達摩多羅禪經卷上
Damo Duoluo Chan Jing, Volume 1
東晉天竺三藏佛陀跋陀羅譯
Translated by the Tripitaka Master Buddhabhadra of Tianzhu during the Eastern Jin Dynasty
夫三業之興，以禪智為宗，雖精麁異分而階藉有方，是故發軫分逵塗無亂𨅊，革俗成務功不待積；靜復所由，則幽詣造微，淵博難究。然理不云昧，庶旨統可尋。試略而言：禪非智無以窮其寂，智非禪無以深其照。然則禪智之要，照、寂之謂，其相濟也。照不離寂，寂不離照；感則俱遊，應必同趣。功玄於在用，交養於萬法。其妙物也，運群動以至一而不有，廓大像於未形而不無，無思無為而無不為。是故洗心靜亂者，以之研慮；悟徹入微者，以之窮神也。
若乃將入其門，機在攝會，理玄數廣，道隱於文。則是阿難曲承音詔，遇非其人，必藏之靈府。何者？心無常規，其變多方；數無定像，待感而應。是故化行天竺，緘之有匠；幽關莫闢，罕闚其庭。從此而觀，理有行藏，道不虛授，良有以矣。
Now, as one prepares to enter the gate, the key lies in grasping the moment of convergence. The principle is profound, its aspects are vast, and the Way lies hidden within the written words. Thus, Ananda personally received the Buddha's teachings; but if the listener is not the right person, those teachings will surely be concealed within the secret treasury of the mind. Why is this? The mind has no fixed pattern—its changes are many. The Dharma has no fixed form either; it responds only when conditions stir. Therefore, when the Dharma spread in India, it was sealed within the care of a qualified teacher. Without such a master, the deep gate remains unopened, and few can even glimpse its courtyard. From this perspective, the truths are sometimes revealed, sometimes hidden; the Way is not imparted without fitting recipients. This is truly the reason.
如來泥曰未久，阿難傳其共行弟子末田地，末田地傳舍那婆斯。此三應真咸乘至願，冥契于昔，功在言外；經所不辯，必闇䡄無匠，孱焉無差。其後有優波崛，弱而超悟，智紹世表，才高應寡，觸理從簡。八萬法藏，所存唯要；五部之分，始自於此。因斯而推，固知形運以廢興自兆，神用則幽步無跡。妙動難尋，涉麁生異，可不慎乎？可不察乎？
After the Tathagata entered nirvana, Ananda transmitted the teachings to his fellow disciple Madhyantika, who then passed them on to Sanakavāsa. These three Arhats, all driven by their great vows, were in silent accord with the ancient teachings. Their merit lay beyond words; what the scriptures do not clarify, they followed without a master, yet without any deviation.
Later came Upagupta, who, though young, was exceptionally enlightened. His wisdom surpassed the world, yet his talent stood above the crowd, leaving few who could match him. He approached all principles with simplicity. Of the eighty-four thousand Dharma treasuries, he preserved only what was essential. The division into five schools originated with him.
From this we can deduce that forms and conditions rise and fall of their own accord, while the function of the spirit moves silently without a trace. The subtle workings of reality are difficult to grasp; when we approach them through coarse understanding, differences arise. Should we not be cautious? Should we not examine this deeply?
自茲已來，感於事變，懷其舊典者，五部之學，並有其人。咸懼大法將頹，理深其慨，遂各述讚禪經，以隆盛業。其為教也，無數方便，以求寂然；寂乎唯寂，其揆一耳。而尋條求根者眾，統本運末者寡；或將暨而不至，或守方而未變。是故經稱滿願之德，高普事之風，原夫聖旨，非徒全其長，亦所以救其短。若然，五部殊業，存乎其人。人不經世，道或隆替，廢興有時，則互相昇降。小大之目，其可定乎？又達節善變，出處無際；晦名寄跡，無聞無示。若斯人者，復不可以名部。分既非名，部之所分亦不出乎其外，別有宗明矣！
From that time onward, moved by changing circumstances yet cherishing the ancient teachings, the five schools each had their own adherents. All feared that the great Dharma was on the verge of decline, and with deep concern, they each composed commentaries on meditation scriptures to uphold and expand the sacred tradition. Their teachings employed countless skillful means to guide practitioners toward serene stillness; yet the essence of stillness—the core principle—remains one and the same. However, there are many who trace branches seeking roots, and few who grasp the root to master the branches. Some strive but never reach the goal; others cling to methods without adapting. That is why the sutras praise the virtue of fulfilling vows and extol the spirit of universal service. Looking into the original intent of the sages, it is clear they sought not only to preserve strengths but also to remedy weaknesses. Thus, though the five schools differed in their approaches, the outcome depended on the individual practitioner. As people age and pass, the Way may rise or decline. Cycles of flourishing and decay mean each school takes turns ascending or descending. Can we ever definitively judge which is great and which is small? Moreover, those who fully understand the art of adaptation and wise discernment move freely between positions, without boundaries. They conceal their fame and hide their traces, neither seeking recognition nor teaching. Such people cannot simply be categorized under any school. And yet, though they are not assigned to a specific school, they are not entirely outside it either—there is clearly a distinct path for them!
每慨大教東流，禪數尤寡，三業無統，斯道殆廢。頃鳩摩耆婆宣馬鳴所述，乃有此業；雖其道未融，蓋是為山於一蕢。欣時來之有遇，感奇趣於若人，捨夫制勝之論，而順不言之辯，遂誓被僧那至寂為己任，懷德未忘，故遺訓在茲。其為要也，圖大成於未象，開微言而崇體；悟惑色之悖德，杜六門以寢患；達忿競之傷性，齊彼我以宅心。於是異族同氣，幻形造跡；入深緣起，見生死際。爾乃闢九關於龍津，超三忍以登位；垢習凝於無生，形累畢於神化。故曰無所從生，靡所不生，於諸所生，而無所生。
I have often lamented that since the Great Dharma spread eastward, the practice of Chan and the systematic exposition of Buddhist teachings have been particularly scarce. With no unified guidance for the three kinds of karma (body, speech, and mind), this path seemed nearly abandoned. Recently, Kumarajiva has presented the writings of Asvaghosha, and thus this practice has emerged. Though this path is not yet fully integrated, it is like the first basket of earth in building a mountain—a promising beginning.
I rejoice that timely encounters are possible, and I am deeply moved by the extraordinary insights of this person. Setting aside arguments for victory in debate, I instead embrace the wisdom of wordless discourse. I have thus vowed to take up the great task, making supreme stillness my own responsibility. With virtue ever in mind, these enduring teachings remain as guidelines.
The essence of this teaching is to envision great perfection beyond conventional forms, to disclose profound meanings while honoring the underlying principle. It awakens us to how attachment to sensory pleasures goes against virtue, and teaches us to block the six sense doors to pacify afflictions. It reveals how anger and contention harm our true nature, and guides us to equalize self and other, settling the mind accordingly.
Thus, beings of different backgrounds become united in spirit; illusory forms create tangible practices. By entering deeply into dependent origination, we see the bounds of birth and death. Then, we open the nine barriers at the Dragon Gate, transcend the three kinds of patience, and reach the stage of enlightenment. The defilements of habit solidify into non-arising; the burden of form ends in spiritual transformation. Hence it is said: From no origin arises, yet nothing fails to arise. Amid all that arises, there is nothing that truly arises.
今之所譯，出自達摩多羅與佛大先。其人西域之俊，禪訓之宗；搜集經要，勸發大乘。弘教不同，故有詳略之異。達摩多羅闔眾篇於同道，開一色為恒沙。其為觀也，明起不以生，滅不以盡，雖往復無際，而未始出於如。故曰：「色不離如，如不離色；色則是如，如則是色。」佛大先以為澄源引流，固宜有漸，是以始自二道，開甘露門；釋四義以反迷，啟歸塗以領會。分別陰界，導以正觀；暢散緣起，使優劣自辯。然後令原始反終，妙尋其極。其極非盡，亦非所盡，乃曰無盡，入于如來無盡法門。非夫道冠三乘，智通十地，孰能洞玄根於法身，歸宗一於無相，靜無遺照，動不離寂者哉！
This translation was created by Dharmatrāta and Buddhasena. These two were masters from the Western Regions, authorities on the teachings of meditation. They gathered the essential scriptures and devoted themselves to promoting the Great Vehicle. Since the ways they taught the Dharma differed, there are variations in detail between them.
Dharmatrāta united all the teachings within the same path, opening up "one form" to reveal countless manifestations. In his contemplation, he clarifies that arising does not mean being truly born, and ceasing does not mean truly ending. Even though appearances come and go without limit, they never depart from Thusness. Therefore he says: “Form is not separate from Thusness; Thusness is not separate from form. Form itself is Thusness; Thusness itself is form.”
Buddhasena, on the other hand, believed that to clarify the source and guide the stream, gradual steps are necessary. Thus he begins with the two paths, opening the gate to the sweet dew of Dharma. He explains the four meanings to reverse delusion, and points the way home to lead people to understanding. He distinguishes the aggregates and sense-fields, guiding with right contemplation. He clarifies the chain of dependent arising, so that good and bad are naturally distinguished. Then he causes practitioners to trace back from beginning to end and skillfully seek the ultimate. This ultimate is not the end of existence, nor is it something that has an end. It is called the Inexhaustible—entry into the Tathāgata’s Door of Inexhaustible Teachings.
Unless one’s virtue transcends the Three Vehicles and one’s wisdom penetrates the Ten Stages, who could penetrate the profound root within the Dharma Body, return the manifold to unity in the Formless, remain still yet leave nothing unsurveyed, or act without leaving the state of stillness?
庾伽遮羅浮迷，譯言修行道地。
Yuga Zala Fumi translates to "The Ground of the Path of Practice."