Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Eight)
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From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

(I made the English translations with the help of ChatGPT from the Chinese original)

Footnotes were produced by ChatGPT and are not present in the original Chinese material.

 

Thought about Buddhist meditation and teachings for 20 seconds

English Translation (Paragraph 1):

Ganges Mahāmudrā

(The Eighth Lecture)

Written by Elder Yuanyin

Eighth Lecture

“Let the mind be like a flowing river, abiding spontaneously in its natural course. Without establishing or negating any arising or subsiding, one thereby attains the characteristic of the dharma-body.”

Original Text (Paragraph 1):

“恒河大手印

（第八講）

 

元音老人 著

 

第八講

 

「令心如河流，任運自然住，起伏不作成立與遮遣，即得法身自相。」”


English Translation (Paragraph 2):

When we engage in practice, we must let the mind be like a river, bending and turning according to the flow. We must not hold onto any subjective fixation whatsoever; rather, let everything proceed naturally according to conditions, free of self-view and unimpeded. At all times, be like flowing water, peacefully and freely coursing onward—this is how our practice should be done. As ordinary people, we are filled with self-serving intentions and endless deluded thoughts, always wanting everything to conform to our preferences: “I want it this way, and it had better be this way; otherwise, I become troubled.” Thus, our karmic obstacles run deep, obstructing us from seeing the Way. Now that we are devoting ourselves to spiritual practice, we must change this habitual clinging. We must be able to adapt to conditions, bending when it is time to bend, turning when it is time to turn, without stubbornly insisting on our own view. For example, in our work—whether we are promoted or demoted—let it be; do not feel elation at promotion or frustration at demotion. Since everything is done for the service of the people, not for ourselves, we must be able to go either up or down without resistance.


After learning Buddhism, we understand that all sights and sounds, wealth and gain, are like flowers in the sky or the moon reflected in water: they cannot be sought or obtained; the mind always rests in empty quiescence, devoid of afflictions. Therefore, every problem can be discussed with ease, and we can shoulder any responsibility selflessly, forging ahead with vigor. If everyone acted with such selflessness and concern for others, society would be peaceful, the nation would thrive, and the country would be prosperous and strong. Thus, practicing Buddhism greatly benefits both society and the human heart; it truly deserves vigorous promotion.


Original Text (Paragraph 2):

“我們做功夫，要讓心像河流一樣，隨彎就折。自己毫無主觀的住著，一切任運隨緣，沒有我見，亦無滯礙。一切時都像流水一樣，安然自在地流去，功夫就要這樣做。我們凡夫私心重重、妄念多端，什麼都要符合自己的心意；我要這樣，就得這樣才好，不然心裏就煩惱；所以業障深重，不能見道。我們現在用功修道，就要改變這種住著的妄習，要能夠隨緣就物，彎就彎、折就折，不能固執己見。比如我們幹工作，升就升，降就降，均無所謂。不可因遷升而喜、下降即惱。因為一切都是為人民服務，不是為自己，所以需能上能下。我們學佛了，知道一切聲色貨利皆如空花水月，不可求、不可得，心常空寂，沒有煩惱，所以什麼問題都好商量，什麼事都能無私地負擔起來，勇往直前地幹。假如大家都這樣捨己為人地去做，社會就安寧，民族就興旺，國家就富強。所以學佛對世道人心大有裨益，實在應該大力提倡。”


English Translation (Paragraph 3):

When we undertake any task, we do not concern ourselves with success or failure; we simply devote our utmost effort. If we succeed, we do not become pleased; if we fail, we do not become annoyed. We review our experience, correct our mistakes, and continue working with renewed determination. If we can maintain an upright and impartial mind, free of any crookedness or selfishness, unmoved and unwavering, we naturally realize the original face of the dharma-body. Similarly, when a thought arises, do not think, “My mind’s radiance is now obscured by dark clouds,” nor, when a deluded thought subsides, think, “I have removed it.” Once there is an arising of notions like “removing” or “bringing forth,” those too become further delusions—still a type of attachment that prevents liberation. Mahāmudrā teaches action through non-action, remaining unstained by anything and going along with conditions at all times. Practicing at this higher level is relatively difficult. If at certain times we cannot manage to do so, we should engage in other methods of practice, which I will discuss later.


Original Text (Paragraph 3):

“我們做事情時，不去管它成功還是失敗，只是竭盡全力去做，成不喜，敗不惱，總結經驗，糾正錯誤，再接再厲地幹。若能做到思想坦坦蕩蕩，無曲無私，不動不搖，即自然證法身的本來面目。同樣，不因一起念，而生「心光被烏雲所遮」想；也不因妄念息下時，而生「遣除」想。因為一生起「離」與「出」之念，就是妄上加妄，還是有所執著，不得解脫。大手印是講無為而作，一切無染，任運隨緣，時時如此的，功夫較高一層，是較難做的。假如一時做不到這樣子，還要做其他功夫，等後面再講。”


English Translation (Paragraph 4):

Therefore, we must maintain this approach at all times: when a thought arises, do not chase after it, do not repress it, nor follow along with it. Simply allow it to proceed naturally according to conditions, responding to myriad phenomena without abiding anywhere—this is the self-nature of our dharma-body. Our own fundamental nature has always been this way: it can spontaneously manifest wondrous functions in accord with various situations; it is not inanimate or immovable. Its responsiveness is extremely swift, faster than the speed of light. The reason ordinary people respond slowly is that they have so many wandering thoughts—like the sun covered by dark clouds so that its radiance cannot shine forth, thereby reducing its function. When one’s deluded thoughts are completely gone, and the mind’s full function is unleashed, that is what we call “manifesting spiritual powers.” All sentient beings have Buddha-nature, and that very Buddha-nature inherently possesses inexhaustible miraculous powers and wondrous functions. As long as we can be like flowing water, free of self-centered intentions—“the falling flower is intentional, while the flowing stream is free of intention”—constantly flowing along in natural ease, we can restore the self-nature of the dharma-body and abundantly reveal its miraculous powers. The self-nature of the dharma-body does not mean that no thoughts ever arise, leaving us rigid and unknowing. Rather, it is entirely lively and active; in accord with conditions, it gives rise to boundless wondrous functions. Hence, “no thought” does not mean “not a single thought arises.” Instead, it means that when a thought arises, one does not hold onto it—this is what “no thought” actually means. Emptiness is precisely form; form is precisely emptiness!


Original Text (Paragraph 4):

“所以，我們須時時如此，念頭來了不睬它、不壓它，也不跟它跑，任運隨緣，應萬機而無住，這就是我們的法身自相。我們自己的法性本來就是如此，它能隨機起妙用，不是死在那裏不動。它反應非常之快，快得超過光速。凡夫之所以反應慢，就是因為妄想多，像太陽被烏雲遮住了，光明放不出來，功能因而變小了一樣。發神通就是妄念消盡後，心的功能完全發揮出來了。一切眾生皆具有佛性，而佛性本具無窮神通妙用。只要我們能夠像流水一樣地無心，任其自然，所謂落花有意，流水無心，時時這樣任運騰騰，就能恢復法身的自相，而大顯神通了。法身自相並不是一念不起，死板板地什麼也不知道。它是活潑潑的，隨緣起用、妙用無邊。所謂無念，不是說一個念頭不起才叫無念，而是念起無住叫做無念。空即是有，有即是空啊！”


English Translation (Paragraph 5):

Speaking of emptiness and form, this has tremendous relevance for Buddhist practice. Only by fully comprehending the relationship between emptiness and form can we progress swiftly. Those who practice often say everything is empty and thus one should not cling to form, whereas ordinary people cling to form in all they do, making emptiness and form seem completely irreconcilable. This arises because people interpret “emptiness” and “form” differently. When ordinary people say “empty,” they imagine it means “nothing at all.” In Buddhadharma, however, “empty” means “no self-nature” yet not the absence of illusory appearances. Thus we say, “Form is exactly emptiness,” rather than proclaiming emptiness apart from appearances.


When we say “empty,” it differs from the ordinary notion of nothingness. Instead, it is the emptiness that arises from not clinging to illusory appearances, the emptiness that is “emptiness is form; form is emptiness; they are not two.” Therefore, “no thought” does not mean not a single thought arises; it means that when thoughts arise, we neither follow nor cling to them—this is “no thought.” True emptiness of Buddha-nature does not mean it fails to manifest. Because it has the capacity to function, it absolutely reveals itself. If emptiness were devoid of all form, then it would not be self-nature at all. Since there is mind, there must be appearances; mind is appearance; appearance is mind; they are not two.


As I mentioned before, a mirror must inevitably have reflections. If there were no reflections, it would not be called a mirror. Thus, Buddha-nature necessarily manifests forms. If there were no forms, we could not call it Buddha-nature, for there would be no wondrous functioning; it would be a dead, inert emptiness. Yet Buddha-nature is not inert emptiness; it is numinously clear and utterly penetrating, capable of manifesting all sorts of wondrous functions and countless forms. Hence, “the myriad phenomena of the universe are fully encompassed within the mind.”


Original Text (Paragraph 5):

“講到空有，這對學佛的關係非常大，把空有的關係完全弄通之後，方能迅速進步。做功夫的人總是說一切皆空，不要著有；而凡夫做事都是著有，空和有好像是不可調和的對立面。這是因為大家對「空」、「有」理解不同的緣故。凡夫說空，是一切沒有；佛法說空，只是無體性，而不是無假相；所以說「即色即空」，而不是離開假相說空。我們說空，不同凡夫一無所有的空，而是不住著假相的空，是「空即有，有即空，空有不二」的空。所以，無念不是一念不起，而是念起不隨不住，要搞通此理。佛性真空，不是不顯現，因為起用必顯現故。假如空了沒有相，即不是自性了。因為有心必有相，心就是相，相就是心，心相不二故。我上次講了，鏡子裏一定有影子，沒有影子不成為鏡子，所以佛性一定能顯現色相，沒有色相就不能稱為佛性，因為沒有妙用，佛性就變為死空、頑空了；但佛性不是頑空，它是靈明廓徹，能起一切妙用，能現諸般色相的，所以是「森羅萬象心中圓」。”


English Translation (Paragraph 6):

Here, let me share a story. In Zhenjiang, there is Jinshan Temple, which possesses a treasured relic of the monastery: Su Dongpo’s jade belt. The belt comprises square jade pieces strung together by gold threads. One may ask how Su Dongpo’s jade belt ended up in Jinshan Temple. Well, Su Dongpo was close friends with Venerable Foyin, the abbot of Jinshan Temple.

Su Dongpo was an excellent poet, a Buddhist practitioner, and felt confident that his practice had reached the point of remaining unmoved by any of the “eight winds” (praise, ridicule, honor, disgrace, gain, loss, suffering, joy). Wishing to test how deep Su Dongpo’s practice was, Foyin deliberately disparaged him: “Su Dongpo’s poetry is no better than dog excrement!” Upon hearing this, Su Dongpo flared up with anger. He gathered an entourage and crossed the river in a rage to question Foyin. Foyin merely laughed and said, “What happened to being unmoved by the eight winds? It only took a single insult to blow you across the river!” This anecdote is indeed quite amusing.


Original Text (Paragraph 6):

“講到這裏，說個故事給你們聽聽，鎮江有個金山寺，寺裏有個鎮山法寶。法寶就是蘇東坡的玉帶，玉帶由一塊塊方玉用金線串起來的。這玉帶怎麼留在金山寺了呢？原來蘇東坡和金山寺的方丈佛印禪師是要好的朋友。蘇東坡的詩詞作得很好，也是信佛修持者，自負功夫已到八風不動的地步。佛印禪師要試試他功夫深淺，故意貶抑他說：「蘇東坡的詩真是狗屁不值。」蘇東坡聽了這話，不禁心中大氣，就大興問罪之師，氣衝衝地過江來責問佛印禪師。佛印禪師笑道：「好個八風不動，一屁就把你打過江來。」這是個笑話。”


English Translation (Paragraph 7):

On another occasion, Su Dongpo went to visit Venerable Foyin at Jinshan Temple. At that time, Foyin was leading the community in seated meditation in the meditation hall, during which silence must be observed, so outsiders generally should not enter. Su Dongpo knew this rule and waited in the guest hall for Foyin to come out. They finished one session of incense (a meditation period) and continued with another, so it ended up taking quite a long time. Having waited a good while, Su Dongpo became rather impatient. Finally, when the meditation session was over and the silence concluded, Venerable Foyin emerged and greeted him: “Ah, Grand Scholar Su, please have a seat.” Su Dongpo retorted, “What do you mean, ‘Please sit’? I’m going to sit on your bald head, you bald donkey!” They were good friends, joking around, so he casually called the master a “bald donkey.”


Hearing this, Venerable Foyin replied: “Oh? You want to sit on this old monk’s head? Excellent, excellent! But first, I have a question. If you can answer it, I will let you use my head as your seat; if you cannot, then you must hand over your jade belt to become our monastery’s treasured relic.” Su Dongpo burst into laughter. “Ask whatever you want. I can answer ten for every one you ask. My explanations are extensive and profound.” Foyin continued, “Very well then. My question is: ‘The four great elements are fundamentally empty, and the five aggregates lack real existence—where are you going to sit?’”


In other words, you want to sit on my head, but my body is composed of the four elements and the five aggregates. Since it is empty and devoid of any self-nature, how and where would you sit? Su Dongpo thought: If the four elements are empty and the five aggregates are unreal, there is nothing at all—then I fall into emptiness; how can I sit in empty space? He circled around several times, unable to find a response. Taking advantage of this, Foyin told a young attendant, “Come, take his jade belt. He cannot answer.” Thus, Su Dongpo’s belt was left at Jinshan Temple as its treasured relic.


This story pertains to “emptiness yet form; form yet emptiness.” In truth, it is not difficult to answer. Since emptiness is not inert emptiness, and form is not substantial form, emptiness does not obstruct form, and form does not obstruct emptiness; emptiness is form, and form is emptiness; mind is appearance, and appearance is mind. Therefore, one could have replied, “True emptiness does not hinder wondrous presence. I shall sit right atop the illusory head you have!” Or one could simply sit down on a chair and say, “Thus I sit!” Or, raising one finger, say, “I sit right here!” Or even raise a finger back at him and ask, “And where would one sit?” Any such response would be effortlessly adequate, requiring no further thought!


Original Text (Paragraph 7):

“有一次，蘇東坡到金山寺來訪問佛印禪師，禪師這時正在禪堂裏領眾坐香，那正是止靜的時候，閒人不好進去。蘇東坡知道這個規矩，就在客堂裏坐等佛印禪師出來。這枝香坐完後又加了一枝香，所以出來很晚。蘇東坡等了很久，心裏非常焦燥。香完開靜，佛印禪師出來了：「哎呀！蘇大學士，請坐請坐。」蘇東坡說：「嘿呀，你還叫我坐呀！我要在你這禿驢的頭上坐！」他們是好朋友，在說笑話，罵禪師是「禿驢」。禪師聽了道：「噢，你要坐在老僧的頭上啊？好、好、好，我有個問題問問你，你要答得出來，老僧的頭給你當坐具；若答不出來，就把你身上的玉帶解下來，給我們做鎮山之寶。」蘇東坡哈哈一笑：「隨你什麼問題，我都能一問十答，我的妙解很多，釋義很廣。」佛印禪師說：「好，我問你，四大本空，五蘊非有，你在什麼地方坐？」意思是說你要在我的頭上坐啊，我的身體是四大五蘊，是空無所有的，你怎麼坐法？蘇東坡想：四大是空的，五蘊本沒有，一切都沒有啊，那我落空了，坐在什麼地方呢？不能坐在虛空裏呀……想來想去，來回走了三圈，一時答不上來。佛印禪師乘機叫小沙彌：「來呀，把他的玉帶解下來，他答不出來了。」於是蘇東坡的玉帶就留在金山寺做鎮山之寶了。這就是空而有、有而空的公案。其實這個問題不難答，因空非頑空，有非實有，空不礙有，有不礙空，空就是有，有就是空，心就是相，相就是心。故不妨答他：「真空不礙妙有，就在你這假相頭上坐！」或者就在椅子上一坐，說一聲：「如是坐！」或者豎起一指，說：「就在這裏坐！」更或豎起指問他：「在什麼地方坐？」這些答案，隨手拈來，正不必動腦筋也。”


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o1

Thought about the Ganges Mahāmudrā for 11 seconds


English Translation (Paragraph 8):

Someone asked a lecturer on the Diamond Sūtra: “If there is no perception of person and no perception of self, then who is speaking and who is listening?” At first glance, this seems like a challenging question. If there is no person and no self, then there would be no speaker or listener—how could teachings be expounded and heard? Actually, the Diamond Sūtra is about dispelling clinging to appearances so that one may see [the fundamental nature]. It does not advocate inert emptiness. While phenomena may be empty, Buddha-nature is not empty. One could respond by saying: “We only say there are no signs; we do not say there is no person.” Our Buddha-nature is wondrous presence, not a form of actual existence. Its true emptiness is not a nothingness. If everyone thoroughly understands the relationship between emptiness and form—form being emptiness and emptiness being form—and then carries on with unbroken continuity at all times, not clinging to appearance and not falling into emptiness, one can perfectly realize the Great Way. Otherwise, whenever we encounter a phenomenal situation, we stick to it and fail to remain free. When will that ever come to an end?


Original Text (Paragraph 8):

“有人問《金剛經》座主：「無人相、無我相，那麼，誰說誰聞呢？」這個問題看來很難，無人無我，就無說無聞了，還能在這裏講經聽經嗎？其實《金剛經》是破相見性的，不是屬頑空，事相雖無，佛性不無。可以答他：「只說無相，不說無人。」我們的佛性，妙有非有，真空不空。大家如果把空與有、有與空的道理搞清楚，進一步綿綿密密地於一切時保任，不住相、不落空，就可以圓證大道了。不然，我們一遇境相就粘住，不自在，何時得了？”


English Translation (Paragraph 9):

There are many such stories in the lineage (the Chan school). During the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, there was a grand chancellor who invited senior masters from various schools and lineages to hold a great assembly with no restrictions, so that everyone could freely and directly present their realization of fundamental nature, aiming to fully attain the Great Way. One lecturer of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Huayan School) said: “In our teaching, it is stated that becoming a Buddha requires three incalculable eons. But the Chan School says one can become a Buddha with just a single stick blow or a single shout, which seems completely inconsistent with the Buddha’s teachings. Now, I ask the great Chan masters present: If one shout can pass through the Five Teachings of Huayan School, then I concede that one stick or one shout truly enables one to become a Buddha. Otherwise, it is mere demonic speech. Would anyone like to come forward and address this?”

According to Huayan, the Buddha-dharma is categorized into Five Teachings: the Small Vehicle teaching, the initial Mahayana teaching, the final Mahayana teaching, the sudden Mahayana teaching, and the perfect Mahayana teaching. These teachings move from shallow to deep, and one practices step by step. At the assembly was Chan Master Yuanwu Keqin, who was over eighty years old and was the teacher of Chan Master Dahui Zonggao. Yuanwu glanced at Chan Master Jingyin Chengxiao, who was in his forties. Immediately grasping his master’s intention, Chengxiao stepped forward and said to the Avataṃsaka lecturer: “Your question isn’t difficult. It’s not worth troubling our grand master to explain; let me, a junior elder, respond to you. Let me first define the meaning of these Five Teachings:

    1. The Small Vehicle teaching is attached to existence—there is a path that can be attained, a Nirvana that can be realized, and a birth-and-death that can be ended.
    2. The initial Mahayana teaching speaks of emptiness.
    3. The final Mahayana teaching speaks of neither emptiness nor form—it is neither emptiness nor form.
    4. The sudden Mahayana teaching speaks of the identity of emptiness and form, that emptiness is precisely form and form is precisely emptiness.
    5. The perfect Mahayana teaching states ‘neither emptiness nor form, neither form nor emptiness,’ in total interpenetration without obstruction.

Is that correct?” The lecturer of Huayan affirmed: “Yes!”


Chan Master Chengxiao then gave a loud shout and asked everyone: “Did you hear that?” They replied: “Yes!” Chengxiao said, “Since you heard it, that is existence. Thus we have passed through the Small Vehicle.” Emperor Huizong, disguised in simple clothes and a small cap, was seated among the assembly so that no one would know of his presence. After a moment, the sound dissipated, so Chengxiao asked again: “Now, do you still hear anything?” They answered: “No!” Chengxiao said, “No hearing is emptiness. That means we have passed through the initial teaching. Furthermore, it was present just now, but now it’s not; so it is neither emptiness (since it once existed), nor form (since it’s gone now). Isn’t that neither emptiness nor form—meaning we have passed through the final teaching? Furthermore, if there had not been sound before, there would be no notion of emptiness now. If there were no emptiness now, we could not speak of sound before. When we talk about existence, emptiness is already within it; when we talk about emptiness, existence is already within that emptiness. Is this not precisely the sudden teaching of ‘emptiness is form; form is emptiness?’


“As for the perfect teaching, one loud shout that never becomes just a shout—shout as much as you want, yet it is never truly shouted. At all times and places, do not attach to any appearance. When eating, one has never actually bitten into even a single grain of rice; when wearing clothes, not even a thread has truly been hung on oneself. Even though we may be extremely busy, it is as though we have never done anything at all. This is the essential teaching of the Diamond Sūtra: ‘One should give rise to the mind that abides nowhere.’ Thus, when discussing existence, not even a hair’s breadth stands; when discussing emptiness, it pervades all the sands of the world. With emptiness and form unobstructed, everything naturally interpenetrates. This is the supreme teaching of the Great Vehicle’s perfect teaching; it is the highest state described in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra: the Dharma realm where all phenomena are mutually unobstructed. That is also the very essence of the Chan School.”

All those present were convinced and praised him. Emperor Huizong also nodded in approval. Indeed, the Buddha-dharma is the most exalted spiritual path and the finest philosophy of human life. If we have faith, acceptance, and put it into practice, what vexation could remain about success or failure, gain or loss? Ganges Mahāmudrā expounds the highest level of Buddha-dharma. Since we are so fortunate to hear this teaching, we should earnestly practice it, letting our minds flow like a river at all times, abiding nowhere yet moving naturally, so as to realize the self-nature of the dharma-body.


Original Text (Paragraph 9):

“宗下有很多這樣的公案，宋朝徽宗皇帝的時候，有一位丞相把各宗各派的長老都請來，開一個無遮大會。就是一點兒沒有遮蓋，各述己見，直接痛快地呈示本性，圓證大道。有個講《華嚴經》的座主說：「在我們教下講來，成佛需三大阿僧祇劫。而宗下說，一棒一喝就能成佛，這完全不符合佛的教導。現在請問在座的諸大禪德，你們如果一喝能透得過華嚴宗所說的五教，我承認你們一棒一喝就能成佛，假如透不過五教，那就是魔說。請你們哪個出來講一講？」華嚴宗把佛法分為五教：小乘教、大乘始教、大乘終教、大乘頓教、大乘圓教，教義由淺入深，修法循序漸進。當時赴會的禪宗碩德有圓悟克勤祖師，八十歲開外了，是大慧宗杲禪師的師父。他用眼睛看了看四十多歲的淨因成小禪師，淨因成禪師會意了，便站出來，對華嚴座主說：「你這個問題不難答復，不值得在座的大祖師給你講，讓我小長老對你講一講。我們先把五教的教義定一定：小乘教著有，有道可成，有涅槃可證，有生死可了；大乘始教講空；大乘終教講非空非有，既不是空，也不是有；大乘頓教講即空即有；大乘圓教講非空而非有，非有而非空，圓融無礙。是不是這個意思？」華嚴座主曰：「對！」淨因成禪師大喝一聲，問眾曰：「你們聽到沒有？」眾曰：「聽到了！」成曰：「聽到了，那就是有啊！透過小乘了。」徽宗皇帝當時著青衣小帽摻雜在大眾中坐著，他關照丞相，不要講出去，讓他好好聽聽怎麼講。過了一會兒，聲音消散了，成又問：「你們現在聽，還有聲音嗎？」眾曰：「沒有了！」成曰：「沒有就是空，透過始教了。」又曰：「現在沒有而剛才有，就是非空；剛才有而現在沒有，就是非有。這不是非空非有嗎？透過終教了。再者，若無剛才的有，現在說什麼空呢？若無現在的空，說什麼剛才有啊？說有之時空在有，說空之時有在空，這不是即空即有嗎？透過頓教了。大乘圓教呢？我一喝不做一喝用，儘管喝，沒喝過，時時處處不著相。吃飯沒咬著一粒米，穿衣沒掛著一絲紗。儘管工作很忙，就像沒有工作過一樣。這就是《金剛經》裏『應無所住而生其心』的精義，說有之時，纖毫不立；說空之時，周遍沙界；空有不住，圓融無礙，這是最上乘的大乘圓教，是《華嚴經》所說的最高境界——事事無礙法界。這也是禪宗的本質。」大眾聞後，莫不信服讚歎，徽宗皇帝也點頭不已。佛法實在是最崇高的宗教，是最好的人生哲學。我們能信受奉行，還有什麼成敗得失的煩惱啊？恒河大手印講的是最上乘的佛法，我們既然十分慶倖地聽到了這部法，就應依教奉行，時時令心如河流一樣，無所住著地任運而作，才能證得法身自相。”


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o1

Thought for 7 seconds

English Translation (Paragraph 10):

“The mind’s arising is known to be the functioning of wisdom; whether in meditative observation or at any time, it is always thus. Therefore, whether one is lax and does not cultivate, or diligent in accumulating practice, the dharma-nature does not increase or decrease.”


When a thought arises in our mind, we should recognize that this is the functioning of wisdom—it is the wondrous function of dharma-nature. Not only is this true during meditative observation; it is so at all times. Therefore, when we are lax and do not practice, the dharma-nature is not diminished. When we are diligent and accumulate meritorious practices, the dharma-nature is not increased. The dharma-nature itself is neither augmented nor reduced.


Original Text (Paragraph 10):

「心起知為智慧功用，觀照及一切時皆如是。故放逸不修與勤積修習，其法性無增減。」

“心裏起了念頭，應該知道，這是智慧功用，是法性的妙用。不僅觀照時是這樣，一切時都是這樣。所以，放逸不修時，法性沒有減少；勤積修習時，法性沒有增加。法性本身是不增不減的。”


English Translation (Paragraph 11):

Many of us who learn Buddhism and engage in practice often try to suppress our thoughts so that not a single thought arises—sitting like that for ten days, half a month, or even for many years—considering it excellent progress. Little do we know that such cultivation only produces a dead samādhi, yielding no genuine benefit. It cannot transcend the three realms, for it is merely a temporary suppression. Once it is stirred, the deluded thoughts will surge forth even more than before. And if it never stirs at all, remaining in that deadened state, what use would that be? After prolonged dead samādhi, one might become like earth, wood, metal, or stone.


True cultivation must be lively and practiced amidst real situations, where we recognize that the arising of any thought in our mind is the wondrous function of our fundamental nature—so long as we do not cling to appearances, wisdom grows day by day. Our goal is to become a “living buddha,” not a “dead buddha.” We must bring forth all kinds of wondrous functions to benefit beings. Otherwise, if we merely sit motionless like a clay bodhisattva, that is no better than a lifeless statue.


Original Text (Paragraph 11):

“我們不少人學佛做功夫，往往壓念不起，以為一念不生地坐上十天半月、乃至十年八年，是好功夫。殊不知，這樣修死定，不得真實受用，不能出三界，只是壓伏一時，一經翻動，妄念生起，更勝於昔。縱不翻動，死坐在那裏，有什麼用啊？久久死定，會變成土木金石的。真做功夫須活潑潑地在事境上鍛煉，知道心念起處，是本性的妙用，不去著相，則智慧日增。我們修行要成活佛，不是成死佛，要起種種妙用，利樂眾生，這樣才有價值。不是死坐在那裏不動，那不成了泥菩薩了嗎？”


English Translation (Paragraph 12):

As mentioned before, after one directly realizes the fundamental nature, one must continue diligent effort in actual situations, working to eliminate habitual tendencies. Contemplative observation (guānzhào) is the best method for eliminating habitual tendencies. Indeed, it is the wondrous function of Buddha-nature itself. Not only during contemplative observation, but at all times, there is this wondrous function. For instance, when we go sightseeing in the mountains and waters, visit relatives and friends, watch performances or dance, these are all expressions of the wondrous function. It is not that we cannot go to a show; the real issue is whether the show might “watch” us in return—whether we become carried away by it.

If, while watching, we follow the plot’s bittersweet turns, constantly stirring emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and delight—and afterward, we cannot forget it, clinging to the storyline with our minds revolving around “that person is so good; that one is so bad”—this is called being “watched” by the show! How can that be acceptable? Even watching a performance can become an opportunity for practice, testing whether the mind can be unmoved. If we manage “to observe like a wooden man viewing flowers and birds,” that is excellent practice. Yet this does not mean we are unaware of the good or bad characters in the plot or ignorant of the storyline. If we truly knew nothing, it would be like a stagnant pond.


It is not that we do not perceive anything, but that we do not engage in discriminating acceptance or rejection; we are not swayed by the show’s storyline. We watch, yet we do not watch; we do not watch, yet we watch, dwelling nowhere at all. “All human affairs are just like a play.” If we cannot let go of this or that, we must recognize that these are as illusory as a theatrical show. When our final breath ceases, the “play” ends. So why cling to it?


Original Text (Paragraph 12):

“前面講過，見到本性之後，須要在事境上勤除習氣。觀照，就是除習氣的最好辦法。觀照，就是佛性的妙用啊！不僅觀照時是妙用，一切時都是妙用。比如遊山玩水、探親訪友、看戲跳舞都是妙用。不是不能看戲，但不要被戲看了去，被戲裏的情節轉了去。正看時，隨著戲裏的悲歡離合而頻起喜怒哀樂，看過後還念念不忘、耿耿於懷，腦筋老是跟著戲裏的情節轉，這個人這麼好，那個人那麼壞……這就叫做被戲看了去，這怎麼行？看戲也能用功練心，看看這個心能不能被轉動。若能達到「猶如木人看花鳥」，就是好功夫了。但這並不是說，戲裏的好人壞人都不知道，戲的情節也不知道。如果什麼都不知道，豈不成了死水一潭了嗎？不是不知道，而是不分別取捨，不為戲裏的情節所動。看而不看，不看而看，絲毫無住。「人間事不過總是戲」，我們放不下這個，放不下那個，其實這都像戲一樣虛妄啊！一口氣不來，這場戲就演完了，執著它幹什麼？”


English Translation (Paragraph 13):

Whether we practice earnestly and diligently—thus developing our dharma-body not one bit—or whether we are lax, the dharma-body is likewise not diminished in the slightest. In other words, whether we become Buddhas, the dharma-body is not increased by a fraction, or remain sentient beings, the dharma-body is not reduced. Rising to the heavens does not augment it; descending to hell does not diminish it. It is without birth or death, coming or going, and remains unchanging through countless ages.


There is an American “living buddha” named Lu Shengyan who once said: “By cultivating, the Buddha-nature (heavenly mind) ascends to the heavens, and the evil mind descends below the earth.” One goes up; another goes down—one true mind split in two; that is truly absurd! Some Dharma teachers have also given lectures stating: “If we do bad deeds, the deluded mind that commits wrong goes to hell, while the true mind rises up to heaven.” Again, they divide the true and the false mind into two minds. They do not realize that the true mind (Buddha-nature) and the deluded mind are originally one. The deluded mind is precisely the true mind, and the true mind is precisely the deluded mind.

For instance, water (symbolizing the true mind) gives rise to waves (symbolizing deluded mind). A wave is nothing other than water; water is nothing other than the wave. How could there be two separate entities? Someone might ask, “If they are not two, then why do people talk about three souls and seven spirits (sanhún qīpò)? That would make ten!” But if that were literally the case, a single person would be split into ten parts! Actually, “soul” (hún) refers to the yang aspect, a bright and upright energy, whereas “spirit” (pò) refers to the yin aspect, dark and defiled thoughts. Saying three souls and seven spirits means that a person’s brightness is relatively small (three parts), and darkness—those hidden aspects that cannot bear the light—are relatively large (seven parts). This does not literally mean that one person is divided into ten beings.


If we transform the seven parts of darkness into brightness, completely dissolving the defiled mind into purity, then we become realized—like Lü Chunyang, who is honored for having entirely purified the yin aspect, thereby becoming a transcendent immortal. Consequently, the true mind and the deluded mind are not two distinct things. If you fall into hell, the true mind accompanies you there, but its luminosity is neither diminished nor sullied by suffering. It is akin to a pearl wrapped in mud—the pearl’s inherent brilliance is undiminished. If you rise to heaven, the true mind does not feel elated, nor does its brilliance increase. Our self-nature is forever untainted, unenhanced, ungenerated, unextinguished, neither coming nor going, never wavering.


Original Text (Paragraph 13):

“我們做功夫，勤勤懇懇地用功，法身沒有增加一分；我們放逸，法身也沒有減少一分。換句話說，我們成佛，法身沒有增加一分，做眾生也沒有減少一分；升天沒有增加一分，下地獄也沒有減少一分。它沒有生滅去來，亙萬古而不變。美國有一位叫盧勝彥的「活佛」這樣說：「做功夫，佛性（天心）就升上天，不好的惡心就降到地下去。」一個升上來，一個降下去，一顆真心分成兩個，那可真糟糕透了！有的法師講經時說：「假如我們做了壞事，做壞事的妄心下地獄；真心升到天上去。」也是把真、妄分成兩個心。他們不知道真心（佛性）和妄心原是一體，妄心就是真心，真心就是妄心。比如，水（喻真心）起了波浪（喻妄心），波浪就是水，水就是波浪，怎麼有兩個呢？有人問：「沒有兩個，為什麼人家說三魂七魄呢？三魂七魄不是有十個嗎？」如果真是這樣，一個人豈不變成十個了嗎？不是啊！所謂「魂」者，屬於陽，是光明無私的正氣；「魄」者，屬於陰，是黑暗污穢的邪念。三魂七魄，是說一個人光明的成分少，只有三份，而黑暗的、見不得人的東西多，有七份。不是把一個人分成十個東西。如果我們把七份黑暗的邪心都驅除掉，都轉過來，完全化成光明，就成道了。像呂純陽祖師之所以稱「純陽」，就是「魄」都化除了，黑暗都化為光明，而成仙道。因此，真心和妄心不是兩個東西。你下地獄，真心也跟著你下地獄，但它的光明並沒有減少，也沒有污穢，它也不痛苦。猶如一顆珍珠被污泥包裹了，珍珠的光明並不減少。你升天，它也不快樂，它的光明也沒有增加。我們的自性時時刻刻都是不垢不淨、不增不減、不來不去、不動不搖、不生不滅的。”


English Translation (Paragraph 14):

“Knowing that greed, anger, vexations, and experiences of pain or pleasure all arise from the dharma as it fundamentally is (fǎ’ěr)—one immediately attains the wondrous function of the dharma-body.”


We have feelings of greed, anger, vexation, and joy and sorrow all because of the natural and marvelous functioning of dharma-body. Were there no dharma-body, these experiences could not arise. Yet all these divergent emotional fluctuations—sometimes joyful, sometimes sorrowful and vexed—are due to the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance wreaking havoc. Encountering unfavorable events leads to vexation; unable to obtain what we desire leads to anger; failing to fulfill our aims leads to bitterness and resentment; fulfilling our desires leads to happiness and joy. All these experiences are empty and without self-nature, arising from clinging to external conditions—these are deluded thoughts.


As it is said, “All phenomena are fundamentally still; only people disturb themselves,” which stems from our fundamental ignorance. Hearing about “ignorance,” practitioners often become fearful, because it is indeed what causes harm and makes us wander in the six realms of rebirth. Without it, we would already be Buddhas. But there is no need to fear, for ignorance is not truly existent; it is but a deluded concept, a phantom. We need only awaken, and we illuminate it completely. Because it is not real, no physical object can smash it; we simply see through it by awakening.


Greed, anger, and ignorance, along with pride and doubt, and all our pleasant and unpleasant feelings, arise when we cling to conditions and stick to objects. They are merely the illusions arising from ignorance. By clearly realizing that these are originally so (fǎ’ěr rúshì)—spontaneous, without self-nature—we see that they are empty and nonexistent. The term “originally so” means “they are naturally this way; there is no deliberate creation.” Once we comprehend this wondrous principle, all pleasure and pain, all vexations, vanish the instant we awaken to them. As the Perfect Enlightenment Sūtra says: “Know illusion, and you are immediately freed—no need for contrived methods. Freed from illusion, you awaken, with no sequence of stages required.”

We commonly say “our karmic obstructions are heavy,” but what does “karmic obstruction” mean? Karmic obstruction is our clinging to appearances. If we do not cling to appearances, there is no vexation. Where then would these karmic obstructions come from? Every experience of suffering or joy is just like dreaming; within the dream, nightmares or pleasant dreams seem perfectly real—but when we awaken, nothing remains. If we can abruptly awaken, letting go of everything and not clinging to appearances, we attain the wondrous function of the dharma-body. Indeed, the wondrous function of the dharma-body is not difficult to realize; we need only remain perpetually alert and never abide in appearances.


Original Text (Paragraph 14):

“「貪瞋、煩惱、苦樂感受等之自性，知其皆是法爾，即得法身妙用。」


我們之所以有貪瞋、煩惱、苦樂等等感受，皆是法身自然的妙用。假如沒有法身，就生不起這些感受：但有這種情感不同的變幻——時而歡樂，時而憂愁煩惱，這都是貪、瞋、癡三毒在作怪。遇到不如意事就煩惱，求而不得就瞋怒，滿足不了自己的心願就悲苦怨恨，滿足了自己的欲望就欣喜快樂。這些感受都是空無自性，都是對境生起的妄想。所謂「萬法本閑，唯人自鬧」，這都是有根本無明的緣故。講到無明，修法的人都害怕，就是這東西害人，使我們在六道裏輪迴！假如沒有它，我們早就成佛了！但是你不要怕，無明並非實有，不過是個妄想、幻影，我們只要一覺，就把它照破了。因為它不是一個實有的東西，所以，不能用什麼物體來把它敲破。只要覺悟貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑等都是我們著境粘心所起的妄受，都是無明妄想，它本自法爾如此，是空無所有的。法爾者，「本來如此，並非有意造作」之意也。我們明白了這個妙理，一切苦樂、煩惱，一覺就化脫了。正如《圓覺經》所說：「知幻即離，不作方便；離幻即覺，亦無漸次。」我們平常說「業障深重」，什麼叫業障啊？業障是你著相。假如你不著相，什麼煩惱也沒有，業障又從何來？所有苦受、樂受，如同我們睡覺做夢，夢境當中，惡夢、美夢宛然，但你一醒就什麼都沒有了。所以我們如果能夠猛醒，一切放下，不著相，就得法身妙用了。法身妙用並不難，只要我們時時清醒，時時不住相。”


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o1

Thought about Buddhist wisdom and practice for 5 seconds

English Translation (Paragraph 15):

Some people say: “Oh dear, practicing Chan or studying esoteric teachings is too difficult. It’s still easier to recite the Buddha’s name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land!” In reality, they have misunderstood. Whether one is reciting the Buddha’s name, practicing Chan, or studying Vajrayāna, it is the same; there is no question of which is easier or harder. One simply chooses whichever Dharma gateway aligns best with one’s personal disposition. Reciting the Buddha’s name is a way to cleanse the accumulated grime in one’s mind by calling upon the sacred name, thus awakening oneself. As Master Lianchi said, reciting the Buddha’s name “calls out to the true master with each utterance”—that is, each heartfelt repetition of the divine name summons our own fundamental nature of awareness, urging us not to remain attached to appearances or stuck in circumstances. In so doing, we may directly realize our Buddha-nature and, at the end of this life, be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Practicing Chan is the same. We continually observe the “critical phrase” (huatóu), watching for the source of our wandering thoughts. The moment a thought arises, we ask: “Where does it come from?” and give it a direct blow, so to speak. Since those deluded thoughts are fundamentally nonexistent—merely illusory phantoms—a single blow disperses them. This is exactly like reciting the Buddha’s name; both aim to completely eradicate deluded thought so we may directly realize our original nature.

Some people, however, argue that it differs because, in reciting the Buddha’s name, Amitābha Buddha, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva, and all the assembled bodhisattvas of the lotus pool will come to guide us to be reborn in the Western Land, thereby transcending the three realms in one leap, whereas practicing Chan cannot do that. Actually, that is a misunderstanding. Indeed, receiving guidance and crossing over in one leap do exist, but that does not mean Amitābha literally “pulls” you there. As Master Yongming Shou stated very clearly: The Buddha is like the moon in the sky, while our mind is like a basin of water. Only when the mind is pure like clear water can the moon’s reflection appear. If our mind is not pure—like muddy water—then even though the Buddha’s radiance shines upon us, we cannot perceive it, and thus cannot be reborn in the Western Land.


As Master Hanshan said, reciting the Buddha’s name effectively means reciting it so powerfully as to sever the root of desire, thus creating the possibility of rebirth in the West. The root of desire is the fundamental ignorance and craving that bind us to birth and death. If we do not cut it off, the mind remains like filthy water. Although the Buddha’s light shines upon us, those who remain blinded by negative karma fail to see it, just as a blind person cannot behold the sun.

Again, from the perspective of Chan: once the mind is purified through diligent practice, that very purity is the Pure Land itself—“the mind is the land, and the land is the mind.” The Buddha said: “If you wish to purify your land, first purify your mind. When the mind is pure, the Buddha-land is pure.” When the mind is pure, the land is pure. At that time, if you vow to be reborn in the Western Land, you will surely be received by the compassionate power of Amitābha. Unlike ordinary people, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas do not harbor love or aversion; they practice great compassion with no need for affinity. Even if you have never formed a particular connection with them, they will still form one with you and guide you with compassion.


From the Vajrayāna point of view, Amitābha will shine his light upon you at your life’s end and guide you to rebirth in the West, regardless of whether you practiced recitation of the Buddha’s name or another method. Moreover, even people who do no practice at all and commit bad deeds receive his illumination. However, those with severe karmic obstructions cannot see the Buddha’s light—or if they do see it, they may be frightened by its brilliance and flee, lacking the karmic conditions for rebirth in the West. The Amitābha Sūtra states: “One cannot be born in that land with meager virtuous roots, blessings, and causes.” If you wish to be reborn in the Western Land, you must fully possess virtuous roots, blessings, and the proper causes. It is not so casual as merely chanting Amitābha’s name a few times.


Original Text (Paragraph 15):

“有人說：「哎呀！參禪學密很難，還是念佛求生西方容易呀！」其實，他弄錯了，念佛、參禪、學密都一樣，沒有什麼難易之分，不過隨各人的根性不同，選擇一合適自己的法門而已。念佛是用佛號打掃自己心地上的積垢，用持名的方法使自己清醒過來。蓮池大師說念佛是「聲聲喚醒主人翁」。就是一聲一聲虔誠地念誦聖號，把自己的本性喚醒，不要住相，不要粘境，從而親見佛性，於臨命終時，得以往生西方極樂世界。參禪也一樣，時時照顧話頭，看著妄念從什麼地方來。念頭一起，就問它：你從什麼地方來？迎頭一棒。這妄念本來沒有，是虛妄的幻影，一打它就沒有了。這和念佛一樣，都是為了消盡妄想，從而親證本來。但有人說不一樣，他說念佛有阿彌陀佛、觀世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩以及蓮池海會諸菩薩接引，往生西方，橫超三界，而參禪不能。其實他們也弄錯了，接引橫超是有的，但接引橫超並不是拉你去。永明壽禪師說得很清楚：佛如天上的月亮，心就好比一盆水，心清淨了，月亮的影子才能現出來；若心不清淨——是污水，天上月亮雖有（佛雖放光照你，而你卻看不見），也現不出來，那你就不能生西方了。憨山大師說，念佛要念得得力，把愛根斬斷，生西才有希望。愛根就是無明妄動的愛情，這是生死的根本，不斬斷它，心就像污水，月亮的影子在污水就現不出來。不是佛不來接引你，不放光照你，只是你自己看不見，猶如盲人不能見到太陽一樣。再說，參禪的人用功，心地空淨了，那就是淨土。因為心就是土，土就是心。佛說：「欲淨其土，先淨其心，隨其心淨，即佛土淨。」心清淨了，佛土才淨，此時你發願生西方，定蒙阿彌陀佛慈悲接引往生。阿彌陀佛不似我們凡夫，凡夫會有愛憎之感，你跟我結緣得好，我就接引你；你沒有和我結緣，我就不睬你。佛菩薩是行無緣大慈的，沒有這種劣見，你沒跟我結緣，我倒要與你結緣，慈悲接引你。就密宗講來，阿彌陀佛不管你是念佛，還是修其他法門，當你臨命終時，他都放光來照你，接引你生西。而且不光是修行的人，就是不修行的人，造惡的人，他也照，也接引。只是這些造惡的人業障深重，看不見佛光，或者見佛光強烈，嚇得逃走，沒有福氣生西。《阿彌陀經》云：「不可以少善根福德因緣，得生彼國。」善根、福德、因緣，三者缺一不可。想生到西方去，要善根、福德、因緣具足才行，不是馬馬虎虎地念兩句阿彌陀佛就能去的。”


English Translation (Paragraph 16):

Friends, to truly succeed in practice, we must completely put an end to our deluded mind. Only then can we attain realization. Ganges Mahāmudrā is a method of working with the mind. The One True Dharma Realm—also known as the Flower-Adorned World (Huāzàng world)—is precisely Mahāmudrā. The Western Pure Land is found within Mahāmudrā; it does not exist outside it. The “Land Where Ordinary and Sage Reside Together” (the lowest of the four tiers in the Western Pure Land) is in the thirteenth layer of this Mahāmudrā, and the “Land of True Reward and Majestic Adornment” is the twentieth layer, i.e., the Flower-Adorned World. Our Sahā World is also in the thirteenth layer, on a plane parallel to the “Land Where Ordinary and Sage Reside Together.” The Buddha said: “From here, heading westward past ten billion Buddha-lands, one arrives at a world called Ultimate Bliss.” That refers to the “Land Where Ordinary and Sage Reside Together” of the Western Realm. As long as we have deep faith, carry out all good deeds, and dedicate our merit, we can be born there; the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will never turn us away.


It is not the case that we must recite the name of Amitābha for it to be possible. Some worry, “I haven’t recited many Buddha-names, so maybe I can’t go?” That notion is mistaken! Being reborn in the Western Land depends not on how many times one recites; this is no commercial transaction. It depends on the quality of one’s recitation—whether one’s mind is sincere and purified. If at the moment of death your mind is truly pure, even one single recitation is enough to take you to the West. If a person recognizes that all sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects are like illusory flowers in the sky, like the moon in water, impossible to grasp and obtain—thus instantly letting everything go and remaining free of defilements—then uttering “Amitābha” once with a pure mind will align perfectly with the Buddha and enable rebirth in the West. You do not need ten repetitions or a thousand or ten thousand; it all depends on whether, at the final moment, you can remain unwavering, with right mindfulness lucid and intact. Reaching that state of “mind not in turmoil at death, unscattered and clearly aware” requires a depth of meditative absorption in reciting the Buddha’s name, built up through diligent daily practice.


Therefore, right now as we cultivate, we must wholeheartedly let go—again and again—of everything. Make the mind pure and undefiled. Then, at the final moment, we can be entirely confident of rebirth in the Western Land. This, too, is the wondrous function of the dharma-body. Our purpose in blending Chan, Pure Land, and Vajrayāna into one is that, in essence, they are originally a single Buddha Dharma. We need not divide them into separate traditions—Chan, Pure Land, or Vajrayāna—for fundamentally they are “One Buddha School.”


Original Text (Paragraph 16):

“諸位菩薩，我們要真正用功，把妄心完全息下來才能成道啊！大手印講的是心地法門。一真法界——華藏世界，就是大手印。西方極樂世界就在這個大手印當中，不出大手印之外。西方極樂世界的「凡聖同居土」，就在這個大手印的第十三層，「實報莊嚴土」就是華藏世界的第二十層。我們娑婆世界也是第十三層，和西方的「凡聖同居土」是平行的。佛說：「從是西方，過十萬億佛土，有世界名曰極樂。」就是說，從我們這兒，向西方去，就是極樂世界的「凡聖同居土」。我們只要深信不疑，做一切善事，發願回向往生，都是可以去的，佛菩薩不會拒絕的。並不是沒有念阿彌陀佛的聖號就不能去。有人說，我念佛念得少，恐怕不能去吧。此話不對！生西與否，不是看你念得多少，這不是買賣，而要看你念佛的質量如何，心地是否虔誠，心裏是否清淨。假如你心裏真清淨了，臨命終時一念也能生西。吾人果能反省一切色、聲、香、味、觸、法都是空花水月不可求、不可得，一放一切放，清淨無染地念一聲「阿彌陀佛」，這一念清淨心就能與佛相應，而生到西方去，也不需要十念、百念、千萬念，就看你臨命終時能不能一心不亂而正念分明。臨終時，能心不顛倒，意不散亂，而正念分明，這是深得念佛三昧的功夫啊！功夫能做到這步田地，就靠現在勤懇掃除妄習而積累起來的。所以現在用功，要虔誠地放下、放下、再放下，使心清淨無染，將來才能穩操勝券，往生西方，這也是法身的妙用啊！我們把禪宗、淨土宗、密宗融於一爐，是因為它們本來是一體的。不要去分密宗呀、禪宗呀、淨土宗呀，本來是一個佛宗啊！”


English Translation (Paragraph 17):

“If one does not understand the spontaneous, natural abiding (zìrán rèn yùn), one’s thoughts are bound to be chaotic and one will fall into foolishness. Therefore, one must always remain in the great natural abiding of ‘no-cultivation.’”

In all our actions, at all times and places, everything is truly the wondrous function of the true mind, every external form being our own transformation-body. We should accordingly adapt to causes and conditions, fulfill our responsibilities for the benefit of the people, and that is called “natural abiding.” If, however, we do not comprehend and realize “natural abiding,” we inevitably cling to external objects, fixating our mind and becoming insatiably greedy for our own desires, thus letting our thoughts run wild—thereby burying the living Buddha of our true nature in the shell of an ordinary fool.


Our practice is meant to awaken and realize our nature, leaving nothing to which we cling. If we start craving supernatural powers or longing for some attainment, or if we pray to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for promotions and wealth—this is the opposite of what learning Buddhism is all about. All we need is to remain ever “natural and unbound,” not responding to deluded appearances, and yet not like wood or stone—rather, responding clearly and lucidly in accord with conditions. Such activity is the Buddha’s work.


Earlier, we mentioned that we must not regard our physical body as “me” but rather take empty quiescence as our essence; nor should we identify deluded thoughts as our mind but rather recognize numinous awareness (靈知) as mind. Employing this mind-ground method is like cooking with rice; it will surely be done. Failing to do so is like cooking with sand—no matter how much effort you exert, it will never turn into food. Once we understand that this pure, undefiled yet brilliantly aware numinous awareness is the Buddha, we will no longer cling to appearances. We then engage in work for the people, adapting naturally to conditions to polish away our habitual delusions until we fully realize buddhahood. Otherwise, our deluded thoughts will proliferate, and we will remain ordinary fools, never escaping birth and death.


We ordinary people have been clinging to appearances for countless kalpas, so we cannot simply change in an instant. We are picky, not only in food and daily life, but even in our Dharma practice. One person says, “Pure Land is good and reliable; Chan is risky and unreliable.” Another says, “Vajrayāna is better.” Yet another complains, “Vajrayāna is not good; it’s steeped in demonic energy.” This is all like blind men feeling different parts of an elephant—each clinging to their own biases and talking nonsense. They do not know that the Buddha taught equality upon equality, skillfully addressing different capacities with different methods, which is known as “prescribing medicine according to the illness.”

Just as we select different foods according to our tastes—some prefer sweet, others sour—if those who like sour say sweet is bad, or those who like sweet say sour is bad; if Pure Land practitioners say, “Chan is dangerous,” or Chan practitioners say, “Vajrayāna is full of demonic energy,” that is all partial to one’s own preferences. It not only creates vexations but also amounts to slandering the Dharma, unwittingly incurring negative karma. So, simply choose the tradition that best suits you and do not disparage other traditions. Every school leads to the same goal. You might find Chan difficult; others find it easy. You might say Pure Land is easy, but for someone else, it may not be easy at all.


Original Text (Paragraph 17):

“「如不達自然任運，必妄念紛馳而落凡愚。故常應不離無修之大自然住。」


我們在一切時、一切處的舉措施為，都是真心的妙用，一切色相都是自己的化身。自當隨順種種因緣應付操作，盡一己之力，為群眾造福，這就叫「自然任運」。如果不明白、不通達「自然任運」的道理，必定著境粘心，貪得無厭地為滿足自己的欲望而妄念紛飛，那就把大好的一尊活佛埋沒為凡夫愚婦了。我們修法原為見性證道，一切不著。假如想發神通，想得到什麼東西，或是求佛菩薩保佑升官發財，那就與學佛背道而馳了。現在我們只要時時刻刻任運無住，於一切妄想境不加了知，而又非同木石，而了了分明地應機隨緣，這就是佛事。我們在前面講過，不要認這個色身為我，要以空寂為體；不要認妄念，要以靈知為心。用心地法門來修，就如用米來燒飯一樣，必定能成飯；不這樣修呢？就是用沙來煮飯，費盡功夫，也煮不成飯。我們明白了這清淨無染而了了分明的靈知之心就是佛，便不再著相，而任運自然地為群眾服務，以在事境上鍛煉，除盡妄習而圓證佛果。反之，必定妄念紛飛，自落凡愚，而生死不了。我們這些凡夫多生歷劫著相慣了，一下子是改不過來的，非但在飲食起居上挑揀分別，即使在修法上也挑揀個不停。這個說：「淨土宗好，可靠；禪宗危險，不可靠。」那個說：「密宗好。」另有人說：「密宗也不好，密宗妖氣重重。」哎呀，這個好，那個不好……，都是盲人摸象，妄自分別，胡說亂道。他不知道佛說的法是平等、平等、又平等的，不過是應各人的根器不同而說不同的法門，這叫做「應病與藥」。像我們吃東西，你喜歡吃甜的，就取甜食；喜歡吃酸的，就取酸食。若愛吃酸的人說甜食不好，愛吃甜的人說酸食不好，念佛的說禪宗危險（其實禪宗並不危險），參禪的說密宗有妖氣（其實密宗並無妖氣），這都是偏重自己所好，妄自分別，非但自取煩惱，而且無形中得了個謗法的罪。你喜歡哪一宗就修哪一宗，不要說別的宗派不好，任何一宗都是一樣的。你說參禪難，修其他宗也不容易；你說念佛容易，修其他宗也不難。”


[Continued in next message]



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Thought about Buddha-nature and practice for 6 seconds

English Translation (Paragraph 18):

Layman Pang once said: “Hard, hard, hard—like carrying ten loads of sesame oil to spread on the top of a tree!” This saying refers to those who are just beginning spiritual practice and have yet to understand the essential knack of cultivation, so indeed it seems extremely difficult—like trying to make a fish climb a slippery pole: the fish is covered in scales, and the pole is coated in grease; attempting to climb it is almost impossible! Yet once one is shown the key point, one realizes that this very faculty of talking and acting, laughing and crying, is none other than our own self-nature, which is constantly radiating right in front of our faces without the slightest concealment. There is no need to search for it elsewhere or implore for it from anyone else. You need only let everything go, and there it is. As the saying goes, “I wore out countless pairs of iron shoes in fruitless searching; then suddenly, I found it effortlessly.”


Hence, Layman Pang’s wife (referred to here as “Pang-bowa,” the “Elder Lady Pang”) added: “Easy, easy, easy—on every blade of grass is the Westward-coming meaning!” (i.e., the meaning of the truth brought by Bodhidharma from the West). This indicates that, upon awakening to the Way, the method is not difficult at all. For “on every blade of grass” means in every situation, if one refrains from clinging to forms and instead sees the functioning of the self-nature, then the Dharma is right there. Isn’t that easy?


Therefore, while practicing, we ought not become entangled in sectarian labels, calling this easy and that difficult. Simply recognize at all times the true mind—which is free of clinging yet perfectly aware—and refrain from mistaking illusions for reality. One cannot grasp an illusion any more than one can hold onto a reflection. Although we may see this principle clearly, our deeply ingrained habit of clinging to appearances over countless eons can still invade our minds. As Chan Master Guifeng (Zongmi) said: “Through many lives, we have stubbornly grasped delusions, so habit becomes second nature—anger, sorrow, and joy flow on in subtle currents. Though true principle is understood in a sudden flash, these emotional patterns are not quickly eliminated. One must remain ever aware and reduce them more and more.”


Hence, we must remain watchful at all times. The instant a deluded thought arises, recognize it and discard it. If its force is temporarily too strong and cannot be immediately transformed, then recite the Buddha’s name or chant a mantra to dispel it. The Buddha-name and mantras are like a sword of wisdom, severing our clinging mind and afflictive emotions with boundless power—so long as we sincerely uphold them. Thus, attaining realization need not be so difficult. Likewise, to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, any school that arouses a proper vow can enable one’s rebirth.


We often say that “Mindfulness ['nian4' in Chinese has a dual meaning of mindfulness and recitation] of Buddha” is quite broad in scope. It is not only the literal recitation of “Amitābha Buddha.” Reciting sūtras is also “mindfulness of the Buddha”; doing good deeds without clinging to results is likewise “mindfulness of the Buddha”; remaining mindfully alert (not falling into confusion) is also “mindfulness of the Buddha.” Why? Because “Buddha” means “awakened.” If you remain awake at all times and dedicate your merits toward rebirth in the Western Pure Land, that is “mindfulness of the Buddha.” The Pure Land School says that for one to attain the highest grade of rebirth (shàngpǐn shàngshēng), one must “study and recite the Great Vehicle teachings.” Why? It is to tell us to understand the principle. To tell us to understand the causes and nature of birth and death, so that we may eliminate birth and death. Only by clarifying these principles and thereby exhausting deluded mind and having not the slightest attachment can we achieve the highest grade of rebirth. If you cling to appearances, stubbornly believing, “This world is terrible; I must escape to the West to enjoy bliss,” you are off track. Even if you do go, you would at best end up in the lower grade of rebirth. Because your mind is not empty and pure, you can only be born in the “Land Where Ordinary and Sage Reside Together,” unable to reach the “Land of Expedient Liberation” or the “Land of True Reward and Majestic Adornment.”


Original Text (Paragraph 18):

“龐居士說的：「難難難，十擔麻油樹上攤。」是講初步修行人不明白修行訣竅，所以很難很難，猶如「粘魚上滑杆」，魚身上的魚鱗粘乎乎滑溜溜的，要上那油滑的竹杆，談何容易！但一經點破，原來這能說、能行、能哭、能笑的就是我人的自性，它鎮日在我們面門放光，絲毫沒有隱藏，不需要尋覓、祈求，只一切放下即是。正所謂「踏破鐵鞋無覓處，得來全不費功夫」。所以龐婆接聲云：「易易易，百草頭上西來意。」不難不難，參禪悟道容易得很。百草頭上就是任何事物的頭上，這「頭上」的涵意就是離開相看，別往下著相看，離相能見物的功能就是自性的妙用啊！這不是很容易嗎？所以我們做功夫不要分宗別派，說這難那易，只時時刻刻認清這離相而了了分明的真心，不要認影子，影子是取不到的。此時理雖明瞭，但多生歷劫的住相習氣還要來侵犯。圭峰禪師說：「多生妄執，習以性成，喜怒哀樂，微細流注。真理雖然頓達，此情難以卒除。須常覺察，損之又損。」所以我們必須時時覺察，一有念起，即便覺除。如妄念勢強，一時轉化不了，就念佛或持咒以化之。佛號和咒語就是慧劍，用以斬斷著相的妄心和情思，有無窮的威力。我們只要虔誠持誦，定獲佛菩薩加持，因此，成道沒有什麼難處。同樣的，要生西方極樂世界，任何一宗只要發願都能往生。我們常說，念佛的範圍很廣，不是念一句阿彌陀佛才是念佛，誦經也是念佛，做善事不著相也是念佛，惺惺在覺也是念佛。為什麼？因為佛是覺義，你時時不迷，回向西方極樂世界，這不是念佛嗎？淨土宗說，欲上品上生，要「讀誦大乘」。為什麼要讀誦大乘？是叫你明理呀！叫你明白生死等現象是從何而有的，怎樣才能了生脫死。你把這些道理搞明白，空盡妄心，毫無住著，才能上品上生。假如你住在相上，死死執著，認為這個世界不好，要去西方那裏享福，這就壞了。縱然能去，也不過是下品下生。因為你心不空淨，只能生凡聖同居土，不能生方便有餘土和實報莊嚴土。”


English Translation (Paragraph 19):

What is Chan? It is the inherent freedom and purity of our mind, the “Eye Treasury of the True Dharma, the Wondrous Mind of Nirvāṇa” as taught in the Chan School. This “wondrous mind of Nirvāṇa” is precisely the Pure Land. Is it not also the secret treasury of Vajrayāna? So Chan, Pure Land, and Vajrayāna may seem like three schools, yet in truth they are one. Vajrayāna includes numerous methods for rebirth in the Western Pure Land, such as Phowa (transference of consciousness), the Great Amitābha Practice, and methods of translocating consciousness, all aiming toward rebirth there. Reciting “Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva” likewise enables rebirth in the West, because Avalokiteśvara is in the Western Realm, shining light upon you and guiding you there.


The nine grades of rebirth simply reflect whether one clings to appearances. If we understand that mind is the land, and land is the mind—so that birth is no-birth, and no-birth is birth—without abiding in appearances, then being “unborn” does not mean being inert. Being ever in the flow of birthing is itself non-birth, and non-birth is precisely the ongoing flow of birth. That is the wondrous meaning of “no-birth.”


Original Text (Paragraph 19):

“什麼是禪呢？本色自在的清淨心是，即宗下說的「正法眼藏，涅槃妙心」。這涅槃妙心，不就是淨土嗎？不也是密宗的秘密寶藏嗎？所以禪、淨、密看起來是三宗，實是一體。密宗有很多往生西方極樂世界的方法，譬如頗哇法、大彌陀法、遷識法等，都是往生西方極樂世界的。念觀世音菩薩也一樣生西，因為觀世音菩薩就在西方，他也放光照你，接引你生西方極樂世界。往生之所以有九品，就在著相不著相上分別啊！假如你明白心就是土，土就是心，生即無生，無生即生，絲毫不住相，無生之中不妨往生。這樣的往生是妙用啊！無生不是死在那裏不動，生生不已就是不生，不生就是生生不已，這才得無生之妙諦。”


English Translation (Paragraph 20):

“That is why the text says, ‘One must constantly remain in the Great Natural Abiding of No Cultivation.’ So-called ‘no-cultivation’ is precisely cultivating the cultivation of non-cultivation—this is true cultivation. Mahāmudrā, as taught here, is the supreme method of the Vajrayāna. It does not require you to chant mantras, form hand gestures, or engage in any specific practice. Abiding naturally, free of all attachment, is itself the practice. Such practice is the Great Natural Abiding.


After a Chan practitioner awakens, it is the same: there is ‘no-cultivation’ in one’s practice, and no need for methods of counteraction. Counteraction-based methods are antidotes for specific unwholesome tendencies. For instance, if someone is prone to lust, they specifically practice impurity contemplation or the white-bone contemplation; if someone is excessively talkative, they specifically practice silence, etc. These are expedient means for calming delusions and returning to the truth. Mahāmudrā does not rely on such methods; it teaches us that all forms are manifestations of the self-nature, all the wondrous function of the true mind, so at all times do not abide anywhere—that is the great cultivation of ‘no-cultivation.’

For those who recite the Buddha’s name, if a single thought arises, they recognize it as empty. That is reciting the Buddha’s name. It is not that one must constantly utter “Amitābha Buddha” to count as reciting the Buddha. However, one must practice in a way that fits one’s capacity. There are various methods of reciting the Buddha’s name:


    1. Seeing thoughts arise and instantly awakening—this is ‘Reality-based’ (shíxiàng) recitation of the Buddha’s name.
    2. Contemplating oneself as Amitābha—this is ‘Contemplation-based’ (guānxiǎng) recitation.
    3. Visualizing the Buddha’s form—this is ‘Visualization-based’ (guānxiàng) recitation.
    4. Repeatedly holding the name ‘Amitābha Buddha’—this is ‘Name-based’ (chímíng) recitation.


We must choose the approach that best suits our disposition so as to achieve maximum results with minimal effort. If you cannot yet reach the point where a single thought arises and is immediately realized as empty, then recite the name of the Buddha. If silent recitation still doesn’t keep your mind from wandering, then recite out loud: “A-mi-tuo-fo…” The main purpose is to cut off deluded thoughts and turn them into no-thought.


Even in reciting the Buddha’s name, understanding the principle or not understanding it yields a significant difference in its power. If you do not understand, you will constantly get stuck on appearances, clinging to the external figure of Amitābha in the West. If you do understand, you realize that reciting the Buddha’s name uses the power of the sacred name of Amitābha to sweep clean our mental defilements, transform our clinging, afflictions, and ignorance, so that we can directly realize the pure Buddha-nature identical to Amitābha’s. The difference in method will determine one’s grade of rebirth in the West. Non-clinging practice is precisely “the Great Natural Abiding of No Cultivation,” the abode of no-abiding.


Original Text (Paragraph 20):

“「故常應不離無修之大自然住。」所謂無修者，乃「無修之修是為正修」也。大手印是最上乘密法，它不要你念咒，不要你結手印，不要你修什麼法，一切任運自然，毫無住著即是。這種修，即是大自然住。禪宗開悟後也是如此，無修而修，不要對治。對治法門是針對各人習氣而專修的除妄法。譬如，淫心重的人專修不淨觀、白骨觀；特愛講話的人專修禁語等，這是息妄歸真的方便法。大手印不要這麼對治，它告訴我們，一切色相都是自性的顯現，都是真心的妙用，時時無住，即是無修而修的大修行。念佛的人，念頭一起，一覺即空，就是念佛，不是非得要念一句「阿彌陀佛」才算念佛。但用功須契合自己的根機，不可拘於一格。念佛有幾種不同的念法：念起即覺，為實相念佛；觀自己就是阿彌陀佛，為觀想念佛；觀佛相好，為觀相念佛；時時不離一句「阿彌陀佛」，為持名念佛。我們用功，須選用一種適合自己習性的方法來修行，才能收到事半功倍之效。假如你不能念起一覺即空，那就念名字佛。如果默念還不頂事，念頭還動，那就出聲念「阿彌陀佛……」，總是要把你的妄念斬斷，轉為無念才行。同樣是念佛，明白這個道理和不明白這個道理，力用大有區別。不明理念佛，時時著相，執著西方的阿彌陀佛；明理念佛，就曉得念佛是借阿彌陀佛的聖號，把我們心裏的齷齪掃清，把我們著相的煩惱、愚癡都扭轉過來，以證和阿彌陀佛一樣的清淨佛性。因用功的方法不同，將來生西的品位也因之而別。這不著相的修行，即是「無修之大自然住」，無住之住，叫自然住。”


English Translation (Paragraph 21):

A Chan master gave this instruction: “Where there is a Buddha, do not linger; where there is no Buddha, hurry on.” Meaning, do not remain in existence and do not cling to emptiness. Existence and non-existence are both left behind, and there is not even a middle ground; this is the Middle Way. It is also the Tiantai doctrine of the ‘Threefold Contemplation in One Mind’—emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle Way as one.


Hence, appearances are not nonexistent but reveal themselves as illusory manifestations of the true nature. If the true nature could not manifest such illusory phenomena, it would be a stagnant pond; the Buddha-nature would lose its value. Our purpose in practicing is to eradicate our habitual fixation on illusory phenomena, not to sit there, stiff as a board, unmoving. If we truly awaken to this and remain at all times unattached to appearances, avoiding rigidly clinging to any method of practice, we are on the right path—entering the “Great Natural Abiding of No Cultivation.”


Original Text (Paragraph 21):

“禪師開示這樣講：「有佛處莫停留，無佛處急走過。」有佛的地方你不要停留，沒有佛的地方趕快走過去。這是說，既不能著有，也不可偏空，有無兩邊都不立，中間亦無有，那就是中道義，也就是天臺宗的「空、假、中」一心三觀。所以，相不是沒有，而是幻顯起用的。假如真性不能顯示幻相而起用，那是一潭死水，佛性還有什麼價值？我們用功修行，就是為了除盡執著幻相的妄習，而不是死坐在那裏不動。若能覺醒，時時不住於相，也不執於法修行，就走上正路，入於「無修之大自然住」了。”


English Translation (Paragraph 22):

“No matter when, one should rely solely on recognizing what the ‘direct pointing to seeing the nature’ indicates; in this, everything is included.”


Regardless of the time or place, we must rely solely on the direct indication of our original nature as revealed by the method of “pointing directly to the mind to see one’s nature,” recognizing that our mind is the One Reality that encompasses everything. All phenomena of the universe—trees, grasses, mountains, rivers—are displays of our own mind’s wondrous functioning. Hence, do not cling to appearances. Whether favorable or unfavorable, pleasing or displeasing, simply allow it to be—thus seeing your nature at every moment.


As the Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch declares: “Those who truly see the nature must see it immediately upon hearing the words—if it is so, one can see it even in the midst of a battlefield.” When going into battle, if we are preoccupied with thoughts of life and death, we will be blocked. But if we can say, “Even if this body is destroyed, so what? Striking the wind is like slicing the spring breeze,” then the mind remains fearless. At that point, the body can be cut down, but our true nature, which neither increases nor decreases, remains unharmed. Such is the style of one who sees the nature.


Original Text (Paragraph 22):

“「無論何時，唯以認識直指見宗，一切盡攝。」

不管什麼時間、什麼地方，唯以認識直指所示的本性為正知見，真正領悟我們這個心就是一真法界。一真法界是統攝一切的，森羅萬象都包括在內，任何色相都是自心顯現的妙用，所以，不要去著相。境界好也罷，境界不好也罷；順我的心也好，逆我的意也好；都不去管它，那就時時刻刻都見性。《六祖壇經》云：「見性之人，言下須見，若如此者，輪刀上陣，亦得見之。」上陣打仗，心裏有生死出入之見，這不行。我被人殺了也無所謂，「將頭迎白刃，猶如斬春風」，哈哈！斬掉就斬掉好了，斬了這個軀殼，我們的真心是不增不減、不生不滅的，還是堂堂地斬不掉。這就是見性人的作略。”


English Translation (Paragraph 23):

In ancient times, when Chan Master Songyue Yuan’gui was in seated meditation, a kingly figure, accompanied by many attendants, stood before him in a magnificent display. Seeing that the master did not rise to greet him, the king grew displeased and asked, “Do you not recognize me?” The master replied, “I view the Buddha and all beings as equal—how could I treat you differently?” The figure responded, “I am the God of Mount (Song), holding sway over life and death. I can grant life or cause death. How dare you see me as an ordinary being?”

The master laughed: “From my vantage point, I have never been born; how can you kill someone who has never been born? For me, body and space are not two, and you and I are not two. If you could destroy the void or yourself, perhaps you could harm me; but if you did, my true mind would remain unkillable, for it is beyond birth and death. You have not realized this true mind—how can you claim to grant life or cause death to me?”


Hearing this, the so-called kingly god froze in astonishment, saying, “I have never heard such words. Is there truly an indestructible true mind?” The master continued: “Although you now stand as a great deity, you were once an ordinary person. Because you were upright, just, and performed many virtuous deeds, you rose to become a deity who governs life and death. But who is it that actually became this deity? Your previous human body is gone, and it is your conscious mind that has become a deity. That consciousness, however, is none other than your Buddha-nature, except it is still obscured by ignorance. Remove that ignorance, and consciousness reverts to Buddha-nature. Even with ignorance present, that Buddha-nature is not diminished at all, for it is forever unchanging and indestructible. Right now, the one who has turned into a deity is precisely that unborn, undying Buddha-nature, yet you do not understand!”


Enlightened by the master’s words, the deity realized his folly and immediately bowed down to become Master Yuan’gui’s disciple, seeking refuge in the Buddha’s teaching.


Original Text (Paragraph 23):

“從前，嵩岳元圭禪師在宴坐時，見一帝王，帶了很多隨從，威風凜凜地站在面前。那帝王見禪師不起立迎接，心中很不快，問禪師道：你認識我嗎？禪師說：我觀佛與眾生都是平等的，對你能另眼相看嗎？那帝王說：我是嶽神，掌握著生死大權，能令人活，也能令人死，你怎麼能用平常的眼光來看我呢？禪師哈哈一笑說：我本無生，你能令一個無生的人死嗎？在我看來，身體和虛空不二，我和你不二，你能損壞了虛空和你自己嗎？就算你能，我的真心卻是不生不滅的。你能損壞的只是我的軀體，你不能損壞我的真心哪！你還沒有證到這個真心，怎麼就說叫我生、叫我死呢？那嶽神被他說得怔住了：哎，這話我沒聽說過，還有不死的真心在嗎？禪師繼續開示說：比如你現在是大神，你以前也是人啊！只因你為人耿直，剛正不阿，做了很多善事，所以現在成了操生死權柄的大神。但是，是誰做了嶽神？你做人時的軀殼已經沒有了，是識神做了嶽神。你那識神和我們的佛性不一樣，差那麼一點點，差什麼東西呢？有「無明」在，佛性就成為識神，把無明去淨，識神就恢復為佛性了。縱然「無明」還在，佛性也不減少一分，因它是不增不減的。現在是誰做嶽神？就是這個不生不滅的佛性啊，而你全不知道！那岳神經禪師開示後，如夢方醒，當時就拜元圭禪師為師，皈依了佛門。”


English Translation (Paragraph 24):

As for those spirits who “attach to grass or trees” and display spiritual effects—what kind of spirits are they? They are merely ghosts! During their lifetime, they were excessively greedy and committed various misdeeds, so they fell into hell. After they had served out their karmic sentences in hell, they emerged but still carried their old habits of greed. When they encountered some plant or tree, they possessed it, causing that plant or tree to produce seemingly miraculous responses. In truth, these are simply greedy ghosts at work, not genuine deities. A “god” is merely a higher-level ghost king whose abilities surpass those of ordinary ghosts—but all remain stuck in clinging to appearances.

Hence, at all times, we rely solely on the “direct pointing” that reveals our true mind of immeasurable capacity, equal to space, which already embraces all phenomena of the cosmos. To restore our inherent abilities, we start now by letting go of everything and constantly recognizing our Buddha-nature, never clinging to appearances. Whenever you find yourself getting attached, immediately recite the Buddha’s name or chant a mantra. Best of all is if you can instantly see its emptiness. With this correct understanding in practice—whether Pure Land, Chan, or Vajrayāna—it is relatively easy to realize swift attainment. Without this understanding, all are difficult paths to genuine fruition.


Original Text (Paragraph 24):

“還有那些依草附木顯靈的，是什麼神呢？那是鬼呀！他在世的時候貪得無厭，造罪下了地獄，地獄罪受滿了，出獄之後，因為貪習還在，遇到草木就附上去，這草木就靈驗了。這實在是貪鬼做祟，不是什麼神。神者是大的鬼王，神通比其他的鬼大，都是著相。所以我們無論何時，唯以認識「直指見宗」所指示的真心為要，心量猶如虛空，森羅萬象，無一不包括在我們的心性當中。我們要恢復本能，就要從現在做起，一切放下，時時認識這個佛性，不要住相。才有住著，趕快念佛，趕快持咒，最好一覺即空。明白這個道理去修，修淨土也好、修禪也好、修密也好，都容易迅速成就；不明白這個道理去修，都難成正果。”


English Translation (Paragraph 25):

“One must not, in responding to each arising deluded thought, devise a separate antidote and apply it to that deluded thought.”


In other words, one should not focus on each individual deluded thought as it arises and try to counteract them one by one. Our delusions are endless; each person’s habitual patterns differ. Some are strongly driven by lust, others by greed for money, still others by an extreme fixation on reputation. If we attempt to treat each affliction individually, using delusion to subdue delusion, it only multiplies further.

We must find the “root” of the deluded thoughts. The teachings also present methods of counteraction, such as the Six Pāramitās: The practice of “dāna” (giving) is meant to remedy our narrow-mindedness and stinginess, and so forth. Similarly, the Five Precepts—no killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, or intoxicants—are all methods to tame the mind, preventing it from moving into delusions. For fully ordained monastics, there are over two hundred precepts, yet they all come down to restraining the mind from moving.


A story: Someone once asked his teacher, “Master, what does it mean to break a precept?” The teacher said: “When you hear the sound of a neighbor woman washing her face and adjusting her hair ornaments, at that very moment, you break a precept.” Why is hearing the sound of jewelry considered breaking precepts? Because once you hear it and cling to that appearance—knowing it is a woman’s adornment—the mind starts to wander along improper channels.


Mahāmudrā instead addresses delusions from their fundamental source. It does not emphasize dealing with them one by one. Once you directly realize the fundamental nature, you maintain constant awareness so that the mind never clings to conditions, abiding continuously in emptiness. The true mind encompasses everything; a million phenomena appear, all within the wondrous and bright true mind. Our mind remains unmoved by anything, disregarding them all. Thus, awakening is attained in this very life.

If we cling to superficial branches, trying to fix one affliction after another, the task is unending and truly difficult. Not using targeted remedies is the Mahāmudrā approach. Of course, if one’s propensity does not match this level of practice, one can still employ remedy-based methods—like impurity contemplation for sexual desire or white-bone contemplation, etc. Choose according to personal circumstances.


Original Text (Paragraph 25):

“「不可於各各妄念起伏上，作各各調伏對治。」

這裏講，調伏對治妄念，不可在各個妄念起伏上面著手，須在妄念生起的總根上下功夫。凡夫的妄念多啊！有的好色好得厲害，有的貪財貪得厲害，有的好名好得厲害，各人的妄念習氣不同，若一一分別對治，以妄治妄，其妄更甚。如在妄心動處下手，則一了百了，歸家穩坐矣。教下也有對治法，比如「六度萬行」裏的「布施度」就是對治我們的心量小、慳吝的要法。又譬如五戒「殺盜淫妄酒」，就是對治我們妄心蠢動的法門。比丘戒二百餘條，也不外戒心不動，所以，最大的戒是心戒。心一動就是犯戒，不是等事情做出來才算犯戒。從前有一個徒弟問師父：「師父啊，如何是破戒？」師父說：「當隔壁女子洗臉擦面的時候，你聽見她的簪環首飾聲音，那就是破戒。」為什麼聽到這些聲音就是破戒？因為你聽見聲音就著相，簪環首飾是女人飾物，你著了女人相就起別的念頭。

大手印是從根本上修，對各種妄念不講一一對治。見到本性之後，時時照顧它，不令此心著境，時時照空。以真心來攝持一切，森羅萬象，萬象森羅，都是妙明真心中物。心是根本，遇一切境都不動心，一切都不予理睬，那麼，即生成就有何難？若在枝末上修，一個個妄念分別對治，那就不勝其煩，那真是太難太難了！不講對治，是大手印的修法，諸位若有不對機的，也可修對治法門，如：淫心重就修不淨觀、白骨觀等，根據各人的情況不同而選擇不同的修法。”


[End of Text]


Footnotes/Annotations (if any):

None in the source text.


Brief Explanation of Key Concepts and Translational Choices:

    1. Mahāmudrā (大手印): A Vajrayāna term referring to the “Great Seal,” representing the realization that all phenomena arise from and return to emptiness and that the mind is fundamentally pure and unobstructed.
    2. Nature of Awareness (覺性 / 覺心): Translated as “nature of awareness,” indicating one’s intrinsic illuminating awareness that is beyond deluded thoughts.
    3. Dharma is fundamentally and originally so (法爾如是): Emphasizes the natural state or “suchness” of all phenomena, absent deliberate fabrication.
    4. Wondrous Presence (妙有): Conveys that phenomena, though empty of inherent nature, still dynamically manifest; emptiness is not a dead void.
    5. Empty Quiescence (空寂): Reminds that mind and phenomena are originally empty and quiescent, not produced nor destroyed.
    6. Numinous Awareness (靈知), Numinous Light (靈光): Terms highlighting the luminous, aware quality of the mind’s fundamental nature.
    7. Translations: Adhered to guidelines given (e.g., 無相 as “signless,” 無自性 as “without self-nature,” etc.).
    8. Contextual Information: The text is the Eighth Lecture on “Ganges Mahāmudrā,” authored by Elder Yuanyin. It integrates Chan, Pure Land, and Vajrayāna teachings, emphasizing non-clinging and the realization of one’s fundamental nature.

Bibliographic References or Acknowledgments (if any):

    • Original text by Elder Yuanyin.
    • Various references to canonical Buddhist sūtras and Chan literature (e.g., Diamond Sūtra, Avataṃsaka [Flower Adornment] Sūtra, Platform Sūtra, etc.).


[Complete Translation Concluded]

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