does that work?"

The Master said, "It's only because of seeking that you make yourself different from it. If you don't seek, where is there any difference?"

The monk said, "Since there's no difference, why even speak of 'this very'?"

The Master said, "If you didn't recognize ordinary and sage, who would tell you 'this very'? If 'this very' weren't needed, mind wouldn't be mind either. Once both 'this very' and 'mind' are forgotten, where else do you plan to search?"

A monk asked, "Delusion can obscure the self-mind. Now, by what means do we dispel delusion?"

The Master said, "Raising delusion to dispel delusion only creates more delusion. Delusion has no root—it exists only because of discrimination. Just don't calculate thoughts of ordinary or sage in either place, and naturally there is no delusion. If you try to think of how to expel it, you're already grasping. Have not a trace of clinging—that's called 'I abandon both arms and will surely attain Buddhahood.'"

The monk said, "If there's nothing to cling to, what then is transmitted?"

The Master said, "Mind transmits mind."

The monk said, "If mind transmits mind, why do you say mind is also nothing?"

The Master said, "Not obtaining a single Dharma—that is called transmitting the mind. If you understand this mind, it is precisely no-mind and no-Dharma."

The monk said, "If there's no mind and no Dharma, what is 'transmission'?"

The Master said, "When you hear 'transmitting the mind,' you imagine there's something to obtain. That's why the Patriarch said: 'When you recognize the nature of mind, you can speak of the inconceivable. Clearly understanding, nothing is obtained—when attained, it is not spoken as knowledge.' If this matter could be taught and learned, would that be worthy of it?"

A monk asked, "This empty space before my eyes—isn't it a sense object? Can't we see the mind by pointing to this object?"

The Master said, "What mind would have you see it on an object? Even if you did see it, it would just be a mind reflecting objects—like someone using a mirror to look at their face. You may see the features clearly, but in the end it's only an image. What does that have to do with you?"

The monk said, "If not through reflection, when would I ever see?"

The Master said, "If it depends on causes, you'll always need external things—when would it ever end? Haven't you heard him tell you: 'Let go—like you, not a single thing. In vain you chatter on with a thousand explanations.'"

The monk said, "If he recognizes it, then even reflection has nothing to see?"

The Master said, "If there's nothing there, what need is there to reflect? Don't talk nonsense with your eyes wide open."

上堂云。百種多知。不如無求最第一也。道人是無事人。實無許多般心。無事亦無。散去。問。如何是世諦。師云。說葛藤作什麼。本來清淨。何假言說問答。但無一切心。即名無漏智。汝每日行住坐臥。一切言語。但莫著有為法。出言瞬目盡同無漏。如今末法。向去多是學禪道者。皆著一切聲色。何不與我心心同虗空去。如枯木石頭去。如寒灰死火去。方有少分相應。若不如是。他日盡被閻老子拷你在。你但離却有無諸法。心如日輪常在虗空。光明自然不照而照。不是省力底事。到此之時。無棲泊處。即是行諸佛路。便是應無所住而生其心。此是你清淨法身。名為阿耨菩提。若不會此意。縱你學得多知。勤苦修行。草衣木食。不識自心。盡名邪行。定作天魔眷屬。如此修行。當復何益。故誌公云。佛本是自心作。那得向文字中求。假饒你學得三賢．四果．十地滿心。也只是在凡聖內坐。不見道。諸行無常。是生滅法。勢力盡。箭還墜。招得來生不如意。爭似無為實相門。一超直入如來地。為你不是與麼人。須要向古人建化門廣學知解。誌公云。不逢出世明師。枉服大乘法藥。你如今一切時中行住坐臥。但學無心。久久雖實。為你力量小。不能頓超。但得三年五年或十年。須得箇入處。自然會去。為汝不能如是。須要將心學禪學道。佛法有什麼交涉。故云。如來所說。皆為化人。如將黃葉為金。止小兒啼。決定不實。若有實得。非我宗門下客。且與你本體有甚交涉。故經云。實無少法可得名為阿耨菩提。若也會得此意。方知佛道魔道俱錯。本來清淨皎皎地。無方圓。無大小。無長短等相。無漏無為。無迷無悟。了了見。無一物。亦無人。亦無佛。大千沙界海中漚。一切聖賢如電拂。一切不如心真實。法身從古至今與佛祖一般。何處欠少一毫毛。既會如是意。大須努力。盡今生去。出息不保入息。問。六祖不會經書。何得傳衣為祖。秀上座是五百人首座。為教授師。講得三十二本經論。云何不傳衣。師云。為他有心。是有為法。所修所證。將為是也。所以五祖付六祖。六祖當時只是默契。得密授如來甚深意。所以付法與他。汝不見道。法本法無法。無法法亦法。今付無法時。法法何曾法。若會此意。方名出家兒。方好修行。若不信。云何明上座走來大庾嶺頭尋六祖。六祖便問。汝來求何事。為求衣。為求法。明上座云。不為衣來。但為法來。六祖云。汝且暫時斂念。善惡都莫思量。明上座乃稟言。六祖云。不思善。不思惡。正當與麼時。還我明上座父母未生時面目來。明上座於言下忽然默契。便禮拜云。如人飲水。冷暖自知。某甲在五祖會中。枉用三十年功夫。今日方知不是。六祖云。如是。到此之時。方知祖師西來。直指人心。見性成佛。不在言說。豈不見阿難問迦葉云。世尊傳金襴外。別傳何法。迦葉召阿難。阿難應諾。迦葉云。倒却門前剎竿著。此便是祖師之標牓也。甚生阿難三十年為侍者。只為多聞智慧。被佛呵云。汝千日學慧。不如一日學道。若不學道。滴水也難消。夫出家人。須知有從上來事分始得。且如四祖下牛頭。橫說豎說。猶未知向上關棙子。有此眼目。方辯得邪正宗黨。且當人事。宜不能體會得。但知學言語。念向皮袋裏安著。到處稱我會禪。還替得汝生死麼。輕忽老宿。入地獄如箭。我纔見汝入門來。便識得了也。還知麼。急須努力。莫容易事。持片衣口食。空過一生。明眼人笑汝。久後總被俗漢算將去在。宜自看遠近。是阿誰面上事。若會即便會。若不會即散去。珍重。問。如何是西來意。師便打。自餘施設皆被上機。中下之流莫窺涯涘。唐大中年。終於本山。諡斷際禪師。塔曰廣業。

The master addressed the assembly, saying: "All kinds of extensive knowledge are not as good as having no seeking—that is the foremost. A practitioner is one who has nothing to do. Genuinely, there aren't so many kinds of mind. Even 'nothing to do' doesn't exist. Disperse."

A monk asked: "What is worldly truth?"

The master said: "Why talk about meaningless entanglements? Originally everything is pure. What need is there for words, questions, and answers? Just have no mind of any kind—this is called unconditioned wisdom. In your daily activities—walking, standing, sitting, lying down, and all your speech—just don't attach to conditioned dharmas. Speech and blinking are entirely the same as unconditioned wisdom. Now, in this age of declining dharma, most who study the path of Chan attach to all kinds of sounds and forms. Why not let your mind be like empty space, like dry wood or dead ashes, like cold fire? Only then will you have a small measure of accord. If not, in the future the King of Death will interrogate you.

Just set aside all dharmas of existence and non-existence. Let your mind be like the sun wheel, always in empty space. Its light naturally shines without trying to shine. Isn't that an effortless matter? At this point, when there is no place to rest or abide, you are walking the path of all Buddhas. This is what is meant by 'give rise to that mind which abides nowhere.' This is your pure Dharmakāya, called Anuttara Bodhi. If you don't understand this, even if you learn much knowledge, practice diligently with hardship, wear grass clothing and eat only plants, if you don't recognize your own mind, it is all called deviant practice. You will surely become a follower of Māra's retinue. What benefit is there in such practice?

Thus, Master Zhi Gong said: 'The Buddha was originally made by your own mind. How could you seek him in words and texts?' Even if you master the three worthy stages, four fruits, and full attainment of the ten grounds, you're just sitting in the realm of ordinary beings and sages. Haven't you heard: 'All formations are impermanent—this is the dharma of birth and death. When the power is spent, the arrow falls back, bringing future lives of dissatisfaction.' How much better is the unconditioned gate of true suchness, directly leaping into the Tathāgata's ground. Because you are not that kind of person, you must broadly study knowledge and views through the ancient masters' establishment of teachings. Zhi Gong said: 'Without meeting a wise master who transcends the world, you waste the medicine of the Great Vehicle.'

Now, in all times, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, just learn to have no mind. Over time, even though it's genuine, because your strength is small, you cannot leap beyond suddenly. Just give it three years, five years, or ten years—you must find an entry point, and naturally you'll move forward. Because you cannot do this, you must use your mind to study Chan and study the path. What does the Buddha-dharma have to do with that? Thus it's said: 'Everything the Tathāgata spoke was to transform people, like using yellow leaves as gold to stop a child's crying.' Definitely not real. If there were something truly attained, such a person would not be a guest in our school. And what connection would that have with your original essence? Thus the sutra says: 'In truth, not a single dharma is obtained, and this is called Anuttara Bodhi.'

If you can understand this, you'll know that both the Buddha path and the Māra path are mistakes. Originally, it is clear and pure—no square or round, no big or small, no long or short. No leakage, no action. No delusion, no awakening. Seeing clearly—not even one thing exists. No person, no Buddha. The great thousand worlds are like bubbles in the sea. All sages and worthies are like lightning flashes. Nothing compares to the reality of mind. The Dharmakāya, from ancient times to now, is the same as all Buddhas and patriarchs. What is lacking by a single hair? Since you understand this, you must work hard for the rest of this life. Your exhalation does not guarantee your inhalation."

A monk asked: "The Sixth Patriarch didn't understand sutras. How did he receive the robe and become patriarch? Elder Xiu was the head of five hundred people, a teaching master who could lecture on thirty-two sutras and commentaries. Why didn't he receive the robe?"

The master said: "Because he had a mind. That is conditioned dharma. What he cultivated and realized, he considered correct. Therefore, the Fifth Patriarch transmitted to the Sixth Patriarch. At that time, the Sixth Patriarch merely silently understood and secretly received the Tathāgata's profound meaning. So the dharma was transmitted to him. Haven't you heard: 'The dharma originally has no dharma; no dharma is also dharma. Now when transmitting no-dharma, how could dharma ever have been dharma?' If you understand this, only then can you be called one who has left the home life, and only then can you truly practice.

If you don't believe, how was it that Ming Shangzuo came running to Dayu Ridge to find the Sixth Patriarch? The Sixth Patriarch asked: 'What have you come to seek—the robe or the dharma?' Ming Shangzuo said: 'I haven't come for the robe; I've only come for the dharma.' The Sixth Patriarch said: 'For a moment, collect your thoughts. Don't think about good or evil at all.' Ming Shangzuo followed his instruction. The Sixth Patriarch said: 'When not thinking good, not thinking evil, at that very moment, show me the face of Ming Shangzuo before his parents gave birth to him.' Ming Shangzuo was suddenly silently enlightened at these words. He bowed and said: 'Like a person drinking water, knowing cold and warmth himself. In the Fifth Patriarch's assembly, I wasted thirty years of effort. Only today do I realize I was wrong.' The Sixth Patriarch said: 'Exactly.' At this point, you realize that the patriarch who came from the West directly points to the human mind—seeing your nature and becoming Buddha does not depend on words.

Haven't you seen Ananda ask Mahakashyapa: 'Besides the gold robe the World-Honored One transmitted, what other dharma did he transmit?' Mahakashyapa called out: 'Ananda!' Ananda responded. Mahakashyapa said: 'Knock down the flagpole in front of the gate!' This is the patriarch's standard. How was it that Ananda served as attendant for thirty years, only because of his extensive learning and wisdom, and was scolded by the Buddha: 'You study wisdom for a thousand days, but it's better to study the path for one day. If you don't study the path, even a drop of water will be hard to digest.'

One who leaves home must know that there is something transmitted from ancient times. For example, under the Fourth Patriarch, Niutou could speak every which way, yet he still didn't understand the essential pivot. Only with this kind of eye can one distinguish true from false, the orthodox from the heretical. But those engaged in worldly matters cannot grasp this. They only know how to learn words, store them in their skin bag, and go around claiming 'I understand Chan.' Can that replace your birth and death? Treating elder masters lightly sends you to hell as fast as an arrow. The moment I see you enter the gate, I recognize you. Do you understand? You must urgently exert yourself. Don't take this lightly. Wearing a patch of cloth, depending on others for food, wasting your whole life—clear-eyed people will laugh at you. Sooner or later you'll be deceived by ordinary people. Better look to what is near and far—whose concern is it? If you understand, then understand. If not, disperse. Take care."

A monk asked: "What is the meaning of the Patriarch's coming from the West?" The master hit him.

Beyond these, his methods reached only those of highest capacity. Those of middle and lower capacity could not glimpse his depth.

In the Dazhong era of the Tang Dynasty, the master passed away at his mountain. He was given the posthumous title Chan Master Duanji (Severed Thought), and his stupa was named Guangye (Wide Activity).