Name: Huangbo Duanji Chan Master Wanling Record · Volume 1 · Huangbo Duanji Chan Master's Wanling Record I (黄檗断际禅师宛陵录 · 第一)
Author: 裴休集

About 黃檗斷際禪師宛陵錄

4,535 · about 15 min

The Huangbo Duanji Chan Master's Wanling Record is a collection of sayings by the Tang dynasty eminent monk Chan Master Huangbo Xiyun, compiled by the chancellor Pei Xiu. This work records dialogues between Chan Master Huangbo and his disciples, elucidating the Chan school's sudden enlightenment philosophy. It emphasizes directly pointing to the human mind, seeing one's true nature, and attaining Buddhahood, making it one of the important texts of the Chan tradition. Chan Master Huangbo inherited the Southern school's Chan teachings, advocating for not relying on written words and transmitting beyond the teachings, which profoundly influenced the later Linji school. The language in this book is sharp and its thought profound, embodying the essence of Tang dynasty Chan. It holds a revered position in Buddhist history and serves as a key text for studying the development of Chan thought.

問心既本來是佛。還修六度萬行否。師云。悟在於心。非關六度萬行。六度萬行盡是化門接物度生邊事。設使菩提真如實際解脫法身。直至十地四果聖位。盡是度門。非關佛心。心即是佛。所以一切諸度門中佛心第一。但無生死煩惱等心。即不用菩提等法。所以道。佛說一切法。度我一切心。我無一切心。何用一切法。從佛至祖。並不論別事。唯論一心。亦云一乘。所以十方諦求更無餘乘。此眾無枝葉。唯有諸貞實。所以此意難信。達摩來此土。至梁魏二國。秖有可大師一人。密信自心。言下便會。即心是佛。身心俱無。是名大道。大道本來平等。所以深信含生同一真性。心性不異。即性即心。心不異性。名之為祖。所以云。認得心性時。可說不思議。

Since the mind is originally Buddha, is there still a need to cultivate the six perfections and the myriad practices?

The Master said: Awakening resides within the mind; it is not connected to the six perfections and the myriad practices. The six perfections and the myriad practices are all expedient means, activities for guiding beings and helping them across. Even if we speak of Bodhi, True Suchness, Ultimate Reality, Liberation, or the Dharma Body, all the way to the Ten Grounds and the Four Fruitions of the sage stages—these are all gates for crossing over; they are not connected to the Buddha-mind. The mind itself is Buddha. Therefore, among all the various gates for crossing over, the Buddha-mind is foremost.

If you simply have no mind of birth-and-death, afflictions, and so on, then you have no use for teachings like Bodhi. Therefore it is said: "The Buddha taught all dharmas to cross over all my minds. I have no such minds; what use are all dharmas?"

From the Buddha down to the Patriarchs, none have discussed other matters. They only discuss the One Mind, which is also called the One Vehicle. Therefore, seeking carefully throughout the ten directions, there is no other vehicle. "In this assembly, there are no branches or leaves; only the true and real." For this reason, this meaning is difficult to believe.

When Bodhidharma came to this land, reaching the states of Liang and Wei, there was only Great Master Ke who alone secretly trusted his own mind. Upon hearing the words, he immediately understood: "This very mind is Buddha; body and mind are both absent—this is called the Great Way."

The Great Way is originally equal and impartial. Therefore, he deeply believed that all sentient beings share the same true nature. Mind and nature are not different; nature is mind, and mind is not different from nature. One who realizes this is called a Patriarch.

Therefore it is said: "When you recognize mind and nature, you can speak of the inconceivable."

問佛度眾生否。師云。實無眾生如來度者。我尚不可得。非我何可得。佛與眾生皆不可得。云現有三十二相及度眾生。何得言無。師云。凡所有相皆是虛妄。若見諸相非相。即見如來。佛與眾生盡是汝作妄見。只為不識本心。謾作見解。纔作佛見便被佛障。作眾生見被眾生障。作凡作聖作淨作穢等見。盡成其障。障汝心故總成輪轉。猶如獼猴放一捉一無有歇期。一等是學。直須無學。無凡無聖。無淨無垢。無大無小。無漏無為。如是一心中。方便勤莊嚴。聽汝學得三乘十二分教。一切見解總須捨却。所以除去所有。唯置一床寢疾而臥。秖是不起諸見。無一法可得。不被法障。透脫三界凡聖境域。始得名為出世佛。所以云。稽首如空無所依出過外道。心既不異。法亦不異。心既無為法亦無為。萬法盡由心變。所以我心空故諸法空。千品萬類悉皆同。盡十方空界同一心體。心本不異法亦不異。秖為汝見解不同。所以差別。譬如諸天共寶器食隨其福德飯色有異。十方諸佛實無少法可得。名為阿耨菩提。秖是一心實無異相。亦無光彩。亦無勝負。無勝故無佛相。無負故無眾生相。云心既無相。豈得全無三十二相八十種好化度眾生耶。師云。三十二相屬相。凡所有相皆是虛妄。八十種好屬色。若以色見我。是人行邪道。不能見如來。

Someone asked, "Does the Buddha liberate sentient beings?"

The master said, "In reality, there are no sentient beings for the Tathagata to liberate. Even 'I' cannot be grasped, so how could what is 'not-I' be grasped? Both 'Buddha' and 'sentient beings' are ultimately ungraspable."

The questioner said, "But we see the thirty-two auspicious marks and the act of liberating beings. How can you say there is nothing?"

The master said, "All forms are illusory. If you see all forms as not-forms, then you see the Tathagata. Both 'Buddha' and 'sentient beings' are creations of your own deluded perception. It is simply because you do not recognize your original mind that you hastily form these views. The moment you form a 'Buddha' view, you are obstructed by Buddha. Form a 'sentient being' view, and you are obstructed by sentient beings. Views of ordinary or sage, pure or defiled—all become obstructions. Because they obstruct your mind, they perpetuate the cycle of rebirth. It is like a monkey, letting go of one thing only to grab another, never ceasing. All such learning is the same. You must directly arrive at 'non-learning.' No ordinary, no sage. No purity, no defilement. No great, no small. No conditioned, no unconditioned. In such a unified mind, diligently apply skillful means.

Even if you study all the teachings of the Three Vehicles and the twelve divisions of the canon, you must ultimately discard all views. Therefore, remove everything, leaving only a single bed to lie on in illness. This is simply not giving rise to any views, not grasping a single dharma, not being obstructed by any dharma. Only by penetrating through the realms of the three worlds, the domains of ordinary beings and sages, can you be called a Buddha who has transcended the world.

Thus it is said: 'I bow to that which is like space, without reliance, surpassing all external paths.' Since the mind is not different, the dharmas are not different. Since the mind is unconditioned, the dharmas are unconditioned. All dharmas arise from the transformations of the mind. Therefore, because my mind is empty, all dharmas are empty. The thousands of categories and myriads of kinds are all the same. Throughout the ten directions, the entire empty cosmos is of one mind-essence. The mind is fundamentally not different, so the dharmas are not different. It is only because your views and interpretations differ that distinctions appear. It is like many gods sharing food from a single precious vessel; the color of the rice differs according to their individual merit.

The Buddhas of the ten directions truly have not gained even the slightest dharma. This is called 'Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi' (Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment). It is simply the One Mind, with truly no different characteristics. It has no radiance, and no contest. Because there is no contest to win, there is no 'Buddha' form. Because there is no contest to lose, there is no 'sentient being' form."

The questioner said, "If the mind is formless, how can we not deny the thirty-two marks, the eighty excellent characteristics, and the act of teaching and transforming beings?"

The master said, "The thirty-two marks belong to 'form.' All forms are illusory. The eighty excellent characteristics belong to 'appearance.' If you try to see me through form and appearance, that person is practicing a mistaken path and cannot see the Tathagata."

問。無邊身菩薩。為什麼不見如來頂相。師云。實無可見。何以故。無邊身菩薩便是如來。不應更見。秖教爾不作佛見不落佛邊。不作眾生見不落眾生邊。不作有見不落有邊。不作無見不落無邊。不作凡見不落凡邊。不作聖見不落聖邊。但無諸見即是無邊身。若有見處即名外道。外道者樂於諸見。菩薩於諸見而不動。如來者即諸法如義。所以云。彌勒亦如也。眾聖賢亦如也。如即無生。如即無滅。如即無見。如即無聞。如來頂即是圓見。亦無圓見故不落圓邊。所以佛身無為不墮諸數。權以虛空為喻。圓同太虛無欠無餘。等閑無事莫強辯他境。辯著便成識。所以云。圓成沈識海。流轉若飄蓬。秖道我知也學得也契悟也解脫也有道理也。強處即如意。弱處即不如意。似者箇見解有什麼用處。我向汝道。等閑無事莫謾用心。不用求真。唯須息見。所以內見外見俱錯。佛道魔道俱惡。所以文殊暫起二見。貶向二鐵圍山。文殊即實智。普賢即權智。權實相對治究竟亦無權實。唯是一心。心且不佛不眾生無有異見。纔有佛見便作眾生見。有見無見常見斷見。便成二鐵圍山。被見障故。祖師直指一切眾生本心。本體本來是佛。不假修成。不屬漸次。不是明暗。不是明故無明。不是暗故無暗。所以無無明亦無無明盡。入我此宗門。切須在意如此。見得名之為法。見法故名之為佛。佛法俱無。名之為僧。喚作無為僧。亦名一體三寶。夫求法者。不著佛求。不著法求。不著眾求。應無所求。不著佛求故無佛。不著法求故無法。不著眾求故無僧。

Question: Why could the Bodhisattva of Boundless Body not see the crown of the Tathagata? The Master said: In truth, there is nothing to see. Why? Because the Bodhisattva of Boundless Body is the Tathagata himself—how could he see himself? It is simply to teach you not to hold a Buddha-view and thus not fall into the side of Buddha; not to hold a sentient-being-view and thus not fall into the side of sentient beings; not to hold a view of existence and thus not fall into the side of existence; not to hold a view of non-existence and thus not fall into the side of non-existence; not to hold a worldly view and thus not fall into the worldly side; not to hold a sage-view and thus not fall into the sage side.

When all views are absent, that is the Boundless Body. If there is any place for views, it is called an external path. Those on external paths delight in views, while a bodhisattva remains unmoved amid all views. The Tathagata is the suchness of all dharmas. Thus it is said: Maitreya is also suchness; all sages and worthies are also suchness. Suchness is unarisen; suchness is unceasing; suchness is unseen; suchness is unheard.

The crown of the Tathagata is perfect seeing, yet there is no perfect seeing, therefore it does not fall into the side of perfection. Thus the Buddha’s body is unconditioned and does not belong to any category. Provisionally, emptiness is used as a metaphor—perfect like great space, neither lacking nor exceeding. In ordinary idleness, do not forcefully argue about other realms. Arguing gives rise to discrimination. Therefore it is said: Perfect completion sinks into the ocean of consciousness; drifting and turning like floating weeds.

If you merely say, “I know,” “I have learned,” “I have realized,” “I am liberated,” “I have the truth,” then when strong, things go as you wish; when weak, they do not. What use is such an understanding? I tell you: In ordinary idleness, do not casually strain your mind. Do not seek truth—only cease views.

Thus, inward views and outward views are both mistaken; Buddha’s way and demon’s way are both harmful. Therefore, when Manjushri momentarily gave rise to dual views, he was banished to the two iron-ring mountains. Manjushri represents wisdom of reality; Samantabhadra represents wisdom of skillful means. When reality and skillful means are set against each other, ultimately there is neither reality nor skillful means—only the One Mind.

This mind is not Buddha, not sentient beings, and holds no different views. The moment a Buddha-view arises, a sentient-being-view appears. Views of existence, non-existence, permanence, or annihilation then form the two iron-ring mountains, obstructed by views.

The Patriarchs directly point out that the original mind, the original essence of all sentient beings, is Buddha from the beginning—not attained through cultivation, not belonging to gradual stages, not brightness or darkness. Not being brightness, there is no brightness; not being darkness, there is no darkness. Thus there is no ignorance, nor any end of ignorance.

Entering this school, you must be attentive in this way. Seeing this is called Dharma; seeing the Dharma is called Buddha. When both Buddha and Dharma are absent, it is called Sangha—the unconditioned Sangha, also known as the Triune Treasure of One Essence.

Those who seek the Dharma should not cling to Buddha in seeking, not cling to Dharma in seeking, not cling to Sangha in seeking. They should seek nothing. Not clinging to Buddha in seeking, there is no Buddha; not clinging to Dharma in seeking, there is no Dharma; not clinging to Sangha in seeking, there is no Sangha.

問。何者是佛。師云。汝心是佛。佛即是心。心佛不異。故云即心是佛。若離於心別更無佛。云若自心是佛。祖師西來如何傳授。師云。祖師西來唯傳心佛。直指汝等心本來是佛。心心不異故名為祖。若直下見此意。即頓超三乘一切諸位。本來是佛不假修成。云若如此。十方諸佛出世說於何法。師云。十方諸佛出世。秖共說一心法。所以佛密付與摩訶大迦葉。此一心法體。盡虛空遍法界。名為諸佛理論。這個法豈是汝於言句上解得他。亦不是於一機一境上見得他。此意唯是默契得。這一門名為無為法門。若欲會得但知無心。忽悟即得。若用心擬學取。即轉遠去。若無岐路心一切取捨心。心如木石。始有學道分。云如今現有種種妄念。何以言無。師云。妄本無體。即是汝心所起。汝若識心是佛。心本無妄。那得起心更認於妄。汝若不生心動念。自然無妄。所以云。心生則種種法生。心滅則種種法滅。云今正妄念起時。佛在何處。師云。汝今覺妄起時。覺正是佛。可中若無妄念佛亦無。何故如此。為汝起心作佛見。便謂有佛可成。作眾生見。便謂有眾生可度。起心動念總是汝見處。若無一切見。佛有何處所。如文殊纔起佛見便貶向二鐵圍山。云今正悟時。佛在何處。師云。問從何來。覺從何起。語默動靜一切聲色。盡是佛事。何處覓佛。不可更頭上安頭嘴上加嘴。但莫生異見。山是山水是水。僧是僧俗是俗。山河大地日月星辰。總不出汝心。三千世界都來是汝箇自己。何處有許多般。心外無法滿目青山。虛空世界皎皎地。無絲髮許與汝作見解。所以一切聲色是佛之慧目。法不孤起仗境方生。為物之故有其多智。終日說何曾說。終日聞何曾聞。所以釋迦四十九年說。未甞說著一字。云若如此。何處是菩提。師云。菩提無是處。佛亦不得菩提。眾生亦不失菩提。不可以身得。不可以心求。一切眾生即菩提相。云如何發菩提心。師云。菩提無所得。爾今但發無所得心。決定不得一法。即菩提心。菩提無住處。是故無有得者。故云。我於然燈佛所無有少法可得。佛即與我授記。明知一切眾生本是菩提。不應更得菩提。爾今聞發菩提心。將謂一箇心學取佛去。唯擬作佛。任爾三秖劫修。亦秖得箇報化佛。與爾本源真性佛有何交涉。故云。外求有相佛。與汝不相似。

Question: What is Buddha? The master said: Your mind is Buddha. Buddha is the mind. Mind and Buddha are not different. Therefore it is said: This very mind is Buddha. Apart from the mind, there is no other Buddha.

Question: If one’s own mind is Buddha, then what did the Patriarch bring when he came from the West? The master said: The Patriarch came from the West only to transmit the mind‑Buddha. He directly pointed out that your mind is originally Buddha. Mind and mind are not different—that is why he is called the Patriarch. If you directly see this meaning, you immediately transcend the three vehicles and all stages. Originally you are Buddha; no cultivation is needed.

Question: If so, what dharma did all the Buddhas in the ten directions appear in the world to teach? The master said: All the Buddhas in the ten directions appeared in the world only to teach the one‑mind dharma. Therefore the Buddha secretly transmitted it to Mahākāśyapa. This essence of the one‑mind dharma fills empty space and pervades the whole dharma‑realm; it is called the principle of all Buddhas. How could you understand this dharma through words and phrases? Nor can you see it in a single situation or a single stimulus. This meaning can only be silently realized. This gate is called the gate of the unconditioned.

If you wish to understand it, just know “no‑mind.” Suddenly awaken, and you attain it. If you try to grasp it with your mind, you only go farther away. If you have no mind that seeks diverging paths, no mind that grasps or rejects, if your mind is like wood or stone, then you have a share in the way.

Question: Right now there are all sorts of deluded thoughts—why do you say there are none? The master said: Delusion has no substance; it arises from your own mind. If you recognize that mind is Buddha, the mind is originally without delusion—how could you then stir the mind and acknowledge delusion? If you do not give rise to thoughts or move the mind, naturally there is no delusion. Therefore it is said: When the mind arises, all dharmas arise; when the mind ceases, all dharmas cease.

Question: Just when deluded thoughts are arising, where is Buddha? The master said: When you are aware that delusion is arising, that awareness itself is Buddha. If there were no deluded thought, there would be no Buddha either. Why is this so? Because you stir the mind and create a view of Buddha, then you think there is a Buddha to attain. You create a view of sentient beings, then you think there are sentient beings to save. Stirring the mind and giving rise to thoughts—all are your own viewpoints. If you have no views at all, where would Buddha be? When Mañjuśrī gave rise to a view of Buddha, he was immediately banished to the two iron‑encircling mountains.

Question: Just at the moment of awakening, where is Buddha? The master said: Where does the question come from? Where does the awareness arise? Speech and silence, movement and stillness, all sounds and forms—all are Buddha’s activity. Where are you looking for Buddha? You cannot pile head on head or add mouth to mouth. Just do not give rise to a different view. Mountain is mountain, water is water; monk is monk, layperson is layperson. Mountains, rivers, the great earth, sun, moon, and stars—none fall outside your mind. The three‑thousand‑fold world is nothing other than your own self. Where is there so much variety? Outside the mind there is no dharma; everywhere you look, green mountains. The empty sky and the whole world are utterly clear, without a single hair’s breadth for you to make a viewpoint. Therefore all sounds and forms are the Buddha’s eye of wisdom. Dharmas do not arise alone; they depend on conditions to appear. For the sake of beings, there are many kinds of wisdom. Yet all day speaking—what has been spoken? All day hearing—what has been heard? Thus, though Śākyamuni taught for forty‑nine years, he never spoke a single word.

Question: If so, where is bodhi? The master said: Bodhi has no place. Buddha does not obtain bodhi; sentient beings do not lose bodhi. It cannot be attained by the body; it cannot be sought by the mind. All sentient beings are the mark of bodhi.

Question: How does one arouse the bodhi‑mind? The master said: Bodhi is unobtainable. Now you only need to arouse the unobtainable mind—firmly not attaining a single dharma—that is the bodhi‑mind. Bodhi has no abode; therefore there is no one who obtains it. Thus it is said: “In the presence of Dīpaṃkara Buddha, I had not the slightest dharma to obtain,” and the Buddha then gave me prediction. This clearly shows that all sentient beings are originally bodhi; they should not seek to obtain bodhi again.

Now you hear “arouse the bodhi‑mind” and think there is a mind that learns to become Buddha, that aims only to become Buddha. Even if you cultivate for three asamkhyeya kalpas, you will only obtain a reward‑body or transformation‑body Buddha. What connection does that have with your original true‑nature Buddha? Therefore it is said: Seeking outwardly for a Buddha with marks—that Buddha is not like you.

上堂云。即心是佛。上至諸佛。下至蠢動含靈。皆有佛性。同一心體。所以達摩從西天來。唯傳一心法。直指一切眾生本來是佛。不假修行。但如今識取自心見自本性。更莫別求。云何識自心。即如今言語者正是汝心。若不言語又不作用心體。如虛空相似。無有相貌亦無方所。亦不一向是無有而不可見。故祖師云。真性心地藏。無頭亦無尾。應緣而化物。方便呼為智若不應緣之時。不可言其有無。正應之時。亦無蹤跡。既知如此。如今但向無中棲泊。即是行諸佛路。經云。應無所住而生其心。一切眾生輪迴生死者。意緣走作心。於六道不停。致使受種種苦。淨名云。難化之人心如猿猴。故以若干種法制禦其心。然後調伏。所以心生種種法生。心滅種種法滅。故知一切諸法皆由心造。乃至人天地獄六道修羅。盡由心造。如今但學無心頓息諸緣。莫生妄想分別。無人無我。無貪瞋無憎愛無勝負。但除却如許多種妄想。性自本來清淨。即是修行菩提法佛等。若不會此意。縱爾廣學勤苦修行。木食草衣。不識自心皆名邪行。盡作天魔外道水陸諸神。如此修行。當復何益。志公云。本體是自心作。那得文字中求。如今但識自心。息却思惟。妄想塵勞自然不生。淨名云。唯置一床寢疾而臥。心不起也。如今臥疾。攀緣都息。妄想歇滅。即是菩提。如今若心裏紛紛不定。任爾學到三乘四果十地諸位。合殺秖向凡聖中坐。諸行盡歸無常。勢力皆有盡期。猶如箭射於空。力盡還墮。却歸生死輪迴。如斯修行不解佛意。虛受辛苦。豈非大錯。志公云。未逢出世明師。枉服大乘法藥。如今但一切時中行住坐臥但學無心。亦無分別亦無依倚。亦無住著。終日任運騰騰。如癡人相似。世人盡不識爾。爾亦不用教人識不識。心如頑石頭都無縫罅。一切法透汝心不入。兀然無著。如此始有少分相應。透得三界境過名為佛出世。不漏心相名為無漏智。不作人天業。不作地獄業。不起一切心。諸緣盡不生。即此身心是自由人。不是一向不生。秖是隨意而生。經云。菩薩有意生身是也。忽若未會無心。著相而作者。皆屬魔業。乃至作淨土佛事。並皆成業。乃名佛障。障汝心故。被因果管束。去住無自由分。所以菩提等法。本不是有。如來所說。皆是化人猶如黃葉為金權止小兒啼。故實無有法名阿耨菩提。如今既會此意。何用區區。但隨緣消舊業。更莫造新殃。心裏明明。所以舊時見解總須捨却。淨名云。除去所有。法華云。二十年中常令除糞。秖是除去心中作見解處。又云。蠲除戲論之糞。所以如來藏本自空寂并不停留一法。故經云。諸佛國土亦復皆空。若言佛道是修學而得。如此見解全無交涉。或作一機一境揚眉動目。秖對相當便道契會也。得證悟禪理也。忽逢一人。不解便道。都無所知對他。若得道理。心中便歡喜。若被他折伏不如他。便即心懷惆悵。如此心意學禪。有何交涉。任汝會得少許道理。即得個心所法。禪道總沒交涉。所以達摩面壁。都不令人有見處。故云忘機是佛道。分別是魔境。此性縱汝迷時亦不失。悟時亦不得。天真自性本無迷悟。盡十方虛空界元來是我一心體。縱汝動用造作。豈離虛空。虛空本來無大無小。無漏無為。無迷無悟。了了見無一物。亦無人亦無佛。絕纖毫的量是無依倚無䊀綴。一道清流是自性。無生法忍何有擬議。真佛無口不解說法。真聽無耳其誰聞乎。珍重。

The master addressed the assembly, saying:

"This very mind is Buddha. From the highest Buddhas above to the smallest wriggling creatures below, all possess the Buddha-nature. It is the same single mind-substance. Therefore, when Bodhidharma came from the West, he transmitted only the One Mind Dharma, directly pointing out that all living beings are originally Buddhas, requiring no cultivation.

Yet now, you must simply recognize your own mind and see your own original nature. Seek nothing else.

How do you recognize your own mind? Right now, the one speaking is precisely your mind. If you are not speaking or acting, the substance of mind is like empty space—it has no features, no fixed location. It is not simply a 'nothing' that cannot be seen. Thus the Patriarch said:

*The true nature, the mind-ground treasury,* *Has no head and has no tail.* *It responds to conditions and transforms things;* *As an expedient, we call it wisdom.*

When it is not responding to conditions, you cannot speak of it as existing or not existing. Even when it is responding, it leaves no trace.

Knowing this, just settle now within this 'nothingness.' This is to walk the path of all Buddhas. The sutra says, 'Dwell nowhere, and let the mind arise.'

All living beings revolve in the cycle of birth and death because their thoughts chase after objects, and their minds do not stop within the six realms, thereby undergoing all kinds of suffering. The Vimalakirti Sutra says, 'The minds of people difficult to tame are like monkeys.' Therefore, one uses various methods to restrain the mind, and only then is it subdued. Thus, when the mind arises, all dharmas arise; when the mind ceases, all dharmas cease. Know, then, that all dharmas are created by the mind—even the realms of humans, gods, hells, the six destinies, and asuras are all created by the mind.

Therefore, now just learn to be mindless, to suddenly cease all conditions. Do not give rise to deluded thinking and discrimination. No self, no other; no greed or anger, no hatred or love, no winning or losing. Simply remove these many kinds of deluded thoughts, and the nature is originally pure. This itself is the practice of Bodhi, Dharma, and Buddha.

If you do not understand this meaning, even if you study widely and practice diligently and austerely, eating bark and wearing grass, if you do not recognize your own mind, it is all called wrong practice. It all becomes the work of celestial demons, external paths, and various water and land spirits. What benefit is there in such practice?

Master Zhi Gong said, 'The fundamental substance is made by your own mind; how can you seek it within written words?' Now, just recognize your own mind. Cease your thinking, and delusive thoughts and worldly toil will naturally not arise. The Vimalakirti Sutra says, 'I merely set up a single couch, and lying down sick, my mind does not arise.' Now, 'lying down sick' means all grasping has ceased. When delusive thoughts subside, that is Bodhi.

If your mind is now agitated and unsettled, even if you study and attain the stages of the Three Vehicles, the Four Fruits, the Ten Grounds, and all other positions, in the end you'll just be sitting among the ordinary and the holy. All conditioned actions ultimately return to impermanence; all power has its limit. It is like shooting an arrow into the sky—when its force is spent, it falls back down, returning to the cycle of birth and death. Practicing in this way without understanding the Buddha's intent is to undergo hardship in vain. Is this not a great mistake? Master Zhi Gong said, 'Without meeting an enlightened teacher of the supreme vehicle, one takes the great vehicle medicine in vain.'

Therefore, now, at all times—walking, standing, sitting, lying down—just learn to be mindless. Have no discrimination, no reliance, no attachment. All day long, be at ease and buoyant, like a simpleton. Ordinary people will not recognize you, and you also need not concern yourself with whether others recognize you or not. Let your mind be like a solid stone, without a single crack, so that all dharmas cannot penetrate it. Abiding thus, unmoving and unattached, you will then have some small measure of accord.

To penetrate beyond the realms of the three worlds is called the Buddha appearing in the world. Not leaking out mental characteristics is called the wisdom of no-leakage. You create no karma for the human or heavenly realms, and no karma for the hells. You give rise to no thoughts whatsoever. When all conditions cease to arise, this very body and mind is a free person.

It is not a state of absolute non-arising; it is simply arising according to circumstances. The sutra says, 'The Bodhisattva has a will-produced body.'

If suddenly you have not yet realized mindlessness, and you act while attached to characteristics, it all belongs to demonic activity. Even performing pure land practices or Buddha-works all becomes karma. It is called a 'Buddha-obstruction,' because it obstructs your mind. You are then bound by cause and effect, with no freedom to come or go.

Therefore, Bodhi and other such dharmas are fundamentally not existent. What the Tathagata taught were all means to transform people, like yellow leaves given to stop a child's crying. In truth, there is no dharma called 'Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.'

Now that you have understood this meaning, what use is all this fuss? Simply follow conditions to exhaust old karma, and create no new misfortune. Let your mind be clear and bright. Therefore, all your former views and understandings must be discarded. The Vimalakirti Sutra says, 'Get rid of all possessions.' The Lotus Sutra says, 'For twenty years, I constantly had him remove filth'—this is just removing the places in the mind where views and understandings are constructed. It also says, 'Cleanse away the filth of idle speculation.'

Thus, the Tathagatagarbha is originally empty and still, not retaining a single dharma. Therefore the sutra says, 'The lands of all Buddhas are also entirely empty.'

If you say the Buddha Way is attained through study and practice, such a view has nothing to do with it. Or if you make some gesture, raise an eyebrow or blink an eye, and if the response seems to match, you say you have attained accord and realized the principle of Chan—if you then meet someone who doesn't understand, you say they know nothing. If your reasoning prevails, your mind becomes happy; if you are defeated by another, you immediately feel dejected. What does such a mind and intent have to do with learning Chan? However much reasoning you may master, you just attain some mental dharma. It has nothing to do with the Chan Way at all.

That is why Bodhidharma faced the wall—he did not give people any point of view to grasp. Thus it is said: 'Forgetting mental machinations is the Buddha Way; discrimination is a demonic realm.'

This nature is not lost even when you are deluded, and not gained even when you are enlightened. The natural self-nature is originally without delusion or enlightenment. The entire realm of the ten directions of empty space is originally my single mind-substance. Even when you act and create, how can you leave empty space? Empty space is originally without large or small, without leakage or effort, without delusion or enlightenment. See clearly: there is not a single thing. No person, no Buddha. Utterly without the slightest measure, it is without reliance, without attachment. A single clear stream is the self-nature. In the patient acceptance of the unborn dharmas, what is there to deliberate?

The true Buddha has no mouth and does not explain the Dharma. True hearing has no ears—who then hears it?

Take care."

預前若打不徹。臘月三十夜到來。管取爾熱亂。有般外道纔見人說做工夫。他便冷笑。猶有遮箇在。我且問爾。忽然臨命終時。爾將何抵敵生死。爾且思量看。却有個道理。那得天生彌勒自然釋迦。有一般閑神野鬼。纔見人有些少病。便與他人說。爾只放下著。及至他有病。又却理會不下。手忙脚亂。爭柰爾肉如利刀碎割。做主宰不得。萬般事須是閑時辦得下。忙時得用。多少省力。休待臨渴掘井。做手脚不辦。遮場狼藉。如何迴避前路黑暗。信采胡鑽亂撞。苦哉苦哉。平日只學口頭三昧。說禪說道。喝佛罵祖。到遮裏都用不著。平日只管瞞人。爭知道今日自瞞了也。阿鼻地獄中決定放爾不得。而今末法將沈。全仗有力量。兄弟家。負荷續佛慧命莫令斷絕。今時纔有一個半個行脚。只去觀山觀景。不知光陰能有幾何。一息不回便是來生。未知甚麼頭面。嗚呼。勸爾兄弟家。趁色力康健時。討取個分曉處。不被人瞞底一段大事。遮些關棙子。甚是容易。自是爾不肯去下。死志做工夫。只管道難了又難好。教爾知那得樹上自生底木杓。爾也須自去做箇轉變始得。若是箇丈夫漢。看箇公案。僧問趙州。狗子還有佛性也無。州云無。但去二六時中看箇無字。晝參夜參行住坐臥。著衣吃飯處。阿屎放尿處。心心相顧。猛著精彩。守箇無字。日久月深打成一片。忽然心花頓發。悟佛祖之機。便不被天下老和尚舌頭瞞。便會開大口。達摩西來無風起浪。世尊拈花一場敗缺。到這裏說甚麼閻羅老子。千聖尚不柰爾何。不信道。直有遮般奇特。為甚如此。事怕有心人。

If you haven't broken through beforehand, when New Year's Eve arrives, you'll surely be in a frantic mess. There are some outsiders who, as soon as they hear people talk about doing spiritual work, just sneer and say, "You're still attached to this." I ask you: when death suddenly comes, what will you use to face life and death? Think about it—there is a principle here. How could Maitreya be born enlightened, or Śākyamuni arise naturally? There are idlers and wild spirits who, as soon as they see someone a little unwell, tell them, "Just let go." But when they themselves fall ill, they can't handle it—panicking, flustered, helpless as their flesh feels sliced by sharp knives, unable to be master. All matters must be settled in leisure to be useful in haste. How much effort that saves! Don't wait till you're thirsty to dig a well, making frantic efforts that come to nothing. What a mess! How will you avoid the darkness ahead? Blindly groping and stumbling—how bitter! Usually, you only learn verbal samādhi, discussing Chan and the Way, shouting at Buddhas and scolding patriarchs. None of that is any use here. Usually, you just deceive others; who knew you'd end up deceiving yourself? The Avīci hell certainly won't let you off. Now, as the Dharma declines, it entirely relies on capable practitioners to shoulder and continue the Buddha's wisdom-life, not letting it be cut off. These days, even if one or two wander about, they just go sightseeing, not knowing how much time is left. One breath not returning is the next life—who knows what form that will take? Alas! I urge you, fellow practitioners, while you're still healthy and strong, seek a clear understanding—this great matter of not being deceived. These pivotal points are actually very easy. It's just that you refuse to commit fully and do the work. You just keep saying it's too hard, too difficult. Let me tell you: how could a wooden ladle grow on a tree by itself? You must personally put in the effort to transform. If you're a true person, take up this case: A monk asked Zhaozhou, "Does a dog have Buddha-nature?" Zhaozhou said, "No." Just keep the word "no" in mind throughout the day and night. Reflect on it day and night, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; while dressing, eating, even while relieving yourself—keep it in mind, stay sharp, hold to this "no." Over time, days and months, it will become one piece. Suddenly, the mind-flower will bloom, and you'll awaken to the patriarchs' essential point. Then you won't be fooled by any old monk's tongue, and you'll be able to proclaim: Bodhidharma coming from the west stirred waves without wind; the World-Holder holding up a flower was a complete defeat. At this point, what use are the King of Hell? Even a thousand sages can't touch you. Don't believe it? Truly, it's this extraordinary. Why is it so? Matters yield to the determined heart.