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From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm
The Ganges Mahamudra (Lecture 6)
By Elder Yuan Yin
We cited koans to discuss that "insentient beings are sentient beings," and that "sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom," but there are still many people who do not fully understand. Therefore, it is necessary to explain once more why sentient and insentient beings are the same, and in what aspects they are the same, summarizing as follows.
First point: All insentient things are objects of the Wondrous Bright True Mind; the True Mind is the Buddha Mind, so the insentient is the sentient. The True Mind is not as our deluded mind imagines—blocked by ignorance and shrinking inside the bodily shell, just a tiny dot. When you work on the practice and open it up, you will discover that it actually exhausts the void and pervades the Dharma-realm; however large the void is, the True Mind is that large. Chan Master Xuefeng Yicun said: "The True Mind is like an ancient mirror; however wide and large the void is, the ancient mirror is that wide and large." Why say it is like an ancient mirror? The meaning of "ancient mirror" refers to something that does not just exist in the present life; it compares our True Mind to something that has existed since beginningless time. And why compare it to a mirror? Because a mirror can reflect the ten thousand things, and the myriad phenomena can manifest within the mirror; our True Mind is also like this, brightly illuminating the great thousand worlds, encompassing worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges without obstruction. "Sands of the Ganges" refers to boundless and endless worlds, as uncountable as the sands of the Ganges River. There are many worlds in the void; modern science has proven that there are extraterrestrials, and stars like the sun are not limited to just one. The more prosperous science becomes, the more it can prove that the words spoken by my Buddha are true and not false. Our True Mind is like the void; all worlds are within our Mind; if the worlds are within our Mind, are not insentient things within our Mind? For instance, the house we built is insentient; it is on the earth, and the earth is in the void, so isn't the house also in the void? Therefore, all insentient things are right within my Mind! Because they are within our Mind, we say that our True Mind spiritually possesses the ten thousand things. The ten thousand things are within my True Mind, and the True Mind is the Buddha Mind; if the ten thousand things are not Buddha, what are they? Hence it is said there is no distinction between insentient and sentient beings. Why must we understand this principle? Because once you understand that the insentient is the sentient, your mind's capacity becomes vast and can contain the ten thousand things, and you will no longer grasp at appearances to obtain things; practicing in this way makes it easier to progress. Thus, we must have a correct and clear recognition that the insentient is the sentient; this is the first point.
Second point: All insentient things are merely composed of the Four Elements, and the Four Elements are the elemental seeds of the True Mind. For example, the earth is insentient and is also composed of the Four Elements: earth, water, fire, and wind; a big tree is the same, composed of the Four Elements, and is also insentient; neither possesses emotional love. The earth moves with rotation and revolution; isn't that the wind element? The earth's crust is hard; isn't that the earth element? There are oceans on the surface and groundwater underground; isn't that the water element? There is fire in the earth's core, like when a volcano erupts and fire comes out; isn't that the fire element? So it is all earth, water, fire, and wind. The tree is also like this; the tree sways ceaselessly, isn't that the wind element? The trunk is the earth element; if you peel the bark, water comes out, which is the water element; the tree itself has fire nature and can burn, isn't that the fire element? So they are all formed by the Four Elements. And the Four Elements of earth, water, fire, and wind are the basic elements of our Buddha-nature; they are the Seed-nature of the Four Elements. Seed-nature is the seed that can give rise to things, like rice seeds or wheat seeds; planting rice seeds grows rice, planting wheat seeds grows wheat, so "seed" implies the ability to generate and grow. Therefore, our Buddha-nature is an omnipotent Essence; all things are created by it, all things are invented by it, and all things are manifested by it, so all things are our Buddha-nature! Do not consider them to be things outside the body; they are all our own self!
Third point: Who discovered the insentient? Who made it? If separated from our Buddha-nature, it could not be discovered. For example, there is a tree here, and there is a flower on the tree; if we do not look at it, who can know there is a flower on the tree? Then who sees the flower? Is it the eyes? It is not the eyes. Modern scientists also understand that seeing things is not done by the eyes, but is the function of the brain, because if the brain does not function, the eyes cannot operate and cannot see things. However, scientists only know that the brain can cause the six sense organs to function, but they cannot go further to know that the brain itself cannot function either. This is because the brain nerves are just like an electrical grid; to function, they still need energy (electricity) to be input. If no energy (electricity) is input, the brain has no power and cannot function. It is just like an electric lamp; if the electric energy does not come, it cannot light up. What is energy? Energy is our Buddha-nature; if the Buddha-nature departs, although the brain is there, it cannot function. Therefore, our every word and action, every movement, is the wondrous function of the Buddha-nature; apart from the Buddha-nature, we cannot function. Thus, that our eyes can see the insentient is the manifestation of Buddha-nature, and the insentient is also achieved by the Buddha-nature. Why? For example, we give rise to a thought: how to plant this flower, how to cultivate it? Thereupon we study the technique of planting flowers and cultivate them carefully, and the flowers bloom luxuriantly; if this is not the function of our Buddha-nature, what is it? Suppose the Buddha-nature leaves a person; his body becomes like a stone—can he still use his brain? Can his hands and feet still move? Can he still cultivate flowers? Who built the house successfully? It was built by people. If engineers, craftsmen, and masons are separated from the Buddha-nature, can their brains still operate, and can their hands and feet still move to design blueprints and build houses? So all insentient things are also manifested by our Buddha-nature; they are successfully created by the Buddha-nature. For this reason, apart from Buddha-nature, there are no insentient things at all. If the insentient were separated from Buddha-nature, would it still exist? Absolutely not. Therefore, the insentient is the sentient, which is Buddha-nature. These insentient things are like reflections appearing in a mirror, and the mirror is like our True Mind Buddha-nature. Our True Mind Buddha-nature is the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom; it brightly illuminates the ten directions without obstruction; nothing in the worlds of the ten directions is not manifested, nothing is not seen. A mirror reflecting objects is only an analogy; it is insufficient to describe the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom. Is seeing these things in front of you or the light emitted before your eyes the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom? No, no, it is still far off! A mirror can manifest reflections, and the Mind-mirror can reflect ten thousand appearances; the reflection cannot separate from the mirror. Can the reflection leave the mirror? If it leaves the mirror, the reflection is gone. The reflection cannot leave the mirror, and the appearance cannot leave the Mind; apart from the Mind, the appearance has nowhere to manifest. If there are no reflections, it does not constitute a mirror; likewise, apart from appearances, the True Mind has no way to manifest. The True Mind has no appearance to be seen; it must be manifested through phenomenal appearances. Therefore, the True Mind can complete the ten thousand things, and conversely, the ten thousand things manifest the True Mind; Mind and appearance are just this subtle and wondrous. For this reason, Mind is appearance, appearance is Mind; reflection is mirror, mirror is reflection; so the insentient is the sentient; this is the third point.
Fourth point: The insentient is originally Buddha-nature, but due to ignorance and lack of awakening, one deludedly recognizes a small portion of the Four Elements as "my body" and abandons the vast majority of the Four Elements, considering them things outside the body and judging them as insentient; hence there is the deluded discrimination between sentient and insentient. Looking at the examples analyzed above, all insentient things are originally manifested by Buddha-nature; sentient beings, simply due to ignorance, unconsciously take a small portion of the Four Elements (earth, water, fire, wind) as their own physical body and abandon ninety-something percent of the Four Elements (earth, water, fire, wind) outside, considering them things outside the body. Thereupon they distinguish that "this is sentient" and "that is insentient"; actually, everything is oneself; this is the fault of ignorance! Therefore, if we are effective in our practice and smash through ignorance, we can realize that these mountains, rivers, and the great earth, the vegetation and forests, not a single one is not our own self. Taking "me" as the host, you and everything around are reflections in my mind. Taking "you" as the host, all this is reflections in your minds. There is a saying put well: "Each sentient being possesses the whole Dharma-realm." What is the whole Dharma-realm? The Dharma-realm is the One True Dharma-realm, which is the True Mind. Everything is fully possessed, lacking not a single strand or speck; this is called "the whole." Whole what? Whole sentient beings each possess it; there is no hindrance for sentient beings to each possess it. You are you, I am I, he is he; Zhang San is Zhang San, Li Si is Li Si; what does each possess? Each possesses the whole Dharma-realm, meaning everyone has the True Mind, lacking not a fraction. For example, in your mirror there is me, and in my mirror there is you; they inter-absorb without obstruction. Or, for example, there are many electric lamps in a room; the light of this lamp and the light of that lamp merge light with light and absorb light with light, not rejecting each other. From this, we can know that insentient and sentient are one essence; it is only because of our ignorance and lack of awakening that we deludedly give rise to discrimination. Once ignorance is smashed, we can truly recognize the wondrous function of the True Mind and will not regard the insentient as external objects.
Fifth point: Insentient things are earth, wood, metal, and stone; if we practice poorly and suppress delusive thoughts to death, we turn into the insentient, turning into earth, wood, metal, and stone. Earth, wood, metal, and stone are one of our twelve categories of living beings (the Diamond Sutra mentions ten categories, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra mentions twelve). Some say that the six realms of rebirth are all sentient and have nothing to do with the insentient. Actually, if you practice poorly or practice the external paths and suppress [the mind] to death, you will also transform into earth, wood, metal, and stone, becoming insentient. So, seen in this way, isn't the sentient the insentient?
Therefore, after understanding the principle that mountains, rivers, the great earth, men and women, old and young, sentient and insentient, are all manifestations of our Buddha-nature and are all our own self, when working on practice, one must be empty, spiritual, and non-abiding, neither seizing nor releasing. "Not seizing" means when a delusive thought comes, do not press it down and forbid it to move, thereby becoming earth, wood, metal, and stone. "Not releasing" means do not indulge the delusive thought and let it arise blindly, thereby wandering in birth and death. Regarding delusive thoughts, neither suppress nor follow; let it come, I will not pay attention to you. It is not that there are no delusive thoughts, but that they exist. Delusive thoughts formed over many kalpas and lifetimes—you think they will disappear as soon as you practice? Easier said than done; it cannot be achieved. Therefore, in our practice, we first cut off coarse delusion; coarse delusion is the delusive thinking produced when we give rise to mind in response to objects. How to extinguish coarse delusion? That is, we must know that the state/object is unobtainable and is just a reflection manifested by the Self-nature; my True Mind is the mirror, and those other things are reflections. Grasp the mirror, do not grasp the reflection. If one does not attach to reflection-appearances, the True Mind does not move, delusive thoughts will not arise, and coarse delusion is extinguished. If coarse delusion is not extinguished, your sitting in meditation there is sitting in vain. For example, when sitting, if you think about how my son is, how my daughter is, you cannot sit well. If you further let your imagination run wild—how to spend my money, what to buy, things are so cheap there, so-and-so is good, so-and-so is bad, etc.—can you still sit well like this? You cannot sit well.
Coarse delusion must be extinguished; do not care about the reflections in the mind; reflections in a mirror cannot be grasped. Someone might say: "Reflections in a mirror cannot be grasped, but I can grasp the things that manifest; look, I have grasped this pen." Alas! You are dreaming; that is a dream state! In a dream, things indeed seem to be grasped, delicious food is eaten, one talks happily with good friends, and feels panic and fear upon seeing enemies, but after waking from the dream, there is nothing at all. We are currently in a dream state; do not grasp at appearances; everything is ungraspable. When a single breath does not come, nothing can be taken with you; rather than having to put it down in the future, why not put it down earlier and save some mental effort? If you want to wake up (awaken), you must work on the practice. Those who recite the Buddha's name and those who hold mantras must focus their minds intently, cut off delusive thoughts, and dissolve the body, mind, and world together, turning them all to emptiness, with only the distinct True Mind manifesting. At that time, it is like waking up from sleep and dreaming; everything seen and obtained in the dream has become empty and is gone; is there still anything to grasp? So present appearances are all reflections; you cannot seek them! Therefore, it is necessary to explain clearly to you now, letting you understand the principle that the sentient is the insentient; do not engage in delusive discrimination anymore; put it down, put it down. The insentient is the sentient, the sentient is the insentient; what appearance is there left to attach to?
If you truly deaden the [worldly] mind to the ground, it will be easy to enter samadhi when you sit on the cushion. When coarse delusion is cut off, fine delusion will still come to invade; do not fear it, and do not suppress it; just disregard it. Where delusive thinking is cut off, the True Mind manifests. "When arising and ceasing are extinguished, quiescent extinction manifests"; this is Nirvana. Not arising and not ceasing is Nirvana; arising and ceasing is the delusive mind. When delusive thoughts and delusive feelings are all extinguished, this unarisen and unceasing Buddha-nature manifests. What is the reason one cannot sit well in practice? This requires self-reflection: where is our mind still stuck? Why still stick to it? Put it down quickly! Everything is a reflection in our mind; why are you still sticking to it? It is unobtainable; it is fake; it is empty; let go! If you truly let go, whether reciting Buddha or holding mantras, subject and object will both vanish, roots and dusts will fall away, and naturally, the Buddha-nature will manifest and you will become enlightened. Regarding whether you have seen the Nature or not, do not ask others; taste it for yourself. The supreme flavor of enlightenment is like a mute having a dream; one cannot tell others, but understands clearly in one's heart.
I have recounted the issue of having appearance and being signless again and again, striving to explain it clearly and thoroughly; the purpose is for everyone to have a correct View, which is also the essential meaning of Mahamudra establishing the "View Sect" first. Taking View as the principle is the center of the Buddha Dharma. If the View is correct and one recognizes what the Buddha-nature is, it will be easy to start working on the practice; if one does not recognize the Buddha-nature, one cannot avoid blind practice and blind training. Therefore, Mahamudra does not have a mudra and mantra for us to practice immediately; rather, it explains the View Sect first to correct the View and recognize what the Buddha-nature is.
Summarizing the above discussion, I think everyone has clarified why the insentient is the sentient, why all insentient things are Buddha, and such questions as "sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom." Having truly understood and realized "sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom," then, if someone asks you: "What is Buddha?", you will not be dumbfounded and at a loss; you can just casually pick up anything. Above in the heavens and below on earth, above the sun and below the moon, inside the window and outside the window, bright flowers and dark willows, etc.—these insentient things are all Buddha! Pick up anything at hand, and it all becomes the Marvelous Truth; how convenient.
Last time we spoke of the insentient expounding the Dharma; how does the insentient expound the Dharma? We discussed one level of the principle: Dharma that has words to be spoken and Dharma that has sound to be heard are not the True Dharma. The True Dharma is without speaking; "The path of language is cut off, the place of mental activity is extinguished." That is, language cannot reach it, and thought cannot think of it; Dharma with words and speech is not the True Dharma. Although we cannot hear the insentient expounding the Dharma, it is precisely expounding the Dharma, because "The Great Sound has little tone." No-speaking is True Speaking; no-hearing is True Hearing; hearing sound is not the True Dharma. Therefore it is said: "If you listen with the ear, it is ultimately hard to understand; only when hearing sound with the eye will you know." You might have a doubt in your mind: if one cannot hear sound, how can one say the insentient is expounding the Dharma? Because the true wondrous and mysterious meaning cannot be expressed in speech; it can only be comprehended by the mind and known by the spirit. If one abides in speech, one will fail to reach the true meaning; hence it is said, "If you listen with the ear, it is ultimately hard to understand"—do not abide in sound! The wondrous meaning cannot be heard; "Only when hearing sound with the eye will you know." Why? This insentient expounding the Dharma is a subtle spiritual state of the mind opening and understanding—being touched by the scene and generating feeling, comprehending with the heart and knowing with the spirit, hearing without hearing. When practice investigates to the point of no-speaking, no-hearing, and where delusive thoughts do not arise, one can be touched by the scene and generate feeling, comprehending the mystery within. Just as Dongshan asked his two masters: "Can you hear the insentient expounding the Dharma?" The two masters answered the same: "If I could hear it, you would not hear me expounding the Dharma." The meaning is that true hearing is no-hearing; if I could hear it, I would be grasping at appearances; if I grasp at appearances, I have no qualification to expound the Dharma and cannot expound the Dharma to you. Last time we discussed this layer of meaning; we can supplement it further. The True Dharma Body of all Buddhas is without speaking and without hearing; the Reward and Transformation Bodies are not the True Buddha—they have speaking and hearing. So "The Reward and Transformation [Bodies] are not the True Buddha, nor are they the ones expounding the Dharma"; is it acceptable to have speaking and hearing and abide in speech? Just as was said a moment ago. "If I had hearing, I would be the same as all Buddhas, I would be all Buddhas; the True Dharma Body of all Buddhas is without speaking, so I could not expound the Dharma here; if I can expound the Dharma, then I am different from all Buddhas." This is another layer of meaning. We ordinary beings grasp at appearances at every moment; when eyes see something or ears hear some sound, we then use our own views to distinguish good and bad, beautiful and ugly. People who have truly seen the Nature, in the midst of all sounds and forms, see without there being anything seen, and hear without there being anything heard. If one abides in sound dust or abides in form appearance for a single moment, one turns into an ordinary being. So he said: "If I heard, I could not expound the Dharma to you." If I heard, I would be grasping at appearances; having grasped at appearances, would I still have the qualification to expound the Dharma to you? I could not.
Below, I will summarize the few points of meaning implied in the Patriarch's words:
First point: If I heard, I would be attaching to sound dust, having a place of abiding; subject and object would be relative, the view of dharmas would not be removed; I would not be a man of the Way and would have no qualification to expound the Dharma.
Second point: If I heard, I would be the same as the insentient; the insentient takes non-speaking as true speaking; it is not having verbal speech, so you would not hear me expounding the Dharma.
Third point: If I heard, I would be equal to all Sages, but the Reward and Transformation [Bodies] of all Sages are not the True [Buddha] and are not the expounders of Dharma; the True Dharma Body of all Sages is without speaking and without hearing; my speaking for you now is merely a skillful means to guide you.
We explain these principles to let you all understand that form and sound are both unobtainable; at all times empty and purify your mind to nurture the True Mind. If one does not nurture the True Mind, one cannot accomplish the Way. To nurture the True Mind, first one must have a correct View and see the True Mind Original Nature. Why must it be like this? We can use the Chan Sect to verify. Someone might ask: "The Ganges Mahamudra we are discussing is the Esoteric Sect (Tantra); why use Chan koans from The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source (Wudeng Huiyuan) to verify it?" Because the principles taught in the Esoteric Sect are completely the same as the Chan Sect and the Pure Land Sect, without duality or distinction. Generally, in all schools of Buddha Dharma, although names and appearances differ, the ultimate principle is entirely the same; hence Pure Land is Esoteric, Esoteric is Chan, and Chan is Pure Land; they are all methods for accomplishing the Way spoken by the Buddha, only the tools used are different, but the Fruit of the Way realized has no difference. The Ganges Mahamudra is the Meditation of the Highest Vehicle of the Esoteric Sect; it is very close to the Chan Sect, so it is necessary to use the principles of the Chan Sect to verify it. Among the Five Houses of Chan, what the Caodong Sect says corresponds most with the Esoteric Sect. The Caodong Sect speaks of the "Five Ranks of Lord and Minister"; it speaks of five positions, letting us open the Buddha View from the ordinary view. Opening the Buddha View is the Path of Seeing (Darśana-mārga); further on is the Path of Practice (Bhāvanā-mārga); after the Path of Practice comes the Path of Realization (Aśaikṣa-mārga), realizing the successful Buddha Fruit. The five positions have three gradations—Path of Seeing, Path of Practice, and Path of Realization—which is the same as what Mahamudra says; Mahamudra also puts the Path of Seeing first.
How does the Caodong Sect approach the Path of Seeing? It speaks of the "Real Position" (Zheng Wei) and the "Apparent Position" (Pian Wei); the Real Position represents Essence, Emptiness, and Principle; the Apparent Position represents Function, Form, and Phenomena.
First Position: "The Apparent within the Real (Zheng Zhong Pian). Before the moon becomes bright in the third watch of the night, no wonder when we meet we do not recognize each other, faintly still harboring the grudge of former days." This is the Ordinary Position. Ordinary beings are like the pitch-black night "before the moon becomes bright in the third watch of the night" without a moon. Why? Because they do not know what the Buddha-nature is, only recognizing and taking external form-appearances; covered by ignorance, their mind is pitch-black. "No wonder when we meet we do not recognize each other"; we are all within the Buddha-nature at every moment, meeting the Buddha-nature at all times, yet we just do not recognize it. In our daily activities of eating, drinking, and living, if the Buddha-nature were not functioning, how could we move? For example, getting up in the morning, washing the face, brushing teeth, going to the street, buying groceries, going to work, working—who is doing this? Who is this? We might as well ask ourselves like the Chan Sect asks "Who is reciting Buddha?". If you say it is not the Fundamental Nature, who is it? Since it is the Fundamental Nature, why do we meet but not recognize it? Do not blame the Fundamental Nature for being hard to recognize; actually, it is because of our grasping at appearances, ignorance, and lack of wisdom! Ignorance is the dark night; in the long endless night, how can one recognize [it] upon meeting?! "Faintly still harboring the grudge of former days"; "faintly" means not clearly. The habitual tendencies of attachment from ordinary times are faintly acting up there, only caring to crave, pursue, and grasp externally, unwilling to turn the light around to illuminate inward and see who is the one able to move, who is the one able to function. If one can turn the light around and illuminate: Who is this? Then one recognizes it. So, "The Apparent within the Real" means that we are originally in the Real Position of the Principle-Essence and Buddha-nature, but unknowingly and unconsciously, we fall into the Apparent Position, grasping at phenomenal appearances in the Apparent Position. The Real Position is Principle-Essence, the Apparent Position is Form-Appearance; the Real Position is Emptiness, the Apparent Position is Existence. Emptiness and Existence, Principle and Phenomenon, Essence and Appearance are all relative; it is the Apparent within the Real, sticking to the Apparent Position. The Five Great Sects of Chan differ in their methods of receiving people; the principles spoken by the Caodong Sect are easy to understand. This is the first position—the Ordinary Position, not recognizing the Buddha-nature.
Second Position: "The Real within the Apparent (Pian Zhong Zheng). A grandma who lost the dawn meets an ancient mirror; clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality; stop confusing your head and acknowledging the reflection." This is the Path of Seeing. This is the Principle-Essence manifesting within the daily use of the Apparent Position; that is, realizing in the midst of dressing and eating at every moment that this is my Buddha-nature functioning—seeing the Way; this is the Path of Seeing. Before, we said it was pitch-black; now it is bright; "lost the dawn" means dawn has broken, the sky is about to brighten, and sunlight manifests. He puts "Grandma" very marvelously; what does "Grandma" mean? A grandma implies white hair; the sky is fast brightening, hence it appears white. "Meets an ancient mirror" means shining in a mirror; the mirror is bright and light, metaphorically implying Radiance. "Grandma meets an ancient mirror": dawn has broken, Radiance manifests; the practitioner has practiced until this morning light, seeing their own Fundamental Nature, so it says "A grandma who lost the dawn meets an ancient mirror." "Clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality"; the reflection in the mirror manifests. "Clearly" means distinctly; "face-to-face" means facing each other. You and the reflection in the mirror meet face-to-face; the reflection appearing in the mirror is you, and you are the mirror; apart from this reflection, is there another "real one"? Apart from this reflection, there is no other, so it says "Clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality." Like Lingyun, who opened the door and saw a stretch of blooming peach blossoms, suddenly realizing a great enlightenment: "Oh—! If not for my Nature manifesting this appearance, who manifests it?" Apart from my Nature, where can I see these peach blossoms? Conversely, apart from this reflection of peach blossoms, where can my Nature-mirror be manifested? So, he turned the light around with a glance, recognized this "clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality," and saw the Fundamental Nature! Also like Patriarch Dongshan, who became enlightened upon seeing his own reflection while crossing a river. At that time, he had asked about the insentient expounding the Dharma; his master explained it to him, and although he had some awakening, he did not understand thoroughly and still had some doubts. One day, he had to cross a river; he lowered his head to roll up his pant legs and saw his own reflection manifesting in the water, "Oh—!" only then did he realize great enlightenment, and he composed a verse: Avoid seeking from another, It is far apart from me. I now go on my own, Everywhere I am able to meet him. He is now exactly me, I am now not him. One must understand in this way, In order to merge with Suchness. What is the meaning of this verse? "Avoid seeking from another": we who practice the Way should not seek externally, should not seek from others; realizing it oneself is the real thing. For example, we who recite Buddha recite Amitābha Buddha, praying to Amitābha Buddha of the Western Pure Land: "Come pull me, come pull me." This is "seeking from another," which is incorrect. Therefore, Master Lianchi said that reciting Buddha is "Calling to awaken the Master/Protagonist with every sound." Reciting Buddha is awakening our own Master; do not be comatose, do not fall asleep, do not grasp at appearances; be awake! The myriad phenomena are all reflections in the mind; do not grasp at appearances! Our nature of knowing/perception is the Buddha-nature, is Amitābha Buddha! If you "seek from another," you are taking from the outside. Praying externally, wanting Amitābha Buddha to come and pull you—that is wrong. Amitābha Buddha generates Great Compassion without conditions, receiving everyone and saving everyone, but he does not pull you; rather, he emits light to shine on you, emitting light to receive and guide you; you just need to go into that light. If you want Amitābha Buddha to come and pull you, that will not work. Thus Chan Master Yongming Yanshou said: "When the practitioner's pure karma matures, and the mind-ground is pure, corresponding with the Buddha, only then does one see the Buddha manifest to receive and guide one to birth in the West. Although the Buddha manifests, in reality there is no coming or going. Like the moon in the sky: in a thousand rivers and ten thousand waters, it appears at once in all, yet the moon actually has no division. The mind is like water; if the mind is not pure, like water being turbid, it does not manifest the reflection. Thus, for those whose minds are inverted and chaotic, although the Buddha emits light to receive and guide, it is like being born blind and unable to see the sun." Buddha is like the moon in the sky, and our mind reciting Buddha is the water; if the water is pure, the reflection of the moon manifests in the water, and the Buddha image appears in your mind. If the mind reciting Buddha is not pure, although the moon shines on you just the same, your mind is turbid sewage, so the reflection of the moon cannot manifest, and Amitābha Buddha is not seen. So "Avoid seeking from another"! If you look outward and seek outward, then "It is far apart from me." Seeking outside the mind puts you a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Buddha-nature. The Buddha-nature is not elsewhere; it is emitting light right at your face-gate! Who is the one looking at things? Who is the one listening to sounds? Who is the one smelling fragrance and stench? Who is the one speaking? Who is the one moving? If this is not my Buddha-nature, what is it? Why do you seek from another? "I now go on my own": now, whenever and wherever I am, I neither take nor reject external things; it is all "on my own," absolute; I do not see any pair, do not see any relativity. The Absolute True Mind is "on its own," absolute, without a single thing, without relativity. Like when Emperor Wu of Liang asked: "What is the Holy Truth of the First Meaning?" Patriarch Bodhidharma answered: "Vast emptiness, nothing holy." Emperor Wu asked again: "Who is facing Us?" The Patriarch answered: "I don't know (Un-cognized)." Why "I don't know"? Relativity is you knowing me, me knowing you; I am just one person—Absolute True Mind. Being absolute, who recognizes whom? In the Absolute True Mind, speaking of knowing or not knowing are both dualistic talk. If one can be like this, then "Everywhere I am able to meet him"; one can manifest this Absolute True Mind at all times and places, seeing the True Suchness Self-nature everywhere and always. "He is now exactly me": "He" refers to the reflection. Mountains, rivers, the great earth, sun, moon, stars, etc.—all things are nothing but my reflections, all are my manifestations. But "I am now not him": my Dharma Body is signless; although the reflections are all my manifestations, I am not the reflection. That is to say, although all these appearances are nothing but me, I am not all the appearances, because the Dharma Body is signless. Even if you take away all appearances, since they are not me, it is no loss to me. Therefore, do not abide in appearances; all appearances are unobtainable; establishing not a single dharma is correct. "One must understand in this way, in order to merge with Suchness." Practitioners should comprehend in this way so that the True Mind can abide permanently, and one can merge with the Immovable Suchness without being swayed by any environmental objects. No place is apart from my True Mind, just as a shadow follows a form; therefore, we must not seek externally at any moment. Reciting Buddha is reciting one's own Mind; reciting Amitābha Buddha is to make one's own Mind awaken—do not grasp at appearances anymore. "A grandma who lost the dawn meets an ancient mirror; clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality"—this is you! Apart from it, if you search again, you cannot find it; it is not there. Therefore, we repeatedly indicate to you all: this True Mind Awareness Nature is the self; apart from it, there is nothing. If you think that this [Awareness Nature] without the five powers of divine eye, divine ear, past lives, reading minds, and fleet-footedness is not the True Mind Awareness Nature, then you are mistaken. Because although you have been shown and recognize this Wondrous Bright Essence—the True Mind Awareness Nature—your habitual tendencies of delusive thinking and attachment from many lives and kalpas are numerous and have not been eliminated; how can you develop powers all at once? It is like a mirror covered with thick dust; how can it reflect objects? You must wipe it until it is bright before it can shine brightly. But first you must obtain the mirror; if you do not obtain the mirror, what are you wiping and scrubbing? So, you must first be shown and recognize what the Wondrous Bright Essence is, then diligently eliminate habitual tendencies to restore our Essence's Radiance, and then give rise to all kinds of wondrous functions and accomplish the Great Way; all spiritual powers will then be complete. Therefore, Chan Master Guifeng Zongmi said: "Recognizing the frozen pond is entirely water (all delusion is the Real), one borrows the sun's heat to melt it; realizing the ordinary man is the Buddha (ordinary man is Buddha), one relies on the power of Dharma to practice (one can practice only after awakening); when ice melts, water flows and moistens, only then showing the function of irrigation and washing; when delusion is exhausted, the Mind becomes empty and pervasive (clearing away emptiness and delusion, removing filth), responding and manifesting the function of spiritual light (brightly illuminating the ten thousand things, brightly illuminating heaven and earth). Spiritual powers and transformations in phenomenal affairs are not the achievement of a single day; they are discovered through gradual practice." In learning Buddhism and practicing, first we must recognize the Fundamental Nature, affirming that this which can speak and act is our True Mind, standing firm on our heels without doubting in the slightest, and then protect it well, carry it forward to greatness, and realize the Holy Fruit. Mahamudra requires us to first affirm the Buddha-nature, and then start working on the practice. If this point cannot be affirmed, one cannot start later, and the practice cannot be accomplished. Thus, Patriarch Dongshan said it well: "Clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality"! Apart from this reflection, searching again yields nothing. Buddha-nature is the capability that enables us to give rise to perception; it is the capability that knows cold and warm, cloudy and sunny, hunger and fullness, pain and itch; you must protect it at all times. The last sentence "Stop confusing your head and acknowledging the reflection" means you yourselves should not be confused anymore; do not chase after reflections. "Confusing the head and acknowledging the reflection" is an example spoken by the Buddha in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. The Buddha said that in the city of Śrāvastī, there was a man named Yajñadatta; one day he took a mirror to look at himself, and seeing only the made-up face appearing in the mirror, he lost sight of his original face, mistakenly thought it was a goblin, and was so frightened that he ran around wildly seeking his head outside. Actually, the head was still on his own shoulders and had not been lost. This is a metaphor to advise us not to be confused by external appearances and mistake our original face. "Still acknowledging the reflection": you are still acknowledging the reflection at every moment; actually, that reflection is an illusory appearance manifested by you; why recognize the fake as the real? Women can least let go of their children, keeping them in their hearts all day long. What about men? The young ones love girlfriends, the old ones love banknotes. Confucius said it well: "In youth, when the blood and qi are not yet settled, guard against lust... In old age, when the blood and qi have declined, guard against gain." These are all greedily acknowledging reflections! Do not acknowledge reflections; put it down; "Stop confusing your head and acknowledging the reflection" means realizing the True Mind—the Real—within the thousands of fake appearances—the Apparent—and not being confused by reflections. This second position is "The Real within the Apparent"—the Path of Seeing.
Third Position: "Coming from the Real (Zheng Zhong Lai). Within nothingness there is a road to exit the dust, if only one can avoid touching the present taboo, one surpasses the eloquent talent of the previous dynasty who cut off his tongue." This is the Path of Practice. Previously, we discussed the Path of Seeing. "Real" means the Real Position; the Real Position is the Principle-Essence; coming from within the Principle-Essence to function, grinding oneself amidst the functioning, eliminating one's habitual tendencies entirely—this is "Coming from the Real." "Within nothingness there is a road to exit the dust": we say everything is nothing, everything is empty, but this "nothing" and "empty" are not annihilationist emptiness, not absolute nothingness. This "nothing," this "empty," is the Principle-Essence where we do not abide in any appearance; if you can be empty at all times, can not abide in appearances at all times, and walk down this road, you can leave the Three Realms and exit Samsara. Actually, our constant "empty, empty, empty" is not the emptiness relative to existence, nor annihilationist emptiness; do not be afraid of falling into emptiness. The ancients said: "Empty, empty, empty; within emptiness success is attained; after the root is cultivated, who fears the snow and wind." When the mind is truly empty and pure, the Buddha-nature manifests, and a bright great road appears before us, enabling us to exit the dusty realms of the Three Realms. We sentient beings are all revolving in the dust of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm, cycling in the Six Paths without an end date! If we can truly stand firm on our heels at every moment, recognize our Self-nature clearly, and protect it at all times—awakening and eliminating thoughts as soon as they arise—we can leave the Three Realms and exit the sea of suffering, accomplishing the Great Way. For example, for those of us who recite Buddha, when a delusive thought arises, bring up the Buddha name: "Amitābha Buddha," and cut off your delusive thought, cut off your attachment, cut off your affliction. When you are angry, immediately recite Amitābha Buddha; if that doesn't work, recite aloud or shout Amitābha Buddha; in this way, cut off your affliction. If you do not do this, you run after the state, delusive thoughts fly in confusion endlessly; how can you accomplish the Way! Therefore, first one must recognize one's own Original Face, recognize that it is the Appearance of Signlessness, the Omnipotent Essence, able to give rise to wondrous functions; protect it at all times, grind oneself in all favorable and adverse states; only then can one attain liberation; this is the most important, so it is said "Within nothingness there is a road to exit the dust." "If only one can avoid touching the present taboo, one surpasses the eloquent talent of the previous dynasty who cut off his tongue." This sentence is spoken even better. What is a taboo? People's names have taboos; for example, if the Emperor's name has the character "Zheng," then your names cannot use this "Zheng" character; it must be tabooed, not to be the same as the Emperor's name. Or, for example, if your father's or grandfather's name contains "Ming," then your name cannot use "Ming"; you must taboo it a bit; it is not good to have the same name as an elder. "Not touching the present": "the present" is the Emperor; this is an analogy for our Buddha-nature, meaning do not offend it at any time. For example, my fist: calling it a fist offends it; it is a fist, but if you do not call it a fist, you contradict it. Offending it is wrong; contradicting it is also wrong. The so-called "cannot offend" means that when truly working on practice, engaging to the point of recognizing one's own Buddha-nature, one also cannot constantly mutter: "This is my Buddha-nature." Abiding in the Buddha-nature is also not acceptable. Even if the work reaches the point where awareness is also gone, do not abide in it. Hence it is said: Having awareness and having illumination is still birth and death, not attaining liberation; abiding in a holy state is also conditioned, not attaining the ultimate. Ordinary beings are certainly without awareness and without illumination, muddling through all day long like dreaming. Laozi once said: "Common people are bright and distinct (cha-cha); I alone am muddled and confused (hun-hun)." People in the world are all muddled; how can he say "cha-cha"? The so-called "cha-cha" means playing smart and plotting for fame and profit; whereas Laozi's "hun-hun" means working the practice to the ultimate place, great wisdom appearing as stupidity, without the slightest abiding. So in working on the practice, one must both recognize the Fundamental Nature and not abide in it, thinking one has obtained something—this is "not touching the present." The Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment (Yuanjue Jing) says: "Dwelling in all times, do not give rise to delusive thoughts; regarding all delusive minds, also do not extinguish them; abiding in realms of false thinking, do not add cognition; regarding non-cognition, do not discern reality." When practice reaches this point, only then is it ultimate. Therefore, in the end, even Buddha is unobtainable. Unobtainable does not mean not becoming a Buddha, but is becoming a Buddha. Because "Buddha" is also a provisional name; not a shred can be obtained. If you suppose there is a Buddha to become, you have not yet become a Buddha. Just as Dongshan's master said in the koan mentioned earlier: "If I heard the insentient expounding Dharma, I would be equal to all Sages." Being equal to all Sages means I have a Buddha in my mind; having a Buddha means it is not the True Buddha. Thus, "Viewing oneself as equal to Buddha is also a Buddha-ground obstacle." Therefore, you must have not even the view of Buddha; being completely clean and pure is True Purity; hence it is said "If only one can avoid touching the present taboo, one surpasses the eloquent talent of the previous dynasty who cut off his tongue." There is an allusion here: in the past, there was a person who forgot his name; this person had incredibly great wisdom; the Emperor and treacherous ministers cut off his tongue, and he used the blood from the severed tongue to write characters. Our accomplishing the Way surpasses the great talent of the severed tongue by far. The talent of the severed tongue is merely worldly wisdom and debate, small wisdom; Prajñā is Great Wisdom. This discusses working on the practice—the third position.
Fourth Position: "Arrival at Both (Jian Zhong Zhi). When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid; a good hand is like a lotus in the fire, distinctly possessing a soaring ambition." Some say it originally was not called "Jian Zhong Zhi" (Arrival at Both); Chan Master Dongshan Liangjie said "Jian Zhong Zhi," perhaps it was a misprint, and should be "Pian Zhong Zhi" (Arrival in the Apparent). I think this explanation is correct. "Jian Zhong Zhi" means Real and Apparent combined as one body, meaning concurrent/combined; whereas the third position "Coming from the Real" represents functioning from within the Principle-Essence of the Real Position; the fourth position should follow by discussing functioning within the daily affairs of the Apparent Position to achieve non-obstruction of Principle and Phenomena; so "Pian Zhong Zhi" (Arrival in the Apparent) is correct. "Pian Zhong Zhi" means doing things all day long without departing from the Real Position, able to achieve non-obstruction of Principle and Phenomena, not fearing any adverse states or afflictions, giving rise to wondrous functions; this is also the Path of Practice. "When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid": when fighting, swords come and spears go, do not be afraid, no need to dodge. This is a metaphor for not fearing and not being afflicted amidst all adverse states. For example, if you have a rebellious son in your own home, do not be afflicted either. Oh! All this is unobtainable, unobtainable; rebellious is rebellious; you just spend a bit more money, go ahead and spend it, because I owe you a debt; paying back debts is a matter of course; it doesn't matter, no affliction. "When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid": when an adverse state comes, can you avoid it? You cannot avoid it, so "no need to avoid." Speaking of avoiding, I recall a koan; a disciple asked Chan Master Dongshan: "When cold and heat come, how to avoid them?" Chan Master Dongshan said: "Go to the place where there is no cold or heat." The disciple asked again: "What is the place where there is no cold or heat?" Dongshan said: "When cold, let the cold kill the Ācārya (you); when hot, let the heat kill the Ācārya." How to explain this? That is, when warm do not conceive of warmth, when cold do not conceive of cold; if one conceives of cold or warmth, the discriminating mind arises, and affliction manifests. What to do when facing an adverse state? There are two lines of poetry put well: "For the cauldron of boiling water and the furnace of charcoal, blow and cause them to cease; for the sword tree and knife mountain, shout and command them to shatter." Cauldron of boiling water and furnace of charcoal, sword tree and knife mountain—my mind does not fear; with one blow I extinguish them; with one loud shout I shatter them. Though the adverse state comes, my mind does not move, and it is extinguished. Pay attention: it is not that when an adverse state comes, I think about how to dodge it, nor how to cancel the affliction; rather, our mind must be put down; everything doesn't matter, everything is unobtainable, fearless; if you want to kill me, just come and kill; "Meeting the white blade with my head, it is just like cutting the spring breeze"; my mind does not move. Though the adverse state comes, I do not avoid, which is "When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid"; my mind does not waver or fear, which is "blow and cause them to cease, shout and command them to shatter"! "Arrival at Both" discusses the Path of Practice. Practice means we constantly forge ourselves amidst thickets of adverse states, not startled and not terrified, able to withstand tests; only then can we realize the Wondrous Fruit from true practice. Hence, "A good hand is like a lotus in the fire, distinctly possessing a soaring ambition." A true "good hand" is a person whose practice goes up; not a lotus blooming in a pond, but a lotus blooming in the fire. Therefore, Chan Master Dahui Zonggao said that lay practitioners have twenty times more power than monastics. Chan Master Dahui Zonggao was a remarkable great Patriarch of the Chan Sect; he said: "Like the three great elders Yang Wengong, Li Wenhe, and Zhang Wujin, they fought through; their power exceeds us renunciant sons by twenty times." These three people were all enlightened lay practitioners of that time. Why did Chan Master Dahui speak this way? Because our habitual tendencies are heavy; having both the attachment to a distinct self and the attachment to distinct dharmas, plus the innate attachments to self and dharmas; even if one opens up the Original and personally realizes the Buddha-nature, the innate two attachments are not yet shed. Verse on the Consciousness of Dharma Characteristics (Faxiang Weishi Song) III says: "Generating the initial mind at the Stage of Joy, the innate still appears dormant and bound." If one does not undergo a period of arduous tempering after enlightenment, grinding away the innate two attachments upon phenomenal states, one cannot easily reach the Ultimate Ground. Monastics have "one bottle and one bowl; wherever they go in daily life, there are not many enemies to block the Way. Wholeheartedly investigating this matter." Whereas for laypeople, "Where eyes open and eyes close, it is nothing but vengeful spirits blocking the Way." Monastics "fight in from the outside," laypeople "fight out from the inside." What do "inside" and "outside" refer to here? Inside what, outside what? This refers to "worldly dust and labor"; worldly dust and labor are like a "great accumulation of fire," causes and conditions that block the Way. Monastics dwell in a pure place unencumbered by family and relatives, like being outside the great fire, just like white lotuses in a pond; laypeople dwell within worldly dust and labor, like being inside the great fire; if they can accomplish the Way, they are like red lotuses in the fire. Chan Master Dahui said: "For those who fight in from the outside, the power is weak; for those who fight out from the inside, the power is strong." All Sages and Worthies who have accomplished the Way since ancient times have gone through all kinds of hardships, endured great suffering and toil, and withstood various temperings before accomplishing the Way. If one fears suffering and fatigue and cannot withstand the tempering and testing of adverse states, one cannot accomplish the Way. Our Fundamental Teacher Śākyamuni Buddha also went through all kinds of hardships and endured various temperings before finally sitting under the Bodhi tree and making a great vow: "If I do not realize the Great Way, I will strictly not rise from this seat!" Only then, on the night of the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, did he see the morning star and realize the Great Way. In Śākyamuni Buddha's past life, even when his body was cut and severed by King Kali, his mind did not move; what a great Dao-mind this is! He, the Old Man, sets an example for us: cultivating the Way requires this kind of arduous and surpassing patience to be accomplished. Speaking of environments for tempering body and mind, actually, there is no need to deliberately seek self-suffering; we are currently constantly situated amidst various adverse states. The proverb says: "Unsatisfactory things are often eight or nine [out of ten]!" In real life, there are adverse states contrary to one's wishes at all times. Now there are many disasters in the world, self and other compete and arise, rights and wrongs appear in confusion, adding on the karma of each sentient being—every family has afflicted matters. Some people do not even know suffering; this is "the suffering of suffering"! Fortunately, we now know to practice the Way; we must stand firm on our heels, not be moved by these dream-dust shadow affairs, not fear eating bitterness, and march bravely forward. Swear not to rest until the Way is accomplished. So "A good hand is like a lotus in the fire"! "Distinctly possessing a soaring ambition": a great man possesses a soaring great ambition, fearing no difficulties or hardships, not bowing to setbacks or failure. Cultivating the Way requires the spirit of a great man, able to practice great giving, not restricted by trifles; not fearing when adverse states come, not rejoicing when favorable states come, acting as I always do, marching bravely forward; without the spirit of a great man, it is hard to succeed in practice. The reason Śākyamuni Buddha preached the Pure Land Sect was that he feared we would be timid, cowardly, and weak, fearing the journey is far and daring not practice, so he spoke of a good place to rest one's feet: there is a Land of Ultimate Bliss in the West; at the end of life, Amitābha Buddha will receive you to go be reborn there; go with an eased mind, do not fear! So it is said the Buddha Dharma is best, having everything prepared; there are methods for the timid, and methods for the bold. Actually, the Chan Sect is not dangerous; you only need to make a great vow: "I definitely must become a Buddha and save sentient beings; I swear not to rest until I succeed!" Maintained by this great vow, your human body will never be lost, and when you come out again, one hearing leads to a thousand awakenings. Speaking honestly, if one fears eating bitterness, it is not easy to become a Buddha, because your habitual tendencies cannot be tempered. Do not think that in the Western Pure Land you don't need to practice, just enjoying comfortably, and you will accomplish the Way. How could it be so easy! The sutra says that in the Western Pure Land, the sounds of water, birds, and wind are all "Dharma sounds flowing forth"; what Dharma sounds are they proclaiming? "Expounding the sounds of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and no-self." This is telling us not to attach to this beautiful world, enjoying pleasure without working on the practice. This world is also empty and illusory; attachment is suffering. All appearances are impermanent, ungraspable, unlovable; one must put down, put down, and put down again. The sutra also says one must "eat and do walking meditation"; some people mistakenly think that in the Western Pure Land, after eating one's fill, there is nothing to do, so one walks around and plays. Actually, a great mistake! "Eat" should be read as "feed back"; it means that after practicing and eating one's fill of Dharma-food, one should "walk" in the ten directions, turning back to feed sentient beings Dharma-food—that is, widely saving sentient beings. By saving sentient beings, one tempers one's own habitual tendencies; only in this way can one accomplish the Way! Otherwise, one cannot accomplish the Way either. If we want to accomplish the Way, we must temper our habitual tendencies and accumulate merit and virtue in the role of saving sentient beings, before we can perfect the Buddha Fruit. Why? Because sentient beings' habitual tendencies are each different; if you want to save him, you must give up yourself and follow others; to accord with him, you must first eliminate your own habitual tendencies; only then can you constantly accord with others. Therefore, in Bodhisattva Samantabhadra's Ten Great Vows, there is the item "Constantly according with sentient beings." This is not easy to do! Only when one truly does it and eliminates one's own habitual tendencies exhausted can one cut off "Dust and Sand Delusion," and can the mind's capacity be broad, and vast spiritual powers and wondrous functions be obtained without seeking. So practicing the Way requires the spirit of a great man—"Distinctly possessing a soaring ambition"; the above discusses tempering in phenomenal states, which is still the Path of Practice. We must temper arduously to reach the state of "non-obstruction of Principle and Phenomena."
Last Position: "Unity Attained (Jian Zhong Dao)." The Real Position and the Apparent Position have drawn close and combined together. In Patriarch Dongshan's "Verse on Lord and Minister," the Lord metaphors the Real Position, and the Minister metaphors the Apparent Position. Lord and Minister have merged, hence "Unity Attained"; there are also a few lines of poetry: "Unity Attained. Who dares to harmonize with that which does not fall into existence or non-existence? Everyone desires to exit the ordinary current, eventually returning to sit inside the charcoal." What is the meaning of "Who dares to harmonize with that which does not fall into existence or non-existence"? We have said before: regarding our Buddha-nature, saying it exists is incorrect, saying it does not exist is also incorrect; we ordinary beings just love attachment—saying "exists," we attach to existence; saying "does not exist," we attach to non-existence, taking both as principles to be understood. Actually, the Buddha-nature is neither existing nor not existing, neither not-existing nor not-not-existing; it is all unobtainable; the Buddha-nature is originally like this! If you say it exists, it has no appearance to be obtained; if you say it does not exist, it can give rise to wondrous functions. Is this not "neither existence nor non-existence"? The Buddha-nature is like this, and phenomenal appearances are also like this. Take an example: a teacup; it has no self-essence; the cup itself does not exist; it is formed by molding clay and then firing it in a kiln; if you say it does not exist, the form is distinct and can be used to drink water and tea. Is this not "neither existence nor non-existence"? The Buddha-nature Essence is neither existence nor non-existence, and all worldly phenomenal appearances are also neither existence nor non-existence. "Who dares to harmonize with that which does not fall into existence or non-existence": when reciting poetry or composing songs, I sing a line, you harmonize with a line; this singing and harmonizing is called "harmonizing." Who dares to harmonize? Reaching this final position, it is difficult to open one's mouth or phrase words; saying "exists" is wrong, saying "does not exist" is also wrong; one can only have no-speaking and no-hearing. At the Nirvana Assembly, Śākyamuni World Honored One said: "If one says I entered extinction, he is not my disciple; if one says I did not enter extinction, he is also not my disciple." Gentlemen, tell me, has the Buddha entered extinction or not? How can one count as a disciple of the Buddha? "Neither existence nor non-existence" (someone in the audience interrupted). Wrong, if you say "neither existence nor non-existence," it is also wrong; you still fall into the concept of "neither existence nor non-existence." Then how to speak? Apart from existence, non-existence, neither existence, neither non-existence, neither not-existence, neither not-not-existence, how do you speak? "Sea mirages have many strange colors; the rainbow after rain is exceptionally charming." "Everyone desires to exit the ordinary current": "ordinary current" implies ordinary beings, because ordinary beings are all flowing in the sea of suffering of Samsara in the Six Paths. "Exit the ordinary current" means solving birth and death and jumping out of the sea of suffering of Samsara in the Six Paths. We who have come here today all want to become Buddhas, all want to jump out of the sea of suffering of birth and death. "Eventually returning to sit inside the charcoal": "eventually" means in the end. "Returning to sit inside the charcoal" means returning to sit in the place where you originally were. Before we practiced, our Original Nature's Radiance was obscured by affliction and attachment; through practice, we slowly restored the Radiance; why in the end do we return to sit inside the black charcoal? Is this sentence spoken wrongly? No mistake! When Esoteric Buddhism cultivates to the end, it speaks like this; it says that when the work is done to perfection, it is like the moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth lunar month. On the last day of the twelfth lunar month, can one still see the moon at night? There is a witty remark about defaulting on debts among the folk: "I'll pay back when there is a moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth month." Is there a moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth month? No! If there is none, I won't pay. Why is cultivating the Way to the end actually like the moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth month? Because when the work reaches the point where Radiance shines greatly and spiritual powers flourish greatly, it is still not the Ultimate Position. One must achieve gathering everything back into one's own Mind, not retaining a single dharma, not hanging a single thread, not defiled by a single speck of dust; only then is it the time of finishing hands, hence it is represented by the Full Black Position. Furthermore, when practice reaches home, there is no birth and death to solve, because the Buddha-nature originally has no birth and death; the Six Paths are all the sea of Quiescent Extinction of the Tathāgata; therefore coming and going are free, saving sentient beings according to conditions. Thus, having passed the final prison-gate, the Six Paths of Rebirth are solving birth and death, and solving birth and death is the Six Paths of Rebirth; birth, death, and Nirvana are all unobtainable. "Eventually returning to sit inside the charcoal": the end equals the beginning; when truly reaching home, it is just like having no practice. The Buddha-nature is a Great Perfect Appearance, without beginning or end. But do not misunderstand this as becoming a Buddha and then returning to be an afflicted sentient being. The realm of the Buddha is: affliction is unobtainable, Bodhi is unobtainable, sentient beings are unobtainable, and Buddha is also unobtainable; nothing to take, nothing to reject. Sentient beings give rise to mind in response to objects, deludedly grasping and deludedly taking. How can this be the same?
This "Unity Attained" discusses the Path of Realization. However, if there is only the Path of Realization without the Path of Seeing, what are you realizing? There must first be the Path of Seeing. Apart from the Path of Seeing, wanting to enter the Path of Realization is impossible. Therefore, the Ganges Mahamudra speaks of the Path of Seeing right from the start, explaining that the Path of Seeing is very important. Today two lay practitioners asked me about the "Five Ranks of Lord and Minister," so I took the content and sequence of the "Five Ranks of Lord and Minister" to compare with the Ganges Mahamudra. The arrangement sequence of the Five Ranks of Lord and Minister is: The Apparent within the Real, The Real within the Apparent, Coming from the Real, Arrival at Both, Unity Attained; the first two are the Path of Seeing, the middle two are the Path of Practice, and the last one is the Path of Realization. It is the same as the Ganges Mahamudra: one must see the Way first (which is apprehending Mind and seeing Nature, i.e., "View Sect"); this is very important.
Since many people still did not quite understand "Sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom," we therefore explained it again. Who knew that once released, it would flow for a thousand miles; I have spoken so much, but still have not departed from the "View Sect" of Mahamudra; this is the so-called "Ten thousand changes do not depart from the source/sect."
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