13
Sutra 13
一
One
緣門問曰、我見有学道人、不多專精持戒、護威儀不慇懃、不化眾生、騰騰任運者、何意也。
A student asked: "Why is it that among practitioners of the Way, I see many who are not wholly devoted to upholding precepts, not diligent in deportment, do not teach sentient beings, and seem aimlessly drifting through life?"
答曰、欲亡一切分別心、欲滅一切諸有見。雖似騰騰任運、而內行無間。
Answer: It is to let go of all discriminating thoughts and to extinguish all views that cling to existence. Though it may appear carefree and spontaneous, inwardly, the practice is continuous without interruption.
二
Second.
問曰、如此行者、乃更生他小兒之見、云何言能滅見也。
Someone may ask: "One who practices in this way is actually generating the view of a 'small child' (attachment to concepts). How can this be said to eliminate views?"
答曰、但滅汝見、何慮他生。譬如魚脫深淵。何慮捕者嫌爾。
The answer is thus: Merely extinguish your own attachments. Why worry about others' opinions or existence? It is like a fish escaping from a deep abyss. Why fear whether the fisherman might disapprove of you?
三
Three
問曰、若此者、即是自益損他、何名大士。
Question: If this is the case, then benefiting oneself comes at the cost of harming others—how can such a person be called a great being?
答曰、汝見若不生、彼即不生。汝今玄慮他生、乃是自生、非他生也。
Answer: If you see that [thought of] non-arising does not arise, then it is already unborn. Right now, you are speculating far-off about the arising of others—this is only your own mind's arising, not the arising of anything else.
四
Four
問曰、內通大理、外現小儀。於法何損。
Question: If someone inwardly understands the great truth but outwardly displays only minor conduct, how does that harm the Dharma?
答曰、汝今強欲要他大老子、作小兒戯。於理何益。
He replied: You are forcing me, an old fellow, to put on a childish show. What good does that do for understanding the truth?
五
Five
問曰、如是滅見大士、何人能識、何人能知也。
Question: Who can recognize and who can understand the Cessation of Suffering, a great being who sees it thus?
答曰、証者乃知、行者能識。
The one who has realized it knows; the one who practices it understands.
六
Six
問曰、如此大士、亦能化生不。
Question: Can such a great being also be born through transformation?
答曰、何有日月不照、灯舉不明。
He replied: How could it be that the sun and moon do not shine, or that a lamp, once lit, gives no light?
七
Seven
問曰、作何方便。
Question: What method should be used?
答曰、正直無方便。
He replied, "Upright and straightforward, without clever tricks.
八
Eight
問曰、若無方便、云何利益。
Question: If there are no skillful means, how can there be benefit?
答曰、物來而名、事至而応。無心計校、有預算之緣。
They replied: When things come, we name them; when events arise, we respond to them. With no calculating mind, there is still the condition of forethought.
九
Chapter 9
問曰、我聞如來七日思惟、起乎方便。云何而言無有計校之心。
Question: I have heard that the Tathagata reflected for seven days before setting forth skillful means. How can you say he had no calculating mind?
答曰、諸仏境界、非思量覚観所知。
They answered: The realm of the Buddhas cannot be known through thinking, reasoning, or intellectual understanding.
一〇
Ten
問曰、仏豈妄語耶。
Question: Would the Buddha speak falsely?
答曰、真実非虛妄。
The answer is: it is true and not false.
一一
One by one.
問曰、云何經說思惟、今言不思惟。
Question: Why do the scriptures speak of contemplation, while you now speak of non-contemplation?
答曰、化門方便也。
The answer is: the skillful means of the teaching.
一二
One or two.
問曰、諸仏方便從何而生。
The question asked: "From where do the skillful means of all Buddhas arise?"
答曰、諸仏不生、但從心生。緣化万有、法本無名。
Reply: All buddhas are not born; they merely arise from the mind. Conditions transform the myriad existences, but the Dharma itself is inherently nameless.