Overall Title:

Translation and Commentary on an Oral Exposition by Dr. Hong Wenliang of Selections from "The Sayings of Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue of Tiantong Mountain"

Interleaved Original Text, English Translation, and Annotations:

Original Text (Chinese - Preamble 1):

物物皆自己，心心绝诸缘

洪文亮医师口述

二〇〇一年四月马来西亚，“蛙鼓楼”

天童山觉和尚宏智禅师语录选析

English Translation (Preamble 1):

Each and every thing is oneself; each and every mind is free from all conditions.¹

An Oral Account by Dr. Hong Wenliang

April 2001, Malaysia, "Frog Drum Tower"²

Selections from the Sayings of Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue³ of Tiantong Mountain, Analyzed

Annotations (for Preamble 1, if any):

1. This opening couplet encapsulates a core theme of the subsequent discourse: the non-dual nature of reality and the mind's inherent freedom when not entangled in conditioned phenomena.
2. "Frog Drum Tower" (蛙鼓楼 - Wā Gǔ Lóu): Likely the name of the venue where the lecture was given.
3. Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue (宏智禪師 - Hóngzhì Chánshī, 1091–1157): A prominent master of the Caodong (Sōtō) school of Chan (Zen) Buddhism during the Song Dynasty, known for his teachings on silent illumination (默照禪 - mòzhào Chán).

Original Text (Chinese - Hongzhi Segment 1 / Dr. Hong's Commentary Introduction):

只 是诸人妙净明心，在一切尘一切刹，与法界等，清净如满月，妙明常照烛。于诸缘中，出一头地。古人道，即此见闻非见闻，更无声色可呈君。个中若了浑无事，体 用何妨分不分。若能恁去，闻声便悟道，见色便明心。到恁时，不被一切法碍。物物皆自己，心心绝诸缘，何处不成等正觉？何处不转大法轮？何处不度脱众生？何 处不入涅槃？若论此事，不论僧俗，不在久近。若尔一念相应，照体独立，物我皆如，在一切时，圆陀陀，明了了，净裸裸，赤洒洒，堂堂地现前。在一切时，成佛 作祖。只为尔放不下，自筑界墙便见有自它。是尔自碍三界，三界岂碍尔？若自不作障碍，便是普遍底身，普遍底心，是大自在汉。所以古人道，一法若有，毗卢堕 在凡夫；万法若无，普贤失其境界。且道，作么生得恰好相应去？还会么？虚空谁肯挂一物，大海自然归百川。

宏智禅师广录卷第五

English Translation (Hongzhi Segment 1 / Dr. Hong's Commentary Introduction):

It is simply that everyone’s wondrous, pure, luminous mind¹ is present in every atom and every land, coextensive with the dharmadhātu,² pure like the full moon, its wondrous luminosity constantly shining. Among all conditions, it stands preeminent. The ancients said, "This very seeing and hearing is not seeing and hearing; there are no further sights or sounds to present to you." If one understands this within, all is without issue; what harm is there whether essence³ and function are distinguished or not? If you can proceed in this way, upon hearing a sound, you will awaken to the Way; upon seeing a form, you will illuminate the mind. When you reach such a state, you will not be obstructed by any dharma. Each and every thing will be yourself, and each and every mind will be free from all conditions. Where then would you not achieve perfect awakening?⁴ Where then would you not turn the great Dharma wheel? Where then would you not liberate sentient beings? Where then would you not enter Nirvāṇa?⁵ When it comes to this matter, it does not discriminate between monastics and laity, nor does it depend on the length of practice. If you correspond with it in a single thought-moment (nian)⁶, illumination and essence stand alone, self and other are both experienced as thusness. At all times, it is perfectly complete, clearly luminous, purely naked, utterly exposed, manifesting majestically. At all times, you accomplish Buddhahood and become a patriarch. It is only because you cannot let go that you build a boundary wall yourself, and then you perceive self and other. It is you who obstruct yourself with the three realms;⁷ how could the three realms obstruct you? If you yourself do not create obstructions, then yours is the pervasive body, the pervasive mind; you are a person of great sovereign freedom. Therefore, the ancients said, "If a single dharma exists, Vairocana⁸ falls into the state of an ordinary being; if all dharmas are non-existent, Samantabhadra⁹ loses his sphere of activity." Now tell me, how can one achieve perfect correspondence? Do you understand? Who would dare hang a single thing in empty space? The great ocean naturally receives all rivers.

From The Extensive Record of Chan Master Hongzhi, Volume Five.

Annotations (for Hongzhi Segment 1, if any):

1. 妙净明心 (miào jìng míng xīn): "Wondrous, pure, luminous mind." This is a key descriptive phrase for the inherent nature of mind.
2. 法界 (fǎjiè): Dharmadhātu; the realm of dharmas, the totality of all phenomena, ultimate reality.
3. 体 (tǐ): Translated as "essence" per mandatory guidelines. Here referring to the fundamental nature.
4. 等正觉 (děng zhèng jué): Samyaksaṃbodhi; perfect, complete awakening.
5. 涅槃 (nièpán): Nirvāṇa; liberation from the cycle of rebirth, the ultimate goal in Buddhism.
6. 念 (niàn): Thought-moment, mindfulness, recitation. Here it implies a moment of direct realization.
7. 三界 (sānjiè): The three realms of existence in Buddhist cosmology: the desire realm (kāmadhātu), the form realm (rūpadhātu), and the formless realm (arūpadhātu).
8. 毗卢 (Pílú): Vairocana Buddha, often representing the ultimate, all-pervading Buddha body (Dharmakāya).
9. 普贤 (Pǔxián): Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, known for his great vows and practices.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 1):

1.这一段我想介绍给各位的是，主要是看到最后这一句：『若论此事，不论僧俗，不在久近』。很多人都反对禅宗的顿悟法门，以为这是假的，是你们乱讲，或说一定要出家才成，你们在家的怎修都是还是在家。为了这个我才提出这一段。

宏 智禅师是宋朝真正开悟的大禅师。最后那一段的意思是，假如论此事，明心见性最重要。佛得点头给迦叶，就是这个事。假如你真的要跟佛一样，得到这个正觉。那 个正觉是什么？就是不神经病，很正常的样子就是等正觉。这是佛讲的。我们讲佛，佛就是没有精神病。精神病好了就是等正觉。我们都是多多少少，深深浅浅，深 浅之分，但都是精神有毛病、心病。所以，他说『若论此事』，真的是佛要传给迦叶，不是佛传给他的呀。“啊，你跟我一样”，只是一个同意认可而已，不是他给 的。那一代代，迦叶传给阿难，一代代传了下来，到了六祖，一直传“这个事”。真的有那一“着”的人，看到一个人跟他一样，跟佛祖一见明星一样，或者是迦叶 看到佛在手里拈花，是不是？

English Translation (Segment 1):

1. What I want to introduce to everyone in this passage, primarily, is the final sentence: ‘When it comes to this matter, it does not discriminate between monastics and laity, nor does it depend on the length of practice.’ Many people oppose the Chan school’s sudden awakening Dharma gate, thinking it’s false, that you are all just talking nonsense, or they say one must become a monastic to succeed; those of you who are householders, no matter how you cultivate, are still just householders. It is for this reason that I bring up this passage.

Chan Master Hongzhi was a truly awakened Chan master of the Song Dynasty. The meaning of that final part is, if we are to discuss this matter, illuminating the mind and seeing one’s nature (mingxin jianxing)¹ is paramount. When the Buddha nodded to Kāśyapa,² it was about this very matter. If you truly want to be like the Buddha and attain this perfect awakening (zhengjue). What is that perfect awakening? It means not being neurotic; a very normal state is perfect awakening. This is what the Buddha taught. When we speak of Buddha, a Buddha is someone without mental illness. When mental illness is cured, that is perfect awakening. We all, more or less, to deeper or shallower degrees—there are distinctions of depth and shallowness—but all of us have mental issues, sicknesses of the mind. Therefore, he says, ‘When it comes to this matter,’ it is truly what the Buddha wanted to transmit to Kāśyapa; it wasn't that the Buddha gave it to him. "Ah, you are the same as me"—it's merely an agreement, an acknowledgment, not something he bestowed. Then, generation after generation, Kāśyapa transmitted it to Ānanda, and it was transmitted down through the generations to the Sixth Patriarch, continuously transmitting "this matter." Someone who truly has that "knack" (zhao), upon seeing someone who is the same as them, is like the Buddha seeing the morning star, or like Kāśyapa seeing the Buddha twirling a flower in his hand, isn't that so?

Annotations (for Segment 1, if any):

1. 明心见性 (míngxīn jiànxìng): "Illuminating the mind and seeing one’s nature." A core Chan expression for the experience of awakening. While 本性 (běnxìng) is "fundamental nature" in the mandatory list, 性 (xìng) here refers to one's inherent Buddha-nature.
2. Kāśyapa (迦叶 - Jiāyè): Mahākāśyapa, one of the Buddha's principal disciples, considered the first patriarch in the Chan lineage for receiving the silent transmission when the Buddha held up a flower.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 2):

2.那 很多人不知道阿难是怎么开悟的。我们介绍过，可是很多外面的人解释错了。阿难是释迦牟尼佛过去之后才开悟的。释迦牟尼佛在世时，阿难虽然永远在他身边，但 是他就是没有办法指出一大事因缘“平等心”是什么，不知道。知道是知道，但不是见性，不是真正得到这个。所以呢，阿难很苦恼啊。那释迦牟尼过世后，他们开 会，要编辑编辑佛留下的话。阿难也要参加，但迦叶说你不能参加。阿难问何故，说我参与这么久，记性好，什么大小论辩，外道来找佛，我在旁边都听到佛怎么 教，佛教的什么密咒呀，什么修行的法门，都在旁边听过呀，我通通记得，记得清楚。我不参加你们收集不来、编辑不成的。迦叶说，在这里呢，只有真正证到佛性 的，证到此事的，才能进入参加。阿难没办法参加，却哭哭啼啼地求说，师兄啊，让我参加好不好，我都记得那么多，这一次网开一面，让我进来吧。他就等迦叶许 可。迦叶不讲话，他转身就走，不准就是不准。才走了两步，迦叶就在后面叫：“阿难！”，“啊！”，开悟了！是这样开悟的了。不是说把门前的旗杆上的旗升起 来了。佛在世时要把旗升起来表示佛开始讲法。所以，阿难在失望之余，只好走出去，才走了两步，迦叶在后面叫了一声。他已经是很失望，所以这个很重要，不准 就不准，这个没办法了，伤心失望，几乎涕零了，多丢脸、难堪。佛的弟子，一辈子在他身边，又记得那多，什么都知道，就是不让他参加，面子都没有了，好难 过。这时候，后面却来了一声“阿难！”，“啊”，他本来就钻在极度难堪、丢脸的这个情绪里头，什念头都没有，忽然这个时候听到这一声叫唤，而他还懂得回 音，耳根根本不跟着你的意识分别情绪状态的，有了声音就是有了，那个六根本来样子一动，“啊！原来我根本没有迷糊，本来就是法身所现。”，法身所现，他知 道啊，他听过那么多，怎不知是法身所现？可是那“我是法身所现”是头脑所想的呀。在十分伤心失落丢脸时，忽然来个“阿难”的叫声，这时候的震动， “啊！”，头脑动，他这一转身，迦叶知道，阿难也知道，同时嘛。迦叶即说：哈，课已经讲完了。你的境界跟我的境界，我看佛在拈花，那一下，跟你此刻听到 “阿难！”那一下，和释迦牟尼看到明星那“啊呀”一下一样。好了，好了，门前那个旗可以降下了，等于法会完了嘛。“倒却门前刹杆着”，很多人说，阿难到外 面去，把旗杆摸到了（用触根）才悟到的。因为阿难跟迦叶已经见面谈话，已经为了可以不可以参加编辑论辩，论了又不准，即何必再叫阿难呢？你已经跟我谈了半 天，我还要叫你某某吗？神经病。我已经跟大家在一起了嘛。阿难很失望，他以为迦叶不理他了，他根本不期待迦叶会叫他，走了两步，忽然来了叫唤。这个时候没 有一个念头，除了伤心之外，没有其他念头。这个时候一个自己，那个声音的一个自己动到那个，那个声音在那里显现。声音在你那里显现不是他听到、迦叶听到。 普通的境界是，我听到迦叶在叫，马上就说“迦叶师兄在后”，那个时候不叫师兄，现在动不动叫“师兄师妹”的一大堆。他那时候“嘿，Mahagashia在叫我”这个念头先起，那就没有了，就擦身而过。就是偏偏那个失望到伤心脸红的时候，就听到人家叫我阿难，这个时候力量才大，这个时候还没有那个意识动啊。迦叶在我背后叫的这个concept， 这个概念兴起以前，那个法身本身显现在那里的东西，同时“碰！”了出来，跟普通显现的境界不一样的那个境界同时显现了，这就是“虚明自照，明寂自现”，明 明白白寂寂。很寂就是不动思想，寂就是非思量；这个明呢，是非思量，不是昏沉啊，不是石头、木头吗？不是。有了声音，咦，青蛙叫了，根本没有想到它要叫， 啊，自然就有了，明寂自现。那一下子“啊！嘿？”，就高兴了。“好了好了，你把旗杆放下，降旗了”。这即是“倒却门前刹杆着”，并不是你去摸了刹杆才开 悟。他叫一声阿难那个时候，梦已醒。所以说，『若论此事』，要谈释尊的一见明星那一下，迦叶的一见释尊手中拿着花玩，阿难的听到迦叶叫了一声“阿难”，灵 云看到桃花，他本来那仓惶了二三十年，回到家，一直在感叹，什么都是一样，没有见性，找了许多师父，什么仪轨、灌顶啦，灵云很失望，还不是一样呀。“我知 道这个不是，但是没有办法，“一夜落花雨”，不来就是不来，满城还是臭臭的，流水香都没有，没有就是没有，所以他就失望地回到家。抬头往窗外一看，看到桃 花，一见桃花，啊，踏破铁鞋无觅处，就在这里！跟一见明星的景致，“一大事”一样。『若论此事』，就是讲的这个。

English Translation (Segment 2):

2. Now, many people don't know how Ānanda¹ became awakened. We have introduced it before, but many people outside interpret it wrongly. Ānanda only became awakened after Śākyamuni Buddha passed away. When Śākyamuni Buddha was alive, although Ānanda was always by his side, he just couldn't pinpoint what the "equal mind" of the one great matter and causal condition (yida shiyin yuan) was; he didn't know. He knew in terms of knowledge, but it wasn't seeing his nature, not truly attaining this. So, Ānanda was very distressed. After Śākyamuni passed away, they held a council to compile and edit the words left by the Buddha. Ānanda also wanted to participate, but Kāśyapa said he couldn't. Ānanda asked why, saying, "I've been involved for so long, I have a good memory. All the major and minor debates, when heretics came to challenge the Buddha, I was by the side and heard how the Buddha taught, what esoteric mantras of Buddhism, what methods of cultivation, I've heard them all by the side. I remember them all clearly. If I don't participate, you won't be able to collect or edit them properly." Kāśyapa said, "Here, only those who have truly realized the Buddha-nature, who have realized this matter, can enter and participate." Ānanda couldn't participate and tearfully pleaded, "Elder brother, please let me participate, okay? I remember so much. Just this once, make an exception and let me in." He waited for Kāśyapa's permission. Kāśyapa didn't speak. He turned and walked away; not allowed means not allowed. He had only taken two steps when Kāśyapa called from behind: "Ānanda!" "Ah!" He became awakened! He was awakened like that. It's not about raising the flag on the flagpole in front of the gate. When the Buddha was alive, the flag would be raised to indicate that the Buddha was about to begin teaching. So, Ānanda, in his disappointment, had no choice but to walk out. He had only taken two steps when Kāśyapa called out from behind. He was already very disappointed, so this is very important: not allowed means not allowed, there was nothing he could do, heartbroken and disappointed, almost in tears, so humiliated, so embarrassed. A disciple of the Buddha, by his side his whole life, remembering so much, knowing everything, yet he wasn't allowed to participate; he had lost all face, it was so unbearable. At this moment, a call came from behind, "Ānanda!" "Ah!" He was originally immersed in this emotion of extreme embarrassment and humiliation, without any thought (nian), when suddenly at this moment he heard this call, and he still understood the response. The ear faculty fundamentally does not follow your conceptual consciousness, emotional states; when there is sound, there is sound. That original state of the six faculties stirred— "Ah! So I was never confused at all; it was originally the manifestation of the Dharmakāya." The manifestation of the Dharmakāya, he knew that, he had heard so much, how could he not know it was the manifestation of the Dharmakāya? But that "I am the manifestation of the Dharmakāya" was something conceived by the intellect. At the moment of extreme sadness, loss, and humiliation, suddenly came the call of "Ānanda!" The shock at this moment— "Ah!"—the intellect moved. The moment he turned around, Kāśyapa knew, and Ānanda also knew, simultaneously. Kāśyapa then said: "Ha, the lesson is already finished. Your state and my state—my seeing the Buddha twirling the flower, that instant—is the same as your hearing 'Ānanda!' at this instant, and the same as Śākyamuni's 'Ah!' moment upon seeing the morning star. Alright, alright, the flag in front of the gate can be lowered now; it's as if the Dharma assembly is over." "To knock down the flagpole before the gate" (倒卻門前剎竿著). Many people say Ānanda went outside and only became awakened when he touched the flagpole (using the tactile faculty). Because Ānanda and Kāśyapa had already met and talked, had already debated whether he could participate in the compilation, debated and was not allowed, why would Kāśyapa then need to call Ānanda? "You've already talked to me for half a day, do I still need to call you so-and-so? That's neurotic." I am already with everyone. Ānanda was very disappointed; he thought Kāśyapa was ignoring him. He didn't expect Kāśyapa to call him at all. He took two steps, and suddenly the call came. At this moment, there wasn't a single thought (nian), apart from sadness, no other thought. At this moment, that single (thing) itself, that one sound itself, moved/touched that, that sound manifested there. The sound manifesting in you is not his hearing, Kāśyapa's hearing. The ordinary state is: I hear Kāśyapa calling, and immediately say, "Elder brother Kāśyapa is behind." At that time, they didn't call each other elder brother; now there are heaps of people casually calling each other "elder brother, younger sister." At that time, if the thought "Hey, Mahākāśyapa is calling me" arose first, then it would be gone, it would have just passed by. It was precisely when he was disappointed to the point of being heartbroken and blushing with shame that he heard someone call him Ānanda. The power at this moment is immense; at this moment, conceptual consciousness hadn't stirred yet. Before the concept, the idea that "Kāśyapa is calling me from behind" arose, that which is the Dharmakāya itself manifesting there, simultaneously "嘭!" (Bang!) emerged. The state that is different from the ordinary manifested state appeared at the same time. This is "the void illuminates itself, the luminous and still manifests itself" (虛明自照，明寂自現); clearly luminous and still. Very still means not engaging in thinking (sī liàng);² stillness is non‑thinking (fēi sī liàng).³ This luminosity, then, is non‑thinking, not dullness, not like a stone or a piece of wood, is it? No. There was a sound, "Hey, a frog is calling." One hadn't thought at all that it would call; ah, it just naturally arose. Luminous and still, manifesting itself. That instant—"Ah! Hey?"—he became joyful. "Alright, alright, you can lower the flagpole, take down the flag." This is "to knock down the flagpole before the gate," not that you became awakened by touching the flagpole. The moment he called out "Ānanda," the dream was already over. Therefore, it is said, ‘When it comes to this matter,’ to talk about the Śākyamuni’s instant of seeing the morning star, Kāśyapa’s instant of seeing the Śākyamuni playing with a flower in his hand, Ānanda’s hearing Kāśyapa call out "Ānanda," Lingyun seeing the peach blossoms⁴—he had been in turmoil for twenty or thirty years, returned home, constantly lamenting that everything was the same, he hadn't seen his nature, had sought many masters, all sorts of rituals, empowerments. Lingyun was very disappointed; it was still the same. "I know this isn't it, but there's nothing I can do." "Overnight, a rain of falling flowers"—it just doesn't come, it just doesn't come; the whole city is still smelly, no fragrance of flowing water, nothing is nothing. So he returned home disappointed. Looking up out the window, he saw the peach blossoms. Upon seeing the peach blossoms—ah! "Having worn out iron shoes searching for it in vain, it was right here!" It's the same "one great matter" as the scene of seeing the morning star. ‘When it comes to this matter,’ this is what it refers to.

Annotations (for Segment 2, if any):

1. Ānanda (阿难 - Ānán): One of the Buddha's principal disciples, his attendant, and renowned for his memory of the Buddha's discourses. His awakening is a famous Chan koan.
2. 思量 (sī liàng): "thinking," translated as per mandatory guidelines.
3. 非思量 (fēi sī liàng): "non‑thinking," translated as per mandatory guidelines. (The text uses 不思量 (bù sīliàng), which carries the same meaning and is covered by the spirit of the guideline for fēi sī liàng).
4. Lingyun Zhiqin (靈雲志勤): A Chan master who is said to have awakened upon seeing peach blossoms.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 3):

3.你要注意看，他们真正的学了那么久，读了那么久，苦修了那么久，念佛、念咒、打坐，辛苦得很呐 ！ 不像我们这轻松啊！但是还是不行，还都是需要那么一下，那么一下，一定还是要“一夜落花雨”。没有办法，那无根树，根本没有等到春风，它就“哎”地花自开 了。奇怪了，那春天要来，要大自然界叫春风来吗？没有呀，那怎么一下子就春天了呢？春天在哪里？把春找不出来，找不到，但是大家都知道春天。那奇怪呢，明 明是春天，不会误会是冬天，但是春是什么？找不到，但就是春。这个象不会错掉，奇怪呢。『若论此事』，他就讲这个。『不论僧俗』，大家注意，这个事情，这 一着，这一下，真正的佛法的真正东西，根本不论是出家人、在家人。『不论久近』，不是你修了很久很久的『久参的』，在佛法里打滚了十年二十年的，你才有机 会，不是，『近』，新近，刚修半年的，从来都没有学过佛法的，不论这个，根本都没有听过佛的一个什么，什么佛字心字都没有，什么都不知道，『不在久近』！ 不在这个上头。为什么？个个都是他嘛。这个跟你学了很久和刚刚学有关系吗？没有嘛。跟出家不出家有关系吗？那是人类在那里分的。释迦牟尼那个时候是为了应 付环境的那个样子，所以一定要有organisation。不是说，organised这个group才能开悟，没有。维摩诘居士不是居士吗？所以要请各位特别注意，『若论此事』，真正的修证佛法的人，不要担心你出家，不要担心你不出家，也不要担心我是刚修的，“我没办法啦，你们学了那久，都不行，我怎能够？”，这是你的思想在动，你在找借口。所以这个提出来就是这样。

English Translation (Segment 3):

3. You must pay attention: they truly studied for so long, read for so long, practiced austerities for so long—nianfo (reciting the Buddha's name),¹ reciting mantras, sitting in meditation—it was very arduous! Not easy like us! But it still wasn't enough; they all still needed that one instant, that one moment. It definitely still requires "an overnight rain of falling flowers." There's no way around it. That rootless tree, without waiting for the spring breeze at all, its flowers just "hey!" open by themselves. Strange, isn't it? For spring to come, does nature need to call the spring breeze? No. Then how does it suddenly become spring? Where is spring? You can't find spring, it's unfindable, but everyone knows it's spring. That's strange, isn't it? It's clearly spring; one wouldn't mistake it for winter. But what is spring? Unfindable, yet it is spring. This appearance (xiang)² won't be mistaken, strange. ‘When it comes to this matter,’ he is talking about this. ‘It does not discriminate between monastics and laity.’ Everyone, pay attention: this matter, this knack, this instant, the true essence of the Buddha Dharma, fundamentally does not discriminate between monastics and householders. ‘Nor does it depend on the length of practice.’ It's not that you who have practiced for a very, very long time, the ‘long-term practitioners’ who have been immersed in the Buddha Dharma for ten or twenty years, only then do you have a chance. No. ‘Recent,’ newly, those who have just practiced for half a year, those who have never studied Buddha Dharma before, it doesn't matter; those who have never even heard anything about Buddha, no Buddha-word, no mind-word, know nothing at all—‘it does not depend on the length of practice’! It's not about that. Why? Because everyone is It. Does this have anything to do with whether you've studied for a long time or just started? No. Does it have anything to do with being a monastic or a householder? Those are distinctions made by humans. At Śākyamuni's time, it was to cope with the circumstances of that environment, so there had to be an organization. It's not that only an organized group can achieve awakening; no. Wasn't Vimalakīrti a householder?³ So, I ask everyone to pay special attention: ‘When it comes to this matter,’ for those who are truly cultivating and realizing the Buddha Dharma, don't worry if you are a monastic, don't worry if you are not a monastic, and also don't worry if you are a new practitioner, thinking, "I can't do it; you all have studied for so long and still haven't succeeded, how could I?" This is your thinking (sixiang)⁴ stirring; you are making excuses. This is why this is brought up.

Annotations (for Segment 3, if any):

1. 念佛 (niànfó): Recitation of the Buddha's name or mindfulness of the Buddha. Translated with "nianfo" and parenthetical explanation, per guidelines on "nian."
2. 象 (xiàng): Appearance, phenomenon. Related to the mandatory term 相 (xiāng), which has various translations based on context (lakṣaṇa, nimitta, saṃjñā). Here, "appearance" seems most fitting for the general sense of how spring manifests.
3. Vimalakīrti (维摩诘居士 - Wéimójié Jūshì): A famous lay Buddhist figure, protagonist of the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra, known for his profound wisdom.
4. 思想 (sīxiǎng): Thinking, thought. Related to 思量 (sī liàng), "thinking."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 4):

4.【只是诸人妙净明心】

『只 是诸人妙净明心』，我们不知道『只是诸人妙净明心』是什么。千万不要以为我有一个心，修行念佛了以后，变成了妙，变成了明，变成干净，还有殊胜的、神通的 力量，有很好的修养，可以表现，不是这样。你本来就是妙净明心的显现。所以，诸人，你们各位通通都是妙净明心呀。不修有吗？跟修不修有什么关系？所以说 『不论僧俗，不在久近』，修久才会明净，那就不叫『不在久近』啦。修久了才比较占便宜嘛，对不对？刚刚洗了烦恼才不会掉嘛，对不对？『不在久近，不论僧 俗』，所以，我们本来就是妙净明心，不要把这个心当做我们动念的那个心，千万不要把这个心误会是修行成就了，就变成非常妙明干净的心，不是这样。这个心， 怎么动？

English Translation (Segment 4):

4. [It is simply that everyone’s wondrous, pure, luminous mind]

‘It is simply that everyone’s wondrous, pure, luminous mind (zhǐshì zhūrén miàojìng míngxīn).’ We don’t know what ‘It is simply that everyone’s wondrous, pure, luminous mind’ is. You absolutely must not think that I have a mind, and after cultivating, practicing nianfo (reciting the Buddha's name),¹ it becomes wondrous, becomes luminous, becomes clean, and also possesses supreme, supernatural powers, has very good cultivation that can be displayed—it’s not like that. You are inherently a manifestation of the wondrous, pure, luminous mind. Therefore, everyone, all of you, are entirely the wondrous, pure, luminous mind. Does it exist without cultivation? What does it have to do with cultivating or not cultivating? That’s why it is said, ‘it does not discriminate between monastics and laity, nor does it depend on the length of practice.’ If it only becomes luminous and pure after long cultivation, then it wouldn’t be called ‘it does not depend on the length of practice.’ Only those who cultivate for a long time would have an advantage, right? Only after just washing away afflictions will they not fall away, right? ‘It does not depend on the length of practice, it does not discriminate between monastics and laity.’ Therefore, we are fundamentally the wondrous, pure, luminous mind. Don't take this mind to be the mind that stirs thoughts; absolutely do not misunderstand this mind as something that, upon achieving cultivation, becomes a very wondrous, luminous, and clean mind. It’s not like that. This mind, how does it move?

Annotations (for Segment 4, if any):

1. 念佛 (niànfó): Recitation of the Buddha's name or mindfulness of the Buddha.

 

Original Text (Traditional Chinese - Segment 5):

5.【在一切尘一切刹，与法界等．】

下面解说，『在一切尘，一切刹，与法界等』。法界是什么？所有接触到的，可以想到的、看到的，包括想到的，都是整个，所以一切的一切，都是法界。跟法界一样，什么意思？『在一切尘，一切刹』，他说跟『法界等』，等同法界，所以说是『一切尘，一切刹』，为什么我们的『妙净明心』跟它一样？你们大家各位都担心死了，我的『妙净明心』跑到哪里去了？假如这个青山，这个森罗万象是我的『妙净明心』，当我死掉了，那个山是山呀！阿里山也是阿里山呀！喜马拉雅山也是喜马拉雅山呀！它还在，我死掉，那我的『妙净明心』留在世上，我自己却死掉了。误会，误会在哪里？你把这个攀缘的、动的那个、能思想的那个、好像精神作用当做我的心，所以好像我这个心的离开了，如果山是我的心，当我死掉，那个山也应该消失掉。它是不会消失的，那怎么山就是我呢？大家很容易犯这个毛病，对不对？那是因为你在思想上想这个事，就有这个误会产生。如果青蛙在外面叫，那个声音大家是不是听到？听到。听到的意思是那个声音在你的心发生变化。这个变化叫做青蛙的声音。你说在外面，你听咯咯咯叫，你的身心上没有变化，没有相应，没有动，你就听不到它。是你自己身心这个工具在动。这个工具动就好，那母的声音是母的动，公的声音是公的动，不是你有一个身心，它接受电波，知道公的，知道母的，这个就错了。很多人都是这样读经，这就错了。不是你有一个叫做什么心一样的东西，有公的青蛙叫，我就接受公的那个青蛙声波，知道公，母的叫，就接受母的声波，就知道。这是一般的概念，想出来的境界。实际上呢，你听到公的青蛙叫，你的『妙净明心』，它以公的青蛙的叫声显现，它以那个姿态显现，以那个姿态动，整个就是，不是我能够知道这个是公，这个是母，不是分开的。公的青蛙的声音在你的『妙净明心』以公的青蛙的声音显现，以那个声音显现。母的叫的时候，你的『妙净明心』以母的声音的形态显现，都是它在显现。它在哪里？找不到。但是随缘就变那个，不是变那个，是以那个姿态出现。不是变，变就不对，是以那个形态，那个本身就是你的moving的样子。这样懂吗？色相也是，我看到你的时候，我的『妙净明心』，以你的色相，以你的色相就是我的动，不是我这里catch，我知道，不是这样。你的色相就是我的『妙净明心』那样子动，所以有那个色相。色相就是我的『妙净明心』那样才有你的色相。所以，『在一切尘、一切刹』，你到美国，美国的样子就是你的『妙净明心』以美国的样子动，看到苏联人哦哦哦地叫，那个声音就是我的妙净明心以那个声音的姿态动。知道或不知道是意识，但是耳朵照样显现那个声音。所以，『在一切尘、一切刹』，你想到五千年前，思想上即会想到五千年前。“五千年前”的这个思想本身就是我的『妙净明心』那动，“啊，五千年前”，否则，你怎知道五千年前？你的『妙净明心』都是它去想，那个思想本身就是它的动呀。所以，『在一切尘、一切刹』，都是去到哪里，听到哪里，想到哪里，就是显现嘛。所以，『与法界等』，不是另外有一个法界在，你的『妙净明心』在去等到，去认知，那就根本不是佛法了。这样你的我相怎抛开呢？这个非常非常重要，你好好地自己亲证到、确认的时候，就是enlightened。确认之前都有我，好像我有一个『妙净明心』在这里照、照、照。听的、看的，到哪里就看到哪里，到哪里就听哪里，那是外道说法，说有一个在转世。你整个法界变，好坏、声音、色相、感觉、思想，就是你的妙净明心那样子动。那你的本性不是『与法界等』嘛？否则怎『等』呢？所以『与法界等』就是这“赤裸裸”的事情。

但是，它的本性是什么？『净裸裸，赤洒洒，勿可把』，没有办法去看它是红色、白色、大、小，躲在我的哪里。但是，遇缘就变，那个缘本身就是它的样子。哎，这个就没办法讲了，能够讲吗？“言语断处”。人在玩弄概念时就描写那个本体。本体是你思想的内涵，你把它当做那本体，那是无极，那是太极，你的太极在哪里？在你思想里头？但是这个思想也是『妙净明心』变的呀！『妙净明心』不曾变，不是它变的。『妙净明心』以这样的姿态动，但是它本身没有相，无住相，“应无所住而生其心”。不是吗？心就是见闻觉知，色声香味触法就是心。不要把“无所住而生其心”当做攀缘心，那就完全把金刚经解释错了。所以说经藏也好，都没有将这种东西分析得详细，因为讲的人自己都弄不清楚，宏智禅师清清楚楚地跟我们讲。

English Translation (Segment 5):

5. 【In every dust mote, in every land, identical with the dharma realm.¹】

Next, let's explain, ‘In every dust mote, in every land, identical with the dharma realm.’ What is the dharma realm? Everything that can be contacted, everything that can be thought of, everything that can be seen, including what is thought of, all of it is the entirety; therefore, all of all is the dharma realm. Identical with the dharma realm, what does that mean? ‘In every dust mote, in every land,’ he says it is ‘identical with the dharma realm,’ equivalent to the dharma realm. So it is said, ‘every dust mote, every land’; why is our ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’² identical with it? All of you are worried to death, where has my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ gone? Suppose this green mountain, this vast myriad of phenomena, is my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind.’ When I die, that mountain is still a mountain! Alishan is still Alishan! The Himalayas are still the Himalayas! They are still there. I die, so my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ remains in the world, but I myself have died. A misunderstanding. Where is the misunderstanding? You take this clinging, moving, thinking thing, this seemingly mental function, as your mind. So it seems as if this mind of yours has departed. If the mountain were your mind, then when you die, the mountain should also disappear. It does not disappear, so how can the mountain be you? Everyone easily makes this mistake, right? That is because you are thinking about this matter with your thoughts, and thus this misunderstanding arises. If a frog croaks outside, does everyone hear that sound? Yes, you hear it. Hearing it means that the sound causes a change in your mind. This change is called the frog's sound. You say it's outside; you hear ‘gē gē gē’ croaking, but if there is no change in your body and mind, no correspondence, no movement, then you don't hear it. It is your own body and mind, this instrument, that is moving. It’s good that this instrument moves. The sound of the female frog is the female’s movement; the sound of the male frog is the male’s movement. It's not that you have a body and mind that receives radio waves and knows the male, knows the female – that's wrong. Many people read scriptures this way, and this is wrong. It’s not that you have something called a mind, and when a male frog croaks, you receive the male frog’s sound waves and know it’s male, and when a female croaks, you receive the female’s sound waves and¹ know. This is a common concept, a fabricated state. Actually, when you hear a male frog croak, your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ manifests as the sound of the male frog's croak; it manifests in that posture, moves in that posture. It is the entirety. It’s not that I am able to know this is male, this is female; it’s not separate. The sound of the male frog manifests in your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ as the sound of the male frog, manifests as that sound. When the female croaks, your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ manifests in the form of the female’s sound. It is all its manifestation. Where is it? Unfindable/ungraspable.³ But when it encounters conditions, it then changes into that – no, not changes into that, but appears in that posture. It’s not change; ‘change’ is incorrect. It is in that form; that itself is the way you are moving. Understand? Visual forms (色相, sèxiàng)⁴ are also like this. When I see you, my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind,’ with your visual form – your visual form is my movement. It’s not that I ‘catch’ it here, I know it – it’s not like that. Your visual form is my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ moving in that way, so there is that visual form. The visual form is my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ in that way, and thus your visual form exists. Therefore, ‘in every dust mote, in every land,’ when you go to America, the appearance of America is your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ moving in the manner of America. When you see Russians shouting ‘o o o,’ that sound is my wondrous pure luminous mind moving in the posture of that sound. Knowing or not knowing is consciousness, but the ears still manifest that sound. So, ‘in every dust mote, in every land,’ when you think of five thousand years ago, your thoughts will indeed think of five thousand years ago. This thought itself, “five thousand years ago,” is my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ moving like that, “Ah, five thousand years ago.” Otherwise, how would you know five thousand years ago? Your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ does all the thinking; that thought itself is its movement. So, ‘in every dust mote, in every land,’ wherever you go, whatever you hear, whatever you think, it is just manifestation. Therefore, ‘identical with the dharma realm.’ It’s not that there is another dharma realm existing, and your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ is waiting to cognize it – that would not be Buddhism at all. In this way, how can your perception of self (我相, wǒxiàng) be abandoned? This is very, very important. When you have personally realized and confirmed this, that is awakening. Before confirmation, there is always an ‘I,’ as if I have a ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ here, illuminating, illuminating, illuminating. What is heard, what is seen, wherever one goes, one sees there; wherever one goes, one hears there – that is the talk of externalist paths, saying there is something that transmigrates. Your entire dharma realm changes – good and bad, sound, visual form, feeling, thought – that is your wondrous pure luminous mind moving in that way. Then, isn't your fundamental nature (本性, běnxìng)⁵ ‘identical with the dharma realm’? Otherwise, how could it be ‘identical’? So, ‘identical with the dharma realm’ is this “stark naked” matter.

But, what is its fundamental nature? ‘Pure and naked, starkly revealed, ungraspable.’⁶ There is no way to see if it is red, white, large, or small, or where it hides within me. However, upon encountering conditions, it changes; that condition itself is its appearance. Ai, this cannot be explained. Can it be spoken of? “Where words cease.” When people play with concepts, they describe that fundamental essence (本体, běntǐ).⁷ The fundamental essence is the content of your thinking; you take it to be that fundamental essence – that is Wuji, that is Taiji. Where is your Taiji? Within your thoughts? But this thinking is also a transformation of the ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’! The ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ has never changed; it’s not that it transforms. The ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ moves in such a posture, but it itself is without sign (無相, wúxiàng),⁸ abiding in no sign. “One should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere.”⁹ Is it not so? Mind is seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing; forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and dharmas are mind. Do not take “give rise to a mind that abides nowhere” as a mind that clings to conditions; that would be a complete misinterpretation of the Diamond Sutra. Therefore, whether it is the sutra collections, none of them have analyzed this kind of thing in detail, because the speakers themselves are not clear. Chan Master Hongzhi speaks to us with perfect clarity.

Annotations (for Segment 5, if any):

¹ dharma realm (法界, fǎjiè): Dharmadhātu in Sanskrit. It refers to the totality of all phenomena, the ultimate reality, or the sphere of truth.

² wondrous pure luminous mind (妙净明心, miào jìng míng xīn): A key term in some Buddhist traditions, particularly Chan/Zen, referring to the inherently pure and enlightened nature of mind.

³ Unfindable/ungraspable (找不到, zhǎo bu dào): While the literal translation is "cannot find," in this context, it aligns with the mandatory translation for 不可得 (bùkědé) as “unobtainable/unfindable/ungraspable.” The sense is that its nature cannot be pinpointed or grasped.

⁴ Visual forms (色相, sèxiàng): Often refers to rūpa-nimitta, material appearance physical manifestation.

⁵ fundamental nature (本性, běnxìng): A mandatory translation. Refers to the inherent, original nature.

⁶ Pure and naked, starkly revealed, ungraspable (净裸裸，赤洒洒，勿可把, jìng luǒluǒ, chì sǎsǎ, wù kě bǎ): Descriptive phrases emphasizing the unadorned, directly evident, yet elusive nature of this mind or reality. "Ungraspable" (勿可把) aligns with the concept of 不可得.

⁷ fundamental essence (本体, běntǐ): A mandatory translation, often referring to the ultimate substance or reality.

⁸ without sign (無相, wúxiàng): A mandatory translation. Signless, free from distinguishing characteristics.

⁹ “One should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere.” (应无所住而生其心, Yīng wú suǒ zhù ér shēng qí xīn): A famous line from the Diamond Sutra, emphasizing non-attachment.

Original Text (Traditional Chinese - Segment 6):

6.【清净如满月，妙明常照烛】

你看，我们的妙净明心『清净如满月，妙明常照烛』。不管你神经错乱，神经错乱的境界本身就是你的『妙净明心』，因为这个缘，它以神经错乱的那个样子动。它本身根本没有变，所以，碰到别的缘，有好的缘来了，我们认为错乱的境界消失了，治病治好了，正常的境界呈现。因为『妙净明心』根本不住在固定的相，所以它清净呀。青蛙叫，叫声就是它；狗叫，哎，我的『妙净明心』变成狗叫。『妙净明心』到底是青蛙叫，还是狗叫才对？两个都对。但是，它本身呢？它本身无相无住。因应了狗叫声，它的『妙净明心』以狗叫的姿态显现；碰到青蛙声，它没办法以青蛙叫的样子动，那就不叫『清净』，那就被染污掉了，被狗叫声染污掉了。所以青蛙叫的缘来了，它就是那个缘本身，缘本身呀，它马上是缘本身。被染污了还会不会变成青蛙叫？狗叫？不会，你看，任运随缘，它自己变，它自己就是那个样子。所以它本身没有本体，所以它无住，没有住在哪个色相、哪个声音、哪个思想，所以思想肯定也可以，否定也可以。思想本身属于肯定，属于否定吗？不是。能够思想的力量不住在肯定，所以，你一下想要否定，你就可以否定。所以它『清净』，不被哪个缘占据了，不会变掉，不然就被染污掉了。红色就是红色，遇到白就白，遇到蓝就蓝。它自己没有本色。在哪里变？不知道。缘就是它吗？不是。离开它有吗？没有。“非即非离”。不就是声音本身，但是非离，不能离那个本体有这些。“非即非离，无是无非”，就是描写那个本体，『清净如满月，妙明常照烛』，睡觉的时候，昏沉得不知道这是你的法身，你的『妙净明心』呈现为意识都不动的那个状态显现。梦的时候，梦境本身就是『妙净明心』以梦境的姿态这样动，梦过了它就没有。它是梦吗？不是。离开它能有梦吗？不能。它是什么东西？

四大六根，我们的四大，眼耳鼻舌身意六根，我自己的四大跟外面的四大，即地水火风，一样不一样？一样。六根是四大构成的，外面的东西是四大构成的，四大六根，内外，跟外头，远在美国、天界、银河系，都是四大构成的。『内外虚幻』，没有本体。因为是『妙净明心』显的，『彻底空寂』。『彻底空寂』是什么？看到北斗星，就是我的『妙净明心』以北斗七星的那个相在那里动，you get it？ 那我本身是什么？法身是什么？没有相呀，住在哪里？没有呀。『四大六根，内外虚幻』，虚幻就是没有本体。虚幻不是有一个『虚』的东西，不是，它告诉你，没有自性。没有那个固定的样子，固定的地方，固定的一个点从那里发出来，不是。『内外虚幻』，彻彻底底的空寂。空寂就是无住相，无住。下面要紧。那，你们各位面前看到、面前听到、面前想到，面前『明明了了』吗？风扇，罗医师，啤酒禅师，胡先生，小姐，都分得很清楚呀！四大和六根，都是没有本体啊！梦一样的东西构成的。内外呀，要注意内外啊。外也是，内也是，『彻底的空寂』，没有本体的那个东西。没有本体的那个东西，内外都是没有本体，没有真正的东西，但是怎又这样明白，面前『明明了了』，这个『明明了了』的，不管你“能照，所照”，非常明了，复是何物？什么东西呀，这个？亲证到了就是见性。你告诉我四大六根都是虚幻，都是空寂，既然虚幻空寂，怎么这般明白？怎么这般『明明了了』？『妙净明心』的妙用，所以叫做『妙』。你以为我在这里看，我在这里听，我在这里思想，那你永远是佛法的外道。佛法没有讲这样。

所以当你成佛的时候，原来『与法界等』，只是缘生。生的缘到了就显现这生的样子，死的缘到了就显现死的样子，没有离开你的『妙净明心』呀！这样，『妙明常照烛』，生的时候，死的时候，睡的时候，醒的时候，糊涂的时候，见性的时候，统统照那样子显现。还要迷悟吗？你要假定有一个我要开悟，就有迷悟了。要是，“啊呀，那是什么都没有迷悟......”谁讲？什么都没有迷悟是你的一个概念，你想你提出这个概念：“本来都没有迷悟”，你属于迷悟还是不迷悟啊？你站在迷悟之外才讲什么都没有迷、没有悟，那你是属于迷，还是属于悟？所以很小心很小心！除非你真正地跑到悬崖那边，咚的一声，我相断掉以外都不能够抛开这个妄想。

English Translation (Segment 6):

6. 【Pure as the full moon, wondrously bright, constantly illuminating.¹】

You see, our wondrous pure luminous mind is ‘Pure as the full moon, wondrously bright, constantly illuminating.’ Regardless of whether you are mentally deranged, the state of mental derangement itself is your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’; because of this condition, it moves in that manner of mental derangement. Its essence (本身, běnshēn)² does not change at all. So, when other conditions are met, when good conditions arise, we consider the state of derangement to have disappeared, the illness cured, and a normal state presents itself. Because the ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ fundamentally does not abide in any fixed sign (相, xiàng),³ it is pure. The frog croaks, the croak is it; the dog barks, hey, my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ becomes a dog's bark. Is the ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ correctly the frog's croak or the dog's bark? Both are correct. But, what about its essence? Its essence is without sign (無相, wúxiàng),⁴ without abiding. In response to the dog's bark, its ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ manifests in the posture of a dog's bark; encountering the frog's sound, if it couldn't move in the manner of a frog's croak, then it wouldn't be called ‘pure’; it would be defiled, defiled by the dog's bark. So when the condition of the frog’s croak arises, it is that condition itself, the condition itself, it immediately is the condition itself. If it were defiled, would it still become a frog's croak? A dog's bark? No. You see, functioning freely according to conditions, it itself changes; it itself is that way. Therefore, its essence has no fundamental essence (本体, běntǐ);⁵ thus it is non-abiding, not abiding in any particular visual form, any sound, any thought. So, affirmation in thought is also permissible, and negation is also permissible. Does thought itself belong to affirmation or negation? No. The power that enables thinking does not abide in affirmation, so if you suddenly want to negate, you can negate. Therefore, it is ‘pure,’ not occupied by any condition, it won't change [its nature], otherwise it would be defiled. Red is just red; encountering white, it's white; encountering blue, it's blue. It itself has no intrinsic color. Where does it change? Unknown. Is the condition it? No. Does it exist apart from it? No. “Neither identical nor different.” It’s not the sound itself, but it’s not different from it; these cannot exist apart from that fundamental essence. “Neither identical nor different, neither is nor is not” – this describes that fundamental essence. ‘Pure as the full moon, wondrously bright, constantly illuminating.’ When sleeping, so drowsy you don't know this is your dharma-body (法身, fǎshēn), your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ manifests as that state where even consciousness doesn’t move. During a dream, the dreamscape itself is the ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ moving in the posture of the dreamscape; once the dream is over, it is gone. Is it the dream? No. Can there be a dream apart from it? No. What is this thing?

The four great elements and the six sense faculties – our four great elements, the six sense faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind (意, yì) – are my own four great elements the same as or different from the external four great elements, namely earth, water, fire, and wind? The same. The six sense faculties are composed of the four great elements; external things are composed of the four great elements. The four great elements and six sense faculties, internal and external, along with what is outside – far away in America, the celestial realms, the Milky Way – are all composed of the four great elements. ‘Internal and external are illusory (虛幻, xūhuàn),’⁶ without fundamental essence. Because they are manifestations of the ‘wondrous pure luminous mind,’ they are ‘thoroughly empty quiescence (空寂, kōngjì).’⁷ What is ‘thoroughly empty quiescence’? Seeing the Big Dipper is my ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ moving there in the sign of the seven stars of the Big Dipper, you get it? Then what am I, in essence? What is the dharma-body? It has no sign, where does it abide? It doesn’t. ‘The four great elements and six sense faculties, internal and external are illusory’; illusory means without fundamental essence. Illusory doesn’t mean there is something ‘illusory’; no, it tells you, there is no self-nature (無自性, wú zìxìng).⁸ There isn't that fixed appearance, fixed place, fixed point from which it emanates; no. ‘Internal and external are illusory,’ thoroughly and completely empty quiescence. Empty quiescence means no abiding sign, non-abiding. What follows is crucial. Well, before your very eyes, what you see, what you hear, what you think – is it ‘distinctly clear (明明了了, míngmíng liǎoliǎo)’⁹ before you? The fan, Dr. Luo, Chan Master Beer, Mr. Hu, Miss, all are distinguished very clearly! The four great elements and the six sense faculties are all without fundamental essence! They are made of dream-like stuff. Internal and external, pay attention to internal and external! The external is also, the internal is also, ‘thoroughly empty quiescence,’ that which has no fundamental essence. That which has no fundamental essence, both internal and external are without fundamental essence, without true (真, zhēn)¹⁰ things. But how then is it so clear, ‘distinctly clear’ before you? This ‘distinctly clear,’ regardless of your “subject that illuminates, object that is illuminated,” is extremely clear. What thing is this, then? What is this thing? To personally realize it is to see the nature (见性, jiànxìng). You tell me the four great elements and six sense faculties are all illusory, all empty quiescence. Since they are illusory and empty quiescence, how can it be so clear? How can it be so ‘distinctly clear’? It is the wondrous functioning of the ‘wondrous pure luminous mind,’ hence it is called ‘wondrous (妙, miào).’ If you think, “I am here seeing, I am here hearing, I am here thinking,” then you will forever be an externalist to the Buddha-dharma. The Buddha-dharma does not speak this way.

So when you attain Buddhahood, it turns out to be ‘identical with the dharma realm,’ merely arising from conditions. When the conditions for birth arrive, the appearance of birth manifests; when the conditions for death arrive, the appearance of death manifests. It does not depart from your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’! In this way, ‘wondrously bright, constantly illuminating,’ at the time of birth, at the time of death, when asleep, when awake, when confused, when seeing the nature – all manifest exactly like that. Is there still delusion and awakening? If you presuppose an ‘I’ that needs to awaken, then there is delusion and awakening. If you say, “Ah, then there is no delusion or awakening at all...” Who says that? “No delusion or awakening at all” is a concept of yours. You think you propose this concept: “Originally there is no delusion or awakening.” Do you belong to delusion/awakening or non-delusion/awakening? You stand outside of delusion and awakening to say there is neither delusion nor awakening; then do you belong to delusion, or to awakening? So be very careful, very careful! Unless you truly reach that cliff edge, and with a ‘thud,’ the perception of self is severed, you cannot cast off this deluded thought.

Annotations (for Segment 6, if any):

¹ Pure as the full moon, wondrously bright, constantly illuminating (清净如满月，妙明常照烛, qīngjìng rú mǎnyuè, miàomíng cháng zhàozhú): A classic metaphor for the nature of mind.

² Its essence (本身, běnshēn): Often means "itself" or "in itself," here referring to the intrinsic nature.

³ sign (相, xiàng): A multi-valent term. Here it refers to a fixed characteristic.

⁶ illusory (虛幻, xūhuàn): Corresponds to the mandatory guideline to translate 假 (jiǎ) as “illusory” or “unreal.” 虛幻 carries a similar meaning of being unreal or lacking substantial existence.

⁹ distinctly clear (明明了了, míngmíng liǎoliǎo): Emphasizes clarity and distinctness of perception.

Original Text (Traditional Chinese - Segment 7):

7.【于诸缘中，出一头地】

『于诸缘中，出一头地』，诸缘是什么？看到的，听到的，想到的，摸到的，所以能够知，“不触事而知”也好，一切都是诸缘。这个『妙净明心』，『出一头地』，它在里头，但却不是它。那奇怪哩，『于诸缘中，出一头地』就是它，不就是它，但不能离开它。它以声音显现，它以颜色显现，它以各种缘显现，但是不住在缘，所以『出一头地』。『出一头地』就是这个意思：你不要假设一个法身，一个『妙净明心』在这个诸缘、见闻觉知以外有一个法性、法身，那你又自己在那里乱想。

English Translation (Segment 7):

7. 【Among all conditions, it stands out distinctively.¹】

‘Among all conditions, it stands out distinctively.’ What are ‘all conditions’? What is seen, what is heard, what is thought, what is touched; thus, being able to know, whether it is “knowing without contacting things” or otherwise – all are conditions. This ‘wondrous pure luminous mind,’ ‘stands out distinctively’; it is within them, yet it is not them. That’s strange! ‘Among all conditions, it stands out distinctively’ means it is it, and it is not it, yet it cannot be separated from it. It manifests through sound, it manifests through color, it manifests through various conditions, but it does not abide in conditions, hence ‘it stands out distinctively.’ This is the meaning of ‘stands out distinctively’: do not assume that there is a dharma-body, a ‘wondrous pure luminous mind,’ that exists apart from these conditions, from seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, as some separate dharma-nature or dharma-body. If you do, you are again engaging in confused thinking on your own.

Annotations (for Segment 7, if any):

¹ stands out distinctively (出一头地, chū yī tóu dì): Literally “to rise a head above others,” i.e., to be conspicuous or unmistakable.

The phrase stresses that the wondrous, pure, luminous mind (明净灵知心) is inseparable from every conditioned appearance—seeing, hearing, thinking, touching—yet never reducible to any of them. Its “distinctiveness” points to two generic characteristics that accompany every single mind-moment/experience/appearance:

• Luminous clarity (明性, míngxìng / 靈知, língzhī): the vivid, knowing presence by which each appearance is experienced and which is not separate from every appearance.

• Empty nature (空性, kōngxìng / 無自性, wú-zìxìng): the absence of any fixed core or self-existent essence in that very knowing/vivid appearance.

These characteristics are related to conditioned events just as heat is to fire and wetness is to water—they cannot be extracted from appearances, yet they are likewise present in every appearance. Because each sentient being possesses its own distinct mind-stream (心相續, xīn-xiàngxù), this shared luminous-empty quality does not imply a single, ontic consciousness common to all. Nor is it merely identical to the shifting conditions themselves, since beings continuously experience sounds and colors without necessarily recognising the nature of their minds, or the luminous-empty nature of each appearance. Thus the line simultaneously rejects (a) a dharma-body existing apart from conditions and (b) the view that mind is nothing more than those conditions. Mind's inseparably luminous, non-dual and empty nature “stands out” and is ever-present.

Original Text (Traditional Chinese - Segment 8):

8.【古人道，即此见闻非见闻，更无声色可呈君】

『古人道，即此见闻非见闻』，修行很高的古人说，『妙净明心』本身以声音色相在动。你要立一个我，我看到，我想到，我认为你这个对，你那个不对，那你就根本没有听懂我的话，所以『见闻即非见闻』，啊，实际上是你的『妙净明心』以见以闻在那里动，没有能见所见，你还有什么见闻吗？所以当然，见闻不是见闻，有声色可以告诉你吗？『更无声色可呈君』。

English Translation (Segment 8):

8. 【The ancients said, this very seeing and hearing is not seeing and hearing; there are no further sounds or forms to present to you.¹】

‘The ancients said, this very seeing and hearing is not seeing and hearing.’ Highly cultivated practitioners of old said that the ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ itself moves as sound and visual form. If you establish an ‘I’ – I see, I think, I believe this of yours is correct, that of yours is incorrect – then you have not understood my words at all. Therefore, ‘seeing and hearing is itself not seeing and hearing.’ Ah, in reality, it is your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ moving as seeing and as hearing. Without a subject that sees and an object that is seen, what seeing and hearing do you still have? So, naturally, seeing and hearing are not [conventional] seeing and hearing. Are there sounds and forms that can be told to you? ‘There are no further sounds or forms to present to you.’

Annotations (for Segment 8, if any):

¹ this very seeing and hearing is not seeing and hearing; there are no further sounds or forms to present to you (即此见闻非见闻，更无声色可呈君, jí cǐ jiànwén fēi jiànwén, gèng wú shēngsè kě chéng jūn): A well-known Chan saying, pointing to the ultimate non-duality of perceiver and the perceived. In seeing colors, no seer or seeing can be found apart from colors nor are colors objects standing apart from seeing. Poetically speaking, color sees and sound hears.

Original Text (Traditional Chinese - Segment 9):

9.【个中若了浑无事，体用何妨分不分】

『个中』就是你真正见性了。一见明星就是亲自证到诸缘，统统都是以你的『妙净明心』，以那个诸缘的样子在那里functioning，这个叫做『个中』，很多时候，他们说“个中里许”，其中加个“里许”，也是这个意思。『个中』，啊，你清楚啦，这『妙净明心』你不是真正用思想去指那个法性法身，那是你思想在指法性。你因为日常生活中知道这个事，时常时常稍微不要那神经病，有时候就那“啪”一下，“啊......”，就是这样。阿难就是这样。『若了』，了啦，没有疑问了，不是知道，不是了解，就是no doubt， 已经根本不是问题了。『妙净明心』自己那样动，还是问题吗？『浑无事』，什么事都没有，还有什么事？还有迷，还有悟？还有生，还有死？死有死的位置，生有生的位置，都是你的『妙净明心』，你的佛的命。死也是佛的命，生也是佛的命。死生离不开你佛的命，也就是你的『妙净明心』。所以『体用何妨分不分』，你说，本啦、末啦、性啦、相啦，你分出来给人家讲，人家就啊啊啊，太极分两仪，两仪分四象，这样比较容易接受，『分不分何妨，随便你啦，但其中一个条件：『个中若了』。『个中里许』就是一见明心，一见佛在手中拈花，灵云一见桃花，香严一闻击竹声。一定要这一着。跳进水里，“啊，好舒服！”那个感觉，一定要这个『个中若了』。『浑』，就是通通没有事。

English Translation (Segment 9):

9. 【If one understands this state, there is nothing whatsoever to do; what harm is there in distinguishing or not distinguishing essence and function?¹】

‘This state (个中, gèzhōng)’² means you have truly seen the nature. Seeing the morning star means personally realizing that all conditions, entirely, are your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ functioning in the manner of those conditions. This is called ‘this state.’ Often, they say “within this state (个中里许, gèzhōng lǐxǔ)”; adding ‘within (里许, lǐxǔ)’ also means this. ‘This state’ – ah, you are clear! This ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ – you don't truly use thought to point to that dharma-nature, dharma-body; that is your thought pointing to dharma-nature. Because you know this matter in daily life, often, often, just slightly don't be that neurotic, and sometimes there’s a “whack!” – “Ah...” – just like that. Ānanda was like that. ‘If one understands (若了, ruò liǎo)’ – understood! No more doubt. It’s not knowing, not understanding, it’s just no doubt; it’s fundamentally not an issue anymore. The ‘wondrous pure luminous mind’ itself moves like that; is it still an issue? ‘Nothing whatsoever to do (浑无事, hún wúshì)’ – there is nothing at all. What else is there to do? Is there still delusion, still awakening? Still birth, still death? Death has its place, birth has its place; they are all your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind,’ your Buddha-life. Death is also Buddha-life, birth is also Buddha-life. Birth and death cannot be separated from your Buddha-life, which is your ‘wondrous pure luminous mind.’ Therefore, ‘what harm is there in distinguishing or not distinguishing essence and function?’ You speak of root, branches, nature, characteristics; you differentiate them to explain to others, and people go, “Ah, ah, ah, Taiji divides into the two primary forces (Liangyi), the two primary forces divide into the four cardinal symbols (Sixiang)”; this way it’s easier to accept. ‘Distinguishing or not distinguishing, what harm is there? It’s up to you.’ But there’s one condition: ‘If one understands this state.’ ‘Within this state’ is like instantly seeing the mind, like seeing the Buddha holding a flower in his hand, like Lingyun instantly seeing the peach blossoms, like Xiangyan instantly hearing the sound of bamboo being struck. This very step is essential. Jumping into the water, “Ah, so comfortable!” That feeling – this ‘if one understands this state’ is essential. ‘Nothing whatsoever (浑, hún)’ means entirely nothing to do.

Annotations (for Segment 9, if any):

¹ If one understands this state, there is nothing whatsoever to do; essence and function, what harm is there in distinguishing or not distinguishing? (个中若了浑无事，体用何妨分不分, gèzhōng ruò liǎo hún wúshì, tǐ yòng héfáng fēn bù fēn): Another Chan saying emphasizing that direct realization renders conceptual distinctions (like that between essence (体, tǐ) and function (用, yòng)) secondary or inconsequential.

² This state (个中, gèzhōng): Literally "in the midst of this" or "among these." In Chan, it often refers to the very heart of the matter, the direct experience or realization being discussed.

 

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 10, Part 1):

10。【能恁去，闻声便悟道，见色便明心】

English Translation (Segment 10, Part 1):

10. 【If you can proceed in this way, upon hearing a sound, you will awaken to the Way; upon seeing a form, you will apprehend the mind】

Annotations (for Segment 10, Part 1, if any):

• (No annotations for this part)

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 10, Part 2):

『若 能恁去』，如果你能这样去，这个要紧，他告诉你，你一定要这一着，『恁去』，『闻声便悟道』，声音，你清楚自己的『妙净明心』在那里动，那不是悟道吗？没 有迷糊就是悟道，迷糊才叫做奇奇怪怪，没有弄错，哪有什么对不对？闻声也可以，看到什么粪便、脏的东西，『见色』也可以，不一定见到佛像才见性呀！不一定 听到佛号，拼命念佛号。『闻声』，香严听到石头的声音。有的人，过去的禅师，日本的一个禅师，忘了名字，在仪轨、佛事的时候，一个人在旁边放了一个屁，开 悟了。屁声，因为这个缘，开悟了。声音里头有脏的，还是圣的吗？『见色便明心』，这个叫做为什么香严、灵云、佛祖本身、迦叶、阿难，通通都是，看到了、听 到了，『便明心』。我们都有机会，因为它不在久近，不是久修的人才有机会，刚刚听佛法的人没有机会。这是你已经在那里乱想，不要借口，随时都有机会。因 为，只要你不在发神经病，你马上知道，不是你的心听到。因为你认为有“我”的那个毛病舍不掉，所以，一定要“我”的那个精神作用捉到这个，“啊，我听到， 我看到”，是不是？

English Translation (Segment 10, Part 2):

‘If you can proceed in this way’ – if you can go on like this, this is crucial. He tells you, you absolutely must take this step, ‘proceed in this way’. ‘Upon hearing a sound, you will awaken to the Way’. Sound – you are clear that your own ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’¹ is active there; is that not awakening to the Way? Not being muddled is to awaken to the Way. Being muddled is what is called all sorts of strange things. If you haven't made a mistake, how can there be any right or wrong? Hearing a sound is fine; seeing some excrement, dirty things, ‘seeing a form’ is also fine. You don’t necessarily have to see a Buddha image to see your nature! You don’t necessarily have to hear a Buddha’s name, desperately reciting a Buddha’s name. ‘Hearing a sound’ – Xiangyan heard the sound of a stone.² Some people, past Chan masters, a Japanese Chan master whose name I’ve forgotten, during a ritual, a Buddhist service, someone beside him farted, and he got awakened. The sound of a fart – because of this condition, he awakened. Is sound inherently dirty or sacred? ‘Upon seeing a form, you will apprehend the mind’. This is why Xiangyan, Lingyun, the Buddha himself, Kāśyapa, Ānanda, all of them, upon seeing, upon hearing, ‘clarified the mind’. We all have the chance, because it does not depend on length of practice; it’s not that only long-term practitioners have a chance, and those who have just started listening to the Dharma have no chance. This is just you already engaging in wild thinking; don't make excuses, there’s always a chance. Because, as long as you are not acting like a lunatic,³ you immediately know it is not your mind that hears. Because you cannot let go of that problem of believing there is an “I,” therefore, that mental function of “I” must grasp this: “Ah, I heard, I saw,” isn’t that so?

Annotations (for Segment 10, Part 2, if any):

¹ 『妙净明心』 (miào jìng míng xīn): Translated as “Marvelous Pure Bright Mind.” This is a key term in this discourse, referring to the inherently awakened, pure, and luminous nature of mind.

² 香严听到石头的声音 (Xiāngyán tīngdào shítóu de shēngyīn): Refers to the awakening story of Chan Master Xiangyan Zhixian, who is said to have awakened upon hearing the sound of a pebble striking bamboo while he was sweeping the ground.

³ 发神经病 (fā shénjīngbìng): Lit. "to have a nerve illness," a colloquial term for "acting crazy" or "being mentally deranged."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 11, Part 1):

11.【到恁时，不被一切法碍】

English Translation (Segment 11, Part 1):

11. 【At such a time, you will not be obstructed by any dharma¹】

Annotations (for Segment 11, Part 1, if any):

¹ 法 (fǎ): Dharma. In this context, "dharma" (plural: dharmas) refers to any and all phenomena, things, events, or objects of mind.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 11, Part 2):

『到恁时，不被一切法碍』，死都不会有妨碍，死就是死，冬天到了，就是冬天嘛！也不是秋天变冬天，也不是生的我变成死的我呀！死有死的位置，生有生的位置，变生变死。你们讲生死，但是『妙净明心』上有没有生死？没有呀！随缘就是显现那个。

English Translation (Segment 11, Part 2):

‘At such a time, you will not be obstructed by any dharma’. Even death will not be an obstruction. Death is just death. When winter arrives, it’s just winter! It’s not autumn changing into winter, nor is it the living me changing into a dead me! Death has death’s place, life has life’s place; changing from life, changing to death. You all talk about birth and death, but is there birth and death in the ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’? No, there isn’t! To accord with conditions is just to manifest that.

Annotations (for Segment 11, Part 2, if any):

• (No annotations for this part)

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 12, Part 1):

12.【物物皆自己，心心绝诸缘，何处不成等正觉？何处不转大法轮？何处不度脱众生？何处不入涅槃？】

English Translation (Segment 12, Part 1):

12. 【Each and every thing is oneself; every mind is free from all conditioning objects.¹ Where are you not accomplishing perfect awakening?² Where are you not turning the great Dharma wheel? Where are you not liberating sentient beings? Where are you not entering nirvana?】

Annotations (for Segment 12, Part 1, if any):

¹ 心心绝诸缘 (xīn xīn jué zhū yuán): "Every mind is free from all conditioning objects." 心心 (xīn xīn) can mean "every mind" or "mind after mind" (moment of mind). 绝诸缘 (jué zhū yuán) means to be cut off from or free from all 缘 (yuán), which are objects, conditions, or supports for consciousness.

² 等正觉 (děng zhèng jué): Samyaksambodhi, or perfect awakening, the full awakening of a Buddha.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 12, Part 2):

『物物皆自己』，听到“咯啷咯啷(青蛙叫声)”， 是不是你自己呢？不是你自己怎知道那个声音？是你自己那样动，才知道青蛙叫。我们自己的神经病状态是“啊，我听到青蛙叫”，你根本佛法都没入门，听错了！ 不是没有入门，是拉你入门，你硬不要，一定要找那豪华的，好多土地的。『物物皆自己』，知道了吗？看到一头牛，牛的相在你这里，所以你知道牛。你这里不变 牛的相，你怎看到？是你的『妙净明心』变的。说变已经不对，说变就好像是一个『妙净明心』它变成那样的相，容易误会。所以我很不喜欢用“变”，其实不是这 样，它以牛的那个形象这样显现，在那样working， 在这样动。它本体呢？看不见、摸不到，在哪里？不知道，遇缘就那个样子动。所以，叫做『妙净明心』，所以叫做『妙』、『真如』、『物物皆自己』，很简单， 我看各位在这里，这样一下子，咯，每一个是我自己。我的『妙净明心』没有动，没有你们的相在这里。那个声音，我的『妙净明心』没有动，就以那个声音动才有 声音。没有动的声音管它会不会动，但是你可看到、摸到、听到，一定跟你的，如果你要分心何物的话，一定是心物一起动，觉得不会分开动，分开怎么知道，对不 对？我们认为物是物，心是心，物到我的前面来，心认到了才有，哪里是这样呀！没有心物一起动，怎么动？动不了呀！

English Translation (Segment 12, Part 2):

‘Each and every thing is oneself’. Hearing “glang glang (sound of a frog croaking),”¹ is that not yourself? If it’s not yourself, how would you know that sound? It is because you yourself move in that way that you know the frog is croaking. Our own neurotic state is, “Ah, I heard a frog croak.” You haven’t even entered the gate of Buddhadharma; you’ve heard it wrongly! It’s not that you haven’t entered the gate; it's that you are being pulled to enter, but you stubbornly refuse, insisting on seeking something grandiose, with lots of land. ‘Each and every thing is oneself’, do you understand now? Seeing a cow, the appearance² of the cow is here with you, so you know the cow. If the appearance of a cow does not arise here with you, how could you see it? It is your ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’ that manifests it. To say "manifests" or "changes into" (变, biàn) is already incorrect; to say "changes into" makes it seem as if one ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’ changes into that kind of appearance, which is easily misunderstood. That’s why I really dislike using “change” (变, biàn); actually, it’s not like that. It manifests in the form of that cow, working in that way, moving in that way. And its fundamental essence (本体, běntǐ)³? Unseen, intangible. Where is it? Unknown. When it encounters conditions, it moves in that particular way. Therefore, it’s called the ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’; therefore, it’s called ‘Marvelous’ (妙, miào), ‘Thusness’ (真如, zhēnrú)⁴, ‘Each and every thing is oneself’. It’s very simple. I look at all of you here, just like this, snap, every one is myself. My ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’ has not moved, yet your appearances are not here.⁵ That sound – if my ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’ does not move, it is by moving with that sound that there is sound. Whether a sound that hasn’t moved will move or not, who cares? But what you can see, touch, hear, is definitely with yours. If you want to distinguish between mind and object, it must be that mind and object arise together; you feel they don’t arise separately. If they were separate, how would you know? Right? We think that an object is an object, and mind is mind; that an object comes before me, and only when the mind recognizes it, does it exist. How could it be like that! If mind and object do not arise together, how can anything move? It cannot move at all!

Annotations (for Segment 12, Part 2, if any):

¹ 咯啷咯啷 (gē lāng gē lāng): Onomatopoeia for a croaking sound, specified in parentheses as a frog's call.

² 相 (xiàng): Translated as “appearance.” In this context, it refers to the phenomenal characteristic or form of the cow as perceived.

³ 本体 (běntǐ): Translated as “fundamental essence” according to the mandatory terminology.

⁴ 真如 (zhēnrú): Translated as “Thusness” or “True Suchness,” a key Mahayana term for ultimate reality, the way things truly are.

⁵ 我的『妙净明心』没有动，没有你们的相在这里 (Wǒ de ‘miào jìng míng xīn’ méiyǒu dòng, méiyǒu nǐmen de xiàng zài zhèlǐ): This phrase is slightly ambiguous. It could mean "My 'Marvelous Pure Bright Mind' does not move, [therefore] your appearances are not [independently] here" or "If my 'Marvelous Pure Bright Mind' did not move, your appearances would not be here." The translation leans towards the latter sense, implying that the appearances arise in dependence on the mind's activity, even if the fundamental nature of mind itself is unmoved. It emphasizes the non-dual nature of mind and its objects. A more literal rendering could be "My 'Marvelous Pure Bright Mind' does not move, there are not your appearances here." The speaker is likely emphasizing that the 'Marvelous Pure Bright Mind' itself doesn't move or change, but appearances manifest through its functioning. The translation attempts to capture the dynamic that appearances are not separate from this mind.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 12, Part 3):

『心 心绝诸缘』，还有缘可以攀吗？整个都是『妙净明心』，还有谁攀谁？『何处』，哪个地方不是『等正觉』？现在整个六根正在正觉，看的、摸的、想的，都是那个 样子，说那个样子又是八十分了。你用一个念头想那个样子，你没有跳下去把我执断掉。所以修行真的要那小心，不要动不动就以“我”的思想加进去，当作我做 到。『何处不成等正觉』，那里，什么地方都是等正觉啊！是你自己想歪了。『何处不转大法轮』，“啪！”法轮转拉，哎！看到你啤酒禅师的那个样子显现，法轮 转了，没有转我怎不把你当成石头啊？一直会在戒定慧中这样这样显现，一直这样变，它不会毫无规则地乱变呀。六根在根源那样子动不是转吗？什么到师父那里听 法，才是师父转法轮转得好。啊，十轮金刚，你的十轮金刚，你的六根都统统在转十轮金刚。

English Translation (Segment 12, Part 3):

‘Every mind is free from all conditioning objects’. Are there still conditioning objects to grasp onto? The entirety is the ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’; who is grasping, and what is being grasped? ‘Where’, which place is not ‘perfect awakening’? Right now, the entirety of the six sense faculties¹ are in perfect awakening. What is seen, what is touched, what is thought, all are that way. To say ‘that way’ is already only eighty percent correct.² You use a thought to think of ‘that way’; you haven’t jumped down and severed self-grasping (我执, wǒzhí).³ So, in cultivation, you really need to be that careful. Don’t just casually add the thought of “I” into it, assuming “I” have achieved it. ‘Where are you not accomplishing perfect awakening?’ There! Everywhere is perfect awakening! It’s you yourself who are thinking crookedly. ‘Where are you not turning the great Dharma wheel?’ Clap! The Dharma wheel is turning! Hey! Seeing the appearance of that “Beer Chan Master”⁴ of yours manifest, the Dharma wheel has turned. If it hadn’t turned, how could I not take you for a stone? It will continuously manifest like this and this within precepts, concentration, and wisdom; it constantly manifests thus, it won’t manifest chaotically without any rules. The six sense faculties moving in that way from their root – isn’t that turning? What’s this about going to the master to hear the Dharma, only then is the master turning the Dharma wheel well? Ah, the Ten-Wheeled Vajra King! Your ten-wheeled vajra king, all your six sense faculties are turning the ten-wheeled vajra king.

Annotations (for Segment 12, Part 3, if any):

¹ 六根 (liù gēn): The six sense faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-faculty).

² 说那个样子又是八十分了 (shuō nàge yàngzi yòu shì bāshí fēn le): A colloquial way of saying that describing it with words like "that way" is already an imperfect or incomplete representation, scoring only 80 out of 100.

³ 我执 (wǒzhí): Self-grasping or ego-clinging; the ingrained habit of believing in an independent, solid self.

⁴ 啤酒禅师 (píjiǔ chánshī): "Beer Chan Master." This seems to be a humorous, perhaps metaphorical or anecdotal reference by the speaker, not necessarily a widely known specific figure. It’s used to illustrate a point about ordinary appearances also being part of the Dharma wheel turning.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 12, Part 4):

『何 处不度脱众生』，看到那个青蛙咯咯咯在叫，我在这里显现度脱它啦，我的『妙净明心』跟它离开了，好像很特别。『何处不如般涅槃』，整个不是六根的大安乐境 界？它没有苦恼，没有烦恼，没有挂碍，有了就有，没有了就没有，不管你想要不想要，不管你准备听不听，它有了就显现，你想要吗？那个念头来了，“啊，我想 到这个！”，你想了那个念头才来吗？想死了那个念头不来呀！有时候，想它停也停不住呀。它不是很安乐吗？自己在那里“哎呀，我想他想得要死”，你就抱着那 个幻想的那个东西不放，那个意根老早都很安乐了，想到的时候想到，没有来的时候它没有，它自己都没有烦恼，那个假我跟在屁股后面烦恼，假的我造出了一个假 的毛病，然后在假的生气。

English Translation (Segment 12, Part 4):

‘Where are you not liberating sentient beings?’ Seeing that frog croaking ‘gē gē gē,’ I am here manifesting its liberation! My ‘Marvelous Pure Bright Mind’ and it have separated, as if it's very special.¹ ‘Where are you not entering parinirvana?’² Is not the entirety the great blissful state of the six sense faculties? It has no suffering, no afflictions, no hindrances. When something is there, it’s there; when it’s gone, it’s gone. Regardless of whether you want it or not, regardless of whether you are prepared to listen or not, when it’s there, it manifests. Do you want it? That thought comes, “Ah, I thought of this!” Does that thought come only after you think it? You can think yourself to death, and that thought might not come! Sometimes, you want it to stop, but it cannot be stopped. Isn’t it very blissful? You yourself are there going, “Aiya, I’m thinking of him so much I could die,” you just cling to that fantasized thing and don’t let go. That mind-faculty (意根, yìgēn)³ has long been very blissful; when a thought is thought, it's thought; when it hasn't arisen, it's not there. It itself has no afflictions. That illusory (假, jiǎ)⁴ self tags along behind, worrying. The illusory me creates an illusory problem, and then gets angry in an illusory way.

Annotations (for Segment 12, Part 4, if any):

¹ 我的『妙净明心』跟它离开了，好像很特别 (Wǒ de ‘miào jìng míng xīn’ gēn tā líkāi le, hǎoxiàng hěn tèbié): This sentence seems to be presented ironically or as a misunderstanding. The speaker is likely critiquing the idea of a separate "me" (my Marvelous Pure Bright Mind) liberating a separate "it" (the frog), highlighting the non-dual perspective where such separation is illusory.

² 何处不如般涅槃 (hé chù bù rú bān nièpán): "Where are you not entering parinirvana?" 般涅槃 (bān nièpán) is Parinirvāṇa, the final nirvana, often associated with the death of a Buddha, but here used in the context of omnipresent liberation.

³ 意根 (yìgēn): The mind-faculty, the sixth of the six sense faculties, responsible for thought and ideation.

⁴ 假 (jiǎ): Translated as “illusory” according to the mandatory terminology.

 

  Original Text (Chinese - Segment 13):

13.【若论此事，不论僧俗，不在久近。】

  English Translation (Segment 13):

13. If this matter is discussed, it does not concern monks or laity, nor is it about duration or recentness.

  Annotations (for Segment 13, if any):

(None for this segment)

  Original Text (Chinese - Segment 14):

『若论此事』，讲了大半天，真正的你自己在那里显现，你的『妙净明心』，他的『妙净明心』，我的『妙净明心』，一样不一样？又来了，又分你的我的，你想 把虚空隔开一样，你去隔开，哪里到哪里虚空是你的？这里的虚空和那里的虚空一样不一样？你又把定点定了。谁定了？你的我执定的，这是言语断的地方。心行处 的没有。言语的道理没有，这叫做“言语道断处”，那个道路断了，言语之道断了。心行处，心可以想到，思想可以及的地方，灭了。不是心行处灭，不是言语道 断，这是念错了。是言语道，“断”，心行处，“灭”。这个是搞文字，没有意思。你在你的那个六根动用都是你的『妙净明心』分成那个样子，是我们将它分类 了。其实，它的动哪里有分眼根耳根，没有呀。所以，你如果真正谈到跟佛一样，变成不是神经病、精神病，这不过是我们六根本来是『妙净明心』的动用在那里。 我们假设一个，因为动用里头有一个意根的作用，思想作用。思想作用太妙，太活泼了，把那个东西，哎，那个套思想的力量才能骗思想呀，否则，思想用什么骗 它？用石头、馒头骗它吗？用钻石骗你的思想？思想也是利用思想的力量才能骗它呀。思想给自己的思想骗了，我有我能思想，这个有“我”就来啦，“我”来了就 高兴、不高兴，因为有一个“我”做标准呀。有一个我有生有死，有一个我转世啦，大家喜欢听这些啊。真正的佛法到哪里去了？这一个也是『妙净明心』显现的境 界。所以，假如真正谈佛法，这种一大事因缘，这种平常心、『妙净明心』就是南泉讲的平常心，那不是平常吗？非常平常呀，平等心。“契入平等，平等契入”， 还说出家不出家，你们去谈，根本风马牛不相干。学久的，新修的，这个世上有区别吗？没有。所以，出家也好，不出家也好，出家，然后后悔，不出家也后悔，你 那个假我在那里，一天到晚在那里吵，不知道这个吵的家伙是你认错的一个虚幻的影子。为什么有虚幻的影子把它认为我呢？我们有法身，『妙净明心』有个思量的 作用，这个思量的作用骗自己的思量。哎…我在思，我在思是什么？是在思想呀。你没有这样想，你怎有我？这想的力量是法身的用。所以，不是分别不好，只是叫 你息意，意是什么？意是有我，然后以这个为中心，用凡情，那就变成意。　　『若论此事，不论僧俗，不在久近』。这个上面最要紧的一点是什么？就是说『闻声 便悟道』，听到声音便悟道了，听到什么声音都没有关系，现在椅子搬动的声音，椅子搬动的声音也可以悟道嘛，不一定是念佛号、念咒子才可以悟道。所以石头也 可以给你开悟，就是这个道理。所以悟的这种机会到处都有。

English Translation (Segment 14):

『If this matter is discussed』, after speaking for a long time, the true self appears right there. Is your wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』), his wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』), and my wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』) the same or different? Here it comes again, distinguishing yours and mine, as if you want to separate the void. Go ahead and separate it; where does your void begin and end? Are the void here and the void there the same or different? Again, you have fixed a point. Who fixed it? Your self-view (我执) fixed it. This is where language ceases. The place where the mind's activity ends is gone. There is no logic in language; this is called "the place where the path of language is cut off" (言语道断处); that path is cut off, the path of language is cut off. The place where the mind's activity, the place where the mind can think and thought can reach, is extinguished. It's not that the mind's activity is extinguished, nor that the path of language is cut off; this is a mistaken notion. It is the path of language, "cut off," and the mind's activity, "extinguished." This is playing with words; it has no meaning. All the functions of your six roots are your wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』) divided in that way; it is we who classify them. In fact, where does its movement distinguish between the eye-root and the ear-root? There is no such distinction. Therefore, if you truly discuss being the same as the Buddha, it's not becoming mentally ill or insane; it's simply that our six roots are originally the functions of the wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』) there. We are making an assumption because there is a function of the mind-root, the function of thought, within those functions. The function of thought is so wonderful, so lively, that the power of thought itself is used to deceive thought. Otherwise, what would you use to deceive thought? Stones or steamed buns? Diamonds? Thought also uses the power of thought to deceive itself. Thought is deceived by its own thought. "I have the ability to think"; this "I" appears. With the appearance of "I," there is happiness and unhappiness because there is an "I" as the standard. There is an "I" that is born and dies; there is an "I" that transmigrates; people like to hear these things. Where has true Buddhism gone? This is also the realm manifested by the wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』). Therefore, if you truly discuss the Dharma, this one great event, this ordinary mind, the wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』), is the ordinary mind that Nanquan spoke of. Isn't that ordinary? It is extremely ordinary, the mind of equality. "Entering equality, equality entering," and still discussing whether to be a monk or a layperson – these are completely irrelevant. Are there distinctions in this world between those who have studied for a long time and those who have just begun? There are no such distinctions. Therefore, whether one is a monk or a layperson, becoming a monk and then regretting it, or regretting not becoming a monk, that false "I" of yours is there, arguing day and night, not knowing that this arguing fellow is a phantom shadow that you have mistaken. Why is a phantom shadow regarded as "I"? We have the Dharmakaya; the wondrous pure bright mind (『妙净明心』) has a function of thinking. This function of thinking deceives its own thinking. Ah…I am thinking; what is this "I am thinking"? It is thinking. If you didn't think this way, how would you have an "I"? The power of this thinking is the function of the Dharmakaya. Therefore, it's not that discrimination is bad; it simply tells you to cease the mind (意). What is the mind (意)? The mind (意) is having an "I" and then using mundane feelings with this as the center, and that becomes the mind (意). 『If this matter is discussed, it does not concern monks or laity, nor is it about duration or recentness.』 The most important point above is what? It is that 『hearing a sound, then awakening to the Way』; awakening to the Way upon hearing a sound. It doesn't matter what sound you hear; even the sound of a chair being moved can lead to awakening. It is not necessarily reciting the Buddha's name or a mantra that leads to awakening. Therefore, even a stone can lead to your awakening; this is the principle. Thus, opportunities for awakening are everywhere.

 

* Annotations (for Segment 14, if any):

    * 『妙净明心』 (miào jìng míng xīn): Translated as "wondrous pure bright mind." This is a key term referring to the inherent, pure nature of mind.

    * 我执 (wǒzhí): Translated as "self-view" as per guidelines (though more commonly "self-grasping" or "ego-clinging"). The speaker is emphasizing the conceptual fixation on "I."

    * 言语道断处 (yányǔ dào duàn chù): Translated as "the place where the path of language is cut off." This refers to a state or realization that is beyond conceptual and linguistic expression.

    * 心行处灭 (xīn xíng chù miè): Translated as "The place where the mind's activity...is extinguished." This signifies the cessation of discursive thought and mental fabrications. The text clarifies the phrasing as 言语道，“断”，心行处，“灭” (the path of language, "cut off"; the mind's activity, "extinguished").

    * 六根 (liù gēn): The six sense roots/faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind).

    * 意根 (yì gēn): The mind-root or mental faculty.

    * 思量 (sī liàng): Translated as "thinking" as per guidelines.

    * 法身 (fǎshēn): Dharmakāya, the "truth body" or "reality body" of a Buddha.

    * 意 (yì): Translated as "mind (意)" to distinguish from 心 (xīn). Here it refers to a more deluded or conceptual aspect of mind centered around the "I."

    * 一大事因缘 (yī dà shì yīnyuán): "This one great event" or "the great matter of causes and conditions," often referring to the purpose of the Buddha's appearance in the world – to lead beings to awakening.

    * 平常心 (píngcháng xīn): "Ordinary mind," a Chan/Zen concept emphasizing that the awakened mind is not something exotic but is found in everyday awareness. The text attributes this to Nanquan (Nansen).

    * 『闻声便悟道』 (wén shēng biàn wù dào): "Hearing a sound, then awakening to the Way." A common Chan expression illustrating how awakening can occur through everyday sensory experiences.

Okay, I will translate the provided Chinese Buddhist passage into English, following the specified structure and guidelines.

Overall Title

Translation of: A Dharma Talk on the Śūraṅgama Sūtra and the Nature of Mind

Interleaved Original Text, English Translation, and Annotations

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 15):

15.所以，楞严经有句话，我那时参了半天不晓得。不管楞严经有没有动过手脚，可是理是对的。释迦牟尼佛说：“吾不见吾，吾不见时，何不见吾不见之处。”他问那个学生，我呢，不见，不见什么？假定这个引擎(话筒)，当我不见，not seeing，when I am not looking at this thing，何不见，何不见就是不明自，你怎也做不到跟我一样的我不见之处呢？这个意思懂吗？释迦牟尼见这个引擎，明明有色相呀。但是真正的他的境界已经『物物皆自己』，东西都是我嘛。我怎看我呢？ Everything is I myself，how can you see you yourself？ 所以，他都在这个境界的时候，当然，在讲话的时侯，他会说，我看到引擎在那里，你拿过来。这是他方便说。但是，他的境界是方便用，用它，用分别意识，但不 是给这个迷掉。所以他说，我看这个，其实，我知道这是我的的本身。所以，当“吾不见时”，当我那正觉之时，我一直在这个境界，你们怎没有做到这样呢？“何 不见吾不见之处”？怎做不到跟我一样“见而不见”？因为我们做不到物物都是我自己。你去看看所有楞严经的解说，白话的，不管是哪个大师，在文字上转来转 去。我那时在奇怪，我不见的时侯，我就那么想，现在我在看这件东西，当它转过去了，那个我的“见”不在这个上头。它一直在讲那个“见”，我能见的那个“见 性”。所以，我一看到这件东西，是我的“见性”跑到这里。一直在推衍推衍到那个楞严经，我的“见性”跑到物体上，所以我能够看到。My ability to see is on that object。我能够见的那个能见的力量跑到这里所以我看到。当我的ability to See没有在On this or on that，那就nothing to do with me。 他是一直讲，一直讲那个能见之性，所以，当碰到这个句子“当吾不见之时”，我就认为，哦，他把头转掉了。我能够看到的“见性”不在这里了。好象如果这个是 我的“见性”，这里，让我见到引擎，因为这个东西在上头。当我不见之时，转过去，我的“见性”跑到这里来了。这里没有我的见性，你怎么看不到我的“见性” 不在这里。在这个上头想想想，想了半天。现在我的“见性”不在这里，转过去了，我的“见性”跑到这里，我的“见性”离开了这个，那你为什不知道我的“见 性”不在这里呢？所以表示这个“见性”是看不到的，invisible。如果“见性”是visible的， 我把“见性”拿掉了，那你就应该知道“啊，你的见性不在这里，所以你不再看”这样解说呀。其实，这样解说还是五十分。一般这样解说还算高明。根本不是这回 事。『物物皆自己』，我这样看，看而不看，见面不见，你怎还不懂这个意思？就是这个意恩。释迦牟尼骂我们，我讲了半天，你还在那里，我的“见性”是看得 见，看不见。顺便想到这个告诉各位。 

我 跟一位大师讨论过。我说，这里的翻译我越看越糊涂，但是，我的想法是我刚刚解说过的：把我的“见性”移过去，你怎看不到我“见性”拿掉了呢？“何不见吾不 见之处”？你看到我不见之处，不见的原因在哪里？你看到了就知道我不再看，然后下面推衍，其实不是。佛的意思不是这个样子。我看你，万物都是我啊。我的妙 净明心这样显现，我自己怎看自己呢？所以是『物物皆自己』，Every thing is I myself。『心心绝诸缘』，不是有一个我能看的事物。现在你知道这都是你自己的显现，那还有什么心？心要攀缘什么？『心心绝诸缘』。我们的妄想境界，错误的状况就是，以为有缘可以攀到，能攀到的叫做我，就是我们一直在这里。

English Translation (Segment 15):

15. So, there's a sentence in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra that I contemplated¹ for a long time back then but didn't understand. Regardless of whether the Śūraṅgama Sūtra has been tampered with, the principle is correct. Śākyamuni Buddha said: "I do not see Me; when I do not see, why do you not see the place where I do not see?"² He asked that student, "I, well, do not see. Do not see what?" Suppose this engine (microphone) – when I do not see it, not seeing, when I am not looking at this thing, "why do you not see?" "Why do you not see" means you do not understand yourself. How is it that you also cannot attain the same state as my "place where I do not see"? Do you understand this meaning? Śākyamuni sees this engine; it clearly has a colored appearance.³ But his true state is already 'all things are oneself'; everything is me. How can I see me? Everything is I myself, how can you see you yourself? So, when he is in this state, of course, when speaking, he will say, "I see the engine there, bring it over." This is his expedient speech. However, his state is for expedient use; he uses it, uses discriminative consciousness, but is not deluded by it. So he says, "I look at this, actually, I know this is my very self." Therefore, "when I do not see," when I am in that state of true awakening, I am constantly in this state. How is it that you all have not achieved this? "Why do you not see the place where I do not see?" How can you not achieve the same "seeing yet not seeing" as I do? Because we cannot achieve that all things are myself. Go and look at all the explanations of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the vernacular ones, no matter which master, they just go round and round with the words. At that time, I was puzzled. When I do not see, I thought like this: right now I am looking at this thing; when it is turned away, my "seeing" is not on it. It [the Sūtra] is constantly talking about that "seeing," that "nature of seeing"⁴ which enables me to see. So, as soon as I see this thing, it means my "nature of seeing" has gone to it. This was constantly inferred and extrapolated from the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: my "nature of seeing" goes onto the object, so I can see. My ability to see is on that object. The power that enables me to see goes here, so I see. When my ability to see is not on this or on that, then it has nothing to do with me. He is constantly talking, constantly talking about that nature of being able to see. So, when I encountered this sentence, "when I do not see," I thought, "Oh, he has turned his head away." My "nature of seeing" that enables me to see is no longer here. It's as if, if this is my "nature of seeing," here, it allows me to see the engine, because this thing is on it. When I do not see, I turn away, and my "nature of seeing" has come over here. My nature of seeing is not here; how can you not see that my "nature of seeing" is not here? I thought and thought about this for a long time. Now my "nature of seeing" is not here, it has turned away, my "nature of seeing" has gone over here, my "nature of seeing" has left this. Then why don't you know that my "nature of seeing" is not here? So, this indicates that this "nature of seeing" is invisible. If the "nature of seeing" were visible, and I took my "nature of seeing" away, then you should know, "Ah, your nature of seeing is not here, so you are no longer looking." This is how it's explained. Actually, this explanation is still only worth fifty marks. Generally, such an explanation is considered quite brilliant. But that's not what it's about at all. 'All things are oneself.' I look like this, seeing yet not seeing, meeting yet not seeing. How can you still not understand this meaning? This is the meaning. Śākyamuni scolds us: I've been talking for so long, and you are still there, [wondering if] my "nature of seeing" is visible or invisible. I thought of this by the way to tell you all.

I discussed this with a master. I said, "The translation here, the more I look at it, the more confused I become. However, my thinking is as I just explained: if I move my 'nature of seeing' away, how can you not see that my 'nature of seeing' has been removed? 'Why do you not see the place where I do not see?' You see the place where I do not see, where is the reason for not seeing? If you saw it, you would know I am no longer looking." And then one infers further below. Actually, it's not like that. The Buddha's meaning is not like this. When I look at you, all myriad things are me! My Wondrous Pure Bright Mind⁵ manifests like this; how can I myself see myself? So it is 'all things are oneself,' everything is I myself. 'Mind after mind is free from all conditioning objects.'⁶ It's not that there is a thing that I can see. Now you know that all these are your own manifestations; then what mind is there? What conditioning objects does the mind need to grasp? 'Mind after mind is free from all conditioning objects.' Our state of deluded thinking, our erroneous condition, is to believe that there are conditioning objects that can be grasped, and what can grasp them is called "I." This is where we have always been.

Annotations (for Segment 15):

¹ 参 (cān): Here translated as "contemplated." In a Chan/Zen context, it refers to a deep, investigative inquiry or meditation on a phrase, story (koan), or question, not just intellectual study.

² 吾不见吾，吾不见时，何不见吾不见之处 (Wú bú jiàn wú, wú bú jiàn shí, hé bú jiàn wú bú jiàn zhī chù): This is a key phrase from the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. The translation attempts to capture the reflexive "Me" (吾) and the somewhat cryptic nature of the question. The "place where I do not see" refers to the very nature of seeing or the seer, which is not an object to be seen.

³ 色相 (sèxiàng): Translated as "colored appearance." 色 refers to form or matter, often specifically visible form, and 相 (xiàng) refers to appearance, characteristic, or sign. Here, "colored appearance" emphasizes the visual aspect.

⁴ 见性 (jiànxìng): Translated as "nature of seeing." This is a crucial term, referring to the inherent capacity or faculty of sight, often extended to the fundamental nature of awareness itself, which is aware through the senses.

⁵ 妙净明心 (miào jìng míng xīn): Translated as "Wondrous Pure Bright Mind." This is a term describing the true nature of the mind – inherently wondrous, pure, and luminous.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 16):

16.所 以这个，读的时侯很清楚，我们下了课，谈天，讲什么天上天下世间事的时侯，通通是你那个在攀缘。听到的道理，你不同意，你的脸色就有一点变了，因为你有能 缘呀。所以，这个东西讲起来这简单。这个迷糊啊。除非，“一失足成千古恨”地跳下去以外〔坐断意根〕，就没有办法。但是，当你跳下去，不成恨，才是真的 跳。跳下去，还是“哎哟…可以不跳吗？”那已经来不及了，还在中间说：“不跳多好”。那个是因为还有你在。真正跳是那个以为有“我”的东西跳掉，不是将身 心跳掉。这个身心砍断，磨成都没有了，还有我执在，那个我执不属于看得见的东西。你意根断掉的话，『何处不是等正觉？』哪里都可以，什么时候都是佛啊。因 为你显现的是佛的境界，哪里不是成正觉？到处，每一位都是佛，只是大家都不肯相信，大家很客气，非常modest。 “啊，我不是，我是在家，佛是释迦牟尼佛呀！或是阿弥陀佛呀！我是凡夫。”那释迦牟尼佛为什么讲一句，他说：“当我成佛时，众生跟我同时成佛。”这是什么 意思？他难道乱讲吗？我成佛的时侯，一切众生，蚂蚁也是，一草一木也是，一颗星也是，风也是，同时成佛。那奇怪了，那你这样叫我们不要修了，你成佛，我也 成佛。是啊，你本来成佛，跟佛一样呀。你用眼睛，跟佛用眼睛一样不一样？一样呀。你用耳朵怎听，佛也是那听，没有两样呀！但是我们就死认为那个能听的就是 我。外面的声音是外面，我去听到啊！就这样不同而已。但是没有办法相信，信不过。所以《信心铭》就是信心，你没有信心的。《信心铭》就是“信心不二，不二 信心”。要很快地跟佛的那样不迷糊就是“唯言不二”，直讲不二。不二是什么？没有能所，讲能所就是用思想去想，没有能所就是Everything is I myself，哪里是dualistic？相信吗？理论上可能是同意了，不好意思，佛在这样一直讲，一直讲。僧璨大师一直讲，达摩一直讲，不好意思，“是是是”，相信了。头脑同意啊！头脑脖子痛痛一下就不同意了！

English Translation (Segment 16):

16. So, this is very clear when reading. When we finish class, chat, and talk about all sorts of worldly matters, it's all your mind grasping at conditioning objects.¹ When you hear a principle you disagree with, your facial expression changes a little, because you have a "grasper."² So, this thing is simple to talk about. But this delusion! Unless you "take a leap that leads to eternal regret" [sever the root of mind]³, there's no other way. However, when you leap, and it doesn't become regret, that's a true leap. If you leap and still go, "Ouch... can I not jump?" then it's already too late, and you're still saying midway, "How good it would be not to jump." That's because "you" are still there. The real leap is when that thing which you think is "I" leaps away, not when the body and mind leap away. This body and mind can be chopped up, ground into nothingness, and the attachment to "I" will still be there; that attachment to "I" does not belong to visible things. If your root of mind is severed, 'Where is it not perfect, right awakening?'⁴ Anywhere, anytime, you are Buddha. Because what you manifest is the state of a Buddha, where is it not attaining perfect awakening? Everywhere, everyone is a Buddha; it's just that everyone is unwilling to believe it, everyone is very polite, very modest. "Ah, I am not. I am a layperson. The Buddha is Śākyamuni Buddha! Or Amitābha Buddha! I am an ordinary being." Then why did Śākyamuni Buddha say one thing, he said: "When I attained Buddhahood, all sentient beings attained Buddhahood simultaneously with me." What does this mean? Was he speaking nonsense? When I attain Buddhahood, all sentient beings – ants too, every blade of grass and piece of wood too, every star too, the wind too – simultaneously attain Buddhahood. That's strange then. If you say that, you're telling us not to cultivate. You attain Buddhahood, I also attain Buddhahood. Yes! You are originally Buddha, just like the Buddha. When you use your eyes, is it different from how the Buddha uses his eyes? It's the same! How you use your ears to hear, the Buddha also hears like that; there's no difference! But we are dead set on believing that the one who can hear is "I." The sound outside is outside, and "I" go and hear it! That's the only difference. But we cannot believe it, cannot trust it. So, the Xinxin Ming (Faith in Mind)⁵ is about faith; you don't have faith. The Xinxin Ming says, "Faith in Mind is non-dual, non-dual is Faith in Mind." To quickly become undeluded like the Buddha is "only to speak of non-duality," to directly speak of non-duality. What is non-duality? It's no subject and object.⁶ To speak of subject and object is to think with the intellect. No subject and object means "Everything is I myself." Where is it dualistic? Do you believe it? Theoretically, you might agree. It's embarrassing; the Buddha kept saying this, kept saying this. Great Master Sengcan kept saying this, Bodhidharma kept saying this. Embarrassed, "Yes, yes, yes," you believe it. The brain agrees! But if your brain or neck hurts a little, it disagrees!

Annotations (for Segment 16):

¹ 攀缘 (pānyuán): Translated as "grasping at conditioning objects." 攀 (pān) means to climb, cling to, or grasp. 缘 (yuán) refers to conditions, causes, or objects that the mind engages with. The term describes the ordinary mind's tendency to reach out and attach to external stimuli or mental objects.

² 能缘 (néng yuán): Translated as "grasper." 能 (néng) means "able to" or "capacity," and 缘 (yuán) is "conditioning object." 能缘 refers to the subjective aspect of cognition, the "grasper" or the faculty that engages with objects. Its counterpart is 所缘 (suǒ yuán), the "grasped" or the object.

³ 一失足成千古恨 (yī shīzú chéng qiāngǔ hèn): A common idiom meaning "a single misstep leads to eternal regret." Here it's used metaphorically for a decisive, irreversible leap into practice, further glossed by the speaker as 〔坐断意根〕 (zuò duàn yì gēn), "sever the root of mind (manas)."

⁴ 等正觉 (děng zhèng jué): Translated as "perfect, right awakening." This is a common rendering of the Sanskrit samyaksaṃbodhi, the full and complete awakening of a Buddha.

⁵ 《信心铭》(Xìnxīn Míng): Faith in Mind or Trust in Mind, a seminal Chan (Zen) poem attributed to the Third Patriarch, Sengcan (僧璨). The lines "信心不二，不二信心" (xìnxīn bù èr, bù èr xìnxīn) are central to its teaching on non-duality.

⁶ 能所 (néng suǒ): Translated as "subject and object." 能 (néng) is the subjective capacity (e.g., to see, to hear, to know), and 所 (suǒ) is the objective content (e.g., what is seen, heard, known). The realization of non-duality involves transcending this subject-object dichotomy. The provided mandatory translation is "no subject and object" or "without subject and object."

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 17):

17.所以你看『何处不入般涅槃』，处处时时，every where，every moment，you are totally liberated。入涅槃。没有所谓是你没有解脱啊！是你把那个没有解脱的假影子当作我，希望这个赶快解脱。所以当然修行和证果有一段距离。一定要修修修，慢慢修到把烦恼解脱， “见 惑”、“思惑”一个个除，一个个除到最后通通干净了，成佛了。佛没有这样讲呀，他开始是不能这样讲，因为没有人会相信，可是等后来在法华会上讲，还是有人 不相信。所以，你看，『何处不度脱众生？何处不转大法轮？』每一位，“啪！”听到了，你的法轮转了，所以你听到了。你这样看我，看到了，你的法轮在眼睛上 转，所以看到了。你有没有想怎样看我？眼睛都不要你思想，这正在转大法轮。眼睛自己本身解脱自在。眼睛没有说我是胡某某的眼睛。当我看不见的时侯“啊，我 很伤心。”它会不会这样讲？眼睛不会呀。看不见的缘到了，它就看不见呀。现在是白天，等一下变成晚上，就是晚上呀。白天不会哭，白天也不会变成晚上，就是 这一回事。

English Translation (Segment 17):

17. So you see, 'Where does one not enter parinirvāṇa?'¹ Everywhere, every moment, you are totally liberated. Entering nirvāṇa. There's no such thing as you not being liberated! It's you who take that illusory shadow² of non-liberation to be "I," hoping that this "I" will quickly become liberated. So, of course, there's a distance between cultivation and attaining the fruit. One must cultivate, cultivate, cultivate, slowly cultivate until afflictions are liberated, "delusions of views"³ and "delusions of thought"⁴ are eliminated one by one, until finally all are clean, and one becomes a Buddha. The Buddha didn't say it like this. In the beginning, he couldn't say it like this, because no one would believe it. But later, when he spoke at the Lotus Sūtra assembly, there were still people who didn't believe. So, you see, 'Where does one not liberate sentient beings? Where does one not turn the great Dharma wheel?' Everyone, "Pop!" you heard it, your Dharma wheel turned, so you heard it. You look at me like this, you see me; your Dharma wheel is turning in your eyes, so you see. Did you think about how to see me? The eyes don't even require your thinking; this is precisely the turning of the great Dharma wheel. The eyes themselves are inherently liberated and at ease. The eyes don't say, "I am Mr. Hu's eyes." When I can't see, will they say, "Ah, I am very sad"? The eyes won't! When the conditions for not seeing arrive, they just don't see. Now it's daytime; in a moment it will become nighttime, and it will just be nighttime. The daytime doesn't cry, and the daytime won't turn into nighttime [by its own will]; that's just how it is.

Annotations (for Segment 17):

¹ 般涅槃 (bō nièpán): Parinirvāṇa, the final or complete nirvāṇa, especially referring to the passing of a Buddha. Here it's used to mean total liberation.

² 假影子 (jiǎ yǐngzi): Translated as "illusory shadow." 假 (jiǎ) is "illusory" or "unreal," and 影子 (yǐngzi) is "shadow" or "reflection." The prompt specifies "reflections" (appearances as mere reflections of mirror-mind) or "shadows" (physical phenomena or karmic traces) based on context. Here, "illusory shadow" conveys the unreal nature of the unliberated self.

³ 见惑 (jiàn huò): "Delusions of views" (Sanskrit: dṛṣṭi-kleśa). These are intellectual or cognitive afflictions, wrong views about the self and reality.

⁴ 思惑 (sī huò): "Delusions of thought" (Sanskrit: bhāvanā-kleśa). These are emotional or affective afflictions, such as greed, hatred, and ignorance, that arise from ingrained habits and are overcome through meditative cultivation.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 18):

18.我 们下面是昨天的概要。这个重点，不要把当作一个思想在那里记了。当你站起来，走两步，就没有了，听的通通等于没有听那样，永远在那里搞概念。所以，最好的 修行方法是，不要记这些道理。这些道理你了解了解可以，用动你的脑筋去了解，有没有骗我们。我们总希望不给人家骗。如果你稍微跟这个相应，觉得好象有一点 道理，那，做人做事的时侯，不是在想这个道理，在脑子上天天在动一步，举一次手，哎，『物物皆自己』、『心心绝诸缘』地背起来，然后“哎，绝诸缘了吗”？ 物物都是我啊！那杯子是我呀！这就糟糕了。这杯子的水变成思想上的我去了，那本来没有这多余的知识，喝水就喝水，看到那个杯子有水就拿，现在，学了佛学以 后，嘿…这个东西是我自己，然后才拿，那就麻烦了，久了就会神经病！见银行的钱就拿过来，『物物皆自己』。所以说，思想会害人就是这样，银行的钱也是自 己，被关进监牢，那时侯，就不是自己了。“阿呀，佛学害死我了，它说什么都是我的，结果我被关了进来！”那时侯，不是『物物皆自己』了。

English Translation (Segment 18):

18. What follows is a summary of yesterday. This key point – don't just memorize it as a thought. When you stand up and walk a couple of steps, it's gone; everything you heard is as if you didn't hear it, forever stuck in concepts. So, the best method of cultivation is not to memorize these principles. It's okay for you to understand these principles; use your brain to understand them, to see if we are being deceived. We always hope not to be deceived by others. If you resonate with this a little, feel that there seems to be some truth to it, then, when you're living your life and doing things, you're not supposed to be thinking about this principle, mulling it over in your head every day, with every step, every lift of the hand, "Hey, 'all things are oneself,' 'mind after mind is free from all conditioning objects,'" reciting them, and then, "Hey, am I free from conditioning objects?" "All things are me! That cup is me!" That's terrible. The water in this cup becomes the "me" in your thoughts. Originally, without this superfluous knowledge, if you were thirsty, you'd just drink water; if you saw a cup with water, you'd just take it. Now, after studying Buddhism, "Heh... this thing is myself," and then you take it. That becomes troublesome. After a while, you'll go crazy! You see money in the bank and just take it, thinking, 'All things are oneself.' This is how thinking can harm people. The bank's money is also oneself; when you get locked up in jail, at that time, it's no longer oneself. "Aiya, Buddhism has ruined me! It said everything is mine, and as a result, I got locked up!" At that time, it's no longer 'all things are oneself.'

Annotations (for Segment 18):

No specific annotations required for this segment beyond the application of mandatory terminology which has been integrated.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 19):

19.下 面一段，昨晚说的，主要是这个，把这种当着思想吸收，那，日常生活里，想以思想去对应的话，你一定会矛盾。最好的方法是，做什么、听到了、看到了、感觉 了、生气了、高兴了，不管做什么，吃饭了，哎，有没有那个“我”，自已认为自己的“我”在？我们自己最清楚，啊…那个就是我，稍微一照到，你都处处发现那 个我在动。奇怪，那个东西不要动，总是回首一看，总是那个家伙在动。生气了，等一下一看，哼，总是你认为那个我在不高兴，生气的时侯最明显，给人家侮辱的 时候最明显。你活起来了，是不是那个老兄活起来了。耳朵听到，耳朵不会生气呀，你问你的耳朵，听到高兴会不会这样，听到不高兴会不会这样？它高兴不高兴都 是如实的听。大声就大声，小声就小声，对不对？我们好听的时侯，希望把那个声音放大一点听。这个声音有没有好坏？耳朵听进来就是声音而已。我在讲法，跟你 那个椅子垮下的声音，在耳朵里有什么分别？有呀，我的声音跟那个椅子的声音有明显的分别。它有没有在上头说这个好，这个坏？这个我喜欢听，这个我不喜欢 听？耳朵有没有这样分别？没有。我们的心一直“哎......椅 子怎怎”的在那里转，声音老早就过去了，没有了嘛。不是清净，解脱，自在吗？还要你去解脱吗？而我们那个假我带来的思想就麻烦了。“阿呀，你为什么那么不 小心呀？”的什么一大堆道理在那里。各人在心里想的却不同。那个不同的就是假我在那里闹。耳朵根本没有闹呀！但实际上就是这一点要注意注意注意，久了久了 久了，你就比较很自然自然的，啊，原来那个真的动的和我假想的那个我动的不一样。然后，最后最后连注意它都不要。不要注意它，就是那样动嘛！不是你注意才 那样动呀！六根本来清净，解脱，自在，对不对？大安乐园。这个叫转法轮，这个叫『何处不入般若涅槃』。不是修行了，哪个大师死了，啊，他涅槃了，因为他是 大师父。我们死了，不是涅槃？还要请人家颂经超度啊！这是活到的时侯，随时都在涅槃中。刚刚你耳朵听到椅子倒了，耳朵有什么般若涅槃？ 有 了声音就有，没有声音就没有。它没有这上头有好坏、善恶，都没有。那心里头，各位怎想就随便。因为那个假我在出来演戏。你要演什么戏，随便你。就是这样。 我们下面一段，因为刚好有椅子倒了所以，所以才顺便讲这些，各位问起你的耳朵，它一点都不被妨碍，所以叫作『不被一切法碍』，死了就死了。

English Translation (Segment 19):

19. The next passage, which was discussed last night, mainly concerns this: if you absorb this kind of thing as a thought, then, in daily life, if you try to correspond to it with thoughts, you will definitely encounter contradictions. The best method is, whatever you are doing – hearing, seeing, feeling, getting angry, being happy, no matter what, eating a meal – hey, is that "I" there, the "I" that you yourself consider to be yourself? We ourselves know best, "Ah... that is me." The moment you illuminate it slightly, you discover that "I" moving everywhere. Strange, that thing shouldn't move, but you always look back, and it's always that fellow moving. When you're angry, look a moment later, hmph, it's always the "I" that you think is unhappy. It's most obvious when you're angry, most obvious when you're insulted by others. You come alive, isn't it that old fellow that comes alive? The ears hear; the ears don't get angry. You ask your ears, when they hear something pleasing, do they react like this, and when they hear something displeasing, do they react like that? Whether pleased or displeased, they just hear truthfully. Loud is loud, soft is soft, right? When we like a sound, we hope to amplify it a bit to listen. Does this sound have good or bad? What the ear hears is just sound. The sound of me giving a Dharma talk and the sound of that chair collapsing – what difference is there to the ear? There is a difference, yes; my voice and the chair's sound are clearly different. But does the ear impose on it "this is good, this is bad"? "I like to hear this, I don't like to hear that"? Does the ear make such distinctions? No. Our mind keeps spinning, "Aiya... what about the chair...?" The sound passed long ago, it's gone. Isn't that pure, liberated, at ease? Does it still need you to liberate it? But the thoughts brought by our false self¹ are troublesome. "Aiya, why were you so careless?" and a whole bunch of reasoning there. What each person thinks in their mind is different. That difference is the false self making a fuss. The ears aren't making any fuss at all! But in reality, it's just this point you need to pay attention to, pay attention, pay attention. After a long, long, long time, you will relatively naturally, "Ah, it turns out that the truly moving and the 'I' that I imagine to be moving are different." Then, finally, finally, you don't even need to pay attention to it. Don't pay attention to it; it just moves like that! It's not that it moves like that because you pay attention to it! The six sense bases² are originally pure, liberated, at ease, right? The great park of peace and joy. This is called turning the Dharma wheel; this is called 'Where does one not enter prajñā-parinirvāṇa?' It's not about having cultivated, or some great master dying, "Ah, he has entered nirvāṇa," because he is a great master. When we die, isn't it nirvāṇa? Do we still need to invite people to chant sūtras for our deliverance? This is while living, at every moment being in nirvāṇa. Just now, your ears heard the chair fall; what prajñā-parinirvāṇa did the ears have? When there's sound, there is; when there's no sound, there isn't. It doesn't impose good or bad, good or evil on it; none of that. As for what you all think in your minds, that's up to you. Because that false self is coming out to put on a play. Whatever play you want to act, it's up to you. That's how it is. The following passage – because a chair happened to fall, that's why I'm mentioning these things by the way – if you ask your ears, they are not obstructed in the slightest. Therefore, it's called 'not being obstructed by any dharma.' Dead is dead.

Annotations (for Segment 19):

¹ 假我 (jiǎ wǒ): Translated as "false self." 假 (jiǎ) means "false," "illusory," or "unreal." 我 (wǒ) means "I" or "self." This refers to the illusory sense of a permanent, independent self, which is the root of suffering according to Buddhist teachings.

² 六根 (liù gēn): Translated as "six sense bases." These are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind (as a sense faculty), which are the bases for sensory and mental consciousness.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 20):

20.【若尔一念相应，照体独立，物我皆如】 

　　下面『若尔一念相应』，这些事，不是慢慢修了才这样。我反复在讲，六根本来就是这样，只是你糊涂。你不知道你真正的你就是六裉的作用本身，是你的 true self。 『一念相应』，“啊”，原来这样是一个念头呵！你要慢慢学吗？『一念相应』，你说“顿”还是“渐”？没有再三捞拢，你就没有办法正确的“啊，原来我……我 把自己认错了！”那一下子，『一念相应』。但是要达到这个一念相应、正见起，有时候非二十年，三十年不可。到底是“渐”还是“顿”呢？ 

　　『照体独立，物我皆如』，照体独立是能照所照独立，没有分开。『物我皆如』就是，我对到声音，对到色相，那个就是用『物』代表，是净，心净，『物我』都一样。更抽象一点讲，就是dualistic，二元、主观、客观，心跟境界，物跟我，或者照跟体，体跟照，都一样。『皆如』，就是没有分开嘛，就那个样子。

English Translation (Segment 20):

20. 【If you then correspond in a single thought-moment, illumination and essence stand alone, yet things and self are both thus.¹】 Below, 'If you then correspond in a single thought-moment' – these matters are not such that they only become so after slow cultivation. I am repeatedly saying, the six sense bases are inherently like this; it's just that you are deluded. You don't know that your true self is the functioning of the six sense bases itself; that is your true self. 'Correspond in a single thought-moment' – "Ah," so it turns out this is one thought-moment! Do you need to learn this slowly? 'Correspond in a single thought-moment' – would you say this is "sudden" or "gradual"? Without repeated gathering and settling,² you cannot correctly [realize], "Ah, so it turns out I... I have mistaken myself!" In that instant, 'correspond in a single thought-moment.' However, to reach this correspondence in a single thought-moment, for right view to arise, sometimes it takes no less than twenty or thirty years. So, is it ultimately "gradual" or "sudden"? 'Illumination and essence stand alone, yet things and self are both thus.' 'Illumination and essence stand alone means the illuminator and the illuminated are one (alone), not separate.³ 'Things and self are both thus' means, when I encounter sound, encounter colored appearances – that is represented by 'things' – it is pure, the mind is pure, 'things and self' are the same. To put it more abstractly, it means dualistic, a dyad, subjective, objective, mind and environment, things and me, or illumination and essence, essence and illumination, all are the same. 'Both thus' just means not separate; it's just like that.

Annotations (for Segment 20):

¹ 若尔一念相应，照体独立，物我皆如 (Ruò ěr yīniàn xiāngyìng, zhào tǐ dúlì, wù wǒ jiē rú): This appears to be a quotation, possibly from a Chan text.

- 一念相应 (yīniàn xiāngyìng): "Correspond in a single thought-moment" or "accord in one instant of thought." This points to a sudden realization or direct alignment with truth.

- 物我皆如 (wù wǒ jiē rú): "Things and self are both thus." 物 (wù) means things, objects. 我 (wǒ) means I, self. 皆如 (jiē rú) means all are thus, all are in a state of thusness (tathatā), implying sameness or non-duality.

² 捞拢 (lāolǒng): This term is a bit colloquial. 捞 (lāo) means to dredge up, scoop up. 拢 (lǒng) means to gather, bring together, or approach. The speaker seems to use it to mean repeated effort, practice, or bringing the mind to a point.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 21):

21.【在一切时，圆陀陀，明了了，净裸裸，赤洒洒，堂堂地现前。】 

　 　『在一切时』，就是没有断掉。『在一切时』怎样？『圆陀陀，明了了，净裸裸，赤洒洒』。『圆陀陀』就是圆满，无欠无余，是指什么？指我们的『妙净明 心』，什么时侯都圆满如太虚，也没有缺少一点。啊，现在我的耳朵在动，燃料不够，给我补充一些，它才听到，要不要？没有缺少，不会欠燃料，不会闹油荒，太 多了，就剩一点给人家用，没有啊！这个太虚有没有缺一角，或多一点虚空来。这个是讲本体，现在应用文字讲的时侯，那个本体，就是『妙见明心』本来是无欠无 余。无欠无余就是以『圆陀陀』表示，指那个本。『明了了』，它显示作用，不会错。狗叫是狗叫，青蛙叫是青蛙叫，非常明『明了了』，它分得很清楚，红色是红 色，蓝色是蓝色，因为它自己动起来了，『明了了』。『净裸裸』，这是圆陀陀，那个本身在哪里，什么颜色，用了是不是要把它清除才能用？有了声音马上动，马 上用，它变掉了吗？没有，『净裸裸』。『赤洒洒』就是『明了了』。什么缘它就是那个缘。那个缘本身就是它的动的样子。『明了了』是『赤洒洒』，『净裸裸』 是『圆陀陀』，知道吗？这是用几个字描写它的体用。 

因 为我们分体用比较了解，其实，体用就是放在我们的概念里，说明了，让你好吸收而已，哪有分体用？这样一个东西，『堂堂地现前』，什么时侯，什么地方都这 样，万古以来，你死后还是这样。你死的时侯是你的妙见明心在死的位置。狗叫，狗声就是它，它那样动，青蛙叫，它是那样动，能知所知是一样动，这是『堂堂地 现前』，根本没有躲避。它哪里是躲避，打了痛，就痛，推了一下，“啊，好痛！”你本身『堂堂地现前』，痛就痛，所以叫没有关系呀，舒服就舒服啊，“堂堂地 现前』。

English Translation (Segment 21):

21. 【At all times, perfectly round, clearly comprehending, pristinely bare, utterly bright, majestically present.¹】 'At all times' means without interruption. What is it like 'at all times'? 'Perfectly round, clearly comprehending, pristinely bare, utterly bright.' 'Perfectly round' (圆陀陀 yuán tuótuó) means complete, lacking nothing and with no excess. What does it refer to? It refers to our 'Wondrous Pure Bright Mind' (妙净明心 miào jìng míng xīn), which is always complete like the great void, not lacking even a little. Ah, now my ears are functioning; is it that the fuel is insufficient, and I need to add some more for them to hear? Is that necessary? There's no lack, it won't run out of fuel, there won't be an oil crisis; if there were too much, would it leave a bit for others to use? No! Does this great void have a missing corner, or does it have a bit of extra space? This refers to the fundamental essence.² When using words to explain it now, that fundamental essence, the 'Wondrous Pure Bright Mind,' is inherently without lack and without excess. Without lack and without excess is represented by 'perfectly round,' indicating that fundamental [nature]. 'Clearly comprehending' (明了了 míngliǎole), it displays its function without error. A dog's bark is a dog's bark, a frog's croak is a frog's croak; very clear, 'clearly comprehending.' It distinguishes very clearly: red is red, blue is blue, because it itself has become active, 'clearly comprehending.' 'Pristinely bare' (净裸裸 jìng luǒluǒ) – this is 'perfectly round.' Where is that itself, what color is it? After using it, does one need to clean it before using it again? When there's a sound, it immediately functions, immediately operates; has it changed? No, 'pristinely bare.' 'Utterly bright' (赤洒洒 chì sǎsǎ) is 'clearly comprehending.' Whatever the condition, it is that condition. The condition itself is the way it functions. 'Clearly comprehending' is 'utterly bright'; 'pristinely bare' is 'perfectly round,' understand? These are a few words describing its essence and function. Because we understand better when we distinguish between essence and function – actually, essence and function are just placed within our concepts, explained to make it easier for you to absorb, that's all. How can there be a division of essence and function? Such a thing, 'majestically present' (堂堂地现前 tángtáng de xiànqián) – at all times, in all places, it is like this. For eons, and even after you die, it is still like this. When you die, it is your Wondrous Pure Bright Mind that is in the position of dying. A dog barks, the dog's sound is it; it functions like that. A frog croaks, it functions like that. The knower and the known function in the same way. This is 'majestically present'; there is no hiding at all. Where does it hide? If you're hit and it hurts, it just hurts. Pushed a little, "Ah, that hurts!" You yourself are 'majestically present'; pain is just pain, so it's said to be no matter. Comfort is just comfort, 'majestically present.'

Annotations (for Segment 21):

¹ 在一切时，圆陀陀，明了了，净裸裸，赤洒洒，堂堂地现前 (Zài yīqiè shí, yuán tuótuó, míngliǎole, jìng luǒluǒ, chì sǎsǎ, tángtáng de xiànqián): This is a descriptive passage, likely from a Chan text, characterizing the nature of true Mind or reality. The terms are vivid and evocative:

- 圆陀陀 (yuán tuótuó): "Perfectly round," "complete," often used to describe the fullness and non-angularity of the true nature.

- 明了了 (míngliǎole): "Clearly comprehending," "lucidly aware."

- 净裸裸 (jìng luǒluǒ): "Pristinely bare," "nakedly pure," suggesting freedom from defilements or coverings.

- 赤洒洒 (chì sǎsǎ): "Utterly bright," "brilliantly clear," "unobscured." 赤 (chì) can mean red or naked, and 洒洒 (sǎsǎ) means free, unrestrained, or sprinkled. Together it suggests a vibrant, unhindered clarity.

- 堂堂地现前 (tángtáng de xiànqián): "Majestically present," "openly and imposingly manifest." 堂堂 (tángtáng) conveys grandeur, openness, and dignity.

² 本体 (běntǐ): Translated as "fundamental essence," as per mandatory terminology. The speaker also uses 妙见明心 (miàojiàn míngxīn), a variation of 妙净明心 (miàojìng míngxīn) "Wondrous Pure Bright Mind," in this context. Note: "妙见明心" (miàojiàn míngxīn) literally means "Wondrous Seeing Bright Mind," which emphasizes the seeing aspect.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 22):

22.【在一切时，成佛作祖。】 

你 看，『在一切时，成佛作祖』，出家人啊，他们一天到晚都在追求希望一天成佛作祖。我跟这位上师念密咒，苦修啦，一天会成佛作祖。哎，奇怪，天童山的宏智禅 师告诉你，『一切时』，还没有出家，在还没投胎出来作婴儿以前就是『一切时』嘛，你还没有出生以前就成佛作祖了。为什么？有那个缘就显现成一个受精卵出 来，也是它，它在成佛作祖嘛，该蛇就蛇，该猫就猫，成佛作祖，所以是无情说法。没生命的东西都在说法。风来了，草就这样摇摇摇。它不是在说法吗？谁在说 法？因为草本身就是佛，为什么草本身就是佛？你看那株草，风吹来就低头，是你『妙见明心』那样动。

English Translation (Segment 22):

22. 【At all times, becoming Buddhas and Patriarchs.¹】 You see, 'At all times, becoming Buddhas and Patriarchs.' Monastics, ah, they are pursuing all day long, hoping one day to become Buddhas and Patriarchs. "I follow this guru, chant secret mantras, practice austerities, and one day I will become a Buddha and Patriarch." Hey, strange, Chan Master Hongzhi of Tiantong Mountain² tells you, 'at all times' – even before becoming a monastic, even before being reincarnated as an infant, it is 'at all times.' Even before you were born, you had already become a Buddha and Patriarch. Why? When the conditions are there, it manifests as a fertilized egg; that is also it. It is becoming Buddhas and Patriarchs. If it's meant to be a snake, it's a snake; if it's meant to be a cat, it's a cat – becoming Buddhas and Patriarchs. Therefore, it is the insentient expounding the Dharma.³ Things without life are all expounding the Dharma. The wind comes, and the grass sways like this, sways, sways. Isn't it expounding the Dharma? Who is expounding the Dharma? Because the grass itself is Buddha. Why is the grass itself Buddha? You look at that blade of grass; when the wind blows, it bows its head. It is your 'Wondrous Seeing Bright Mind'⁴ functioning like that.

Annotations (for Segment 22):

¹ 在一切时，成佛作祖 (Zài yīqiè shí, chéng fó zuò zǔ): "At all times, becoming Buddhas and Patriarchs." This implies that the potential for Buddhahood and the realization of the Patriarchs is ever-present and not confined to specific individuals or times.

² 天童山的宏智禅师 (Tiāntóngshān de Hóngzhì Chánshī): Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue (宏智正覺, 1091–1157) of Tiantong Mountain, a prominent master of the Caodong (Sōtō) school, known for his teachings on silent illumination (默照禪 mòzhào chán). The quote is attributed to him by the speaker.

³ 无情说法 (wúqíng shuōfǎ): "The insentient expounding the Dharma." This is a profound Mahāyāna and particularly Chan concept that asserts that non-sentient things (like mountains, rivers, plants) also manifest and teach the Dharma, as they are inseparable from the ultimate reality or Buddha-nature.

⁴ 妙见明心 (miàojiàn míngxīn): "Wondrous Seeing Bright Mind." As noted before, a slight variation of 妙净明心 (Wondrous Pure Bright Mind), emphasizing the "seeing" or "awareness" aspect of the mind.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 23):

23. 【只为尔放不下，自筑界墙便见有自它。】  　　『只为尔放不下』，为什么我们都做不到这样呢？只因为，only because， 我们为什么跟他讲的两回事呀，完全不一样。你同意是你的脑子同意，但是，你根本不是这样。如果是真正的跟他一样，你 就是真正的大彻大悟的人。根本是无学问人，跟永嘉禅师一样，是无学闲道人。不用学，学什么？你本来就是这样，可是为什么我们和宏智禅师，或佛呀，迦叶，阿 难不一样，听了半天还是跟他不一样呀！  『只 为』，原因在哪里？只有一个原因，你放不下。放不下什么？放不下那个“自以为是我”的那个念头。只这样。这个念头造了一道墙，所有的分成你我他，无情有 情，这个不是有界墙的话，还有你我他之分吗？篱笆围起来，就篱笆内，篱笆外，篱笆围起来以前有内外吗？篱笆是你的思想以为“这个是我”，这个篱笆好厉害。 自已造了一道界墙，自己便莫名其妙的以为有我这个，『便见有自它』，便有了自己和不是自已的分了。到了银行，便“你的钱是我的钱，我的钱不是你的钱”，会 这祥的糊涂呀！听了佛的道理，有益的时侯，利用一下，“你的钱是我的钱”。没有利的时侯，佛法慢一点，“我的钱是我的钱”。对自己有益，即断章取义就把佛 的道理拿过来用。你的钱没有“自它”嘛，所以是我的。等到人家说，那好，你的钱拿过来，你讲不是不是，这个时侯，是我的钱就是我的钱了。我们很多利用佛法 就是这样利用。对自己有益，就拿过来用一下，一句两句，对自己好象不大好，就装作不知道。笑话归笑话。

English Translation (Segment 23):

23. 【It is only because you cannot let go; you build a boundary wall yourself, and then see self and other.¹】 'It is only because you cannot let go' – why can't we all achieve this? Only because, only because – why are we a completely different matter from what he describes, completely different? Your agreement is your brain's agreement, but you are fundamentally not like that. If you were truly the same as him, you would be a person of great and thorough awakening. You would fundamentally be a person of no learning, like Chan Master Yongjia,² a "person of the Way at ease, beyond learning."³ No need to learn; what is there to learn? You are inherently like this. But why are we different from Chan Master Hongzhi, or the Buddha, Kāśyapa, Ānanda? After listening for so long, we are still different from him! 'Only because' – where is the reason? There is only one reason: you cannot let go. Cannot let go of what? Cannot let go of that thought of "believing oneself to be I." Just this. This thought creates a wall. All divisions into you, me, them, sentient, insentient – if there wasn't this boundary wall, would there still be a distinction of you, me, them? If a fence is put up, there is inside the fence and outside the fence. Before the fence was put up, was there an inside and outside? The fence is your thought that "this is me"; this fence is formidable. You yourself build a boundary wall, and then you inexplicably believe there is this "me," 'then see self and other'; then there is the division of self and not-self. When you get to the bank, then it's "Your money is my money, my money is not your money" – you can be muddled like this! When you hear Buddhist principles, if it's beneficial, you use it a bit: "Your money is my money." When it's not beneficial, Buddhist principles are put aside a bit: "My money is my money." If it's beneficial to oneself, one takes Buddhist principles out of context and uses them. Your money has no "self and other," so it's mine. When someone then says, "Alright then, give me your money," you say, "No, no." At this time, "my money is my money." Many of us use Buddhism like this. If it's beneficial, we take it and use a sentence or two. If it doesn't seem so good for us, we pretend not to know. Jokes aside.

Annotations (for Segment 23):

¹ 只为尔放不下，自筑界墙便见有自它 (Zhǐ wèi ěr fàngbuxià, zì zhù jièqiáng biàn jiàn yǒu zì tā): "It is only because you cannot let go; you build a boundary wall yourself, and then see self and other." This is likely another quote from a Chan text, pointing to the self-imposed nature of dualistic perception.

² 永嘉禅师 (Yǒngjiā Chánshī): Chan Master Yongjia Xuanjue (永嘉玄覺, 665–713), a famous Chan master, contemporary of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, known for his Song of Enlightenment (證道歌 Zhèngdào gē).

³ 无学闲道人 (wúxué xiándàorén): "Person of the Way at ease, beyond learning." 无学 (wúxué) means "no more learning" (Sanskrit: aśaikṣa), referring to an Arhat or one who has completed the path. 闲道人 (xiándàorén) means a "person of the Way at ease" or "leisured person of the Tao." Yongjia referred to himself this way.

24【是尔自碍三界，三界岂碍尔？】

他说『是尔自碍三界』，你自己妨碍了。三界即色界、欲界、无色界，都是整个存在的，包括那个地狱道，天道，畜生道也是。你自己给三界碍到了。『三界岂曾 碍尔？』三界的存在，难道会妨碍你吗？因为上面已提到『不被一切法碍』，管它是什么三界四界，不被它碍住了，还有三界来碍住你吗？因为，上面一段提过，因 为『闻声』就是听到自己，『见色』就是见自己，见色便见心，那个心是整个，不是我的攀缘心，这样的话，三界怎样，那是你自己变。自己在那里变。假如你自己 不作障碍，这个障碍统统由于你有妄想的我引起很多障碍。所以你把妄想的我彻底的放下，就自己不作障碍了，是自己的事呀。佛也没有办法。大师父也没办法。你 那个假的，叫你放下你不放啊！只好照着赵州说的，“那就提着去吧”。赵州禅师给人问到这个：“‘一物不将来’是何如？”你叫我放下，我现在什么都没有，还 放下什么？“阿呀，连这个也放下，你还在那里闹!”。学生说，“我没有东西可以放下，还叫我放？”都是思想呵，听了道理就头脑想，我都没有东西你还叫我放下。那赵州禅师就打一捧，“那你就拿去吧!” 你一直说没有东西，你叫我放，那赵州禅师就认为，你既然跟我辩，你就不要客气，“担起来去吧，就拿起来去就是了嘛”。妄想的我放掉就放掉，还在那里讨论我 已经没有了还叫我放。谁在闹呀？你那个东西在闹，你还不知道。我告诉你，放下就是你这个妄想。你还有妄想在那里。有修法的你在，那个“我”都放不下，修什 么法？。他很傲慢，“我已经修到没有我了，还叫我放下。”那好了，你跟我论了半天，那放不下的你就再拿去吧。就是这样。

English Translation (Segment 24):

【It is you who obstruct yourself with the three realms; how could the three realms obstruct you?】¹

He said, ‘It is you who obstruct yourself with the three realms’; you yourself are creating obstructions. The three realms—namely the realm of desire, the realm of form, and the formless realm—all exist as a whole, including the hell path, the heaven path, and the animal path as well. You yourself are obstructed by the three realms. ‘How could the three realms ever obstruct you?’ Could the existence of the three realms obstruct you? Because it was mentioned above, ‘not being obstructed by any dharma,’² regardless of whether it’s three realms or four realms, if you are not obstructed by it, how can the three realms come to obstruct you? Because, as mentioned in a previous passage, ‘hearing sound’ is hearing yourself, ‘seeing form’³ is seeing yourself; seeing form is seeing mind—that mind is whole, not my climbing-vine mind.⁴ In this case, whatever the three realms are like, that is your own transformation. You yourself are transforming there. If you yourself do not create obstructions, all these obstructions are entirely due to your ‘delusional self’⁵ giving rise to many obstructions. So, if you thoroughly let go of the ‘delusional self,’ you yourself will not create obstructions. This is your own business! The Buddha can’t do anything about it. The Great Master⁶ can’t do anything about it either. That illusory thing of yours, you’re told to let it go, but you don’t let go! So, one can only follow what Zhaozhou⁷ said, “Well then, carry it away!” Someone asked Chan Master Zhaozhou about this: “‘Not bringing a single thing’⁸—what is that like?” You tell me to let go, but right now I have nothing at all, so what is there to let go of? “Aiya! Let go of even this! You’re still making a fuss there!” The student said, “I have nothing that can be let go, yet you still tell me to let go?” This is all thinking! After hearing the principle, the mind just thinks: I have nothing, yet you still tell me to let go. Then Chan Master Zhaozhou gave him a whack,⁹ “Then you just take it away!” You keep saying you have nothing and I tell you to let go; Chan Master Zhaozhou then thought, since you are arguing with me, then don’t stand on ceremony, “Just carry it off! Just pick it up and go, that’s all.” The ‘delusional self’—if it’s let go, it’s let go. Why are you still there discussing, “I already have nothing, yet you still tell me to let go”? Who is making a fuss? That thing of yours is making a fuss, and you still don’t realize it. I’m telling you, letting go is about this delusion of yours. You still have delusion there. The ‘you’ that is cultivating dharma is present; if that ‘I’ cannot be let go of, what dharma can you cultivate? He is very arrogant, “I have already cultivated to the point of no-self, and you still tell me to let go.” Well then, you’ve argued with me for so long, that which you cannot let go of, just take it away again. It’s just like that.

Annotations (for Segment 24, if any):

·       ¹ The main quote being commented upon.

·       ² Dharma (法): Here refers to phenomena, things, or objects of mind.

·       ³ Form (色): Specifically refers to visual objects or appearances, the object of sight.

·       ⁴ Climbing-vine mind (攀缘心, pānyuán xīn): A mind that grasps and clings to objects, proliferating thoughts and concepts.

·       ⁵ Delusional self (妄想的我, wàngxiǎng de wǒ): The illusory sense of "I" or "self" that is a product of deluded thinking.

·       ⁶ Great Master (大师父, Dàshīfu): A respectful term for one's spiritual teacher or a highly realized master.

·       ⁷ Zhaozhou (赵州): Chan Master Zhaozhou Congshen (778–897), a renowned Chan (Zen) master known for his pithy and often paradoxical encounters.

·       ⁸ ‘Not bringing a single thing’ (一物不将来, yī wù bù jiānglái): A common Chan expression referring to emptiness or the state of not holding onto anything.

·       ⁹ Gave him a whack (打一捧, dǎ yī pěng): A common Chan pedagogical method, using a staff to strike or a sharp verbal rebuke, intended to jolt the student out of conceptual thinking.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 25):

25【若自不作障碍，便是普遍底身，普遍底心，是大自在汉。】

假如你自己不作障碍，那一下，自已没有糊里糊涂乱想，只要不作这个妄想，便是『普遍底身，普遍底心』。普遍不是Common， 不是普通。在在处处，何处何地都是你，一草一木都是我。“别人的钱也是我的”。这个时候错在哪里？你的钱是我的，还有没有我的？万物都是我嘛。你的钱是我 的，这个时候你拿过来，是不是你的钱？你还是“我的嘛！我的嘛！”。哈，好用的时候用一下，还要“我的钱”，“你的钱就是我的。”还有没有“我的”？有 啊。所以，道理很害人。道理不透彻，喜欢用道理去诡辩，什么都可以做。这样的话，你是『普遍底身，普遍底心』，这个心有时候很迷糊，有时候昏昏沉沉，有时 候颠倒妄想呀。颠倒妄想就是你的整个妙净明心这样显现的真实。只是你不懂，你想要赶快醒过来，赶快要悟，所以等于是“放不下担着去”一样。这个时候才是 『大自在汉』，能够这样做，确是大自在，为什么不是大自在？没有我可以死呀。因为没有我在活到，那谁在活到？整个法界的现成。因此，『在一切尘一切刹，与 法界等』。一切尘是空间，一切刹是时间；没有分时空，万劫以来都是自己在那里显现，『与法界等』，还有出入吗？

English Translation (Segment 25):

【If one does not create obstructions for oneself, that is the pervasive body, the pervasive mind;¹ that is a person of great sovereign freedom.】²

If you yourself do not create obstructions, at that moment, you are not muddle-headedly having random thoughts; as long as you do not engage in this deluded thinking,³ that is the ‘pervasive body, the pervasive mind.’ ‘Pervasive’ is not ‘common,’ not ordinary. It means everywhere, in every place, it is all you; every blade of grass, every tree is me. “Other people’s money is also mine.” Where is the mistake at this point? Your money is mine, but is there still a “mine”? All things are me, right? Your money is mine; at this moment, if you take it, is it your money? You still think, “It’s mine! It’s mine!” Ha! When it’s convenient, you use the idea for a moment, but you still want “my money.” “Your money is mine.” Is there still a “my”? Yes, there is. Therefore, principles can be very harmful. If principles are not thoroughly understood, one likes to use them for sophistry, and then anything can be justified. In this way, you are the ‘pervasive body, the pervasive mind’—this mind is sometimes very confused, sometimes dull and drowsy, sometimes full of inverted deluded thoughts. Inverted deluded thoughts are precisely the reality of how your entire wondrous pure luminous Mind⁴ manifests. It’s just that you don’t understand; you want to quickly wake up, quickly attain awakening,⁵ so it’s just like “being unable to let go and carrying it off” instead. This is when one is truly a ‘person of great sovereign freedom.’ To be able to act like this is indeed great sovereign freedom. Why wouldn’t it be great sovereign freedom? There is no “I” that can die! Because there is no “I” that is living, then who is living? The ready-made presence of the entire dharmadhātu.⁶ Therefore, ‘in every dust mote, in every instant,⁷ equal to the dharmadhātu.’ All dust motes are space, all instants (kṣetras) are time; there is no division of space-time. For innumerable eons, it is oneself that is manifesting there, ‘equal to the dharmadhātu.’ Is there any coming or going then?

Annotations (for Segment 25, if any):

·       ² Person of great sovereign freedom (大自在汉, dà zìzai hàn): One who is completely free and at ease, a master of themselves.

·       ³ Deluded thinking (妄想, wàngxiǎng): False conceptions, discursive thoughts that obscure reality.

·       ⁴ Wondrous pure luminous Mind (妙净明心, miàojìng míngxīn): A term for the intrinsically pure and aware nature of Mind.

·       ⁵ Awakening (悟, wù): Realization of one's true nature or the nature of reality.

·       ⁶ Dharmadhātu (法界, fǎjiè): The realm of dharmas, the totality of all phenomena, ultimate reality.

·       ⁷ In every dust mote, in every instant (一切尘一切刹, yīqiè chén yīqiè chà): "Chén" (尘) refers to a minute particle, often symbolizing space or the smallest element of form. "Chà" (刹) is from the Sanskrit kṣetra, meaning a field, realm, or land, but here it can also imply a kṣaṇa, an instant of time. The phrase thus encompasses all space and all time.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 26):

26【所以古人道，一法若有，毗卢堕在凡夫；万法若无，普贤失其境界。】

『所以古人道，一法若有』。假如你认为这里有个茶杯，这里有位朋友，『一法若有』，有是什么？一定有个我，才承认对方。当你承认对方，object， 当你承认这是什么，那是什么，这个时候一定有你了。没有你，没有办法承认对方的一个东西，客观的一个存在。当你承认客观有的时候，你已经有我了。是不是？ 所以，『一法若有，毗卢堕在凡夫』，连毗卢佛也是跟我们一样。啊，你认为有这个那个，毗卢佛的境界我们有了。有是什么？有是一个概念。东西在眼前“看 到”，跟你说“啊，有了”是两回事。不是两回事吗？这样，就这样，你还说有。这个有不是根据这个显现加一个有的概念？所以，这时候，你认为“啊有了一 法”，概念动了，毗卢佛也变成凡夫。

『万 法若无』，啊呀！佛法完全讲空，这个茶杯有但是它没有。我问你；眼睛有这相现前，你怎么讲它等于没有？不是用你的概念，你的想法把它否定掉吗？是你的概念 否定它没有，其实它在嘛！眼睛如实的照到嘛！怎么你说它本来性空的？你的性空真大，脑子里满是性空。这个存在本身就是性空呀！不是你用头脑去“这个空的， 这个没有”，你加一个“啊，这个都没有”。“这个没有”，这是你那个假我强挤出的一个念头说“无，无”。所以说『万法若无，普贤菩萨失其境界』，普贤菩萨 是，所有愿力，愿行都是他在做，做佛事，慈悲度众生，一切显化的普贤。普贤就是没有他的境界去了，一切都空，一切都没有，你干嘛在那里做佛事？我问你：听 看的境界都没有，不是断灭空了吗？你修成佛，连声音也听不到，那你修成什么？你说，一切看见听见的都没有，那个没有不是我的思想的没有啊！『历历有声音， 明明有东西』，那个明明历历本就是空，但是你这样用道理去划等号，又是在玩呀！你不要玩弄，就是这样嘛！打破了就没有啦。你造了一个就有啊。所以，佛只好 讲，“啊呀，一切缘生啦！”变成茶杯的缘没有，有一个人摔破了，缘没有就没有了。缘生缘灭，没有一个真正的东西可能永远这样存在。你认为真正有一个东西永 远存在，那就是灵魂哪，犯了这个毛病，所以，这个东西会转世啊。禅宗祖师听了这个会说“你怎么啦？”『在一切尘一切刹与法界等』，还有什么转世不转世？ 『万法若无，普贤失其境界』。

English Translation (Segment 26):

·       【Therefore, the ancients said: If even one dharma exists, Vairocana¹ falls into the state of an ordinary being;² if all dharmas are non-existent, Samantabhadra³ loses his sphere of activity.】

‘Therefore, the ancients said, if even one dharma exists.’ If you believe there is a teacup here, there is a friend here—‘if even one dharma exists’—what is this ‘exists’? There must be an ‘I’ to acknowledge the other. When you acknowledge the other, the object, when you acknowledge “this is this,” or “that is that,” at that moment, there is definitely a ‘you.’ Without you, there is no way to acknowledge an other thing, an objective existence. When you acknowledge objective existence, you already have an ‘I.’ Isn’t that so? Therefore, ‘if even one dharma exists, Vairocana falls into the state of an ordinary being’; even Vairocana Buddha becomes just like us. Ah, you think there is this and that, [then] we have the state of Vairocana Buddha. What is ‘exists’? ‘Exists’ is a concept. An object is “seen” before your eyes, and you saying “Ah, it exists” are two different things. Aren’t they two different things? Just so, just so, and yet you still say ‘exists.’ Isn’t this ‘exists’ based on this appearance plus an added concept of ‘exists’? So, at this time, if you think, “Ah, one dharma exists,” the concept has moved, and Vairocana Buddha also becomes an ordinary being.

‘If all dharmas are non-existent’—aiya! Buddhist teachings speak entirely of emptiness; this teacup exists, but it does not exist [substantially]. I ask you: this appearance⁴ is present before your eyes, how can you say it is equivalent to non-existent? Aren’t you just using your concepts, your thoughts, to negate it? It’s your concept that negates its existence, but in fact, it is there! The eyes perceive it as it is! How can you say its fundamental nature is empty nature?⁵ Your ‘empty nature’ is truly vast; your brain is full of ‘empty nature.’ This existence itself is empty nature! It’s not that you use your mind to think, “This is empty, this does not exist,” and you add, “Ah, none of this exists.” “This does not exist”—this is a thought of “non-existence, non-existence” forcibly squeezed out by your illusory self.⁶ Therefore, it is said, ‘if all dharmas are non-existent, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva loses his sphere of activity.’ Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is the one who carries out all vows and practices, performs Buddhist activities, compassionately delivers sentient beings—Samantabhadra is manifested in all these. If Samantabhadra has no sphere of activity, if everything is empty, everything is non-existent, then why are you there performing Buddhist activities? I ask you: if the realms of hearing and seeing do not exist, isn’t that annihilationist emptiness?⁷ If you cultivate and become a Buddha, yet you can’t even hear sounds, then what have you cultivated into? You say, everything seen and heard is non-existent; that non-existence is not the non-existence of my thoughts! ‘Sounds are distinctly present, things are clearly present’;⁸ that clarity and distinctness are originally empty. But if you use reasoning to equate them [with conceptual nothingness], you are playing games again! Don’t play games; it is just as it is! If you break it, it’s gone. If you create one, it exists. So, the Buddha could only say, “Aiya, all things arise through dependent origination!”⁹ If the causes and conditions for the teacup to exist are no more—someone smashed it—the conditions are gone, so it’s gone. Dependent origination and cessation; there is no truly real thing that can exist forever like this. If you believe there is a truly real thing that exists forever, that is a soul, and you’ve fallen into this error, so, this thing will reincarnate. Chan patriarchs, upon hearing this, would say, “What’s wrong with you?” ‘In every dust mote, in every instant, equal to the dharmadhātu’—what reincarnation or non-reincarnation is there then? ‘If all dharmas are non-existent, Samantabhadra loses his sphere of activity.’

Annotations (for Segment 26, if any):

·       ¹ Vairocana (毗卢, Pílú): Vairocana Buddha, often associated with the Dharmakāya or the ultimate nature of reality.

·       ² Ordinary being (凡夫, fánfū): A common person, unenlightened, still bound by afflictions and karma.

·       ³ Samantabhadra (普贤, Pǔxián): Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, known for his great vows and practices, especially compassionate activity.

·       ⁴ Appearance (相, xiàng): Here refers to a visual phenomenon or characteristic (Skt. nimitta or lakṣaṇa).

·       ⁵ Empty nature (性空, xìngkōng): The nature of all phenomena being empty of inherent existence.

·       ⁶ Illusory self (假我, jiǎ wǒ): The false or conventionally conceived self.

·       ⁷ Annihilationist emptiness (断灭空, duànmiè kōng): A nihilistic view of emptiness that denies any form of existence or continuity, including cause and effect or rebirth.

·       ⁸ ‘Sounds are distinctly present, things are clearly present’ (历历有声音，明明有东西, lìlì yǒu shēngyīn, míngmíng yǒu dōngxi): A phrase emphasizing the clear presence of phenomena to the senses, despite their ultimate emptiness.

·       ⁹ Dependent origination (缘生, yuánshēng): The Buddhist doctrine that all phenomena arise in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 27):

27【且道，作生得恰好相应去？还会？】

『且道』，我问你，那讲有也不对，讲没有也不对；叫我怎么办？『作生得恰好相应去？』叫我如何才好？叫我如何不想它？叫我如何想它？到后来，你说有， 错：那这个没有，也错！我该怎么办？你跟我说吧！『恰恰相应去』就是，日常生活我怎么办？怎么做人做事？我搞得糊涂了。我不听佛法，还是做人做事，到银行 去都很好。一听佛法我到底偷还是不偷？喝一杯茶都要想道理啦，对不对？放屁都要想是空还是有的。想通了才“波”的放了。本来不学佛法，屁一放就没事。所 以，佛法有时候会变成你的毒药。其实佛法本身没有这样。没有好，没有坏。是你自己把它当成毒药。是你自己把它当的呀。如果你把它当作甘露，当作醍醐， “啊，大法师呵，接触你后，我太太慢慢不生气了，迟一点回来她也不生气了，阿弥陀佛…...”。 佛法哪有好坏？这个听起来，他们就受不了，说你乱讲，你欺负这个道，大道不能让你欺负。我想欺负这个大道却没办法。我想染污都没有办法染污，才是大道啊。 哼，我这个小洪文亮乱讲，那大道就染污了，那我的本事好大呀！我比大道还大，大大道。对不对？道理那简单。哎，就是实际生活怎么办？做人做事怎么办？我听 了那一大堆，我越听越憨了。他说『还会么？』你真不会？要怎么做你知道吗？要做人做事呢？早上起来还要刷牙吗？晚上想睡要睡吗？一定要赶快起来修法才去睡 觉，否则，上次发誓一天要念五十次，今天才念三十次，还欠二十次，累得要死，只好爬起来念。真的有病，勉强起来念念，就“碰”的一声倒下。到底佛法帮你不 帮你？『还会么？』呵，他就给你回答。

English Translation (Segment 27):

【Pray tell,¹ how can one act to be in perfect accord?² Do you understand?³】

‘Pray tell,’ let me ask you, then talking about existence is not right, and talking about non-existence is also not right; what do you want me to do? ‘How can one act to be in perfect accord?’ How should I be? How should I not think about it? How should I think about it? In the end, you say ‘existence’ is wrong; then ‘non-existence’ is also wrong! What should I do? You tell me! ‘To be in perfect accord’ just means, what do I do in daily life? How do I conduct myself and handle matters? I’ve become confused. Before I listened to Buddhist teachings, I still conducted myself and handled matters, going to the bank was all fine. Once I listen to Buddhist teachings, should I steal or not steal? Even drinking a cup of tea, I have to think about principles, right? Even when farting, I have to think whether it’s empty or existent. Only after thinking it through, “pop,” it’s released. Originally, without studying Buddhist teachings, a fart is released, and that’s the end of it. So, Buddhist teachings can sometimes become your poison. Actually, Buddhist teachings themselves are not like this. There’s no good, no bad. It is you yourself who turn it into poison. It is you yourself who make it so. If you regard it as nectar, as refined ghee,⁴ “Ah, Great Dharma Master, after encountering you, my wife slowly stopped getting angry; even if I come home a bit late, she doesn’t get angry anymore, Amitābha…” How can Buddhist teachings be good or bad? When they hear this, they can’t stand it; they say you’re talking nonsense, you’re bullying the Dao, the Great Dao cannot be bullied by you. I want to bully this Great Dao, but there’s no way. I want to defile it, but there’s no way to defile it—that’s the Great Dao! Hmph, if this little Hong Wenliang⁵ of mine talks nonsense, and the Great Dao gets defiled, then my ability must be truly great! I would be greater than the Great Dao, the Great-Great Dao. Right? The principle is that simple. Ai, but what about actual life? How to conduct oneself and handle matters? I’ve listened to that whole heap of stuff, and the more I listen, the more muddled I become. He says, ‘Do you understand?’ Do you really not understand? Do you know what to do? How to conduct yourself and handle matters? Do you still need to brush your teeth when you get up in the morning? When you feel sleepy at night, should you sleep? Or must you quickly get up to practice dharma before going to sleep, otherwise, you previously vowed to recite⁶ fifty times a day, today you’ve only recited thirty times, still short by twenty times, so tired you could die, you just have to crawl out of bed and recite. Truly sick, forcing yourself to get up and recite, then “thump,” you collapse. In the end, do Buddhist teachings help you or not? ‘Do you understand?’ Ha, then he gives you the answer.

Annotations (for Segment 27, if any):

·       ¹ Pray tell (且道, qiě dào): An old-fashioned way of saying "Let me ask" or "Tell me."

·       ² How can one act to be in perfect accord? (作生得恰好相应去, zuòshēng dé qiàhǎo xiāngyìng qù): A colloquial way of asking how to act in accordance with the Dharma or ultimate reality.

·       ³ Do you understand? (还会么, hái huì me): A colloquial question, "Do you get it yet?" or "Can you grasp this?"

·       ⁴ Refined ghee (醍醐, tíhú): Often used metaphorically in Buddhism for the purest and most sublime teachings, or a state of spiritual nourishment.

·       ⁵ Hong Wenliang (洪文亮): The speaker refers to himself by this name, likely in a self-deprecating manner.

·       ⁶ Recite (念, niàn): Here refers to the practice of reciting a Buddha's name, a mantra, or scriptures. Mandatory: "recitation" here.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 28):

28【虚空谁肯挂一物，大海自然归百川。】

开悟的真正的禅师，就是有那正见，有一大事因缘，什么是平常心，在这个境界里，做人做事，他说，『虚空谁肯挂一物，大海自然归百川』，会吗？我们要挂衣 服，要衣架，挂在衣柜里头。你难道要把衣服挂在虚空？玩弄空，你要挂衣服，一定要钉子、衣架嘛，在虚空里挂？一切都是空的？你难道要把衣服挂在空吗？不要 去玩弄空呀。那，跟色声香味触法，都给它迷住了吗？没有呀。『大海自然归百川』，所有各种色声香味触法统统归于大海，归于什么？归于性空。我们挂东西不会 挂在虚空吧。『谁肯挂一物』，谁也不肯。因为你清楚，不能挂。以为这是空性，你拿这个空性去玩，等于是你把东西挂在虚空一样。但是，你做什么，听的，看的 什么东西，通通不离开你的『妙净明心』大海，『妙净明心』是大海，都是它的显现。所有『百川归大海』都是这个意思。所有一闻，一动，一静，语默动静，都是 你的『妙净明心』在那里这样动。所以，『在一切时一切尘一切刹，通通『与法界等』。有没有出入，有没有生死？有，住在生的位置，住在死的位置。住的那个东 西，一点都没有被污染掉。很难接受，非常难接受。跟我们普通境界格格不入。因为我们的妄想太大。你说我懂了，我的妄想去掉。你去掉看看，还在虚空挂东西 呀！我妄想没有了，等于把你的衣服帽子，你的大帽子挂在虚空一样。“我都没有妄想了”，你不知道，你一挂就掉在地上你还不知道。

English Translation (Segment 28):

【Who would dare hang a thing in empty space?¹ The great ocean naturally receives the hundred rivers.²】

A truly awakened³ Chan master is one who possesses that right view, for whom there is the one great matter,⁴ what is the ordinary mind;⁵ in this state, conducting oneself and handling matters, he says, ‘Who would dare hang a thing in empty space? The great ocean naturally receives the hundred rivers.’ Do you understand? If we want to hang clothes, we need a clothes hanger, and hang them inside a wardrobe. Would you try to hang clothes in empty space? Playing with emptiness—if you want to hang clothes, you definitely need a nail, a hanger, right? How can you hang them in empty space? Everything is empty? Are you going to hang clothes in emptiness? Don’t go playing with emptiness! Well then, are you completely deluded by forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and dharmas?⁶ No. ‘The great ocean naturally receives the hundred rivers’; all the various forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and dharmas all return to the great ocean. What do they return to? They return to empty nature.⁷ We wouldn’t hang things in empty space, would we? ‘Who would dare hang a thing,’ no one would dare. Because you are clear, you cannot hang it. Thinking this is empty nature, and you take this empty nature to play with, is equivalent to hanging things in empty space. However, whatever you do, whatever you hear, whatever you see, nothing departs from your great ocean of ‘wondrous pure luminous Mind’;⁸ the ‘wondrous pure luminous Mind’ is the great ocean, and all things are its manifestations. ‘All the hundred rivers return to the great ocean’—this is the meaning. Every sound heard, every movement, every stillness, speech and silence, movement and stillness—all are your ‘wondrous pure luminous Mind’ moving in this way. Therefore, ‘at all times, in every dust mote, in every instant, all are equal to the dharmadhātu.’⁹ Is there any coming or going, is there any birth and death? Yes, abiding in the position of birth, abiding in the position of death. That which abides is not contaminated in the slightest. This is very difficult to accept, extremely difficult to accept. It is completely incompatible with our ordinary state. Because our deluded thinking¹⁰ is too great. You say, “I understand, my deluded thinking is gone.” You try to get rid of it and see—you’re still hanging things in empty space! “My deluded thinking is gone” is like hanging your clothes, your hat, your big hat, in empty space. “I have no more deluded thinking”—you don’t realize, the moment you hang it, it falls to the ground, and you still don’t know.

Annotations (for Segment 28, if any):

·       ¹ Empty space (虚空, xūkōng): The void, often used as a metaphor for emptiness (śūnyatā).

·       ² The great ocean naturally receives the hundred rivers (大海自然归百川, dàhǎi zìrán guī bǎichuān): A metaphor indicating that all phenomena (the hundred rivers) naturally merge or find their source in the ultimate reality (the great ocean), which can be understood as emptiness or the true Mind.

·       ³ Awakened (开悟, kāiwù): Having attained spiritual awakening or realization.

·       ⁴ The one great matter (一大事因缘, yī dàshì yīnyuán): A common Chan term referring to the profound purpose of existence, which is to realize one's true nature and attain awakening, often associated with the reason Buddhas appear in the world.

·       ⁵ Ordinary mind (平常心, píngcháng xīn): A key Chan concept, often translated as "ordinary mind is the Way," referring to the mind that is natural, uncontrived, and free from dualistic thoughts and striving.

·       ⁶ Forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and dharmas (色声香味触法, sè shēng xiāng wèi chù fǎ): The six sense objects (ṣaḍviṣaya).

·       ⁷ Empty nature (性空, xìngkōng): Mandatory translation.

·       ⁸ Wondrous pure luminous Mind (妙净明心, miàojìng míngxīn): As in Segment 25.

·       ⁹ Dharmadhātu (法界, fǎjiè): As in Segment 25.

·       ¹⁰ Deluded thinking (妄想, wàngxiǎng): As in Segment 25.