Master Hui Lü, an esteemed master from Taiwan, possesses profound clarity and insight. He is an awakened teacher who integrates teachings from both Zen and Pure Land traditions and is a lineage holder of both the Caodong and Linji schools of Chan (Zen).

If you understand Chinese, you can watch the YouTube video here. For English speakers, a translation is provided below.

YouTube Video:

English Translation of the Transcript:

Dharma Master Hui Lu, "The Efficacious Guanyin"

Namo Original Teacher Śākyamuni Buddha!  Namo Original Teacher Śākyamuni Buddha!  Namo Original Teacher Śākyamuni Buddha!

Good, please lower your palms.

Dharma Masters, lay practitioners, volunteers, Amitābha to everyone!

Since this Lecture Hall was founded in 1989 until today in 2005, for the Water-Land Dharma Assembly every October 25th, as well as the regular Eight Precepts Retreats, the Three Thousand Buddhas Repentance during the Lunar New Year, and the Emperor Liang Repentance Assembly, we have been greatly indebted to the compassion of all you Dharma-protecting lay practitioners, virtuous ones, and volunteers.  You have given rise to the Bodhisattva mind to help this Lecture Hall.  On behalf of the Triple Gem, I thank you all; thank you everyone!

All you volunteers have sacrificed your time, sacrificed your youth, and contributed your physical strength and everything you have to the Lecture Hall; with such Bodhisattva intent, you will certainly achieve Buddhahood.  Now, because you are doing all the work, the only thing I, the Master, can do is offer this Dharma to everyone.

The Dharma is our true life.  Our life in this current lifetime is very short; however, the wisdom-life of the dharmakāya [Dharma-body] is forever and ever.  Therefore, we must recognize clearly that if you possess prajñā [wisdom], you possess everything; this is a very important sentence.  Without prajñā thought, without prajñā wisdom, everything we possess is called illusory, unsubstantial things.

So, today is the Volunteer Assembly of September 24, 2005, and the teaching I want to give today is "The Efficacious Guanyin."

Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is not unfamiliar to everyone.  Everywhere in Mahāyāna Buddhism is closely related to Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.  Chanting the Universal Door Chapter—Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; the Six-Syllable Great Bright Mantra—Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; the Great Compassion Mantra—Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; holding a seven-day Buddha recitation retreat, during the Great Dedication, we still have to chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.  And in China since ancient times, those who have had responses from chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva amount to more than thousands of millions of people.  Even I, the Master, have received the compassionate blessing of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.

To give an example: ten years ago, I was at the Clementi Stadium in Singapore.  The response from chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva there was very, very intense.  Because the organizers had prepared for half a year and spent a lot of money, but just before the speech, dark clouds gathered, and there was thunder and lightning.  I thought in my heart: "This is big trouble!"  The field is open-air, with tens of thousands of people; if it suddenly rains heavily, what can be done?  At this moment, I prayed; I chanted Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva and prayed, visualizing Guanshiyin Bodhisattva holding a parasol over the entire field. It was inconceivable!  Let me put it this way: regarding the speech... we didn't see a drop; not a single drop of rain fell.  But the moment we finished speaking and the tour buses went outside, there was water accumulated everywhere.  It was just that the Clementi Stadium did not have rain; the whole of Singapore had rain and water accumulation.  I tell you all: utmost sincerity and earnestness can move the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, but your intent must not be selfish—it cannot be selfish.

Let me tell of another great response: Zhonghe Stadium, also open-air, which was organized by Dharma Master Wukong in the past.  That day, the rain fell very, very heavily; the whole of Taipei City had torrential rain, from morning to afternoon, the rain never stopped.  I was thinking: "This is big trouble, the rain is so heavy!"  Someone called in the afternoon: "Dharma Master Hui Lu, the rain is so heavy, will you hold it or not?"  I said: "Hold it! Of course we hold it! Right? Even diamond [vajra] is not firm; only the power of vows is firm. Hold it!"  I chanted Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; naturally there was no other way—how could we ordinary beings have a way?  It was overcast with dark clouds, practically impossible—the rain simply couldn't possibly stop.  But, 7:30 was approaching, and with tens of thousands of people on that field, what do you do?  When we went, everyone was still holding parasols and umbrellas. Hold it!  When the time came, my car went there; starting at 7:30, I sat in the car, and when we arrived, the moment the car door opened, the rain stopped; the rain just stopped like that.  7:30 arrived, I went on stage and spoke, just spoke.  Speaking until the very end, it ended, and we did the dedication.  As soon as I slapped my sounding block, torrential rain fell again.  During the lecture there was absolutely nothing; when it ended, it was torrential rain again.  No matter how you calculate it, you couldn't possibly calculate it that accurately.  I also received the compassionate help of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.

There was another time at the university—that response hit home!  Once, I went to the library to read the Excerpts from Great Master Yinguang, and after finishing, I had to rush to Taichung Ciguang Library to hear the teaching of old layman Li Bingnan.  At that time I was only a sophomore, and I recited the Buddha's name very devoutly, so I rushed over hurriedly.  While listening to the sutra I didn't notice, but after listening to the sutra, when taking the bus—oh no!  That bunch of keys... a bunch... that bunch of keys on my person, a whole ring of keys—terrible!  I didn't know where I had lost them!  Now this was big trouble!  I was working part-time at the Department of Water Resources Engineering at Feng Chia University—because my family was poor and my grades were quite good, I went to work part-time.  The laboratory keys, the hydrological observation room keys were gone.  Furthermore, the room keys, the whole ring of keys, miscellaneous ones, the professor's lounge—my keys were all gone, the whole ring was all lost, I couldn't even enter the door.  Finishing listening to the sutra at Ciguang Library, it was already 9:30.  Feng Chia University is so big, such a huge university, so big—a ring of keys, where are you going to find them?  Suddenly I thought: Isn't it said that Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is very efficacious?  There was no other way, without this ring of keys, what do you do?  I can't enter the door, can't enter the hydrological observation room, everything stops—it's terrible!  So I just chanted, just chanted: Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva...  Then, taking the bus back to Feng Chia University, I kept thinking: Where on earth could this ring of keys have fallen?  I thought in my heart: Maybe roughly in a certain place.  But, I didn't dare be certain, because I forgot—I didn't know where I lost them!  I wondered: was I at that place, on the grass, circumambulating the Buddha, and then jumping like this... and somehow... it fell down?  I had an idea.  All right, there was no way, so I kept chanting Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva on the way back, hoping the Bodhisattva would compassionately protect me, because at that time I had no money on me at all, no money.  Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, you know I am very poor, I really have no money.  The keys are lost, I don't know what to do!  Tomorrow I can't go to work either, so what to do?  Now, this very night, I don't know where to go to rest!  No keys, I can't get in!  So I just kept chanting Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, thinking: Where was I roughly?  Feng Chia University, roughly in front of the medical room there is a small patch of turf; roughly in this place—I might have done a somersault then, played around here a bit—roughly in this place.  So chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, chanting... arriving at that place, like this—roughly one or two steps here—walking over like this, stepping in, putting my hand down, and grabbing the keys in one go.  Not even a step of error, not even 0.1 cm off!  From then on, towards Guanshiyin Bodhisattva... very responsive.

Another response, not a very good response.  While a freshman, this layman Zhuang, a layman from the Feng Chia University Architecture Department, used a scooter, a Vespa, to carry me from Feng Chia University in Taichung to Master Chan Yun's place.  Because I was first learning Buddhism, meeting Master Chan Yun for the first time, I knelt and prostrated to him.  I didn't know the Buddhadharma either, just starting.  Master Chan Yun said: "Yiqian [Master Hui Lu's lay name]! When you have free time, chant the Buddha's name often; you lay practitioners, chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva more, do you know that?"  Since Master Chan Yun was speaking, we were embarrassed to say no!  All right!  Then we went down the mountain, since we had class on Monday, went down the mountain... down the mountain... Shuili.  Shuili in the past was not like Shuili now; the traffic was not very convenient.  Coming down the mountain, riding the motorcycle... the mountains were very high and steep, and in the past the roads were very winding, the roads were not very big.  Now the roads in Shuili are opened up so big, before it wasn't like this.  Crossing mountains and ridges, riding this Vespa, carrying... halfway I was thinking about Master Chan Yun's words: "Yiqian, you lay practitioners, when free, often chant Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, do you know that? It is very efficacious!"  I kept thinking about this sentence of Master Chan Yun, and then riding down, layman Zhuang was carrying me.  This person of mine, you know, my temper is very eccentric, as a freshman I was also a very arrogant person: Is this possible?  Guanshiyin Bodhisattva—who has seen him?  I just don't believe in this kind of thing!  Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, if there really is a Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, then give a response!  Riding the bike, riding halfway, then I thought: Right!  I don't know how to ask the Bodhisattva to respond?  Right? You don't know how he should respond, nothing was specified!  At that time I said: Otherwise, simply having a car accident wouldn't be bad!  Guanshiyin Bodhisattva... I had just moved a thought—I didn't tell layman Zhuang, "a simple car accident would count as a response too!"  Suddenly the vehicle broke down, the whole vehicle flew out, just like that, one second—one second after moving this thought—the vehicle went Pa!...  Just a few more meters and it would be a mountain ravine.  While rolling: Oh! Response, response, okay, okay, up to here is enough, up to here is enough, any further down and people will die.  It responded, don't go down any further.  I say this response of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva... this isn't a very good response! I know the Bodhisattva wouldn't be like this, I know this was the Dharma protectors punishing me for having no faith in the Bodhisattva.  Guanshiyin Bodhisattva couldn't possibly manufacture a car accident, he is the Great Compassionate Guanshiyin Bodhisattva after all; this Dharma protector was dissatisfied with my thought: "Give you a little color to see [teach you a lesson]."  And a response really happened immediately.

All right, we have spoken of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, the Efficacious Guanyin, giving a few examples first.  Now, in the sutras, sometimes it is translated as "Guanzizai" [Contemplating Self-Ease], sometimes translated as "Guanshiyin" [Contemplating the World's Sounds].  Translating as Guanzizai Bodhisattva refers to self-benefit; the "benefit" of benefit and harm—benefiting oneself.  Translating as Guanshiyin Bodhisattva refers to altruism—altruism, contemplating the sounds of the world, and seeking the sound to save from suffering, this is called Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.

Illuminating the five aggregates as empty is translated as Guanzizai Bodhisattva; Guanzizai Bodhisattva is illuminating the five aggregates as empty—self-contemplation and self-ease.  Because the standpoint is different; standing from the angle of self-benefit is called Guanzizai Bodhisattva.  Our Heart Sūtra goes: "When Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva practiced the deep Prajñāpāramitā, he illuminated the five aggregates as empty."  Form, feeling, perception, activity, consciousness; form is empty, feeling is empty, perception is empty, activity is empty, consciousness is empty; feeling, perception, activity, and consciousness are all empty; illuminating the five aggregates as empty, attaining great ease, this is called Guanzizai Bodhisattva.

Standing from the angle of altruism, the angle of saving the world, it is translated as Guanshiyin; observing the sounds of the world, seeking the sound to save from suffering, this is called Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.  Apart from Guanshiyin Bodhisattva having such great compassionate vow-power, we serve as a model function, persuading us Buddhist disciples that everyone must learn the spirit of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; this is the key point.  Learning the Bodhisattva mind, turning our "what about me" thoughts into altruism.  To be a Buddhist disciple, one must have very correct right view and right understanding, thinking like this: "For I, Hui Lu, to be well alone is not as good as the entire Wen Shu Lecture Hall resident community being well."  "The Wen Shu Lecture Hall being well, the entire Wen Shu Lecture Hall being well, is not as good as the entire Buddhism being well."  "The entire Buddhism being well is not as good as world peace, the people of the whole world being well; only that is called good."  The Bodhisattva's mind must be infinitely expanded, a spirit of selflessness, without any selfishness, without any self-benefit.  To be a Buddhist disciple, simply put: anything that endangers the resident community, the Dharma Masters, or endangers the Triple Gem, must absolutely not be done, because we are disciples of the Buddha.  As long as it is altruistic, charitable, saving people and saving the world, supporting the True Dharma, we must go all out; this turning of thought is the most important.  When our inner mind slowly transforms this thought, it is actually good for oneself, good for oneself.

Once, I went to visit the Old Monk Guangqin.  Old Monk Guangqin said: "What do you do?"  I said: "I am studying at Nanputuo Buddhist Institute."  "What are you studying at Buddhist Institute for?"  Old Monk Guangqin asked: "What are you studying at Buddhist Institute for?"  I told him: "To do a little something for the Buddha in the future!"  Old Monk Guangqin was dismissive: "What are you saying?"  I said: "To do a little something for Buddhism in the future, do a little something for the Buddha!"  Old Monk Guangqin scolded: "Does the Buddha need you to do things? Don't you know the Buddha is the idlest person in the whole world?"  An idle person is not an ordinary idler; the Tathāgata is the suchness of all dharmas; the World Honored One is the person in the whole world who has never had rights and wrongs, never had gratitude and grudges; what does Śākyamuni Buddha want you to do?  Suddenly I realized; the things you are doing now—Old Monk Guangqin said: "Dharma Master Hui Lu, the things you are doing now are all for yourself."

Everyone present!  Old Monk Guangqin taught me like this, and I also want to tell you: all your intentions today at Wen Shu Lecture Hall, all the help, support, and care for the Triple Gem—everyone, all the good karmic results are entirely yours, entirely yours.  Old Monk Guangqin said: "What help does the Buddha need from you? The Buddha has already become a Buddha, what help is needed?"  Helping yourself.  Oh! We suddenly realized, it turns out everything we do and act upon today, whether charity, chanting the Buddha's name, or bowing to the Buddha, is completely for ourselves.  Right? To develop the pure inherent nature, to achieve unsurpassed Bodhi, it is all for oneself.  So, everyone, have no selfishness; learn from Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; who gets the benefit? It is you yourselves who get the benefit.

Furthermore, regarding chanting Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, responses are of two kinds: one is called Manifest Response, called an obvious response; the second is called Hidden Response; "Hidden" (Ming), the Ming of the netherworld, the Ming of Pluto; we have one Yin and one Yang, we say the Yang realm and the Nether realm, right? The Ming of the netherworld.  Manifest Response, and Hidden Response—two kinds of responses.  Simply put: some people chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva and have very intense responses.

In the past there was a lay practitioner, a female lay practitioner, who recited the Universal Door Chapter, held the Great Compassion Mantra, and chanted the holy name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva every day.  She had a little girl; she watched her mother reciting the Universal Door Chapter, reciting sutras every day.  That little girl was only five or six years old, could walk, but wasn't sensible, hadn't started school yet.  The mother was reciting the Universal Door Chapter, chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; this little girl didn't walk very steadily, just walked... walked to play near a pond nearby, and accidentally fell into the pond.  Because it was a rural area, she fell into the pond.  Just when she was about to drown, someone saved her.  That pond had some depth; for a five-year-old girl, that was simply impossible; her whole body was wet, still having water.  This little girl was overly frightened, crying while walking, "Wuwu..." crying and slowly walking back to find her mother.  She knew her mother was reciting the Universal Door Chapter in the living room; of course, the child didn't know what her mother was reciting.  Just walking slowly... crying continuously. Her mother was startled by her loud crying: "What happened?"  She came out: "Why are you soaked all over? Dripping wet? Little sister, don't cry, what happened?"  She said: "I went to the pond nearby to play and accidentally fell into the pond!"  "Then how did you crawl out?"  "An auntie saved me, wearing white clothes."  "Auntie? Have you seen her?"  "No!"  "An auntie from the nearby village?"  She said: "Never seen her!"  Her mother held her hand from outside and brought her into the main hall.  That little sister was five years old; she saw a statue of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva in the middle of the main hall, a white one.  "Mom, it was that auntie who saved me."  That five-year-old girl wouldn't tell a lie: "It was that auntie who saved me."  This is a Manifest Response, because you were utmostly sincere and earnest.

There was a Bodhisattva [practitioner] in her fifties, a female lay practitioner, very devout, who recited the Universal Door Chapter every day, chanted Guanshiyin Bodhisattva every day.  Once, a fire broke out at her next-door neighbor's; she was focused on reciting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, reciting the Universal Door Chapter.  How inconceivable; because she recited the Universal Door Chapter and Great Compassion Mantra for years and months, her room became a very good magnetic field, a magnetic field—the mind's thought-power resonating with the Bodhisattva.  As a result, this fire, the tongues of fire burned... burned to her next door; this fire jumped over her house and burned the neighbor [on the other side]; her house was in the middle!  Speaking of fires, burning... burning to her house, by logic it would be impossible to be spared.  Because she prayed very sincerely and devoutly, the tongues of fire jumped over; as a result, the sides were burned completely, but her house was not burned.  The walls were black, black, just like that; this is a response.

So, why does chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva have such great response?  This requires understanding the Dharma of Dependent Origination.  Simply put: within the Dharma of Dependent Origination, if you benefit sentient beings with all your heart and strength, it is easier to resonate with Guanshiyin Bodhisattva and Amitābha Buddha.  Remember! Those who are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss have no selfishness; those who are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss have no strife; if you want to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, when the mind is pure, the land is pure.  Therefore, if you want responses from chanting Buddha or Bodhisattva, remember! The mind must learn the Bodhisattva's compassion, and forgive wicked sentient beings; chanting the Buddha then easily brings responses.

Furthermore, how many kinds of Dependent Origination are there?  Buddhist disciples must memorize this; Dependent Origination—there are a total of five kinds of Dependent Origination in the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna:  First is called Karma-Induction Dependent Origination (业感缘起).  Second is called Ālaya Dependent Origination (阿赖耶缘起).  Third is called Tathāgatagarbha Dependent Origination (如来藏缘起).  Fourth is called True Suchness Dependent Origination (真如缘起).  Fifth is called Dharma-Realm Dependent Origination (法界缘起).

Let's explain them simply one by one, because our time is limited.

First, what is called Karma-Induction Dependent Origination?  Everyone! Karma-Induction Dependent Origination is what is spoken in the Āgama Sūtras; an important thought theory spoken in the Āgama Sūtras is Karma-Induction Dependent Origination, which is karmic force—if you create good karma, you will obtain a good dharma of dependent origination; if you create evil karma, you will obtain a dharma of dependent origination of evil karma; it just depends on what karma you create.  Therefore, Karma-Induction means karmic force will respond, inducing the dharma of dependent origination.  If we say, in other words: volunteers present here, if every one of you forms good affinities with others; if you see this person, certain volunteers, who indeed have a little bit of habit-energy, you can also forgive them; if certain volunteers have attitudes that are not so good, you can also not mind.  Simply put: even if there is no affinity, do not form evil affinities with them, always form good affinities with sentient beings.  I tell you all! Very inconceivable things will happen.  Today you uphold a very important concept: even if there is no affinity, we also do not want to form evil affinity, always forming good affinity with sentient beings.  I tell you: with your current cause and effect, planting good causes, in the future when you will encounter difficulties is unknown—perhaps this life, perhaps the next life, perhaps life after life—you will resonate with good things manifesting.  In your most difficult times, someone will help you; when you suffer from illness, someone will introduce a good doctor to you; when you have no money... of course it's unlikely someone will just hand you money, but you will find a good boss, find a good job.  When you are burgled, the police will automatically find it back for you, solve the case, returning the property to the original owner—because you did not create this evil karma, the evil karma of theft.  So, our Karma-Induction Dependent Origination—the first, is a very important thought.  Later it slowly, slowly evolved; Mahāyāna concepts and theories became clearer; these patriarchs and great masters transmitted this Āgama thought to China.  China had Vijñāptimātra (Consciousness-Only); Vijñāptimātra was already very prevalent in India, and later transmitted to China, discussing it in even greater detail.

Second, is called Ālaya Dependent Origination.  The so-called Ālaya Dependent Origination discusses the problem of seeds.  So-called seeds, there are seeds of the eighteen realms—six roots, six dusts, six consciousnesses; these eighteen realms each have their own seeds.  Now, the ālaya [storehouse consciousness] is like a warehouse, which is the eighth consciousness we speak of.  This ālaya consciousness stores all the seeds, like in a computer database; the good karma and evil karma you create are all put in, seeds.  Remember! One day they will rise as current manifestation; current manifestation is dependent origination.  So, for everyone to be able to sit here today and listen to the teaching, it is absolutely not good roots planted in one lifetime or one age, impossible!  Everyone present has already cultivated for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas; only with good roots and causes and conditions can you have the way to sit in this place.  Because the ālaya good roots have matured, and you come to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma again; this dependent origination is good, this dependent origination is just good.  Bad friends outside cannot drag you away; these Dharma friends, lotus friends, these good, kind lay practitioners of the Lecture Hall, pull you in hard.  Your good affinities are complete, evil affinities cannot drag you away, good affinities pull you in; these are your past seeds, what Vijñāptimātra study calls Ālaya Dependent Origination.

Third, is called tathāgatagarbha [Buddha-matrix] Dependent Origination.  This tathāgatagarbha Dependent Origination divides into defiled and pure.  Tathāgatagarbha Dependent Origination is a theory proposed in the later period of Mahāyāna Buddhism; like the Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna which speaks of tathāgatagarbha Dependent Origination—Empty tathāgatagarbha, Non-Empty tathāgatagarbha, Empty-Non-Empty tathāgatagarbha.  Like the Shurangama Sutra which also speaks of tathāgatagarbha thought.  So tathāgatagarbha Dependent Origination is a thought developed in later Mahāyāna Buddhism; some scholars discuss tathāgatagarbha thought specifically.  This tathāgatagarbha separates into defiled and pure; if it is defiled tathāgatagarbha, it transforms into the Six Common States, which is the Six Paths of Reincarnation—Heaven, Human, Hell, Hungry Ghost, Animal, Asura.  If you encounter pure causes and conditions, causes and conditions of purity, it becomes the Four Sages—Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, Buddha.  Pure—Four Sages; Defiled is called Six Common States; Four Sages plus Six Common States are collectively called the Ten Dharma Realms.  The Ten Dharma Realms all operate within tathāgatagarbha Dependent Origination.  In other words: all dependent origination cannot depart from the tathāgatagarbha, and all of the tathāgatagarbha will appear within the dharma of dependent origination.  Therefore, tathāgatagarbha Dependent Origination is also named True Suchness Dependent Origination.

So-called True Suchness Dependent Origination means that within the so-called dharmas of dependent origination, all are the display of the True Suchness self-nature.  In other words: for a person who sees the nature, who sees the True Suchness self-nature, all dharmas of dependent origination are seeing the nature.  In other words: all activities of walking, standing, sitting, lying down, and all fabrications of body, speech, and mind, for a person who sees the nature, are all called the truest, the most good, the most beautiful; all are Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.  He is merely manifesting, acting out a play for sentient beings to see; this is called True Suchness Dependent Origination.  The meaning is: the dharma of dependent origination does not depart from the True Suchness self-nature; the True Suchness self-nature transforms and initiates function within dependent origination.  But, if the True Suchness self-nature is defiled, it becomes the Six Common States; if the True Suchness self-nature is purified, it becomes the Four Sages; the Four Sages and Six Common States are the Ten Dharma Realms.

Fifth, what the Avataṃsaka Sūtra speaks of: called Dharma-Realm Dependent Origination.  The Dharma-realm is like empty space; empty space does not depart from dependent origination; all dharmas of dependent origination do not depart from the empty space right at that place.  Everyone, the dependent origination of the Lecture Hall today, the teaching is dependent origination; can dependent origination depart from empty space? Impossible.  The nature of empty space is the nature of the Dharma-realm; the nature of the Dharma-realm is the Buddha-nature.  Because Guanshiyin Bodhisattva realized the perfection of the Dharma-realm; because he used the Perfect Penetration of the Ear Faculty, cultivating to Great Perfection Purity, therefore, he can "manifest in a thousand places when prayed to in a thousand places."  Why can Guanshiyin Bodhisattva manifest in a thousand places when prayed to in a thousand places?  Because empty space is the nature of the Dharma-realm; the nature of the Dharma-realm is the Buddha-nature; where is the Buddha's home?  The Dharma-realm is the Buddha; wherever there is dependent origination, there it appears.  Today you run to the Himalayas, kneel and chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; there is a response on the Himalayas, because you created a dharma of dependent origination.  The Bodhisattva is in the Dharma-realm throughout the twenty-four hours, neither rising nor falling; whenever you have dependent origination, he appears.  Just like one moon reflecting in a thousand rivers; if a thousand rivers have water, there are moons in a thousand rivers.  The Bodhisattva has never come, nor gone; but, wherever there is dependent origination, there he appears.  You run to America, you run to America to chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, there is a response in America.  Today in Taiwan, whether Alishan, Sun Moon Lake, whether Taitung, including you running to Japan, with utmost sincerity and earnestness, remember! Utmost sincerity and earnestness chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, there is a response in Japan.  No matter which time you are in, no matter which space you are in, as long as you pray to Guanshiyin Bodhisattva with utmost sincerity and earnestness, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will descend.  Some are very obvious Manifest Responses, some are Hidden Responses.  So, chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva with utmost sincerity and earnestness, what happens next? It depends on your blessings and causes and conditions.

There was a pair of brothers, reported in the news today; a pair of brothers went to steal people's things, rob people's things, robbing women's necklaces, purses, everything.  Why? They needed to take drugs every day, spending ten or twenty thousand; having no money they robbed, the two brothers robbing together.  They robbed a woman's purse, inside which was placed a copy of the Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra.  After robbing the money, what happened? They felt guilty, came back to repent; rob once, copy the Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra once; anyway it's only 260 characters.  Robbing back, conscience uneasy, copy the Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra again.  The result was a response, today the police caught them, caught and sentenced!  Treating the Bodhisattva like this?  Copying the Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra is to tell you to practice the Bodhisattva path, how can you rob people?  Is that right? People who chant the Bodhisattva cannot do bad things.

Yesterday I watched TV; the day before yesterday Li Ao went to Peking University to give a speech, yesterday to Tsinghua University; Peking University and Tsinghua are both in the North.  If I went to Peking University today—because last time Peking University wanted to invite me to give a speech, but conditions were consistently insufficient.  If I went to Peking University to give a speech today, what would be my first sentence? You guess.  What would be my first sentence?  If I went to Peking University to give a speech today, what would be my first sentence? You guess.  The first sentence I would tell him: "I come today, not to preach to you, nor to call you to believe in Buddhism; I come to Peking University to speak today, to call you to know yourself, you must know yourself."  This is what I would tell him on the first day at Peking University, the first time speaking: I come not to preach, nor to ask you to believe in Buddhism, I come to speak to ask you to know yourself.  If you cannot know yourself, how will you live the second half of your life?  You just study like this continuously... what to do at the very end? Make money? Get a wife? Do big business?  There were many such people in the past; in the past people even became Emperors! Right? Isn't that just the same ordinary being?  If I went to Tsinghua University to speak, the first sentence would ask him, what would be the first sentence I say?  Tsinghua University [students] are all very wise, very good at studying. Right? Right!  My first sentence asking Tsinghua now: "Who are you? Tell me."

We often say: Fight for freedom, fight for democracy, fight for equality.  I tell you all: only entering the Buddha-gate do you understand true freedom, true democracy, and true equality.  These scholars are always on TV: "Give us liberty or give us death."  Philosophers say: "If you are not free, you might as well just die." Everyone can talk.  The freedom, equality, and democracy of the Buddha-gate, compared to that spoken by worldly people—the freedom, equality, and democracy spoken by worldly people—are as far apart as heaven and earth!  What is the freedom spoken by worldly people? Freedom is "my movement is very convenient, wherever I want to go I am very at ease, if I want to take a train I take a train, take a plane I take a plane, as long as I don't break the law, I am free everywhere."  Worldly people call this freedom.  I ask everyone: Is this called freedom?  I tell you: that person who says they are very free, you walk over, Pa! give him a slap, give him a slap for no reason; freedom is ease, I tell you: immediately not at ease, immediately jumping up.  So-called freedom is physical freedom; I tell you: the spirit of ordinary common people is not free at all, not at ease at all, not lying to you!  Worldly people don't understand what true freedom is; shouting slogans, that works.

Next, speaking of democracy; Śākyamuni Buddha was the most democratic.  Śākyamuni Buddha spoke like this, what is democracy? Democracy is respect.  Democracy is respect; from which angle do we stand?  All sentient beings on the great earth all possess Buddha-nature, you must respect them.  Everyone present! I dare not look down on anyone among you, because you are future Buddhas.  One must respect absolutely, rejoice absolutely, praise absolutely.  Which thinker, which great philosopher, has the way to speak of democracy like the Buddha?  America talks democracy; how many wars has America had in the past?  America was also like this in the past, people protesting, protesting, focusing on important government places, not dispersing, America opened fire all the same, America also opened fire and strafed.  America had these things happen in the past, challenging the government, opening fire. Right?

America is considered a very democratic country; is it true democracy?  If America were truly democratic, would there be the Iraq War? Right?  Of course he has his reasons! American imperialism, American-style democracy, does not necessarily suit our Chinese people's democracy, not necessarily. Do you know?  Because time and space are different, American-style democracy may not necessarily be able to adapt to Europe; American-style democracy may not necessarily suit Russia.  The whole world, everyone is talking about democracy, I tell you: no one has touched the door [found the way], no one has touched the door.  Democracy, everyone's method of democracy is different. Iraq: I also say: I am very democratic. America: I also say: I am very democratic!  Two concepts of democracy are different, what happens? They go at it; is that called democracy?  The Buddhadharma does not speak like this.  Buddhadharma: Tolerating the existence of dissidents is the only way to achieve one's own greatness; changing others is not as good as changing oneself.  Therefore, for people with different opinions, there is absolute respect.  But, this world is very complex; applying democracy to everything indeed has difficulties.  For example, if we want to build a dam, building a dam in Meinong; if the government wants to build, the people protest.  If a garbage incinerator is to be built somewhere, stinking to high heaven, the government wants to build, the people oppose; who is right and who is wrong is hard to say!  So I believe, the theories established by thinkers and philosophers, actually the original intention was good; but, later human factors turned them into all kinds of misunderstandings, distortions, or narrowness, becoming tools for selfishness, becoming like this.

So, Dharma-Realm Dependent Origination is Ultimate Emptiness; everyone, if you awaken to Ultimate Emptiness, the mind is free, is at ease.  If you awaken to the Dharma of Dependent Origination of the Dharma-realm being ultimately empty, you understand what democracy is.  If you awaken to everyone having Buddha-nature, you know the equality of all dharmas.  Therefore, entering the Buddha-gate is true freedom, democracy, true equality.

So, we must chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, must let the inner heart, the spirit, be thoroughly liberated.

Good, time is limited, let's look at:

"Guanyin Inspiration Song" (Guanyin Linggan Ge)

This is not difficult; let's read the lyrics once first:

"Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, greatly giving rise to the compassionate mind, merit and practice deep as the ocean. Steering the ship of compassion, crossing the deluded ford, transforming those with affinity."  These words are all simple.  "Fourteen kinds of Fearlessness," there is a note at the back, note number 1.  Fourteen kinds of Fearlessness, everyone, must be clarified; it doesn't mean Guanshiyin Bodhisattva has fourteen kinds of not-being-afraid; it doesn't mean that.  It says fourteen kinds, if you chant Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva well, there are fourteen kinds of situations where Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will cause sentient beings' minds to be fearless, make your mind free from fear.  For example: someone cannot give birth to a child, married but cannot give birth, the father-in-law and mother-in-law don't love her, she becomes afraid, fearful.  Chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva well, recite the Universal Door Chapter; seeking a male one gets a male, seeking a female one gets a female, letting these good men and faithful women obtain children, obtain a son or a daughter, and then, the mind has no fear; "Fearlessness" means this.

"Thirty-two Manifestations" means those who should be delivered by a Buddha body, immediately appearing as a Buddha body to speak the Dharma; those who should be delivered by a Bodhisattva, appearing as a Bodhisattva body; those who should be delivered by a virgin boy or virgin girl body, appearing as a virgin boy or virgin girl body to deliver them.  That is Thirty-two Manifestations, in the 2nd note.

"Thousand hands and thousand eyes, subduing the army of demons. Great Kindness and Great Compassion saving from suffering and difficulty, the Efficacious Guanyin. From the Lotus Seat compassionate clouds surge, everywhere manifesting the golden body. Willow branch water, sprinkling on the mortal dust, sweet dew moistening the multitude of beings."  Moistening, moisten.  Because we Singapore... this Guanyin Inspiration Song existed in Taiwan twenty or thirty years ago, it is based on the song "Su Wu Herding Sheep"; the lyrics are changed a bit, the melody is the same, lyrics just changed a bit.  In Taiwan mostly adults sing it, singing very majestically.  This time it is provided by Singapore's Liaoliang Co. Ltd., provided by Liaoliang Distribution Centre; the children singing is lighthearted, lively and cute.  Adults singing is very majestic; well, children singing is very good, just very lively, very majestic, its music arrangement is very good, arranged very well.  Because each person's preference is different, well, it depends on each person's appreciation; I feel the Singapore Children's Choir sings very well!

"Morning chanting Guanshiyin, evening chanting Guanshiyin, thought after thought arising from the heart, chanting the Buddha not leaving the heart, forever departing from the Eight Difficulties,"  Eight Difficulties are disasters, eight places; if you are born in that place, you cannot hear the Buddhadharma, called Eight Difficulties.  Places without Buddhadharma are a kind of disaster, why? Cannot be liberated!  A person who hears the Buddhadharma has the opportunity for liberation, he can end birth and death; without hearing the Buddhadharma, where does he have the opportunity?  So, in the Buddhist sutras it says: the so-called Eight Difficulties are eight places, which are a kind of disaster, precisely because there is no Buddhadharma.  "All disasters, suffering and distress turn to dust."

Good, let's explain simply:

One, [Fourteen Fearlessnesses: According to the Shurangama Sutra Volume 6: Guanshiyin Bodhisattva uses the unproduced wonderful power of the Vajra Samādhi]  What is called Vajra Samādhi? Actually this Vajra refers to the unborn and undying Nirvāṇa, because Guanshiyin Bodhisattva perfectly realized the Nirvāṇa wonderful mind, called Vajra Samādhi, which is the self-nature initiating function.  Unproduced wonderful power; unproduced means not using the conscious mind.  The meaning is Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is a Tathāgata, one who has realized the fruit of Buddhahood, is a former Buddha come again, an ancient Buddha come again, the True Dharma Light Tathāgata come again.  "Unproduced" means not relying on fabrication, naturally manifesting wonderful power, called [(power of function without intent), identical with all sentient beings of the ten directions, three times, and six paths in sorrow and yearning,]  Everyone! What is called Sorrow? What is called Yearning?  Head looking upwards is called Yearning, head looking downwards is called Bowing.  First, Sorrow refers to Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's removing suffering; "Yearning" is longing. Do you know?  Because Guanshiyin Bodhisattva realized the Vajra unproduced wonderful power of the Dharma-realm, the Vajra Samādhi unproduced wonderful power, therefore, sentient beings of the Dharma-realm all long for Guanshiyin Bodhisattva to come and save them, called Yearning.  Then, Sorrow? Guanshiyin Bodhisattva has Great Compassion (Sorrow), and must remove sentient beings' suffering.  [Causing all sentient beings to obtain fourteen kinds of fearless merit.]  Remember! Causing sentient beings to obtain fearless merit.  So, this Fearlessness, Giving of Fearlessness is very important.

In the past we went to Master Chan Yun's place; at that time, I had been learning Buddhism for two or three years; at two or three years, I would guide some beginners in Buddhadharma from Feng Chia University to see Master Chan Yun, to attend the Fasting and Precepts Association at Lian Yin Temple.  There was a person, a freshman, who went in and looked; because in front of the dining hall at Master Chan Yun's place, a statue of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva was placed, and above was written "Giving of Fearlessness" (Wu Wei Shi).  This freshman was Taiwanese; after entering, he looked: Giving of Fearlessness?  He said: "Hey! Yiqian, what does this mean? Not afraid of people eating? Otherwise, why is it called Wu Wei Shi (Fearless Giving)?"  The meaning in Mandarin was: Is it "not afraid (Wu Wei) of people eating (Shi)"? Called Fearless Giving? Not afraid of giving, called Fearless Giving!  I said: "No, no! Giving of Fearlessness is Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's compassion, not letting sentient beings have feelings of fear, called Giving of Fearlessness. Do you know? Causing sentient beings' minds to have no fear is called Giving of Fearlessness, not 'not afraid of giving'."  Wow! Such a big difference!

Next, firstly, [the text explains that] Guanshiyin Bodhisattva enables all sentient beings to attain fourteen kinds of fearless merits. Namely: [1. Not taking the sound one hears and using it to set up an observer of what is observed by hearing.]  This is because Guanshiyin Bodhisattva cultivates the Perfect Penetration of the Ear Organ.  "Not taking the sound one hears" means he will not take that external sound and turn it into a duality of "the Subject who perceives" (neng) and "the Object that is perceived" (suo).  He does not transform the sound into such a subject–object duality.  The meaning is: Guanshiyin Bodhisattva has already realized Vajra Samādhi, which means the mind and the external state are one Suchness.  He does not seize upon external sounds to establish a "hearer" versus "what is heard," because sound is merely the dependent origination of the pure self-nature; there are no two separate appearances—the appearance of dependent origination is the appearance of True Suchness.  Therefore, he does not follow the sound to separate out a self who hears; Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will not take this external sound and reify it into a Subject and an Object.  Sentient beings are all like this: as soon as they hear beautiful sounds, the mind runs away; a "hearer" and "what is heard" are established, and the mind becomes confused and dazed.  Guanshiyin Bodhisattva knows that sound is illusory and extinguishing; this illusory extinction is the manifestation of Reality; dependent origination is Reality.  [Causing suffering sentient beings to immediately obtain liberation,] letting suffering sentient beings obtain liberation, [this is fearlessness.]

2. [Knowledge and views revolving back.]  We usually speak of "establishing knowledge on top of knowledge and views"; "revolving back" means returning to the Nirvāṇa wonderful mind; "revolving back" is turning the light to shine inward—turning over, turning back is called "revolving back."  Therefore, "knowledge and views revolving back": sentient beings possess [discriminating] knowledge and views; the Buddha is without [discriminating] knowledge and without views, which means not establishing knowledge on top of views—this is called "knowledge and views revolving back."  Sentient beings' knowledge and views run outwards; Buddhas' and Bodhisattvas' knowledge and views are all dissolved into nothingness.  Therefore, "knowledge and views revolving back" means returning to no-knowledge and no-views; a person does not place a head on top of a head; [as the Sutra says,] "To establish a knowledge on top of knowledge and views is the root of ignorance"; Buddha and Bodhisattva knowledge and views do not establish knowledge—they do not place a head on top of a head.  So, "knowledge and views revolving back" is no-knowledge and no-views, it is the Nirvāṇa wonderful mind.  Guanshiyin Bodhisattva realized no-knowledge and no-views, not establishing any discriminating knowledge, realizing Vajra Samādhi, thus able to initiate unproduced wonderful power.  [Able to cause sentient beings, if entering a fire disaster, the fire cannot burn them, this is fearlessness.]  Everyone! Guanshiyin Bodhisattva—we must recognize clearly—when you encounter a fire, when a fire breaks out in the city, remember! First dial 119, call the fire department, then chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; this is a very important concept—you can't only chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva and forget to call the fire department! Remember this!  Second, if you are in the wilderness.  There was a farmer burning rice straw in the wilderness, and as soon as he set the fire, it became uncontrollable—uncontrollable, already burning toward the neighboring field.  Suddenly he thought of what I said—to chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva—and began to chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva seriously: Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva...  Because it was about to burn the neighbor's field, he would be beaten by people, or fined money, what could he do?  The neighbor's crops were perfectly fine, and here you are burning, setting fire to the neighbor.  Chanting... later people saw a big column of smoke, and what happened? Others called 119 for him.  Chanting... he kept chanting: Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva... and he even chanted the Great Compassion Mantra; he had even greater power, adding the chanting of the Great Compassion Mantra—the fire kept burning, and he kept chanting the Great Compassion Mantra.  People came with several fire trucks, woo-ee... and this person just chanted the Great Compassion Mantra, and it extinguished!  Water—not even a drop of water had been sprayed yet—and it extinguished!  Isn't that right? Inconceivable, so, you must remember!

[3. Observing the hearing to revolve back; able to cause sentient beings, if drifted by water, the water cannot drown them, this is fearlessness.]  What is "observing the hearing to revolve back"?  Regarding our sentient beings: "listening" implies a Subject-that-listens (the ear faculty); "listening" is listening to external sounds.  Sentient beings listen to external sounds and get confused.  Now what? Turn back, turn the hearing back; where does this sound actually come from?  Does it come from the ear faculty? Can't find it. From the external state? Can't find it either—you can't find the origin.  The ear faculty is soundless, how is it so? The external sound is also soundless; if you try to find a real "sound," you can't find it; but, with causes and conditions, sound manifests, and the ear faculty can hear.  Oh! "Born of conditions is unborn"—it turns out all dharmas are unborn, they are born of dependent origination.  "Born of conditions is unborn," it turns out the pure self-nature is entirely within dependent origination; the six roots are unobtainable, states are unobtainable, body and mind are both like illusions, body and mind are just like illusory things.  Born of conditions, the sound comes out; regarding this sound, if you really look for it, you can't find a substantial entity—you can't find where it comes from, nor find where it goes; with dependent origination it appears—this is "observing the hearing to revolve back," which is realizing the self-nature.  Able to cause sentient beings, if drifted by water, the water cannot drown them, this is fearlessness.

[4. Cutting off and extinguishing false thoughts, the mind has no killing or harming,] Guanshiyin Bodhisattva cut off and extinguished false thoughts, so the mind naturally will not harm sentient beings; we must learn from the Bodhisattva, we cannot harm sentient beings. [Able to cause sentient beings, if entering the realm of Rakshasa ghosts, the ghosts naturally extinguish evil, this is fearlessness.]

5. [Fumigating the hearing to become [true] hearing], everyone!  After this "hearing" (wen) add a word, which means "nature" (xing); the so-called "hearing"—"fumigating the hearing"—is using the fundamental nature to cultivate, using the hearing-nature to cultivate; fumigating for a long time, it all becomes the fundamental nature.  Remember! Use the unborn and undying pure mind to cultivate, do not fall into ideological forms, do not fall into language, do not fall into words.  "Fumigating the hearing to become [true] hearing" is fumigating this hearing-nature, turning it into pure self-nature, [the six roots dissolve and return], the six roots refer to ideological forms—these ideological forms all transform into nothing.  [The same as sound and listening,] that is, they are the same within sound; the True Suchness self-nature is sound, the True Suchness self-nature is the six roots, is within the six dusts; no need to search, it is non-dual; dusts naturally arise and cease, but the self-nature does not move.  [Able to cause sentient beings who are about to be harmed, when blades are applied, to break into pieces, this is fearlessness.]  If someone harms you, [the blade] breaks into pieces, this is fearlessness.

[6. Hearing fumigation becomes refined and bright, brightness pervades the Dharma-realm; although sentient beings are approached by Yakshas and various dark beings, the Bodhisattva's refined brightness can cause the Yakshas' eyes to be dazzled by brightness,]  I explain: "Hearing fumigation" is fumigation; regarding hearing, this hearing-nature is continuously fumigated; "refined brightness" is seeing the nature.  After seeing the nature, "brightness pervades the Dharma-realm"; this great wisdom, light, and pure self-nature pervades the Dharma-realm, which means seeing the nature everywhere—called "brightness pervades the Dharma-realm."  So, wherever you chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva descends.  "Although sentient beings are approached by Yakshas and various dark beings, the Bodhisattva's refined brightness can cause the Yakshas' eyes to be dazzled by brightness," their eyes cannot open; receiving the Bodhisattva's light, the Yaksha cannot see, cannot harm sentient beings, [naturally cannot see, this is fearlessness.]  So, remember! Chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; lay practitioners, monastics as well, I advocate: [for every] chanting of ten thousand times "Amitābha Buddha," you must chant five thousand times "Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva"; it is better to chant like this.

[7. Sound and nature perfectly dissolve, observing and listening return inwards,]  What is "sound and nature perfectly dissolving"? "Sound" is the external dust, "Nature" is the inner pure self-nature.  The external dust and the inner nature are non-dual.  "Perfectly dissolve," originally not departing from the very place, True Suchness does not depart from the very place.  "Observing and listening return inwards," this sound does not follow [objects] and run away; it returns to the True Suchness self-nature.  [Able to cause sentient beings to have fetters and shackles not stick to the body, this is fearlessness.]  Sentient beings being bound, trapped—chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva well.  If your marriage is not happy, not happy, your husband beats you every day, you really hope to end a period of karmic affinity, remember! Chant Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva well.  Supposing—the Bodhisattva of course doesn't advocate divorce—but the Bodhisattva naturally will have arrangements, naturally will have arrangements.  Beating every day—beating in the morning, beating in the afternoon, beating again at night, waking up at midnight to beat you as a snack—truly terrible, very troublesome!

[8. Extinguishing sound, perfecting hearing, completely producing the power of compassion,] extinguishing external sound dusts, perfecting the hearing-nature; extinguishing external sounds, external dusts, perfecting the pure self-nature, completely producing the power of compassion, great power of compassion.  [Therefore sentient beings passing through dangerous roads are like walking on flat paths,] so, when you go climbing mountains... remember! Climbing mountains, wading rivers, rowing boats—remember to chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.  [Or encountering evil bandits, naturally cannot be robbed, this is fearlessness.]

[9. Fumigating the hearing departing from dust, form cannot violate,] fumigating this pure self-nature; [with] pure self-nature, dust cannot stick to you.  "Form cannot violate," meaning female form also cannot harm your pure mind.  [Able to cause all people with much sexual desire to not give rise to greed and desire, this is fearlessness.]

[10. Pure sound without dust, roots and states perfectly interfused,] a period in the middle. [Pure sound without dust.] A ".". [Roots and states perfectly interfused.]  "Pure sound without dust"; pure sound, sound is the nature manifesting, sound is the pure self-nature manifesting.  Just like Śākyamuni Buddha speaking sutras; Śākyamuni Buddha speaking sutras, right? That sound, sound is manifested from Śākyamuni Buddha's pure self-nature.  "Pure sound without dust, roots and states perfectly interfused," [Able to cause people harboring hatred to not give rise to anger, this is fearlessness.]

[11. Dissolving dust, revolving to brightness,] dissolving external dusts, recovering the brightness of pure self-nature, called "dissolving dust revolving to brightness"; "revolving" is turning back.  Dissolving external sound dusts, turning back, realizing the brightness of pure self-nature.  [Able to cause all dull and blunt people without good minds to stay far away from delusion and darkness, this is fearlessness.]  So, people who often chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will open wisdom.

[12. Melting form, recovering hearing,] "Form" refers to the external; melting this external "form", including form, sound, scent, taste, touch, dharmas.  Melting external form, sound, scent, taste, touch, dharmas.  "Recovering hearing": recovering the pure self-nature; "hearing" is the hearing-nature.  Although this "form" refers to sound, it means the six dusts.  Melting external six dusts, recovering the pure self-nature.  With this fearlessness, because of realizing Vajra Samādhi, [With this fearlessness, giving to all childless sentient beings,] those without sons.  [Those desiring to seek a male,] wanting to give birth to a male, [causing them to obtain the birth of a male.]

[13. Six roots perfectly penetrating, clear illumination non-dual,] six roots perfectly penetrating, clear illumination non-dual; eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, completely penetrating the pure self-nature.  Non-dual means roots and dusts are non-dual, nature and appearance are non-dual, principle and phenomena are non-dual, mind and state are non-dual; non-dual is True Suchness, all dharmas are Suchness, which is non-dual.  [With this fearlessness, giving to all childless sentient beings, those desiring to seek a female, immediately obtaining the birth of a female.]

[14. My one name is equal to and no different from sixty-two Ganges sands of names,] Why?  I, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; you recite Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, this name has such great merit, equal to and no different from sixty-two Ganges sands of names.  You recite the names of sixty-two Ganges sands of Bodhisattvas, it is the same merit as reciting the holy name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; of course we just recite one, saving all that trouble. Right?  So, today we want to sing this "Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva"; one is singing Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, one is praising, praising Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.  So, later when singing, must be very emotional, very emotional. Right?  The lyrics are written very well!  [Able to cause sentient beings seeking blessings, merely holding my name, compared to a person holding the names of countless Bodhisattvas, the blessings and virtues obtained are equal and no different, this is fearlessness.]

Then, this section below is simpler,

[Two, Thirty-two Responses: From the Shurangama Sutra; says Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, in past immeasurable Ganges sands of kalpas, there was a Buddha named Guanshiyin,]  That is before Guanshiyin, there was another Guanshiyin Buddha—this must be clear.  Before Guanshiyin became a Buddha, there was another one called Guanshiyin Tathāgata.  "Receiving from that Tathāgata," meaning Guanshiyin Tathāgata, not the Guanshiyin Bodhisattva spoken of now.  That is the one who taught Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, called Guanshiyin Tathāgata.  [Receiving from that Tathāgata instruction in the illusory fumigating hearing, cultivating hearing, Vajra Samādhi,]  What is called illusory? It means all dharmas are unobtainable.  What is called illusory? Speaking more thoroughly, it means the body-mind world is unobtainable, the body-mind world is all dependent origination, then, the body-mind world is all like an illusion.  Today we look and it seems like there is such a thing, actually they are all illusory things, no single thing is substantial, because of instant impermanence, instant change and impermanence; seeking its substantial entity, it is completely unobtainable; where is coming? Where is going? Where is increase? Where is decrease?  Isn't that right? Just like our Layman Chen, my classmate from Feng Chia University called Layman Chen.  Layman Chen once, during the 921 Earthquake, called his son and daughter: "Come! Hurry up and kneel before the Buddha."  Because the 921 Earthquake shook very severely, shook very severely, the whole family chanted: Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva...  His youngest daughter wouldn't chant; he said: "Chant!"  His little daughter, people chanted: "Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva." She chanted: "Na you (Where is there) Guanshiyin Bodhisattva."  A difference of one word ["mo" vs "you"], that small tiny bit. One word difference is a lot; the little girl didn't understand.

Below, "illusory fumigating hearing, cultivating hearing, Vajra Samādhi"; this Vajra Samādhi actually refers to Right Concentration, is the Buddha Concentration, Shurangama Grand Concentration, referring to the concentration of our Buddha-nature.  The mind of Great Thorough Enlightenment is in concentration throughout the twenty-four hours, called Vajra Samādhi.  [Same as the Buddha's compassion, removing suffering and giving joy, the body becoming thirty-two responses, entering various lands, transforming all sentient beings.]  Everyone present, if you have a compassionate mind today, giving my VCDs, DVDs, Buddhist books for people to see, I tell you: You are also Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.  There is Guanshiyin Bodhisattva of phenomena, and Guanshiyin Bodhisattva of principle.  Phenomenal Guanshiyin Bodhisattva means: the Land of Ultimate Bliss indeed exists, indeed there is a Guanshiyin Bodhisattva saving the people of the world.  Speaking from principle, sentient beings' Buddha-nature is equal, our mind is equal to the Bodhisattva's mind; as long as you have a compassionate mind, you are a Bodhisattva.  So, spreading the Buddhadharma, the True Dharma, you are Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.  Below, "entering various lands, transforming all sentient beings."  [(Sound and teaching fumigating, hence called Fumigating Hearing; hearing and then cultivating, hence called Cultivating Hearing;]  So, if you can cultivate to attain Vajra Samādhi, you are the same as the Buddha's compassion, able to remove suffering, able to give joy, the body becoming thirty-two responses, entering various lands, transforming all sentient beings.  The so-called "sound and teaching fumigating, hence called Fumigating Hearing; hearing and then cultivating, called Cultivating Hearing."  [Vajra has the capability of firmness and sharpness,] it is the hardest. [Using as metaphor for the power of Samādhi.]  Able to destroy everything, not destroyed by anything, called Vajra.  Indian language is called Samādhi, [Sanskrit Samādhi,] Chinese language is called Right Concentration, [Chinese speaks Right Concentration). The so-called thirty-two responses are listed as follows:]

Those who should be delivered by a Buddha body, [1. Buddha Body Response.] Immediately appearing as a Buddha body to speak Dharma for them.

Those by a Pratyekabuddha body, this "Response" means we sentient beings can affect, and Guanshiyin Bodhisattva can respond.  Everyone, "Response" refers to the Bodhisattva; sentient beings can affect, we chant the Buddha hoping for a response (Gan Ying - affect and response), the Bodhisattva can respond, moved so the Bodhisattva can respond. Right?  [2. Pratyekabuddha Response... appearing in a world without a Buddha, awakening alone without a teacher, hence named Only-Enlightened (Pratyekabuddha).]

[3. Condition-Enlightened Response.] That is when the Buddha is in the world, hearing the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination and realizing, called Condition-Enlightened Response.

[4. Hearer (Śrāvaka) Response.] When the Buddha is in the world hearing the Four Noble Truths: Suffering, Accumulation, Extinction, Path, and realizing the four fruits, called Hearer Response.

[5. Brahma King Response... namely the Lord of the First Dhyāna Heaven of the Form Realm.]  [6. Lord Śakra Response... namely the King of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven.]  "Trāyastriṃśa" is called Thirty-three; the Jade Emperor, because the Jade Emperor's place is divided into thirty-three regions, so it is also named Thirty-three Heavens; not thirty-three layers of heaven, it doesn't mean that.  It means the place of Lord Śakra Heaven King is divided into thirty-two regions [plus the center], called Trāyastriṃśa Lord.  Trāyastriṃśa Heavens has measureless and boundless Trāyastriṃśa Heavens, not just one, the concept must be corrected a bit.  Simply put: Jade Emperors, Lord Śakra Heaven Kings are measureless and boundless.  [7. Comfort/Ease Heaven Response... namely the Fifth Heaven of the Desire Realm.]  [8. Great Comfort/Ease Heaven Response] is responding as Great Comfort/Ease Heaven. [... namely the Lord of the Sixth Heaven of the Desire Realm.]  So, not only we humans chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva; this name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is very resounding, all sentient beings, Heaven Lords, all have to chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, not only we humans chant. Lord of the Sixth Heaven of the Desire Realm.  [9. Heaven Great General Response... namely the Great General of Lord Śakra Heaven Lord.]  [10. Four Heavenly Kings Response.] Four Heavenly Kings on the waist of Mount Sumeru.  [11. Four Heavenly Kings Crown Prince Response.]  [12. Human King Response.]  [13. Elder Response.]  [14. Layman Response.]  [15. Official Response.] Being an official.  [16. Brahmin Response.]  [17. Bhikṣu Response.]  [18. Bhikṣuṇī Response.]  [19. Upāsaka Response.]  [20. Upāsikā Response.] Upāsaka, everyone knows: Layman male; Upāsikā is layman female, female assembly.  [21. Female Lord Response.] That is all female assemblies.  [22. Virgin Boy Response.]  [23. Virgin Girl Response.] Young ones, virgin boys and virgin girls.  [24. Heaven Response.] Devas, Dragons, and the Eight Classes.  [25. Dragon Response.]  [26. Yaksha Response... this is Sanskrit: also said as Yecha, Chinese means Brave and Robust.] Brave and Robust means running very fast.  [27. Gandharva Response... Chinese means Incense Skandha, namely the Music God of Lord Śakra.]  He doesn't eat rice, he smells incense, he becomes full by smelling incense, so called Incense Skandha.  When you light incense, the Gandharva arrives.  The Music God of Lord Śakra, unfortunately, we cannot hear the music he plays; he plays this music to offer to the Buddha.  So, I have always hoped, wanted to integrate Buddhist music into Buddhadharma, so today we sing "Guanyin Inspiration Song", just like this.  [28. Asura Response.] Asura, not Arhat, get it clear.  There was a layman who didn't understand Asura, he wrote a letter saying to me: "I often get angry, I am truly an Arhat!"  I marked an X for him, how can an Arhat get angry?  Asura and Arhat, a difference of a hundred and eight thousand miles, misusing Buddhist terms!  "I am truly an Arhat!" Mark X, you are not an Arhat, you are a genuine Asura. Right?  [29. Kiṃnara Response... Chinese means Doubtful Spirit, also said as Human-Non-Human. Because there is a horn on the head, resembling a human but not a human.]  [30. Mahoraga Response... Chinese means Great Belly Crawler,] belly big, head small, walking with the belly, called Great Belly Crawler.  On the left is an "Insect" radical, some have a "Moon" (flesh) radical, Great Belly Crawler.  Some have its side... abdomen, because snakes don't have hands, nor legs or feet, right? Just using the whole body to curve like this... [namely the Great Python Snake.]  [31. Human Response.]  [32. Non-Human Response... Non-Human means the likes of ghosts and livestock.]

Three, [Eight Difficulties: Referring to not getting to meet the Buddha,] meaning not encountering Buddhadharma, not getting to meet the Buddha, [eight kinds of obstruction and difficulty to hearing the True Dharma.]  Everyone! People who don't hear the Buddhadharma have it very hard.  I repeat it again: people who do not hear the True Dharma in this current lifetime are greatly unfortunate, not just ordinarily unfortunate, called greatly unfortunate.  Not knowing what life is? Also not knowing how to arrange one's own life, all day only knowing eating, drinking, playing, having fun.  Right? Like what was reported on TV today: that "Birdman" in Taiwan, made many big tools, turning into a bird, wearing it, then running... falling into the water.  You have seen on TV: falling into the water, then made cars, birds, butterflies, fiddling and fiddling, then falling into the water, seeing who flies a little bit farther, doing this every day.  Making that pizza, how many trucks to make one pizza; making sausage, that sausage big enough to scare people to death, what for? What on earth are they doing?  After making it, isn't it just cut up, everyone eats it, and shits it out? Why bother being so troublesome?  Why do people live so bored? So much time? Why not chant Guanshiyin Bodhisattva well?  I tell you: sentient beings don't understand Buddhadharma, so they will do this, definitely must do a little something so the days can pass!  Below, if we are born into eight places, it's finished, very troublesome!  [Namely: 1. Difficulty in Hell.] This is pronounced Difficulty (nàn), not difficult (nán), not difficult (nán) in hell, must pronounce Difficulty (nàn), eight kinds of obstruction and difficulty (nàn).  In hell, suffering all day long in hell, how can you listen to sutras and hear Dharma? Right? You have no way to listen to sutras and hear Dharma.  [2. Difficulty in Hungry Ghosts.]  [3. Difficulty in Animals.] You are reborn in the Three Evil Paths, finished!  Hell has no way to hear the True Dharma; Hungry Ghosts are in unbearable pain all day long; Animals, people want to kill them all day long, big animals eating small animals, you simply have no time, even if Buddhadharma is spoken, you won't understand.  [4. Difficulty in Long-Life Heavens.] So, I tell you: never be reborn as a deva, reborn as a deva, you shouldn't be happy, you should cry, you will cry miserably.  What is called Difficulty in Long-Life Heavens? It means your lifespan is very long, very long, so long, so long, you want to die but can't die, won't die.  Taiwanese saying: "Why do I live so long and still haven't died?"  "I want to die quickly, reborn to become human, study Buddhism well, become a Buddha, come to the Land of Ultimate Bliss"; but, no way!  You suddenly reborn in Long-Life Heaven, you have big trouble, wanting to die you can't die, having to pass many thousands of kalpas, dying then reincarnating as human, reincarnating as human, the Buddha is long gone, and no one is speaking sutras and expounding Dharma.  [5. Difficulty in Uttarakuru of the Border Lands... Uttarakuru translates as Superior Place,] You can't be reborn in the Superior Place, [Those born in this place, their human lifespan is a thousand years, life has no premature death,]  Uttarakuru, you can't be reborn in a superior place, born in a place with Buddhadharma, a place with good economy, culture, economy and culture.  Someone from the Mainland wrote a letter, he heard the Buddhadharma, very thankful to me, but didn't understand Buddhist terms, so he wrote a letter saying: "Aiya! China is difficult to be born in."  Meaning: I was born in China, too lucky, hearing Buddhadharma again.  Meaning: being born in other countries is nothing special, America is also easy to be born in, Europe is also easy to be born in, just China Mainland is difficult to be born in.  Writing the letter, I marked an X for him, "China" [Middle Kingdom] doesn't mean this, China is spoken in reverse, referring to the center of culture, economy, and Buddhadharma True Dharma, called "China" [Middle Kingdom], not that China of China Mainland; Buddhist sutras are not for you to explain randomly yourself.  So-called "China is difficult to be born in," refers to the cultural center, economic center, center of Buddhadharma True Dharma, very hard to be born in, can't encounter it.  Below, Difficulty in Uttarakuru of the Border Lands: Uttarakuru translates as Superior Place, those born in this place, their lifespan is a thousand years, life has no premature death, [Greedy for attachment to leaving [suffering] and happiness and not receiving education and transformation, therefore sages do not appear within it,]  Europe, America, look, the material conditions are very good, so there isn't much Buddhadharma, Europe and America are just like this, too much enjoyment! [Not getting to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma.]  [6. Difficulty of Blindness, Deafness, and Muteness.] For example: Blind means eyes cannot see, ears are deaf, Mute means dumb, these are all kinds of obstruction and difficulty, cannot see, cannot hear, some are both deaf and dumb, then there is no way, learning is very difficult, unlike everyone present? Right? Able to listen to sutras and hear Dharma, and able to see the Bodhisattva image.  [7. Difficulty of Worldly Wisdom and Eloquence.] Above "Worldly Wisdom and Eloquence" write three words: Obstruction of Knowledge.  That is worldly politicians and scholars who think themselves extraordinary, these all think themselves very terrific, others cannot say a sentence different from their view.  Obstruction of Knowledge means the knowledge known becomes a kind of obstruction to Bodhi.  Saying it again: so-called Obstruction of Knowledge, the various languages, words, and concepts of ideological forms known, some write articles very well, some are very good at speaking, some books are written very well, these are all worldly dharmas, and these worldly dharmas make one self-righteous; this knowledge known obstructs the Bodhi mind-nature, thinking oneself is very capable.  So, Buddhadharma has nothing to do with academic degree, Buddhadharma also has nothing to do with words, the awakened one is liberated.  Buddhadharma has nothing to do with academic degree, Buddhadharma also has nothing to do with words, Buddhadharma has nothing to do with these languages.  [8. Born before the Buddha] Before the Buddha appeared in the world. [Difficulty of after the Buddha.]  Before Buddha and After Buddha; born before the Buddha had appeared, didn't meet the Buddha; after the Buddha's Extinction, "After Buddha" means after the Buddha's Extinction.  Today we are in the eighth difficulty of the Eight Difficulties: After Buddha.  But, our greatest luck today, is that a Hui Lu still appeared, still not bad. (Crowd applauds)  Thank you! It is necessary to encourage me a bit, thanks!

We will rest for ten minutes now, go wash hands, wash hands, go to the toilet, come, we sing it twice.  Buddhist disciples cannot run away, run away, I call Guanshiyin Bodhisattva not to protect you, you try and see.  Good, everyone, rest for fifteen minutes, let's sing "Guanyin Inspiration Song".  The rain is falling so heavily! Telling you cannot leave means cannot leave, the Bodhisattva immediately shows a response for you to see.  Singing this song once takes 13 minutes; tomorrow is Sunday, a holiday!  No need to rush so much! No need to keep looking at the watch.  It is not easy for me to get healthy enough to give a teaching, right?  It is not easy for everyone to gather for a meal, to be able to sing songs like this, rare and commendable!  Don't be in such a rush, right?  Everyone sing once for 13 minutes, when we sing the second time, just stand up, express our sincerity.  When singing the first time, sit; when singing the second time, stand, because one time is only 13 minutes.  Singing "Guanyin Inspiration Song", must learn the Bodhisattva's spirit, do not have the common understanding of worldly people, disputing in a hundred ways, arguing in a hundred ways, self-grasping, self-view.  We must learn from Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, using the Bodhisattva's spirit to serve sentient beings, to do things for the resident community, without any grumbling, without any complaints, doing one's utmost best, creating merit, and also cultivating the mind and nurturing the nature, and learning the Bodhisattva's spirit.

Good! Please join palms, play the music. "Guanyin Inspiration Song".  Everyone! Please stand up to show sincerity to the Bodhisattva, later, the Dantian must be exerted, go all out, remaining 13 minutes, while praising Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, while chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's holy name, while learning, remember to transform.  Good! Play music. Join palms, standing up one must join palms. Standing up, lowering palms is not good.  Dedication, read after me: Wishing with this merit, below I read:  Wishing with this merit of chanting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, praising Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, chanting Guanyin Inspiration Song, eliminate disasters for all volunteers and Bodhisattvas who gave rise to the intent present here.  Repaying the fourfold kindness above, and aiding those below in the three paths of suffering.  If there are those who see and hear this, may they all bring forth the Bodhi mind.  Exerting this one retribution body, to be born together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.  Wishing to be born in the Western Pure Land, with the nine grades of lotus flowers as parents.  When the flowers open seeing the Buddha and awakening to the Unborn, with irreversible Bodhisattvas as companions.  One bow to the Buddha, bow again, bow a third time.  It is 10:30, delayed everyone a little time, wishing everyone elimination of disasters and difficulties, mind after mind tied to Guanyin Bodhisattva.  Wishing everyone no obstructions at the end of life, rebirth in the Pure Land.  Respectfully wishing everyone, thank you everyone. Amitābha! Amitābha!

If you are interested in reading more of Master Hui Lü's writings in English, please visit:

A reader’s question (paraphrased)

A reader writes to share a recurring experience during self-inquiry. They recall a retreat where a teacher confirmed that the “I am” sense could be located as a “subtle sensation” within. The reader has been wrestling with this instruction for a long time; as they investigate, the experience deepens into “a sensation and something else that isn't something,” but they often feel a stab of fear and reflexively pull back into distraction just as they seem close to penetrating it.

Seeking clarity, the reader consulted an AI chatbot (Grok) about this “subtle sensation” that arises when asking “Who am I?”. The AI identified it as “knowingness,” “bare awareness,” or “mind’s luminosity” (citing Buddhist terms like rigpa or citta-pabhā), but described it as the final subtle object or “veil” of ignorance before non-dual recognition. The reader found this explanation helpful in understanding their fear, assuming this sensation is the final barrier. The reader asks for my view on this “subtle sensation” and the AI’s interpretation that it is the mind’s luminous quality appearing as an object.

Soh's Reply:

I am an AI enthusiast, but sad to say, LLMs are misleading for your question. I tried asking your question to ChatGPT and Gemini, both gave very disappointing responses. So it's not only Grok that is disappointing, although I think Grok's answer seems worse than the other two.

The first sense of self you initially identify (the "first impression is of a very subtle sensation"), that is not the I AM or Witness or Luminous Mind realization. It is almost always.. a coarse sense of self (or what Ramana calls the I-thought), and when you investigate that, it seems to appear somewhere either in the head, or the chest, etc, a subtle reference point that you identify as yourself somewhere inside your body (and you may not even have a very clear idea of 'where' initially until you examine further).

That is not who you truly are and is not the Self that is realized through self-enquiry. So you have to push the inquiry further, because that sense of self located somewhere is still an object of awareness which comes and goes, and is not who you are (so it is negated in self-enquiry as neti neti -- not this, not that), so who are you? Who or what is aware of that?

Do watch this video by Dr. Greg Goode, it will clarify things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYjI6gh9RxE

And also my article on self-enquiry should clarify things as well: https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2024/05/self-enquiry-neti-neti-and-process-of.html

You have to be patient, it took me 2 years of inquiry to reach self-realization with many glimpses prior that.

1. The True 'I AM' Realization

The true I AM realization is not referring to that vague sense of an individualized being somewhere in the body, but rather refers to a non-dual realization of all-pervasive Presence. But this I AM realization (Thusness Stages 1 and 2: https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2007/03/thusnesss-six-stages-of-experience.html) is not to be mistaken as the realization of non-dual or anatman (no-self), which are Thusness Stages 4 and 5.

Sim Pern Chong, who went through similar insights, wrote a few years ago:

"Just my opinion... For my case, the first time i experienced a definitive I AM presence, there was zero thought. just a borderless, all pervading presence. In fact, there was no thinking or looking out for whether this is I AM or not. There was no conceptual activity. It was interpreted as 'I AM' only after that experience. To me, I AM experience is actually a glimpse of the way reality is.. but it is quickly re-interpreted. The attribute of 'borderlessness' is experienced. but other 'attributes such as 'no subject-object', 'transparent luminosity, emptiness are not understood yet. My take, is that when 'I AM' is experienced, you will be doubtless that it is the experience."

John Tan also said:

"John Tan: We call it the presence or we call it, um, we call it the presence. (Speaker: is it the I AM?) I AM is actually different. It's also presence. It's also presence. I AM, depending on... You see the definition of I AM also not. So, uh. Not really the same for some people, like Geovani? He actually wrote to me saying that his I AM is like localized one in the head. So it's very individual. But that is not the I AM that we are talking about. The I AM is actually a very uh, like for example, I think, uh. Long Chen (Sim Pern Chong) actually went through. It's actually all encompassing. It's actually what we call a non-dual experience. It's actually a very, um. There's no thoughts. It's just a pure sense of existence. And it can be a very powerful. It is indeed a very powerful experience. So when, let's say when you are. When you're very young. Especially when you are ...my age. When you first experience I AM, it is very different. It's a very different experience. We never experienced that before. So, um, I don't know whether it can be even considered as an experience. Um, because there is no thoughts. It's just Presence. But this presence is very quickly. It's very quickly. yeah. It's really quickly. Um. Misinterpreted due to our karmic tendency to of understanding something in a dualistic and in a in a very concrete manner. So very when we experience the we have the experience, the interpretation is very different. And that the, the, the wrong way of interpretation actually create a very dualistic experience." - Excerpt from AtR (Awakening to Reality) Meeting, March 2021

It is this very all-pervasive Presence that is then mistaken as the ultimate background, the ground of being for all phenomena to pop in and out while itself being unchanged and unaffected. Elaborated in: https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2007/03/mistaken-reality-of-amness.html

2. The Direct Path: Don't Downplay the 'I'

It is important not to mistaken this 'neti neti' process that is part and parcel of self-enquiry with the Buddhist Anatman teaching. They are two different things. In Neti Neti and Self-Enquiry, the purpose is directed to realizing what Presence-Awareness is, what your Self is, what the Source is. You cannot downplay the Self. You can put aside Buddhist No-Self or contemplation on impermanence or no-self aside until later on, if inquiry and direct path is your approach.

As John Tan said (Posts by Thusness/PasserBy in 2009 DhO 1.0):

“Hi Gary,

It appears that there are two groups of practitioners in this forum, one adopting the gradual approach and the other, the direct path. I am quite new here so I may be wrong.

My take is that you are adopting a gradual approach yet you are experiencing something very significant in the direct path, that is, the ‘Watcher’. As what Kenneth said, “You're onto something very big here, Gary. This practice will set you free.” But what Kenneth said would require you to be awaken to this ‘I’. It requires you to have the ‘eureka!’ sort of realization. Awaken to this ‘I’, the path of spirituality becomes clear; it is simply the unfolding of this ‘I’.

On the other hand, what that is described by Yabaxoule is a gradual approach and therefore there is downplaying of the ‘I AM’. You have to gauge your own conditions, if you choose the direct path, you cannot downplay this ‘I’; contrary, you must fully and completely experience the whole of ‘YOU’ as ‘Existence’. Emptiness nature of our pristine nature will step in for the direct path practitioners when they come face to face to the ‘traceless’, ‘centerless’ and ‘effortless’ nature of non-dual awareness.

Perhaps a little on where the two approaches meet will be of help to you.

Awakening to the ‘Watcher’ will at the same time ‘open’ the ‘eye of immediacy’; that is, it is the capacity to immediately penetrate discursive thoughts and sense, feel, perceive without intermediary the perceived. It is a kind of direct knowing. You must be deeply aware of this “direct without intermediary” sort of perception -- too direct to have subject-object gap, too short to have time, too simple to have thoughts. It is the ‘eye’ that can see the whole of ‘sound’ by being ‘sound’. It is the same ‘eye’ that is required when doing vipassana, that is, being ‘bare’. Be it non-dual or vipassana, both require the opening of this 'eye of immediacy'”

3. The Meaning of Anatman (No-Self) vs. Presence

Once the "I AM" is realized, one may eventually breakthrough to Anatman (No-Self). It is crucial to understand that Anatman does not mean the denial or non-existence of Awareness or Luminosity. Insight into anatman removes the "view of inherentness", and the "dualistic view" of a background "subject" separate from the "object.", so that one realizes the true face of awareness as this seamless activity that fills the entire universe, vivid and empty.

I will not elaborate on this part as you can read up the details in https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2007/03/thusnesss-six-stages-of-experience.html and https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2017/11/anatta-and-pure-presence.html

这与“无作者并不意味着无行为”有关

新吠檀多行者（Neo Advaitins），以及当今的一些佛教徒，教导说你不应该做任何修行，因为没有人在修行等等。  这是基于错误的前提，即修行和行为需要一个作者（doer），而且它们是无效的，或者认为它们必然会延续自我或作者的概念。  这是缺乏对缘起性（conditionality）、业力习气、以及道、见、修、证、果之角色与关系的辨析能力。  这需要像佛陀或 John Tan 那样具有深邃智慧的人才能辨析清楚。

对话 — 2010年

Thusness：那个拿手机的人……不要把它看作是“宇宙在做”，而要看到是更深层的习性导致了挫败感。  看到对 PCE [纯意识体验] 的微细抓取。  看到在抓取中存在僵化。  你知道野狐禅（Fox Zen）的公案吗？

AEN：知道。

Thusness：你知道它的重要性吗？  即使在开悟者中，它也被认为是难以参透的。

AEN：它讲的是因果（causality）的重要性。

Thusness：佛教的因果就是缘起性（theory of conditionality）。  你必须清楚地看到因和缘（causes and conditions）。  那么，如果你不去试图“维持”一种不二临在（non-dual presence）的状态，随身听或手机会构成问题吗？  这难道不比一个不被手机干扰的路人更糟糕吗？

AEN：是的。

Thusness：如果你没有看到“分割”（division）的起因，能有不二和无我（anatta）的体验吗？  如果没有“我是感”（I AMness）的体验，你的不二和无我体验将会不同。

AEN：我明白了。  有多不同？

Thusness：在强度和证悟上非常不同。  大多数人会偏向第一偈（first stanza）。  直接性和当下性（immediacy）也不同。  如果你修习不二的“放下”（dropping），而不是通过一境性的专注，体验会重新浮现。  你的 PCE 是如何维持的？

AEN：是啊，这就像那些修内观（Vipassana）或 MCTB 的人聚焦在第一偈上，对吧？  嗯……就像你说的，通过放下。  不需要专注，因为一切本质上已经是不二的，只是对自我感的执着遮蔽了直接的感知。

Thusness：通过清晰地看见，通过参透因缘，通过不二地放下……

AEN：《婆希耶经》（Bahiya Sutta）是两偈的混合，对吧？

Thusness：《婆希耶经》，是的……非常深刻、清晰且精准。

AEN：通过在体验上观修《婆希耶经》，我领悟了它的含义，后来我把它写在了文章里……我认为那是一部非常重要的经。

Thusness：是的。  所以我不希望你误解并落入野狐禅。  必须对助缘（supporting conditions）有清晰的理解……不是一切都是“宇宙造成的”……“你别无选择”……敲你的头（knock your head）。  事实上，那是不二的流弊（diseases）和见地脱节（desynchronization of views）的表现之一。

AEN：所以是有选择的？  有意图，对吧，也有选择？

Thusness：是的。

AEN：我明白了。

Thusness：没有控制（control）。  有对结果的影响（influences）。  没有完美的控制……这与有一个自我没有什么不同，只是没有分割。  没有“某人”独立于现象流之外。  相互依存关系太复杂、太微细，难以参透，而当下升起的任何事物都是这些依存关系的结果。  念诵有它的效果。  做功德有它的效果。  洞见（Insights）具有转化力。  修行的道路有它的效果。  参究自我（Self-enquiry）帮助你证悟“我是”（I AM）。  无我（No-self）引导你证悟无分割和无我（anatta）。  允许对无常的直接体验。  你所写的和你的总结为你提供了不二的穿透性洞见和对无我的洞见。  怎么会没有办法产生影响呢？  它只是不以二元和实有（inherent）心智所认知的那种方式显现。  意味着实相并不是它看起来的那样。  不是二元和实有心智所看到的那样。  缘起（DO）和空性是正确理解它的方式。

AEN：我明白了……是啊，一切都影响着一切……甚至正见也是重要的，正修也是……那种认为“为了开悟无事可做”或者开悟是某种随机事件的观念真的很离谱。

Thusness：如果你修习念诵十亿次，你在三种状态（three states）中的意识将会受到影响。  清醒状态下单纯的意志将无法阻止那股势能（momentum）。  那就是身见（self-view）……懂吗？

AEN：懂了。

Thusness：即便是在深睡无梦（deep dreamless sleep）中。

AEN：是啊……你说的即便在深睡无梦中是什么意思？

Thusness：即便在深睡无梦中……你的身心节律、心跳都会受到这种修行的影响。  如果你深刻地参透无我（anatta）……念念之间……彻底地放下自我、抓取和生动的临在，这种修行怎么会不影响这三种状态呢？

AEN：嗯……但是在深睡无梦中，如果没有有意识的觉知（conscious awareness），怎么会有持续的修行呢？

Thusness：整个运动不是有意识觉知的问题。  势能在延续……身体、细胞也被印记了。  就像你深层的执着一样。  一切都互相渗透。  你的身体可能会不必要地收缩。  所以你可能有这种体验，但你必须细化你的理解。  仍然有一些好的指引（pointers）。  当你修习放下时，它会有帮助。  当你的洞见加深时，它会有帮助。  这样心可以是清晰的。  念头制造恐惧……心卷入故事中就会有恐惧，这是真的。  而处于无念（thoughtless）时，当我们摒弃念头、停止卷入故事时，那一刻恐惧不会升起。  但起因是“执着”（attachment）。  如果抓取（holding）还在，问题就没有被克服，懂吗？  知道它只是一个念头，（不）卷入故事作为一种修行形式是有帮助的……但最终，那种深层的习性倾向必须被舍弃。

AEN：我明白了……所以你的意思是主要焦点不是无念，而是舍弃抓取的习性？  而那是通过洞见和放下来实现的？

Thusness：是的。  并且因为没有抓取，没有执着，所以有无念。  正如我所说，某些教导在一定程度上是好的……当你升起洞见之后，你需要其他的指引。  在那之前，它有助于把你带到那里……它们是好的“助缘”。  但有些表达很美。  有时仅仅几句这些美丽的短语就能帮助清晰地表达……这就是我所寻找的，因为它太难表达了。

AEN：我明白了。  “善知识，我此法门，从一般若生八万四千智慧。何以故？为世人有八万四千尘劳。  若无尘劳，智慧常现，不离自性。  悟此法者，即是无念、无忆、无著，不起诳妄，用自真如性，以智慧观照，于一切法，不取不舍，即是见性成佛道。（译注：此处对应原文 Prajna for introspection... to know our own mind... to obtain liberation... Samadhi of Prajna... thoughtlessness）  何名‘无念’？  ‘无念’者，见一切法，不著一切法；  遍一切处，亦不著一切处。  但净本心，使六识出六门，于六尘中，无染无杂，来去自由，通用无滞，即是般若三昧，自在解脱。  名‘无念’行。  若百物不思，当令念绝，即是法缚，即名边见。”  — 惠能 (Note: –33.11 uses the original Chinese from the Platform Sutra where it corresponds to the English translation provided, ensuring perfect doctrinal fidelity to Hui Neng's words. The specific English lines map to "但净本心...即是法缚".)

Thusness：是的。

“需要澄清的是，我之所以在这个问题上像这样喋喋不休，是因为我曾经持有同样的见地：认为一切都已经圆满……没有什么需要证悟的……这里没有人在做任何事……没有什么‘正确’或‘不正确’……或者认为概念是敌人，等等，等等，等等。  所有这些都是你看到大多数新不二（neo-nondual）老师和体系所编造的同样的叙事。  我记得我过去总是和一位朋友/导师争论，说他不懂，说他只是在用修行欺骗自己等等。  我过去常常引用龙钦巴（Longchenpa）和其他人的同样语录，那些语录是从究竟的角度说的，而我（在我的妄想中）把它们当作我是正确的证据等等。

随后有一天情况变了，我在体验上尝到了所有这些大师所指向的。  我被直接展示了我一直是错的，那是让人非常谦卑的。

那让这些教导对我来说变得真实了。  而且令人惊讶的是，我没有继续排斥修行，以及这些体系中我以前认为无关紧要和浪费时间的所有其他方面……我第一次看到了它们的价值和地位。  它们是如何以及为何被应用，它们在事物架构中的位置变得清晰了……我看到了我曾经错误地排斥的那些结构背后的纯粹智慧。

所以，我之所以公开反对那些试图传播同样错误的人，只是因为我曾经历过。  我当时是那么确信我是对的，确信我‘懂了’，而别人不理解。  而我是那么的错……错得离谱。

我不是什么老师或救世主，我没有优越感情结，也没有某种奇怪的需要去证明自己是‘对的’，完全不是那样。  我只是说出来，因为当我看到其他人似乎对这些教导充满热情，却犯着我犯过的同样错误时，我看到了我自己，我忍不住想说：‘嘿，真的不是那样的。’  如果我所做的一切至少能播下一颗可能性的种子，让某人可能会三思，并考虑对他其实没有完全搞清楚这一事实持开放态度，那么这对我来说就足够了。  如果没有，那也没关系，但至少我可以说我试过了……” – Kyle Dixon

“Kyle Dixon：Stian，J先生是在暗示无事可做，因为所有关于‘有事可做’、‘空性’、‘正见’、‘邪见’、‘无明’、‘染污’等的概念，不过是在‘觉知’（awareness）空间中升起和落下的概念，而觉知是无法被改良或染污的……这就是他提出的见地。  我恕难苟同……对我来说，这种见地不过是停滞和自满的许可证，只会让问题延续下去。  这是一种虚假的安全感，认为一个人已经‘抵达’了，以此类推。

这段引文适用于J先生，因为他声称吉美林巴（Jigme Lingpa）在那段陈述中所描述的恰恰是真实的，而且他在那段引文正上方就这么做了：Jackson 的见地是，无事可做，因为所有概念（包括诸如空性等佛法概念），不过是在已经圆满之中升起的念头，是已经圆满者的表达。  因此他的逻辑是，甚至不需要持有这样的概念，一个人本来就是证悟的。  吉美林巴是在陈述，这样一种观念是一种不正确的见地，它实际上把人与深刻的佛法隔绝开了。  J先生断言‘没有什么需要修正的（fixin'）’是他长期以来兜售的一种见地，它是非常不善巧且具有误导性的。  昨天下午 1:41 · 赞

为什么我们需要寻觅？ 

Soh Wei Yu 分享了一个链接。Awakening to Reality

为什么我们需要寻觅？  那些持有新吠檀多（neo advaitin）见地的人通常会说诸如“没什么好寻觅的，只要放下寻觅，没什么好成就的，不需要修行，你已经圆满”之类的话。  我理解他们的观点，但恕我不敢苟同。

这篇文章由三部分组成：  1. 关于为什么在解脱之前，寻觅是必要的  2. 经典中关于利用“欲”（desire）来抵达“欲”的止息（涅槃）这一作用的说法  3. 著名的大圆满上师龙钦巴（Longchenpa）和著名的禅宗祖师道元（Dogen）关于修行的作用说了什么？

关于为什么在解脱之前，寻觅是必要的：  对话 — 2007年

Thusness：一个人应该非常严肃地对待“无我”（being no-one），并彻底弄清楚什么是“自我”，停止空谈“无事可做”（nothing needs to be done）。

AEN：“无事可做”是指那些新吠檀多之类的陈述吗？

Thusness：是的。  你可以说把它当作你从未存在过，去体验那个发生……你可以谈论制约（conditioning）是如何愚弄我们相信有一个“自我”，以及整个过程是如何产生的。  你可以谈论通向它并没有单一的方法。  事实上，说“不要寻觅”是毫无意义的；那只是故事的一半。  应该是：去寻觅，直到你真正理解“无寻”（non-searching）的含义。  那时才算圆满。  因为要理解“无寻”，寻觅是其助缘（condition）。

AEN：是什么让体验变成了二元对立？  是业力习气吗？

Thusness：是自我。  我听。  我看。  这就是隔离。  这个“我”在进行隔离。  当“看”的时候，只有被看到的事物；没有隔离。  随后，人必须知晓同一生命（one life）的空性本质。

AEN：同一生命的空性本质，是指证悟非定域性（non-locality）吗？

Thusness：最好不要谈论非定域性。  即便是“不二”（non-duality），也需要一个人花费多生多世去理解。

AEN：但你曾说，一个人也必须知晓不二的空性本质。

Thusness：在所有体验中都要“无中心”（without a center）。  当 Adyashanti 说一切都是“一”（the One）时……声音和景象是一样的吗？

AEN：我想是吧……噢，声音和景象……嗯。

Thusness：一首歌和天空是一样的吗？

AEN：不一样……？

Thusness：当下的念头时刻与下一个念头时刻是一样的吗？  “现在”曾经有过一样的时候吗？  那个“一”在哪里？  他说我们必须停下来，而思维是导致困惑的罪魁祸首，这说法是对的。  困惑就是那个“一”。  迷失就是那个“一”。  然而我一点也不困惑——五蕴本来就是不二的，十八界也都是不二的。  而那个“中间者”才是导致困惑的原因。

AEN：为什么“一”是困惑？

Thusness：那些因素是什么？  通向它的“方法”（how）是什么。  你看了那个视频吗？

AEN：看了。

Thusness：你没听到他说什么吗？

AEN：噢，“一”是指那个思考者等等。

Thusness：或者……不，那个“一”是指“唯一实体”（One reality）。  我们的佛性。

AEN：噢，我明白了。  好的，我懂了。  对，我记得。

Thusness：他对“自我”意味着什么一定有更深的体悟。  当你站起来时，有意图吗？  当你刷牙时，有意图吗？

AEN：我想有。

Thusness：是的。  这有问题吗？

AEN：没有。

Thusness：那为什么当你寻觅时就有问题了呢？

AEN：所以你的意思是，寻觅就像是证悟的助缘。

Thusness：是的。

AEN：而且这没关系。  就像意图和刷牙一样。

Thusness：当你寻觅时，你开始理解什么是“无寻”。  如果你从“无寻”开始，你以为你没有在寻觅，但实际上你弄错了。  那种“无寻”并不是经历寻觅并证悟后的那种“无寻”。  所以当一个人说问题出在寻觅上时，他只知道故事的一半。  他不知道导致“无寻”的助缘。

AEN：什么样的助缘会导致“无寻”？

Thusness：寻觅。  因为我知道，所以我没有困惑。  我完全安好且知足。  我对打坐和寻觅没有问题，而且我已经体验了不二。  这就是辨析（discernment）。  如果你从一开始就告诉一个人“无寻”，他根本不知道你在说什么。  即使你告诉了他，那也是错的。  只有当一个人充分地寻觅过，他才具备了条件。  他知道，因为他知道什么是寻觅。  他知道什么是努力。  他知道努力的问题所在。  他看到它是如何反应的。  他“看见”了，而且这只“眼”是张开的。  整个过程就是在建立让“无寻”升起的所有必要助缘。  懂了吗？

AEN：我明白了。

Thusness：没有它，“无寻”就是不完整的。  而且这就不是所有圣者所说的那种“无寻”。

AEN：所以你的意思是必须有寻觅的经验，并辨析什么是寻觅，然后一个人才能停止寻觅。

Thusness：是的。

AEN：那么像 Tony Parsons 这样的人，他们是在鼓励“无寻”？  还是我误解了？

Thusness：你见过有谁生来就不寻觅，却知道“无寻”的全部完整含义吗？

AEN：嗯，没有。

Thusness：那你为什么怀疑？  你有没有亲眼见过，或者佛陀有没有教导或说过，有谁曾经做到过这一点？

AEN：不过实际上，什么样的寻觅会导致无寻……嗯，没有。

Thusness：那么你有没有见过伟大的圣者，在经历了对真理是什么的循环寻觅之后，最终理解了“无寻”的真实含义？

AEN：有。

Thusness：有没有人没经历过那个过程？

AEN：我想没有。

Thusness：所以在你的认知范围内，包括佛陀，确实没有人在那方面（不经历寻觅）成功过。

AEN：我明白了……是的。

Thusness：这不足以告诉你寻觅是必要的吗？

AEN：寻觅是指修习教法吗？

Thusness：所以对于一个聚焦并过分强调“无寻”的人来说，他又被自己的思维制约所愚弄了。  却不自知。  因此，习气是微细的。  即使是不二体验者也无法幸免。  那么，开始时的“无寻”和结束时的“无寻”有什么区别？  整个过程是关于什么的？

AEN：一个是没洞见，一个是有洞见。

Thusness：那么一个人怎么能试图去理解“无寻”呢？  对什么的洞见？

AEN：寻觅？

Thusness：为什么一个人不能从一开始就知道什么是“无寻”？  为什么他必须经历寻觅？

AEN：因为如果他甚至不知道什么是寻觅，那么他就无法理解什么是努力以及努力的问题？

Thusness：什么是努力？

AEN：意图？

Thusness：不好。  你没有理解我说的话。  因为你需要达到“无我”才能理解“无寻”。  而且这种理解必须非常、非常透彻。  一个人从一开始完全不知道什么是“无我”，什么是“自我”。  懂吗？  所有的行为都充满了“自我”。

AEN：是的。

Thusness：当一个人坐着什么都不做时：一个是没有中心的，另一个是有中心的。

AEN：Toni Packer 也说过一些话，她说：“除非无为（effortlessness）占主导，否则你忍不住会去努力，”并说这就是我们的体质和制约运作的方式。  当谈到无为时，它要么是一个概念，要么我们真的处于那种没有努力、只是没有“我”的敞开状态。

Thusness：你可以这么说。  但人必须经历一个稳固的过程。  关键在于“放下”（dropping）。  这就是为什么第二扇门非常重要。  它就是放下整个自我。  就好像你从未存在过一样。  这就是为什么在不二体验之后，第二扇门非常重要。  一个人必须投入全部努力去放下，直到好像“我”从未存在过。

AEN：这就像什么都不留存，什么都不存在，所以一切都放下了？

Thusness：那是效果。  它是绝对的无中心。  根本没有“我”。  你现在会发现这很难理解，因为对于究竟是什么构成了“我”还缺乏清晰度。  但对于一个理解并证悟了“我”到底是怎么回事的人来说，他是非常自在的。  那么他就会知道你所说的就是效果。  就好像在池塘上作画，就像我发过的帖子那样。  也就是说，我不试图或尝试不去抓取任何东西，但我深刻地理解并消除了关于它的整个概念，自然地我就根本不抓取了。  我是指关于“我”的整个概念。  完全放弃中心。  根本没有中心。  于是就没有抓取。  就好像我从未存在过。  就像 Jeff 描述的那样。  在没有中心的状态下，他一定非常自在。  修行直到它稳固。  需要几年时间。

…..

经典中关于利用“欲”来抵达“欲”的止息（涅槃）这一作用的说法

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN51_15.html

致婆罗门 Uṇṇābha — Brahmaṇa Sutta (SN 51:15)

NAVIGATIONSuttas/SN/51:15

我曾听到，有一次阿难尊者（Ven. Ānanda）住在憍赏弥（Kosambī）的瞿师罗园（Ghosita’s monastery）。  那时婆罗门 Uṇṇābha 去见阿难尊者，抵达后礼貌地向他问候。  在一番友好的问候和寒暄之后，他坐在一旁。  当他坐在那里时，他对阿难尊者说：“阿难大师，在沙门瞿昙（Gotama）座下过的这种梵行生活，其目标是什么？”

“婆罗门，在世尊座下过梵行生活，目标是为了断除欲（abandoning desire）。”

“有没有一条道路，有没有一种修法，是为了断除那种欲？”

“有的，有一条道路，有一种修法，是为了断除那种欲。”

“什么是那条道路，那种修法，为了断除那种欲？”

“婆罗门，情况是这样的，一位比丘修习建立在‘欲’与‘勤行’（fabrications of exertion）之上的三摩地所具足的神足（base of power）。  他修习建立在‘精进’（persistence）之上的三摩地所具足的神足……建立在‘心’（intent）之上的三摩地……建立在‘观’（discrimination）与‘勤行’之上的三摩地所具足的神足。  婆罗门，这就是那条道路，这就是为了断除那种欲的修法。”

“如果是那样，阿难大师，那么这是一条无尽的路，而不是一条有终点的路，因为通过‘欲’来断除‘欲’是不可能的。”

“既然如此，婆罗门，让我在这件事上反问你。  请随你意回答。  你怎么看？  你起初不是有‘我要去那座寺院’的欲望（desire）吗？而当你到达寺院时，那个特定的欲望不是平息了吗？”

“是的，先生。”

“你起初不是有‘我要去那座寺院’的精进（persistence）吗？而当你到达寺院时，那个特定的精进不是平息了吗？”

“是的，先生。”

“你起初不是有‘我要去那座寺院’的意向（intent）吗？而当你到达寺院时，那个特定的意向不是平息了吗？”

“是的，先生。”

“你起初不是有‘我要去那座寺院’的分别/观（act of discrimination）吗？而当你到达寺院时，那个特定的分别/观不是平息了吗？”

“是的，先生。”

“对于一位漏尽、已达圆满、所作已办、卸下重担、达到真正目标、彻底摧毁‘有’（becoming）之束缚、并通过正智（right gnosis）而解脱的阿罗汉来说，也是如此。  无论他起初为了证得阿罗汉果有过什么欲望，在证得阿罗汉果时，那个特定的欲望就平息了。  无论他起初为了证得阿罗汉果有过什么精进，在证得阿罗汉果时，那个特定的精进就平息了。  无论他起初为了证得阿罗汉果有过什么意向，在证得阿罗汉果时，那个特定的意向就平息了。  无论他起初为了证得阿罗汉果有过什么分别/观，在证得阿罗汉果时，那个特定的分别/观就平息了。  所以你怎么看，婆罗门？  这是一条无尽的路，还是一条有终点的路？”

“你说得对，阿难大师。  这是一条有终点的路，而不是无尽的。  妙哉，阿难大师！  妙哉！  就像把倒下的扶起，揭开被遮蔽的，给迷路的人指路，或者带着油灯进入黑暗，让有眼睛的人能看到形态一样，阿难大师也以同样的方式——通过多方面的推理——阐明了佛法。  我皈依瞿昙大师，皈依佛法，皈依比丘僧团。  愿阿难大师记得我这名从今以后终生皈依的在家信徒。”

….

著名的大圆满上师龙钦巴（Longchenpa）和著名的禅宗祖师道元（Dogen）关于修行的作用说了什么？

我们必须小心对待“无所得”（nothing to achieve）和“是空的”（are empty）。  道路是空的，但不是不存在的。  许多人误以为空性意味着不存在，这是一种不正确的理解，正如在 [suspicious link removed]... 中所解释的那样。

龙钦巴说得非常好：  [suspicious link removed]...

龙钦巴论虚无主义（Nihilism）  摘自《心性休息》（Finding Rest in the Nature of Mind）。

那些轻视因果业报法则的人  是佛法之外虚无主义见地的学生。  他们依赖于“一切皆空”的想法；  他们落入虚无的极端  并从高处堕落到低处。  他们踏上了一条邪恶的道路  且将无法从恶趣中解脱，  远远地抛弃了快乐的生命状态。  “因果业报的法则，  慈悲与资粮的积聚——  这一切只是适合孩童的权宜教法：  证悟不会由此获得。  伟大的瑜伽士应保持没有作意之行（intentional action）。  他们应观修如虚空般的实相。  这就是决定性的教言。”  那些说这种话的人的见地  在所有见地中是最虚无主义的：  他们拥抱了所有道路中最低劣的。  这是多么奇怪！  他们想要果，却废除了它的因。  如果实相只是如虚空般的空，  那有什么必要去禅修呢？  而如果它不是这样，那么即使一个人禅修，  这样的努力也是徒劳无功。  如果仅仅观修空无就能导致解脱，  就连那些头脑完全空白的人  也能证得菩提！  但既然那些人主张禅修，  他们由此确立了因和果！  把这种错误的道路扔得远远的！  真实、正统的道路主张  因与果两者的缘起，  方便与智慧的自然结合。  通过本不存在但显现之行为的因果关系，  通过观修本不存在但显现的道路，  获得了显现却本不存在的果；  并且为了本不存在但显现的众生，  显现却本不存在的证悟事业得以显现。  这就是纯净因果的深奥缘起。  这是所有了义经文  乃至所有密续的  核心精髓。  通过二资粮的结合，  即生起次第与圆满次第，  圆满的佛果得以迅速获得。  因此，所有造作轮回的  因果过程都应被舍弃，  而所有作为解脱之因的行为  都应被恳切地执行。  轮回中的高位  以及佛果的究竟卓越  将会迅速获得。  - 《心性休息》（第一卷）

--------------------

同样来自龙钦巴：

“通过说‘它是概念性的！’来拒绝修行，是愚人的道路。  这是缺乏经验者的倾向，是应该避免的。”  — 龙钦巴

…..

禅宗祖师道元（Dogen）的摘录在此  [link removed]

大道本来圆通。  怎会取决于修行和证悟？  真正的法门是自足的。  哪里需要特别的努力？  确实，全体本来远离尘埃。  谁会相信有办法去擦拭它？  它从未离开过这当下一处；四处云游去修行有什么用？  然而，如果有毫厘之差，就像天地悬隔。  如果升起丝毫的喜欢或厌恶，心就在困惑中迷失了。  假设你对自己的理解充满信心，在证悟上很富足，获得了能够一瞥即知的智慧，得道明心，升起了冲天的志向。  你这是在门槛上玩耍，离解脱的生命之道还差得远。

试看佛陀：虽然他生而有智慧，但他六年端坐的痕迹依然可见。  至于菩提达摩，虽然他已得心印，但他九年面壁至今仍被传颂。  如果连古时的圣人都是如此，今天的我们怎能免除全心的修行？

因此，放下研讨文字、追逐语句的理智活动，学着采取回光返照的退步（backward step that turns the light and shines it inward）。  身心自然会脱落，你的本来面目将会显现。  如果你想证悟这样的境界，现在就去下这样的功夫。  （接下文见链接）

标签：无我（Anatta），寻觅（Search），追寻（Seeking），见与道（View and Path） |

Also See: Difference between "neo advaita nihilism" and Anatta

Also see: Why Overcome Cyclic Rebirths?

Soh Wei Yu: https://youtube.com/shorts/dGy1qvbw310?si=9KAP0UdLfkSPJQTx