Overall Title: Translation of: Opening the Buddha's Knowledge and Vision, a Dharma Talk by Teacher Hong Wenliang

Interleaved Original Text, English Translation, and Annotations:

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 1):

开佛知见

English Translation (Segment 1):

Opening the Buddha's Knowledge and Vision¹

Annotations (for Segment 1, if any):

¹ Buddha's Knowledge and Vision (佛知见 fó zhījiàn): This is the central topic of the discourse. It refers to the direct understanding and insight of a Buddha. The speaker will deconstruct common interpretations of this term.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 2):

2005年5月马六甲禅修 洪文亮老师开示

English Translation (Segment 2):

A Dharma Talk by Teacher Hong Wenliang during a Chan Retreat in Malacca, May 2005.

Annotations (for Segment 2, if any):

None.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 3):

石头希迁讲了一句话，很多人存疑，不同意。他说：“修行不论禅定，唯开佛知见”。精进禅定我不论。我不讲那些要禅定，要精进的，我不讲这些废话，只要开你佛的知见。

English Translation (Segment 3):

Shítóu Xīqiān¹ once said something that many people doubt or disagree with. He said: "Cultivation is not about meditative concentration (禪定 chándìng); it is solely about opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision." I don't discuss diligent meditative concentration. I don't talk about those things like needing meditative concentration or needing to be diligent; I don't speak such nonsense. It's only about opening your Buddha's knowledge and vision.

Annotations (for Segment 3, if any):

¹ Shítóu Xīqiān (石头希迁): (700-790 CE) A prominent Chan Buddhist master during the Tang Dynasty, author of the famous poem Cāntóngqì (参同契 - "The Agreement of Difference and Unity").

• Meditative concentration (禪定 chándìng): Often translated as dhyāna or samādhi, referring to states of deep meditation.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 4):

佛知见是什么？我们时常看到的那个佛知见，佛的知见。知道的知，意见的见，佛的知见。他说要开佛的知见，其它那些打坐是怎么打的，怎么用功，怎么精进，我不讲这些，只看你有没有开了佛的知见。

English Translation (Segment 4):

What is this Buddha's knowledge and vision? It's the Buddha's knowledge and vision we often encounter—the Buddha's 'zhījiàn'. The 'zhī' (知) of knowing, the 'jiàn' (见) of opinion or view—the Buddha's knowledge and vision. He said one must open the Buddha's knowledge and vision. As for those other things, like how to do sitting meditation (打坐 dǎzuò)¹, how to apply effort (用功 yònggōng)², how to be diligent (精进 jīngjìn)³—I don't talk about these. I only look at whether you have opened the Buddha's knowledge and vision.

Annotations (for Segment 4, if any):

¹ Sitting meditation (打坐 dǎzuò): A common term for formal seated meditation practice.

² Apply effort (用功 yònggōng): To practice diligently, to put effort into cultivation.

³ Diligent (精进 jīngjìn): Vīrya in Sanskrit; energetic effort or diligence.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 5):

那请问各位，你认为他指的佛知见是什么？如果你看到石头希迁这一句话，他说开佛的知见？你认为石头说的佛知见是指什么？佛的那种意见，佛的想法，或者是佛对这个宇宙生命的了解、正见？佛的那个正确的看法、意见，是不是这样？如果这样，那就变成佛也跟我们一样了！他对人生、生命的奥妙，宇宙的神秘，他也有看法，跟我们的看法一样，只不过是他高明，他是佛嘛！他还有知见吗？

English Translation (Segment 5):

So, may I ask you all, what do you think he means by "Buddha's knowledge and vision"? If you see this statement by Shítóu Xīqiān, where he says "opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision," what do you think Shítóu means by it? Does it refer to the Buddha's kind of opinion, the Buddha's thoughts, or perhaps the Buddha's understanding of this universe and life, his right view? The Buddha's correct perspective and opinion—is it like that? If it's like that, then the Buddha becomes just like us! He too has views on the mysteries of human life, the profundity of existence, the secrets of the universe—just like our views, only his are more brilliant because he's a Buddha! Does he still have "knowledge and vision" in that sense?

Annotations (for Segment 5, if any):

None.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 6):

他讲开佛知见，并不是说你要跟佛一样，有正确的见解，不是的。现在我跟各位说明一下，佛知见是一个事实，不是佛有什么高明的见解，不是。他指佛的知见就是一个到处都可以看到的真实的事实。

English Translation (Segment 6):

When he talks about opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision, it doesn't mean you need to have correct views just like the Buddha; it's not like that. Let me explain to everyone now: the Buddha's knowledge and vision is a fact, not that the Buddha has some brilliant views. No. What he refers to as the Buddha's knowledge and vision is a true fact that can be seen everywhere.

Annotations (for Segment 6, if any):

None.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 7):

什么样的事实？大家在底下听到我开口说话了吗？我说“阿弥陀佛”，你那里就“阿弥陀佛”这样动。我这里讲“阿”，你那里有没有“阿”？有啊！那么你听到的这个“阿”的声音。我请问你，你从哪里把这个声音制造出来的？有没有地方，有没有工厂？耳朵是工厂吗？那脑子就不要了？空气就不要了？那我的嘴皮不要了？到底工厂是哪个？我是问你听到的“阿”的声音。

English Translation (Segment 7):

What kind of fact? Is everyone down there hearing me speak? I say "Āmítuófó"¹, and over there, "Āmítuófó" moves just like that for you. I say "Ah" here, and do you have "Ah" over there? Yes! So, this "Ah" sound that you hear. Let me ask you, where did you manufacture this sound from? Is there a place, is there a factory? Is the ear the factory? Then the brain is not needed? The air is not needed? Then my lips are not needed? Which one is the factory, ultimately? I am asking about the "Ah" sound that you hear.

Annotations (for Segment 7, if any):

¹ Āmítuófó (阿弥陀佛): The Chinese name for Amitābha Buddha, often used as a greeting or general exclamation in Buddhist contexts.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 8):

这些事看起来好像很无聊，但是非常重要的就在这里。平常我们不把它当作问题，释迦牟尼佛是头一位把我们平常不当作问题的，他“哎？这是问题嘛！”我们平常生下来看、听、闻到味道、尝到这个咸的、辣的。或者身体接触，舒服的、痛的，我们就自以为这个是自然的。没有什么可以讨论的，是不是？这里哪有问题？我抬头看天上的星星，抬头看到了，看到了就看到了。风吹过来，感觉凉爽，就这样而已，从来没有人在这个问题上，这个上头，这个事实上去想很多。人们不把它当作问题，他是头一位把它当作问题。然后在这个上头用功，变成他的现成公案，时常注意这个。后来才发现，原来我们迷在什么地方，迷的根本原因在哪里。他是这样下手的。所以佛的知见就是什么？不是他有看法，他有见解，不是这样。

English Translation (Segment 8):

These things might seem very trivial, but what is extremely important lies right here. Ordinarily, we don't consider them problems. Śākyamuni Buddha was the first one to take what we usually don't consider problems and say, "Hey? This is a problem!" We are born, and we see, hear, smell tastes, taste this saltiness or spiciness. Or our bodies make contact, feeling comfort or pain, and we just assume this is natural. There's nothing to discuss, right? Where's the problem here? I look up at the stars in the sky; I look up and see them, and seeing is just seeing. The wind blows over, I feel cool and refreshed, and that's all there is to it. No one has ever thought much about this issue, about this matter, about this fact. People don't treat it as a problem, but he was the first to treat it as a problem. Then, he applied effort (用功 yònggōng) to this, and it became his ready-made kōan (现成公案)¹, constantly paying attention to it. Only later did he discover where we are deluded, where the fundamental cause of our delusion lies. This is how he approached it. So, what is this Buddha's knowledge and vision? It's not that he has opinions or views; it's not like that.

Annotations (for Segment 8, if any):

¹ Ready-made kōan (现成公案 xiànchéng gōng'àn): A kōan refers to a paradoxical anecdote or riddle used in Chan (Zen) Buddhism to provoke doubt and test a student's progress. A "ready-made kōan" implies that the very facts of existence, like perception, are themselves kōans to be investigated.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 9):

佛知见是说，我这里讲“阿”，每一位那边都有一个“阿”，那这个“阿”，找不到工厂。没有工厂有没有员工？有没有老板？有没有机器制造你的“阿”呢？你一定要制造“阿”出来你才听到“阿”嘛！难道这个“阿”是我们嘴唇制造的吗？那你把耳朵闭掉，听神经拿掉，还有“阿”吗？你的耳朵参与这个“阿”的制造，但不全都是它！对不对？从这里下手。工厂找不到，工厂没有的话，员工也没有，制造的机器也找不到，老板也不知道。资本呢？也没有，也不要资本。制造了“阿”过去了，这个东西要丢掉啊，你刚刚制造的这个声音，现在我讲过了，你又要再听别的，放在那里就重迭了！混了嘛！一下子就消失了，你丢到哪里去？制造源，工厂也找不到，资本，员工，技术，老板什么都找不到。那不用的时候，过去的时候，你也不要动它，它就清除掉了，没有了，你丢到哪里去？那个声音你丢到哪里去？你也不知道。消失在何方？不知道。把这个事实说成什么？我们一直以为你那边讲一个“阿”，“我”听到了！这个是自以为是的想法，跟事实不符合。他发现这个，这个不是事实。因为要是“我”听到的话，一定是“我”去制造这个声音，我才听到啊！光凭你的嘴唇这样动一下，两片嘴皮动一下，不一定有声音在我这里响。所以这个问题是谁制造了这个声音？找不到。也不是我制造，也不是你制造，也不是虚空制造，也不是神制造，也不是佛制造，但是就有。这个叫做找不到工厂，找不到资本，找不到工程师，找不到员工，无中“砰”生有。缘有了就有，来源不知道，这个叫做无所从来，佛经里讲的无所从来。没有了，消失了，你不用去找那个垃圾场，它自己清除掉了，亦无所去，亦无所至。来无所从来，去亦无所至。到哪里丢掉了？垃圾场在哪里？怎么把它火化了呢？用什么药把它除掉了呢？都不用，就没有了。这个是声音。

English Translation (Segment 9):

The Buddha's knowledge and vision means this: I say "Ah" here, and each of you over there has an "Ah." But this "Ah"—you can't find a factory for it. If there's no factory, are there any workers? Is there a boss? Is there any machinery that manufactures your "Ah"? You must manufacture an "Ah" to hear an "Ah," right? Is this "Ah" manufactured by our lips? Well, if you close your ears, remove your auditory nerves, is there still an "Ah"? Your ears participate in the manufacturing of this "Ah," but they are not entirely responsible for it! Right? Start from here. The factory cannot be found. If there's no factory, there are no workers, the manufacturing machinery cannot be found, and the boss is unknown. What about capital? None, no capital is needed either. After the "Ah" is manufactured and has passed, this thing needs to be discarded. The sound you just "manufactured"—now that I've spoken it, you need to listen to something else. If it's left there, it will overlap! It will get mixed up! It disappears in an instant. Where do you throw it away? The source of manufacturing, the factory, cannot be found; capital, workers, technology, boss—none of them can be found. And when it's not in use, when it has passed, you don't need to do anything to it; it clears away by itself, it's gone. Where did you throw it? Where did you throw that sound? You don't know either. Where did it disappear to? Unknown. What do we call this fact? We've always assumed, "You say 'Ah' over there, and 'I' hear it!" This is a self-righteous assumption that doesn't accord with the facts. He discovered this, that this is not the fact. Because if "I" were to hear it, it must be that "I" manufactured this sound, and only then could "I" hear it! Merely your lips moving like that, two flaps of skin moving, doesn't necessarily mean a sound will resonate here with me. So, the question is: who manufactured this sound? It cannot be found. It's not manufactured by me, not by you, not by empty space, not by a god, not by a Buddha—but it simply is. This is called: can't find the factory, can't find the capital, can't find the engineers, can't find the workers; "bang," arising from nothingness into being. When conditions are present, it is. Its origin is unknown. This is called "comes from nowhere" (无所从来 wú suǒ cónglái)¹, as spoken of in the Buddhist scriptures. When it's gone, disappeared, you don't need to look for a garbage dump; it clears itself away, "and also goes nowhere" (亦无所去 yì wú suǒ qù)², "nor arrives anywhere" (亦无所至 yì wú suǒ zhì)³. Coming, it comes from nowhere; going, it also goes nowhere. Where is it thrown away? Where is the garbage dump? How is it cremated? What medicine is used to eliminate it? None are needed; it's just gone. This is sound.

Annotations (for Segment 9, if any):

¹ Comes from nowhere (无所从来 wú suǒ cónglái): A classical Buddhist expression indicating the unfindable origin of phenomena, pointing to their empty nature.

² Goes nowhere (亦无所去 yì wú suǒ qù): Similarly, indicates that phenomena, being empty of inherent existence, do not go anywhere upon ceasing.

³ Nor arrives anywhere (亦无所至 yì wú suǒ zhì): This further emphasizes the lack of a fixed point of origin or destination, reinforcing the truth of emptiness and dependent origination. The full phrase often appears as "来无所从，去无所至" (coming from no origin, going to no destination).

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 10):

你抓抓你的手，你碰碰你的手背，这个触感，碰的时候有，这个触感哪里制造的？皮肤制造的吗？皮肤不能制造啊，皮肤能制造的话，我就不用去碰它了，它也可以“哎，你造出来”，它就可以造了。那我的右手制造的话，我就不必用左手背让我摸到触到，右手去制造就行了。这等于讲来讲去，色声香味触法，通通是无所从来，找不到生处；去也找不到它跑到哪里去。这是一个事实嘛！这个，先知道这个事。

English Translation (Segment 10):

Scratch your hand, touch the back of your hand. This sense of touch—it's there when you touch. Where is this tactile sensation manufactured? Is it manufactured by the skin? The skin cannot manufacture it. If the skin could manufacture it, I wouldn't need to touch it; it could just say, "Hey, you create it," and it would be created. If my right hand manufactured it, then I wouldn't need my left hand's back for me to feel the touch; the right hand could just manufacture it. This means, to put it simply, that forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and mental phenomena (色声香味触法 sè shēng xiāng wèi chù fǎ)¹—all of them come from nowhere (无所从来 wú suǒ cónglái); their place of arising cannot be found. And when they go, you also cannot find where they've gone to. This is a fact! This, first, know this fact.

Annotations (for Segment 10, if any):

¹ Forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and mental phenomena (色声香味触法 sè shēng xiāng wèi chù fǎ): These are the six external sense objects, corresponding to the six sense faculties.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 11):

所以说，当我讲“阿”的时候，各位那边有“阿”出现，对不对？这个时候真正实在的样子，并不是各位有一个“你”，在那里听到我这里发了声音，每一位在你那个地方听到这个声音。不是这样！那是怎么样？既然这个声音找不到哪里制造出来的。其实是自己给自己骗掉了。为什么给自己骗了？我们一直以为听、看、想、感觉都是有“我”，有一个“我”去听到，有一个“我”看到，有一个“我”感觉到，有一个“我”在这样想，有一个“我”下决定了，都有那个“我”，无始以来这种妄想。

English Translation (Segment 11):

Therefore, when I say "Ah," an "Ah" appears over there for each of you, right? At this moment, the true, actual situation is not that each of you has a "you" there, hearing the sound I made here, each person hearing this sound in your own place. It's not like that! So, how is it then? Since this sound cannot be found to be manufactured anywhere. Actually, one has been deceived by oneself. Why deceived by oneself? We have always believed that in hearing, seeing, thinking, and feeling, there is an "I"—there is an "I" that hears, an "I" that sees, an "I" that feels, an "I" that is thinking this way, an "I" that makes decisions. There is always that "I"—this kind of deluded thinking (妄想 wàngxiǎng)¹ from beginningless time.

Annotations (for Segment 11, if any):

¹ Deluded thinking (妄想 wàngxiǎng): False conceptualization, erroneous thought patterns, often referring to the ingrained belief in a permanent, independent self.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 12):

他们举了个例子，在油锅里头下面条，捞起来那个面条，那个油都浸到那个面条里头去了，你怎么拿掉？拿不掉吧。很不容易把面条里头的油拿掉。我们有“我”的那个念头，那个妄想，那个错误的想法，跟这个一样，非常难除。除了释迦牟尼佛教我们的这个只管打坐的方法以外，几乎没有办法拿掉。看起来那么简单的一件事，就把那个油面里的油拿掉，不容易拿。因为有我的妄想，以为有一个“我”在听，有一个“我”在看，有一个“我”在感觉，有一个“我”在想，更要命的是，有一个“我”在决定。我要不要来这里参加禅修？要，所以来了。学得很好的人都以为是“我”决定的。如果无我的话，那决定还是有你决定的话，这个佛法就不用谈了。不是你决定的啊！但是不是我决定，也不是你决定，也不是我妈妈决定，也不是我孩子决定的，明明是我决定啊？就是这个样子，很不容易把这个妄想除掉。

English Translation (Segment 12):

They give an example: cooking noodles in a pot of oil. When you take out the noodles, the oil has soaked right into them. How do you remove it? You can't, can you? It's very difficult to remove the oil from within the noodles. Our thought of "I," that deluded thinking (妄想 wàngxiǎng), that erroneous idea, is just like this—extremely difficult to remove. Apart from the method of "just sitting" (只管打坐 zhǐguǎn dǎzuò)¹ that Śākyamuni Buddha taught us, there's almost no way to remove it. It seems like such a simple thing, to remove the oil from the oily noodles, but it's not easy to do. Because of the deluded thought of "I," we believe there's an "I" that hears, an "I" that sees, an "I" that feels, an "I" that thinks, and even more critically, an "I" that decides. "Do I want to come here to attend the Chan retreat? Yes," so I came. People who have learned well all think, "It was 'I' who decided." If there is no-self (无我 wúwǒ)², yet decisions are still made by "you," then there's no need to even discuss Buddhism. It's not "you" who decides! But if it's not my decision, not your decision, not my mother's decision, not my child's decision, then surely it was "I" who decided, wasn't it? It's just like this; it's very difficult to eradicate this deluded thinking.

Annotations (for Segment 12, if any):

¹ Just sitting (只管打坐 zhǐguǎn dǎzuò): Shikantaza in Japanese. Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki said, "When we practice zazen (just sitting) our mind always follows our breathing. When we inhale, the air comes into the inner world. When we exhale, the air goes out to the outer world. The inner world is limitless, and the outer world is also limitless. We say “inner world” or “outer world,” but actually there is just one whole world. In this limitless world, our throat is like a swinging door. The air comes in and goes out like someone passing through a swinging door. If you think, “I breathe,” the “I” is extra. There is no you to say “I.” What we call “I” is just a swinging door which moves when we inhale and when we exhale. It just moves; that is all. When your mind is pure and calm enough to follow this movement, there is nothing: no “I,” no world, no mind nor body; just a swinging door."

² No-self (无我 wúwǒ): Anātman in Sanskrit or anattā in Pāli. The core Buddhist doctrine that there is no permanent, independent, unchanging self or soul.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 13):

所以回到刚刚讲的那个声音。我这里讲“阿”你那里有“阿”，不是你听，不是你的耳朵听到，也不是你的脑子听到，因为这个声音的生出的地方，工厂，找不到。那么你怎么听到？问题来了，那你怎么听到？声音的来源不知道，也没有人动它，但是有啊！明明有声音“阿”，有啊！有的时候，禅宗祖师就简单地说“无而有”，那么简单地讲。有呢？从哪里来？谁制造？没有，找不到，“有而无”。一切都是这个样子。把这个东西讲得更好的是怎么讲的？“有而无，无而有”也就是，当你听到的时候，他们用这种话，很好，“举身听”，看到的时候，“举身看”。举的意思是什么？全身、全心、全身心，整个。不仅仅是你的耳朵，你的头发，你的皮肤，你的毛孔，你的脚指甲，你肚子里头的肠、胃、肺、心脏，通通都是，举身听，都是听本身！不是你的皮肤，你的牙齿，你的眼睛，你的耳朵，你的毛发，你的毛孔它们通通一起听这个“阿”，不是这样！整个都变成了“阿”，这叫做举身听，是我们不知道。

English Translation (Segment 13):

So, back to the sound we were just discussing. I say "Ah" here, and you have "Ah" there. It's not "you" hearing it, not your ears hearing it, nor your brain hearing it, because the place where this sound arises, the factory, cannot be found. So how do you hear it? Here comes the question: how then do you hear it? The origin of the sound is unknown, and no one manipulates it, yet it is present! Clearly, there is the sound "Ah"; it's there! Sometimes, the Chan patriarchs would simply say, "non-existent and yet present" (无而有 wú ér yǒu)¹—they put it that simply. Does it exist? Where does it come from? Who manufactured it? No one, it cannot be found: "present and yet non-existent" (有而无 yǒu ér wú)². Everything is like this. How can this be expressed even better? "Present and yet non-existent, non-existent and yet present" also means, when you hear, they use this kind of language, which is very good: "hearing with the whole body" (举身听 jǔ shēn tīng)³; when seeing, "seeing with the whole body" (举身看 jǔ shēn kàn)⁴. What does "whole" (举 jǔ) mean? The entire body, the entire mind, the entire body-mind, the whole thing. It's not just your ears, your hair, your skin, your pores, your toenails, your intestines, stomach, lungs, heart within your belly—all of them, hearing with the whole body, they are all the hearing itself! It's not that your skin, your teeth, your eyes, your ears, your hair, your pores all collectively hear this "Ah"—it's not like that! The entirety becomes "Ah." This is called "hearing with the whole body." It's just that we don't know this.

Annotations (for Segment 13, if any):

¹ Non-existent and yet present (无而有 wú ér yǒu): A paradoxical expression common in Chan and other Mahāyāna schools, pointing to the nature of reality as empty of inherent existence (无 wú) yet appearing functionally (有 yǒu).

² Present and yet non-existent (有而无 yǒu ér wú): The complementary expression, emphasizing that what presently appears lacks ultimate, independent reality.

³ Hearing with the whole body (举身听 jǔ shēn tīng): This refers to Total Exertion. "Total exertion has 2 flavors: the interpermeation and interpenetration of all things and wholeheartedness of action without self/Self.", “Total exertion is not just interpenetration. Maha is an experience of great beyond measure. It is an experience of everything being consumed as it. Only in anatta this experience can be accessed without much issue.” ~ John Tan/Thusness, 2019 

John Tan also said before,

“In total exertion, it is not only ear hears, the eyes, ears... whole body hears...ear is no ear, and eyes is no eyes, body is no body and mind is no mind...all are deconstructed into that sound..."

More related citations:

“Wondrous! Marvelous! The teachings of the insentient are inconceivable. If you listen with the ears, you won't understand. When you hear with the eyes, then you will know.” - Zen Master Dongshan “When I talk about listening, I don’t mean just listening with the ear. Listening here includes the totality of perception—all senses open and alive, and still much more than that. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are receptive, open, not controlled. A Zen saying describes it as “hearing with one’s eyes and seeing with one’s ears.” It refers to this wholeness of perception. The wholeness of being! Another Zen saying demands: “Hear the bell before it rings!” Ah, it doesn’t make any sense rationally, does it? But there is a moment when that bell is ringing before you know it! You may never know it! Your entire being is ringing! There’s no division in that—everything is ringing.” - Toni Packer, The Wonder of Presence, excerpt from Finding a New Way to Listen

“In ceremony there are forms and there are sounds, there is understanding and there is believing. In liturgy there is only intimacy. Haven't you heard the ancient master's teaching: Seeing forms with the whole body-and-mind, hearing sounds with the whole body-and-mind one understands them intimately. Intimate understanding is not like ordinary understanding. Ordinary understanding is seeing with the eye and hearing with the ear; intimacy is seeing with the ear and hearing with the eye. How do you see with the ear and hear with the eye? Let go of the eye, and the whole body-and-mind are nothing but the eye; let go of the ear, and the whole universe is nothing but the ear.” - Zen Master Dogen, Shobogenzo”

⁴ Seeing with the whole body (举身看 jǔ shēn kàn): Similar to "hearing with the whole body," but applied to the sense of sight.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 14):

所以怎么听的？我们叫做暗暗的。真的怎么听到，真的为什么有这个声音，佛都不知道，佛也不知道。但是当我讲“阿”的时候，那边马上有“阿”，所以这个叫做举身听。你抬头看这一朵花，看到那个时候，举身看。不是眼睛看，或者头脑看，都不是，不是视神经看，都不是。你整个全身心，四大五蕴，通通变成这个花！你说奇怪了，四大五蕴在这里，我这里不是花嘛！我皮肤，我头发，我心脏，那么这个哪里变花呢？花在那里，我没有变花啊。这个就是你把四大五蕴的，这个身心固定了，以为这样一个固定的有自性的东西，一直这个东西放不掉。四大五蕴如云、如幻，它当下就是变成整个就是花。你把花跟四大五蕴隔开来，所以说我这个没有变成花。这是你给色碍骗去了，知道吗？色碍，有滞碍，认为这个东西还是我的手，怎么变成花呢？不要乱讲！我跟你讲，肉体的这个存在，你碰起来有这个滞碍，这个东西是妄想的境界。真正的你是法身！真正的你是一个法身法性的那个东西在动，所以那个东西跟前面的花，或者是前面有一个“阿”的声音，“阿”的声音跟一朵花的那个相，色相，相融的呀！跟水倒进水一样。你的法身法性跟外面的色声香味触法，外面的色声香味触法也是法性，也是法身，水，你这里的四大五蕴也是，它真正的那个本来的面目是法身法性，两个都是法身。所以水跟水很容易沟通！不是沟通了，本来就是一个东西！所以一看到就有相。因为你的四大五蕴，四大，地水火风，跟我的四大，地水火风一样！它的自性都是空性，一样都是法性，所以一对到，就水倒进那桶水一样，马上有相出现。你还要说哪里制造啊？如果说你这个身体是这个身体，对面的声音，那边来的声音是“阿”，“阿”是“阿”，我这个身体没有变成“阿”，那你就把这个滞碍的东西，当做自己的妄想还那么坚固，把这个死抱着这个身心，这个我自己感觉到的这个色碍的东西，当做自己的关系，“我没有变啊，我哪里是举身听啊？声音是声音，我是我。”你掉在那里，你不懂得你真正的法性身。这个弄清楚吗？

English Translation (Segment 14):

So how is it heard? We call it "subtly" or "unseenly." How one truly hears, why there is truly this sound—even a Buddha doesn't know; a Buddha also doesn't know. But when I say "Ah," immediately there is "Ah" over there. So this is called "hearing with the whole body." You look up at this flower; at the moment of seeing, it's "seeing with the whole body." It's not the eyes seeing, or the brain seeing, none of that; it's not the optic nerve seeing, none of that. Your entire body-mind, the four great elements and five aggregates (四大五蕴 sìdà wǔyùn)¹, all become this flower! You say, "That's strange! The four great elements and five aggregates are here; I am not a flower here! My skin, my hair, my heart—how can this become a flower? The flower is over there; I haven't become a flower." This is because you have solidified this body-mind of the four great elements and five aggregates, believing it to be such a fixed thing with self-nature (自性 zìxìng)², and you can't let go of this thing. The four great elements and five aggregates are like clouds, like illusions (幻 huàn)³; in that very instant, they become entirely the flower. You separate the flower from your four great elements and five aggregates, so you say, "I have not become the flower." This is you being deceived by the obstruction by form (色碍 sè ài)⁴, do you understand? Obstruction by form, there is a hindrance (滞碍 zhì ài)⁵; you believe this thing is still my hand, how can it become a flower? Don't talk nonsense! Let me tell you, the existence of this physical body, this hindrance you feel when you touch it—this thing is the realm of deluded thinking (妄想 wàngxiǎng). Your true self is the Dharmakāya (法身 fǎshēn)⁶! Your true self is that which is the Dharmakāya, the Dharma-nature (法性 fǎxìng)⁷, in motion. Therefore, that thing and the flower in front, or the "Ah" sound in front—the "Ah" sound and the appearance (相 xiàng)⁸, the visible form (色相 sèsiàng)⁹, of a flower—they merge! Like water poured into water. Your Dharmakāya, your Dharma-nature, and the external forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, and mental phenomena—these external sense objects are also Dharma-nature, also Dharmakāya, like water. Your four great elements and five aggregates here, their true, original face is Dharmakāya, Dharma-nature. Both are Dharmakāya. So, water and water communicate very easily! It's not communication; they are originally one thing! Therefore, upon seeing, there is an appearance (相 xiàng). Because your four great elements and five aggregates—the four great elements (四大 sìdà)¹⁰: earth, water, fire, and wind—are the same as my four great elements: earth, water, fire, and wind! Their self-nature (自性 zìxìng) is entirely empty nature (空性 kōngxìng)¹¹; they are equally Dharma-nature. So, when they meet, it's like pouring water into a bucket of water—an appearance (相 xiàng) immediately arises. Do you still need to ask where it's manufactured? If you say this body is this body, and the sound from over there, the sound coming from there is "Ah," and "Ah" is "Ah," and "my body has not become 'Ah'," then you are still clinging so firmly to this obstructive thing as your own deluded thinking, desperately holding onto this body-mind, this thing of obstruction by form that you feel, considering it to be yourself. "I haven't changed! How could I be 'hearing with the whole body'? Sound is sound, and I am I." You are stuck there; you don't understand your true Dharma-nature body (法性身 fǎxìng shēn)¹². Is this clear?

Annotations (for Segment 14, if any):

¹ Four great elements and five aggregates (四大五蕴 sìdà wǔyùn): The four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) are the basis of material existence. The five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness) are the components that make up a sentient being's experience of self and world.

² Self-nature (自性 zìxìng): Svabhāva in Sanskrit. An inherent, independent existence. Buddhism, particularly Mahāyāna, teaches that all phenomena are without self-nature (無自性 wú zìxìng), meaning they are empty of such inherent existence.

³ Illusions (幻 huàn): Māyā in Sanskrit. Often used to describe the deceptive nature of phenomenal appearances.

⁴ Obstruction by form (色碍 sè ài): The delusion caused by reifying physical forms, seeing them as solid, separate, and independently real, thus creating a sense of obstruction or separation.

⁵ Hindrance (滞碍 zhì ài): Obstruction, impediment. Here it refers to the perceived solidity and separateness of physical objects, which is considered a product of deluded thinking.

⁶ Dharmakāya (法身 fǎshēn): The "Dharma-body," one of the three bodies (trikāya) of a Buddha. It represents the ultimate nature of reality, the unmanifested, formless aspect of Buddhahood, synonymous with emptiness and true thusness.

⁷ Dharma-nature (法性 fǎxìng): Dharmatā in Sanskrit. The intrinsic nature of all phenomena, their true reality, which is emptiness, thusness.

⁸ Appearance (相 xiàng): Nimitta or lakṣaṇa in Sanskrit. Here refers to the perceived form or characteristics of an object. The guidelines state to translate 相 (xiàng) based on context; here "appearance" or "form" fits.

⁹ Visible form (色相 sèsiàng): The visual appearance or form of an object.

¹⁰ Four great elements (四大 sìdà): Earth (地), water (水), fire (火), and wind (风). These are the traditional primary constituents of the material world.

¹¹ Empty nature (空性 kōngxìng): Śūnyatā in Sanskrit. The fundamental Buddhist truth of emptiness, meaning that all phenomena are devoid of inherent, independent existence or self-nature. The mandatory term "性空 (xìngkōng)" is translated as "empty nature"; "空性 (kōngxìng)" is its direct equivalent here.

¹² Dharma-nature body (法性身 fǎxìng shēn): A body that is of the nature of dharma, essentially synonymous with Dharmakāya or the true nature of one's being.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 15):

这个弄清楚了之后你就晓得，石头希迁讲的开佛知见。佛知见就是，对到什么那你就变成对到的那个东西！对到一朵红花，你的法性，真实的你，整个是花。听到“阿”，你的整个法身，真实的你的存在，法身，跟那个“阿”是一样东西！“阿”声音的法性身，跟我这边能听的法性身都是一样东西，所以就马上有“阿”出现了。不要找制造工厂，不要去探讨谁制造了。这么简单的，这么直截了当的这个事实，没有人把它当作问题。因为我们生下来，能听能看，好像很自然，必然的。这个“必然”害了我们。因为我们本来就有一个妄想，一辈子一辈子投胎，一辈子一辈子都有一个“我”，“我”在轮回，那个“我”，都一直没有放掉。所以在轮回里头滚，把墙壁围起来在里头跑，所以，总不能把这个色身滞碍的这个身心，他的真正的法性，真正的法身的存在忘掉了。法身法性的存在是遍满宇宙的！无处不到，解脱自在，非常自由自在的一个作用。他的作用的关系，我对到你，马上就有你的相出现。你对到我，马上有我的相出现，你的法性身跟我的法性身是一个东西。所以根本不必制造。不是“你”去看到，不是“你”去听到我的声音，这弄懂了吗？这个叫做本来的事实，对到什么，你就变成那个。对象是大的，马上有大，马上出现。你变大的，不是你看到大的，是你变大。那个“你”是法性的你，不是色碍的你。听得懂吗？是法性的你，所以对到小的东西，哎，很小，你变成小。听到大声音，你变成大声音那个。听到小声音，你变成小声音，法性的你变成那个，不是你这个滞碍的东西变的，OK？所以，是必然的。我们跟境界之间的互动，互相的作用，交互的作用，谁也不能逃开。不是佛给你这样的。我们把互相的这个作用，叫做必然的，没有一个人可以逃开的。对到墙壁是墙壁，闻到那个香味，你不想闻都有那个香味。为什么？你的法性身，那个香味就是你的法性身变成那个香味！不是鼻子闻到香味，我们错在这里！OK？听懂吗？这个非常非常非常重要。

English Translation (Segment 15):

Once this is clear, you will understand what Shítóu Xīqiān meant by opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision. The Buddha's knowledge and vision is just this: whatever you encounter, you become that encountered thing! When you encounter a red flower, your Dharma-nature (法性 fǎxìng), your true self, is entirely the flower. When you hear "Ah," your entire Dharmakāya (法身 fǎshēn), your true existence, the Dharmakāya, is the same thing as that "Ah"! The Dharma-nature body (法性身 fǎxìng shēn) of the "Ah" sound and the Dharma-nature body here that can hear are the same thing, so "Ah" immediately appears. Don't look for a manufacturing factory; don't try to investigate who manufactured it. This simple, this direct fact—no one treats it as a problem. Because from birth, we can hear and see, and it seems very natural, inevitable. This "inevitability" has harmed us. Because we inherently have this deluded thinking (妄想 wàngxiǎng); lifetime after lifetime of rebirth, lifetime after lifetime there is an "I," an "I" that is in saṃsāra (轮回 lúnhuí)¹—that "I" has never been let go of. So we roll around in saṃsāra, building up walls and running around inside them. Therefore, we can't afford to forget the true Dharma-nature, the true existence of the Dharmakāya, of this physical body (色身 sèshen)², this obstructive (滞碍 zhì'ài) body-mind. The existence of the Dharmakāya and Dharma-nature pervades the entire universe! It reaches everywhere, liberated and at ease, a very free and unrestrained function. Due to its functioning, when I encounter you, your appearance (相 xiàng) immediately arises. When you encounter me, my appearance immediately arises; your Dharma-nature body and my Dharma-nature body are one thing. So, there's fundamentally no need for manufacturing. It's not "you" who sees, not "you" who hears my voice. Do you understand this now? This is called the original fact: whatever you encounter, you become that. If the object is large, immediately there is large, it immediately appears. You become large; it's not that you see large, it's that you become large. That "you" is the "you" of Dharma-nature, not the "you" of obstruction by form (色碍 sè ài). Do you understand? It's the "you" of Dharma-nature. So, when you encounter something small, hey, it's very small, you become small. When you hear a loud sound, you become that loud sound. When you hear a small sound, you become that small sound; the "you" of Dharma-nature becomes that, not this obstructive thing of yours that changes, okay? So, it's inevitable. The interaction between us and the environment, this mutual functioning, this interplay—no one can escape it. It's not that a Buddha made it this way for you. We call this mutual functioning "inevitable"; no one can escape it. Encountering a wall, it is wall. Smelling that fragrance, even if you don't want to smell it, that fragrance is there. Why? Your Dharma-nature body—that fragrance is your Dharma-nature body becoming that fragrance! It's not the nose smelling the fragrance. This is where we are mistaken! Okay? Do you understand? This is very, very, very important.

Annotations (for Segment 15, if any):

¹ Saṃsāra (轮回 lúnhuí): The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, driven by ignorance, craving, and aversion.

² Physical body (色身 sèshen): The form-body, the physical manifestation.

• Other terms like Dharma-nature (法性 fǎxìng), Dharmakāya (法身 fǎshēn), deluded thinking (妄想 wàngxiǎng), obstruction (滞碍 zhì'ài), appearance (相 xiàng), and obstruction by form (色碍 sè ài)are used consistent with previous annotations and the provided guidelines.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 16):

参同契石头希迁只是要我们开佛知见。佛知见是我们的事实，跟境界互相作用，互相动作。互动的时候，必然的，没有一个人可以免得了。因为大家都是法性法身的存在。真正的存在是法性身，法身佛。我们的存在是那么伟大殊胜。你把这个骨头、皮肤这些东西当作我，你是小看了你自己了。本来是大存在，法性的存在，那么无边无量无限碍的存在，你把他缩成只有这个，身心这个具体的滞碍的一个小小的一块东西上，你把自己贬得那么小，好可怜！喝醉酒了，忘了自己。

English Translation (Segment 16):

Shítóu Xīqiān, in his Cāntóngqì (参同契)¹, simply wants us to open the Buddha's knowledge and vision. The Buddha's knowledge and vision is our factual reality: interacting with the environment, mutually functioning. This interaction is inevitable; no one can avoid it. Because everyone is an existence of Dharma-nature, of Dharmakāya. True existence is the Dharma-nature body (法性身 fǎxìng shēn), the Dharmakāya Buddha (法身佛 fǎshēn fó)². Our existence is so great and sublime. If you take these bones and skin as "I," you are underestimating yourself. Originally, you are a great existence, an existence of Dharma-nature, such a boundless, immeasurable, unhindered existence, and you shrink it down to just this, this concrete, obstructive (滞碍 zhì'ài) little piece of body and mind. You demean yourself to such a small degree—how pitiful! Like being drunk and having forgotten oneself.

Annotations (for Segment 16, if any):

¹ Cāntóngqì (参同契): "The Agreement of Difference and Unity," a seminal Chan text by Shítóu Xīqiān.

² Dharmakāya Buddha (法身佛 fǎshēn fó): The Buddha as Dharmakāya, representing the ultimate, unmanifest reality.

• Buddha's knowledge and vision (佛知见 fó zhījiàn), Dharma-nature (法性 fǎxìng), Dharmakāya (法身 fǎshēn), Dharma-nature body (法性身 fǎxìng shēn), and obstructive (滞碍 zhì'ài) are used consistently.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 17):

这个弄清楚了就知道佛知见是讲这个事实。这个事实叫做佛知见。所以石头希迁是“哎呀，只要开，开就是了”，你本来就是这个事实，你真的是这个样子，是法性身在动，是法身佛在动。每一位都是法身佛的样子在动，跟境界一起互动。境界也是法身佛！所以当我成道的时候，我与大地有情同时成道，是这个意思。你把他隔开来的话，当然树是树，狗是狗，那个时候在的人是那个时候的人在，那么为什么2500多年前释迦牟尼佛成佛的时候，会跟他们一起通通成佛了，现在我们应该也是成佛的后代了，那就讲不通了！所以有一些和尚在网络上就说，这个可能是人家记错了，或者是人家以为是，佛多伟大，多加一笔，捧句捧错了。那其实是他不懂，他不懂刚刚讲的佛知见这个事。佛知见弄错了，你怎么学都搞不通佛法。都是以我这个样子，我看，我想，你道理对不对呀。你看，这个叫做我们在思想的窠臼里头，那个窠臼里头找佛法，想佛法，解决佛法。佛知见没有开，就不同了，你怎么想，怎么看都不是佛讲的。

English Translation (Segment 17):

Once this is clear, you know that the Buddha's knowledge and vision refers to this fact. This fact is called the Buddha's knowledge and vision. So Shítóu Xīqiān is saying, "Ah, just open it, just open it, that's all." You are originally this fact; you are truly like this. It is the Dharma-nature body (法性身 fǎxìng shēn) that is in motion; it is the Dharmakāya Buddha (法身佛 fǎshēn fó) that is in motion. Every single one of us is moving as a manifestation of the Dharmakāya Buddha, interacting with the environment. The environment is also the Dharmakāya Buddha! This is the meaning behind "When I attained the Way, I and the great earth and sentient beings simultaneously attained the Way."¹ If you separate them, then of course, a tree is a tree, a dog is a dog, and the people present at that time were the people present at that time. So why is it that when Śākyamuni Buddha attained Buddhahood over 2500 years ago, they all attained Buddhahood together with him? If so, we now should also be descendants of Buddhas, which doesn't make sense! So, some monks on the internet say this was probably misremembered by someone, or someone thought, "The Buddha is so great," and added an extra stroke, praising him incorrectly. But actually, it's that they don't understand; they don't understand this matter of the Buddha's knowledge and vision that was just discussed. If you get the Buddha's knowledge and vision wrong, no matter how you study, you'll never understand Buddhist Dharma. It's always from the perspective of "I": "I see," "I think," "Is your reasoning correct?" You see, this is what we call searching for Buddhist Dharma, thinking about Buddhist Dharma, trying to resolve Buddhist Dharma from within the rut of our thoughts, within that conceptual box. If the Buddha's knowledge and vision is not opened, it's different; no matter how you think or what you see, it won't be what the Buddha taught.

• Buddha's knowledge and vision (佛知见 fó zhījiàn), Dharma-nature body (法性身 fǎxìng shēn), and Dharmakāya Buddha (法身佛 fǎshēn fó) are used consistently.

Original Text (Chinese - Segment 18):

这头一段是他在讲这个。因为我谈到石头希迁，他讲的不论禅定，打坐禅定很要紧，对不对？要静下来，开佛的智慧怎么样。他说不论，我不太注重这个。但是我要每一位，因为跟我学了，看我的留下来的这个经典，尤其是《参同契》，你要懂得我的真意在哪里，言外意思在哪里。我是要各位开你的佛的知见。佛的知见是你的事实，你的真事实。不是你去动头脑，说我的意见现在跟佛的意见一样了，“我开了佛的知见”。不是这个意思。你晓得你跟境界互动的时候，因为你的真正的存在是法性，法身佛，是你真正的、真实的你的真实人体。所以，一对到相就有相，对到声音，声音就是你，对到相，相就是你。如果说你是你，我还是我，难道我对到你，你就变成我了？你这是给这个滞碍骗去了。你死死抱着这个东西是“我”，所以我相没有除掉是听不懂佛法的。那么但是有时候有人会说“我没有我相了”，“我”没有“我相”了，什么意思？我听不懂！“我没有我相了，现在我修到没有我相了……”谁没有我相？因为他没有开佛的知见，所以还在那里糊里胡涂。“我修得很好，奇怪，还有这个问题”，“哼，你还有这个问题呀？”“是啊！”那我就没有办法。一点头，“好，算了算了，你的石头路滑，听不懂这个”。大家弄清楚这一点吗？那么这个《参同契》可以不讲了。

English Translation (Segment 18):

This first part is him explaining this. Because I mentioned Shítóu Xīqiān, and he said, "not about meditative concentration (禅定 chándìng)"—sitting meditation (打坐 dǎzuò) and meditative concentration are very important, right? One needs to quiet down to open the Buddha's wisdom, and so on. He says, "not about that"; I don't particularly emphasize this. But I want everyone, because you have studied with me and read the scriptures I have left behind, especially the Cāntóngqì (参同契), to understand where my true meaning lies, what the meaning beyond the words is. I want all of you to open your Buddha's knowledge and vision. The Buddha's knowledge and vision is your fact, your true fact. It's not about you using your intellect to say, "My opinions are now the same as the Buddha's opinions," or "I have opened the Buddha's knowledge and vision." That's not the meaning. You must understand that when you interact with the environment, it's because your true existence is Dharma-nature (法性 fǎxìng), the Dharmakāya Buddha (法身佛 fǎshēn fó); it is your true, real, authentic human body/being. So, when you encounter an appearance (相 xiàng)¹, there is an appearance; when you encounter a sound, the sound is you; when you encounter an appearance, the appearance is you. If you say, "You are you, and I am still I," then when I encounter you, do you become me? You are being deceived by this obstruction (滞碍 zhì'ài) then. You are desperately clinging to this thing as "I," so if the sign of a self (我相 wǒxiàng)² is not removed, you cannot understand Buddhist Dharma. But then, sometimes people will say, "I have no sign of a self anymore." "'I' have no 'sign of a self' anymore"—what does that mean? I don't understand! "I have no sign of a self anymore; I have now cultivated to the point of having no sign of a self..." Who has no sign of a self? Because he hasn't opened the Buddha's knowledge and vision, he is still muddle-headed. "I've cultivated very well, strange, there's still this problem." "Hmph, you still have this problem?" "Yes!" Then I can do nothing. A nod of the head, "Alright, forget it, forget it. Your Shítóu's³ road is slippery; you can't understand this." Is everyone clear on this point? If so, then this Cāntóngqì need not be expounded.

Annotations (for Segment 18, if any):

¹ Appearance (相 xiàng): Consistent with previous usage, referring to perceived phenomena or characteristics.

² Sign of a self (我相 wǒxiàng): The perception or conceptualization of an enduring, independent "I." The mandatory guidelines specify this as "sign of a self" (or similar). Removing this is crucial for understanding no-self.

³ Shítóu's (石头): Literally "Stone," referring to Shítóu Xīqiān. "Shítóu's road is slippery" (石头路滑 shítóu lù huá) is a Chan expression implying that the path or teaching is subtle and difficult for those without the requisite understanding or who are conceptually stuck.

• Meditative concentration (禅定 chándìng), sitting meditation (打坐 dǎzuò), Cāntóngqì (参同契), Buddha's knowledge and vision (佛知见 fó zhījiàn), Dharma-nature (法性 fǎxìng), Dharmakāya Buddha (法身佛 fǎshēn fó), and obstruction (滞碍 zhì'ài) are used consistently.

Translator's Commentary:

Introduction:

The provided text is a Dharma talk given by Teacher Hong Wenliang in May 2005. The central theme is the Chan master Shítóu Xīqiān's statement: "Cultivation is not about meditative concentration (禪定 chándìng); it is solely about opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision (佛知见 fó zhījiàn)." The speaker aims to clarify the true meaning of "Buddha's knowledge and vision," moving beyond intellectual understanding to a direct, experiential realization of non-duality and the nature of reality. The presumed tradition is Chan (Zen) Buddhism, given the reference to Shítóu Xīqiān, Cāntóngqì, "sitting meditation" (打坐 dǎzuò), and the overall style emphasizing direct pointing and the deconstruction of conceptual thought.

The primary challenge in translating this text lies in conveying the speaker's colloquial, direct, and often provocative style while accurately rendering the profound philosophical concepts. The text employs rhetorical questions, vivid analogies (like oil in noodles), and a deconstructive approach to common Buddhist terms, which requires careful balancing of literal accuracy with an accessible and engaging English rendering.

Translation Choices for Key Terminology:

Several key terms were translated according to the mandatory guidelines or with specific considerations:

• 佛知见 (fó zhījiàn): Translated as "Buddha's knowledge and vision." This term is central. The speaker explicitly breaks it down into "the 'zhī' (知) of knowing, and the 'jiàn' (见) of opinion/view," but then radically reinterprets it not as a Buddha's opinion or superior understanding, but as the direct perception of "a true fact that can be seen everywhere"—the non-dual, interpenetrating reality of Dharmakāya.
• 禅定 (chándìng): Translated as "meditative concentration."
• 打坐 (dǎzuò): Translated as "sitting meditation."
• 妄想 (wàngxiǎng): Translated as "deluded thinking" or "false conceptualization," referring to the ingrained, erroneous belief in a separate self and fixed realities.
• 我相 (wǒxiàng): Translated as "sign of a self," adhering to the guidelines. This refers to the perception or conceptual construction of an independent, abiding "I." The speaker emphasizes that without eradicating this, one cannot understand Dharma.
• 法身 (fǎshēn): Translated as "Dharmakāya." This is presented as one's true nature and the nature of all phenomena.
• 法性 (fǎxìng): Translated as "Dharma-nature," the intrinsic reality or true nature of all things.
• 四大五蕴 (sìdà wǔyùn): Translated as "four great elements and five aggregates."
• 色碍 (sè ài): Translated as "obstruction by form," referring to the delusion caused by reifying physical forms.
• 滞碍 (zhì ài): Translated as "obstruction" or "hindrance," describing the perceived solidity and separateness that arises from dualistic thinking.
• 无所从来，亦无所去 (wú suǒ cónglái, yì wú suǒ qù): Translated as "comes from nowhere, and also goes nowhere," a classic expression for the unfindable origin and cessation of empty phenomena.
• 相 (xiàng): Translated contextually as "appearance," "form," or "sign," in line with the guideline to identify the nuance (e.g., "马上就有你的相出现" - "your appearance immediately arises"; "我相" - "sign of a self").
• 举身听 (jǔ shēn tīng) / 举身看 (jǔ shēn kàn): Translated as "hearing with the whole body" / "seeing with the whole body." This refers to Total Exertion. "Total exertion has 2 flavors: the interpermeation and interpenetration of all things and wholeheartedness of action without self/Self.", “Total exertion is not just interpenetration. Maha is an experience of great beyond measure. It is an experience of everything being consumed as it. Only in anatta this experience can be accessed without much issue.” ~ John Tan/Thusness, 2019

Contextual and Doctrinal Explanations:

1. "Hearing/seeing with the whole body" (举身听/看) is used to express total exertion. As John Tan said before, “In total exertion, it is not only ear hears, the eyes, ears... whole body hears...ear is no ear, and eyes is no eyes, body is no body and mind is no mind...all are deconstructed into that sound...
   
   (Soh:
   
   “Wondrous! Marvelous!
   The teachings of the insentient are inconceivable.
   If you listen with the ears, you won't understand.
   When you hear with the eyes, then you will know.” - Zen Master Dongshan
   
   “When I talk about listening, I don’t mean just listening with the ear. Listening here includes the totality of perception—all senses open and alive, and still much more than that. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are receptive, open, not controlled. A Zen saying describes it as “hearing with one’s eyes and seeing with one’s ears.” It refers to this wholeness of perception. The wholeness of being!
   Another Zen saying demands: “Hear the bell before it rings!” Ah, it doesn’t make any sense rationally, does it? But there is a moment when that bell is ringing before you know it! You may never know it! Your entire being is ringing! There’s no division in that—everything is ringing.”” - Toni Packer, The Wonder of Presence, excerpt from Finding a New Way to Listen
   
   “In ceremony there are forms and there are sounds, there is understanding and there is believing. In liturgy there is only intimacy. Haven't you heard the ancient master's teaching: Seeing forms with the whole body-and-mind, hearing sounds with the whole body-and-mind one understands them intimately. Intimate understanding is not like ordinary understanding. Ordinary understanding is seeing with the eye and hearing with the ear; intimacy is seeing with the ear and hearing with the eye. How do you see with the ear and hear with the eye? Let go of the eye, and the whole body-and-mind are nothing but the eye; let go of the ear, and the whole universe is nothing but the ear.” - Zen Master Dogen, Shobogenzo”)