覺悟玄宗門
Awakening to the Mysterious Gate
若論此事。不在端坐無言處。不在刀耕火種處。不在持衣托鉢處。且道畢竟在甚麼處(良久云)是甚麼屲又是箇甚麼。學人於此理會不下。各將本參話頭依前所舉所疑。不必重述。只要話頭上會活弄。不可滯在一處。至於行住坐臥著衣喫飯搬柴運水大小便利語默動靜折𢭀俯仰迎賓待客苦樂逆順道在其中。須要自有方便始得。會做工夫底人。譬如慣蹴毬子者一般。著頭頭起。著肩肩起。著肘肘起。著手手起。著膝膝起。著足足起。蹩轉一脚踢過毬門輥上三十三天十八梵天四空天周而復始。無一處可收。無一處可著。何故蓋皆因他活轆轆地。所以三界收他不得。無心拘他不得。有如是妙用如是自在如是安樂。又何況三界拘收他不得。盡十方虛空微塵國土亦拘收他不得任。性往來得無罣礙。學人且道。那箇是毬子。那箇是蹴毬底人。會麼會麼。且住且住。若逢阿逸多親蒙得授記。設此一喻學人悟得及否。夫信與不信皆出汝心不信而信如鏡照鏡。心鏡俱亡何勞念靜。棄有著空執法成病。百法十玄千經萬論。誘引學人皆歸十信。誠信實信成佛有分。行解相應潭澄月映。信性自心信心自性。性本自心本心自性。心性如如自信自敬。
Regarding this matter, it is not found in sitting silently, nor in the humble labor of farming, nor in holding the bowl for alms. So where, after all, is it? (After a long pause) What is this? What is it again? Students cannot grasp this. Each of you should take your own meditation topic—the doubt you raised earlier—without repeating it. Just focus on your meditation topic and keep it alive; do not get stuck in one place. Whether walking, standing, sitting, lying down, dressing, eating, carrying firewood, fetching water, using the toilet, speaking or staying silent, moving or still, bending or stretching, bowing or looking up, receiving guests or entertaining visitors, through joy and sorrow, ease and adversity—the Way is within all of it. You must find your own skillful means to realize this.
Those who know how to practice are like skilled ball players. When the ball touches the head, it bounces from the head; touches the shoulder, bounces from the shoulder; touches the elbow, bounces from the elbow; touches the hand, bounces from the hand; touches the knee, bounces from the knee; touches the foot, bounces from the foot. With a twist, they kick it through the goal, rolling up to the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Eighteen Brahma Heavens, the Four Formless Heavens, cycling endlessly. There is no place to catch it, no place to hold it. Why? Because it is completely alive and rolling. Thus, the Three Realms cannot contain it, and no idle thoughts can bind it. Such is its wondrous function, such freedom, such peace. How much more so—the Three Realms cannot seize it, and even the entire ten directions of space and countless worlds cannot confine it. It comes and goes freely without any obstruction.
Students, tell me: which one is the ball? Who is the one kicking it? Do you understand? Do you understand? Wait, hold on. If you meet Ajita, you will personally receive the prophecy of enlightenment. With this metaphor, can students awaken? Faith or no faith—both arise from your own mind. To believe without believing is like a mirror reflecting a mirror. When the mind and mirror both vanish, what need is there to labor over stillness? Abandoning existence and clinging to emptiness, grasping at doctrines—these become illnesses. The hundred dharmas, the ten mysteries, the thousand scriptures, the ten thousand treatises—all guide students to the ten faiths. With sincere faith and true trust, attaining Buddhahood is possible. Practice and understanding in harmony—like a clear pool reflecting the moon. Trust in the mind itself; trust in the nature of mind. The nature is originally the mind; the original mind is the nature. Mind and nature are thus—trust yourself and honor yourself.