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Also See:
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture One)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Two)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Three)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Four)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Five)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Six)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Seven)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Eight)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Nine)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Ten)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Eleven)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Twelve)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Thirteen)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Fourteen)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Fifteen)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Sixteen)
- Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Seventeen)
Chinese Original From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm
English Translation:
The Ganges Mahamudra (Lecture Four)
By Master Yuan Yin
Lecture Four
Although we are lecturing on the Esoteric Great Seal (Mahamudra), we do not distinguish between sects; Chan, Pure Land, and Esoteric are discussed together. In fact, the Great Seal and the Chan Sect breathe through the same nostril; they point directly at the Mind-nature, telling people to become Buddhas in the present moment, a method of sudden perfection that prevents everyone from walking a winding, wrongful path. However, after lecturing a few times, everyone still does not fully understand "Form" and "Emptiness." Last time, someone asked me, "Is this 'Emptiness' an emptiness apart from Form? For example, right now there is a house, and so many men, women, old, and young are gathered together; is it only 'Emptiness' if we leave the house and leave the men, women, old, and young so that there are no appearances?" No, it is not. He does not understand the meaning of Form and Emptiness! Therefore, it is necessary for us to understand the principle of Form and Emptiness and comprehend the objective of the Great Seal, so that practice will proceed more smoothly; otherwise, one will inevitably walk a wrongful path.
So, ultimately, what is Form, and what is Emptiness?
I once cited the public case [koan] of Chan Master Qin Batuo questioning Dharma Master [Dao]sheng; today, I might as well bring it up and explain it again. At that time, Dharma Master Sheng’s fame shook the whole country, enjoying the great reputation of "When Sheng speaks the Dharma, stubborn stones nod their heads." Qin Batuo came to see Sheng and asked him, "Great Master, you are such an advanced age to still be lecturing on sutras; what sutra are you lecturing on?" Sheng said, "I am lecturing on the Prajñā Sūtra." We know that the Great Prajñā Sūtra has six hundred scrolls and is exclusively dedicated to discussing Form and Emptiness; its condensed version is the Diamond Sūtra, and the condensed version of the Diamond Sūtra is the Heart Sūtra. The Heart Sūtra states, "Form does not differ from Emptiness, Emptiness does not differ from Form; Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form," which is precisely discussing the meaning of Form and Emptiness.
Chan Master Qin Batuo asked, "Oh! Then may I ask, what is called Form?" (What is Form?) Sheng answered, "The aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is called Form." "Mass of micro-particles" refers to "all the dust motes in the three-thousand great chiliocosms" that the Buddha spoke of when questioning Subhuti in the Diamond Sūtra; this great world is entirely formed by the gathering of dust motes. The houses and such that we see now are also the gathering of micro-particles. Why? Bricks, tiles, timber, steel bars, and cement are all micro-particles. Aren't bricks and tiles just mud? One uses mud to make a mold, puts it in a kiln, and fires it to create them. And wood? It is a large tree. Where did the large tree come from? The large tree comes from a tree seed absorbing nutrients from the soil, exposed to sunlight, slowly growing big and gathering together. They are all combined; they are the gathering of a mass of micro-particles. It is not that "such-and-such thing" exists in itself; originally, they have no self-essence; they are all "the aggregation of a mass of micro-particles."
Chan Master Qin Batuo asked again, "Then, what is called Emptiness?" Sheng answered, "The mass of micro-particles having no self-nature is called Emptiness." That is, the dust mote itself does not exist; it is composed of other things. Nowadays, scientists say that all matter is composed of chemical elements (for example, water is composed of two elements, oxygen and hydrogen), chemical elements are composed of atoms, atoms are composed of atomic nuclei and electrons, and atomic nuclei and electrons are composed of even tinier elementary particles. Elementary particles are not "elementary" either; they are composed of even subtler things, analyzed all the way down to "wave-particle duality"—it resembles a wave, yet resembles a particle; it is neither a wave nor a particle. Actually, Buddhist sutras long ago spoke of "neighboring void dust"—micro-particles bordering on the void. Speaking of this, everyone might understand it this way: before things are composed, when there is nothing at all, that is Emptiness; meaning, "the aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is Form; the non-aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is Emptiness." Actually, the "Emptiness" discussed in Buddhism does not mean this. Sheng did not say "the non-aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is Emptiness"; he put it very well: "The mass of micro-particles having no self-nature is Emptiness." The mass of micro-particles also has no fundamental essence—no self-nature. Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form; it is not the Emptiness of "empty and lacking everything." The Emptiness of "empty and lacking everything" is "nihilistic emptiness." The "Emptiness" spoken of by Sheng is the Emptiness of self-nature, which is our fundamental nature. All appearances of Form are the manifestations of our fundamental nature. Our fundamental nature is the Buddha-nature, which is the root of all appearances of Form.
Why is it called "Buddha-nature" and not "Dharma-nature"? What is the distinction here?
Dharma-nature is the root of all dharmas. All things and events, including our thoughts, are called dharmas. In Buddhist sutras, the scope included by "dharma" is very broad, very broad. All things, events, and even our thoughts are produced by our numinous vivid true nature; they are all the marvelous functions manifested by our numinous vivid true nature. Our numinous vivid true nature is the root of all dharmas, so it is called "Dharma-nature."
Buddha-nature is the root of becoming a Buddha. When we eliminate delusive thoughts entirely and cut off ignorance completely, restoring our original face, the marvelous function of this numinous vivid true nature of ours becomes fully complete. The Three Bodies and Four Wisdoms are all complete; that is becoming a Buddha, not that there is another Buddha aside from this to become. Our numinous vivid true nature is the root of becoming a Buddha, so it is called "Buddha-nature." Buddha-nature and Dharma-nature both refer to the "One True Dharma Realm," which is our numinous vivid true nature. Therefore, this numinous vivid true nature is the basis of all Buddhas and the source of ten thousand dharmas.
"Form" is "Emptiness"; all Forms are manifested by our numinous vivid true mind; all appearances of Form are our numinous vivid true mind, and the numinous vivid true mind is all appearances of Form. It is not that one looks for Emptiness apart from all appearances of Form; that would be the emptiness of nothingness, which would be incorrect. Therefore, Sheng said, "The aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is Form, the mass of micro-particles having no self-nature is Emptiness," and did not say, "The non-aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is Emptiness."
At this moment, Qin Batuo asked him further, "How is it when the mass of micro-particles has not yet gathered?" Because Sheng said the aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is Form—is this Form? He did not speak to the root of it. Actually, this Form is our self-nature, because without self-nature, there is no ability to manifest Form. Sheng said, "The aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is Form." Then what about when the mass of micro-particles has not gathered? When they have not yet gathered, what is it? Sheng was at a loss—Sheng could not answer at this point. It is evident that Sheng had not been thorough regarding the meaning of Form and Emptiness. Actually, it would have been very convenient to answer this sentence; asked "How is it when the mass of micro-particles has not yet gathered?" Answer him: "At midnight, the sun is blazing red!" Midnight is the third watch of the night. In the deep night of the third watch, the sun is shining through, bright red—at midnight, the sun is blazing red. There is another way to answer; for example, in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra there is a ready-made phrase: "The nature of Form is true Emptiness." The nature-Form is the Form of our true mind; it is marvelous existence and true Emptiness; this true Emptiness is not insentient emptiness. "The nature of Form"—does nature have Form? I fear one might say it wrongly. We know that the Exoteric teachings say: this "marvelous existence true mind"—Buddha-nature—does not have the slightest appearance; it is signless. However, the Esoteric teachings state that there are subtle appearances, there is refined and subtle Form. Just as it is incorrect for us to say the "Four Heavens of Emptiness" (The Formless Realm) have absolutely no appearance of Form; refined and subtle Form still exists. Therefore, what the Esoteric and Exoteric teachings say differs slightly. But this Form is not coarse; it is refined, subtle, extremely subtle Form. "The nature of Form is true Emptiness"; why is it true Emptiness? It exhausts empty space and pervades the Dharma Realm; it is everywhere. Therefore, empty space is it, and it is empty space; they are not two different things.
Sheng did not truly understand the meaning of Form and Emptiness, but his statement, "The aggregation of a mass of micro-particles is called Form, the mass of micro-particles having no self-nature is called Emptiness," is a step further than our understanding of "Emptiness apart from the appearance of Form." He did not say empty and lacking everything; he said the mass of micro-particles has no self-nature, just as a house has no self-essence—it does not exist in itself but is successfully combined from steel bars, cement, bricks, and tiles. A sofa chair also does not exist in itself; it is successfully coordinated from springs, wooden boards, leather, etc. No thing has a fundamental essence in itself; therefore, having no self-nature is called Emptiness, not that having no appearance is called Emptiness. Some say that Emptiness should not have appearances, and if there are appearances, it is not Emptiness. That is misunderstanding the meaning; the Emptiness we speak of is "marvelous existence true Emptiness." That is to say, all appearances of Form are manifested by our self-nature; if there were not this nature (that is, if there were not this numinous vivid true mind of ours), there would not be mountains, rivers, the great earth, sun, moon, stars, men, women, old, or young. The reason they exist today is that they are manifested by this numinous vivid true mind.
Why must we discuss this principle? The purpose is to let everyone understand that this appearance of Form is originally our true mind. Do not look for the true mind apart from appearances; looking for the true mind apart from appearances, it cannot be found. The reason we say the marvelous function of Buddha-nature is boundless is because the appearances it manifests are capable of thousands of variations and have boundless marvelous functions. After recognizing this truth, one does not grasp at appearances or attach to appearances, allowing all appearances to manifest before one without obstruction; then it is easy to see the true mind and perfectly realize the fruit of Buddhahood. If one does not know where the mind is, practice will have no place to land. For instance, if you recite the Buddha's name but do not know the landing place of the Buddha's name, reciting "Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha..." is seeking a Buddha outside the mind; it is seeking a Buddha of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss ten trillion Buddha-lands away from the Saha World, not knowing that your mind is the Buddha, and the Buddha is your mind. The Buddha is not elsewhere; he is right at the heavy end of your heart; there is no need to seek elsewhere. Therefore, when Qin Batuo asked Sheng about the meaning of Form and Emptiness, Sheng’s way of answering was incorrect.
Chan Master Qin Batuo asked Sheng a step further, "Apart from this Prajñā Sūtra, what other sutras do you lecture on?" Sheng answered, "I also lecture on the Nirvana Sūtra." Qin asked, "May I ask what is the meaning of Nirvana?" Sheng answered, "Ni means not arising, Vana means not ceasing." Qin asked, "Is non-arising and non-ceasing Nirvana?" Sheng answered, "Yes!" Qin said, "This is the Nirvana on the fruit [result] of Buddhahood. Where is the Nirvana on the cause?" Sheng could not answer; Sheng asked, "Does Nirvana have two meanings?" Nirvana is all the same; are there two meanings? Seeing that Sheng did not comprehend the meaning, Qin Batuo picked up his ruyi (scepter) and asked Sheng, "Do you see?" Sheng answered, "I see." Qin asked, "What do you see?" Sheng answered, "I see the Chan Master holding a ruyi in his hand." Qin Batuo threw the ruyi onto the ground with a "Pa!" and asked, "Do you still see?" Sheng answered, "I see." Qin asked, "What do you see?" Sheng answered, "I see the Chan Master's ruyi fall to the ground." Qin Batuo laughed, "Haha! Observing your view, you have not left the common stream; how did you get a name that resounds through the universe?" Meaning, your view has not gone beyond the common stream; like an ordinary person, you attach to appearances and turn along with the object in my hand. (At this time, Master Yuan Yin picked up a book and asked: What is this thing? The assembly answered: A book, a Buddhist sutra. The Master laughed: Oh! You attached to it! Haha!) Hmph, throwing this thing on the ground, and you still turn along with the state. You do not know that Form is Emptiness, and Emptiness is Form. Why is your fame so great? This is truly unjust and undeserved! He turned his head and walked away.
Sheng had many disciples, and they were confused: "Aiyah, what is the reason for this? Could it be that my master spoke wrongly?" So they chased after him and asked Qin Batuo, "Dharma Master, Dharma Master, how do you explain this Form and Emptiness?" Qin Batuo answered, "What your master said cannot be called wrong, only that he does not know the meaning of Form and Emptiness within the cause; he only knows the meaning of Form and Emptiness on the fruit." The disciples asked, "What is Form and Emptiness within the cause?" Chan Master Qin Batuo said: Because one particle is empty, the mass of particles is empty; Because the mass of particles is empty, one particle is empty. Within the emptiness of one particle, there is no mass of particles; Within the emptiness of a mass of particles, there is not one particle. "One particle is empty"—a single dust mote is fundamentally empty and has no self-essence; that is, no self-nature. If one dust mote is empty, other dust motes are naturally also empty. Inferring in this order, the mass of particles is all empty. "Because the mass of particles is empty, one particle is empty"—since the mass of particles is all empty, meaning all dust motes are empty, then a single dust mote is also empty. "Because one particle is empty, there is no mass of particles"—if even a single dust mote is empty, what mass of particles remains? "Because the mass of particles is empty, there is not one particle"—since the mass of particles is all empty, can one still find a single dust mote? His statement "Mass of particles empty, one particle empty; one particle empty, mass of particles empty" means that all things are totally unobtainable.
All appearances of Form are the marvelous function of our true mind; therefore, to understand this meaning of Form and Emptiness, if we can truly understand it, we see the Nature right in the phenomena/environment; we do not need to leave the phenomena/environment to see the Nature. Like pointing at a tree and asking: What is this? If you say it is a tree, you have attached to it; if you say it is not a tree, you have gone against it and separated from the object. What exactly is this? To put it another way: "It is hard to deceive the monk." With one sentence adhering to neither of the two sides, revealing this numinous knowing that cannot be deceived, one unloads it. The Chan Sect uses the method of unloading; one is not bound by that object of Form. He asks you just to see if you attach to existence or attach to emptiness. If you attach to neither side, one sentence unloads it. But you also cannot say "I am not emptiness, nor am I existence"; that is still speaking doctrine, and it still will not do. You must say a marvelous phrase that literally adheres to neither emptiness nor existence yet implicitly contains emptiness and existence; only then does it accord with the Tao's marvel. To realize this kind of state, one must contemplate at all times and moments, understanding that all appearances are manifested by self-nature; do not attach to appearances, nor separate from appearances. This is what is called in the Sect "neither identical nor separate"; understanding this, only then can marvelous function be perfect and interfused. Worldly dharmas also do not depart from Affairs [Phenomena] and Principle. So-called "Affairs are accomplished due to Principle"—relying on the principle of emptiness to successfully perform affairs; "Principle is revealed due to Affairs"—when the affair is successfully done, only then is the principle revealed. Without Principle, Affairs cannot be accomplished; without Affairs, Principle cannot be revealed; hence it is called the perfect interfusion of Principle and Affairs.
What is Principle? To cite an example: If a scientist designs a thing, to build it, he must first list the formulas and calculate the data; these formulas and data are the Principle. Following the formulas and data to construct is to make this thing. For example, when we build a house—how many floors, what style—we first draw the blueprints, then calculate how much steel, how much cement, how much material is needed, etc. Then, workers construct it according to this blueprint, and the house is successfully built. If built well, it proves that this blueprint is correct, meaning this Principle is correct; if built poorly, then this blueprint is wrong, the Principle is incorrect. Therefore, Affairs are accomplished due to Principle, and Principle is revealed due to Affairs.
Principle and Affairs cannot be separated; Affairs are Principle, Principle is Affairs. We must understand this truth and exercise ourselves in circumstances at all times, grinding and polishing our true mind. Therefore, to understand the meaning of Form and Emptiness, never explain Emptiness as the emptiness of empty nothingness. This Emptiness is marvelous existence true Emptiness, which is our marvelous mind, our true mind. Where is the true mind? It is right on the phenomenal appearances, not apart from phenomenal appearances; but attaching to phenomenal appearances is also incorrect; attaching to phenomenal appearances is grasping at affairs, and that is also wrong. Our Chan Sect has two lines: "The lush yellow flowers are nothing but Prajñā; the green bamboos are all the Dharma Body." Monk Dazhu said: If green bamboos are the Dharma Body, then when people eat bamboo shoots, they are eating the Dharma Body! Bamboo shoots grow into bamboos; if we take bamboo shoots and stir-fry them to eat, aren't we eating the Dharma Body? Therefore, saying one attaches to the Dharma Body or attaches to phenomenal appearances are both incorrect. What about separating from phenomenal appearances? Separating from phenomenal appearances and falling into emptiness is also wrong. Therefore, one must be "neither identical nor separate," seeing the Nature through phenomenal appearances, dwelling nowhere in affairs. Thus the Diamond Sūtra says: "One should produce the mind with nowhere to dwell"; do not attach to it, and the marvelous functioning true mind manifests at all times. "Produce" means to manifest, that is, your marvelous functioning true mind manifests. Therefore, we must be without dwelling at all times and moments; we must grind and polish this non-dwelling true mind.
In our practice, whether we practice the Pure Land Sect, the Chan Sect, or the Esoteric Sect, we must all work like this. For example, when we recite the Buddha's name, do we need to cultivate contemplation? What is contemplation? Contemplation is Chan contemplation; it is practicing samadhi! When you recite the Buddha's name, the mind must recite and the ear must listen; quietly listen to the sound of reciting the Buddha, and only then can you gather the mind and enter samadhi; this is called "Recitation of Buddha Contemplation." Reciting the Buddha is not singing folk songs, and it is certainly not acceptable to say "Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha" on one side while talking to others on the other; that will not do! You must practice "Recitation of Buddha Contemplation"; contemplation is practicing Chan! There are many kinds of Chan: there is Ordinary Man Chan, Small Vehicle Chan, Great Vehicle Chan, Supreme Vehicle Chan, and also External Path Chan. The so-called Ordinary Man Chan and Small Vehicle Chan mean the mind holds divergent calculations. What are divergent calculations? They are differentiations in the mind. Mistakenly recognizing that Mind and Dharma are not one path, that Emptiness and Form are not one thing; attaching to appearances to seek the health of the physical body, or thinking that mental dharmas are not material dharmas and material dharmas are not mental dharmas, practicing Chan with a principle of partial emptiness, etc.; these are all divergent calculations. And External Path Chan? It also carries divergent calculations in the mind; if it does not fall into emptiness—partial to annihilation—then it attaches to existence—attaching to the "Yang Spirit" or "Divine Self." None of the above is the true Chan Tao. To practice Chan, we must first clarify the correct cause and rectify our view; only afterwards, by selecting a correct Dharma that accords with our own root-nature to practice, will we not step onto a divergent path.
In order to make everyone understand more clearly, I will explain External Path Chan, Small Vehicle Chan, Great Vehicle Chan, etc., once again. Admiration for the Buddha Way and disgust for the Saha World is called "the mind of admiration and loathing." In the Pure Land Sect, this is very good; one must recite Amitabha, complete with admiration and loathing—that is, hoping to go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and break away from this Saha World. Speaking of this "complete admiration and loathing" in terms of Chan practice, whenever there is a mind of admiring the above and loathing the below, it is Ordinary Man Chan; one has not entered sagehood and is still in the realm of an ordinary man. External Paths also admire the above and loath the below; they want to become immortals and leave this world of ordinary men. They do not understand that immortals are ordinary men, and ordinary men are immortals; Buddhas are ordinary men, and ordinary men are Buddhas; they are originally of the same essence. Therefore, admiring the above and loathing the below, seeking outside the mind, not knowing that self-nature is the Real, is thus named External Path.
Those who realize the principle of the emptiness of self (person) but are partial to the Truth and practice are Small Vehicle Chan. He already knows that body and mind are composed of the Four Great Elements and Five Aggregates; the body is Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. Mind is thought, thought is mind; mind is Feeling, Perception, Volition, and Consciousness; combined with the physical body composed of these Four Great Elements, they are called the Five Aggregates. The practitioner of Small Vehicle Chan knows that things composed of the Four Great Elements and Five Aggregates are false and not real. Unlike us ordinary people, who attach to this body, recognizing the body as "I," wanting to protect it, wanting to dress well, eat well, and live well—wanting everything to be good—thereby creating karma and receiving retribution. Small Vehicle sages know that the Four Great Elements and Five Aggregates are false; he knows that this "Self of Person" (which is the body) is empty and not substantial. However, he is partial to emptiness. Partial to what emptiness? He says: After I exit the six paths of reincarnation, I will dwell in the Pure Land beyond the realms (that is, the Pure Land outside this Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm) and settle there without moving. He attaches to the nature of the four great seeds of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind as "I"; "Dharma Grasping" is not yet finished, and he still does not know or understand that all false appearances are the marvelous functions manifested by our true mind. So it is said that although he realizes "Emptiness of Self," he is "Partial to Truth," partial to this true and unfalse true mind, not knowing that "the false is the True, the True is the false; the completely false is the True, the completely True is the false."
Without the false, where is the True? Without the True, where is the false? Therefore, the false is the True, the True is the false. If you distinguish true and false here, it is still the delusive mind, there is differentiation! For example, the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; everyone thinks the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is True and the Saha World is false, so they want to loathe the Saha and admire going to Ultimate Bliss. This is the division of true and false.
Actually, the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is True, and our Saha World is also True. Why? Because the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is manifested by the Buddha-nature of Amitabha Buddha and all the Superior Good Men, so it is a Pure Land, manifested by the pure mind. This Saha World of ours is manifested by the karmic obstruction minds of sentient beings, so it is a world of the Five Turbidities. But what is the karmic obstruction mind—the Alaya Consciousness? It is our Buddha-nature, it is our true mind. Because this Eighth Consciousness—Alaya Consciousness—is the true mind; if not the true mind, where would the Alaya Consciousness come from? The reason it is called Alaya Consciousness is because it is a mixture of arising-ceasing and non-arising-ceasing; remove this arising-ceasing portion, and that is the Pure Essence. Therefore, the Alaya Consciousness is not apart from the Pure Essence; although it is a polluted essence, it is also the true mind!
What is the true mind like? It is motionless; it is so when pure, and it is also so when polluted. It is like when we sleep and dream; suddenly we are frightened, suddenly we are happy; one moment we are the emperor, one moment we are a beggar; yet our body has not left the bed and is still lying there motionless. Our true mind is motionless; it is non-arising and non-ceasing, neither coming nor going, neither moving nor still, neither defiled nor pure; it has never moved. Everything is manifested by it; apart from it, there is nothing. Therefore, if you say True, the Saha World is also True; if you say false, the Western World is also false.
Why? "Whatever appearances there are are illusory"; one cannot attach to appearances. What are appearances? Appearances are all reflections of the true mind, reflections manifested in a mirror; do not take the reflection for the mirror! We merely do not want the reflections and images in the true mind, that is all; why is it necessary to recognize and grasp the True? Therefore, speaking of true and speaking of false are both differentiations of our delusive mind; it is "neither true nor false, both true and false, precisely true and precisely false"; just take away your differentiating mind, and that will do. The sages of the Two Vehicles do not understand this truth and think there is a Real; their realizing sagehood is Real, and the ordinary people of the six paths of reincarnation are all false. Therefore, this is not yet the Supreme Vehicle Chan; this is Two Vehicle Chan.
Those who realize the truth manifested by the two emptinesses of Self and Dharma and practice are Great Vehicle Chan. We have discussed Ordinary Man Chan, External Path Chan, and Small Vehicle Chan; by Great Vehicle Chan, one has already awakened: the Self is unobtainable, and Dharmas are also unobtainable. Just now it was said that the sages of the Small Vehicle, Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas, only realize the emptiness of the Self of Person, but the Self of Dharma is not empty. The Self of Dharma means that outside the Self of Person, there are the four great seeds as "self"; outside the Self of Person, there is still a Dharma Body to practice, a Buddha Dharma to obtain, a Nirvana to realize, and a Birth and Death to end; Dharma still exists. Therefore, the Self of Dharma is not empty. Then, going a step further, there is no Self of Person, nor is there a Self of Dharma; everything, everything is the marvelous function manifested by my marvelous functioning true mind, and the marvelous existence true mind is empty in nature; all are unobtainable. However, realizing the principle that both the Self of Person and the Self of Dharma are empty is still not ultimate, still not the best.
What is the best? The best is what we are discussing now: If one suddenly awakens that the self-nature is originally pure, without other afflictions, and the flawless wisdom-nature is originally complete, and this mind is the Buddha, trusting it deeply without doubt, then one goes a step further; this is the Supreme Vehicle Chan. That is to say, if we comprehend: one's own mind is originally pure and undefiled, originally without afflictions, and the flawless wisdom-nature is originally complete ("Flawed" [Outflows]—conditioned dharmas with thoughts and fabrications. "Flawless" [No Outflows]—meaning there are no fabrications at all, the dharma is originally so, there are no afflictions at all, and great wisdom is originally complete), this mind is the Buddha, without difference from the Buddha. This is the best.
Since we are the Buddha, without difference from the Buddha, why do we not know it? Since the mind is originally pure and originally without afflictions, why do we now have so many afflictions and are not pure at all? What is the reason for this? This is because ignorance is playing tricks! Due to ignorance, we have delusive thinking and differentiation, confused by external environments without being aware of it, running after phenomena/circumstances, flowing along with delusive thoughts. The reason we create karma and receive retribution, reincarnating in the six paths without an end date, lies in being confused and not awake; therefore, I explain the truth in exhaustive detail to enable everyone to become enlightened.
All sentient beings possess this marvelous existence true mind fully; when Shakyamuni Buddha saw the morning star and awakened to the Tao on the night of the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, he said: "Wonder of wonders! All sentient beings on the great earth fully possess the wisdom and virtuous characteristics of the Tathagata." Why are they not aware of it? Just because of inverted delusive thoughts, attaching to afflictions without knowing themselves. Therefore, our lecturing on sutras is to point out the ford to the confused, explaining the marvelous bright true mind we originally possess fully. The Buddha-nature is not elsewhere; it is releasing light right at our face-gate. How does it release light? Who is it that sees things? Who is it that hears sounds? Who is it whose nose smells fragrance and stench? Who is it whose tongue speaks? Who is it that knows sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy? Who is it that contacts external environments? Who is it that walks? Who is it that does work? These are all the marvelous functions of our self-nature releasing light; one must recognize it! If we awaken to the Tao in the present moment, that is Sudden Awakening. Our mind is originally pure like this, originally has not a single affliction, and originally possesses the wisdom of the Tathagata fully. This mind is the Buddha! Do not seek the Buddha outside. Understanding this principle and practicing in reliance on it is Supreme Vehicle Chan.
Not understanding this principle, practicing blindly and practicing blindly, walking winding roads, going in circles, going round and round and not getting out. Therefore, the Cause Ground must be correct; one must understand this principle and know at all times and moments that we ourselves are the Buddha, and the Buddha is not elsewhere. You might ask: I am the Buddha right now? Why do I not manifest spiritual powers? The Buddha has Three Clarities and Six Penetrations [Supernatural Powers]! The ancients said: "Recognizing the ice pond is entirely water, relying on the Yang energy to melt it." This is a metaphor. In the cold of winter, the water in the pond freezes into ice, but this ice is water! "Recognizing" means to know. "Recognizing the ice pond is entirely water"—recognizing that this frozen pond is all water (metaphor for sentient beings originally being Buddhas). "Relying on Yang energy to melt"—one must borrow sunlight to melt this ice. After melting, only then is there the function of irrigation. Ice is solid and cannot flow (a metaphor for sentient beings not possessing the Three Clarities and Six Penetrations). After melting, it can flow and can irrigate the fields (a metaphor for the Buddha possessing the Three Clarities and Six Penetrations). Next: "Awakening that the ordinary man is precisely the Buddha, relying on the Dharma power to fumigate and practice." "Awakening that the ordinary man is precisely the Buddha"—that is, we have awakened, knowing that this ordinary mind is the Buddha-mind. "Relying on the Dharma power to fumigate and practice"—"Relying on" means to assist or aid; that is, to borrow. Borrow what to assist? Use the power of the Buddha Dharma; one must borrow the power of the Buddha Dharma to help us practice. Because although we have awakened, it is only a realization of Principle, only an initial awakening—just beginning to awaken. Habit energies are still very heavy and cannot be ended all at once. Therefore, we must borrow Dharma power to help us, fumigating it at all times and moments; that is, using methods such as reciting the Buddha's name, forming mudras, holding mantras, or looking after the Huatou to raise a sensation of doubt to fumigate and practice, fumigating the delusive seeds and defiled seeds in the field of our Eighth Consciousness into pure seeds, transforming habit energies into marvelous functions.
After understanding the Principle, one still must borrow the power of the Buddha Dharma to practice! Not practicing will not land on solid ground; it is useless. It is absolutely not enough just to say it and understand it. It will not do! Perhaps you have realized now: Everything is false, let go of everything, do not attach to anything. But perhaps as soon as you leave here and stroll on the street, it is gone immediately. Several friends have told me: "Alas! I went to the crematorium today, and my heart turned to ash. When a person's breath stops coming, they are burned to ash and there is nothing left. What is there to stick to? Not sticking, not sticking! This mind has died and emptied." But not far away, they wanted everything again; habit energies are heavy! Therefore, we have no choice but to speak of Sudden Awakening and Gradual Practice. Actually, "Sudden Awakening, Gradual Practice," when spoken of, does not quite make sense; having to practice gradually implies there was no sudden awakening; the Prajñā Sūtra speaks like this. But speaking too high will not do; we do not have that power. Therefore, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra speaks of two kinds of Dharma: "The Principle belongs to sudden awakening, merging with awakening it is temporarily dissipated; Affairs must be gradually eliminated, the causes are exhausted in sequence." Once the Principle is explained, he immediately awakens; after awakening, all habit energies dissipate, he wants none of them, and is immediately empty and pure. Such people indeed exist, but they are a minority, a tiny minority; they are those of the highest root capacity, those who have come again. If one is not one who has come again, it is impossible to achieve thorough penetration upon a single awakening. However, the suddenness of this morning is the gradualness of yesterday. It was accumulated by practicing slowly, slowly, in the past, in the past, and further in the past, so today, with a "Pa!", it falls off as soon as it is shed. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra says, "The Principle belongs to sudden awakening, merging with awakening it is temporarily dissipated; Affairs must be gradually eliminated, the causes are exhausted in sequence." This originally discusses two Dharma Gates: one is the Perfect Sudden Dharma, the other is the Gradual Sequence Dharma. The tiny minority of those with the highest root capacity, those who have come again, immediately awaken upon hearing the Principle; all habit energies are extinguished in the instant of enlightenment, and spiritual powers and marvelous functions can be discovered. The majority, those of medium and lower root capacities, must grind and polish on Affairs after awakening, gradually eliminating habit energies, and only then can they slowly exert function. Now we might as well combine the two Dharma Gates into one, which is the so-called "Principle belongs to sudden awakening, Affairs must be gradually eliminated"; combining the two gates of Sudden and Gradual to practice. Why speak this way? Because currently it is the Dharma Ending Age; sentient beings have dull roots and heavy obstructions and cannot suddenly awaken, suddenly practice, and suddenly realize. Therefore, we have no choice but to combine the two Dharma Gates into one: after realizing the Principle, one protects and maintains it, diligently eliminating habit energies, and gradually developing powers to realize the Fruit. Combining Sudden Awakening and Gradual Practice does not make sense when spoken of, but it accords with the actual situation of the present, so it can be borrowed for use. This principle is not easy to explain clearly; we might as well cite a story from when Shakyamuni Buddha was in the world to illustrate. Two disciples under Shakyamuni Buddha discussed a sentence spoken by the Buddha; the public said the public was right, the woman said the woman was right [each stuck to their own view], and they remained in a deadlock, so they went to ask the Buddha: "Buddha, looking at the two of us, whose reasoning accords with the meaning of you, Old Man?" The Buddha said, "Neither of you accords with my meaning, but the meanings of both of you can be used." Why? Because it accords with the actual situation! Therefore, we have no choice now but to speak of Sudden Awakening and Gradual Practice.
Then how to practice? People of the Pure Land Sect recite the Buddha: "Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha," using this Buddha's name to sweep away the filth in our hearts, sweep away the habit energies in our hearts, sweep away our afflictions. As soon as afflictions sprout, recite "Amitabha Buddha" in a loud voice, turning your mind to emptiness, melting it into emptiness. And Chan practitioners? They look after the Huatou at all times. As soon as affliction moves, ask: "Who is this?" Give a blow right to the head: "Who moved this affliction? Who is the one moving the affliction?" Striking a blow right to the head—this is looking after the Huatou. Practitioners of the Esoteric Sect immediately hold a mantra to transform affliction as soon as it arises. Although the methods differ, the principle is the same. Do not say: My Pure Land Sect is good, your Chan Sect is incorrect; my Chan Sect is good, your Pure Land Sect is incorrect; my Esoteric Sect is good, neither of your Chan or Pure Land Sects are correct. This is dividing gates and separating houses, showing that you have not yet penetrated. If you have penetrated and given rise to marvelous function, you will say: Chan is good, Pure Land is good, Esoteric is good; they are all means; "Expedient means have many gates, returning to the Source has no two roads." We borrow the power of the Buddha Dharma, work hard at practice, sweep away our habit energies, and melt our afflictions into emptiness; then, "When ice melts, the water flows and moistens, only then revealing the merit of irrigation and washing; when falsity is exhausted, the mind is empty and penetrating, responding by manifesting the function of penetrating light." When the mind-flower penetrates and brightens, spiritual powers manifest, and marvelous functions are boundless. These are all realized by practice; if you say you will not practice, will that do? It will not do! So it is said one definitely must practice.
Someone asked: For a person of enlightenment, where does the spiritual nature go at the end of life?
This is a big question! After awakening to the Tao, where does one go? Many people ask this. A person from Hong Kong wrote a letter asking me: "A person of enlightenment should foresee where they will go at the moment of death—that is, foreseeing the destination. If he does not foresee the destination, he is not enlightened." Is this statement correct? Incorrect! Why is it incorrect? Truly enlightened, there is no birth and no cessation, no coming and no going; what destination is there? I just said, this marvelous existence true mind is subtle Form, subtle Form is empty space; what destination does empty space have? If you have a destination, there is still coming and going, still birth and cessation, and you are still not enlightened. The person who wrote the letter does not understand this principle; therefore, he asks: when this term of life ends and one is about to die, where does one go? This is not only his question but also everyone's question. Therefore, today I will borrow a passage from Chan Master Guifeng to discuss this issue again. Chan Master Guifeng Zongmi said: All sentient beings without exception possess the awakening nature; numinous, vivid, empty, and quiescent, it is not different from the Buddha. But because from beginningless eons they have not realized or awakened, they delusively grasp the body as the appearance of a self; hence, emotions such as love and hate arise. Following emotion, they create karma; following karma, they receive retribution. Birth, old age, sickness, and death—a long eon of reincarnation. However, the awakening nature within the body has never been born or died; it is like being driven to labor in a dream while the body is fundamentally at leisure; like water becoming ice while the wet nature does not change. If one can awaken to this nature, it is precisely the Dharma Body; fundamentally originally unborn, what reliance or lodging could it have? Numinous and bright, not dim; clear and constantly knowing; with nowhere it comes from, and also nowhere it goes. However, due to many lifetimes of delusive grasping, habit has formed into nature; joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are a subtle streaming. Although the Truth is suddenly reached, this emotion is hard to remove suddenly. One must constantly detect and be aware, decreasing it and decreasing it again; like the wind suddenly stopping, but the waves gradually settling. How can what is practiced in one lifetime immediately equal the power and function of all Buddhas? One can only take empty quiescence as one's self-essence, and not identify with the physical body; take numinous knowing as one's self-mind, and not identify with delusive thoughts. If delusive thoughts arise, do not follow them at all. Then at the moment life ends, naturally karma cannot bind one. Although there is an intermediate state, the direction is free; in the heavens or the human realm, one lodges as one pleases. If thoughts of love and hate have already been obliterated, one does not receive a body of segmentary birth and death; one is naturally able to change short to long, and change coarse to marvelous. If the subtle streaming is all extinguished, and only the Great Wisdom of Perfect Awakening remains loudly and clearly alone, one immediately responds to capacities by manifesting hundreds of billions of transformation bodies, crossing over sentient beings with whom one has an affinity; this is named Buddha.
Below I will explain this passage by Chan Master Guifeng Zongmi:
"All sentient beings without exception possess the awakening nature; numinous, vivid, empty, and quiescent, it is not different from the Buddha." All sentient beings—not only us humans, but ants, insects, flies, lions, apes, monkeys, etc.—without exception possess the awakening nature. Tell me, which sentient being does not have awakening nature? Look at this mosquito; if you have blood here, it immediately flies over to bite you. And the fly? If you serve a piece of steamed cake, it can fly from far, far away to land on it. They have awakening nature. There is even less need to speak of humans. Awakening nature means the nature of knowing perception; do you know if your belly is hungry? Do you know if the weather is warm today? These are all the nature of knowing perception! Therefore, all sentient beings possess the awakening nature. "Numinous, vivid, empty, and quiescent"—that is, numinous and bright, sparkling clear, clearly distinct. It is brightness, yet numinous knowing is clear, thus-thus and unmoving. This "bright" has two explanations: "Empty," empty and lacking everything, not a single thing is established; "Quiescent," unmoving and unshaking, neither coming nor going. "Not different from the Buddha"—there is absolutely no difference and no duality from Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, and all Buddhas.
"But because from beginningless eons they have not realized or awakened, they delusively grasp the body as the appearance of a self; hence, emotions such as love and hate arise." Beginningless: there is no beginning, and in the future there is no end; cycling round and round, it is always like this. "Have not realized or awakened"—one has never awakened, never known that oneself is a great treasure trove. The Lotus Sūtra uses a metaphor: A person has a Mani jewel sewn inside their clothes but does not know it themselves. This Mani jewel can rain down all kinds of treasures, so you are not poor. You possess everything fully; whatever you want, it has. Yet you do not know it and go outside to beg for food. It is like us now reincarnating in the six paths, wandering in birth and death; this is begging for food. One has a great treasure trove oneself but does not know it, "have not realized or awakened." "Delusively grasp the body as the appearance of a self"—due to delusive grasping, one does not recognize the Real but recognizes the false. This body is originally not "I," yet one takes it as "I." The body is equivalent to the house we live in; there is a person inside. Who is the person? The person is our numinous vivid true mind. Not knowing this, one identify with the "house" as oneself: This body is me, this body is me! "Hence, emotions such as love and hate arise." Therefore, emotions of love and hate form. I like this, I hate that; this person is friendly to me, that person is not friendly to me. There are many discriminating minds; they are all delusive thoughts. What one likes, one takes as one's own; what one hates, one overthrows; thus one creates karma and receives retribution.
"Following emotion, they create karma; following karma, they receive retribution. Birth, old age, sickness, and death—a long eon of reincarnation." Birth and death originally do not exist; rather, they result from creating karma according to the mind after having emotions such as love and hate. We want a certain thing, but cannot get it because it belongs to someone else, so we rob him or kill him; this creates killing karma. Creating karma leads to receiving retribution, leading to reincarnation in the six paths. Creating good karma leads to ascending to heaven; creating evil karma leads to falling into hell; birth, old age, sickness, and death—a long eon of reincarnation. Alas! Originally there is no birth and death, yet one falls into birth and death. Appearing and disappearing in the six paths, living and dying, dying and living, one does not attain liberation.
"However, the awakening nature within the body has never been born or died; it is like being driven to labor in a dream while the body is fundamentally at leisure; like water becoming ice while the wet nature does not change." Even though we undergo birth and death in the six paths, our awakening nature has never been born or died. It is not born because you are born, nor is it extinguished because your physical body dies; if you fall into hell it does not suffer, if you ascend to heaven it is not happy. It is fundamentally unborn and unceasing, empty, numinous, and non-dwelling; it has never been born, never died, never moved. It is just like in a dream where we are chased by villains, terrified and running wildly without stopping, but in reality, the body is still lying peacefully on the bed without moving. It is also like water turning into ice while the wet quality does not change. This is a metaphor for the fact that even though we are in the six paths of reincarnation, the Buddha-nature does not change.
"If one can awaken to this nature, it is precisely the Dharma Body; fundamentally originally unborn, what reliance or lodging could it have?" If we can awaken that this awakening nature is the Dharma Body, understanding that our awakening nature is the root of all things and events, and that it has originally never been born and never ceased, why would it still need a place to rely on or lodge? If you are truly enlightened, you do not want to have a reliance or lodging, nor a place to go. I remember a person from Wenzhou who gave a very laughable answer; he claimed he was enlightened, and someone asked him: "We are not people who practice the Pure Land Dharma Gate seeking birth in the Western Pure Land; we practice the Chan Sect. After we pass into Parinirvana, where do we go?" Look at how he answered; he said: "One can rely on grass and attach to trees; on a stone is also okay, on a big tree is also okay, on withered grass is also okay; anywhere will do." Ouch, that is not good; one becomes a spirit relying on grass and attaching to trees; how can this do? Relying on grass and attaching to trees refers to ghosts and spirits who attach to having a body. There is a thousand-year-old Bodhi tree in Shanghai Fuxing Park; it is said to be extremely efficacious, and everyone goes to bow to it; actually, it is a ghost, a spirit-ghost attached to it. If one relies on grass and attaches to trees after death, one becomes a ghost; tell me, what kind of Tao is this awakening? Actually, it has nothing to do with the Tao; it is all false. Our awakening nature is "fundamentally originally unborn, what reliance or lodging could it have?" Do not have a reliance or lodging. Those who rely on grass and attach to trees have not glimpsed even half a thread of the awakening nature. Once, there was a broken stove abandoned for many years; a spirit attached to the stove and sent a dream to people: "Make an offering to me on this stove; whatever you want, I will give you." People all said, "There is a spirit on this stove, let's go make offerings!" Many people came to make offerings to him, and this spirit satisfied their wishes. One told ten, ten told a hundred, and this broken stove became extremely popular. There was a Chan Master in that place (a disciple of National Teacher Huian); seeing that this spirit attached to the broken stove was causing everyone to kill living beings to make offerings to him, creating karma, he went to speak the Dharma to him. He took his Chan staff and knocked "Dong, Dong, Dong" on the stove, saying: "I ask you, you are composed of bricks, tiles, mud, and earth; where does the spirit come from? Where does the god come from?" "Bricks, tiles, mud, and water have no spirit and no god; what possesses spirit and consciousness is your own mind. Why do you attach to this brick and mud stove?" Upon being pointed out by the Chan Master, this Broken Stove Spirit awakened: "Correct! The spirit is not in the bricks, tiles, mud, and earth; the spirit is in my own mind! I should quickly discard this broken stove!" He came that night to bow and thank the Chan Master, and then ascended to heaven. Later, everyone called this Chan Master the "Monk who Broke the Stove's Fall" (Po Zao Duo), and instead forgot his real name. Even a stove spirit knows not to attach to a body; will it do for us to attach to grass and trees? Therefore, do not have a reliance or lodging! We are originally unborn, originally without reliance or lodging!
"Numinous and bright, not dim; clear and constantly knowing; with nowhere it comes from, and also nowhere it goes." If you truly awaken to the Tao, you are clearly and constantly knowing, numinous and bright without dimness; every place is Me. Wherever there is an affinity, one manifests a body in that place. Thus it is called "Nirvana without a dwelling place." There is no fixed location; one can manifest a body anywhere; as long as there is an affinity, one can manifest a body. If one is truly thoroughly enlightened, how could there still be a fixed place? To have a fixed place is not to be enlightened. "Numinous and bright, not dim" means there is not a single mark of dimness or dullness. "Clear and constantly knowing" means clearly understanding. This knowing is uninterrupted, so it is called constant knowing. It is not that one knows now, and in a moment one does not know; that is useless. "With nowhere it comes from, and also nowhere it goes"; since it has no coming, how can it have a going? Having coming implies having going; having going implies having coming; these are relative. Relative things are all false. It is the Absolute True Mind, so there is no coming or going, no exiting or entering.
Below, he instructs us on how to work hard to complete the Tao and become a Buddha.
"However, due to many lifetimes of delusive grasping, habit has formed into nature; joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are a subtle streaming." What we are speaking of now is Supreme Vehicle Chan: "Self-mind is Buddha, Buddha is self-mind." Being able to hear this Dharma and believe deeply without doubt comes not from good roots planted under one Buddha, two Buddhas, or three, four, or five Buddhas, but from good roots planted over many lifetimes and aeons. However, since beginningless lifetimes and aeons, our delusive grasping has become a habit; we attach to external environment considering them real, attach to the body as "Me," and it has become a habit. Aiyah, this body is me, it is the most precious, you cannot touch me! Actually, it is a stinking manure bucket; what is precious about it? There was an emperor in the Qing Dynasty who fell in love with a concubine who had a fragrance on her body; this Fragrant Consort was from Xinjiang, and it was said she had an exotic fragrance on her body. What fragrance was that? The stink of fox stench! Yet the old emperor called it a fragrance. It is evident that whether things are beautiful or not has no fixed standard; if you love it, it is good; otherwise, it is disgusting. Or, if one becomes accustomed to it, bad is also not bad. As the common saying goes: Entering a shop of abalone for a long time, one does not smell its stench. Once a habit is formed, it is hard to turn back from the accumulated weight. This is an unbreakable truth. Hearing this, perhaps someone might think: "This body is me. Moreover, everyone thinks this way; yet you say the body is not me—who believes you?" Alas! Delusively grasping external environment for many lifetimes and aeons, we have become accustomed to it, and it has become a habit. Thus, various views of oneself facing objects arose; judging and measuring everything by one's own likes and dislikes; grasping what accords with my mind, and discarding what does not; therefore, there is "joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, a subtle streaming." Joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, fear, shock, sadness—everyone has them. If it accords with my state of mind, my face is full of spring breeze; if it violates my state of mind, the dragon countenance is greatly enraged; losing something makes one unhappy, and liking something makes one beam with joy. These are all subtle streaming.
"Subtle streaming" means extremely subtle delusive thoughts moving ceaselessly. The most fundamental delusive mind consists of the five omnipresent mental factors: contact, attention, feeling, perception, and volition. These five omnipresent dharmas are actually a single thought, either good or evil, arising in the mind; it exists within the Eighth Consciousness and constantly stirs up all good and evil seeds in the Eighth Consciousness. It is very, very subtle, so it is called the arising and ceasing of streaming. So-called "streaming" is like endless flowing water; yet this water flow is not like the terrifying waves of the ocean, nor like the rolling billows of rivers, but like a quiet brook flowing faintly and subtly. Actually, it flows very fast, fast to the extreme, so that it does not appear to move; usually, you cannot see it and think it is motionless. This is the subtle, extremely subtle delusive thought. We spoke of coarse delusion, which is the delusive thought that arises facing a . If we know that the phenomena/circumstances is our mind and the mind is the phenomena/circumstances, then we do not attach. Not attaching, coarse delusive thoughts do not arise. But these subtle delusive seeds still remain. It is subtle, extremely subtle; you look at it and it seems motionless, but actually, it is moving very fast. How can one cut off the subtle streaming? Only by deeply entering the Vajrasattva Samadhi can one see it and destroy it; without the Vajrasattva Samadhi, it is of no use. Therefore, one must deeply enter Chan meditation. Those who recite the Buddha's name must attain the Buddha Recitation Samadhi; not attaining the Buddha Recitation Samadhi will not do. And Chan practitioners? They must raise a Great Doubt; after the Great Doubt arises, delusive thoughts do not move, and the sensation of doubt envelopes the whole body; when the time and affinity arrive, "Pa!", it explodes open, and only then can one personally see the original nature. Those who learn Esoteric Buddhism are also like this; with the Three Secrets of body, speech, and mind mutually empowering, borrowing the Buddha's power to bless us, pushing us forward, pushing until the affinity matures—"Pa"! It explodes, cutting off this subtle streaming! This subtle streaming is very subtle; you cannot see it. You must work hard and settle down to see it. For example, in a cup of muddy water, you cannot see the mud and sand inside; once it settles, and the water above becomes clear, only then do you see so much mud and sand below. When it is shaken and turbid, you cannot see it. Everyone must settle first to see the subtle streaming.
"Although the Truth is suddenly reached, this emotion is hard to remove suddenly." We say Mind is Buddha, Buddha is Mind. This is the Truth, and although you have realized it all at once: Correct, correct! We are originally Buddhas; if not Buddhas, how could we speak? How could we ask "Who is reciting the Buddha"? If not Buddhas, how could we recite the Buddha? If not Buddhas, how could we write? If not Buddhas, how could we walk? Once our breath stops coming, this body does not move; moving is the marvelous function of the Buddha-nature. The Truth is suddenly realized and understood, but "this emotion is hard to remove suddenly." "Emotion" means delusive emotion, love-emotion. Love-emotion is hard to remove! The ancients said: "If reciting the Buddha were like dwelling on love-emotion, one would have completed the Tao long ago!" If we recited the Buddha the way we dwell on love-emotion, we would have completed the Tao long ago.
We ordinary people find love-emotion hard to give up; the scope included in love-emotion is very broad, such as love between men and women, love between mother and child, love between husband and wife, love for sensual pleasures and horses, etc., as well as many hobbies, such as loving antiques, stamp collecting, calligraphy and painting, planting flowers and raising birds, etc. The things people love are truly too many. What is hardest for women to cut off is the love between mother and child; having a child, she remembers him in her heart forever and can never forget; even dying, she cannot let go: I cannot bear to leave my child! When an old lady who recited the Buddha was near the end of her life, we urged her: "Let go, go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss." She said: "I am not going, I cannot bear to leave my sons and grandsons!" Being foolish like this, how can one be born in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?
For ordinary people, "this emotion is hard to remove suddenly"! "Suddenly" (zu) means immediately. Our emotion is very hard to remove immediately, so we have no choice but Sudden Awakening and Gradual Practice. Practicing gradually after sudden awakening is something that cannot be helped, but it suits the habits of sentient beings in the Saha World at the present stage. Do not sing a high tune, saying you are Sudden Awakening, Sudden Practice, Sudden Realization, that you do not need to practice, that there is no practicing, no obtaining, and no realizing. It is very easy to say with the mouth, but can you truly do it? Bragging is useless; one must truly do it. If you brag, Old Man Yama will not let you off; he will still send you an invitation. Only when you have truly done it can Old Man Yama's invitation be cancelled.
"One must constantly detect and be aware, decreasing it and decreasing it again; like the wind suddenly stopping, but the waves gradually settling." One needs to detect and be aware for a long time; this is doing the work. For example, a person practicing the Pure Land Sect brings up the Buddha's name; when a thought arises, he quickly brings up this Buddha's name high and recites loudly: "Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha..." melting this delusive emotion away. It will not do if delusive emotion is not melted away! "Decreasing it and decreasing it again" means reducing delusive emotion day by day, reducing your habit energies, afflictions, and attachments day by day, reducing and reducing again. Delusive emotion cannot be removed in a single day; "like the wind suddenly stopping, but the waves gradually settling." When the wind blows, waves immediately rise; after the wind stops, the waves are still surging and can only settle down slowly. Therefore, the ancients said: "The wind stops but the waves still surge; the Principle manifests but thoughts still invade." "The Principle manifests"—the Truth appears, and one has awakened; however, "thoughts still invade"—delusive thoughts still want to invade, so one must remove them slowly.
"How can what is practiced in one lifetime immediately equal the power and function of all Buddhas?" Practicing for one lifetime and wanting to immediately have the Three Clarities and Six Penetrations like all Buddhas, to have the same power as all Buddhas—this cannot be done. Although we have not developed the Three Clarities and Six Penetrations now, we must believe deeply without doubt: Our mind is the Buddha-mind; apart from this, there is no Buddha-mind.
Speaking of this, I want to discuss an important issue with everyone. I have heard people say: "Cutting off the front and rear limits is not enlightenment; only when subject and object are both forgotten is it enlightenment." Actually, he does not understand what is meant by cutting off the front and rear limits, nor does he recognize the Original Source, yet he pretends to be of great root capacity; he has not read the books in the teachings, yet he speaks irresponsibly.
In the past, when Dharma Master Chengguan lectured on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra to Emperor Wu Zetian (Do not think Emperor Wu Zetian was bad! Emperor Wu Zetian was an enlightened emperor. The "Verse for Opening the Sutra" you read now—" The unexcelled, profound, subtle and wonderful Dharma, is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of kalpas. I now see and hear, and am able to receive and uphold it; I wish to understand the Tathagata's true meaning"—was written by Wu Zetian praising the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, and now it is used as the opening verse for all sutras), he said to her: "When a single thought does not arise, the front and rear limits are cut off; the Illumining Essence stands solitary and bright, precisely the Thus-Thus Buddha." When a single thought does not arise, the front and rear limits are cut off. The "front limit" is the previous thought; the "rear limit" is the following thought. The front and rear limits are cut off with a "Pa!". "Illumining Essence"—the Essence that can illumine all things and give rise to all marvelous functions—the fundamental nature. "Solitary and bright"—that is, not attached to any appearance; "precisely the Thus-Thus Buddha"—this is the Buddha! Look how clearly it is spoken. Yet some people do not understand and say that cutting off the front and rear limits is not enlightenment. He does not know what cutting off the front and rear limits is; not knowing, yet pretending to be a Good Knowing Advisor (Kalyāṇamitra)—is this not harming people! Not knowing oneself yet confusing others; falling into hell is like an arrow shot!
The moment our thought is cut off, yet we are clearly and distinctly knowing—what is this?! Discarding this to seek the Buddha-nature elsewhere, there is none. Do not think that having no Three Clarities and Six Penetrations and not being the same as the power and function of all Buddhas means one is not enlightened and not a Buddha; it is not that one can have the great spirit and great function same as all Buddhas in this one lifetime of practice. Initially awakening to the Tao is only equal to a newly born little baby (infant); although the little baby does not have the power and function of an adult—cannot work, cannot walk, cannot eat rice, and still needs people to feed and hold him—you cannot say he is not a person. Initially awakening to the Tao is a Buddha on the Cause Ground; you must detect and be aware at all times and moments, protecting it at all times and moments. Densely protecting and maintaining, decreasing and decreasing again, reducing one's habit energies and afflictions day by day; then, this "little baby" of yours will grow up and become an adult, and will possess power and function. Working hard after understanding the Original is called True Practice after Awakening. Without awakening to it, it is blind practice and blind practice. For example, if you recite the Buddha without awakening to the Original, it is reciting a Buddha outside the mind. We practitioners of Buddha Recitation must know that reciting Amitabha Buddha is to awaken our own Master (Host), calling our own Master to awaken at all times, not to attach inside forms and appearances, not to be moved and flown by phenomena/circumstances, and not to have the ordinary emotions of delusive grasping and attachment; doing this, only then can you succeed. This is very important!
"One can only take empty quiescence as one's self-essence, and not identify with the physical body; take numinous knowing as one's self-mind, and not identify with delusive thoughts." We must know that this physical body, this flesh body, this shell is not ourselves. Our true essence is immediately empty and immediately quiescent—that is, such a thing that is unmoving and unshaking, neither coming nor going, non-arising and non-ceasing—and not this shell. This shell changes slowly, from young to old, from old to death. Do not identify with this flesh body; the flesh body is the Form Body, and this Form Body is not oneself. Never, ever identify with this Form Body as oneself; recognize empty quiescence as oneself. This Buddha-nature that is immediately empty and immediately quiescent, neither coming nor going, unmoving and unshaking, is ourselves! "Take numinous knowing as one's self-mind, and not identify with delusive thoughts"; what is a delusive thought? Having a place of dwelling or attachment is called a delusive thought. Giving rise to a thought, the mind settles there, having a dwelling, having an attachment; this is a delusive thought. Thoughts arising with no dwelling and no attachment are the marvelous function of the true mind. This clear and distinct numinous knowing is the true mind; it is not dead. Sitting there unmoving, suppressing thoughts to death, not giving rise to a single thought—that becomes a big rock, a block of wood. Therefore, clear and distinct numinous knowing, not attaching, not grasping, without love, without hate—this is the marvelous function of the true mind. Having a dwelling, having differentiation, that is delusive emotion. But one point must be clarified: it is not that one cannot have differentiation, but that one differentiates without dwelling. That is, I know this person is good, and I am also clear that person is bad; not that I do not distinguish good from bad and become a muddled worm. Is a muddled worm the true mind? No. One must know good and bad, but without hate, without love, without grasping, and without discarding. Not that seeing a good person one likes them, and seeing a bad person one hates them. We do not discard bad people either; why? We must teach bad people, pity them, and help them, causing them to turn around; only this is correct. The true mind is just such a matter. Therefore, true mind and delusive mind are quite easy to distinguish. We must never identify with the delusive mind as ourselves at any time; we must know that numinous knowing which is clear and distinct but does not dwell in appearances is the true mind; as soon as there is a dwelling, it becomes a nest, and one falls into appearances.
"If delusive thoughts arise, do not follow them at all. Then at the moment life ends, naturally karma cannot bind one." This speaks of the end of life; what about impending death? To obtain freedom of birth at the end of life, one must perform the work of "if delusive thoughts arise, do not follow them at all" in ordinary times. If our delusive thoughts have not been cut off completely and a delusive thought comes again in an instant, one must immediately detect it and not run with it. If the delusive thought is powerful and one detects it but cannot cut it off, one must quickly recite the Buddha, hold a mantra, or bring up the Huatou, asking where this delusive thought comes from, thereby melting the delusive thought away. If one runs with the delusive thought for a long distance before knowing it, then it is too late. The speed of this detection and the slowness of removal are questions of the power of one's work. It is like the difference in brightness between candlelight and electric light. Initially, one can illuminate, but later one cannot see much; knowing only after the delusive thought has arisen for a long time—this is candlelight. When the work becomes pure and ripe, one can illuminate and see the thought as soon as it arises, like a strong electric light shining in front; one can see all the potholes and bumps clearly, and walking at night one will not fall into pits or drop into trenches; this is electric light. This reaches the stage of "Quiescent yet constantly illuminating, illuminating yet constantly quiescent"; one does not intentionally illuminate, yet illuminates naturally. The work within this has great distinctions of depth.
We must detect constantly in doing our work, applying effort densely. In twenty-four hours a day, applying effort for only one or two hours and not applying effort for the other twenty-two hours—that is too lazy; the work will hardly advance. Therefore, in the four postures of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, we must apply effort at all times and detect at all times; then the work can advance.
Furthermore, if delusive thoughts arise, do not run along with them. Do not think a certain delusive thought is good and run with it. Someone had a good dream and could not bear to let it go after waking up, still thinking about it. Dream states are originally false; why attach? If you became an emperor in a dream, are you really an emperor? If you obtained a large gold ingot in a dream, did you really obtain a gold ingot? If you cling to it, aren't you foolish! Humans are foolish like this!
Chan Master Guifeng tells us with bitter mouth and motherly heart: If delusive thoughts arise, do not follow them at all; do not run with them. If we truly achieve this, "then at the moment life ends, karma cannot bind one." "Bind" (xi) means to tie up. All sentient beings run following karma! Those with good karma ascend to heaven; those with evil karma go down to hell. If one can truly achieve not running along when delusive thoughts arise, then karma cannot bind you, tie you, or bind you; you will be able to be free.
"Although there is an intermediate state, the direction is free; in the heavens or the human realm, one lodges as one pleases." A person who has truly awakened to the Tao has no intermediate state body (Antarābhava); those born in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss also have no intermediate state body. What is the intermediate state? It is when the front body has decayed and the rear body has not yet arisen. The previous shell has already decayed, and one has not yet been reborn into the next shell; this Yin-realm body in between is the intermediate state body. This intermediate state body is dominated by the Wind Element, so it possesses five penetrations. Among the six penetrations, it does not have the Penetration of the Exhaustion of Outflows; it only has a small portion of the five penetrations, not the great five penetrations like the Buddha. The intermediate state body has a small portion of the five penetrations, so it has the Penetration of Spirit Foot; wherever there are parents with whom it has an affinity, it arrives in a flash, even thousands of miles away. It has the Penetration of Heavenly Eye; it can see even thousands of miles away. People born in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss go to the West and do not have an intermediate state body. Those falling into hell do not have an intermediate state body either. Falling into hell, where is there an intermediate state body? The other paths all have intermediate state bodies. "Although there is an intermediate state, the direction is free"; if one truly achieves not following arising thoughts, then karmic obstructions cannot grab you, cannot tie you, and cannot obstruct you; you go wherever you want to go, free and at ease. "In the heavens or the human realm, one lodges as one pleases"; either in the heavens or in the human realm, lodging for a while as one wishes. This is the minimum work; if delusive thoughts cannot yet be cut off, when delusive thoughts arise, I am able not to run with them. When the work reaches this point, although there is an intermediate state, one can still be free and at ease. If delusive thoughts arise and you run with them, that is bad; you cannot be free. Therefore, this is the minimum step, the lowest grade.
"If thoughts of love and hate have already been obliterated, one does not receive a body of segmentary birth and death." Love—liking, cherishing; Hate—disliking, loathing. The mind of love and hate is gone. Not that I take this because it is good, and discard that because it is not good. Because everything is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a reflection; what good or bad is distinguished? What is there to love or hate? One must truly achieve this; if you can do it when people are telling you, but behind people's backs you still have emotions of love and hate, that will not do. "Thoughts of love and hate have already been obliterated"; "obliterated" means extinguished. When thoughts of love and hate are extinguished and gone, one no longer suffers segmentary birth and death and exits the reincarnation of birth and death. Of course, there is still Dharma Grasping not yet removed.
"Naturally able to change short to long, and change coarse to marvelous." This speaks of function. Such a person can transform freely; short things can be changed into long ones, and bad, coarse things can be changed into beautiful, refined things. He can transform; he can also turn the six paths of reincarnation into spiritual marvels; everything is transformed. Do you not often ask: At what step is my work? You might as well examine yourself and verify yourself: First, is it the case that when delusive thoughts arise, you do not follow them at all? If you can achieve this, then you can be free in direction. Going a step further, if you can obliterate the heart of love and hate—no liking, no disliking, everything is equal, equal, and again equal. Then your segmentary birth and death is eliminated, and you can transform freely.
Going even further: "If the subtle streaming is all extinguished, and only the Great Wisdom of Perfect Awakening remains loudly and clearly alone, one immediately responds to capacities by manifesting hundreds of billions of transformation bodies, crossing over sentient beings with whom one has an affinity; this is named Buddha." This is the Supreme Vehicle. Our practice is to achieve the complete extinguishment of subtle streaming, eliminating all seeds of subtle delusive thoughts, and thoroughly realizing the state where "only the Great Wisdom of Perfect Awakening remains loudly and clearly alone," perfecting the Buddha Fruit. If in this life we can break the First Gate by seeing the Nature, and then exercise ourselves on phenomenal circumstances, diligently removing habit energies, training until conforming and opposing phenomena/circumstances do not restrain us and we are unobstructed vertically and horizontally, breaking the Heavy Gate; then ascending further and further, removing the subtle streaming completely, we will release great light, shining brightly in the ten directions without obstruction. You do not want spiritual powers, yet spiritual powers will naturally come to find you; therefore, one can respond to capacities by manifesting hundreds of billions of transformation bodies to cross over sentient beings with affinity. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas respond to feelings according to capacities and manifest bodies according to affinities to cross over sentient beings in this way.
There are three kinds of Intent-made Bodies (Manomayakāya): 1. The Intent-made Body of the Enjoyment of Samadhi Bliss. 2. The Intent-made Body of Awakening to the Self-nature of Dharmas. 3. The Intent-made Body of the Complete Kind with No Activity. Sitting in meditation and deeply entering Samadhi, deeply entering Chan absorption, one can produce the Intent-made Body of the Enjoyment of Samadhi Bliss. The mental root is the Seventh Consciousness; the body manifested by the intent-root of the Seventh Consciousness is called the Intent-made Body. From few to many variations, finally hundreds of thousands of millions of transformation bodies are all complete. With No Activity, the Kind is Complete; mountains, rivers, the great earth, towers, pavilions, etc., can all be manifested and transformed. To what degree must the work be done for the subtle streaming to be cut off? The so-called subtle means that we cannot see it now; we must do the work of deeply entering the Vajrasattva Samadhi to see it: Aiyah, there are so many subtle delusive seeds moving so severely. Knowing this is moving, eliminate it so it does not move; but having a "not moving" remaining will not do either; "not moving" is also not wanted. Smash it, and the region of the Consciousness Aggregate is smashed. The Consciousness Aggregate is the last aggregate of the Five Aggregates; when the Consciousness Aggregate is smashed, one succeeds. Therefore, we must do the work, we must practice; that is True Practice after Awakening. However, if you do not awaken to the true mind and do not understand the principle, how can you practice? Therefore, recognizing the true mind and understanding the principle is most important; that is, the Intent-made Body of Awakening to the Self-nature of Dharmas is most important.
Today I have explained the meaning of Form and Emptiness once again, and reiterated the importance of recognizing the true mind (Correct View); why it is only acceptable if one recognizes the true mind; and also discussed where a practitioner ultimately goes at the end of life. You must work like this at all times and moments, which is "constantly detect, decreasing it and decreasing it again." We must be aware and illuminating at all times and moments: Aiyah, a thought has come. Aiyah, attached to appearances again. Aiyah, delusive thoughts have arisen. Quickly do not move, do not run with it; this is called decreasing it and decreasing it again. Do not talk about awakening to the bottom all at once; I fear this is not easily achieved, is it? Do we not often hear people say: "Aiyah, why do I still have so many thoughts?" Look, eliminating thoughts cleanly all at once is not an easy thing to do; therefore, one must constantly detect, decreasing it and decreasing it again; only then will it do. Then how to examine if oneself has improved? One should look back; that is, compare with the past; how one attached and had afflictions in the past, and now it is a bit less than before, the mind is much more peaceful and harmonious; that is having improved. Having improvement is good; because knowing there is improvement can strengthen faith. In the midst of doing the work, the body becoming hot and light manifesting are all good phenomena. But we cannot pursue them; as soon as one pursues, it is finished; that is dwelling, that is delusive thought and delusive emotion.
When we do the work after awakening, we must let it be natural, like flowing water, flowing "Hua, Hua, Hua" past; one must not stay, must not dwell, not run with the phenomena/circumstances, not flow with delusive thoughts; decrease and decrease our delusive thinking and habit energies again until they are eliminated cleanly; only then can one complete the Great Tao. This is the secret knacks of practicing the Dharma; therefore, without recognizing the true mind, practicing the Dharma is of no benefit; recognizing the true mind but not knowing the secret knacks, one cannot succeed.
We recite Amitabha Buddha to awaken our own mind, not to beg the Amitabha Buddha in the West. We make a vow to be born in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and the mind-to-mind seal with Amitabha Buddha is formed; this is Self-power, and it is also Other-power. We understand the function of reciting the Buddha, which is borrowing the Buddha's Holy Name to remove the filth and afflictions in our minds, borrowing the Buddha's light to illumine us brightly, eliminating our karmic obstructions; then if we make a vow to be born in the West, we can be born in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. How is one born? One must cut off the root of love; if one can do this, success is certain. If you are still attached in love to this world, even if you emphasize "I have Other-power, I have Other-power, I have Other-power," you ultimately cannot be born in the Western Pure Land. Because your root of love is not cut off, and you are entangled with this Saha World, how can you leave? Actually, Other-power is Self-power, Self-power is Other-power; Self and Other are not two. Separating Self and Other into two is wrong. In our practice, we must definitely Dual Practice; that is, combining Self-power and Other-power; relying solely on Other-power, if Self-power does not go up, it is useless. Because if your delusive thoughts are not removed and you attach to this Saha World, Other-power cannot pull you. If Buddhas and Bodhisattvas could pull, they would have pulled us all away long ago. When Buddhas and Bodhisattvas receive and guide one to birth in the West, how do they receive and guide? They release light to shine on you. If you do not open your eyes when he shines on you, and you cannot see his light, what is the use? Thus, Chan Master Yongming Yanshou said: Our mind is like a basin of water, and the Buddha or Bodhisattva is like the moon in the sky. Amitabha Buddha releases light to shine on us; if our mind is pure like water, it can manifest the reflection of the moon; this is the interaction of response and Tao, Self-power and Other-power combined together. If our mind-water is a basin of sewage, it cannot reflect the moon. It is not that the Buddha does not shine on you; the Buddha does not have this unequal mind; the Buddha shines universally and brightly, but your mind is very defiled. Therefore, a blind man does not see the light, and sewage does not manifest the moon's reflection. This is completely our misunderstanding, not that the Buddha does not shine on us. Therefore, one must Dual Practice, having Other-power and also Self-power.
To go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, one must let go of everything and recite the Buddha's name earnestly and sincerely: "Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha...", awakening one's own mind. His Mind is Self-mind, Self-mind is His Mind; beaten into one piece, the Mind and Buddha interact in the Tao. At the moment life ends, that Buddha manifests before one. This "moment life ends" refers not only to the time of dying but also to the time when the life-root of birth and death is cut off. What is the time when the life-root of birth and death is cut off? It is when our delusive emotion, delusive thought, and delusive mind die down and are cut off at this moment; this is the moment life ends. Because our life-root of birth and death is precisely delusive emotion, delusive thought, and delusive mind. Where do we originally have birth and death? It is all this delusive emotion, delusive thought, and delusive mind attaching to forms and appearances, creating karma and receiving retribution, thereby reincarnating in the six paths and undergoing illusory birth and death. We recite the Buddha single-mindedly; when the work matures and the time and affinity arrive, with a "Pa!", the delusive emotion, delusive thought, and delusive mind are cut off all at once, and this life-root of birth and death ends. "At the moment life ends, that Buddha manifests before one"; "That Buddha" is that Buddha, which is Amitabha Buddha, which is our Self-nature Buddha; the Self-nature Buddha is Amitabha Buddha. "Manifests before one"—the Fundamental Nature manifests before one; this is called "When the flower opens, one sees the Buddha and awakens to the Unborn." The mind-flower opens, one sees the Self-nature Buddha; this is enlightenment. "Awakens to the Unborn"—enlightened, one sees the fundamental self-nature that is non-arising and non-ceasing! This is the Pure Land Sect; it is the true Pure Land Sect! We must never push the great matter of birth and death onto Amitabha Buddha alone. Do not say this is Other-power, and if you, Amitabha Buddha, do not save me, it is your fault, not my offense. This is incorrect; if your own delusive emotion, delusive thought, and delusive mind are not cut off, how can That Buddha manifest before you, and how can you awaken to the Unborn? This is entirely your own offense; how can you blame Amitabha Buddha?
The Pure Land Sect is the Chan Sect, and the Chan Sect is the Pure Land Sect. This was said by great Good Knowing Advisors since ancient times: "Chan is the Chan of Pure Land; Pure Land is the Pure Land of Chan." Chan is Pure Land, Pure Land is Chan. They cannot be divided into two or viewed as two different matters; they are indeed one matter. For example, Great Master Yongming [Yan]shou was a Chan Master; how did he become a Great Patriarch of the Pure Land Sect? Great Master Lianchi was also a Chan Master, Great Master Chewu was also a Chan Master; how did they all become Great Patriarchs of the Pure Land Sect? Chan and Pure Land originally breathe through the same nostril; it is only that later people did not understand the principle that they forced a division between Chan and Pure Land. We make a vow to be born in the West; the mind must be true and earnest, and one must not doubt. The vow must be sincere; it is not just saying it with the mouth, but one must also have real practice. If the mind has practice but it is scattered, it cannot be saved. In the morning thus, in the evening thus, when wandering thus, when stumbling thus; never forgetting at any time or moment; then, you are about to complete the Tao. Practitioners of Chan are also like this; they must constantly detect, protect at all times, and look after the Huatou. We who practice the Esoteric Sect are also like this; I say again and again that practicing the Mind-Center Dharma cannot rely solely on two hours of sitting meditation; contemplation when off the seat is the most important. When off the seat, experience phenomena/circumstances to train the mind, seeing if your mind is empty or not; this is the most important move.
I often hear people say: Aiyah, today I was truly angered to death; so-and-so was so bad, so bad. I ask you, are you a person studying Buddhism? What are you still angry about? If you study Buddhism, you should not have anger. Everything is empty; there is no person and no self, no self and no other; what is there to be angry about? If there is still anger, you have not studied Buddhism, have not constantly detected, and have not experienced circumstances to train the mind. The more opposing the environment, the more infuriating the people and affairs, the more they can train you; see if you still get angry? If you still get angry, you have not trained; without training, how can you become a Buddha? Adverse circumstances are actually also good circumstances; they are for training you, seeing if you are awake. Do not say any adverse circumstance is bad; whether it is bad or not depends on whether you are awake or not, depends on whether you know how to utilize this circumstance to train yourself. We people who study Buddhism, whether practicing Chan, practicing Pure Land, or practicing Esoteric, must all experience circumstances to train the mind at all times and moments; if we cannot do this, there will definitely be no accomplishment.
