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

English Translation:

The Ganges Mahamudra

(Lecture Twelve)

By Master Yuan Yin

Lecture Twelve

“All that arises is the manifestation of the functional operation of Self-nature. Therefore, recognizing the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence is extremely important.”

We have just mentioned earlier that one cannot “give rise to greed and love towards joyful circumstances and favorable conditions, nor give rise to anger and hatred towards adverse circumstances and obstructing conditions, just as one feels suffering towards illness and pain.” Why must one not think in this way? Because “all that arises is the manifestation of the functional operation of Self-nature.” Do not consider joyful circumstances and favorable conditions as good, and adverse circumstances and obstructing conditions as bad; or health as good, and illness as bad. Where do these “bad” adverse circumstances, obstructing conditions, and even illnesses and pains come from? These are all manifestations of Self-nature; without Self-nature, how could these conditions and circumstances exist? We must abruptly awaken, realizing that these conditions and circumstances, and even the mind of anger and hatred, are all manifestations of Self-nature, and naturally, we will not hate! Self-nature itself is neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither coming nor going, neither moving nor wavering. If there were no *bodhi* Self-nature, there would not even be afflictions, just as without water there would be no waves. Precisely because the wave itself is water, it is said that “Affliction is Bodhi.” In our practice of the Way, we must possess a stern awareness at all times; as soon as affliction arises, one sternly awakens to it. Once one sternly awakens, one returns to the original position, and naturally, it manifests clearly and brightly; affliction immediately becomes unobtainable. This is the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence.

“Therefore, recognizing the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence is extremely important.” Thus, the recognition regarding the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence is of utmost importance. Recognize the Mind of Numinous Knowing, do not **identify with** delusive thoughts; recognize the Essence of Empty Quiescence, do not **identify with** the physical body. As soon as a delusive thought arises, immediately sternly awaken; the Mind of Numinous Knowing manifests before you, and the delusive thought instantly dissolves like ice. One cannot **take** the physical body **to be** “I”; if one grasps this physical shell, it becomes trouble. The physical body is like a house; it is not “I”, but merely a place to dwell temporarily. We must engage in this *gongfu* [spiritual work] at every moment.

“If one has not grasped the essential of arising and extinguishing (of thoughts), then the leaking delusive thoughts are all karmic causes of *saṃsāra*. Therefore, regardless of whether delusive thoughts are coarse or fine, one must protect the practice well by letting them follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish. That is, do not indulge them to blaze, nor use thought to cure thought. Only contemplate them without departing from the Natural Fundamental Essence, making them discontinuous, like drawing a picture on water, which vanishes as it is drawn.”

The “essential of arising and extinguishing” refers to the key point regarding the arising and extinguishing of thoughts. So, what is this key point? “The green mountain originally does not move; the white clouds are left to come and go.” The green mountain is a metaphor for Self-nature, and the white clouds are a metaphor for delusive thoughts; Self-nature does not move or waver, while delusive thoughts arise and extinguish. Although thoughts arise and extinguish, “recognizing them, they do not become an injustice!” Recognizing them means having grasped the essential of arising and extinguishing. If one does not recognize them, and when a delusive thought arises you remain unaware, that is failing to grasp the essential of arising and extinguishing. “If one has not grasped the essential of arising and extinguishing, then the leaking delusive thoughts are all karmic causes of Samsara.” In our Heart-of-Mind Method, we emphasize that “contemplation is the main practice, and sitting meditation is the auxiliary practice,” precisely to highlight the function of contemplation. When a delusive thought comes, one must see it, immediately sternly awaken, and pay no attention to the thought. If one does not see it, one is clearly running after the delusive thought; this is “leakage.” These leaking delusive thoughts are all karmic causes for the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Running after thoughts, one inevitably turns along with the environment. After adhering to the environment, one creates karma; after creating karma, one receives retribution, to the extent that there is no date of exit from the Six Paths of Reincarnation. It is like a water bucket with a leak; the water of the marvelous function of Self-nature leaks away completely, and one falls into becoming an ordinary being of the Six Paths. Falling is the karmic fruit; leakage is the karmic cause. The *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* says: “Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times, yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either.” The first half of the sentence teaches us not to leak, not to let delusive thoughts pass, but to sternly awaken so that delusive thoughts do not arise. Fearing that we might misunderstand and engage in the “dead concentration” work of suppressing thoughts from arising, it immediately follows with the second half: “yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either.” Do not annihilate delusive thoughts completely either. Why? In order to initiate boundless marvelous functions and liberate immeasurable sentient beings! If the True Mind can be the master, then speech and conversation, gestures and movements, and the arising of thoughts and stirring of mind are all marvelous functions of Self-nature. The Five-Powers Ascetic asked the Buddha: “What is that one power?” He had five supernatural powers, and the Buddha had six; what is “that one power”? The Buddha called his name: “Five-Powers Ascetic!” He responded with a sound. The Buddha said: “That one power, you ask me.” With one call and one response, one question and one answer, the marvelous function of Self-nature was displayed vividly. This is “that one power”—the Power of the Extinction of Leakages. Extinction of leakages means not leaking even a bit; leakage has been completely exhausted. Therefore, although the True Mind appears like a fool, possessing great wisdom that appears as folly, if one does not give rise to thoughts or stir the mind, how can one initiate boundless marvelous functions? If one were to extinguish all waves, would it not become a pool of dead water? Therefore, “regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either.” If one recognizes the True Mind and the True Mind is the master, delusive thoughts are marvelous functions; if one does not recognize the True Mind and delusive thoughts are the master, it is leakage, and it is the karmic cause of Samsara. This is the “essential of arising and extinguishing.” Borrowing the metaphor of the green mountain and white clouds again, let us praise this “essential of arising and extinguishing”: “White clouds drift over the green mountain, the green mountain remains as it is; The green mountain is naturally the green mountain, how could it be obstructed by the white clouds?”

“Therefore, regardless of whether delusive thoughts are coarse or fine, one must protect the practice well by letting them follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish.” Delusive thoughts can be coarse or fine; what is the difference between coarse delusion and fine delusion? Coarse delusion is giving rise to mind in response to an object. Finding joy in favorable circumstances and worry in adverse circumstances, one unknowingly runs after the **environment** [phenomena]. We must sever this coarse delusion first, knowing that all external objects are false, like flowers in the sky or the moon in the water, and are completely unobtainable. The *Diamond Sutra* says: “All conditioned dharmas are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew, also like a flash of lightning; one should contemplate them in this way.” Here, “should” has the meaning of compliance and dealing with things. Regarding all external objects, whether favorable or adverse, go ahead and deal with them, but at the same time, one must maintain this contemplation, viewing all external objects as unobtainable, like a dream, an illusion, a water bubble, a shadow, morning dew, or lightning. Contemplating in this way at every moment, after a long time one will not be moved by external objects, and basically, the coarse delusions will be severed. After this, there still exists “habitual tendency” [*vāsanā*]. Habitual tendencies are the seed-habits in the field of the Eighth Consciousness; even if you do not think about them, they will jump out on their own; this is called “flipping seeds.” This kind of delusive thought is finer than the “coarse delusion” just mentioned, but it is not yet fine delusion. When sitting in meditation, it is easier to detect the churning of seeds; towards this, we still pay no attention and disregard it, and thus we enter concentration peacefully. What is seen within concentration is the fine delusion, which is like an undercurrent in deep water, moving surgingly. Without entering deep *dhyāna* [meditation], one absolutely cannot see fine delusions.

Regardless of whether the delusive thoughts are coarse or fine, “one must protect the practice well by letting them follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish.” When a delusive thought comes, you must detect it, then sternly awaken, pay it no heed, and not run after it; naturally, it will dissolve into formlessness. This is called “following into nothingness as they arise and extinguish”; following your awakening, the arising and extinguishing of thoughts transform into emptiness. If you cannot detect it or do not sternly awaken, and the delusive thoughts move incessantly without stopping, continuing thought after thought without interruption, then that becomes the karmic cause of Samsara. “Protect the practice well” means to protect and correct properly. Protect what? Correct what? Protect the True Mind that is numinously bright and non-abiding; correct the delusive thoughts that flow incessantly. Upon detecting a delusive thought, one must immediately sternly awaken and immediately “let it follow into nothingness as it arises and extinguishes”; do not follow it for a distance before sternly awakening. Some people know when a delusive thought has arisen, but they cannot bear to stop; they say: Let me consider it further, let me think about it first before sternly awakening. Since you already know it is a delusive thought, why continue thinking about it? Is this not utter folly? This is clearly flowing along with delusive thoughts! One should not be like this; one must quickly sternly awaken, letting it follow into nothingness as it arises and extinguishes. We must protect our True Mind at all times, knowing clearly and constantly, abiding nowhere, and sticking to nothing; this is “protecting the practice well.”

“That is, do not indulge them to blaze, nor use thought to cure thought.” Indulging is letting loose, letting the wild horse loose, running after thoughts. Making them blaze means causing thoughts to burn incessantly, associating Zhang San with Li Si, and Li Si with Zhao Wu... flowing without rest. Like a great fire burning, the more it burns, the fiercer it becomes. Indulging thoughts to continue burning incessantly is “indulging them to blaze.” We cannot “indulge them to blaze”; we must quickly transform them. How to transform? There are two methods; one method is to think in your own heart: what are the consequences of “indulging them to blaze”? They will be unimaginable! That is the karmic cause of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, unspeakably suffering! Quickly sternly awaken, causing Self-nature to manifest brightly and clearly. If the force of delusive thoughts is strong and stern awakening cannot transform them, then use the second method: quickly recite the Buddha’s name or quickly hold a mantra, using the Buddha-thought or Right Thought to replace the delusive thought. Both of these methods are “not indulging them to blaze,” but one absolutely must not “use thought to cure thought.” What is meant by using thought to cure thought? Giving rise to a delusive thought to suppress the original delusive thought: “Oh, this thought is a delusive thought, bad, bad, quickly stop moving.” This is called using thought to cure thought. Why is using thought to cure thought bad? There are two results. One is that you cannot suppress the delusive thoughts, and it precisely becomes “the flow of delusive thoughts.” The other is that even if you can cure it for a time and suppress the thought to death, it is like “moving a stone to press down the grass; when the stone is removed, the grass grows.” After the thought is pressed to death, one becomes like soil, wood, metal, or stone—dead. Such “dead concentration” is time-bound; even if you can remain in concentration for hundreds or thousands of years... when the power of concentration fades, delusive thoughts will come again, and they will come even more fiercely; the Six Paths of Reincarnation remain as before, so it is still not ultimate. Therefore, we do not use thought to cure thought, nor do we press thoughts to death; we transform them, turning them over with a stern awakening. When strength is insufficient, then hold a mantra or recite the Buddha’s name.

“Only contemplate them without departing from the Natural Fundamental Essence, making them discontinuous, like drawing a picture on water, which vanishes as it is drawn.” The Natural Fundamental Essence is our Natural Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is unborn and undying, unmoving and unwavering, neither coming nor going, neither increasing nor decreasing. Contemplation is the “stern awakening” just mentioned. Simply sternly awaken, and returning to the Natural Fundamental Essence is it. We must not depart from the Natural Fundamental Essence at any time; when a delusive thought comes, sternly awaken, making the delusive thought unable to continue. If a delusive thought comes and you do not even know it, then it will not work. Therefore, “contemplation” has two layers of meaning: one is that you must know when a delusive thought comes, and the other is the stern awakening. There is a metaphor called “like a cat catching a mouse,” which compares delusive thoughts to a mouse. One must have the alertness of a cat; as soon as the mouse shows its head, it is immediately discovered. In Chan [Zen], this is called “looking after the *huatou*”; looking after means watching it well. This thought of “watching well” is Right Thought; in doing the *gongfu*, Right Thought must not be lost. Right Thought is like the guard at the gate of a government office, blocking idlers and not allowing them to enter. Right Thought is the marvelous function of Buddha-nature. If Right Thought is lost, one either fails to detect the fluttering of delusive thoughts or engages in dead concentration work, turning into soil, wood, metal, and stone. These are the two diverging paths when doing the *gongfu*. Therefore, the Chan school requires raising the sensation of doubt [Yi Qing], the Pure Land school requires holding the Buddha’s name, the Esoteric school requires holding mantras and forming *mudrās*, and Mahamudra requires us to “contemplate without departing from the Natural Fundamental Essence.”

What is the purpose of contemplation? “Making them discontinuous.” That is, not letting delusive thoughts continue, cutting off delusive thoughts. Therefore, we say the function of reciting the Buddha’s name is to sever delusive thoughts; the holy name of the Buddha is a sword of wisdom. “*Amitābha*, *Amitābha*...” as the Buddha-thought manifests, it naturally severs delusive thoughts into formlessness. If one recites the Buddha’s name while delusive thoughts are inverted and chaotic, then that is not reciting the Buddha’s name. When reciting the Buddha’s name, one must have “Stopping and Contemplation” [*śamatha-vipaśyanā*]; one must recite with the mind and hear with the ear. The mind reciting the Buddha’s name while delusive thoughts do not arise is Stopping; the ear hearing the Buddha’s name with clarity and distinctness is Contemplation. In Buddhism, the purpose of doing any work is to prevent delusive thoughts from continuing in succession. “Like drawing a picture on water, which vanishes as it is drawn.” Make the arising and extinguishing of delusive thoughts be like drawing a picture on the surface of water; disappearing as it is drawn, preserving not the slightest trace; arising and extinguishing follow into nothingness.

“But although delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves, it is not yet purity. Because if one merely fully knows delusive thoughts, one still cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil.”

Even if delusive thoughts do not arise and naturally extinguish, it still does not count as purity. Some people are confused: if delusive thoughts are extinguished, shouldn’t it be purity? Why is it said that it still does not count as purity? Because “if one merely fully knows delusive thoughts, one still cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil.” Merely fully knowing the state of delusive thoughts, knowing that this is a delusive thought, but not recognizing the True Mind, will not do. Only after recognizing the True Mind can one cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil. Confusion and turmoil mean becoming confused after facing an object, and the mind becoming chaotic. Seeing a gold ingot, the mind moves chaotically, wanting to get rich; seeing beauty, the mind moves chaotically, the fire of lust burning the body... these are all confusion and turmoil. You clearly know these are all reflections, all false, all unobtainable, yet you simply cannot cut them off. Why? Because you only know the state of delusive thoughts but do not recognize the True Mind. You do not know what the True Mind is, so you have no power; when encountering circumstances, the mind still moves, and thus you cannot cut off the karmic stream of confusion and turmoil. We ordinary beings have lost our original nature, **take** objects **to be** ourselves, chase after material circumstances, and create karma and receive retribution, ceaseless like flowing water. Past karma is like seeds planted in the field of the Eighth Consciousness; how to cut it off? Only by realizing the True Mind and cutting off the root can it be cut off. Therefore, if one desires to cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil, one must realize the True Mind; merely knowing that delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves is not enough.

“Must at the same time as knowing delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves, immediately recognize the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance, then naturally abide.”

The “Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance” is the Root Consciousness; it is the Eighth Consciousness returning from delusion to awakening, turning around. Once the Eighth Consciousness turns, it is the “Amala Consciousness,” also called the Pure Consciousness. This is the so-called “Transforming Consciousness into Wisdom,” transforming the Eighth Consciousness into the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom. To “manifestly see” the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance means to clearly see the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, which is Self-nature manifesting brightly and clearly, which is also the state where not a single thought arises yet Numinous Knowing is clear and distinct, manifesting brightly. Only in this way can one cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil. “Manifestly seeing the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance” is not difficult; the difficulty lies in your not understanding or recognizing it, that is, the difficulty lies in not “cognizing” it. “Recognizing the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance manifesting” is called “grabbing it in one go” in Chan; in Pure Land, it is called “flowers blooming and seeing Buddha to awaken to the Unborn”; in Esoteric Buddhism, it is called “realizing *siddhi*.”

Must, at the same time as knowing “delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves,” “immediately recognize the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance.” When there are no delusive thoughts, one must recognize and accept the True Mind, recognize and accept our true Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is Wisdom Nature—the nature of wisdom; because all *gongfu*, all supernatural powers, and all marvelous functions arise from it, it is called “Wisdom Nature.” Only knowing that delusive thoughts follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish, without recognizing the True Mind, one still cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil. One must recognize the True Mind, and further fully know that the Deluded Mind arises from the True Mind. When the Deluded Mind is cut off, what is that which “does not give rise to a single thought yet is clearly and constantly knowing”? This is precisely the True Mind, precisely the “Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom.” One must recognize the True Mind and experience the True Mind right at the place where delusive thoughts are cut off. If one cannot grab it in one go, it is “missing it right in front of your face,” and then one cannot see the nature. The so-called “seeing the nature” means understanding. Understanding that the Deluded Mind is unobtainable, and understanding that the Deluded Mind is the marvelous function of the True Mind. At the place where the Deluded Mind ceases, immediately “grab” the True Mind. It is not grabbing something with your hand; the True Mind has no shape or form; “to speak of it as a thing is to miss the mark.” It is not that there exists a thing with form waiting for you to grab, but that you must experience it, recognize it, and affirm it. When the Deluded Mind rests, recognizing the True Mind is very, very important. I have reminded everyone again and again: at the “cutting of the front and back boundaries,” that is, when the previous thought has extinguished and the subsequent thought has not yet arisen, what is this? One should bring forth one’s spirit at this moment to recognize the True Mind, affirm the True Mind, trust deeply without doubt, and take it on. After recognizing the True Mind, one will not grasp at characteristics, and all delusive thoughts will transform into marvelous functions.

The True Mind has no shape or characteristics; anything with shape or form is a false image, a reflection, and utterly unobtainable. Knowing this, we will not grasp at things with form. Only then will we have power, and be able to let go of things with form, discard things with form, and not abide in things with form. If one does not recognize the True, one will always be confused by the false. “When the false is taken as true, the true also becomes false”; because one does not recognize the True, one inevitably **identifies with** the false, thus “**taking** the thief for one’s father” and burying the True Mind. This is the most important issue. One must recognize where delusive thoughts come from. What are delusive thoughts? Delusive thoughts are not bad things; delusive thoughts are the marvelous function arising from our True Mind. Do not fear delusive thoughts; as long as you do not run after them, recognize their Original Face, do not stick to the environment, do not abide in the environment, and do not grasp at characteristics; at every moment, awaken as soon as a thought arises, and cut it as soon as it arises; at the place where a thought is cut, the “Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance” will manifest brightly. The so-called “No-thought” [*wúniàn*] does not necessarily mean that not a single thought arises. If not a single thought arose, one would turn into soil, wood, metal, and stone; that is annihilation, that is neutral blankness, not No-thought. No-thought means thoughts arise but do not abide. A monk asked Zhao Zhou: “Does a newborn child possess the six consciousnesses or not?” A newly born infant knows nothing and surely would not give rise to mind in response to objects or have chaotic delusions flying about! Does the infant possess the six consciousnesses of “eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind”? This is actually using the infant as a metaphor to ask what is “No-thought.” Zhao Zhou answered: “Hitting a ball on rapid water.” The monk then asked Tou Zi: “What is the meaning of ‘hitting a ball on rapid water’?” Tou Zi answered: “Thought after thought does not stay.” When hitting a ball on very rapid flowing water, can the ball stay put? It is washed away in an instant. “Does not stay” is non-abiding. It is evident that thoughts arising without abiding is No-thought, and it is not that having not a single thought is called No-thought. We remind you again and again: at the place where a thought is cut, this clear and distinct knowing is our Mind of Numinous Knowing, this is the True Mind, this is the True Suchness Buddha-nature. **Mindfulness of Buddha** [*niànfó*] is to be mindful of this Buddha. Buddha means Awakening. **Mindfulness of Buddha** means thought after thought is in awakening; this is the true meaning of **Mindfulness of Buddha**. If one does not understand this true meaning and recites the Buddha in a daze, that is equal to not **being mindful of the Buddha**. My master (Guru Wang Xianglu) said in the past that if a person reciting the Buddha does not attain marvelous function or power for many years, they should quickly switch to practicing Esoteric Buddhism; after obtaining response and Samadhi in Esoteric practice, turn back to **Mindfulness of Buddha**, and they will know the resting place of **Mindfulness of Buddha**. Therefore, we who learn Buddhism must recognize the source of delusive thoughts, and recognize and accept the True Mind at the place where delusive thoughts rest; this is most important.

After recognizing the True Mind, “then naturally abide.” The abiding of non-abiding is called natural abiding. Natural and steady, alert yet quiescent, quiescent yet alert, no longer shaken by **phenomena**, no longer troubled by delusive thoughts. Learning Buddhism in this way is truly gaining power. Otherwise, it is all wrong application of effort. Some people say: I have already recited so many scriptures, I still need to recite so many more, I have to fulfill my vows! Doing these things is precisely not waking from the great dream, not truly working, not truly learning Buddhism! To truly learn Buddhism, one must recognize the Marvelous Bright True Mind that is originally non-abiding, be awake at all times, and be non-abiding everywhere; only then is there hope of becoming a Buddha. Reciting however many sentences of Buddha’s name, reciting however many scriptures, marking red dots, burning them, and fulfilling vows—what use is that? Can one become a Buddha by grasping at characteristics like this? One cannot.

“Where delusive thoughts extinguish, purity is immediately obtained; this is even more important (merely knowing delusive thoughts cannot cut off confusion).”

At the place where that delusive thought extinguishes, the originally pure True Mind immediately manifests. When the waves rest, is it not pure water? Recognizing this True Mind is even more important. (Merely recognizing delusive thoughts. Without recognizing the True Mind, one cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil). We have already discussed this a lot just now.

“The arising and extinguishing of thoughts are simultaneous, like drawing a picture on water; vanishing as it is drawn, originally all are pure. Self-arising and self-extinguishing, continuous and dense, successive without rest, one attains free functioning.”

As soon as a thought arises, it does not block the mind; it immediately extinguishes itself without leaving a trace; this is called “the arising and extinguishing of thoughts are simultaneous.” This is very similar to drawing a picture on water; a thought just arising is equivalent to us drawing a stroke on the water (mind-water); the thought extinguishing itself is equivalent to the picture drawn on water leaving no trace. Therefore it is said: “vanishing as it is drawn, originally all are pure.” The Buddha said: “I have dwelt in the world for forty-nine years and have not spoken a single word.” This is “vanishing as it is drawn”; after speaking, it is equal to not having spoken. The Chan school says: “Eating rice all day, yet never biting a single grain of rice; wearing clothes all year, yet never hanging a single thread.” It is not that he does not eat rice or does not wear clothes; having eaten and worn them, it is over, without discriminating or calculating. The mind must be empty and pure like this to accomplish the Way.

“Self-arising and self-extinguishing, continuous and dense, successive without rest, one attains free functioning.” As soon as a delusive thought arises, it naturally extinguishes; this is the previously mentioned “The green mountain originally does not move; the white clouds are left to come and go.” My green mountain (True Mind) does not move, letting your white clouds (delusive thoughts) come and go. Despite coming and going, once they have come and gone, they are gone; this is called “self-arising and self-extinguishing.”

“Continuous and dense, successive without rest” refers to doing the *gongfu*. Doing the *gongfu* is difficult, and the difficulty lies in this point. “Continuous” means extending long; “continuous and dense” means enduring and persisting. “Dense” means not sparse; “dense and thick” means without interruption. “Continuous and dense” means proceeding like this for a long time without interruption. “Successive without rest” means continuing without stopping. One must do the *gongfu* like this for it to work. If we can truly do the *gongfu* like this, we will definitely succeed in three or five years. When I say three or five years, that is already long. My master (Guru Wang Xianglu) said in the past: “Accomplishment guaranteed in one and a half years; if not accomplished, come ask me.” This is true! If we can be “continuous and dense, successive without rest,” how could we not succeed? Decisively, one can succeed! The failure lies in not being able to be “continuous and dense, successive without rest,” practicing and then stopping, fishing for three days and drying the nets for two.

This section is very important, so I will repeat it again: when delusive thoughts stop, that which is pure, clear, and distinct is the True Suchness Self-nature; apart from this, nothing else is. Do not doubt there: “Is this not it? If this is it, how come I don’t manifest spiritual powers?” If you think like this, it is ruined; then you have caught the demon of spiritual powers. Do you not want to see spiritual powers? Now I will show you: My speaking here, is it not a spiritual power? Your listening here, is it not a spiritual power? You walking here, is it not a spiritual power? These are all spiritual powers; they are all marvelous functions of True Suchness Self-nature. True Suchness Self-nature is “Spiritual” [Shen]; having no obstruction is “Power” [Tong]. If the mind abides nowhere, naturally it has Power. However, our current spiritual powers are small spiritual powers. As long as we protect the True Suchness Self-nature “continuously and densely, successively without rest,” after a long time, great spiritual powers will be issued. In the future, the discovery of great spiritual powers relies on this bit today, relies on this bit of “recognizing the True Mind.” Now that we recognize the True Mind, it is like a little baby (infant) just born; it cannot yet function like an adult, so we must protect it. After growing up, it will be able to function like an adult. The adult is equal to the Buddha; we are now equal to children; we seek the protection of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and also protect it ourselves, practicing with both other-power and self-power together; this is called “nurturing the Holy Embryo,” protecting and nurturing its growth over a long term; after growing up, it can initiate marvelous functions like the Buddha. If you do not protect it, what will happen? The child will die young; the little baby will die before growing into an adult. If after listening, you do not believe: “Oh my, I’m afraid this isn’t it,” and disbelieving, go seek elsewhere, then it dies young, it dies. If you do not protect it, it cannot grow up, cannot become a Buddha, and cannot manifest great spiritual powers. Recognizing this point is very important! My master (Guru Wang Xianglu) often said: “The Golden-Winged Garuda covers thousands of miles with one wing beat, relying entirely on that one bit of strength at the foot.” If the Golden-Winged Garuda’s foot does not push off the ground, it cannot fly up. Have you seen villagers catching eagles? They dig a narrow trench, narrower than the eagle’s body, and put a few newly hatched chicks in the trench; the chicks chirp, and the eagle has sharp eyes; circling in the sky, hey! There are chickens down there, so it comes down to grab them. Its body cannot get in, getting stuck on the trench; it sticks its claws in, but the claws cannot touch the ground; they land on empty space; its wings flap “pa, pa” on both sides, but it just cannot fly up, and the villager catches the eagle. Why can it not fly up? Because its “heels do not touch the ground.” Our recognizing the True Mind now is the heels touching the ground. Otherwise, one cannot fly up either, and cannot initiate boundless marvelous functions.

If we can truly be continuous and dense, successive without rest, then “one attains free functioning.” Following conditions and functioning freely, at ease and unfettered. Humans have afflictions because they cannot function freely; they have too many demands for this and that. Wanting to get rich, wanting to get promoted, wanting children to be successful... demands without end. But if you did not practice generosity in the past, how can you get rich? If you did not serve the public in the past, how can you get promoted? Seeking but not obtaining, affliction is endless. If one recognizes the True Mind and knows that all things are unobtainable, one follows conditions and functions freely, at ease and unfettered. What do you want those things for? Not to mention that you cannot get them, even if you could get them, you still come naked and go naked; born empty-handed, dying empty-handed! Yet the various karmas you created by unscrupulous means to achieve your goals follow you; you cannot drive them away even if you try, and eventually, there will be retribution. Quickly awaken! Do the work well! Only in this way can one function freely, be at ease, and be unfettered.

“Therefore, regarding the arising of delusive thoughts, let them arise (The *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* says: regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either), one should know that what arises are all the practice of the Way in the original pure nature. When kung-fu reaches this point, there is no stagnation at all, and delusive thoughts are all the practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands. Since no-thought is having thought, and having thought is no-thought, thinking yet not thinking, not thinking yet thinking.”

If delusive thoughts want to arise, let them arise; do not suppress them; this is not indulging them; indulging is ceaseless climbing on conditions [seeking]. “Letting them arise” involves no climbing on conditions at all. The parenthesis quotes the *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment*: “regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either”; this sentence has been explained before. The *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* speaks four sentences in succession: “Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times, yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either; abide in illusory realms without adding knowing, and in non-knowing, do not distinguish reality.” These four sentences are four steps of *gongfu*: coarse, fine, micro-fine, and extremely micro-fine. Coarse is the first sentence, “Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times”; do not give rise to delusive thoughts at any time, do not climb on external objects; this is speaking roughly, it is the initial work. Fine is the second step, “regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either”; why not extinguish them? We explained before, it is to initiate marvelous functions; one cannot press delusive thoughts to death. But one must not run after them nor indulge them; this requires mastering the measure well, so it is relatively finer.

The third step, “abide in illusory realms without adding knowing”; what does abiding in illusory realms mean? It is precisely within this state of neither pressing to death nor indulging. In fact, the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and earth, self and others, sentient beings, flowers, birds, fish, and insects... all realms are “illusory realms,” all accumulated by delusion. If not accumulated by delusion, there would not be these realms of people and self. Because we do not recognize the True Suchness Self-nature, ignorance moves wildly, chasing and grasping at characteristic forms, and consequently, these characteristic forms are moved out. Yet we continue to **identify with** the false as true, grasping falsely and taking falsely; how confused this is! Creating karma due to confusion, and receiving retribution due to karma, moving out the Six Paths of Reincarnation from where there are no Six Paths, moving out a boundless sea of suffering from where there is no suffering. You might say: “I feel these are quite real; why do I not sense that this is an illusory realm?” This is micro-fine. Your mind is coarse and cannot sense the micro-fine states; one must do micro-fine work. How to do micro-fine work? “Abide in illusory realms without adding knowing”; in the state of neither pressing delusions to death nor indulging delusions, do not add knowing. Why not add knowing? Because all things with form are illusory realms, and they are also manifestations of the True Mind. The illusory realm is the True Mind, and the True Mind is the illusory realm. If there were no True Mind, where would the illusory realm come from? Just as without water there are no waves, and without a mirror there are no reflections. Therefore, do not distinguish, accept, or reject this illusory realm anymore; this is “without adding knowing.”

The fourth step, “in non-knowing, do not distinguish reality.” Our minds are always in relativity: existence and non-existence, true and false, etc.; actually, this is all the discriminating mind making trouble. Existence, non-existence, true, false, etc., are all proliferations [*prapañca*]. To say “existence” is the “fallacy of addition”; it is just as it is; if you say “existence,” it is clearly “placing a head on top of a head,” adding to it for no reason, which is equivalent to slandering it. To say “non-existence” is the “fallacy of subtraction”; it is originally unobtainable, so what need is there to subtract? If you say “non-existence,” is that not the “fallacy of subtraction”? To say “both existence and non-existence” is the “fallacy of contradiction”—self-contradictory. To say “neither existence nor non-existence” is the “fallacy of proliferation.” Existence, non-existence, both existence and non-existence, neither existence nor non-existence—all four phrases are slandering the Dharma! Relative dharmas like true and false are also like this—all are like this. Only by realizing the True Suchness Self-nature can one depart from all relativities. With the slightest deviation, one falls into relativities like existence and non-existence, true and false; this is extremely micro-fine. “Do not distinguish reality” means do not go distinguishing that this is true and that is false. True is false, false is true; immediate truth is false, immediate falsehood is true; neither true nor false, neither false nor true; both true and false, both false and true. For example, in our Pure Land practice, if we say the Western Pure Land is true and our Saha World is false, that is wrong. If the Western Pure Land is true, our world here is also true; if the Saha World is false, the Western Pure Land is also false. Why speak in this way? Because all things flow out from the One True Dharma Realm, are all derivatives of True Suchness Self-nature, and are all sprays in the Great Ocean of Perfect Enlightenment. As it is said: “Nothing does not flow from this Dharma Realm, nothing does not return to this Dharma Realm.” This Dharma Realm is the Great Ocean of Perfect Enlightenment. The Western Pure Land is a Pure Land because it is obtained by the response of Amitabha Buddha’s power of vows and the pure minds of great Bodhisattvas; our Saha World is a Filthy Land because it is manifested by sentient beings like us adhering to environments and creating karma. Adhering to environments and creating karma is also the marvelous function of the True Mind! In terms of the True Mind, all is true; in terms of reflections, all is false. “Whatever appearances there are, are all illusory”; the Western Pure Land is also a reflection of the True Mind! After recognizing the marvelous Essence of the True Mind, one has absolute assurance of being born in the Western Pure Land. “Mind is the Land, the Land is Mind. According to the purity of one’s mind, the Buddha Land is pure.” The so-called “birth in Pure Land” is actually birth in the Pure Land within my mind; naturally, it takes no effort and requires no coming or going. Therefore, the Great Patriarch said: “Those born decidedly are born; those who go actually do not go.”

“One should know that what arises are all the practice of the Way in the original pure nature.” One should know that all functions we initiate, all thoughts we give rise to, and all things we recognize are the “practice of the Way” within the “original pure nature.” The original pure nature is True Suchness Self-nature. Practice of the Way [*daohéng*] is the behavior of practicing the Way; this is precisely the marvelous function of True Suchness Self-nature! One should know that all that arises is the marvelous function of True Suchness Self-nature.

“When *gongfu* reaches this point, there is no stagnation at all, and delusive thoughts are all the practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands.” “*Gongfu* reaches this point” means *gongfu* arrives at this stage. What stage? That is, soberly fully knowing that what arises is all the practice of the Way in the original pure nature. If *gongfu* reaches this point, there is no stagnation at all. Grasping at the deluded mind and deluded realm without letting go is called “sticking”; stopping before the Unsurpassed Way and not moving forward is called “stagnation.” Without sticking, one no longer abides in characteristics, no longer distinguishes, accepts, or rejects, and the mind is naturally empty and spacious. Without sticking, there is inevitably no stagnation, and one inevitably advances rapidly on the great path of practice. Then, the thoughts that arise are all “practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands.” The Ganges is a great river in India; the sand in the river is very fine, and one can imagine to what extent the number of sand grains in the Ganges reaches. Buddhist sutras often use “Ganges sands” to metaphorize a large quantity. Marvelous functions as numerous as Ganges sands means infinitely many marvelous functions. Just mentioned, “practice of the Way” is the behavior of practicing the Way. The proverb says: A certain Great Dharma Master has deep “*daohéng*.” This means his foundation in practice is deep and thick. Therefore, “*daohéng*” also refers to the foundation of practice. Reaching this stage, there is not a single bit of sticking or stagnation; delusive thoughts become the practice of the Way, capable of initiating immeasurable and boundless marvelous functions.

“Since no-thought is having thought, and having thought is no-thought, thinking yet not thinking, not thinking yet thinking.” Is not having no delusive thoughts very good? Why was it said just now that “delusive thoughts are all the practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands”? Because no-thought is having thought, having thought is no-thought, thinking yet not thinking, not thinking yet thinking. When we discussed the four sentences in the *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* earlier, we analyzed existence and non-existence, true and false, etc., enough; here we will not make excessive repetitive explanations of “no-thought is having thought... not thinking yet thinking.” I believe everyone can certainly infer the rest from one example and understand correctly. Simply put: No-thought is having thought; having what thought? Having Right Thought; Right Thought is “clear and distinct knowing.” Having thought is no-thought; it is having no evil thought; evil thought is the thought of “sticking and stagnation.” Thinking yet not thinking is “hitting a ball on rapid water”—“thought after thought does not stay.” Not thinking yet thinking is “where delusive thoughts extinguish, purity is immediately obtained.” Contrasting with the four sentences of the *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment*: No-thought is having thought—“Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times” (there is a thought of “not giving rise to delusive thoughts”); having thought is no-thought—“yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either”; thinking yet not thinking—“abide in illusory realms without adding knowing”; not thinking yet thinking—“in non-knowing, do not distinguish reality” (do not distinguish, accept, or reject, which is pure Right Thought).

Layman Pang of the Tang Dynasty wrote a verse: “I have a son but do not wed him, I have a daughter but do not marry her off; The whole family gathers round, speaking together of the Unborn.” Layman Yang Jie of the Song Dynasty, not yielding to the sage of old, harmonized with a poem: “If the boy is big he must wed, if the girl is grown she must marry; Why ask for idle *gongfu*? Even more so to speak of the Unborn!” Zen Master Hai Yin Xin saw these two verses and also harmonized with one: “I have no boy to wed, and no girl to marry; When tired I just sleep, caring nothing for words of the Unborn.” Seeing these three ancients like this, I also harmonized with one: “If there is a boy, just wed; if there is a girl, just marry; Sons upon sons and grandsons upon grandsons, are all speaking words of the Unborn.” Everyone, from these four verses, can you see a single bit of “sticking or stagnation”? If you ask: “Reading the four verses, the positions are different; in the end, should one wed or not, should one marry or not?” That is you yourself sticking and stagnating on the words. “Interpreting the meaning literally based on the text is the injustice of the Buddhas of the three times!” We, too, can only “hang our mouths on the wall.”

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