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From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm
Ganges Mahamudra (Lecture Two)
By Master Yuan Yin
Lecture Two
Speaking of the Dharma gate of the mind-ground, I am reminded of the koan between Huanglong and Lu Chunyang. Lu Chunyang was a practitioner of Taoism; Taoism emphasizes the refining of essence, qi, and spirit, gathering the great medicine to refine the Golden Elixir. This is the so-called Golden Elixir, which transforms into the infant, becoming the indestructible Yang Spirit. When he visited Patriarch Huanglong, he had already achieved the refinement of the elixir and the projection of the Yang Spirit. In Taoism, after the Golden Elixir is refined, one can wander the four quarters as a cloud, visiting spiritual friends on great famous mountains. One day, he passed by Mount Huanglong and saw purple clouds forming a canopy over the mountain; knowing there was an extraordinary person there, he went to pay a visit. It just so happened that Zen Master Huanglong had ascended the hall to expound the Dharma, so he mingled with the crowd to listen to what Zen Master Huanglong was saying. Huanglong knew it was the Gentleman Lu, and wishing to induce him to enter the Path, he said sternly: "I will not expound the Dharma today; there is a Dharma-thief beside the seat!" Thereupon, Lu Chunyang resolutely stepped forward and asked Zen Master Huanglong: "A world is hidden within a grain of millet; mountains and rivers are cooked inside a half-liter pot. What is the meaning of this?" Huanglong pointed at him and said: "This corpse-guarding ghost!" Lu Chunyang said: "However, inside my bag there is the medicine of immortality." Huanglong said: "Even after passing through eighty thousand kalpas, eventually one falls into empty nothingness." Hearing this, Lu Chunyang was greatly shocked; thus, he flew his sword to take Huanglong. Huanglong struck with his whisk, and the flying sword fell to the ground. The sword [jian] implies seeing/view [jian]; the sword falling to the ground implies his View was defeated. Lu Chunyang immediately knelt and bowed, requesting instruction. Huanglong said: "We will not ask about 'cooking mountains and rivers in a half-liter pot,' but what is 'a world hidden in a grain of millet'?" At these words, Lu Chunyang attained great awakening. What did he awaken to? He awakened to the signless mind. This signless mind is the root of becoming a Buddha, the root of realizing the Great Way. This formless, signless great energy that can manifest the Yang Spirit is the Natural Buddha that never decays. In learning Buddhism and practicing the Way, one must absolutely not grasp at material appearances; material appearances are the reflections of the true mind and will ultimately decay. Therefore, after Lu Chunyang suddenly awakened, he said: I discard the gourd-container and smash the lute From now on I will not refine the gold within the water Ever since I saw Huanglong once I realized I had used my mind wrongly in the past. Water refers to mercury, which is a drug for refining the elixir. Taoist alchemy emphasizes "taking Kan to fill Li"; water is Yin, named Kan; taking its gold, which is Yang, named Li—taking Kan to fill Li means the union of Yin and Yang to refine the Great Way of the Golden Elixir of the Yang Spirit. "From now on I will not refine the gold within the water" means he no longer refines this thing now, because Patriarch Chunyang recognized the fundamental nature, this Natural Buddha of the signless mind. It is originally so, fundamentally so in the Dharma; it is not created through fabrication or practice; it is only that sentient beings are confused by external objects and do not recognize it. Today, having recognized it and understood it, one no longer grasps at external objects.
In our application of effort, we must first understand what the root of becoming a Buddha is. Otherwise, if the direction is wrong, one will be a thousand miles away, and there is no hope of achieving the Way. For example, to cook rice, one must use rice grains to cook for it to become rice; if one uses mud and sand to cook, even if one cooks for several days or tens of thousands of years, it cannot become rice; therefore, the View is very important. What is the root? It is our One True Dharma-realm (fundamental nature), and not any other thing; it has nothing to do with practicing qi or refining elixirs. After recognizing the fundamental nature, one possesses Right View. After seeing the nature, originally there should be no practice, no attainment, and no realization; however, your habits are not yet ended, and your mind still moves when encountering circumstances, so birth and death are not ended, and you still must practice. Why is this said? Because after you become a Buddha, Buddha is also unobtainable; what thing is there still to be obtained? Therefore, it is non-attainment. Since there is no attainment, what thing do you realize? Therefore, it is non-realization. With no attainment and no realization, you are originally a Buddha, not made through practice, so it is non-practice. However, if your habits are not ended, you still must practice. How to practice? The practice of non-practice; that is, moment-to-moment contemplation, without using any method to practice. Therefore, the practice of non-practice is still needed. After recognizing the fundamental nature, one understands that all material appearances in the world are manifestations of this One True Dharma-realm (fundamental nature) of mine. Therefore, nature is appearance, appearance is nature, nature and appearance are non-dual; thus, our Buddhism speaks of the Dharma gate of non-duality. The Heart Sutra says: "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form." This form-appearance is the manifestation of the essence of our One True Dharma-realm, the marvelous presence and true emptiness; it is not that upon saying "form is emptiness," one thinks form is empty and non-existent, for that would be wrong. If it were empty and non-existent, that would become inert emptiness or annihilation, which is incorrect. Therefore, we say all material appearances have no self-essence, no self-nature, and are originally empty; this is the emptiness where everything is unobtainable.
There are several kinds of so-called emptiness; generally speaking, there is the emptiness of counteracting, the emptiness of annihilation, and the analytical true emptiness, etc. Ordinary people hold to the emptiness of counteracting; that is, when things are present, they exist, and when things are absent, it is empty. Externalists hold to the emptiness of annihilation, believing that after a person dies, everything is completely finished and gone; this is annihilationist emptiness. The Way seen by the Two Vehicles is analytical true emptiness; that is, they separate the two dharmas of form and mind: form is the dharma of form, and mind is the dharma of mind. For example, the Five Aggregates: form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. The Two Vehicles say form is the dharma of form, and feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are the dharmas of mind, separating them. They believe that for us to practice the Way, the body is useless, and we must discard this body. Actually, it is not so; form is emptiness, emptiness is form; all material appearances, including our bodies, are the true mind. For example, a mirror can manifest reflections; if a mirror could not manifest reflections, it would not be a mirror. Because it can manifest reflections, it is called a mirror. Our fundamental essence is marvelous presence and true emptiness; marvelous presence is fully endowed with the ten thousand dharmas; it is not empty and devoid of everything, so it can manifest the reflected images of all things and can produce marvelous functions. If it could not manifest all things and produce marvelous functions, it could not be called the nature of true emptiness. Therefore, "form is emptiness, emptiness is form" means all material appearances are manifestations of the true mind (the nature of true emptiness), achievements of the true mind. The nature of true emptiness (true mind) has no shape or form; it cannot be seen or touched; it must be reflected and manifested through phenomenal appearances (form); explained this way, it is more thorough. Therefore, there is the saying "Phenomena are established by Principle; Principle is revealed by phenomena." "Phenomena are established by Principle" means all things are accomplished by the essence of Principle. This essence of Principle—our formless and imageless One True Dharma-realm—where can it be seen? It is seen in phenomenal appearances, revealed through phenomena; thus it is said, "Principle is revealed by phenomena." For example, if we want to build an airplane, we first need to design the blueprints, and then the engineer guides the workers to manufacture it according to these blueprints. Once built successfully, the airplane goes up into the sky. The airplane is a thing; the phenomenon with form is accomplished, which shows that the designed plan and blueprints were correct and error-free, so the airplane flew into the blue sky. If the designed blueprints, plan, and data were incorrect, then the airplane could not go up to the sky, or it would fall from the sky. This plan, blueprints, and data are the essence of Principle, while the airplane is the phenomenal appearance. The airplane is a phenomenal appearance accomplished by the plan, blueprints, and data; this is "Phenomena are established by Principle." The airplane's successful construction proves its design plan, drawings, and data are correct; this is "Principle is revealed by phenomena"; this is an analogy. Our true mind is signless; the appearance of signlessness is manifested in things. Today, the ever-changing things such as mountains, rivers, the great earth, men and women, old and young, sun, moon, and stars, grasses and forests, are all manifestations of our One True Dharma-realm. Therefore, seeing appearance is seeing nature; nature and appearance are non-dual.
In the past, the Patriarchs said: "The green bamboo is entirely the Dharmakaya; the lush yellow flowers are nothing but Prajna." Bamboo is an elegant thing; Su Dongpo wrote a very clever poem about bamboo: "No bamboo makes one vulgar." This means if a household has not planted bamboo, it is very vulgar. "No meat makes one thin." If one does not eat meat, one will become thin. "If one wants to be neither vulgar nor thin, have bamboo stir-fried with meat for every meal." This bamboo stir-fried with meat tastes very good; one is neither vulgar nor thin, showing that bamboo is a very elegant thing. Seeing the green bamboo, that is our Dharma-nature Body; seeing the lush yellow flowers, that is our Prajna wisdom. Why is this said? Because Principle is revealed by phenomena! But does this mean these things are completely us, and we are completely these things? One cannot say it like that! Why? In the past, Monk Dazhu said that if the green bamboo were the Dharma-nature Body, then when we eat bamboo shoots, are we not eating the Dharmakaya? For example, if a bowl were your Dharmakaya, and you smashed the bowl, then you would have smashed the Dharmakaya too. That is also incorrect! Then ultimately, is this sentence correct or not? How should it be understood? It should be said to be "neither one nor two." Being "neither one" means they are not the same; that is to say, our Dharma-nature Body is formless and signless, while things have form; speaking from the aspect of appearance, they are not one body. Nature is not separate from appearance, and appearance is not separate from nature; speaking from the angle of non-separation, they are "not two," they are of the same essence. A mirror has reflections; the reflections can never be separated from the mirror; can you remove the reflections from the mirror? You cannot remove them. If you wrap the mirror in cloth, the texture of the cloth is also reflected in it; the reflection is still inside. If you face the mirror toward the ground, the objects on the ground are still reflected in it; if you face it toward the sky, the clouds, stars, sun, and moon in the sky are also reflected in the mirror; there are always reflections in the mirror. Therefore, speaking from the angle of non-separation, the mirror is the reflection, and the reflection is the mirror. However, the reflection is still the reflection, and the mirror is still the mirror; so, speaking from the aspect of appearance, one has appearance and the other is signless; they are not one body. Therefore, it is "neither one nor two"! This principle must be thoroughly understood.
When Patriarch Dongshan crossed the river in the past, he looked down to roll up his trouser legs; just at that moment, he saw his reflection appearing in the water and attained great awakening. He composed a verse which contains the marvelous lines: "He is now exactly me, I am now not him," proving that he indeed realized the Way. This "He" [Qu] does not refer to a canal [qudao], but is used as a pronoun for "him." "He is now exactly me" refers to the reflection in the water being exactly me. "I am now not him"—I am not him right now. Why say he is now me, but I am not him? The thousands of different reflected images in the world are all manifestations of our true mind; therefore, all these reflected images are my self-nature. However, I am not these reflected images; this is called "neither identical nor separate." "Not separate" means not separating from this reflected image to manifest the Dharma-nature Body. "Not identical" means all these reflected images are not exactly me. Buddhist principles are spoken very clearly and are also very profound; when we clarify all these things and the Buddha-nature, we will know how to realize the essence and engage the function; otherwise, you will be confused. In the past, Zen Master Dahui Zonggao saw this verse by Patriarch Dongshan and thought: "Patriarch Dongshan awakened to the Way, so how can there still be a 'him' and a 'me'?" "Since he awakened to the Way, there should be no him and no me; how can there still be him and me?" He became doubtful. Later, after he truly attained thorough awakening, he finally knew that "I being him" and "he being me" are both unobtainable; within this unobtainability, it is not said that there is not even a single illusory appearance; all appearances are still not destroyed and are still the marvelous function of our true mind. Therefore, we must clarify these issues.
The Surangama Sutra says: "Nature-form is true emptiness; nature-emptiness is true form." This nature is the essence of vacuum of marvelous presence; it does not hang on to a single thread, is not defiled by a speck of dust, and has not the slightest shape or form; to call it a thing misses the mark. This all-capable essence of true emptiness is the subject that constructs and manifests everything. That is to say, this emptiness is not the emptiness of having nothing, but the emptiness of marvelous presence and true emptiness. Because all material appearances are without exception manifestations of the essence-nature of true emptiness and marvelous presence, and are all functions arising from our self-nature; apart from self-nature, there are no material appearances. Therefore, all material appearances are self-nature, and self-nature is all material appearances. Self-nature is signless; it is the true emptiness that exists yet does not exist, that is not empty yet is empty; whereas material appearances are the marvelous presence that does not exist yet exists, that is empty yet not empty. All material appearances and the marvelous presence of true emptiness are originally not two different things. However, people in the world often cling to forms with shapes as truly existing, and are obsessed to the core, their delusion unbreakable. The Buddha, pitying sentient beings, taught us to recognize the truth, emphasizing: "Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form." The so-called "not different" means there is no difference. Why is "Nature-form true emptiness; nature-emptiness true form"? Because the nature is empty, it can manifest material appearances; if the nature were not empty and had already become a solid entity with form and appearance, it could not manifest various appearances. Why? To take a very simple example: only if this room of ours is empty can we move in tables, large wardrobes, and so on. Conversely, if this room were piled full of things and had no empty space, then nothing could be moved in. Therefore, only because the nature-essence is true emptiness and signless can it manifest all material appearances and transform into thousands of different marvelous appearances.
Precisely because self-nature is signless, it cannot be seen by the eyes; thus, the nature is also called the Marvelous Essence. You cannot find it in any part inside or outside the body. Opening up the brain, you cannot find it; dissecting the body, cutting open the heart, you also cannot find it. It is neither in the brain nor in the heart; it leaves no trace and is unobtainable. This means the nature is completely without traces or appearances and cannot be seen with the eyes. Although all the objects with form before our eyes can be seen by borrowing its "seeing nature," who can see this "seeing nature" of one's own? Because the eyes can only see things with form—this is one reason. Second, the eyes can only see things that are relative to them; if something is not relative to the eyes, it cannot be seen. For example: can our eyes see our own eyes? Because they are not relative to the eyes, they cannot be seen. And self-nature is the absolute true mind, not a relative thing, so it cannot be seen by the eyes. If there were a seeing, it would not be true seeing.
Nature is completely without traces or appearances and cannot be seen by the eyes. Therefore, nature is true emptiness. Although it is true emptiness, it can respond to conditions and initiate function. That is to say, after facing an object, it can generate consciousness and distinguish that this is this and that is that. Therefore, nature is also marvelous presence, and not inert emptiness. Only when the "seeing nature" distinguishes all material appearances through the eyes do all material appearances manifest. For example, when we see a person, how do you know it is a person? And not some other thing? How do you know if it is male or female, Zhang San or Li Si? This relies entirely on the discrimination of consciousness to manifest this person's appearance. Since material appearances are manifested by the seeing nature, material appearances are the nature. Based on this, we can know that the six kinds of nature—seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and knowing—initiate function through the six roots of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, thereby manifesting all forms, which are the six dusts. Therefore, all material appearances and all phenomena are manifestations of the nature. Form cannot be separated from nature, and nature cannot be separated from form. Apart from nature there is no form; apart from form there is no nature.
Someone asked: taking "seeing nature" as an example, ultimately, do material appearances exist first, or does seeing exist first? We might as well analyze and study this. If we say seeing exists first and material appearances exist later, then seeing should precede and material appearances should follow. But without material appearances, what can you see? And how can we talk about that being "seeing"? The so-called seeing is only because there are material appearances; thus one sees what this is and what that is. If there were no material appearances, from where would the function of "seeing" arise? Therefore, "seeing nature" can only display its function of seeing through material appearances. Conversely, if we say form exists first and seeing exists later, then form should precede and seeing should follow. However, without seeing, how can form be revealed? Since one has not seen, how can one know what material appearances there are? That is to say, without the "seeing nature," where would these material appearances manifest from? If everyone had no seeing, then although material appearances existed, it would be equivalent to them not existing, and they could not manifest. Therefore, nature and appearance cannot be separated. This is true for "seeing nature," and it is also true for the functions of other natures such as hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and knowing. Thus it is said that regarding form and nature, the two cannot be separated. The fundamental essence of nature is emptiness; then how is the fundamental essence of form different from emptiness? Therefore, form and emptiness are completely without distinction; that is, form is not different from emptiness, and emptiness is not different from form.
We often say that Buddhism is the Dharma gate of non-duality; this is exactly what it refers to: everything is non-dual. Because it is one yet two, two yet one. If you say it is one, it is also two; if you say it is two, it is also one. Fundamentally it is of the same essence and cannot be separated. If you insist on distinguishing, you have gone astray. We have repeatedly used water and waves as an example. Water and waves are also one, because water and waves both take wetness as their essence. Water is the appearance of stillness, while waves take motion as their appearance; water rises into waves because of the wind, and the appearance changes from stillness to motion; the appearance has changed and looks like two things, but they are of the same essence. Therefore, it is one yet two, two yet one. The principle of the mirror and reflection is also like this. No matter what material is used or what style is made, as long as it is a mirror, it can manifest reflections. If it cannot manifest reflections, it does not constitute a mirror. Since the mirror cannot be separated from the reflection, and the reflection is not separated from the mirror, the mirror is the reflection and the reflection is the mirror; thus it is called the Dharma gate of non-duality. As for us humans, from the moment we are born and have knowledge, we treat the mountains, rivers, great earth, and all myriad existences of the universe manifested by the nature as truly existing, and we chase the wind and clutch at shadows. That is to say, we only see the reflections and know the reflections, but do not know that the reflections are manifested by the mirror-light, and we do not recognize this mirror-light. If we can recognize this mirror-light, we also recognize the Buddha-nature. Why? Because reflections come and go, have arising and ceasing, but the mirror-light is always present. The mirror manifests a cat when a cat comes, and manifests a dog when a dog comes; the manifested reflections come and go, arise and cease, but the mirror-light never changes. All environmental-appearances such as mountains, rivers, and the great earth are also reflected images within the Constant Quiescent Light. We often speak of "blue seas and mulberry fields"; what is now a blue sea may become a mulberry field in the future; what was a mulberry field in the past has now become a blue sea. For instance, our Yunnan in China was formerly a great ocean, but now it has changed into mountains and fields. Although these material appearances are constantly changing, coming and going, arising and ceasing, just like the reflections in the mirror mentioned a moment ago. However, the mirror-light is the same as the nature-essence: it is without birth or death and is thus-thus unmoving.
Without a mirror, reflections cannot be manifested; without reflections, it cannot become a mirror. That is to say, nature cannot be separated from material appearances, and material appearances cannot be separated from nature. Therefore, nature is form, and form is nature. This principle is the Dharma gate of non-duality in Buddhism. Being able to penetrate this point is apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature. Do not think that apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature is a matter difficult upon difficult that only sages can realize. Practitioners of the Way are often frightened by the words "apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature," thinking it is too high to climb and not something modern people can achieve. Therefore, as soon as apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature is mentioned, they turn pale as if talking about a tiger and dare not approach. They believe that we ordinary, vulgar people cannot reach this state, and can only rely on the Pure Land school, using the method of reciting the Buddha's name to seek birth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, as that is the only way out. Waiting until one reaches the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and hears the Buddha expound the Dharma, then one will apprehend Mind and see the Nature! For ordinary good men and believing women, these words are absolutely true. Because in the current Dharma-Ending Age, sentient beings have dull roots and heavy obstructions; practicing in this Saha world is indeed difficult to achieve success. But in the Dharma-Ending Age there is also the True Dharma; it is not that there are no people of superior roots; one must absolutely not make a sweeping generalization and treat everyone the same, pushing apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature high up into the sage's realm and daring not to undertake it oneself. Actually, apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature is nowhere else; it is right before your eyes, right where you can see, can hear, can walk, and can act; turning the light around for a glance and recognizing that this numinous awareness is one's own Buddha-nature, the practice and learning of a lifetime is completed. All sentient beings can see and hear, so all sentient beings are Buddhas. This all-capable wisdom-nature does not decrease in ordinary beings and does not increase in sages. Since all sentient beings can see and hear and all possess the Tathagata wisdom-nature, then do not push apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature high into the sage's realm and think it is too high to climb. Just turn the light around to shine at these eight great functions of being able to see, able to hear, etc., and recognize who the one able to see is, and who the one able to hear is; confirm it upon this one seeing, give rise to no further doubt, and proceed to preserve it densely and closely, not letting it be stained by sensory realms, keeping it empty and numinous at all times. Only when a thought arises, break it with awareness; just as it is about to attach to a realm, immediately turn it away. Achieving "internally not turning with thoughts, externally not moving with realms," what worry is there of not perfectly realizing Bodhi!
Self-nature is the vacuum essence without signs; the nature is empty and abides nowhere, and material appearances are also empty and unobtainable; therefore, there is no need to seek, and no need to worry about gain or loss. The Vajra Sutra says: "If one sees all appearances as non-appearance, one sees the Tathagata." Having understood the truth that nature-form is true emptiness, one will not fall onto form-dusts to be controlled or shaken by them. One becomes the master oneself, not fooled or controlled by the servant; abiding in no environmental-appearance, not grasping at any thing, and engaging in dense and close contemplation at all times, one can enter the realm of apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature.
All environmental-appearances are manifestations of self-nature; without self-nature, there are no environmental-appearances, and no way to see any environmental-appearance. Because of the "seeing nature," one can see material appearances. Since seeing appearance is seeing nature, and appearance is the manifestation of the capable-seeing "seeing nature," then appearance is nature, and nature is appearance. And since nature is true and not false, material appearances are also true and not false. The Lotus Sutra says: "This Dharma abides in the Dharma-position; worldly appearances are constant." It says that all appearances in the world are manifestations of the nature; since the nature is true, appearances are also not false but constant; this is "nature-emptiness is true form." Thus it is said: When one is true, everything is true; when one is false, everything is false.
Someone asked: Is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss ultimately true or false? The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is neither true nor false, both true and false, immediate truth and immediate falsehood. Your distinguishing true and false here is still the discrimination of the deluded mind. Because the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is also manifested by the Buddha-nature; speaking from the aspect of appearance, things manifested from the nature all belong to the nature; the nature is true, so appearances are also true; the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is true. Speaking from the aspect of the nature-essence, the nature is reality, and appearances are reflections. The Vajra Sutra says: "Whatever has appearances is illusory." All appearances are illusory reflections, so the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is false. Let us not engage in deluded discrimination! Truly understanding the principle that nature and appearance are one suchness, and form and emptiness are non-dual, seeing appearance is seeing nature; one can penetrate all material appearances and see self-nature. Seeing nature is seeing appearance; one can then initiate marvelous functions from the nature, acting freely and spontaneously, spontaneously and freely, luminous and at ease, perfectly realizing Bodhi. Buddha-nature has boundless marvelous functions; therefore, Mahamudra says: "Immeasurably manifesting defiled and pure dharmas, fully endowed with the meaning of the equality of the nature of things as they are (dharmata)." Buddha-nature is fully endowed with everything; it can immeasurably manifest realms and appearances of purity and defilement. These realms and appearances, everything whatsoever, are equal, because our fundamental true mind is equal. Our minds and the minds of all Buddhas are equal and not two; it does not decrease because we are ordinary beings, nor does it increase because all Buddhas became sages; rather, it is equal, equal, and again equal. Therefore, after understanding this principle, the mind has a master; when we practice the Dharma, we will not be confused or chaotic. If you do not understand this principle of the true mind, you will seek externally, always doubting, with an unsettled mind, and will not obtain real benefit.
We learn the Buddha Dharma to obtain real benefit; therefore, the Buddha Dharma is a Dharma for calming the mind, for obtaining real benefit, not like other external paths that seek to obtain something. Nowadays, many people who learn Buddhism want to develop supernatural powers and show off in front of everyone to express themselves. Alas! It is a mistake. Using a mind that seeks attainment to practice a Dharma of non-attainment—is this not running in the opposite direction?
As soon as one starts practicing the Way, one must know that everything is unobtainable; only our true mind—Buddha-nature—is true; all other dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and reflections, all unobtainable and unseekable. After you restore the radiance of your own Buddha-nature, those supernatural powers and marvelous functions will manifest completely; you will obtain them naturally without seeking. However, when they manifest, one also cannot have any attachment; as soon as there is attachment, it becomes a set pattern, and one falls into it unable to extricate oneself. If your mind dwells on something, the Demon King will take the chance to enter; in the future, you will not achieve Buddhahood, but will have a share in becoming a demon; you must be very careful! Our learning of Buddhism is originally non-practice, non-attainment, and non-realization; however, in this process of non-practice, non-attainment, and non-realization, there are always some traces. We mentioned earlier that initial awakening is like a small child; one must wait for it to grow into an adult before it can initiate function. In this process of growth, there are inevitably steps. The length of this process varies according to each person's root-capacity, method of practice, and diligence or laziness. Just awakening only reaches the edge of the Dharmakaya, not yet the center; therefore, one must diligently train on phenomenal circumstances, remove all habits, and ascend upward to become a Buddha.
For us to become Buddhas from being ordinary beings, in the scriptural teachings, it is said to take three great Asankhya kalpas; the Zen sect does not speak like this. The Patriarch Zen of the Zen sect is the Perfect Sudden Dharma gate; it speaks of non-practice, non-attainment, and non-realization, and does not speak of dhyana concentration or liberation. Although this is so, it is not without steps. Therefore, the Linji sect speaks of the Three Mysteries and Three Essentials.
Patriarch Linji said: "In one sentence there are three mysteries; in one mystery there are three essentials." "Three Mysteries and Three Essentials" is the central purport of Patriarch Linji's realization; because he used his mind meticulously and personally experienced it, he explained the Kung Fu (spiritual work) clearly and thoroughly from the shallow to the deep, from the initial step to the end. He said: Generally, to perform the vehicle of the sect, one sentence must possess three mystery gates, and one mystery gate must possess three essentials. Patriarch Linji spoke of three sentences, so logically, three times three is nine, totaling nine mysteries; and since within one mystery there are three essentials, that would total twenty-seven essentials. Actually, it is not like that; the three sentences are explained in three layers; we must investigate them thoroughly to know the profound mystery of gradually reaching perfection from initial awakening. However, regarding what exactly these Three Mysteries and Three Essentials are, the various quarters since ancient times have each held their own views, arguing endlessly and remaining at a stalemate. Patriarch Linji said: One sentence possesses three mysteries. Before clarifying the three mysteries, one must first understand which sentence this is; if one does not understand this sentence, how can one penetrate the three mysteries? It turns out Linji said: "On the lump of red flesh there is a True Man of no rank; he is the one speaking and listening right now." This sentence is of the utmost importance; it is the master outline of the Three Mysteries and Three Essentials; only by understanding this sentence and recognizing the original face—that is, recognizing the One True Dharma-realm—can one proceed to discuss mysteries and essentials—the process of applying effort. Otherwise, it is like discussing war on paper; empty talk is useless. Our original face, the One True Dharma-realm, is non-practice, non-realization, and non-attainment; our understanding of this original face is only initial awakening; since habits are not removed, one cannot save oneself, and one still needs to train the mind through circumstances, ascending higher and higher, before one can walk hand in hand with the Buddhas and Patriarchs. Therefore, Patriarch Linji divided this process of progressive advancement into Three Mysteries and Three Essentials. The Three Mysteries and Three Essentials speak of the three steps from initial awakening and establishing the purport, to preservation, training the mind through circumstances to remove habits, initiating great potential and function, and finally perfectly realizing the fundamental nature.
The first sentence, the Mystery within the Phrase: Just look at the wooden puppets playing on the stage Drawing and pulling depends entirely on the person inside This is our initial seeing of nature, recognizing the fundamental nature. Our body can move, hands can do work, feet can walk, eyes can see, ears can hear, mouth can speak—what thing is initiating function in these matters? If our breath does not come, can this body still do these things? Can it still move? That would be impossible. Then what is moving? "Drawing and pulling depends entirely on the person inside." We watch a puppet show; in a puppet show, there is someone below pulling the strings; without someone pulling the strings, the puppet cannot move; who is the person pulling the strings? The one pulling the strings is our One True Dharma-realm, which is our fundamental nature. Recognizing the person pulling the strings is our initial awakening to the Way, recognizing the fundamental nature.
Having recognized the fundamental nature, has one achieved the Way? No! Patriarch Linji said that the person who recognizes this sentence cannot save himself, and cannot yet exit the six paths of reincarnation. Because initial seeing of nature is at the edge of the Dharmakaya and one is still a small child; this is where Pure Land practitioners slander the Zen sect; they say the Zen sect is no good, that birth and death and reincarnation cannot be cut off! It is better to rely on the Pure Land sect, as going to the West is secure. Zen practitioners still have thought-delusions, so the reincarnation of the six paths and the fragmented birth and death cannot be ended; it is indeed so.
However, when we cultivate the Zen sect or other sects, it is not that awakening to the original and seeing the fundamental nature counts as finishing; one still must apply effort, preserve it densely and closely, and do the work of removing habits! Thus the Zen sect speaks of herding the ox; this ox-nature is very wild; we must grasp the nose-rope of the ox tightly, hold the whip high, and if its wild nature breaks out, whip it and beat it. This means to be aware and illuminating at all times, looking after the critical phrase (hua-tou), watching it, not letting it fall into delusional thoughts, not letting it be turned by circumstances, applying effort at every moment, and doing the work of preservation; only then can one remove all habits and end birth and death.
After awakening, how does one apply effort? Within this one sentence, it is divided into three essentials; these are the three essentials of the first sentence: Initial Essential, Middle Essential, and Upper Essential.
What is the Initial Essential? The Initial Essential is seeing the nature; after seeing the original, you understand without error and accept and undertake it yourself; it is not hearing people speak about it and then giving rise to doubt—that does not count; you must truly accept and undertake it yourself, not doubting, affirming that this is our fundamental nature; this is the Initial Essential. If you are half-believing and half-doubting, that does not count. Standing firm on your heels, even if Buddhas and Patriarchs appeared in the world you would not waver; this is also not easy. Speaking of this, I am reminded of the koan of High Official Yu Di visiting Zen Master Ziyu. High Official Yu Di asked Zen Master Ziyu: "What is the Buddha?" The Zen Master called to High Official Yu Di: "High Official!" Yu Di responded: "Yes!" Zen Master Ziyu said: "This very one is it; there is no other thing." This is the Buddha; the one you responded with is the Buddha; there is no other thing. "Oh—" The High Official understood and awakened to the Way. However, after Zen Master Yaoshan heard this, he said: "Alas, it is ruined; High Official Yu Di has been buried by Mount Ziyu." When this sentence reached High Official Yu Di, he thought: "Alas, perhaps what I awakened to is not it? How could he say Mount Ziyu buried me? Did I not awaken to the Way? Was it wrong?" He doubted; his heels were not standing firm, so he was hooked away by Zen Master Yaoshan with a single hook. He hurriedly ran to ask Zen Master Yaoshan: "Great Monk, I heard you said I was buried by Mount Ziyu and that my awakening was not right; please, Great Monk, give me instruction." Seeing High Official Yu Di speak like this, Yaoshan laughed "Ha ha," thinking: "This person indeed does not stand firm on his heels; I hooked him and he came." He said: "Alright, you ask, and I will answer you." High Official Yu Di then asked the previous question again: "What is the Buddha?" Zen Master Yaoshan was not like Zen Master Ziyu who gave direct instruction after calling High Official Yu Di to respond. Yaoshan, like Ziyu, called him: "High Official!" Yu Di responded: "Yes!" Yaoshan immediately asked him back: "What is it?" He turned the light around to look at what it was. "Oh—!" This time he awakened to the Way.
Actually, it is the same direct pointing method, only the technique is different; one tells you directly, and one asks you back with a sentence. Since you asked what is the Buddha, I must always answer your question and cannot give an irrelevant answer. When answering, instead of directly saying how the Buddha-nature is, one first calls you; then there are two ways to answer: one is directly pointing out that what you responded with is it, like Zen Master Ziyu's "This very one is it, there is no other thing." The other is Zen Master Yaoshan's question: "What is it?" asking back who the one answering me is? Oh! This is the Buddha! So he awakened to the Way. It looks very simple; it just depends on whether your heels stand firm; if you truly stand firm, telling you directly also works. Like Damei visiting Mazu; he also asked Mazu what is the Buddha. Mazu said: "Mind is Buddha." That is, your mind is the Buddha; Damei awakened to the Way and immediately went back. Mazu wanted to test if he had truly awakened to the Way, so after a period of time, he told his attendant to go test Damei: "Tell Damei that Mazu's Buddha Dharma has changed now; it is not 'Mind is Buddha,' but 'Neither mind nor Buddha'; see how he reacts." The attendant received the order and went to see Damei. When Damei saw Mazu's attendant arrive, he asked him: "Is Mazu well these days?" The attendant said: "Ah, Mazu is very well!" Damei asked: "How is Mazu's Buddha Dharma?" The attendant said: "Mazu's Buddha Dharma is now 'Neither mind nor Buddha.'" Damei said: "Hmph! This old fellow confuses people's minds; let him have his 'Neither mind nor Buddha,' I only care for 'Mind is Buddha.'" Look how firmly his heels stood, without doubting in the slightest. Therefore, if we truly see the Way, our heels will stand firm without doubt. This is the initial apprehension of Mind; it is the Initial Essential of the first sentence.
What about the Middle Essential? Since one has awakened to the Way, one should preserve it; it is not that once awakened everything is finished, because habits are still present; one must look after the critical phrase (hua-tou) and preserve it at all times. For the Pure Land practitioners mentioned above, as soon as this mind-thought moves, immediately bring up the Buddha's name; for mantra practitioners, bring up the mantra; for Zen practitioners, it is a single awareness, fundamentally unobtainable. In terms of Mahamudra, it is when your mind moves—"Phat" (Phaṭ)! Give a head-on shout to shout away the delusional thought; this is the supreme oral instruction for doing preservation work in Mahamudra. Therefore, all practitioners of the Way must do the work of preservation; knowing preservation—this is the Middle Essential.
What about the Upper Essential? We look after it at all times, preserve it at all times; preserve, preserve, preserve; when preservation becomes mature, one cannot always cling to preservation. Preserving it without letting go is a function with effort; we must ascend higher and higher, remove this "preservation," and enter the function of non-effort. But having done the work of preservation for a long time, it is not easy to remove it; wanting to remove it but being unable to remove it—this is the Upper Essential of the first sentence. This describes the process of Kung Fu; so when we do Kung Fu we must understand that it is not finished upon a single awakening; of course, there is also sudden awakening, sudden practice, and sudden realization, where one is thoroughly finished after one awakening, but that is for Great Bodhisattvas returning again, not something ordinary beings can achieve. When Great Bodhisattvas return, they can have sudden awakening, sudden practice, and sudden realization, but they also did it gradually in the past and did not succeed all at once. We must know the sweetness and bitterness within and do Kung Fu well. Therefore, I often tell people to do Kung Fu well; it is not that awakening once is the end; one must enter the Proper Position of the Dharmakaya from the Edge of the Dharmakaya, and then ascend higher and higher to attain it.
The second sentence, the Mystery within the Meaning: How could the marvelous understanding admit Wuzhu's questions? How can bubbles contend with the impulse that severs the stream? Buddha-nature is signless and is the source of the ten thousand dharmas; one can only illuminate it and intuitively recognize it with wisdom-light, but cannot see it with eyes. Understanding that all thousands of different phenomenal appearances in the world are reflected images manifested and accomplished by our marvelous nature, that nature is appearance, appearance is nature, nature and appearance are non-dual, and marvelous functions are boundless. Truly understanding these principles is indeed marvelous, but there are still appearances to be seen and words to be said, so it is still not truly marvelous; one must realize the state where all light and supernatural powers return to one's own mind, dwelling nowhere in the slightest, establishing not a single dharma, hanging not by a single thread, with no words to be said—only then is it truly marvelous. Therefore, the sutra says: "Whatever has words and speech implies no real meaning." One must understand to the point where it cannot be explained by words, and marvel to the point where it cannot be described as marvelous; only then is it truly marvelous. Therefore, Patriarch Linji said "How could the marvelous understanding admit Wuzhu's questions"; realizing this point, even Bodhisattva Wuzhu (Asanga/Non-abiding), who is best at raising questions, cannot open his mouth to ask questions. "Ouhe zheng fu jieliu ji" (How can bubbles contend with the impulse that severs the stream): Ouhe [Upāya/Skillful means] refers to water bubbles rising here and falling there, implying questions and answers. Let there be a hundred questions and a thousand answers, let you speak of the mysterious and the marvelous, ultimately there are explanations, and they are but water bubbles. Because these are not the Real, not the main topic, they are compared to water bubbles. Let there be hundreds of thousands of millions of questions and answers with words and speech, like water bubbles gathering into a large mass, how can they bear the great potential and great function of cutting off the myriad streams? Therefore, "The one move upward is not transmitted by a thousand sages"; it is not something language can speak of or thought can understand; one must put down everything, do Kung Fu on the solid ground oneself, and truly realize this state, so that one can brightly illuminate and intuitively recognize it with wisdom-light; thus it is said: "How could the marvelous understanding admit Wuzhu's questions? How can bubbles contend with the impulse that severs the stream?"
Here it is also divided into three essentials: Initial Essential, Middle Essential, and Upper Essential. This represents the advancement of Kung Fu; the Upper Essential of the first sentence mentioned above refers to doing the work of preservation; when preservation is mature, do not preserve anymore; preserving further becomes superfluous; one must forget it; however, if the power is insufficient, it is not easy to forget it all at once. So this sentence above is the "Mystery within the Phrase." We say the three mysteries are the Mystery within the Phrase, the Mystery within the Meaning, and the Mystery within the Body. Phrase refers to verbal sentences; Meaning refers to the Great Intent we issue from the Essence—that is, the Great Intent of the Coming from the West; from Intent, verbal sentences are generated; from verbal sentences, i.e., speaking and writing articles, we can educate everyone. So this first sentence "Just look at the wooden puppets playing on the stage / Drawing and pulling depends entirely on the person inside" is the Mystery within the Phrase, and the Mystery within the Phrase has three essentials. Following that, the second sentence "How could the marvelous understanding admit Wuzhu's questions? / How can bubbles contend with the impulse that severs the stream?" is the Mystery within the Meaning, referring to the Great Intent issued from our Luminous Essence, the One True Dharma-realm. Because only with Intent can it change into verbal sentences; verbal sentences transform in thousands of ways; without Intent how can one express speech? So during a meeting, people ask what opinion do you have? What is the meaning? Expressing verbal sentences from Intent—this is the Mystery within the Meaning. How is the Initial Essential? As for the Upper Essential of the Mystery within the Phrase above, one wanted to forget preservation but could not yet do so. Here, after doing Kung Fu for a long time, one can forget; one forgets to preserve and no longer preserves it; so when Kung Fu reaches this point and one does not preserve, it is more relaxed and happy than when preserving. Because when you still have preservation, you have to carry a load; although ninety-nine catties are gone from a hundred catties, there is still one catty left! So when even preservation is gone, and one truly is about to enter non-action, naturally it is relaxed and happy. However, although forgotten, sometimes it still churns up; it is still not thorough.
When reaching the Middle Essential? One truly enters non-action, and not a single dharma is obtainable. At this time, there is no inside or outside, no long or short, no green or yellow, nothing at all; one has entered the Proper Position of non-action. When Kung Fu reaches this point, it is very good, very nice, like a round mid-autumn moon brightly shining overhead; push and it does not go, pull and it does not come; this is the symbol of Kung Fu advancing to this level. Everyone has a luminous body; it is only unseen because of inverted delusional thinking and attachment! Now that these false things are cleared away and are all gone, the false is pure and the true manifests, penetratingly bright; the radiance is revealed. So reaching this Middle Essential, he is naturally extremely peaceful and happy, with light brightly shining.
When reaching the Upper Essential of the Mystery within the Meaning, even non-action is unobtainable. At the Middle Essential, there is still non-action; therefore, when our Kung Fu reaches the Seventh Bhumi Bodhisattva, one wants to enter non-action but there is still a non-action present; non-action cannot yet be forgotten. When reaching the Eighth Bhumi Bodhisattva, even non-action is gone; that is even better Kung Fu; so Kung Fu progresses layer by layer. At this time, there is no such thing as Kung Fu. What is called Kung Fu? Alas! It is all gone. This merit of no-merit, its merit is extremely great; all traces of doing Kung Fu and non-action are dissolved into nothingness; all are eliminated together; there is no such thing as non-action. At this time, one does not seek supernatural powers and changes, yet supernatural powers come by themselves. When Kung Fu reaches this position, one has understood two Mysteries and six Essentials and can teach humans and devas; thus Patriarch Linji said: He who comprehends this sentence can be the teacher of humans and devas. This is the Upper Essential.
Therefore, doing Kung Fu has levels; it is not ascending to the sky in one step, but depends on how the person strives to do it, not forgetting at any moment, preserving at any moment; preserving until long ripe; when ripe, forget; when forgotten, dissolve; entering the realm of transformation. At this time, is one completely home? Not yet; there is the Mystery within the Body, which is "The Three Essentials seal open the narrow red dot / Not allowing hesitation to distinguish host and guest"; this is the last sentence. Originally there is only one sentence, which is our Quiescent One Mind, the One True Dharma-realm. This One True Dharma-realm is transformed into three layers to minutely express the progress of doing Kung Fu, to avoid generalizing True Suchness and being muddled about Buddha-nature, taking non-realization as realization; thus one sentence transforms into three sentences.
The last sentence, the Mystery within the Body: "The Three Essentials seal open the narrow red dot / Not allowing hesitation to distinguish host and guest." What is the red dot? The red dot is our true mind. Narrow means cramped, not broad. It means at this time your red dot (true mind) is not yet broad, the marvelous function is not yet great, and it still must be trained on three critical links.
What are these Three Essentials? They are not the Initial Essential, Middle Essential, and Upper Essential mentioned above, but the Three Essentials of Body, Speech, and Mind. Just as we cultivate the Mind-Center Esoteric Dharma, using the Body, Speech, and Mind for the Three Mystic Adhistana (Empowerment). All Dharma gates or worldly dharmas require the use of body, speech, and mind to do Kung Fu; no matter what sect you practice or what things you do, you cannot depart from body, speech, and mind. Body manifests imposing demeanor; when your Kung Fu reaches a considerable degree, your appearance and physical shell all change; body and mind possess imposing demeanor, setting an example with one's body for everyone. Not with drooping eyebrows and sleepy eyes, dispirited and listless, but with imposing presence and full spirit. Practitioners must set an example with their bodies, especially in all conduct, serving as a model for all people; one cannot live, eat, and act like vulgar people; one must strictly observe precepts and possess the appearance of imposing demeanor and the appearance of a great person. Therefore, do not look at whether someone's words are good or their tune is high; look at the height of their conduct. If conduct is very low, saying it but not doing it, that will not do; speaking ten feet but practicing one foot, that is even worse. Therefore, not only must practitioners match words with deeds, but worldly people must also have unity of speech and action. This is our Dharma Realm of Non-Obstruction between Principle and Phenomena; achieving the Dharma Realm of Non-Obstruction between Phenomena and Phenomena later means that in every place and at every moment, the body manifests imposing demeanor. Intent (Mind) is the Great Intent issued from our Essence; how to teach some sentient beings—this is Intent. Mouth (Speech) is speaking and expounding the Dharma, answering according to capacity; the Dharma has no fixed Dharma; medicine is applied according to the illness; of course, one is unfamiliar at the start, but slowly, after experiencing a period of time and becoming familiar with observing capacities, one can clearly see the coming capacities of all sentient beings and expound the Dharma suited to the capacity; this is the Three Essentials of Body, Speech, and Mind. Through such training, your red dot—that is, the true mind—is sealed open, thereby initiating vast and boundless marvelous functions. The seal is like the seal of an official; with the seal, any matter can be undertaken. The seal mentioned here is our mind; our mind is the seal. When our mind reaches this time, it initiates great potential and great function; of all things, there is nothing it does not know, nothing it cannot do; it can undertake everything. This is "The Three Essentials seal open the narrow red dot."
"Not allowing hesitation to distinguish host and guest" means that when any matter comes before you, do not go and think or consider; I am completely clear about everything. If we can achieve this level of Kung Fu, we can be the teacher of Buddhas and Patriarchs. But not the master of Amitabha Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha (because Amitabha Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha have already become Buddhas), but the master of those who make vows to become Buddhas and Patriarchs in the future, guiding them onto the right road, to realize the Great Way and achieve Buddhahood; therefore, it is said to be the teacher of Buddhas and Patriarchs. That is to say, if there is a great hero who vows to become a Buddha and save sentient beings, you can be his teacher and model. Therefore, do not mistake this.
This sentence is also divided into Initial, Middle, and Upper Three Essentials; then what is the Initial Essential like? The Upper Essential of the Mystery within the Meaning above was already the mechanism of dissolving into non-action; it is the Great Function of No-Merit; what Kung Fu is there still to speak of? None. Being gone, it returns to the root and goes back to the source, returning from the marvelous to the bland; originally everything was extremely mysterious and marvelous, because at the position of the Eighth Bhumi Bodhisattva with the bright moon overhead, he emits all supernatural powers and marvelous functions. We do not abide in supernatural powers and marvelous functions, so we can return from the marvelous to the bland; if you abide in supernatural powers and marvelous functions, you cannot return and will go into the demonic. Therefore, in doing Kung Fu one cannot attach; everything is unobtainable; one must return to non-attainment. Therefore, the Heart Sutra says: "Because there is nothing to be attained, one attains Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi"; only with non-attainment does one realize Supreme Perfect Awakening; with attainment, it is ruined; here one returns from the marvelous to the bland; unobtainable, unobtainable, everything is unobtainable. This blandness is not the blandness where there is nothing, but like water—bland, bland, bland, within the blandness there is the supreme flavor, there is the unspeakable, supreme flavor inside; this is only an analogy, there is no way to speak of it.
Then reaching the Middle Essential? All day long he is muddled and chaotic, like a fool or an idiot, just wearing clothes and eating food. Therefore, Layman Pang's daughter said: "Neither difficult nor easy, eating rice when hungry and sleeping when tired." What their family spoke were the words of the Three Barriers; Layman Pang spoke of breaking the Initial Barrier: "Difficult, difficult, difficult, ten loads of sesame oil spread on a tree." His wife spoke of breaking the Heavy Barrier: "Easy, easy, easy, the Patriarch's meaning on the tips of a hundred grasses." His daughter spoke of breaking the Prison Barrier: "Neither difficult nor easy, eating rice when hungry and sleeping when tired." So reaching the Middle Essential at this time, it is just wearing clothes and eating food. Many people hear these principles and feel they are not very useful; how come there are no supernatural powers at all, becoming a fool or an idiot? Therefore, as soon as people hear this, they do not want to listen. What they love to hear most is developing some supernatural power, having some change, having such-and-such great marvelous function. When they hear it is just wearing clothes and eating food, they say: "Alas, there is nothing at all! Like a fool or an idiot, it's meaningless." They feel lonely and tasteless. Therefore, only people of great wisdom can understand; they can know it well without doubt, know it well and find joy within it. Therefore, to do Kung Fu one must be a true great hero, not something those of small intelligence and small wisdom can achieve. When we do Kung Fu to the point of the Middle Essential of the Mystery within the Body, it is already bland, bland, bland, bland to the point where no words can be said; then how to explain? It turns out it is not conditioned, not unconditioned; in walking, standing, sitting, lying, moving, stillness, and social intercourse, it is all clearly solitary brightness! Clearly solitary brightness, like a bright light shining overhead; push and it does not go, pull and it does not come; there is not the slightest trace of interruption. When speaking of bright shining in the Mystery within the Meaning above, the moon was present, only not very bright; now it is bright shining to the extreme, changing from the light of the moon to the radiance of the sun; so it is called bright light shining overhead.
What about the Upper Essential? Alas! It is even more impossible to speak of; at this point, it is hard to open one's mouth or find words; upon seeing Manjusri raise the gavel, the World-Honored One immediately descended from the seat; ancient Zen worthies would brush their robes and return to the abbot's quarters upon reaching this point. Because at this time, even that shining sunlight is gone.
In the past, a monk asked Great Master Caoshan; he said: "How is it when the bright moon shines overhead?" This means when there is a moon shining overhead, what is it like? This Kung Fu has already reached the Mystery within the Meaning, but it is not yet the Mystery within the Body. Reaching the Mystery within the Body means the moon changes into the sun, becoming brighter. However, in the language of the sect, the moon is merely used to represent it, without mentioning the sun. How is this bright moon shining overhead? Caoshan said: "Still a fellow below the steps." You are still below the steps of the reception room; not only have you not ascended the hall and entered the room, you are still below the reception room; this means your Kung Fu is still far off. But this monk was also a hero and did not let Caoshan off; he said: "Master, please guide me up the steps." That is, please lend me a hand, pull me up, guide me to ascend the hall and enter the room! Caoshan said: "See you when the moon falls." I will meet you when the moon on your head falls and is gone. When this Kung Fu is done to the end, it dissolves into mutual forgetting, and there is nothing at all. Is "nothing at all" annihilationist emptiness? We said above that within the tasteless there is supreme flavor! It is not that the light is gone, but that one is unaware of it, does not see it, does not attach to it; it dissolves into mutual forgetting, without any traces.
When we first see the light, we feel it is very bright; but when you become familiar with it, you do not feel you are in the light. For example, we now live in the air; do you feel there is air? You do not feel it. But if you are locked in a vacuum room, you will immediately feel stifled, as if about to die; only then do you want to breathe air, and only then do you feel the existence of air. Living in the air for a long time, becoming accustomed, one does not feel it. The so-called "See you when the moon falls" means you should not attach to the light; if you still have this present, it is a set pattern. With a tiny bit of attachment, one cannot achieve Buddhahood. Therefore, we say one must not attach to any supernatural powers or changes; it must be as if there is nothing, like a fool or an idiot. Actually, it is not that the light is gone, nor that supernatural powers are gone, but that they exist without one being aware. For example, every one of us knows how to wear clothes and eat food; do you still feel it is a rare thing? Wearing clothes and eating food is too ordinary and not worth talking about; so ordinary people do not attach to it either. Now, doing Kung Fu to this point, being familiar to the extreme, without the slightest trace, one dissolves into mutual forgetting.
Our learning of the Esoteric Sect is also like this; cultivating to the end is like the moon on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month. Is there still a moon appearing on the night of the thirtieth of the twelfth month? That is to say, at that time you forget, abiding in no light whatsoever; truly home. At this time, only the round, round Great Wisdom of Perfect Awakening exists solitarily and brightly; there are no other things; everything is gone.
The Great Wisdom of Perfect Awakening is non-perception, without duality; if there is a subject capable of perceiving and an object to be perceived, it is ruined. Only when cultivation reaches this step is one truly home! At this time, one can return all myriad things in the universe to oneself; these things are all me. Therefore, Great Master Sengzhao said: "As for him who returns ten thousand things to himself, is he not a sage?" Is it that only a sage can do this? Yes. Who among ordinary beings can do this? Who among ordinary beings can know that these ten thousand things are all oneself? Therefore, only a sage can do it.
Speaking of this, I remember a koan. A monk asked Zen Master Dasui: "When the great chiliocosm is destroyed, is the Dharmakaya destroyed or not?" We know the great chiliocosm has four stages: formation, abiding, destruction, and voidness; it ultimately must be destroyed. When the great chiliocosm is destroyed, is this Dharmakaya destroyed or not? We all know the Buddha said the Dharmakaya is the marvelous essence that is unborn and undying, does not come or go, does not move or waver, does not change, and is evergreen throughout antiquity. The comer raises the question: is the Dharmakaya destroyed when the great chiliocosm is destroyed? If it were us, we would immediately answer: "The Dharmakaya is not destroyed." Such a reply that does not question the comer's capacity is incorrect; why? Because when replying, one must follow the comer's vein of speech and strike into his question's intent, making the comer know pain and itch, and abruptly turn his head at the place where mind and thought cannot operate, to see the fundamental nature. If you do not strike into him, he cannot open into awakening. Do not talk principles with him; talking principles at this time is useless. Therefore, the words of the Zen sect do not speak of principles; they are a double-edged blade: one side kills you, one side gives you life, letting you gain life from within death. So Dasui answered him: "The Dharmakaya is also destroyed." Alas! Is this statement not vastly different from what the Buddha said? Is it not wrongly establishing a term and confusing the people of the world? This leads to falling into the Vajra Hell! However, if this statement were truly answered wrongly, why did the Monk Touzi Datong, a great Zen virtuous one, offer incense and bow, praising him as an ancient Buddha appearing in the world again? It turns out that the so-called "world"—no matter what thing it is—is all transformed and manifested by the Buddha-nature (which is the Dharmakaya) of our vast multitude of sentient beings; apart from the Dharmakaya there is nothing. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra says: "This Dharma abides in the Dharma-position; worldly appearances are constant." It means all things in the world are without exception established relying on the Dharmakaya. "This Dharma" refers to any thing whatsoever, and "Dharma-position" is the One True Dharma-realm (which is also our Dharmakaya); "This Dharma abides in the Dharma-position" means all things and objects in the world are manifestations of the Dharmakaya, established relying on the Dharmakaya; therefore, it is said worldly appearances are the Dharmakaya, and the Dharmakaya is worldly appearances.
We know that phenomena are established by Principle, and Principle is revealed by phenomena; Principle and phenomena cannot be separated; thus the sutra says: "Nature and appearance are non-dual; mind and realm are of the same essence." Worldly appearances are precisely manifesting our Dharmakaya; ancient virtuous ones said: "In the thicket of ten thousand forms, the Body is solitarily exposed." Since Mind—Dharmakaya—is abiding constantly and is not destroyed, then worldly appearances naturally abide constantly.
Looking from the surface of worldly appearances, it seems to be "blue seas and mulberry fields," changing in an instant and not lasting long; how can it be said to be constantly abiding? Actually, the fundamental essence of things truly has no destruction; it is just that it is destroyed here and born there again, merely moving to another location. Su Dongpo explained this principle very well in his Red Cliff Ode: "Does the guest also know of this water and moon? The one that passes is like this, yet it has never gone; the one that waxes and wanes is like that, yet it ultimately does not diminish or grow. For if one looks at it from the aspect of its change, then heaven and earth cannot last for even a blink; if one looks at it from the aspect of its changelessness, then things and I are both inexhaustible." Water flows unceasingly; although water flows, it is not that after flowing past it is gone; water still flows on continuously. The moon has cloudy and clear days, waxing and waning; when cloudy and waning, it has lost nothing; when clear and round, it has gained nothing; despite roundness and waning, the moon-body of the moon remains so. Layman Dongpo borrowed water and the moon to explain that the false appearances of ten thousand things change while the true essence does not alter. At the same time, he further explained that people whose mind and chest are not open and broad, who cling to false appearances, see the world as blue seas and mulberry fields, changing in an instant; whereas the open and wise gentlemen who recognize the true essence where things and sentient beings are identical know that everything in heaven and earth is constantly abiding and unchanging.
One who has truly awakened to the Way is just this free and at ease; picking up horizontally or pointing vertically, all become marvelous truths; saying it backwards or saying it vertically, it is nothing but a wonderful flower. How can this marvelous flavor be described by pen and ink! Therefore, we who do Kung Fu must be diligent and strive hard, and must not be slack or procrastinate; to realize the Great Way and widely save sentient beings in the years of this life—only then will we be unashamed of this life!
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