室中垂語
Words from the Master's Chamber
欲明此事，先淨其心。心一清淨，此事現成。喻如磨鏡，垢盡明見。淨心之方，無逾放下為玅。故云：「節儉放下，最為入道之捷徑。」言放下者，不獨教汝放下世間根身器界法，要將出世間菩提涅槃法也要放下。若單放下世間法，但去麤塵，細垢猶在，仍於此心不得清淨。并將出世間法一總放下，盡除細垢，其心圓淨。經云：「淨極光通達」是也。再將放下俱空，不住空相，深入玅淨無礙境界。入此境界，動靜不二，一任搬柴運水，送客迎賓，種種方便，應現權實。猶如波中明月，逆順皆圓；頂上神珠，縱橫自在。非離非即，無去無來，久應暫現，皆是無作妙力，自然成就。所以道：「其心淨而此事明矣！」
至道平常，不犯周折；至理直捷，不假巧說。昔趙州問南泉：「如何是道？」泉云：「平常心是道。」又有僧問一老宿：「如何是至理？」宿云：「家常話是至理。」難道古人不會說、沒學問，為甚發言出語最夷坦、最親切，直下替人斬斷命根？當時古尊宿若用些華言巧語打發學人，斷不能容至今日聞之如甘露、懷之如父母也。誰知近代已來道風大變，勿論老成後生、有解無解，但有些因緣福報底稱善知識，一見學人來問佛法，便道一聯粉飾語，一陞堂說法單用文詞莊點，全無直捷，使聞者渀蕩浩瀚不解所歸，返記取許多閒言閒語惑亂心懷，如是行事忽略古風、欺瞞後進，豈善知識為人乎？
The Supreme Path is ordinary, without unnecessary complexity; The Ultimate Truth is straightforward, without reliance on clever speech.
Long ago, Zhaozhou asked Nanquan, "What is the Way?" Nanquan replied, "The ordinary mind is the Way."
Another time, a monk asked an old master, "What is the ultimate truth?" The master answered, "Everyday conversation is the ultimate truth."
Could it be that the ancients lacked eloquence or learning? Why then were their words so simple, so direct, and so intimate—immediately cutting through a person’s root attachments?
If the ancient masters had used ornate language or clever talk to dismiss their students, their teachings would never have reached us today, tasting like sweet dew and cherished like the care of a parent.
But in recent times, the spirit of the Way has greatly deteriorated. Whether old or young, learned or not—if someone has a bit of good fortune and is called a "wise teacher"—as soon as a student comes to ask about the Dharma, they respond with a string of flowery phrases. When they take the seat to teach, they adorn their words with literary embellishment, entirely lacking directness. Those who hear them are left adrift in a sea of confusion, unable to find their way, instead memorizing idle chatter that only stirs up more delusion.
To act like this—abandoning the ancient style, deceiving younger seekers—can this truly be the way a wise teacher guides others?
昔靈源謂圜悟曰：「學者雖有見道之資，若不深蓄厚養，發用必峻暴，非特無補教門，將恐有招禍辱。」當時此話，師為圜悟勤說，殊不知借圜悟名，發揮後世之敝病耳。蓋古人道德學問蘊於胸中，惟恐人知，惟怕人見，癡癡呆呆二三十年，潛於林下，不露圭角，事不獲已，吐出一言半句，自出平常，人獲之為至寶，所以相傳綿遠不絕者此矣！今人則不然，纔入門墻，一角尚未踏著，便云：「我是衲僧。」竊得古人一知半見，挂於口唇，當作實法會，惟恐人不知我之長處，我知差勝於人，高懷我慢，下視諸方。至於陞堂臨眾，如自鳴鐘，不待參扣，胡說亂道，不害恥羞。嗟乎！是輩又不止於招禍辱、壞叢林而已。
禪道佛法，不獨古人有之，今人亦有之，要在各人苦心不苦心耳。歷觀古人，心性淳和，識見深遠，根器堅利，為人真實，為重法故，尚有捨身斷臂底，陸沉賤役底，三十年不睡底，八十歲行腳底，如是種種心行，不能備舉。即如世尊，為求法故，觀三千大千世界，乃至無有如芥子許，非是菩薩捨身命處。而況今之凡夫，心性狂亂，識見偏淺，根器頑鈍，立行不遠，操心非實。設或稍有一些資質底，不但就不肯低頭行行，不肯捨己從人，不肯虛心請益，不肯確志參方，又要穿好底，喫好底，用好底，貪求無猒，自家一毛也不捨拔，乃至一人也未曾見，禪道佛法從誰而得？生死苦海憑何而超？良可歎夫！
The path of Chan and the Dharma is not something only the ancients possessed; people today can have it too. The key lies entirely in whether one applies themselves earnestly or not. Looking back at the ancients, their minds were pure and gentle, their understanding profound, their spiritual faculties sharp and robust, and their conduct genuine. For the sake of valuing the Dharma, some were willing to sacrifice their bodies or cut off their arms, some humbled themselves to lowly labor, some went without sleep for thirty years, and some undertook pilgrimages even at eighty years of age. Such kinds of dedicated effort are too numerous to list fully. Even the World-Honored One, for the sake of seeking the Dharma, surveyed the three-thousand great thousand worlds and found no place, not even the size of a mustard seed, where a Bodhisattva had not sacrificed body and life.
How much more so for ordinary people today? Their minds are wild and confused, their views shallow and one-sided, their spiritual faculties dull and stubborn. Their practice does not endure, and their effort lacks sincerity. Even if someone has a trace of natural talent, they refuse to humble themselves and act accordingly. They are unwilling to set aside their own views to follow others, unwilling to open their minds to seek guidance, and unwilling to commit themselves firmly to visiting teachers. Instead, they desire to wear fine clothes, eat fine food, and use fine things, greedy and insatiable—unwilling to sacrifice even a single hair. Furthermore, if they have never met even one true teacher, from whom can they obtain the Chan path and the Dharma? By what means can they transcend the ocean of birth and death? This is truly lamentable!
明昧無二見，是非在一心。不肖者背明以投暗，逐是非而轉流；惟達道賢者，了明亦非暗，遂不被其所惑。如星之明，月出則昏；月固勝星，日上則昧；觀日之光輝，更勝星月，雲屯則晦。如是三光照世，於萬象中可謂最明者也，尚不能無相傾凌滅之障，人欲免賢不肖是非毀譽之譏，豈可得乎？惟太虛空，三者明，虛空未嘗明；三者暗，虛空未嘗暗。何以故？體非群相，而不拒彼諸相發揮，識此則是非不能動其心，毀譽莫能移其志，何明昧之有耶？
世間欲做好人者，不須用許多奇特，只是一味依老負實足矣。凡所依人既老誠，所行事既負實，雖學解不博、言行粗淺，歲月深久，其好人之名，不待求而自播矣。設友不法之輩、行非理之事，縱能多聞強記，巧語花詞，賣淨嘴於人前，欲求個好字，猶如撥火尋冰，恐終身難得也。有能言行兼至，聲實並真底，則當今之古聖，又不止於好字中列。
參究一門，乃是吾人了生脫死，轉凡成聖，最要緊底一件本分大事。且如來為發上乘心者說，為發最上乘心者說。兄弟們有具最上乘根器底，向父母未生前，早已會得此事，世尊猶在下風。若具上乘根器底，向一言之下，瞥地無疑，不妨與佛把臂並行。其或根器稍中底，一聞此事，疑信兼懷，此雖去佛不遠，終恐難見矣。若是根器下劣底，縱多聞而亦不信，名之為捨父逃走，向外乞丐，枉受貧窮之流，逐日家偷工那夫，向星火螢光下，竊看些今人語錄，強記些古德機緣，廣學些口頭三昧，做成個拴驢椿風擺柳底樣子，以為見人之招牌。纔入叢林，不辨高下，就去說道說禪，種種多事，猒氣噴人，聲色可惡。嗟乎！是輩真法門難除之巨病，誠波旬眷屬再來也。
從上佛祖千言萬語總是一語，於一語中盡含一切，於一切語究竟將來，無非為一大事因緣。故經云：「唯此一事實，餘二則非真。」兄弟們！果能於日用中時時刻刻將此一大事因緣頓在目前，如銀墻鐵壁蘊於胸中，似殺父冤仇，於茶裏飯裏至睡夢裏也放他不過，於法法上觀察，法法上不著，如鏡照像，來無所粘，過無蹤跡，虛受照應。唯此能照能用、不粘不染底一點仇恨未了，只待時節而已。時節一至，徹底冰消，乃可與道相應。工夫果實，到此始信自心是佛，心外無佛，一切語言從我流出，我亦本空，不住空相，任運騰騰，縱橫無礙，可謂大解脫場、無事道人也。其或未能，一任熟翻三藏，博究五宗，咬文嚼字，說相離言，總不出流識分別，作解依他，名為喫剩飯漢不知餿酸，莫向人前弄嘴。
若論做工夫中底事，無他，第一最初入門，寧可不遇人，不可遇錯人；寧可不用心，不可用錯心。若遇人錯，受彼非法，古謂雜毒入心，殆不可救。果遇作家宗師，將胸中餘蘊，盡向他傾心吐出，隨彼洗滌陳習，所授一法，受於胸中，如丁入木，縱使千斤萬力，也拔不出。立志一定，又要辦一個上好底常遠心，盡其形壽，切切做去，一年不悟看一年，十年不悟看十年，何怕百年？若不悟，只如是看，看來看去，如生冤家，總不見有身心世界，盡十方虛空，渾是一個生死冤家。看克塞諸佛鼻孔，克塞祖師咽喉，克塞人天眼目，任他諸佛出氣不得，任他祖師開口不得，任他人天覷著不得。工夫到此，一半得力，切忌不可停參，不可認悟，更要就此提起精采，從新做起，向他開口不得處參，向他出氣不得處究，向他覷著不得處看，一看看到心思不能，智照不及處，即此生死冤家，亦無地安頓，遇時遇節，輕觸一下，豁然迭落，始見自心乾乾淨淨，本有風光，圓洞發明，則一生參學事畢，乃可號令人天，訶責佛祖，可不負最初一念，成有終始也。
真實為生死底人，不必苦苦如蠹魚死鑽故紙，縱鑽出頭，秪益生死，與無生死了不相涉。何故？由汝無始迷失本心，妄認生滅為不生滅，積習濃厚，逐念流轉，及至於今，未曾停息。如今欲將無始生滅和盤拓轉，歸不生滅，又去向紙上多尋方便，更增生滅耳。故《圓覺》云：「末世眾生希望成道，不務修行，惟益多聞，增長我見。不若固守一法最為高上。」或念一菩薩名，或專一如來號，或參一話頭，或持一經咒，一發此心，萬夫難拔，總不管他有利益無利益，有靈驗沒靈驗，出得生死出不得生死，捨著十年二十年，至於一生不想做人，隱於深山，草衣木食，樹立岩棲，只管磨煉去，磨到情塵消落，一念純真時，始知出生死法元不在紙上。紙上說底是出生死底路，非是無生死。雖一念子未忘，不妨於日用中更加精力，單看這一念子從何起，是誰念，看來看去，心光洞圓，此一念子當下冰消瓦解，影跡無存，方為盡斷生死，成無上道。卻來回觀生無生法，猶如夢事，但有言說，都無實義。
禪之一字，孰不欲聞？聞則通身潰爛？若有一些好肉，即是禪之不到處。近觀諸方禪和子，毒氣深入底如春雨，皮膚脫落底似冬雷，大都是帶病傳方，以症救症，斯不惟不瘥本病，更增他疾耳。
學者尋師訪友，先具擇法正眼，得不被人所惑，然後親師則師無不真，求友則友無不賢。苟未具此目，雖有志氣超古人，智愚不分、邪正不辨，但以求法心勝，錯亂聞名，未免不被聲色流轉。古謂打頭不遇作家，到老還成骨董。
李心老宿，行年六旬，自唪《藥師經》延壽，索予開示，迺書此示之。壽命生於夙世，道德辦於一生。道德如水月，壽命似漚光。光非離月而生，漚非水外而有。漚之起滅延促無停，水性不二；光之明昧圓缺雖殊，月體是一。故知水月之本固同，漚光之末自異耳。人多棄本逐末，圖起滅之漚光，苟延歲月，虛喪光陰，道無聞於今後，德非利於自他，辜惜長庚，於世無益，何異夭亡耶？夫達本之士，了漚光之不實，念壽命之非堅，一出頭來，心無二事，惟慮道之不成，德之未辦，工夫日倍於年，溫寒不計時節，一旦遂其所志，斬新做人，堪為此生之明鑒，後世之良軌，縱使夭亡，於中何愧？與諸喫生受飯，處養老堂，逐境隨流輩，誠日劫相倍矣。故先聖云：「壽命可夭，道德不可缺。」今古有壽德兼隆，本末一致者，若非寶掌出世，即彌陀再來，復何疑？
佛制佛子不得妄語有四，其最大者，未得謂得、未證謂證，故犯者波羅夷罪，雖佛再出世，亦不能懺悔。故古之尊宿，室中不妄許可，以遵奉佛旨。若此末法僧輩，去佛日遠，心行違縱，勿論有識無識，皆承上遺風，稱善知識，濫廁法庭，匡徒領眾，立序分寮，往往向東堂云：「西堂今日有幾人省發。」向西堂云：「東堂今日有幾人啟悟。」彼此誑說，雖曰互相激勵，其瞞人昧己大妄語業難免矣。惡聲遠播，人皆猒聞，非但不生信敬，返起謗法之罪，孰之過歟？嗚呼！今之善為人師者，深可為誡，能參學者，防此一著。
僧問：「清淨本然，云何忽生山河大地？」師云：「山河大地，云何忽生清淨本然？」僧無語。良久，重請開示。師云：「清淨本然即汝心也，山河大地亦汝心也，皆非別物。心生則山河大地隨處建立，心滅則十方世界當處消殞。生滅如幻，殞立如泡，二俱虛妄，了不可得。向這裏見透，要會前話也不難。」
僧問：「古人道：『即心即佛。』是否？」師云：「是與不是，門外之遶，這裏用不著。」僧云：「請示堂奧。」師咳嗽一聲，僧罔測。至夜，請開示，師云：「佛者，覺也；心，即覺之體也。若自覺此心本來是佛，名自利德；復覺他心亦復如是，名利他德；併覺心、佛、眾生三無差別，名圓覺德。圓覺即如來分，覺即菩薩，不覺即凡夫。若能一念迴光返照，見自本心，佛之一字猶成剩語，況自他乎？」
對客夜話。未到這裏，雲翻水動；已到這裏，風恬浪靜。擊碎淨缾空合空，剔起眉毛鏡照鏡。我以不言言，君將無聽聽。竟夜盤桓松韻寒，不落人間情與夢。