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July 2023 Compilation of Venerable Hui Lu's Writings
Footnotes are generated by Gemini 2.5 Pro (Experimental) AI Model.
Author: Master Huilu (慧律法师)
Title: One Should Give Rise to the Mind that Abides Nowhere
(应无所住而生其心)
Context: This text is a commentary by Master Huilu, a
contemporary Taiwanese Buddhist monk known for his clear explanations of
Buddhist doctrines, focusing on a pivotal line from the Diamond Sūtra: "应无所住而生其心" (yīng wú suǒ zhù ér shēng qí xīn). This
line is famously associated with the awakening of the Sixth Patriarch of Chan
(Zen) Buddhism, Huineng. Master Huilu elucidates the meaning of this phrase,
explaining its significance in terms of essence (体, tǐ) and function (用,
yòng), non-abiding, and the cultivation of the Bodhisattva mind.
English Translation:
Fellow students! “One should, abiding nowhere, give rise to
that mind” — these two lines of scripture are the most crucial juncture in the
Diamond Sūtra, which I will now briefly explain. The Diamond Sūtra pertains to
the Prajñā of true reality [śīlā-pāramitā]. The Buddha expounded it for those
embarking on the Great Vehicle [Mahāyāna], for those embarking on the Highest
Vehicle [Uttamayāna], capable of opening the great wisdom of students. However,
the entire Diamond Sūtra is about breaking through signs [appearances] to
reveal the essence [fundamental nature]. The two lines “One should, abiding
nowhere, give rise to that mind” manifest both essence and function
simultaneously. What are essence and function? “One should abide nowhere” is
the essence; “and give rise to that mind” is the function. Function is not
separate from essence, and essence is not separate from function. “One should
abide nowhere” neither attaches to existence, nor does “and give rise to that
mind” fall into non-existence; this is the fundamental purport of the Diamond
Sūtra. Therefore, when the Sixth Patriarch heard these two lines, he instantly
attained awakening. But why did the Sixth Patriarch awaken immediately upon
hearing them? One must know that the Sixth Patriarch was a Bodhisattva in the
flesh, who had already seen his nature. Why is this so? Consider the Sixth Patriarch’s
verse: “Bodhi originally has no tree, the bright mirror also has no stand.
Fundamentally not one thing exists, where can dust alight?”¹ From this verse,
the Fifth Patriarch knew that the Sixth Patriarch had already awakened to the essence
of the non-abiding fundamental nature, but had not yet understood the wonder of
giving rise to the mind and activating its function. Thus, he summoned him to
his room at the third watch. When transmitting the sūtra and reaching the two
lines, “One should, abiding nowhere, give rise to that mind,” the Sixth
Patriarch greatly awakened to the principle of the non-duality of essence and
function. Later, he taught students according to this principle, greatly
invigorating the Chan school’s ethos. This shows that these two lines of the
sūtra are extremely important; I hope everyone pays special attention.
Original Text:
诸同学！“应无所住，而生其心”，这两句经文，是《金刚经》中最紧要的关节，今略说之。《金刚经》是实相般若，佛为发大乘者说，为发最上乘者说，可以开学人的大智慧。然全部金刚经，都是破相显体。“应无所住，而生其心”两句，乃体用并显。云何体用？“应无所住”是体，“而生其心”是用，用不离体，体不离用。“应无所住”既不著有，“而生其心”亦不落无，方是金刚本旨。所以六祖闻此二句，立时悟道。然则六祖何以一闻便悟？当知六祖乃肉身菩萨，早已见性。何以故？试看六祖偈语：“菩提本无树，明镜亦非台，本来无一物，何处惹尘埃？”五祖於此偈语，知六祖已悟无住本性之体，而未明生心起用之妙，故令三更入室。传经至“应无所住，而生其心”二句，六祖大悟体用不二之理。後来即依此教化学人，大振宗风。可见这两句经，非常重要，望大家特别注意。
Footnotes/Annotations:
¹ This verse was composed by Huineng in response to a verse
by Shenxiu, the head monk, during the Fifth Patriarch Hongren's search for a
successor. Huineng's verse demonstrated a deeper understanding of emptiness
(śūnyatā) and non-abiding.
English Translation:
“One should abide nowhere” means abiding in nothing
whatsoever. If one can abide in nothing whatsoever, that is the realm of true
reality. Having awakened to the signlessness of true reality, where nothing is
attained, what self-grasping, afflictions, birth-and-death, or ignorance could
there be to abide in? Yet, if one clings to non-abiding, one falls into biased
emptiness. Why is this so? One must know that true emptiness is not empty. How
is it not empty? The empty quiescence and numinous awareness (靈知) give
rise to function, which is self-evident. How does function arise? It is giving
rise to the mind based on Prajñā wisdom, that is the arising of function. How
does one give rise to the mind? It means giving rise to the wondrously bright
true mind inherent within us; that is, giving rise to the Bodhisattva mind of
inexhaustible compassionate vows, the Bodhi-mind, the mind of loving-kindness
and compassion, the mind of equality, the altruistic mind free from self. Minds
such as these are all minds that arise from abiding nowhere. This is the true
mind, the pure mind, which is also the Buddha-mind. But the minds that sentient
beings give rise to are minds of greed, minds of self-grasping, minds of
arrogance, minds of discrimination, extending to the eighty-four thousand
affliction-minds. Minds such as these are all minds that arise from abiding
somewhere; they are the deluded mind, the mind of karmic consciousness, which
is also the mind of sentient beings. Why is this? Because sentient beings
attach to signs everywhere; since signs are many, minds are also many. With
many minds, one cannot achieve purity. With an impure mind, one cannot awaken
to the true reality, the true mind. Therefore, Buddhist practitioners who wish
to awaken to the true reality, the true mind, must let go of everything. Then,
abiding in nothing whatsoever, the true mind reveals itself; this is the mind
of the Way. The Way arises from the mind, and the mind is seen through the Way.
Speaking ultimately, even this word “Way” cannot be spoken. As it is said, “The
path of words is cut off; the passage of mental activity ceases.”² This
principle is subtle and profound, not easily grasped by beginners. The Buddha
wants people to realize that true reality is signless, and that being free from
thought [niàn] is the true mind, hence he said, “One should abide nowhere.” The
Buddha also wants people to realize the wonder of the arising function, so he
skillfully also said, “and give rise to that mind.” The two lines, “One should,
abiding nowhere, give rise to that mind,” seem contradictory at first glance,
but in reality, it is just so.
Original Text:
应无所住，就是一切不住。若能一切不住，即是实相境界。既悟实相无相，一无所得，还有什麽我执、烦恼、生死、无明可住？若执著无住，又落於偏空。何以故？当知真空不空。云何不空？空寂灵知，起用自见。用云何起？依般若智而生其心，即是起用。云何生心？即生吾人本具之妙明真心，就是生悲愿无尽之菩萨心、菩提心、慈悲心、平等心、利他无我心。如是等心，皆是无所住而生之心。便是真心、清净心，亦即是佛心。而众生所生之心，乃贪心、我执心、贡高心、差别心，乃至八万四千烦恼心。如是等心，皆是有所住而生之心，便是妄心、业识心，亦即是众生心。所以者何？因众生处处著相，相多故心亦多，心多即不能清净，心不清净，即不能悟得实相真心。故学佛人欲悟实相真心，即要放下一切，则一切不住，真心自见，即是道心。道从心生，心由道见。讲到究竟，这一个道字，也不可说。所谓言语道断，心行路绝。此理微妙，初学人不易领悟。佛要人领悟实相无相，离念即是真心，故说“应无所住”。佛又要人领悟起用之妙，故又方便说“而生其心”，“应无所住，而生其心”二句，看来似觉矛盾，其实就是如是。
Footnotes/Annotations:
² "言语道断，心行处灭" (yányǔ
dào duàn, xīnxíng chù miè) is a common Chan expression indicating that ultimate
reality transcends conceptualization and verbal description. The text uses a
slightly different phrasing: "心行路绝"
(xīnxíng lù jué), meaning the road/path of mental activity is cut off/at an
end.
English Translation:
Fellow students! Since you know that “one should abide
nowhere” is true reality Bodhi, which is also the realm of the Dharmakāya
Buddha, you should nevertheless not seek this true reality, seek this
Dharmakāya Buddha. Seeking is precisely not it. Why? Because true reality is
signless, it cannot be sought. Letting go is it; any stirring of thought is
wrong. As soon as the mind of seeking arises, it becomes delusion. One must
know that this realm of true reality is not exclusive to the Buddhas; we too
are inherently endowed with it. Why is this? Because Buddhas and sentient
beings are originally non-dual. If everyone just closes their eyes right now
and reflects in quiescence, with not a single thought arising, then one is
thus-like and unmoving [tathatā], of the same essence with all things –
that is the non-abiding true mind of true reality. If even a subtle thought
stirs, there is abiding somewhere. Abiding somewhere means it is not true
reality. Therefore, an ancient worthy said: “When not a single thought arises,
the whole essence manifests; the moment the six sense faculties stir, they are
covered by clouds.”³ The reason why everyone’s practice does not achieve
correspondence is because of abiding somewhere, hence there is seeking. Having
abiding and having seeking is adding fetters upon oneself; how can one then see
one’s own fundamental nature?
Original Text:
诸同学！既知应无所住，即是实相菩提，亦即法身佛之境界，却不要去觅此实相，觅此法身佛，觅即不是。何以故？实相无相，不可觅故。放下便是，动念皆非。一起觅心，便成妄想。当知此实相境界，非诸佛独有，我等亦本自具足。所以者何？佛与众生，本来无二故。只要大家此刻瞑目寂照，一念不生，则如如不动，万物同体，即是实相之无住真心。如一念微动，即是有所住。有所住，即非实相。所以古德云：“一念不生全体现，六根才动被云遮。”大家修持不能相应者，因有所住，故有所求；有住有求，便是自加捆缚，岂能自见本性？
Footnotes/Annotations:
³ This couplet is often attributed to Chan masters,
emphasizing the pristine nature revealed in stillness and obscured by
conceptual activity originating from sense contact.
English Translation:
Everyone is now cultivating the Dharma-gate of the
mind-ground; you must clearly recognize the principle of “abiding nowhere, give
rise to that mind.” To understand the essence and function of these two lines
of the sūtra, one must first establish the essence, and only then can the
function arise. How is the essence established? By letting go of all minds that
seek and abide, it is established. Because everything is let go, the deluded
mind naturally ceases. When the deluded mind ceases, the non-abiding true mind
naturally manifests. However, everyone knows that letting go is good, yet is
always unable to let go. Why is this? It is because our karmic consciousness is
too deep, making letting go difficult. Because letting go is difficult, one
then resorts to starting with subduing one's mind. Little do they know that abiding
in nothing whatsoever is subduing. If one seeks some other way to subdue, it is
like putting a head on top of a head.⁴ If one can truly abide in nothing
whatsoever, one attains the fundamental essence of true reality. Based on the
fundamental essence of true reality, abiding where there is no abiding, giving
rise to that which is not [truly] arisen [i.e., arising without inherent
existence], this is activating function based on essence.
Original Text:
大家现在修的是心地法门，须将应无所住而生其心之道理认清。要明白这两句经的体用，必先立其体，然後才能起其用。体云何立？将一切有求有住之心放下便立。因一切放下，妄心自息。妄心息，则无住真心，自然现前。但是大家明知放下是好，而总不能放下者，何故？盖吾人业识太深，放下不易。因为放下不易，故又要从降伏其心下手。殊不知，一切无住，便是降伏。若另求降伏，便是头上安头。果能一切无住，即得实相本体。依实相本体，而住无所住，生无所生，即是依体起用。
Footnotes/Annotations:
⁴ "Putting a head on top of a head" (头上安头, tóu
shàng ān tóu) is a Chan idiom meaning to do something superfluous, redundant,
or unnecessarily complicated. Seeking a method to subdue the mind separate from
the practice of non-abiding is seen as such redundancy.
English Translation:
The difference between Buddhas and sentient beings lies only
in awareness and unawareness, compassion and lack of compassion. Aware means
detaching from signs even amidst appearances, abiding in nothing whatsoever, hence
called 'Buddha'; unaware means giving rise to mind upon encountering objects
[conditions], abiding in everything, hence called 'sentient being'.
Compassionate means holding equality dear, seeing all things as one essence,
thus called 'Buddha'; lacking compassion means giving rise to greed, anger,
delusion, and arrogance, with afflictions proliferating, thus called 'sentient
being'. However, awareness and unawareness are distinctions pertaining to the essence;
compassion and lack of compassion are differences pertaining to the function. Essence
and function are non-dual; both are one mind. If one can transform an evil mind
into a good mind, that is the Buddha-mind. Therefore, the Sixth Patriarch said:
“With one thought level and direct, sentient beings are Buddhas.”⁵
Original Text:
佛与众生之分，只在觉与不觉，慈悲与不慈悲。觉则即相离相，一切不住，故名日佛；不觉则见境生心，一切皆住，故名众生。慈悲则平等为怀，万物一体，即名日佛；不慈悲则贪嗔痴慢，烦恼丛生，即名众生。然觉与不觉，乃体上之分；慈悲与不慈悲，乃用上之别。体用不二，皆是一心。若能转恶心为善心，即是佛心。故六祖云：“一念平直，众生是佛”。
Footnotes/Annotations:
⁵ This quote is from the Platform Sūtra of the Sixth
Patriarch, emphasizing the inherent Buddha-nature within all sentient beings,
realizable through direct, unbiased awareness.
English Translation:
Fellow students! The Buddha has three bodies; you should
know that we also have three bodies, namely the Dharmakāya, Sambhogakāya, and
Nirmāṇakāya. When one
abides nowhere, the true mind of empty quiescence and numinous awareness (靈知)
pervades all of empty space; this is the Dharmakāya. When one gives rise to the
mind, a good mind gives rise to a good reward [result/body], an evil mind gives
rise to an evil reward [result/body]; the mind at this time is the
Sambhogakāya. With one instance of thinking, various transformations occur:
thinking evil transforms into hell, thinking good transforms into heaven; the
mind at this time is the Nirmāṇakāya.
Everyone, understanding this principle, must constantly apply effort to
non-abiding and giving rise to the mind. The mind is like empty space, yet does
not retain the measure of empty space; liberating all beings, yet not attaching
to the sign of any being. This is what is meant by "accordant with
conditions yet unchanging, unchanging yet accordant with conditions".⁶ "Unchanging"
is abiding nowhere; "accordant with conditions" is giving rise to the
mind.
Original Text:
诸同学！佛有三身，当知吾人亦有三身，所谓法身、报身、化身。其不住时，空寂灵知之真心，遍满虚空，即是法身。生其心时，善心生得善报，恶心生得恶报，此时之心，即是报身。一念思量，种种变化，思邪化地狱，思善化天堂，此时之心，即是化身。大家明白此理，就要时时在无住生心上用功。心如虚空，而不存虚空之量；度尽一切，而不著一切之相。所谓随缘不变，不变随缘，不变即是无所住，随缘即是生其心。
Footnotes/Annotations:
⁶ "随缘不变，不变随缘" (suí yuán bù biàn, bù biàn suí yuán) is a key
phrase in Chinese Buddhism, particularly Chan, describing the state of an
awakened being who can respond appropriately to all circumstances (随缘) without losing their fundamental, unchanging nature (不变), and whose unchanging nature allows them to skillfully
engage with changing conditions.
Post-Translation Explanation:
This translation provides Master Huilu's commentary on the
Diamond Sūtra phrase "应无所住而生其心" (yīng wú suǒ zhù ér shēng qí xīn). The
core of the teaching revolves around the non-duality of emptiness/non-abiding (无住,
wú zhù), identified as the essence (体, tǐ),
and the active, compassionate function of the mind (生心,
shēng xīn), identified as the function (用, yòng).
Key concepts explained include:
* Non-Abiding (无所住,
wú suǒ zhù): This is
equated with realizing the true reality (实相,
shíxiàng), which is signless (无相, wúxiàng) and empty (空,
kōng). It means letting go of all attachments, including attachment to the
self, phenomena, and even the concept of non-abiding itself (avoiding biased
emptiness). This state is the fundamental essence or essence (体, tǐ).
* Giving Rise to the
Mind (生其心, shēng qí xīn): This refers to the active function (用,
yòng) that arises from the non-abiding essence. It's not just any mind, but the
pure, compassionate Bodhisattva mind, the mind of wisdom (Prajñā), equality,
and altruism – the "wondrously bright true mind" (妙明真心,
miàomíng zhēnxīn). This contrasts with the deluded mind (妄心,
wàngxīn) of ordinary beings, which arises from attachment and discrimination.
* Essence and
Function (体用, tǐ
yòng): Master Huilu emphasizes that these are non-dual. True non-abiding
naturally gives rise to compassionate function, and true compassionate function
is rooted in non-abiding. Realization involves understanding this unity, as
exemplified by the Sixth Patriarch's awakening.
* True Reality and
Practice: True reality (the non-abiding mind) is inherent in everyone, not
something external to be sought. Practice involves letting go (放下,
fàngxià) of attachments and the seeking mind. Non-abiding itself is presented
as the method for "subduing the mind" (降伏其心),
rendering other techniques potentially superfluous ("putting a head on top
of a head").
* Three Bodies (三身,
sān shēn): The Dharmakāya, Sambhogakāya, and Nirmāṇakāya are explained not just as attributes of a
Buddha but as aspects inherent within one's own mind, corresponding to the
non-abiding true mind (Dharmakāya), the mind generating karmic results
(Sambhogakāya), and the mind undergoing transformations through thought (Nirmāṇakāya).
The translation adheres strictly to the provided terminology
guidelines (e.g., "signless" for 無相, "empty
quiescence" for 空寂, "numinous awareness (靈知)"
for 靈知,
"thinking" for 思量). It maintains the paragraph
structure and includes the full original Chinese text after each translated
paragraph, ensuring completeness and fidelity as per the instructions.
Footnotes clarify specific terms, verses, and idioms. The overall tone reflects
the didactic and insightful nature of a Dharma talk.
