Recorded Sayings of Ancient Venerable Masters (古尊宿語錄)

Zen Master Baizhang Huaihai was from Changle, Fuzhou. He became a disciple of Master Ma and served as his attendant. Whenever a lay supporter sent a meal offering, as soon as Baizhang would lift the lid of the tray, Master Ma would pick up a piece of flatbread, show it to the assembly, and ask, "What is this?" This happened every day.

This went on for three years. One day, while accompanying Master Ma on a walk, they heard the call of wild ducks. Master Ma asked, "What sound is that?" Baizhang replied, "The sound of wild ducks." After a long pause, Master Ma asked, "Where has the sound just heard gone?" Baizhang said, "It has flown away."

Master Ma turned back, grabbed Baizhang's nose, and twisted it. Baizhang cried out in pain. Master Ma said, "And you said it flew away!" At these words, Baizhang had an awakening. Returning to the attendant's quarters, he wept bitterly.

A fellow attendant asked, "Are you missing your parents?" He said, "No." "Were you scolded by someone?" "No." "Then why are you crying?" Baizhang said, "My nose was twisted by the Master, and the pain is unbearable." The fellow attendant said, "Was there some reason you didn't connect?" Baizhang said, "Go ask the Master yourself."

The fellow attendant went and asked Master Ma, "What happened that Attendant Hai is in his quarters crying? Please, Master, tell me." Master Ma said, "He has understood. Go ask him yourself."

The fellow attendant returned to the quarters and said, "The Master said you have understood and told me to ask you myself." At this, Baizhang let out a hearty laugh. The fellow attendant asked, "Just now you were crying, why are you laughing now?" Baizhang said, "Just now I was crying, now I am laughing." The fellow attendant was bewildered.

The next day, Master Ma ascended the hall to give a talk. As soon as he sat down, Baizhang came forward and rolled up the sitting mat. Master Ma then stepped down from the seat. Baizhang followed him to the abbot's room. Master Ma said, "I was just about to bring up a certain matter. Why did you roll up the mat?" Baizhang said, "Because my nose hurt." Master Ma said, "Where did you go yesterday?" (Baizhang said, "Yesterday I happened to be out and couldn't attend.") Master Ma gave a shout. Baizhang then went out.

One day, Mazu asked the Master, "Where have you come from?"

The Master replied, "From behind the mountain."

Mazu asked, "Did you meet anyone there?"

The Master said, "I did not meet anyone."

Mazu asked, "Why did you not meet anyone?"

The Master said, "If I had met anyone, I would have presented them to you, Master."

Mazu asked, "Where did you get such an idea?"

The Master said, "I have been foolish."

Mazu said, "It is I who have been foolish."

The master went to see Mazu again. Mazu raised his whisk. The master asked, "Is this the function, or is it apart from this function?" Mazu hung the whisk back in its original place. After a long silence, Mazu said, "In the future, when you open your two lips, how will you guide others?" The master then took the whisk and raised it. Mazu said, "Is this the function, or is it apart from this function?" The master also hung the whisk back in its original place. Mazu gave a great shout. The master was left with deaf ears for three days.

Later, he resided at Mount Daxiong in Hongzhou. Because the cliffs and peaks there were extremely steep, he was called Baizhang (Hundred-Fathom). Not even a full month after settling there, seekers of the profound from all directions began to arrive, with Weishan and Huangbo at the forefront.

One day, the Master said to the assembly, "The Dharma is no small matter. In the past, this old monk was once shouted at by Great Master Ma, and it left me deaf for three days."

Huangbo, hearing this account, couldn't help but stick out his tongue in astonishment.

The Master asked, "In the future, will you not succeed Great Master Ma?"

Huangbo replied, "No. Today, because of your mention, I have glimpsed the great function and great capacity of Great Master Ma. Yet, I do not truly know him. If I were to succeed him, I would later cause the loss of my descendants."

The Master said, "So it is, so it is. To see as the teacher sees diminishes the teacher's virtue by half. Only when one's insight surpasses the teacher's is one worthy to transmit the teaching. You indeed possess insight that transcends the teacher."

Huangbo then bowed in reverence.

The master said to the assembly, "There is one person who goes a long time without eating, yet does not speak of hunger. There is another person who eats all day long, yet does not speak of fullness." The assembly had no reply.

Yunyan asked, "Master, for whom do you toil and trouble yourself every day?"

The master said, "There is one who needs it."

Yunyan said, "Why not let him do it himself?"

The master said, "He has no means of livelihood."

A monk asked, "I come with my rough jade, seeking the master's decisive judgment." The master said, "Last night, a tiger in the southern mountains bit a great beast." The monk said, "If it's not mistaken true teaching, why not extend skillful means?" The master said, "You're like a man covering his ears to steal a bell." The monk said, "Without the connoisseur's eye, it's just like firewood in a wild hut." The master immediately struck him. The monk cried, "Heavens, heavens!" The master said, "So talkative, are you?" The monk said, "Rarely meeting a true understanding," flicked his sleeve, and left. The master said, "Today, Baizhang has lost half the match."(Fojian commented: Though gaining a moment of glory, he cut off both his feet.) In the evening, an attendant asked, "Venerable, since that monk wouldn't accept it, why let it rest?" The master struck him. The attendant cried, "Heavens, heavens!" The master said, "Rarely meeting a true understanding." The attendant bowed. The master said, "One charge acknowledged."

A monk came into the hall weeping. The master asked, "What's the matter?"

The monk said, "Both my parents have passed away. Please, Master, choose a day for their burial."

The master said, "Tomorrow. Bury them both at once."

The assembly hall teaching says:

A solitary radiance shines alone, Transcending senses, far from dust. The true eternal nature is revealed, Not bound by words or written forms.

The mind, unstained, is from the start complete; Just leave behind deluded thoughts— And you are thus the very Buddha.

Someone asked, "According to the sutra, 'To explain the meaning apart from the sutra is to slander the Buddhas of the three times; to deviate by even a single word from the sutra is to speak like a demon.' How should we understand this?"

The master said, "To rigidly cling to stillness is to slander the Buddhas of the three times. To seek anything beyond this is to speak like a demon."

Mazu sent someone to deliver a letter and three jars of sauce to the master. The master had them arranged in front of the Dharma hall. Then he ascended the hall. As soon as the assembly had gathered, the master pointed at the sauce jars with his staff and said, "If you can speak about it, I won't break them. If you cannot speak about it, I will break them."

The assembly was silent. The master then broke them and returned to his quarters.

The assembly had just gathered in the hall. The master drove them out with his staff, then called to them. As they turned back, the master said, "What is this?"

Weishan asked Yangshan, "When Baizhang went to see Mazu again, Mazu raised his whisk. What was the meaning of these two venerable masters?" Yangshan said, "This was to reveal the great function and great application." Weishan asked, "Mazu produced eighty-four good teachers. How many attained the great function? How many attained the great application?" Yangshan said, "Baizhang attained the great function, Huangbo attained the great application. The rest were all teachers who expounded the Way." Weishan said, "So it is, so it is."

The Master, while the community was working to clear a field, asked the labor supervisor, "Clearing the field is not easy." Huangbo said, "The monks are doing the work." The Master said, "It's a bother to use the Way for this." Huangbo said, "How dare I refuse the toil?" The Master said, "How much field have you cleared?" Huangbo made a gesture of hoeing the field. The Master gave a shout. Huangbo covered his ears and left.

The master asked Huangbo, "Where have you come from?" Huangbo said, "I came from the foot of the mountain to gather mushrooms." The master said, "There's a tiger cub at the foot of the mountain. Did you see it?" Huangbo immediately made a tiger's roar. The master took an axe from his waist and made a chopping motion. Huangbo grabbed his hand and slapped him. That evening, the master ascended the teaching seat and said, "Everyone, there is a tiger cub at the foot of the mountain. All of you should be careful when coming and going. Today, this old monk was personally bitten." Later, Guishan asked Yangshan, "What do you make of that story about Huangbo the tiger?" Yangshan said, "What do you think, Master?" Guishan said, "Baizhang should have just chopped him down with the axe at that moment. Why did it end up like that?" Yangshan said, "Not so." Guishan said, "Then what would you say?" Yangshan said, "Not only did he ride the tiger's head, he also knew how to grasp its tail." Guishan said, "Jizi, your words are truly steep and dangerous."

Each day when the master ascended the hall to teach, there was an old man who would come to listen to the Dharma along with the assembly, and then depart when they dispersed. One day, he did not leave. The master asked, "Who is this standing here?" The old man said, "I am someone who, during the time of the past Buddha Kāśyapa, once lived on this mountain. A student asked me, 'Does a person of great practice still fall into cause and effect or not?' I replied, 'They do not fall into cause and effect.' Because of this, I fell into the body of a wild fox. Now I beg the master to speak a turning word on my behalf." The master said, "You may ask." The old man then asked, "Does a person of great practice still fall into cause and effect or not?" The master said, "They do not obscure cause and effect." Upon hearing these words, the old man was greatly enlightened. He took his leave, saying, "I am now freed from the body of a wild fox. I dwell behind the mountain. I beg to be cremated according to the rites for a deceased monk." The master instructed the rector to strike the wooden block and announce to the assembly, "After the meal, all are requested to gather to send off a deceased monk." The assembly did not understand the details. That evening, during the gathering, the master recounted the previous cause and conditions. Huangbo then asked, "An ancient one gave a mistaken turning word and fell into the body of a wild fox. Now, if each turning word is not mistaken, how is that?" The master said, "Come closer, and I will tell you." Huangbo came forward and slapped the master. The master said, "I thought the barbarian had a red beard, but here is another red-bearded barbarian." At that time, Guishan was in the assembly serving as the cook. Sima Toutuo brought up the wild fox story and asked the cook, "What do you make of it?" The cook shook the door three times. Sima said, "Too rough." The cook said, "The Dharma is not a matter of this." Later, Guishan brought up Huangbo's question about the wild fox and asked Yangshan about it. Yangshan said, "Huangbo often uses this device." Guishan asked, "Do you say it is innate or acquired from others?" Yangshan said, "It is both inherited from the teacher's lineage and one's own penetrating understanding." Guishan said, "So it is, so it is."

Huangbo asked, "What Dharma have the ancient masters used to benefit people?" The Master remained silent for a long time. Huangbo said, "What will later generations pass on?" The Master said, "I thought you were someone special." Then he returned to his quarters.

While the Master was working with Guishan, he asked, "Is there fire or not?" Guishan said, "There is." The Master said, "Where is it?" Guishan picked up a piece of firewood and blew on it, handing it to the Master. The Master took it and said, "Like a worm boring into wood."

During a work session of hoeing the fields, a monk heard the sound of the drum, raised his hoe, laughed loudly, and went back. The Master said, "Excellent! This is the gateway of Avalokiteshvara entering into truth." Later, he called that monk and asked, "What truth did you see today?" The monk said, "I hadn't eaten breakfast this morning. When I heard the drum, I went back to eat." The Master laughed heartily.

Someone asked, "What is Buddha?" The master said, "Who are you?" The person replied, "I am so-and-so." The master asked, "Do you recognize this so-and-so?" The person said, "Clearly, I do."

The master then raised his whisk and asked, "Do you see this whisk?" The person said, "Yes, I see it." The master said nothing more and sent the monk away.

The monk went to see Master Zhangjing. When Zhangjing was giving a lecture, the monk spread out his sitting mat, bowed, stood up, took off one of his shoes, wiped the dust off it with his sleeve, and then placed it upside down.

The monk then presented the same question to Zhangjing exactly as he had done before. Zhangjing said, "This old monk is at fault."

A broad record: Speech must distinguish black from white; one must recognize general and specific statements. Speech must discern between definitive and provisional teachings. Definitive teachings clarify purity; provisional teachings clarify impurity. Speaking of defiled dharma distinguishes the filth of ordinary beings; speaking of pure dharma distinguishes the filth of sages. According to the nine divisions of the teaching, for beings of the past who lacked insight, they needed to rely on others for refinement. If speaking before deaf ordinary people, one must directly teach them to leave home, uphold precepts, cultivate meditation, and study wisdom. But if before extraordinary ordinary people, one should not speak to them in this way—such as with Vimalakīrti, Fu Dashi, and others. If speaking before monastics, they have already received the fourfold complete ordination and are fully endowed with the power of precepts, meditation, and wisdom. To speak to them in this way is called untimely speech, speaking inappropriately, and is also called frivolous speech. If among monastics, one must speak of the pure dharma's edge of filth; one must speak of dharma that transcends existence and non-existence, transcends all cultivation and realization, and even transcends transcendence. If among monastics, to eliminate habitual defilements, if monastics remove greed and anger but do not go beyond, they are also called deaf ordinary people and must also be taught to cultivate meditation and study wisdom. If among śrāvaka monastics, they have ceased the diseases of greed and anger, exhausted them, and abide in non-greed, considering this as "it." This is the formless realm; this obstructs the Buddha's light; this is shedding the Buddha's blood. They must also be taught to cultivate meditation and study wisdom. One must distinguish between clear and muddy speech. Muddy dharma refers to greed, anger, attachment, grasping, and many other names. Clear dharma refers to bodhi, nirvāṇa, liberation, and many other names. Just like the present mirror-awareness, regarding both clear and muddy streams, all dharma of ordinary and holy, form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena, worldly and transcendent dharma, there must not be the slightest attachment or grasping. Since there is no attachment or grasping, there is no abiding in non-attachment or grasping, considering this as "it." This is initial goodness; it is abiding in a subdued mind; it is the śrāvaka person; it is clinging to the raft without letting go; it is the two-vehicle path; it is the fruit of dhyāna. Since there is no attachment or grasping, and also no abiding in non-attachment or grasping, this is intermediate goodness; it is the half-word teaching; it is still the formless realm; it avoids falling into the two-vehicle path; it avoids falling into the path of Māra's followers; it is still the disease of dhyāna; it is the bondage of a bodhisattva. Since there is no abiding in non-attachment or grasping, and also not making non-abiding an object of knowledge, this is final goodness; it is the full-word teaching; it avoids falling into the formless realm; it avoids falling into the disease of dhyāna; it avoids falling into the bodhisattva vehicle; it avoids falling into the position of the Māra king. Because of the obstruction of wisdom and the obstruction of practice, seeing one's own Buddha-nature is like seeing forms at night. As it is said, at the Buddha-ground, two kinds of ignorance are severed: one, the ignorance of the extremely subtle knowable; two, the ignorance of the most extremely subtle knowable. Therefore it is said, "A person of great wisdom breaks open dust to reveal the scripture." If one penetrates the three phrases, one is not bound by the threefold teaching. The head of the household gives an analogy: like a deer thrice leaping out of the rope, it is called being bound outside. The Buddha has no thing that can bind him; he belongs to the time after Dipaṃkara Buddha. This is the highest vehicle, the supreme wisdom, standing on the Buddha path. This person is a Buddha, has Buddha-nature, is a guide, and can use unimpeded wind, which is unimpeded wisdom. Afterwards, one can freely employ cause and effect, blessings, and wisdom. It is like making a cart to transport cause and effect. In life, one is not constrained by life; in death, one is not obstructed by death; among the five aggregates, it is like an open door, not obstructed by the five aggregates. Coming and going freely, entering and exiting without difficulty. If one can be like this, regardless of hierarchical superiority or inferiority, even down to an ant's body, if one can be like this, all are pure and wondrous lands, inconceivable. This is still speech of liberation from bondage. If they themselves have no sores, do not wound them. Sores of Buddha, sores of bodhisattvas, etc.—simply speaking of dharma of existence and non-existence is all wounding. Existence and non-existence govern all dharma. The ten grounds are a muddy river; all actions are spoken of as a clear stream; establishing the characteristic of clarity, speaking of the faults of muddiness. In the past, the ten great disciples—Śāriputra, Pūrṇa, true faith Ānanda, perverse faith Sunakṣatra, etc.—each had their model, each had their measure, each one was explained by the guide. It is not the four dhyānas, eight concentrations, arhats, etc., abiding in concentration for eighty thousand kalpas. They are acting based on attachment, drunk on the wine of pure dharma. Therefore, śrāvakas hearing the Buddha's dharma cannot give rise to the mind of unsurpassed enlightenment. Therefore, people of severed wholesome roots have no Buddha-nature. The teaching says: called the deep pit of liberation, a fearsome place. A single thought of regressing falls into hell like an arrow shot. Also, one cannot exclusively speak of regression, nor exclusively speak of non-regression. Just like Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta, etc., who returned to the stage of stream-enterer to guide their kind, one cannot say they regressed. At such a time, they are simply called stream-enterers. Just like the present mirror-awareness, simply not being governed by all dharma of existence and non-existence, penetrating the three phrases and all adverse and favorable circumstances, passing through, hearing of hundreds of thousands, millions, billions of Buddhas appearing in the world is like not hearing, also not abiding in non-hearing, and not making non-abiding an object of knowledge. Speaking of this person, they do not regress, are not bound by numbers, are not attached. The Buddha eternally abides in the world yet is not defiled by worldly dharma. Saying the Buddha turns the Dharma wheel and regresses is slandering the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. Saying the Buddha does not turn the Dharma wheel and does not regress is also slandering the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. Sengzhao said: "The path of bodhi cannot be plotted; high without a summit, broad without limit; deep without a bottom, profound beyond measure." Speech. Sentient beings invite arrows. Speaking of mirror-awareness is still not it. From muddiness discerning clarity, it is allowed to speak. The present mirror-awareness—apart from mirror-awareness, if there is anything else, it is all Māra's speech. If one clings to the present mirror-awareness, it is also the same as Māra's speech, also called the speech of naturalistic outsiders. The present mirror-awareness is one's own Buddha—this is measuring speech, plotting speech, like the cry of a jackal, still belonging to the gate of sticky glue. Originally not recognizing, knowing and aware by oneself is one's own Buddha. Seeking outwardly for a Buddha, relying on a good friend to speak out, knowing and aware by oneself as medicine to cure the disease of outward seeking. Once the disease of outward seeking is cured, the medicine must be removed. If one clings to knowing and aware by oneself, it is the disease of dhyāna, it is a thorough śrāvaka, like water turning to ice—all ice is water, but hoping to quench thirst is difficult. Also said: an incurable disease, worldly doctors can only fold their hands. From beginningless time, not a Buddha—do not make a Buddha understanding. Buddha is medicine on the side of sentient beings; if there is no illness, do not take medicine. Illness and medicine both vanish. Analogous to clear water, Buddha is like licorice mixed with water, also like honey mixed with water—extremely sweet and delicious. If equated with the side of clear water, then there is no attachment. It is not non-existent; it is originally existent. Also said: this principle is originally possessed by all people; buddhas and bodhisattvas call it the one who reveals the pearl. It has never been a thing; do not try to know it, understand it; do not try to affirm it, negate it. Simply cut off the two-ended phrases: cut off the phrase of existence, the phrase of non-existence; cut off the phrase of non-existence, the phrase of not non-existence. The traces of the two ends do not appear; the two ends cannot grasp you; numbers cannot govern you. It is not lacking, not complete, not ordinary, not holy, not bright, not dark, not knowing, not unknowing, not bound, not liberated, not any name. Why? Because it is not an actual statement. How can one carve emptiness to make a Buddha's appearance? How can one say emptiness is blue, yellow, red, white? As it is said: "Dharma has no comparison, nothing to analogize." Because the Dharma-body is unconditioned, it does not fall into any numbers. Therefore it is said: "The holy body has no name, cannot be spoken." The true principle, the gate of emptiness, is hard to approach. Analogous to a tiny insect that can land anywhere, only cannot land on flames. Sentient beings are also like this: they can attach anywhere, only cannot attach to prajñā. Seeking a good friend to find a bit of knowledge and understanding is the Māra of good friends, producing views and speech. If one generates the four vast vows, vowing to liberate all sentient beings completely, and only then will I attain Buddhahood—this is the bodhisattva's dharma wisdom Māra, because vows are not relinquished. If upholding precepts, cultivating meditation, studying wisdom—these are conditioned wholesome roots. Even if one sits on the bodhimaṇḍa, manifests complete perfect enlightenment, liberates as many beings as Ganges sands, all attaining pratyekabuddhahood—this is the wholesome roots Māra, arising from greed and attachment. If toward all dharma there is no greed or defilement, the spiritual principle alone exists, abiding in profound dhyāna, not advancing further—this is the samādhi Māra, long indulging in enjoyment. Even up to nirvāṇa, free from desire, tranquil—this is Māra's activity. If wisdom is liberated, if not leaving the net of Māra, even if one understands a hundred Vedas, it is all hell's dregs. If seeking something resembling Buddha, there is no such place. Now, hearing that one should not attach to all wholesome, unwholesome, existence, non-existence, etc., dharma, then falling into emptiness, not knowing to abandon the root and chase the branches is actually falling into emptiness. Seeking Buddha, seeking bodhi, and all dharma of existence and non-existence, etc., is abandoning the root and chasing the branches. Just (now) eating coarse food to sustain life, mending clothes to ward off cold, when thirsty then scooping water to drink—aside from this, regarding all dharma of existence and non-existence, etc., have not the slightest thought of attachment. This person gradually has a portion of lightness and clarity. A good friend does not cling to existence, does not cling to non-existence, is liberated from the ten phrases of Māra's speech. Their speech does not bind people; all their words do not claim to be a teacher; speaking like a valley's echo, words filling the world without fault of mouth, worthy of reliance. If saying, "I can speak, I can understand; I am a master, you are a disciple"—this is the same as Māra's speech. Without basis, saying "seeing it directly, the Way is present," whether it is Buddha or not Buddha, whether it is bodhi, nirvāṇa, liberation, etc.; without basis, speaking a bit of knowledge and understanding, raising a hand, lifting a finger, saying this is Chan, this is the Way—this speech binds people; when not yet abiding, it only increases the monk's ropes. Even if not speaking, there is still fault of mouth. Better to be a master of the mind, not mastered by the mind. Provisional teachings have teachers of humans and gods, have guides. Definitive teachings do not act as teachers of humans and gods, do not take dharma as master. If unable to rely on profound mirror-awareness, then rely on definitive teachings; there is still a portion of intimacy. If provisional teachings, they should only be spoken before deaf ordinary people. Just now, simply not abiding in all dharma of existence and non-existence, also not abiding in non-abiding, and not making non-abiding an object of knowledge—this is called a great good friend. Also said: only the Buddha alone is a great good friend, because there are not two persons; all others are called outsiders, also called Māra's speech. Now, simply speaking to break through the two-ended phrases, all objective dharma of existence and non-existence, just do not greedily defile or understand bondage—there are no other phrases to teach people. If saying there are other phrases to teach people, other dharma to give people—this is called an outsider, also called Māra's speech. One must recognize definitive and provisional teachings, speech. One must recognize prohibiting and non-prohibiting speech. One must recognize life-and-death speech. One must recognize medicine-and-illness speech. One must recognize adverse and favorable analogical speech. One must recognize general and specific speech. Saying cultivation and practice attain Buddha, having cultivation and realization, "mind is Buddha," "this mind is Buddha"—this is Buddha's speech, is provisional teaching speech, is non-prohibiting speech, is general speech, is peck-and-bushel carrying speech, is speech distinguishing the side of defiled dharma, is favorable analogical speech, is dead speech, is speech before ordinary people. Not allowing cultivation and practice to attain Buddha, no cultivation and no realization, "not mind, not Buddha"—this is also Buddha's speech, is definitive teaching speech, is prohibiting speech, is specific speech, is hundred-bushel carrying speech, is speech outside the three vehicles' teaching, is adverse analogical speech, is speech distinguishing the side of pure dharma, is living speech, is speech before people of stages. From stream-enterer upward up to the ten grounds, all phrases belong to the dust of dharma; all phrases belong to the side of afflictions; all phrases belong to provisional teachings. Definitive teaching is upholding; provisional teaching is violating. At the Buddha-ground, there is no upholding or violating; definitive and provisional teachings are both not allowed. From the sprout discerning the ground, from muddiness discerning clarity. Just like the present mirror-awareness, if counted from the side of clarity, mirror-awareness is also not clear; non-mirror-awareness is also not clear; also not unclear; also not holy; also not unholy; also not seeing water muddy, speaking of the faults of muddy water. If water is clear, there is nothing to say; speaking would muddy the water. If there is questioning about existence and non-existence, there is also speaking about existence and non-existence. The Buddha does not preach dharma for Buddhas; equality, true suchness, dharma realm—no Buddha does not liberate sentient beings; Buddha does not abide in the name Buddha, truly a field of merit. One must distinguish host and guest speech. Greedily defiling all objective dharma of existence and non-existence, being confused by all objective dharma of existence and non-existence, one's own mind is the Māra king; functioning belongs to Māra's followers. Just like the present mirror-awareness, simply not abiding in all dharma of existence and non-existence, worldly and transcendent dharma, also not making non-abiding an object of knowledge, also not abiding in non-knowledge. One's own mind is Buddha; functioning belongs to bodhisattvas. Mind is the host; functioning belongs to guest dust. Like waves speaking of water, reflecting all images without effort. If able to silently illuminate without self-profound meaning, naturally penetrating through past and present. As said: "Spirit has no illuminating function; the ultimate function eternally exists." Able to be a guide in all places. The nature and consciousness of sentient beings—they have never trodden the Buddha's steps; it is the nature of sticky glue, long time adhering to dharma of existence and non-existence. Suddenly taking the medicine of profound meaning, they cannot get it; suddenly hearing extraordinary speech, they cannot believe it. Therefore, under the bodhi tree, for forty-nine days silently contemplating, wisdom is dim, hard to speak, nothing to analogize. Saying sentient beings have Buddha-nature also slanders the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. Saying sentient beings have no Buddha-nature also slanders the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. If saying there is Buddha-nature, it is called clinging slander. If saying there is no Buddha-nature, it is called false slander. As said: saying Buddha-nature exists is the slander of addition; saying Buddha-nature does not exist is the slander of subtraction; saying Buddha-nature both exists and does not exist is the slander of contradiction; saying Buddha-nature neither exists nor does not exist is the slander of frivolous debate. Initially wishing not to speak, sentient beings would have no time of liberation. Initially wishing to speak, sentient beings again follow speech to produce understanding, benefit little, harm much. Therefore it is said: "I would rather not preach dharma, quickly enter nirvāṇa." Afterwards, retrospectively seeking, past Buddhas all taught the three vehicles' dharma. Afterwards, provisionally speaking, provisionally establishing names—originally not Buddha, to them saying it is Buddha; originally not bodhi, to them saying it is bodhi, nirvāṇa, liberation, etc. Knowing they cannot carry a hundred-bushel load, then give them a peck or a bushel to carry. Knowing they have difficulty believing definitive teachings, then give them provisional teachings to speak, letting wholesome dharma spread, also better than unwholesome dharma. When the limit of wholesome results is full, unwholesome results arrive. Attaining Buddha, then there are sentient beings; attaining nirvāṇa, then there is birth and death; attaining light, then there is darkness. All conditioned cause and effect revolve and alternate, none not reciprocally offered. If wishing to avoid seeing alternating affairs, simply cut off the two-ended phrases; numbers cannot govern; not Buddha, not sentient beings; not intimate, not distant; not high, not low; not equal, not unequal; not going, not coming. Simply not attached to words, separated from them, the two ends cannot grasp you, avoid joy and suffering appearing mutually, avoid light and darkness reciprocally offered. True principle is truly real, also not truly real; false and empty, also not false and empty; not a thing of numbers. Analogous to empty space, cannot be cultivated or corrected. If mind