失正究竟門
The Gate of the Perfection of Truth
此舉參無字者。學人見前尊宿說。把這無字貼在眼睛上。眼睛便是無字。無字便是眼睛。只恁麼看去學人領下無字。向長連床上端身正坐。揑定拳頭咬定牙關。瞠起兩眼看這無字。細則細如微塵。大則大如天地。或顯或隱認此為諦。當得力底工夫也○又聞學人謂師開發。僧問趙州。狗子還有佛性也無。州云無。師即令他提這無字。學人信得及。便即從此行也無坐也無。著衣喫飯也無。一切時中皆無。或緩或急。又自云。緩則一切時中不念自念。念得這無字活轆轆地。又云。若急念時念教一口氣盡方住。周而復始。亦如是念。以此為純熟工夫也。余嘗聞學人作如是說。誠恐有誤後人故。設二小喻。識者詳之。詳這緩念者。恰如永凌上擲豆子相似。任其所往無可羈絆。詳這急念者。渾似更鼓樓上發攂一般。一通聲絕又一通何所益耶。如前看無字者。與念無字者。這兩種工夫。四眾用心者甚多。如此說來好似一場戲話。深可惜哉○或有參萬法歸一一歸何處者。詢其來源諦當起疑處。便即支離亂說。或謂何處上起疑者。或謂一歸上起疑者。或兩句都念者。或單念下句者。學人各自主張一路而不改者。弗可曉也。
Bringing to mind the word "Nothing" for contemplation, I see that students, upon hearing previous masters teach, affix this word "Nothing" to their eyes. Their eyes become "Nothing," and "Nothing" becomes their eyes—they merely look at it in this way. Some students take up the word "Nothing," sit upright on the long meditation bench, clench their fists, grit their teeth, and glare at this "Nothing." They see it as fine as a speck of dust or vast as heaven and earth, sometimes appearing and sometimes disappearing, taking this as the truth and believing this to be the essence of their effort.
Furthermore, I hear that when students seek guidance from a master, citing the story of Zhaozhou, who when asked whether a dog has Buddha-nature replied "Nothing," the master instructs them to bring this "Nothing" to mind. If the student has faith, they then engage with it whether walking or sitting, dressing or eating—always with "Nothing," sometimes calmly, sometimes urgently. Some also say that with a relaxed pace, it recites itself without effort, making this "Nothing" lively and flowing. Others say that with an urgent recitation, they press until a single breath is exhausted, then start again, repeating in this way, considering this as mature practice.
I have often heard students describing their practice in this manner, and I fear this may mislead later generations. Therefore, I offer two small analogies for the discerning person to consider carefully.
Consider the gentle recitation: It is like tossing peas onto ice—they scatter freely, with nothing to hold onto. Consider the urgent recitation: It is like a watchman's drum on a city tower: one round of beats ends, and another begins—what benefit does it bring?
As for the approach of simply fixing one's gaze on "Nothing" and that of reciting "Nothing," many practitioners within the four assemblies follow these methods. Yet to describe them in this way is like a theatrical farce—what a great shame!
Alternatively, some contemplate the saying "All dharmas return to the One; where does the One return?" When asked about the origin and the exact place where doubt arises, their explanations are jumbled and incoherent. Some say the doubt arises on the word "where," some say on "the One returns," others recite both lines, and still others only the latter line. Each student stubbornly clings to a single path and refuses to change—this is truly beyond comprehension.