Something I wrote for my mother in 2021: 

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Meditation and Self-Enquiry
 
I wrote this to my mother today in Chinese about the purpose of practicing and to encourage her to meditate. English translation below.
 
参禅是要参究本来面目是什么,自性是什么,不是要达到一种境界
是要发现,体悟,什么是自性、觉性。要达到完全没有疑惑才是”悟”
要一切念头断后还要回光返照,我是谁?在觉知的是什么?如果有念头回答是这个那个就错,因为答案不在语言文字,所以把念头舍掉再继续参、回光返照。这是明心最直接的法。
要每天打坐,元音老人叫弟子每天打坐两小时。
如果不能把心静下来到无念,很难开悟。你要想想你最容易把心静下的方法是什么?是打坐吗?还是念佛持咒?什么方法如果能安心都可以,可是要每天修,不能断断续续。
可是无念还不是开悟,达到无念时还要回光返照,找出了了分明的是谁,是什么,才能悟到自性,不然你的打坐只是一种静态,还没悟到自性。
悟到自性后只是明心,还不算是悟性(人法二空之理、登地菩萨),还要继续。所以”明心见性”其实是两个:先明心(真心),后见性。
所以要努力修到明心见性。
六祖慧能说过:不识本心学法无益。
 
English translation:
Contemplating Zen [Koan] is about inquiring what exactly is our original face, what is our Self-Nature, it is not about achieving a meditative state.
It is rather to discover, to realize, what exactly is our Self-Nature/Awareness. One must reach a state of utter doubtlessness/certainty to be considered '[Self-]Realization'.
After the utter cessation of all thoughts, one must turn one's light around to find out, What am I? What is it that is Aware? If there is a thought which answers 'it is this or that' then that's wrong, because the real answer lies not in words and letters. Therefore cast aside those thoughts and continue inquiring, turning the light around. This is the most direct method to apprehend one's Mind.
You should meditate everyday. Master Yuan Yin asks his student to meditate two hours a day.
If you are unable to quiet your mind to a state of no-thought, it will be difficult to realise. You should think carefully what is the best method for you to still your mind? Is it meditation? Or is it chanting the Buddha's name and reciting mantras? Whatever methods which calms the mind will do, but you have to practice everyday, not only practice intermittently or occasionally.
However, reaching a state of no-thought is not awakening. Upon reaching a state of no-thought, continue turning the light around to find out Who is that which is the Clear Knowingness? What is it? Then you will realise your Self-Nature. Otherwise your meditation is merely a state of stillness, not yet realising Self-Nature.
Realizing Self-Nature is only Apprehending one's Mind, it is not yet realizing Nature [the nature of mind and phenomena] (the principle of the twofold emptiness of persons and phenomena as realized by a first bhumi Bodhisattva), therefore one must continue. Hence, "Apprehending Mind and Realising Nature" consists of two parts: first apprehend one's Mind (True Mind), later realize [Empty] Nature.
Therefore practice hard to Apprehend Mind and Realize Nature.
The Sixth Ch'an Patriarch said: It is useless to learn the dharma without recognising original Mind.


........


Something I wrote for my mother today.

 

    It is my deep sincere wish that everyone who reads it will realise and touch the essence.. for that I pray to Guan Yin my deep sincere wish. 🙏🙏🙏
    "what i describe for you 打坐念佛 is just one way, 方便法 to have the initial glimpse of 自性, the initial realization,而不是究竟. because if you are constantly distracted and lost in thinking, its very hard to realize it, so the 方便法 is still important for you. but it does not mean after realizing I AM you cannot have any thoughts, nor does it mean that you cannot practice and discover in the midst of activity
    even at the first phase of realizing 自性, one will find 自性 has limitless potential and must be expressed in a relative world in constant interaction.
    and that after this initial realization, some practitioners think they want to go mountains and meditate. but others will rather ground their realization of the 自性 into their daily life, even in the midst of thinking.
    but maintaining this practice does not mean they have overcome 能、所. the mirror is still seen as background 在背影能照的镜子, vs all reflections (镜像)coming and going inside the mirror 在镜子里来来去去
    you remember the youtube link by 慧律法师 you just sent me yesterday only? this one https://youtu.be/kqCmHImgzT0
    you know the part he describe 自性 as a background mirror, and all the phenomena coming and going in the mirror, including thoughts. and what does he say? he taught that is just initial stage of realisation, still have not broken 能照、所照 (the 能照 is the mirror awareness behind,the 所照 is the 来来去去的事物)
    but do you know when broken 能照、所照 what is that like
    it does not mean you cannot have thinking or there is nothing
    it means 念头本身就是你,事事物物都是你,就是你的光明本身在那里燃烧,而一切相就是佛性本身。
    青青翠竹尽是法身,郁郁黄花无非般若
    没有能照、所照
    不是我在听、我在看
    不是我在自觉念头,而是那个念头本身就是/在自觉、本身就是光明、那个声音本身就是听(觉)、就好像声音听到了自己,青青翠竹看到了自己,完全没有一个“能照"在看到、听到、觉照”一切的所觉“
    so what did 佛经 say... 一切法本如来藏,妙真如性
    ”阿难!汝犹未明一切浮尘诸幻化相当处出生、随处灭尽、幻妄称相,其性真为妙觉明体;如是乃至五阴六入,从十二处至十八界,因缘和合,虚妄有生;因缘别离,虚妄名灭;殊不能知生灭去来本如来藏常住妙明、不动周圆妙真如性;性真常中,求于去来迷悟死生,了无所得。“
    This is a different understanding from the initial I AM or Eternal Witness.
    So 洪文亮禅师 said in his 1999 article,
    "当打坐的时候念头来念头去,你千万不要以为有个不动的在知道你的念头来去,就以为这个对了。以为有一个不动的对着一个来去的念头,好象有两个个别的念头,那是不对的。其实,来的念头本身就是你法身的用。很多人不晓得这个,误以为有一个“我”知道念头来,念头去。明来知道明,暗来知道暗,那个不动的就是真的了——唉呀!错了!这是外道的说法。你有一个不动的在你的概念里头,拿这个不动的当宝贝,然后觉得这个就对了。那不是你想象出来的吗?如果没有你,还要那个不动的做什么!
    我们的眼耳鼻舌身意六个作用,通通都在无我的、真正的实相里头自由自在的活动。我们就是误会了,把那个能分别思虑的当作是我。其实它本身只是法身的作用而已。分别思虑这个东西太灵了,一起分别作用的时候我们就自动的把能分别的当作是我。其实意根和眼根耳根一样,对到什么缘,那个在,皆是实相。当你对到石头就是石头,对到馒头就是馒头,你不会在讲石头和馒头这二个名字后,才知道是石头是馒头吧!文字语言的分辨,是事实发生以后的分别意识活动。这个以前,石头在,馒头在,那个在,是分别意识还没有动以前,本身已是了了清楚的分别的了。无分别的分别就是这个意思。如果没有把“我”加进去,我们的意根本来就了了分明。
    当我们的眼睛对到相,相跟见,是一体的作用。同样的道理,念头的升起跟那个无我的知,也是一体的作用。所以来的念头本身就是你意根的作用,其实就是你的实相。修行能够知道这个就好了。能够了解到这个,噢,你就进步了,你在打坐时就不怕念头的来去,因为念头本身就是你的实相啊。你以为另外有一个念头能让你知道吗?不可能的啦!因为在每一刻的当下能和所、根和尘、心和境、念头和你,本来是不可分开的,永远同时用,同时起,同时灭。本来就是一体的。是我们把一个东西硬硬分开两个来说明,这就是事后的聪明,事实之后的意识分别。"
    so means he is very clear about 无我 realization even back in 1999
    in 2005 洪文亮禅师 explained 洞山禪師 《寶鏡三昧》:"「入地獄如矢」就是馬上錯掉 了,不可以把他當作這樣去解釋。『不見言』是沒有聽說過嗎?『山河不在鏡中見,山河草木即鏡』,你聽到「全宇宙是一枚寶鏡三昧」,就把三昧當作是一副鏡 子,這樣就很容易錯掉了。所以他強調「山河草木不在鏡中見,山河草木就是鏡子」。千萬不要把你所看的、所覺受的當作是鏡中的影子,不可以這樣講,山河大地 本身都是鏡子,不是鏡中的影子。... ...所以各位看到的、聽到的,你千萬不要以為是大圓鏡智所現,有一面法界法性的鏡子所現 的,隨你的因緣果報不同而現出的影子,這樣解說就完全錯掉了。看到、聽到、摸到、想到的通通都是鏡子,包括你自己,整個都是鏡子!這點不要誤會了。"
    There is another video from 慧律法师 that is quite similar to the one you sent me yesterday and also good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwx8-1KoCvA
    慧律法师 also said ”"大 悟之人不见法。他没有任何东西,因为法法本空,法法不相到。也不见身。为什么?四大本空,五阴本来就没有“我”。所以,什么叫做照见五蕴皆空?色即是空, 受想行识即是空。为什么讲色即是空?色即是空,空就是佛性,色就是佛性的展现。所以,真正的悟道的人,他的心性流露在一切缘起法里面,即于生灭,即得不生 不灭的无为法,也没有所谓有为跟无为,刹那即见永恒,永恒就是刹那,平等不二。 因此我们要了解:不见法,也不见身。身,地水火风所构成的,四大本来就空,五蕴——色受想行识,本来就是不可得。一切法,智者了知一切法,本来就无我。这无我里面,当下就是佛性。所以,佛法讲否定的时候,凡所有相,皆是假相。讲肯定的时候,尘尘都是真心,每一个颗粒微尘都是真心的影现,一切法全部都是真。 当他破除无明烦恼、破除执着、破除分别的时候,完全都是真心展现的,尘尘尽是真,没有一法不是真心,这个是站在肯定的角度。站在否定的角度,是凡所有相不 可得。站在本体界的角度,凡所有相,都是本体界的展现,都是清净心的影现,没有一法不是真实。"“
    “达到没有能所,见一切相就是你的心,你的心不离一切相,任何的相都没有对立,因为你的心不着,用这种功夫,就是无所谓的知跟所知,不可智知,不能用智慧化作一念能知能所知 “五蕴万法,因缘所生,相依相成”相依相成就是能所不断,主宾不断。能所不断、主宾不断。“即假即空”假就是缘起。即假即空就是当下就是空。 “若悟真空”这些“五蕴”身,色受想行识是真如,“六入”眼耳鼻舌身意也是如,“一切皆如”一切都是真如自性,“尘劳本净”这些五欲六尘本来就是清净,“无道可修”无道可修,也“无灭可证”因为是苦集灭道,道不修本自具足,无灭可证,灭就是涅槃,不生不灭叫做涅槃,整个苦全部都熄灭了,当然就是涅槃的境界,也没有涅槃可以证 所谓的「无常」—是指因缘生,因缘灭,一切法无自性。无自性即是缘起无生,所有的得失观念皆是错觉,苦乐也是错觉 天性:于中一法不立,故名「空相」。于一法不实,故名「实相」。空实一如,是为妙明真心。 一切法本空,心即不无,不无即妙有。有亦不有,不有即有,即真空妙有。 无法,无本心,始解心心法,法即不法,不法即法,无法无不法,故是心心法。 司空本净:「见闻觉知无障碍,声香味触常三昧。如鸟空中只么飞,无取无舍无憎爱。若会应处本无心,始得名为「观自在」。」 因缘本空,故不须断灭,见性后因缘即是佛性,故不须断灭。 溪声尽是广长舌,山色无非清净身。 好恶是非,一时都放,则心无住处。心无住处,则无有心,即无有心,亦无无心,有无总无,身心具尽。身心尽故,泯齐万境。万境无相,合本一冥。冥然默照,照无不寂。以寂为体,体无不虚,虚寂无穷,通同法界。法界缘起,无不自然,来无所从,去无所至。 物自有去来,见性无来去也。 无所从来,亦无所去,若无生灭,是如来清净禅,诸法空寂,是如来清净坐。 二性空是体,知二性空是解脱,更不生疑,即名为用。 佛法在日用处,行住坐卧处,吃(喝)茶用饭处,语言相问处,所作所为处。 傅大士偈云:夜夜抱佛眠,朝朝还共起,坐起镇相随,语默同居止,纤毫不相离,如身影相似,欲识佛去处,只这语声是。”
    people treat 觉、心当成是能知的主体
    达摩祖师 taught 无心
    达摩祖师 said in 无心论
      问曰:“既若无心,即合无有见闻觉知,云何得有见闻觉知?”
      答曰:“我虽无心,能见能闻能觉能知。”
    这个无心不是无念,而是本来就没有一个我体当成觉知的主体,那个能所主客根尘的对立本来就是幻像不真实,本来就无心。so达摩祖师said[如是三处推求,觅心了不可得,乃至于一切处求觅亦不可得。当知即是无心]
    so when he taught this in this short but very good text 无心论 https://www.hrfjw.com/fjrw/hcrw/dmzs/110187.html
      ”弟子于是忽然大悟,始知心外无物,物外无心,举止动用,皆得自在,断诸疑网,更无挂碍。即起作礼,而铭无心。“
    this is crucial realization of zen
    达摩祖师 also taught[色不自色,由心故色;心不自心,由色故心,是知心色兩相俱生滅。][应眼见色,应耳闻声,应鼻嗅香,应舌知味,乃至施为运动,皆是自心。]
    this is the same realization
    in all his texts he emphasize this key point again and again..."
     
     
     
    hrfjw.com
    达摩祖师:无心论_达摩无心论原文 - 华人佛教网
      夫至理无言,要假言而显理。大道无相,为接而见形。今且假立二人,共谈无心之论矣。弟子问和尚曰:“有心无心?”答曰:“无心。”问曰:“既云无心,谁能见闻觉知,谁知无心?”答曰:“还是无心既见闻觉知,还...

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    Soh Wei Yu
    My mom asked me what is the essence of what I wrote above. I said I have already summarised as short as possible in my own words above... I simply quoted more quotes from authoritative sources (sutra and zen masters) that elaborate on my main point.
    I am just a practitioner, not a Zen master, nor do I wish to teach. I rather ask people find and learn from the Zen masters I refer to. But if I remain silent when the conditions manifest to point out something, it is also not right.

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