14
14
一
One
緣門問曰、我不知、云何名為仏、云何名為道、云何名變化、云何名常住。
Yuanmen asked: I do not understand. What is meant by "Buddha"? What is meant by "the Path to Cessation"? What is meant by "transformation"? What is meant by "abiding permanently"?
入理答曰、覚了無物、謂之仏、通彼一切、謂之道。法界出生為變化、究竟寂滅為常住。
Answering the truth: to awaken and realize that nothing truly exists is called Buddha; to penetrate all things is called the Path. The arising of all phenomena in the world is transformation; ultimate stillness and cessation is the eternal.
二
Second.
問曰、云何名一切法悉是仏法。
Question: What does it mean that all things are the Buddha-Dharma?
答曰、非法非非法、是一切仏法也。
He replied: neither Dharma nor non-Dharma—this is all the Buddhadharma.
三
Three
問曰、何名為法、何名非法、何名非法非非法也。
Question: What is called Dharma, what is called non-Dharma, and what is called neither Dharma nor non-Dharma?
答曰、是法名是法、非法名非法。是非非所量、故名非法非非法。
The Dharma is called Dharma, and what is not the Dharma is called not-Dharma. Right and wrong cannot be measured, so it is called neither Dharma nor not-Dharma.
四
Four
問曰、此說誰証。
Someone asked: Who can confirm this teaching?
答曰、此說非誰、云何言証。
He replied, "This teaching belongs to no one. How can you speak of verifying it?"
五
Five
問曰、無誰何說。
Question: Who is speaking, and to whom?
答曰、無誰無說、即是正說。
He answered: Without anyone speaking, without any words—that is true teaching.
六
Six
問曰、何名邪說。
Question: What is called false teaching?
答曰、計有說者。
He answered: There are indeed those who teach this.
七
Seven
問曰、是誰之計、云何無計。
A questioner asks: Whose plan is this, and how can there be no plan?
答曰、計者但語。語中無語、計者亦無。
He replied: "The one who calculates is merely words. Within words there are no words, and the one who calculates does not exist either."
八
Eight
問曰、若此說者、即一切眾生本來解脫。
Question: If that is the case, then all living beings are inherently liberated from the very beginning.
答曰、尚無繫縛、何有解脫人。
He replied: If there is no bondage to begin with, how could there be anyone to be liberated?
九
Chapter 9
問曰、此法何名。
Question: What is the name of this Dharma?
答曰、尚無有法、何況有名。
He replied: There is not even any Dharma, let alone a name for it.
一〇
Ten
問曰、若此說者、我転不解。
Question: If that is what you're saying, then I'm only more confused.
答曰、実無解法、汝勿求解。
He replied, "Truly, there is no way to understand it. Do not seek to understand it."
一一
One by one.
問曰、云何究竟。
Question: What is the ultimate meaning?
答曰、無始終。
The answer is: without beginning or end.
一二
One or two.
問曰、可無因果耶。
Question: Can there be no cause and effect?
答曰、無本即無末。
The answer is: without a root, there is no tip.
一三
Thirteen
問曰、云何說証。
Question: How is realization explained?
答曰、真実無証說。
The answer is: ultimate truth cannot be described or proven.
一四
One Four
問曰、云何知見。
Question: How should we understand and see this?
答曰、知一切法如、見一切法等。
He replied: Knowing all dharmas as they truly are, and seeing all dharmas as equal.
一五
Chapter 15
問曰、何心之知、何目之見。
Question: With what mind do you know, and with what eyes do you see?
答曰、無知之知、無見之見。
He replied: the knowing that does not know, the seeing that does not see.
一六
Chapter 16
問曰、誰說是言。
Question: Who said these words?
答曰、如我所問。
He replied, "It is as I have asked."
一七
Seventh Day
問曰、云何如我所問。
Question: How does this match what I asked?
答曰、汝自觀問、答亦可知。
He replied: If you look into your own question, the answer will also become clear.
一八
Eighteen
於是緣門再思再審、寂然無言也。
Thus, through the gateway of conditions, one reflects again and again, until one arrives at silent stillness beyond words.
入理先生乃問曰、汝何以不言。
Mr. Ruli then asked, "Why do you say nothing?"
緣門答曰、我不見一法如微塵許而可對說。
Yuanmen replied: I do not see even a speck of dust's worth of any Dharma that can be spoken of in opposition.
爾時入理先生即語緣門曰、汝今似見真実理也。
At that time, Mr. Ruli said to Yuanmen, "You now seem to have seen the true principle."