---
title: "憨山老人夢遊全集 · 示本懷印禪人"
description: "憨山老人梦游全集是明代高僧憨山德清所著的文集由弟子福善等编录憨山德清是明末四大高僧之一身处佛教复兴时期其著作涵盖经论注疏法语书信及诗文等内容涉及禅教性相诸宗融合儒释道三家思想体系博大精深该书不仅是研究憨山大师佛学思想的重要文献也是了解晚明佛教史与思想史的珍贵资料在汉传佛教中具有崇高地位对后世禅宗及佛教义理发展影响深远"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmgmzoaru076ol404t65wcvfg"
---

### 示本懷印禪人

> A Demonstration of the Original Intent to Zen Practitioner Yin

海印禪人早受業於棲霞，嗣與諸同志結社於金沙東禪，集海內學人專以背誦《妙法華經》為業，不數年間成就者三十餘人。先社主海耀與諸檀信約，請余休老以主之，禪人因特走南嶽以迎余。一見禪人循循若訥純誠端確，則識其為有心力者。及余以了達師因緣至社中，見諸法侶濟濟端然，經聲琅琅朗徹如空中梵響，余因歎曰：「即使聞者入流，可證耳根圓通矣！」時余緣畢，雖即歸老匡山，然亦法身常住此中。及三年，耀公以緣去而社無主，余聞之痛惜，急遣書檀越勉留禪人堅守之以待來者，保此法社勿替也。且亟囑禪人苦志居之。禪人諦信余言，果保全無恙。禪人遣弟子瞻禮持卷請益，老人因示之曰：「甚矣！末法弟子能持慧命而以護法為心者，難其人矣！非特今也。昔吾佛於靈山會上，欲以《妙法華經》付囑有在，令於末世受持此經廣宣流布。是時無論人天百萬即得授記，諸弟子中竟無一人敢於娑婆世界流通此法者，必待地湧之眾乃能荷擔，由是觀之，持此法者豈易易哉？以其五濁惡世眾生薄福，其性剛強最難調伏，是以吾佛教持經者，必以忍辱為第一行。故曰：『如來滅後欲為四眾說是經者，應入如來室、著如來衣、坐如來座，乃可為眾廣說此經。』如來室者，一切眾生中大慈悲心是；如來衣者，柔和忍辱心是；如來座者，一切法空是。安住是中，然後以不懈怠心，乃可為眾說是《法華經》。故佛自述其往昔求法之行，如提婆達多世世之冤害，及常不輕之禮拜，四眾乃至辱罵，或加刀杖瓦石種種苦事，皆歡喜忍之，無一念懈退，此正教菩薩法，末世持經之最勝行。是則吾徒為佛子，苟無忍行又何以持佛慧命使不斷哉？及受付囑持經之菩薩，則誓之曰：『種種苦事皆當能忍。』是以佛說觀三千大千世界無有如芥子許不是菩薩為求菩提捨身命處，乃至頭目髓腦無有吝惜，故教持經者先以忍行。悲此末法，非大忍力又何能護佛法續慧命乎？故老人每每以忍行開示禪人，禪人以能篤信老人，亦能以忍力自持，故今不但率保道場，抑且成就己行，豈不為二利之妙行哉？惟此一事，禪人切不可以世諦尋常觀之，更於此外別求出生死法也。且此經乃吾佛世尊為一大事因緣故出現於世，一大事者乃眾生本有佛之知見也。以久迷而不悟，特勞佛出世為開示而使自悟入之，唯此一事更無別事。所言佛知見者，以能見諸法實相也。以眾生迷真知見，但認五蘊幻妄身心而不見其真實之相。若見實相，則三界上下了無一法，又何生死可寄耶？如此豈獨參禪能了生死，而持經不能了生死乎？第恐為《法華》所轉耳！若南嶽天台皆悟實相之大宗師也。倘法社諸侶讀誦此經，能有一人如天台悟入法華三昧者，即此靈山一會儼然未散，如是則護持之人具足恒沙功德不可思議矣！若是則縱捨身命亦非分外，況世間言語、谷響音聲、幻妄小詬，豈失出世廣大法利耶？且佛為此法，劫劫生生捨此身命，禪人即能捨此一生成大法益，又何外慕別求佛法乎？然今縱不能了生死，即仗此法為舟航，願力持之，於生死海中亦必終有到彼岸時，尤勝從前虛生浪死也。禪人既請老人言，應當諦信老人語，從此更當發起大忍力、大精進力，是名真法供養如來，以成普賢大行。切不可起生滅心立人我見，而生退墮之想也。」

> Haiyin, who had received early training at Qixia, later formed a society with fellow practitioners at Dongchan in Jinsha, gathering students from across the land to focus on reciting the \*Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra\*. Within a few years, over thirty people had achieved success in this practice. The previous society leader, Haiyao, together with patrons and donors, invited me—an old recluse—to take charge. Haiyin then traveled specially to Nanyue to welcome me. At first sight, I saw him as gentle, seemingly reticent, sincere, and upright, and recognized him as one with dedication and strength. When I later came to the society due to causes connected with Master Liaoda, I saw the assembly of dharma companions solemnly seated, their sutra recitation clear and resounding, like heavenly music in the air. I sighed and said, "Even those who merely hear this sound can enter the stream and realize the perfect penetration of the ear faculty!" When my business there concluded, though I returned to old age at Kuangshan, my dharma body remained ever present in that place. Three years later, Master Yao left due to circumstances, and the society was left without a leader. When I heard this, I felt deep regret and quickly sent a letter to the patrons, urging them to encourage Haiyin to steadfastly maintain the society, awaiting future successors, and to preserve this dharma assembly from decline. I also earnestly instructed Haiyin to endure hardship in remaining there. Haiyin faithfully trusted my words, and indeed the society was preserved without incident. Haiyin sent a disciple to pay respects and bring a scroll requesting instruction. The old master then addressed him, saying: "How difficult it is! In this age of declining dharma, rare is the disciple who can uphold the life of wisdom with a mind devoted to protecting the dharma! This is not only true today. In the past, the Buddha on Vulture Peak wished to entrust the \*Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra\* to someone, commanding that in the final age it be upheld, widely proclaimed, and circulated. At that time, even though hundreds of thousands of gods and humans received predictions of enlightenment, among all the disciples not a single one dared to proclaim this dharma in the Saha world. It had to wait for those who welled up from the earth to bear this burden. From this we can see—is upholding this sutra an easy matter? Because beings in this evil world of five corruptions have thin blessings, and their natures are stubborn and fierce, most difficult to tame, the Buddha therefore taught that those who uphold this sutra must take patience as their foremost practice. Thus it is said: 'After the Thus Come One's passing, one who wishes to teach this sutra to the four assemblies should enter the Thus Come One's room, wear the Thus Come One's robe, and sit on the Thus Come One's seat, and only then can broadly teach this sutra to the assembly.' The Thus Come One's room is the mind of great compassion toward all beings. The Thus Come One's robe is the mind of gentleness and patient endurance. The Thus Come One's seat is the emptiness of all dharmas. Abiding in these, one may then, with a mind of unwavering diligence, teach this \*Lotus Sutra\* to the assembly. "Thus the Buddha recounted his own past practice of seeking the dharma—how Devadatta harmed him life after life, and how Never-Disparaging bowed to the four assemblies, who reviled him, even attacking him with swords, staffs, tiles, and stones. All these various hardships he endured joyfully, without a single thought of slackening or retreat. This is precisely the dharma of bodhisattvas, the supreme practice for upholding this sutra in the final age. Thus, if we who are disciples of the Buddha lack patient endurance, how can we uphold the Buddha's life of wisdom and keep it from being cut off? "Those bodhisattvas who received the entrustment to uphold this sutra vowed: 'All manner of hardships shall we be able to endure.' Therefore the Buddha said that if one contemplated the three thousand great thousand worlds, there is not a place the size of a mustard seed where bodhisattvas have not sacrificed body and life for the sake of enlightenment—even heads, eyes, marrow, and brains, with not a trace of reluctance. Thus he taught that those who uphold this sutra must first practice patience. "Grieving for this age of declining dharma—without great power of endurance, how can one protect the Buddha-dharma and continue the life of wisdom? Hence the old master has always taught Haiyin through the practice of patience. Because Haiyin has sincerely trusted the old master, he too has been able to sustain himself with the power of endurance. Thus now he not only protects the practice center but has also accomplished his own cultivation—is this not a wonderful practice of benefit to both self and others? "In this one matter alone, Haiyin must not view it with ordinary worldly eyes, nor seek some other method of transcendence beyond this. Moreover, this sutra is the very reason the World-Honored One appeared in the world—for one great cause. This one great cause is the Buddha-knowledge originally inherent in all beings. Because beings are long lost in confusion and fail to awaken, the Buddha specially appeared in the world to reveal and point it out, enabling beings to awaken and enter it themselves. This is the only matter—there is nothing else. "What is meant by Buddha-knowledge? It is the ability to see the true aspect of all dharmas. Because beings are confused about their true knowledge and vision, they only recognize the illusory, dreamlike body-mind of the five aggregates and fail to see its true nature. If one sees true reality, then throughout the three realms there is not a single dharma—and where then can birth and death find a place to rest? This being so, how can it be that only Chan meditation can end birth and death, and upholding this sutra cannot? The only fear is being turned around by the \*Lotus Sutra\* itself! "Nanyue and Tiantai were both great masters who awakened to true reality. If among the dharma companions of this society, even one person, through reading and reciting this sutra, were to awaken and enter the Lotus samadhi as Tiantai did, then this very assembly on Vulture Peak would be present still, undispersed. In that case, the merit of those who protect and uphold it would be replete with merits as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—inconceivable! If so, even sacrificing body and life would not be beyond one's duty, much less worldly words, echoes in a valley, sounds, or trivial illusory criticism—how could these diminish the vast dharma benefits of transcendence? "Moreover, the Buddha, for the sake of this dharma, gave up body and life in kalpa after kalpa, life after life. If Haiyin can give up this one lifetime for the great benefit of this dharma, what need is there to seek other dharmas externally? Even if one cannot end birth and death in this lifetime, then relying on this dharma as a vessel, upheld by the power of vow, one will certainly eventually reach the other shore in the ocean of birth and death—far better than the former life of vain living and wandering death. "Haiyin has requested the old master's words, and so should faithfully trust them. From this point forward, he should further arouse the great power of endurance and the great power of diligent effort. This is called true dharma-offering to the Thus Come One, completing the great practice of Samantabhadra. One must never give rise to a mind of arising and ceasing, establish views of self and other, or entertain thoughts of retreat and backsliding."