Something I wrote for my mother in 2021: 

It is my deep sincere wish that everyone who reads it will realise and touch the essence.. for that I pray to Guan Yin my deep sincere wish.
"what i describe for you 打坐念佛 is just one way, 方便法 to have the initial glimpse of 自性, the initial realization，而不是究竟. because if you are constantly distracted and lost in thinking, its very hard to realize it， so the 方便法 is still important for you. but it does not mean after realizing I AM you cannot have any thoughts, nor does it mean that you cannot practice and discover in the midst of activity
even at the first phase of realizing 自性, one will find 自性 has limitless potential and must be expressed in a relative world in constant interaction.
and that after this initial realization, some practitioners think they want to go mountains and meditate. but others will rather ground their realization of the 自性 into their daily life, even in the midst of thinking.
but maintaining this practice does not mean they have overcome 能、所. the mirror is still seen as background 在背影能照的镜子, vs all reflections （镜像）coming and going inside the mirror 在镜子里来来去去
you remember the youtube link by 慧律法师 you just sent me yesterday only? this one https://youtu.be/kqCmHImgzT0
you know the part he describe 自性 as a background mirror, and all the phenomena coming and going in the mirror, including thoughts. and what does he say? he taught that is just initial stage of realisation, still have not broken 能照、所照 (the 能照 is the mirror awareness behind，the 所照 is the 来来去去的事物）
but do you know when broken 能照、所照 what is that like
it does not mean you cannot have thinking or there is nothing
it means 念头本身就是你，事事物物都是你，就是你的光明本身在那里燃烧，而一切相就是佛性本身。
青青翠竹尽是法身，郁郁黄花无非般若
没有能照、所照
不是我在听、我在看
不是我在自觉念头，而是那个念头本身就是/在自觉、本身就是光明、那个声音本身就是听（觉）、就好像声音听到了自己，青青翠竹看到了自己，完全没有一个“能照"在看到、听到、觉照”一切的所觉“
so what did 佛经 say... 一切法本如来藏，妙真如性
”阿难！汝犹未明一切浮尘诸幻化相当处出生、随处灭尽、幻妄称相，其性真为妙觉明体；如是乃至五阴六入，从十二处至十八界，因缘和合，虚妄有生；因缘别离，虚妄名灭；殊不能知生灭去来本如来藏常住妙明、不动周圆妙真如性；性真常中，求于去来迷悟死生，了无所得。“
This is a different understanding from the initial I AM or Eternal Witness.
So 洪文亮禅师 said in his 1999 article,
"当打坐的时候念头来念头去，你千万不要以为有个不动的在知道你的念头来去，就以为这个对了。以为有一个不动的对着一个来去的念头，好象有两个个别的念头，那是不对的。其实，来的念头本身就是你法身的用。很多人不晓得这个，误以为有一个“我”知道念头来，念头去。明来知道明，暗来知道暗，那个不动的就是真的了——唉呀！错了!这是外道的说法。你有一个不动的在你的概念里头，拿这个不动的当宝贝，然后觉得这个就对了。那不是你想象出来的吗？如果没有你，还要那个不动的做什么!
我们的眼耳鼻舌身意六个作用，通通都在无我的、真正的实相里头自由自在的活动。我们就是误会了，把那个能分别思虑的当作是我。其实它本身只是法身的作用而已。分别思虑这个东西太灵了，一起分别作用的时候我们就自动的把能分别的当作是我。其实意根和眼根耳根一样，对到什么缘，那个在，皆是实相。当你对到石头就是石头，对到馒头就是馒头，你不会在讲石头和馒头这二个名字后，才知道是石头是馒头吧！文字语言的分辨，是事实发生以后的分别意识活动。这个以前，石头在，馒头在，那个在，是分别意识还没有动以前，本身已是了了清楚的分别的了。无分别的分别就是这个意思。如果没有把“我”加进去，我们的意根本来就了了分明。
当我们的眼睛对到相，相跟见，是一体的作用。同样的道理，念头的升起跟那个无我的知，也是一体的作用。所以来的念头本身就是你意根的作用，其实就是你的实相。修行能够知道这个就好了。能够了解到这个，噢，你就进步了，你在打坐时就不怕念头的来去，因为念头本身就是你的实相啊。你以为另外有一个念头能让你知道吗？不可能的啦！因为在每一刻的当下能和所、根和尘、心和境、念头和你，本来是不可分开的，永远同时用，同时起，同时灭。本来就是一体的。是我们把一个东西硬硬分开两个来说明，这就是事后的聪明，事实之后的意识分别。"
so means he is very clear about 无我 realization even back in 1999
in 2005 洪文亮禅师 explained 洞山禪師 《寶鏡三昧》："「入地獄如矢」就是馬上錯掉 了，不可以把他當作這樣去解釋。『不見言』是沒有聽說過嗎？『山河不在鏡中見，山河草木即鏡』，你聽到「全宇宙是一枚寶鏡三昧」，就把三昧當作是一副鏡 子，這樣就很容易錯掉了。所以他強調「山河草木不在鏡中見，山河草木就是鏡子」。千萬不要把你所看的、所覺受的當作是鏡中的影子，不可以這樣講，山河大地 本身都是鏡子，不是鏡中的影子。... ...所以各位看到的、聽到的，你千萬不要以為是大圓鏡智所現，有一面法界法性的鏡子所現 的，隨你的因緣果報不同而現出的影子，這樣解說就完全錯掉了。看到、聽到、摸到、想到的通通都是鏡子，包括你自己，整個都是鏡子！這點不要誤會了。"
There is another video from 慧律法师 that is quite similar to the one you sent me yesterday and also good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwx8-1KoCvA
慧律法师 also said ”"大 悟之人不见法。他没有任何东西，因为法法本空，法法不相到。也不见身。为什么？四大本空，五阴本来就没有“我”。所以，什么叫做照见五蕴皆空？色即是空， 受想行识即是空。为什么讲色即是空？色即是空，空就是佛性，色就是佛性的展现。所以，真正的悟道的人，他的心性流露在一切缘起法里面，即于生灭，即得不生 不灭的无为法，也没有所谓有为跟无为，刹那即见永恒，永恒就是刹那，平等不二。 因此我们要了解：不见法，也不见身。身，地水火风所构成的，四大本来就空，五蕴——色受想行识，本来就是不可得。一切法，智者了知一切法，本来就无我。这无我里面，当下就是佛性。所以，佛法讲否定的时候，凡所有相，皆是假相。讲肯定的时候，尘尘都是真心，每一个颗粒微尘都是真心的影现，一切法全部都是真。 当他破除无明烦恼、破除执着、破除分别的时候，完全都是真心展现的，尘尘尽是真，没有一法不是真心，这个是站在肯定的角度。站在否定的角度，是凡所有相不 可得。站在本体界的角度，凡所有相，都是本体界的展现，都是清净心的影现，没有一法不是真实。"“
“达到没有能所，见一切相就是你的心，你的心不离一切相，任何的相都没有对立，因为你的心不着，用这种功夫，就是无所谓的知跟所知，不可智知，不能用智慧化作一念能知能所知 “五蕴万法，因缘所生，相依相成”相依相成就是能所不断，主宾不断。能所不断、主宾不断。“即假即空”假就是缘起。即假即空就是当下就是空。 “若悟真空”这些“五蕴”身，色受想行识是真如，“六入”眼耳鼻舌身意也是如，“一切皆如”一切都是真如自性，“尘劳本净”这些五欲六尘本来就是清净，“无道可修”无道可修，也“无灭可证”因为是苦集灭道，道不修本自具足，无灭可证，灭就是涅槃，不生不灭叫做涅槃，整个苦全部都熄灭了，当然就是涅槃的境界，也没有涅槃可以证 所谓的「无常」—是指因缘生，因缘灭，一切法无自性。无自性即是缘起无生，所有的得失观念皆是错觉，苦乐也是错觉 天性：于中一法不立，故名「空相」。于一法不实，故名「实相」。空实一如，是为妙明真心。 一切法本空，心即不无，不无即妙有。有亦不有，不有即有，即真空妙有。 无法，无本心，始解心心法，法即不法，不法即法，无法无不法，故是心心法。 司空本净：「见闻觉知无障碍，声香味触常三昧。如鸟空中只么飞，无取无舍无憎爱。若会应处本无心，始得名为「观自在」。」 因缘本空，故不须断灭，见性后因缘即是佛性，故不须断灭。 溪声尽是广长舌，山色无非清净身。 好恶是非，一时都放，则心无住处。心无住处，则无有心，即无有心，亦无无心，有无总无，身心具尽。身心尽故，泯齐万境。万境无相，合本一冥。冥然默照，照无不寂。以寂为体，体无不虚，虚寂无穷，通同法界。法界缘起，无不自然，来无所从，去无所至。 物自有去来，见性无来去也。 无所从来，亦无所去，若无生灭，是如来清净禅，诸法空寂，是如来清净坐。 二性空是体，知二性空是解脱，更不生疑，即名为用。 佛法在日用处，行住坐卧处，吃（喝）茶用饭处，语言相问处，所作所为处。 傅大士偈云：夜夜抱佛眠，朝朝还共起，坐起镇相随，语默同居止，纤毫不相离，如身影相似，欲识佛去处，只这语声是。”
people treat 觉、心当成是能知的主体
达摩祖师 taught 无心
达摩祖师 said in 无心论
　　问曰：“既若无心，即合无有见闻觉知，云何得有见闻觉知？”
　　答曰：“我虽无心，能见能闻能觉能知。”
这个无心不是无念，而是本来就没有一个我体当成觉知的主体，那个能所主客根尘的对立本来就是幻像不真实，本来就无心。so达摩祖师said［如是三处推求，觅心了不可得，乃至于一切处求觅亦不可得。当知即是无心］
so when he taught this in this short but very good text 无心论 https://www.hrfjw.com/fjrw/hcrw/dmzs/110187.html
　　”弟子于是忽然大悟，始知心外无物，物外无心，举止动用，皆得自在，断诸疑网，更无挂碍。即起作礼，而铭无心。“
this is crucial realization of zen
达摩祖师 also taught［色不自色，由心故色；心不自心，由色故心，是知心色兩相俱生滅。］［应眼见色，应耳闻声，应鼻嗅香，应舌知味，乃至施为运动，皆是自心。］
this is the same realization
in all his texts he emphasize this key point again and again..."
 
 
 
hrfjw.com
达摩祖师：无心论_达摩无心论原文 - 华人佛教网
　　夫至理无言，要假言而显理。大道无相，为接而见形。今且假立二人，共谈无心之论矣。弟子问和尚曰：“有心无心？”答曰：“无心。”问曰：“既云无心，谁能见闻觉知，谁知无心？”答曰：“还是无心既见闻觉知，还...

4 Comments

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Soh Wei Yu
My mom asked me what is the essence of what I wrote above. I said I have already summarised as short as possible in my own words above... I simply quoted more quotes from authoritative sources (sutra and zen masters) that elaborate on my main point.
I am just a practitioner, not a Zen master, nor do I wish to teach. I rather ask people find and learn from the Zen masters I refer to. But if I remain silent when the conditions manifest to point out something, it is also not right.
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• Reply
• 23h
• Edited

 色见声求，取道未正
宏智正觉禅师语录选析
洪文亮老师讲

金 刚经云：“若以色见我，以音声求我，是人行邪道，不得见如来”。各位想想
看，现在很多修法的朋友，都是以这个当作很好的境界、美的境界，金刚经明明这样
写，可是当我们修行的时候，就忘了这些。很多人在打坐、念佛、数息观，耳边有什么，
咒音或佛号一直在耳边响，这个时候会觉得很殊胜，也一定会觉得很高兴。 色身以外，
鼻子闻香；进来佛堂，打坐、念佛、诵经，不久就觉得满室生香，檀香的味道，这妙极
了，很高兴。这个是不是在金刚经讲的“若以色见我，以音声求 我”？都以色声香味触
法，通通都是，以这样来求佛，不得见如来，他说这个人行邪道，这个是魔法。
可是我们在实际修行时，这些都没有注意到，都忘掉了，置之脑后，这个要检讨。今
天的主题：色见声求，取道未正，這是宏智禅师在《净乐室铭》讲的一句话。这个与金刚
经刚才讲的意思一样。

色见，看到佛菩萨，声求，听到咒音，好像这样才是修道有功夫。这样的话，取道未
正，这样修行是不行的，未正是指人行邪道一样，不对！那么简单的一件事，但是我们偏
不信。

去来不以象

色 见声求，取道未正，那么应该怎么求？色见不应该在修行的时候，佛菩萨现身不
是很好吗？好是好，不要把它当一回事就好，以为这个是一个很好的进步情况，不可
以！那么色见声求，取道未正，为什么这个不对？“动静不以心，去来不以象”，（这个
‘象’字，原文没有人字旁）。以这个说明为什么不对，再加上一点脑的生 理学，用比
较简单，比较容易懂的话来说。

先 讲“来去不以象”，譬如一个人走进来，大家说他进来了，不一会儿，出去了，我们说他出去了，我们是不是根据他的这个象说他出现又消失了，进来又出去了？那 么“去来不以象”，不要用这个身象当做来去的话，我们怎么知道他来了又去了？就算是有修行很好的人或者真正开悟的修行人，在禅宗讲是明心见性，真正发觉到 正觉了，那么如果有一个人进来出去，他难道不以那个人的身象说他进来出去，那是以那个人的什么？他的心吗？他的感情吗？他的思想脑子里想什么？如果开悟的 人知道那个人在想什么，那个想的思想进来，就知道进来了。那个人的思想在想什么，因为开悟的人开悟呀，知道那个人脑子里头想什么，那想什么的思想如果在开 悟的人能够知道的话，当然不以象，不要用他的象，知道他的心里想什么，那个想什么的东西离开了、进来了，就是不以象，是不是这个意思？开悟的人有神通啊！ 不要看他的象，他的心里想什么，开悟的人就知道，“噢！我不看他，我看那边，他进来了，我没有看他的象，但是我有这个能力知道他的心里想什么。他进来的时 候，那个想的那个力量越来越近，哦！他进来了。”是不是这样？不是的话，那么“去来不以象”是什么意思呢？

“去 来不以象”，我们从什么东西知道他的来跟去，既然不能看他的这个身象，佛讲“若以色见我，以音声求我，是人行邪道，不得见如来”，我们都认为求佛啊！我看 到佛！不能凭他的庄严或听到他的咒音，不能以这个当做他来了或者他走了。不仅对佛，一般人出去进来，都不能以象当做他来了或者他走了。

我们读了金刚经，就以为如果我们要见佛，是不能以他的身象见到，例如：观世音菩萨是一尊、MAHAKALA是一尊、VAJAVIKINIS是 一尊，我们用这个身象去分别是哪一尊，或者念咒语而认为哪一尊菩萨来了，他说不可以，不能这样子，其实金刚经讲的不是这个意思。一只狗跑进来或者一只蟑螂 爬进来了，它不是菩萨，也不是人，如果你是真正开悟见性的人，就不会以狗或蟑螂的那个样子，当做有来去。那怎么办？以如来的性？如来的性没有来去？你怎么 知道没有来去？书上说的。所以要探讨为什么这么说？楞严经也说：一切都没有来去。那就好了嘛！本来存在，存在那个动不动，动与不动都是因为因缘而动或不 动。

这 个存在实际上是什么？实际上是我们看来有一个人一样，一只狗也好，看到它的象进来，看到这个象离开了、去了，这样讲是方便讲。我们讲话的时候，某某人出去 了，某某人进来了，可以这样讲，但是它的第一义谛就是，它真正的那个境界是没有来去，不是把这个象消掉，也不是说“哦！我成就了，我修得很好，明明有他进 来，我都看不见”，那你变成瞎子了，修得那么好，变成瞎子一样。不是这样的！成就的人看见他进来，也看见他出去，狗、猫、鸟、甚至鱼池里的鱼，通通都好， 有来去啊！不是说修得很高了，把那个象没有了，不是这个意思。那个象有来有去的真正意思是，梦中的象有来去，醒过来之后，梦里的来去就没有了，但一定要 醒，没有醒以前根本不知道，做梦的时候实际上有，梦境里头有来去，这是用梦做比方。释迦牟尼佛也知道实际生活里白天不会做梦，可是也跟做梦一样的境界。我 们就有一点没有办法完全接受，明明是白天嘛，我没有睡觉啊，你要我把这个当做梦一样，我不能啊！梦有一个梦，我晚上睡觉是一件事，睡着了做梦，很有分别， 和白天大家一起会面不同啊！如果硬要把白天的情况把它想成梦一样，我们听了，总是不愿意，是不是？梦境里有一个境界啊！现在是现在，你怎么把这个当作做 梦，当做一样？总是不愿意接受这个。以梦来解说，我们现在看，有动静来去，其实与梦里头的梦境一样，这样说会比较明白。明白就是明白，可是我们没有办法把 这个白天的境界当做梦一样，因为两个完全不同，所以读经或听法师讲解这些如梦幻一样，心里头是听他的，觉得很奇怪，梦跟白天明明不一样，把这个当做梦境一 样，很不容易做到。

色相是怎样产生的

现 在用现代科学来解说，比较没阻力。比方，我看到他，我怎么看到他？靠耳朵吗？鼻子吗？是眼睛看，眼睛怎么看到他？有光线、有距离，如果他太靠近，他和我的 眼睛之间没有空间的话，就看不见他，一定要有一段距离、要有光线，灯打开了、还要眼睛健康，瞎子就无法看；还要脑子健康，植物人也无法看，因为没有视觉， 刚断气的人眼睛没坏，他就是没有PICTURE，没有反应。（一切法是因缘条件所生，故无自性。）

那 么我们平常说这个人来了，你怎么知道？那个进来的人的象，那个样子，透过眼睛，借光线的力量，眼睛就如照相机，照相机不知道它照了什么。我们的眼睛也一 样，照到了这个象在这里，光线的光在这个地方有倒象，倒立的象在这里接到网膜上，象在网膜上，光是这样，我们也不知道，因为眼睛和照相机一样，它在刺激道 理的那个象，在网膜上的象变成另外一个消息，用普通平易的话讲，它把这个消息送到哪里？送到我们脑里头专门管视觉的，脑里头有许多分工合作的部分，有的部 分管看、有的部分管听、有的部分管闻、有的部分管味的、有的部分管思想的。一个人走进来，有一个象，和照相机一样，我们的眼睛那么一动，这个刺激或消息送 到里面的脑里去，经过神经，脑里头专门管视觉的，它受了这个刺激，我们不说这个刺激是什么，反正是有变化，光线的关系，所以有‘节象’(Synapses=神经细胞与下一个神经细胞的交接处)， 节象把这个象当做另外一个消息传到脑的视觉中枢，收到消息，就如电视机一样，电台将节目播出来，电视就接收节目。我们的脑里头有一个地方就接收了这个，刺 激它起变化，这个变化是脑神经细胞的变化。注意这个脑神经细胞的变化，不是哪个人的象哦。不要以為狗是狗的象，猫是猫的象，鱼是鱼的象，那个象直接到脑， 不是这样！那个象只是到网膜为止，而且这个网膜的象是颠倒的，大家学物理的就知道，头在下，脚在上头，然后这个消息传到专管视觉部分的，再把这个象倒过 来，变成正常。过了眼网膜后就沒有那个象的形狀和存在了。

再 简单化一些，我们看见他，其实是现在看到他，看他的象，由于光线的关系，在我的眼睛网膜上起变化，网膜把“这个消息”，不是把“这个象”，变成另外一个消 息传到外面的视觉中枢，这个地方起了变化，脑细胞受了刺激就起变化，（就如敲桌子，因为震动的关系，透过空气，就起变化，而发出声音），看到他的时候，由 于各种关系，我的脑的那个管看的脑神经细胞起了变化而已，但是这个脑里头没有他的象，这是相对（CORRESPONDENCE）的变化，红色是红色的变化、白色是白色的变化、绿色是绿色的变化，各种不一样的变化在这里动。

那 么这个变化怎么可以指挥脑细胞的变化？假定，看到红的时候就这样动〔↑〕，看到白的时候就这样动〔→〕，看到绿的就这样动〔←〕，看到黄的就这样动 〔↓〕。你怎么有能力把这个当成一个象显现在我的眼前呢？因为我们自己有本事，不是我们想出来的。我们不可能把这个变化变成一个象在我们的眼前显现，不是 我们变的，也不是我们想出来的。这里有这样的变化，自然就在我们的眼前。一朵花就是花的象在我们的眼前，其实这朵花的象，不是在这里显现，如果这个象没有 经过光线、网膜、视觉神经的变化到脑神经，我们根本不知道花的象在这里，其实这个象没有直接到脑里头去，知道这一点，很要紧！是我在这里，我身体脑的一部 分专管视觉的这个地方，由于前面有花，这个地方起了变化，不是这个象直接到脑里头去，那么把这个地方，我脑里头的变化，我自己有本事把这个变化换成有一个 象在我的前面，GET IT！ 所以在脑里头的变化，就是脑神经一个细胞是这样，假定脑细胞是这样，看到你的时候，它这样动，看到他的是时候这样动，这个动是不是象？对应到你的时候，因 为光线的关系，折射、反射的关系，透过视觉神经种种缘，它这样动，动是你的象吗？脑神经的变化就是你的象吗？你的那个象只是变化不一样吧了。对到他的时 候，这样动，这样动或那样动，是你的象或他的象吗？不是吧！只不过是神经的变化不一样而已。红色、白色、长的、短的、圆的、变化的大小、范围的不同，我们 就有这本事，真的很厉害，把这个脑神经细胞的动、变化变成我眼前的狗、猫、鱼、蓝天、白云，奇怪！这是脑神经细胞的变化而已，不是这个象照到我脑里头去。 是两回事，截然不同，要弄清楚，不可以色见声求，都是在脑里头的细胞起变化，而且这个视觉神经细胞的变化很有定力。

本自俱足的戒定慧

刚才是用色相（PICTURE），听觉神经也一样，管听觉的脑细胞收到声音高低的变化，AH的时候是这样动，EE的时候是那样动，有没有定力，定得很呢！A来的声音它一定是这样动，若同一個A聲，有的时候这样动，有的时候又不同的那样动，我们就乱了。这个叫“我们本来清净”，很定，不是我们修定了才定。我们的六根，不管心境好不好，A的时候这样动，B的时候这样动，C的时候这样动，从来就不会把我们给误了，它们很定、很守戒。喝酒也是这样动，不喝酒也是这样动。不会说喝酒了，A这 个声波变成那样动，把它听成别的，是那个解释分析的那个能力差，耳朵里的听觉神经细胞，它动的时候，不管你是怎么样，它是这个声音应该这样动，就永远这样 动，它不会有的时候这样动，有的时候动大一点，有的时候小一点，随便你的喜欢不喜欢，喜欢听的声音，它就动快一点，不喜欢听的声音就懒懒的这样，对吗？那 是我们的分别！头脑坏掉的那个心意识，它在那里分別。耳朵的听觉细胞不会这样。高兴不高兴它也是这样动，很守本份，很定，都一样平等平等。怎么能够听成有A、E呢？ 它有慧，自然就有的慧，不是你学来的、不是你读经典、听法、灌顶，才有这个慧，我们的眼耳鼻舌身意进来的资讯，能够如实地让我们觉得有这种花，这种声音， 这个不是智慧、不是神通，是什么？我们根本就有，你还要去求戒、定、慧，那是骗人的勾当。但是为什么我们强调这个，因为我们把不是我的当做是我，所以要修 戒定慧，那个不是你很讨厌，做恶乱来，要把它修好，要弄乖一点，其实真正的我们是六根在动的“那个作用”体相，就是我们自己，真正的自己。作用体，六根六 种作用，作用的方式不一样，但是整个就是一个作用、一个
体，这个体跟宇宙的大暴风雨、地震一样的，一样的在那里动，所以没有我相。只是因为我们认为有一个“我”，才有问题。

“不 以象”的意思，花的象直接跑到我的脑里头去，然后我的脑去读它，哦，这是白花！不是这样，没有象跑到脑子里头去，是借这个光线的形状、大小、空间种种，它 把这个象变成另外一个消息，送到我们的脑里头去，脑就接受这个变化，就起各种不同的变化，这个变化，我们有本事、我们有慧，这就叫无分别慧，为什么无分 别？因为没有动思想，所以能够把这个变化变成白花，因为没有动思想，不要想就变成刘小姐，为什么？因为我这里有智慧，无分别的智慧，这叫做大神通，真正佛 讲的大神通，个个都是，就是指这个。否则这里的变化变成白花，那里的变化怎么一条鱼呢？我们可曾想过？我们可曾用力过？都不需要啊！它是与生俱来的。所以 你说这个象进来出去，我这里脑的变化是因为物理关系，光线、距离等等，光线的照射、反射、折射的关系起变化，有变化进来、出去了，那个象的变化，还有没 有？没有象，这个变化没有，所以在这里是什么？是细胞在动，它的出现，这里有这样的变化一动，它的消失这个“动”，只是脑细胞在那里动，哪有象？去来不以 象，本来我们在这个状态，不是你修好了，很有道德、念经、守戒、观想才有这个本事，没有！哪有这样。狗猫都一样，不仅是我们，佛也是一样，佛走一步和我们 走一步都一样，佛听AH，我们听AH，同样一个AH字，佛听了会变成E字吗？不会吧！我们听E，佛在座的话也听E，这个能力没有凡夫众生之别，心佛众生无二，一直讲这个。我们偏偏要修成什么大师、开悟，我们本来悟，不知道就叫迷，知道后哪有什么迷、悟？

象的去来，就是我这里的脑细胞在变化，有了就这样地动，你的象没有了，它就没有这样的动，是“这里”有动跟没有动的分别而已，这里哪里有你的象？没有。以 你的象的来去当做来去，脑细胞会提出抗议。这个就是佛法说的颠倒妄想。这个要先弄得懂，佛经才读得懂。我没有讲我的，佛也没有讲他的，实际上是这样，它只 是这样，他不是把理论学说想出来了，给我们讲。佛的道理是他发现我们是这样真正动，那是事实，HE POINT IT OUT！指出来而已，佛没有讲他的意见、理论。不管你的理论懂不懂，我们就是这样动，耳朵、眼睛、鼻子、舌头、身体的感觉都一样，最难的是我们搞不清楚“意”和“想”。

有一个念头，“花”的念头。意根动，才有花的念头上來，不是用眼睛看的，是用心的意根，才有花的念头。意根不像眼睛、耳朵、鼻子一样有一个形让我们分别，因为意根是分散的。比方想到“花”，跟耳朵听到A一样，B的变化、C的 变化、白花的那个念头的变化、跟狗的那个念头的变化，在我们的意根动起来，都不一样，“白花”念头起来意根动的变化，是那个样子，如果是一只鱼或一只狗的 念头，那个念头变化不一样。耳朵里收了这个声音，到听觉细胞，听觉细胞动了，这个会让你听到声音吗？光是动还是动而已，我们有本事把这个动当做AH，E的声音，为什么我们能分别？是意识的作用加进去了。听的细胞变化一样，看的细胞变化一样，光是变化我们不知道我们听到什么，我们看到什么。我们还有一个力量，是分别的第六意识的力量。噢，A，B， 红，白把这个变化读成各种不同的声音、各种分别、分别名相，第六意识分别意识的作用。意根也一样，有一个念头，白花这个念头进来了，那个意根接受这个意念 的来访，它也起变化，这个时候它知道不知道是白花？不知道。分别意识没有去分别这个是什么念头。这个地方很要紧，很多人搞不清楚。意根有一个念头来的时 候，意根的变化跟耳朵听到狗叫声所起的变化，鸟叫时候的变化，虽然是不同的变化，但是显现的方式是一样的。意根有一个念头是白花的念头，一个念头是狗的念 头来了，意根的变化是不一样。只是这两个变化，这个时候你知道是你想到什么吗？不知道啊！意识分别加进去了之后，才说：“啊！我想到白花，想到狗”，能够UNDERSTAND ME？ 不是说意根动了，马上就知道是是狗。念头来了，你还不能知道这个念头是什么念头，分別意识那个作用没有加进去，只是念来，只是耳朵收进声波的变化而已，还 没有办法分出是狗叫还是猫叫，这两种情況是一样的。一个念头来，收进来，意根动，如实地动，什么念头它怎么动，但是你自己还不知道。是念头来了，然后你自 己的分别意识起了作用，才知道是什么念头。噢！我想到你，想到他，我想到你的那个念头先进来，然后才分别那个是你的念头。

无情说法

用 意根修法的人，禅宗祖师比较多一点。佛一见明星，所以是眼根，从眼根看到明星，看到桃花，就是用去来不以象，原来不是那个象来去。一朵桃花从树上掉下来， 我看到看到花掉下（平常我们总是这个境界），可是忽然那一次，视觉细胞它在动，在有动没动之间的差别变化中，那样子的变，“那个变化本身就是我的知”，不 是另外起一个知去读这个变化。这是最后一着。平常我们都顛倒在把这个变化当成有一个“我”，有一个能力去读我这个视觉细胞、听觉细胞的变化，把这个变化当 成妄想，这是不对的。因为那个变化本身就是知，所以才叫“不触事而知，不对缘而照”，所以叫“色见声求，取道未正”。若没有从这个地方探讨，若人以色见 我，以音声求我，金刚经背到滚瓜烂熟，可是知道它真正的意思吗？

现 在是借科学的知识帮忙了解，原来是这样动，但我们不知道，我们以为有一个“我”在看、有一个“我”在听，所以来去都是象，其实这个地方有没有变化而已，甚 至能够清楚到这个变化本身就是觉知，不是另外有一个能力去看这个变化，然后读它，把它当做外面有象。那个变化本身就是知，不要另外造一个有能知的去读这个 变化。把它当做什么，那是不得已，IN REALISTIC， 在实相中没有所谓能跟所这回事！没有设定一个“能知”的去知道“所知”，所以这朵花，花的影子在这里起变化，变化本身已经是能知，没有一个能知道的能力去 读我的脑子变化才是，不是这样的！那个“变化本身”是包括能知，这是无情说法，花也在说法，不要把“佛的那个觉性”当做能知的知的精神作用，这个就是佛 性，不是觉知那个最高深的法、非常真善美、体谅人的精神、最高清净的那个知，已经把人的分别认识的能知，就是把能知的最深的法〔作用〕当做佛的觉知，那完 蛋了，错到一塌糊涂。所以无情说法，就不知道了。什么叫无情说法？这个东西在这里起变化，没有这个就没有起变化，这个变化的四大，由四大构成的脑，四大有 主吗？没有主，外面的这个四大有主吗？也没有主。内外四大都是没有主的，都是相通的，没有分别，它是跟这个东西是同一个东西在动，“动本身”就是知，没有 一个能知的去看这个动。（没有能知所知，所以才叫无情说法。）赵州禅师说：佛性是什么？就是路边的一颗石头或亭中的一棵柏树。

动静不以心

动 静不以心，也是一样。举手我知道是动，手放下是静，每一个地方进来的象不一样，光线的变化不一样，那么脑里头起变化，一下子这样，一下子那样，受到的刺激 不同，它就相应地变、如实相应地变，一体的东西才对啊！本来外面跟我们根本就没有分开。我们看在外面、听在外面，是我们自己那么想，其实我们的六根根本没 有经过这个，根本是我们自己在乱想，它们是一起动。谁在骂我，就是在骂我的声音在这里动而已，动的听觉细胞没有说是你在骂我，所以它动的小一点，就没有听 到！大声就大的动，小声就小的动，这是我们的本来。你骂，我生气，那是我们莫名其妙地有一个“我”的妄想，听到不舒服，就有一个我了，这个东西出来干涉， 我们就开始乱掉。

六 根本来清净，我们就把这清净的六根认为是自己的作用，再把第六意识加进去的妄想分别当做自己，就苦恼一大堆，所以禅宗祖师常常讲，不谈禅、不谈法、不说 佛。如何修行？好好体认自己的真正样子。那个样子在哪里显现？在我们的六根显现。六根是作用体，那个作用是什么力量？那个力量就是佛的力量，每个人都有， 就那么简单。我们却一直持咒、念佛号、灌顶、一定要加持。那是不是我们自己在脑筋里头假想那个理想境界？那不是我们的第六意识在要求吗？这位老兄〔我相〕 很坏的，一天到晚地要求，今天要求这样，明天又不一样，今年这样，到了明年要求又不一样，我们可能会觉得这位师父不行，另外换一个，因为我们习惯听他的， 这个师父没什么。这个第六意识就像孙悟空一样，永远不满足地要听那个新奇，以为新奇的才对。我们的六根本来就那么的清净、本然，我们的佛性本来显现在六根 上。

动 静不以心，用听觉来解释会比较简单。有声音就动，没有声音就静。我们的情况是，有声音，那个心起来了，是不是心的作用？狗叫的时候这样动、猫叫的时候这样 动、鸟叫的时候这样动，它分别喔！而且分得很清楚，但是有没有念头说我听了狗叫的声音、猫叫的声音、鸟叫的声音，这个念、这个思想，有没有在耳朵里起来？ 没有啊！没有这个念头，但它如实地起那个对应的变化，无分别地分别，那是我们本来的心地风光，清净妙明田地所现的。

梦还没有醒的时候，烦恼一大堆，要成佛啊，西方在哪里？西方比较近，还是东方比较近？南方宝生佛保护我们的健康，北方不动如来，那里有很多神奇的表现，阿弥陀佛是西方，不要走错路，走到东方......， 烦恼的都是思想，这个叫各说各话。一下子想东，一下子想西，叫我们的眼睛、耳朵怎么动？一下子喜欢，一下子不喜欢，随着我们的喜欢，眼睛就照得鲜明一点， 不喜欢就照得模糊一点，我们的眼睛才不理你这一套。红就红、白就白、蓝就蓝、大就大、小就小、照到什么它不觉得美、也不觉得丑。那个照到之后我们的意识分 别习惯，如：文化、教养、条件等的不同加进去后，就有美丑之分。那没有关系，这个分别意识本来也是法身的作用，我们知道这样去分别，就可以用分别作用，不 给分别作用骗去，这个就是“我”。就如赵州禅师说的：开悟以前，我是被二六时用，开悟以后，我用二六时。

动 静不以心，不是有一个心知道那个声音的有和没有，它没有心，外面的声音跟这里的动是一体的东西。外面没有声音的那个缘，这里也不动。如果这里没有，外面怎 么动也沒用？所以这里的动跟外面的声音是一体的，我们不要分开内外，有内外的说法那是为了说明方便。我们就很容易在身心上发现不二的状态，这不二的状态就 是佛的状态，是净土，还要到哪里去找净土？当下我们就在净土里头动，我们还不知道，我们抓着假的东西要把它修成能到净土去，多奇怪啊！我们就站在净土里， 还要在外面找净土。

动静不以心，去来不以象，色见声求，取道未正，都是因为我们不懂，都想要在外面找佛、找净土世界。取道未正，指人行邪法。

一切现成的本地风光

禅 宗祖师没有看你的学问、修行，只是论见性不见性，见性是什么意思？有没有发现真正的我是谁！不是有一个很好的心，我们去读、去修养或念经，就可以达到那个 境界，不是的！要清楚一点，我们从无始劫以来，都是六根给我们大神通、大的用，我们还不感谢它，反而把假的抓起来当做自己，它根本没有生过，所以也不会 死，把这个假的臭皮囊当做自己，然后求一个长生不老，能够轮回，能够清楚，神经病！因为有个假我，才有生死轮回，我们认识到宇宙的大生命本身还有生死吗？ 地震起了，大暴风雨起了，起了就起了，哪有生死？这里“砰”的一声，缘来了，就地震，那边缘来了，就大地震，太平洋台风起了，台风有生死吗？缘起性空，有 缘有条件就生，没缘就消失，它本身就是清净妙明田地，说它有吗，看不见，说它没有吗，它随着各种缘的条件在变化。这个要弄清楚，才见性，知道自己不是这个 臭皮囊，把这个假的当做自己，每个人都一样，不管你迷还是悟，不管你兴趣密宗、律宗，都一样的，那是大作用的作用体在那里动。

地 藏禅师有一位弟子文益禅师，他学问好，提倡“三界唯心，万法唯识”的理论。有一天地藏禅师就问文益禅师：“文益，我问你啊，你说万法都是识，三界都是在唯 心变的”，他指着亭中的一块大石头，“我问你，这块大石头在你的心内还是心外？”，文益禅师给师父一问，没回答，因为如果是在心外的话，那三界唯心就不成 立了，如果说这块大石头不在我的心内，那三界唯心就变成谎言了。文益禅师就答：“在我心内。”地藏禅师再问：“你安放一块大石头在心里，会不会很累啊！会 很累的！”

这 个问题让文益禅师想了一个半月，想来想去，一个半月之间，每天到师父那里讲这个答案，找那个答案，地藏禅师说：“佛法不是这个样子，在内不对，在心外也不 对，它不在内也不在外，在我的心的中间，内外的中间，也不对！”，搞了一个半月，什么答案都打掉，最后一次去，没有办法再想更好的答案，他想离开，地藏禅 师就可怜他，就跟他讲：“文益啊！其实我跟你讲，一切都是现成！”这一下，文益禅师开悟了。

云在哪里？云在天；水在哪里？水在杯子里（洪老师前面有一杯水），一切现成啊！不要东想西想。

我们根本不知道“动静不以心，去来不以象”的“生处”，所以把每一个没有见性人的各别心识、头脑想出来的话，当做各说各话，我们没有见性，根本不懂。一切都是现成的！

有没有听到石头或竹子的声音？有没有看到桃花掉下来？一切都是现成，不是透过思想，不要把它当做思想去了解就开悟了！

我们根本不懂自己的本性，本地风光没有接触过，没有触到妙彻根源，不是学问，不是思想，不是情绪可以达到，但是我们要多留意，色见声求，取道未正，已经把修行的方向指出来，在这里用功是真用功。

真 正开悟的文益禅师上堂说法，有人问：“师父，佛法真正第一义谛（究竟的意思）是什么？佛要传给我们什么？佛法的最胜义是什么？”文益禅师说：“假如我给你 说了，就是第二义了。”一开口讲的就是第二义了，不是指的那个东西，将东西把它用科学的理论去分析，就好像很厉害，这些都是话，是声音啊！跟那个作用本身 不相干，说出来就是第二义，不是它了。譬如，山芭榴莲很好吃，无论我们讲得多好，又看VIDEO，它就不是榴莲本身，除非亲自去接触榴莲，否则都不是榴莲。第一义能讲吗？怎么讲都不是它，佛法也是一样的。

僧璨禅师说：“至道无难，唯嫌拣择”，我们已经在道上了，当然至道无难，还要求什么道？不是说我要成为有成就的大师，不是like or dislike， 拣择就是向外看，向外寻找，合我意的我就拿，不合我意的，个个都不是，通通由我做主，那个主是谁？是假的“我”。真正的至道、大道、佛性的那个显化，就是 我们自己本身在那里显，我们还在外面求，至道无难嘛！切莫憎爱，六根本来没有憎爱，是那个假“我”在憎爱。动静不以心。

“三 界唯心，万法唯识”，所有一切众生如生物、有情、无情，通通都是，我们听到一个心，整个本地风光，有时候语言或文字上用“心”表示，其实这个心不是指攀缘 心，但总以为所有的一切色声香味触法之外，没有别的，这个东西都是那个心变的，很多人误会变成那个样子，如何变？就在这里变化着某某东西，它不是变的，它 本身就是它，但也不是它，不就是它，就是非即，但离开这个心或本地风光，也没有办法显现那个样子，所以非即非离，是用思想，对于它就是石头，石头就是心， 也不是，但离开那个大心的佛心，不是攀缘心，离开佛心也不能存在，我们在佛学上就用非即非离NOT EQUAL TO，NOT SEPERATED FROM， 不就是它，但不能离开它而存在。这是道理，是理论，其实不是它，非即非离是把理论归纳为简要的非即非离，非是非非，不是是也不是非，这是佛法里头，最简单 的把佛的证道境界，用理论讲的时候，常常引用非即非离。这石头就是它吗？不是不就是它，非即，但是离开它可能有石头吗？不可能有石头，非离。所以这个地方 很难去显现这个样子，那个不是用理论去推想的，不是求佛他就告诉你，让你能够进入跟佛一样的境界，没有办法，佛都没有办法！所以这个地方叫做“妙“”，妙 彻，彻在这里，妙彻根源，石头的根源、大地的根源、空间、虚空的根源，我们要去彻这个根源，原来的这个根源，就是我们讲的本来妙明风光。

执事原是迷 契理亦非悟

我 们用这个道理，它怎么显现石头？它本来有吗？那是越描越离开了。所以地藏禅师教文益禅师：“一切现成”。我们不能多加思想去讨论它，若把这个当做研究的对 象，说这个，说那个，已经在理上玩弄它了！所以有“执事原是迷”，执著于这个事，我好喜欢白花，看到红花就讨厌，就拿掉，这是执事，执著名位，原来是迷。 听到佛法之后，一切都是空无自性、缘起，一切都是佛性显化出来的。

那 么石头是怎么转的？就是给你讲得很透彻，让你心服口服，“契理亦非悟”，很合乎道理，理论上没有办法反驳，你也同意，但是这是契理，契理也非悟，也不是 悟，要注意这个。执事原是迷，一般社会人士是执著在名位上，一天到晚在名利里头滚。却告诉人家我是修佛了，知道一切性空，理论上听了佛法就好像高尚一点， 一天到晚讲三界是空、轮回，讲六道怎样怎样，那个理通通都对，没有一个理不对，契理亦非悟，这不是悟，千万不要走这个路子。这个学识是要拿来用，希望有一 天能见到自己的本性，能够帮忙我们这么用，我们却被它用去了，那我们去做学问家、佛学家好了！

莫名其妙的“我”

打 坐、念佛、观想、各种各样的修行等等，都一样，不是方法不对，若根本不清楚的话，我们把手段方法当做是一个目的。那些方法是让我们能很快地找到自己的本 来，是帮忙我们爬山的爬山用具一样。爬山用具不是山顶，但是我们不可以听了山顶的说法后，就一概否定掉工具，那也是听错了话，但是用的时候，一定要知道我 要爬到山顶。我们的本性，就是佛性，我们就是佛性所显现出来的，石头也是，但它是佛性吗？不是，但离开佛性有吗？不行！你说亭中的石头跟你，好像石头在亭 院里，我在这里看石头，这不是这个境界，是我们不知道真正的自己。所以认为石头在我的前面，在院子里头，而是那个石头跟我是不能分开的，为什么？因为没有 假设“我”的存在，所以它怎么能分开？我认为有一个“我”的话，就讨论亭院里头的石头，是佛性化的，不是佛性化的，佛性化的怎么化？“我”都没有交待， “我”就把石头跟“我”分开在那里。我们看到的石头是跟我们一体的东西，整个法界的显现，但是我们没有见性以前，总是认为有一个“我”，所以看到院子里头 的石头，就要把佛法大理论套上去说，这是佛性的显现，在那里转呀转的，这个佛性在那里转身变成石头，我们一直把石头当做身外的东西，当做观察的对象在那 里，还不断用理论。佛告诉我们，石头跟我们根本一体，为什么一体？若没有假“我”的话，“我”认为这个“我”没有了，一体了，还有别的吗？我讲你是因为有 “我”，没有“我”怎么能讲你呢？不是我的，才叫你嘛！这个认为是我，才能讲这个不是我，所以叫你，怎么讲你呢？又不是你，也不是我，是他，第三者出现 了，根本从哪里来？先要有我，没有我，怎么讲你呢？你就是NOT ME，不是我，我才能讲你啊！所以我讲你的时候，一定要先有一个我，才能分别出不是我的叫你，有了你之后，第三个、第四个、第五个出来了，先要我认为有一个我，才能成立你。假如我没有承认我的话，我不能承认是你，假如有一个我相没有，没有我的话，我怎么设定是你。

我现在看你，不是有一个洪文亮在这里看到刘小姐，这是我们从无始劫以来，没有见性时，一直在这个境界讨论佛法、修佛法。你将假的我拼命在那里修，要修到什么时候？那个假我怎么修，都会退掉的。

我 在看你，因为这是我，就是我怎么想，就是在看你，你是你，我是我，你在这里，我在台湾，有我才能讲这个话，我讲你，因为我承认我，我是什么？佛叫你好好 看，有没有你承认的那个我，不要谈修行、讲理论，都不要，先看看正在修行的你，或者正在反对禅宗的那个你，你既然反对禅宗，反对佛教吗？那个反对的家伙是 什么东西？你想过没有？你只是在反对，那是乱讲的，谁在主张这个？“我”。“我”是什么？乱应，最要紧的就是这里。无论是你修这个，赞成或者反对，都是那 个以为有一个假我的在做主张。在主张的这一个是什么东西？不是谁？什么东西？去找。看到一朵花的时候，花在外面吗？没有你能够知道花吗？没有你的话，花在 不在跟我毫不相关，但没有花的话，我怎么讲看到花呢？是看的这个SEEING本身，能够把我跟花分开讲吗？看是看的一个作用而已，我看花是我自己在乱讲乱想的，佛法是叫你直接去好好体会这个。（不可以心外求法就是这个意思。）

日常生活处处这样，但是我们处处给自己迷掉，不是给别人迷掉，我们的功能FUNCTION太妙，所以抓不住！我看到了，没有我怎么能够看到呢？

修证一如 果上妙修

“能” 跟“所”是一起动，不能分开，分开就毫无意义。本来没有“能所”，我们佛学里头的根本无明，其实那不是根本无明，是我们自然的糊里糊涂，每个人都在那里糊 里糊涂，但是“那个能所”本来没有，双亡不是你去亡掉，是发觉这个能所本来没有，所以叫能所双亡。千万不要认为修行是我努力的结果变成这样，修行跟修行到 的结果有一段距离。佛真正传给迦叶尊者的，只是讲修行一开始已经在果位上，修的人跟到的人一体，不是初地、二地、三地。华严经有没有十地菩萨，那是方便给 我们这样开始。佛真正给迦叶的，证到这一点，修证一如。不是修了几年、几月、几万劫以后才修证到佛的果位。不是的！一开始修，我们已经是佛了，有一句话 说，我们原来的自性本来就是佛，所以我们的本性染污不得，在地狱里头的地狱众生，畜生道里的畜生，看起来是恶鬼道、畜生道、地狱道的众生，但是本性染污不 得，都一样是法性、佛性，不要以为那个佛性不会跑到地狱做众生，地狱里头的众生都是佛性所成的。所以叫自性染污不得，入地狱众生也是佛性，佛性没办法改 掉，但是随缘的恶习做多了，佛性就如你的恶业显现出来，它的本性不变，妙到极点。显现那个恶鬼的样子，它的本性没有改，还是佛性，佛性就是妙到极点。因为 佛性没有固定的相，所以造旧恶业，它就显现六道存在的那种样子，但它都是佛性的显现，所以本性染污不得。

我 们已经在果位上，就不用修了吗？日本的道元禅师就是为了解决这个困难，才远赴中国找如净禅师，请教禅师：“既然我们的本性是佛性、法性所现，那为什么我还 要修行，打坐、念佛做什么？”如净禅师说：“本性染污不得！都是法性，但是修行即不无。修行是有呀！”不能说没有修行，还是要修行。本来就是这样，睡觉、 吃饭、穿衣，随缘任运，这里讲的随缘是随法性而不是随假我，是随大声就大声，小声就小声，狗是狗、猫是猫，是随缘现。而不是将这个东西套上去，随我怎么答 就怎么答，怎么偷就怎么偷，那是假我在随缘。

知 道我们本来是法性显现的，为什么不能没修行？比喻把那个认错的我，我有很多罪业、烦恼障、思惑、见惑都有，我要做好事、念咒，慢慢地把我的罪业消掉，慢慢 走成佛之道。我们时常抱着假的自己当做自己，所以每天用很干净的布在抹，每天在影子上用功、擦亮、给它穿衣服。达摩祖师说：“不对！这样不行，佛只是讲这 个影子不是你，你要发现这个东西本来清净。”但是要发现这个不容易，一定要用很多方法才能有一天开悟，那是修行的结果。这个真的我，不是慢慢念咒、打坐修 成的。真的我不敢承认，不肯定自己，没有比这个更可悲的事。

你 发觉不对，就一定要修行，比把影子擦亮、穿衣服还要难。不要以为本来是这个，就不要修行。大错特错。因为假的东西“我”在静坐、念咒、观想的时候，心情平 静，好的缘会加进来，影子会变，缘生缘灭，影子也一样。所以加上做好事，不生气，不贪心，身心条件会慢慢改善，一步一步走。

但 禅宗祖师不是这样小见狐疑，转急转迟，小见是指气量见解那么小，影子的见解也一定小，用影子带出来，真正的我是宇宙大的大生命，真正的我能够知道是我吗？ 真正的我不能起认知作用，把自己看做是我，我怎么能看我？只好用妙彻根源，就是在讲这个。不能用二元的认识作用，大宇宙的我，用认识作用，我就是大宇宙， 那大宇宙是你所观察的对象，你站在大宇宙的外面去了。本体不能看本体，本体不能认识本体，要认识这一点，才去打坐，因为缘加进去了，定的境界也就变了。

我 们的思想一动，都是在能所二元境界，所以文益禅师开悟之后说法：“你跟我讲的那个第一义，万法归一，一是什么？一归何处？你能够认识的那个是属于一还是不 属于一？你要认识一必须跳出一的外面，才能认识一嘛！可是那是一吗？已经二了嘛！”所以不可以用语言、文字、思想、理论去解释这个，“一”要认识自己是 “一”，要妙彻。妙彻妙，转身一路难！证到空性，你是空性本身，法性本身。法性本身怎么能够认识自己就是法性呢？不能用认识的，所以转身难啊！空劫转身 难。一位投子禅师交待学生：“你要给我办到，不许夜行，投明须到！”不许晚上夜行，明天一早要到。这就是在讲修证一如，修行一开始就在果地了。六根本来解 脱自在。
(全文完)

日期：2000年12月31日
地点：新加坡，恩坡佛教慈善协会大殿

Soh Wei Yu

pootSseiff9ha2u1aa1hgmu8  ·

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Someone shared a nice personal bio in Angelo’s group, “Awakening, Realization and Liberation”
“In my late teens I was chronically depressed and not functioning like other people my age. My parents brought me to a psychiatrist who soon informed me that I was in the prodromal phase of schizophrenia. The way it felt was like, “You’re not exactly schizophrenic but you’re such a piece of shit we’re going to load you with this awful brain poison, just to be safe. Also, if you don’t take the drugs, terrible things will definitely happen.” I was abruptly deprived of my ADHD medication and put on antipsychotics, anti-anxiety medication, and anti-side-effect medication. It was nothing but side-effects with no relief whatsoever. The cessation of ritalin killed the person I had taken myself to be. The effect of the antipsychotic was like a lobotomy. I had severe akathisia. It was torture. The doctor told me that my condition was likely to deteriorate and that people really don’t recover from this, so I saved anti-anxiety medication for a few months and then took it all at once with whatever other drugs I had on hand in an attempt to end my life.
During my stay in the hospital I was formally diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Shortly after getting out I tried to kill myself again by asphyxiation with propane. When I woke up in the hospital, everything seemed different and unreal, and staff who had seen me there previously told me that I was different. I thought a part of me must not have survived. I tried a more credible overdose after that, but I was afraid so I called for an ambulance. When I stopped taking the medications and their effects subsided, the urgent need to die went with it, so I tried other things instead. When the hallucinations, bizarre delusions, and paranoia that I never had to begin with failed to return, I was referred for a neuropsychological evaluation following which the diagnosis was changed to Asperger's syndrome.
I started going for long walks at night, paying attention to the sound of my footsteps, trying to make them silent. I became consumed with the question, "If to have lived and died is ultimately the same for me as never having been born, why should I go on living?" Over several months, the question seemed to take over my body, so that my vision was narrow and clouded and I was deaf to the people around me. The only thing that mattered was finding a reason to live. At some point, the question began to consume itself. I wondered what was the original function of that manner of inquiry, the real meaning of "Why?" I wondered how the first person who ever asked had used the question. An ultimate reason had to be something solid and real, not contingent, but for a reason to be a reason depends on a demand for justification. As I attempted to trace its origin, that solid monolithic block of ‘Why’ dissolved into a shifting web of contingencies. The thousand pound weight in my heart fell away suddenly, all at once. For three months the depression and anxiety were totally gone. I did not need a reason to live. I could sit on the porch steps and watch bees dance among the flowers. It was obvious that there were no questions that needed to be answered.
Since I found relief through uprooting a single belief I had not known was there, I viewed inquiry into fundamental views as a way to freedom from anxiety and depression. I explored other ways of revealing and loosening hidden views, like watching foreign movies to see other ways of viewing the world, reading short stories and listening to unfamiliar forms of music, listening to psychology and sociology lectures and podcasts on skepticism and critical thinking. I heard on a podcast that Buddhist monks were supposedly the happiest people in the world, based on an interpretation of some brain scans or something, so I started to look into that.
I read a number of books by Thich Nhat Hanh and followed his instructions closely. I practiced mindfulness with breathing from the moment I woke up in the morning until the moment I fell asleep at night for several months and started having glimpses of a quiet brightness in the senses that encouraged me to keep up the practice. I had no other aim than to just do it and see what happens. There was no thought of awakening. As I read more about Buddhism I became curious about what a self is, or whether there really is such a thing. I read an essay by Derek Parfit called Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons that helped to clarify what I took myself to be. I clarified the sense of self in the body, attending to it, particularly in the heart and in the head, for every waking moment, watching how it changed throughout the day while anchoring my attention in the breath.
When I came across Dogen's Genjokoan, the following lines stood out, "To carry yourself forward and experience myriad things is delusion. That myriad things come forth and experience themselves is awakening." While I was out for a walk, contemplating Derek Parfit's teleportation experiment and wondering about the self that carries forward and experiences the world or the self that is destroyed by teleportation, it occurred to me that there's no meaningful sense in which that kind of self can be said to exist if it’s not discernible. When I looked, it was clear that what appears and the seeing of it are not actually two different things. Dogen isn’t talking about a special state, it’s already like that! The sense of self that’s discernible is neither a self nor does it carry forward. Nothing discernible carries forward. Since a self that carries forward is not discernible, what does this ‘carrying forward’ consist of? The question of whether there really is such a thing as a self was resolved, so I saw no further need to inquire into the matter.
A week or so later, after a long walk, I laid down on my bedroom floor and became spontaneously absorbed in the pulse in my neck. Soon I felt it from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. Then there was just this pulsing and nothing else. Then, the pulse became a smooth, high-pitched energy, no pulsing; I could no longer feel my heart beating and there was no sense of a physical body. “Is this death?” A single thought arose, “You’ve suffered enough.” I accept, let go, complete release. The structure of reality dropped away: no mind, no body, no size, no distance, no center, no borders, no time, no space. The sense of 'here' was shown to be redundant by its failure to occur. A real ‘here’ would have to be fundamental to the structure of perception; a ‘here’ that can disappear is empty. I had no further doubts that what Dogen and Buddha talked about is a direct expression of this, because I could see with their eyes, because there is no one who sees.
Everything eventually returned to mostly normal except the wall between the world and the top of my head was gone. I thought it might be some form of psychosis. Feelings no longer seemed threatening. Desire was no longer compelling. I was no longer morbidly self-conscious. I let my family take photos for the holidays, something I had refused for years. It became clear how much our lives revolve around building and maintaining a self-image, and that even the best possible self-image is not better than nothing. Affirming any status for ourselves sets up a corresponding doubt, in that any notion of being is only meaningful in relation to the possibility of its absence. Without this doubt, it would never occur to me that anything could be added or taken away that would make me any more or less whole and complete. And since I am always already, spontaneously and without reflection, just-as-I-am, what need could there be to cultivate or preserve a self-image? It’s hard to say what changed, since it was always like this, except that I could see my own confusion more clearly and not take it so seriously. Though I tried living the same as before, playing video games and watching movies, it gradually became clear that I had no other interest than to fully actualize and embody liberation in this life.
About a year and a half after that, I moved into my own apartment and began to meditate more intensively. I started meditating 2 hours a day, 3, 4, 5 hours a day, 8 hours, 10 hours a day. The practice was observing the three characteristics through bodily sensations. It was an effortful practice. I kept going in this way for nine months, determined to resolve whatever needed to be resolved, until I felt exhausted and I drifted into a more intuitive investigation of the senses. I began to explore the relationship between contractions in the body and the clarity of the senses. I would lie on the ground face down, staring at moss and dirt, or gaze at dead leaves while clarifying the visual field. There seemed to be a kind of blur or distortion, like a veil whenever there was any contraction in the body. I would touch the contraction lightly in the body while clarifying the leaf by spreading attention through it, in the details, the veins, small shadows on ridges, or let the light shine through like a stained glass window. At first my vision would wobble and flicker and slowly it would become vivid and luminous, then I would allow the whole field of sounds, smells, and sensations to be included. The energy in the body would become lighter and lighter until that contraction disappeared into pure sensory immersion. I spent some time every day lying on the couch gazing at clouds unfolding in the window. I stood still outside for hours letting the sound of distant traffic hear itself while the contractions in the body dissipated.
The distinction between non-dual experience and some other kind of experience gradually dissolved and became meaningless, with the seamless continuum between 'non-dual' experience and... and what? A sense of separation can no more separate anything from anything than drawing a line around your neck can separate your head from your body. The sense of separation is itself seamless with the whole world. The “clarification” was fashioning a “clarified” experience. It's not that a perception of a blur or dullness, or distortion of the senses is a broken form of clarity; even when dull, it is vividly so. When I noticed the dull, unfocused 'periphery' is not less present or immediate than a perception of clarity, I stopped trying to make the senses clear, the contractions fell away, and everything was naturally how I had previously tried to make it by ‘ironing out the wrinkles’ of perception. This is clarification through release; everything just naturally appears however it does, the appearance and its clarity being one and the same, it never varies in degree. That is, an appearance cannot come into clarity because its clarity is not other than just this appearance, as it is. It’s like Sengcan says, “Just let things be in their own way and there will be neither coming nor going.”
There were clear pointers coming from multiple channels at this time (2012), particularly the Awakening to Reality blog and Soh Wei Yu’s facebook group. Reading Tilopa’s Mahamudra Instructions to Naropa and Hsin Hsin Ming something clicked and meditation became natural and effortless. By “natural and effortless” I don’t mean comfortable. “Letting go” was no longer a strategy for making feelings called "holding'' go away. Since holding has no way of holding and nothing to hold, "holding" is not actually holding to begin with, thus "letting go" is letting phenomena liberate themselves, as they always already do. The sense of trying to manage or regulate experience in any way faded.
I started koan training with some Zen teachers in 2015, then stopped for a few years before resuming in 2020. I met Angelo in early 2020 and later started doing emotion work with Violet. My heart is not blown wide open like Angelo and Violet so it seems there is more to investigate. There remains a stale wind of self that is far from a compelling illusion but it's a bit like walking around with dog shit in my treads.”

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Огњен Пушац

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Soh Wei Yu
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/546474355949572/permalink/1067094177220918/
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 Also see: Career Advise

Yin Ling

erdoso5m4aa 570pft 118aAlc2 0:c0 M2Pirgl  ·
Got some messages recently asking me whether they should quit their job to meditate full time
As in a video I have been said doing so..
Just to clarify, I didn’t plan to do so and for me it was just a coincidental arrangements.
I would encourage and strongly recommend everyone to have a strong skill in the world, finish Your degree, then choose a good and less stressful job, and have a backup plan always ..
If you are a new doctor, Do finish your required house job or service no matter how shitty it is and get a full registration no matter where U are.
House job is shitty, that is the law of the universe. No choice.
Then you can choose a more comfortable career. GP or sthg.
Don’t quit before your full Registration.
The world now is complex. Without full Reg you are not a doctor and your med school degree doesn’t function.
If you are a student, please study hard and finish your course.
Meditate on the side.
Or take a gap year once it’s ok to do so.
If you wake up, you wake up to your life
You don’t want it to be shitty ok
You want to have earning power
I am a v rational person ok and that’s my opinion
Unless your family is very rich then ignore all the above

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John Tan
Just last sentence I don't agree. Even if ur family is ultra rich, it is still important. Lol.
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Yin Ling
John Tan
Lol that one different level I cannot comment
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John Tan
Yin Ling part of my job is to deal with the very rich so probably a bad habit to always nag abt their behaviour. But don't want to talk about business, taking a breather now.
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Angelo Grr
John Tan ESPECIALLY if your family wealthy, important to challenge oneself independent of fortuitous conditions
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John Tan
Angelo Grr well said!
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Yin Ling
John Tan
Lol …
See more
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William Lim
Start a GoFundMe page
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John Tan
William Lim
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Yin Ling
William Lim who will give lah
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John Tan
But I think the op is a good one. This question probably has surfaced in the mind of many practitioners, me included.
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Yin Ling
John Tan
Yea someone asked me whether they should quit Singapore housemanship or not today, I feel worried for their future so advise against.
Doing housemanship will make one rather want to become monk🫣
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John Tan
Yin Ling imo that is appropriate and measured advice. A balance of worldly wisdom and transcendental wisdom is needed.
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Yin Ling
John Tan glad you agree
It is hard. Bec the job is very very hard esp Singapore. Ppl work too hard there. 30 hours shifts still happening .
And the gov don’t give full registration easily to Keep doctors in service
So ppl suffer. And they want to find a way out.
I remember when I suffer a lot those times I dissociated to wide open awareness
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John Tan
Yin Ling yes. It is hard and u have to shadow under a doctor for few years in sg even u r fully registered doctor in other countries. I must say that the medical organisation here has a lot of control over the number supply of doctors.
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Yin Ling
John Tan
I heard of this when I was thinking of going there to earn sing dollar. Hehe.
Then i thought i cannot work with Singaporeansit will make me look lazy.
I went to Britain instead. They make me look hardworking
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John Tan
Yin Ling actually not that hard if u r working for private unless u setup ur own clinic as an entrepreneur then that is a different story.
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Yin Ling
John Tan
Yea. Singapore only recognise 2 uni in Malaysia or sthg and even if I already have post grad certification they don’t care lol 🥹
so I need to retake exams and retrain in the service for years before being recognised. Then come out to private. Take too long.
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John Tan
Yin Ling yes I understand.
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Angelo Grr
John Tan me as well. Wanted to join a monetary or go live in a cave several times, but some instinct kept me engaged in conventional life.
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John Tan
Angelo Grr yes I understand. Several times infact even when I was quite young. During anatta it was strong. When the background self is gone, mind wants to feel itself so much -- the sand of the beach, the smell of the rain, the colors of flowers...Worldly definitions really don't matter anymore and a feeling of no time to waste on such trival persue. But now secluded or worldly doesn't matter any longer, everywhere is practice.
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Yin Ling
Angelo Grr
Me too family and friends were worried I ordain For some usual Asian ppl reasons
Only the ordination process for nuns/female is very complex and strive with drama here
I don’t like drama and I realise this could waste more time compare to if I just live normally and practise as I could.
So now just arrange career to be as less life consuming as possible
But I can’t do nights like u Angelo
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Yin Ling
John Tan
Interesting. I have always been curious of how you are able to run worldly businesses with your powerful insights
For me at one point the ability to push hard for business to flourish drop so much that I know I’m not gonna do well if I stay long in this. The values also change so much.
The wish for wanting to expand and push for more revenue is gone, just want to stay stagnant thank god business partner still retain normal business principles
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Angelo Grr
John Tan I agree
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John Tan
Yin Ling yes setting clear business principles help to eliminate lots of inner conflicts. Very often it involves a lot of practice on non-attachments and refinement of our understanding on what anatta, non-action and essencelessness mean as greed, angry and unwholesome thoughts are more obvious when meeting such situations. I learn to see and associate insights to business challenges over time. Many of my partners r at the age of 75+ and filthy rich, knowing their life styles and actual needs help me also. Seeing entrepreneurs grow in the right direct is also a joy. It is all abt how every situation triggers and refine depth of our insights if we have practice in mind.
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Yin Ling
John Tan
Thanks! Very enlightening. Ur experience of insights in business is actually very very rare
These things nobody can teach us
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John Tan
Yin Ling no lah . Business is actually extremely dynamic esp during crisis, u need essencelessness ....
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Sarah Zulaikha Samad
I want to go to Makkah madinah again now. Haha
Just the escapism being able to go to mosque and be mindful of my praye4s is amazing
But alas, I need to the money to come back
Someone told me I can go there with my mrcp. Maybe once my kids are bigger. That's an option for "retirement"
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Yin Ling
Sarah Zulaikha Samad go where with your mrcp? Makkah kah?
Hahahaa Sarah I need my money to come back too I have just applied for gp training .. have to do those rotations again macam house job
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Sarah Zulaikha Samad
Yin Ling penat weh. Dah tua tua ni. Haha
All the best chok.
Saudi Arabia recognises mrcp. Apparently I can a consultant post, but need to enquire once I finish gazettement..but probably madinah. Mekkah ramai sangat orang. Memang banyak pahala pi kaabah semua but so many people. Sakit kepala i
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Sarah Zulaikha Samad
Xpe chok. Will not be as bad as Malaysia. And I thought setahun aje suffer rotation lepas tu kat gp aje mostly?
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Yin Ling
Sarah Zulaikha Samad
Saudi is good money I heard, go for it .. tapi I don’t know if you will like the job from the cerita I dengar. If you have powerful equanimity whatever la boleh je.
Go la uk. Earn pounds, get free education, then retire in Madinah
I am trying to apply for rotations Yang without night shifts coz I can’t recover well now I’m no spring chicken
But paeds have nights and I think I need to learn some peads so satu rotation I tahan lol
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Sarah Zulaikha Samad
Yin Ling oranf dia memang lain macam. I lost my sim card and they used it till almost 1000 ringgit. So, yeah, Holy land and stuff with no shaitan but the people are a different level
It's not an amazing place for foreigners. My husband has relatives there who have been in thay country for two generations minimum and they don't have nationality due to Arabian nonsense. I guess just have to find a place to work like u said, earn lots then retire early. Hahaga
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Yin Ling
Sarah Zulaikha Samad
I actually don’t know lah what’s going on I’m so blur. But I know it will be better than med Reg so it should be ok.
I apply for all those non medical one. I won’t know a thing but I think if can do medicine the rest shouldn’t be too bad lah kannnnnnnnn
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Yin Ling
Sarah Zulaikha Samad
I got colleague who move from Saudi to uk , getting a huge pay cut coz he cannot tahan.
Come Sarah.
Join me.
I need some friends to cook me food.
Free education some more.
Come come
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Yin Nin
Hahaha I like the equation of having earning power to "not shitty life"
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Yin Ling
Yin Nin
Well. Isn’t it? Lol
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Yin Nin
Yin Ling definitely haha
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Yin Ling
Yin Nin
We need to be honest
Money can solve some problems though not all lol
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Victor Wt Choo
Renounce and become monk ?
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Yin Ling
Victor Wt Choo
What if you don’t like the monk life ? And you don’t have a skill? What happens?
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Victor Wt Choo
Well have to do homework first b4 entering to that life .....
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Yin Ling
Victor Wt Choo
Very hard one.
U won’t know how gila a woman is until you be intimate with her.
Lol
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Ng Xin Zhao
Yin Ling Thus, good reason not to marry, and renounce. Renounce young can have easier time to adjust, learn, adapt, accept, practice.
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Yin Ling
Ng Xin Zhao
It is truly a blessing if one have the right conditions to renounce and practise fully the path .. that is good karma fruition from good deeds prev lives
But remember the world runs on dependent origination and conditions
What is suitable for one person might not suit another one. And sometimes it is not their will, coz it is no self
If the person condition is for ordination, they really can’t run away from that appearance lol
If not practise in lay life
I wouldn’t prescribe a certain condition or prerequisite for someone to practise
They might have ordain more times than us past lives
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Victor Wt Choo
Ng Xin Zhao not exactly dohhhj monastic life isn't for eveveryone ... I've tried it and realised It's not for me ..... that y I said do homework first b4 entering that life.
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Yin Ling
Victor Wt Choo
U r practising well in lay life. Just keep going
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J.P. Hamilton
I don't know. I am a software engineer now. There is an idea that it might be nice to bake bread for a living. Much better service.
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Yin Ling
J.P. Hamilton I think as long as you have a skill for living that’s fine.
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Tan Jui Horng
J.P. Hamilton You can always consider doing volunteer work to cover the service part.
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Robert Dominik Tkanka
Vimalakirti is a wonderful and great role model for lay Mahayana Buddhists I think. A realised high level bodhisattva with deep insight, vast merit and fully integrated into society, leading virtuous and productive life aimed at the wellfare of others.
I highly reccomend his sutra to those that struggle with the dillema of staying in society and being a practitioner at the same time too. Not only that but it contains some great pointers and teachings on emptiness and also challenges patriarchal, male-centric view of spirituality (in a dialogue between a male arhat and female goddess).
Ofc if you really want to become a monk, then do so.
https://www2.kenyon.edu/.../Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm
WWW2.KENYON.EDU
VIMALAKIRTI NIRDESA SUTRA
VIMALAKIRTI NIRDESA SUTRA
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Yin Ling
Robert Dominik Tkanka thank you!
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Sim Pern Chong
Thanks for the sharing.
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Yin Ling
Sim Pern Chong u r very kind. This is just my very superficial opinion from not much years of experience.
I would love you hear yours if u have any
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Sim Pern Chong
Agree much. Thanks.
I have not have a full time career since 2008
For me, I used to work as a full time designer and then later become a full time lecturer (at a particular Polytechnic). Both type of work, take up large amount of time. I was at AM and then initial non-dual understanding stage when having full time job. Then, partly due to excessive work and becoming pawns to power plays, i decided to quit the full time lecturing job and take on part time assignments. This gives me a lot more time and within a few months of quitting, I have the first definitive no-self insight. That was in 2008.
I guess, it is important to put aside time for these kind of practices. From 2008 onwards, i hold no full time job till now. It does take some courage especially if got kid/s and family to take care. So far, i managed. But my take is that one will need to have a specialised skill that is required somewhere. You got to decide what you want. For me, i cannot achieve the best of both world. Something got to go.
I teach part-time in the design schools and uni and also support the industry in terms of my speciality. Currently, the official amount of hours that i work is approx 12hrs a week. This gives me good amt of time. But, it is not without occasional financial stress. If you got a spouse, the stress is most probably stemming from the insecurity from him/her.
BTW, the last sentence not true for me. I got a rich and quite well known Father, but i am not benefiting financially from that fact. It may sound superstitious, but to me, the amount one will earn is more or less established (karmically). .. can check from the BAZI
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John Tan
Sim Pern Chong lol. Maybe should look at ur BAZI. Joking.
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Yin Ling
Sim Pern Chong
Thanks for sharing!
“Something has to go” part is true.
Cannot want everything.
I am also trying to rearrange my life.
I have options to either
Continue my previous training to be a uk hospital consultant in 3 years, coz I already finish all the exams required so need to do the required time ..
Or start from beginning and train as a GP which means I work with ppl ten years my junior
And 50% pay cut
Not something normal ppl will do haha. Totally understand u.
I no need to look at my bazi also know my max earnings alr
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Yin Ling
John Tan
Ya ur right.
The GP in uk is under nhs hehe
in the uk, hosp consultant and GP earn almost the same about 5k pounds a month plus plus and their tax system limits what one could earn. So they don’t want to work more than they need to, the tax goes too high.
GP doesn’t work out of hours and weekends and only do 3.5 days a week.. if they work out of hours they get paid very well lol
Also bec uk is a consultant based system- as in all patients in hospital will be assigned to a consultant , the hosp consultant bear all the risk, medico legal and health wise. The workload in hosp is huge. And now that the nhs is getting worse and worse with their lack of funding, covid etc , a lot of consultants need to step down, come during weekends and nights to help. They work harder than me most of the time and all of them are so stressed out lol, not a good scene.
It’s the other way around in msia Singapore, the higher you go the more relax coz the juniors do all the work, uk is inverse
Most GP in uk can send patients to hosptial too if they think they need secondary care, and they do that very easily unlike here and Singapore, the stress is not as high as ppl in hosptial though we get paid the same
Gp has differnt challenge I am not too familiar yet but their work life balance is better. With the less hours, one could locum and the rate of locum in uk is great, almost 100 pounds an hour.
So one can choose to do part time and locum to make ends meet. Part time just work 1-2 days.
Flexibility is high. Hosptial no flexibility coz you run clinics and wards cannot simple cancel cancel
Hence my decision ..
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John Tan
Yin Ling ic thks. Sg locum is abt sgd 100/hr also.
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Yin Ling
John Tan wow nice . For GP? That is a lot
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John Tan
Yin Ling yes some experienced GP even higher.
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Soh Wei Yu
Yin Ling
You are going uk to work as gp?
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Yin Ling
John Tan should have become a gp and work in Singapore.
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Yin Ling
Soh Wei Yu yeah I got offer a training place to become one for the glorious nhs
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Tan Jui Horng
Just some thoughts, since I have had a few career changes for the past few years:
1. If already possessing responsibilities, don’t make the life of people who are dependent on you potentially worse off (hopefully not terrible) without their consent.
2. Live below your means. Wants *should* decrease anyway. Growing material ambition while pursuing spiritual progress indicates something wrong with your practice.
3. Being able to say no to some of your job scope is great, especially if you are sometimes required to do things that are ethically/morally grey (“we’re not lying, we’re just not giving full information upfront”). A bit tricky since this ability to say no without too much consequence generally happens only after you become senior staff though. High dependent on the industry as well, I think.
4. Use the spare money from your job to get some form of passive income so that quitting/getting fired is always an available option, should things at the workplace go south.
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William Lim
On a similar note, what do you guys think of people charging for satsangs or classes (notwithstanding at which level they teach from)?
On one hand, there are people who thinks that teaching such topics should be considered a service to mankind. On the other hand, people got to eat yah?
(I suppose similiar dilemma can be said of the medical profession)
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Yin Ling
William Lim I am open minded to it, coz ppl got to eat. I pay my teacher like I pay a psychologist .. I don’t have much moral dilemma for it only moral dilemma for not having enough money
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Robert Dominik Tkanka
William Lim I think its got a lot to do with economy of the place. In India people felt it is natural to support monks and renounciates by offerings etc. In modern societies (at least here in the West) mindfulness teachers charge money as a fair exchange for service.
There are some arguments for that. Ive seen many people who abuse "free donation" Dharma events by offering very little, not even the suggested amount (but at the same time some of these people would spend money for parties, ciggarettes etc.).
There is research that if people pay or at least have to put some effort to receive knowdlege (like listening to a lecture) then they remember more and consider the knowledge theyve gained to be more valubale.
Teachers themsevles have to study and invest a lot. The events generate costs due to logistics etc.
Also genrally its not like this idea of giving money in return for teachings is unheard of. There were things like initiation fees in Vajrayana circles and practitioners are advised to give dana to the guru.
Also as with all energy exchanges... well there has to be some exchange. Some could argue that a price, if reasonable, is a transparent, honest and simple way of regulating the transactional side of the exchange.
The topic is relevant for me personally as me and my wife lead workshops and meditation courses in Poland (some actually include topics like anatta). At first we didnt charge but people were free to give whatever they like (similar to principle of generosity in International Dzogchen Community but there people had to find a sponsor for the event...). But this was not good as there were many spiritual tourists who would come out of curiosity, not really motivated, some would register taking space on the list but not show up without any info. Also we worked in corporation back then and at some point we had to choose and decided that we cannot afford to put in effort and time for free. So we started charging. From my experience it works much better now. Still we try to offer some helpful free content and money is never a barrier. If somebody has financial problems then they can contact us and we can talk about other solutions.
Apart from that my wife is a psychologist and does psychotherapy. Its a different thing but similar in the sense that she performa responsible service to people by working with their minds, helping to alleviate various sufferings connected to obssesive thoughts, mistaken perceptions, emotions, traumas. And its a profession that people get paid for. Myself I translate (simultaneous) teachings from English to Polish for a Nyingma lineage. Its not a lot, but its helpful, I try to invest it in studying and dana to teachers. Also I know of many good translators that dont find the time to translate the Dharma beacuse they have to make money. So thats that.
Also we need people to clean, cook, repair, build, do IT for us. Are they worse than us? Or are we worse than them? We all try to do our best with our unique talents (provided we find our true ikigai). Shouldnt everybody be treated in equanimous way and get a fair deal for hard work?
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Ng Xin Zhao
I would recommend them to go for meditation retreats first. Try out the lifestyle. It's easier to kick start with other people around and maintain. Can reserve leaves for retreat instead of vacation.
If they happen to manage say 5 meditation retreats of 1 week each, then one can decide if one would be able to sustain such lifestyle long term, and choose to renounce or not.
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Yin Ling
Ng Xin Zhao the sad thing about medicine is,
My colleagues all have their leave frozen for the past 2-2.5 year .
The person who wrote to me won’t even have leave to take, bec he is very junior.
They work 90 plus hours a week. Singapore is brutal like Malaysia
The situation is beyond comprehension and v testing for any human
My advice to him is to hang on for the next few years only until full registration coz I have employed someone with a few months shy of full Reg even though v brilliant her life is very stuck. I hope he don’t repeat her mistake
If I tell him retreat he will be v stressed ..
Pee and shit and eat also no time .. that’s the life of houseman lol
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William Lim
Yin Ling I thought doctor life very glamorous like Grey's Anatomy
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Yin Ling
William Lim
That’s the worse show ever. Lol. So stress already still got time to kiss and have sex in hospital
There’s a better one now - this is going to hurt on bbc.
And that one is true portrayal of the nhs.
Malaysia worse by 50 times Lolol
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William Lim
Yin Ling what better way to destress?
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Yin Ling
William Lim
Ppl dying left right Center ok. How to got mood lol
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Robert Dominik Tkanka
This might be of interest to some as a sidenote to this discussion

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Soh Wei Yu
I copied some career advise by tsoknyi rinpoche
http://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2021/12/career-advise.html

AWAKENINGTOREALITY.COM
Career Advise
Career Advise
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Yin Ling
Soh Wei Yu my advice from experience always quite different fr standard
Once a friend ask me how to start noting meditation as he was very stress and depressed , he was in speciality training..
Coz I encounter so much suffering in that practise I told him don’t do it now, better relax and watch movie and do exercise etc at most do breathing meditation lol.
I really don’t know how others advise as the ancient masters are not modern lay ppl doing housemanship and stressful jobs with kids etc
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Soh Wei Yu
Yin Ling
Yeah breathing meditation more inclined to samatha and emphasis on tranquility seems more appropriate.. along with just general relaxation activities as you mentioned
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Soh Wei Yu
“STUDENT: How do we know the difference between a rigpa likeness and the true rigpa?
RINPOCHE: Through experiencing the authentic rigpa. Imagine that you are someone who has never seen an apple in your whole life, although you’ve been told about it. People have made drawings of apples and explained to you what they look like, their round shape, how thin the skin is, and what it tastes like — it’s sweet and juicy and so forth. But you haven’t seen one or tasted one yet. Then one day you see a display of fruit that includes some apples, and you look at it and think, “Hmm, this looks like the apple that they’ve talked about.” You take it and you put it in your mouth, you bite and you taste and swallow. You think, “Yes, this is exactly what they told me about. Now I know.”
It’s like that. If someone then says, “This is an apple” and points to an orange, you won’t believe them, because you’ve tasted the real thing. In the same way, first we hear about rigpa, then we think about it, and then we meditate. At some point we experience with certainty how it really is. There is no other way to do this. One way of understanding it is conceptual; the other is free of concepts. If you haven’t tasted the absence of concepts, you can hear about or understand what it’s like, but you still haven’t experienced the real thing. First we need to recognize and resolve on one point. With the resolution, one feels really sure.
Right now you’re hearing a lot of talk about the qualities and characteristics of rigpa. But when it becomes part of your own experience, you know. For that to happen, you need to train day and night, like Milarepa, to the point where your buttocks become callused from sitting so much. Train further and further until realization dawns within your stream of being.
Nowadays you don’t have to sit on bare rock like Milarepa — it’s really all right to sit on a comfortable seat. Likewise, you no longer have to make your own food — you can hire a servant to cook for you. But you need to save up some money first, when you are young. If you want to do good practice, you need a yogi credit card! In the past you could beg and people would support religious practitioners,
but nowadays it’s not so easy. In the past people were happy with simple food; nowadays they need rich food. And when you go to a big shopping center, there are so many things. There is a lot of stuff we don’t even know about, and we have to decide what to pick. We don’t buy just one or two things; we need to be completely stocked up with a lot of items. That all takes money.
First you need to accumulate some wealth when you are young. When you have the money, you can practice Dharma. I’m not joking! Honestly, without money we can’t really practice, because there is no time, we have to go to work everyday. Of course, if you get a good sponsor, it is better. We need to be a little intelligent about how we use our life. It’s not a good idea to totally occupy ourselves with Dharma, and find that after a while we haven’t gotten anywhere with spiritual practice, and we don’t have any career either. We need to be skillful and think ahead. Otherwise, when we are fifty or so, we start to panic. “I have no money, what should I do now? I’m getting old, and I must practice, I must meditate. But I’ve no money.” Think well about this while you are young. It’s good to practice, of course, but we need to think from both sides. Dharma doesn’t only mean religion, it means something that you can depend on, something that can help you throughout your entire life. So, work to improve your life — not merely this life but throughout the future as well. When we say ‘life,’ it doesn’t just mean being alive in this body, but rather the continuation of mind which moves from incarnation to incarnation. That is what life really is.
In Tibet, although there were four schools of Buddhism, they didn’t use the word ‘religion.’ That was applied only after Tibetans came down to Nepal and India. Instead, they used a word for the ‘way of Dharma,’ chölug, which carries the sense of what is real, what is true, what is genuine, what is ultimately beneficial, both now and in the long run. The meaning is more referring to something that is in tune with how things really are, something that is helpful, that can improve us. So chölug means ‘spiritual way of life’ — not a confused or deluded life, but a way of being genuine and true. That is what we train ourselves in. We should be without any confusion about how we approach this, how we involve ourselves in spirituality, for this entire life.
In any case, be happy. Don’t entertain a lot of pointless worries, repeating the same words over and over again in your mind. Alot of our thoughts are repetitions, 30 or 35 times the same thought. And we play and replay the same ten themes: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Then we start all over again, thinking about the same ten things again. It doesn’t actually help that much, does it? If you could have something different to worry about — say, the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth things — it would be a little more interesting! But if it’s the same ten things over and over again, it’s just habit. We are caught up in the same habits, the same re-making of karma, the same way of deluding ourselves. All this makes our
minds the opposite of open. Don’t be like that. Be clever about yourself. Smile, and continue practicing. You don’t have to show your teeth while smiling; smile from within, with a nice radiance.
Right now we have very a good opportunity. Even though it may seem a little crowded and stuffy in this room, there is a reason for why we sit down together and practice. Yes, it can be boring, but sitting down and being bored can also be quite a good foundation for progress.”
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from https://www.amazon.com/Carefree-Dignity.../dp/9627341320

AMAZON.COM
Carefree Dignity: Discourses on Training in the Nature of Mind
Carefree Dignity: Discourses on Training in the Nature of Mind
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Soh Wei Yu
Also i like this passage from the same book:
No matter how long ego-clinging and obscurations, Negative karma and disturbing emotions,
Have covered our nature,
They are totally gone in that one instant
Of genuinely recognizing the naked state of dharmakaya, Rigpa in actuality.
Once you have some training in this,
And if at the moment of death you recognize naked awareness, This body is discarded like a snake shedding its skin,
And you are liberated.
Do you understand about ground, path and fruition? Do you understand what is
meant by path? What is path? It’s okay to repeat what I said before. STUDENT: Path is confusion.
RINPOCHE: What’s the way to clear up this confusion? How many ways are there to clear up confusion?
STUDENT: Training. Meditation training. Conduct.
RINPOCHE: And? I mentioned these steps. Repeat them. It’s okay. STUDENT: Confidence.
RINPOCHE: Where does confidence come from?
STUDENT: From within.
RINPOCHE: How? From within what? From within the house?
STUDENT: From freedom.
RINPOCHE: Where does the freedom come from? Does it come from being confused? Does it come from being without confusion?
STUDENT: From seeing one’s own nature. RINPOCHE: Right. How is this nature? STUDENT: It is rigpa.
RINPOCHE: What is rigpa?
STUDENT: Self-existing awareness.
RINPOCHE: What is self-existing awareness? It has three qualities. What are those three?
STUDENT: Empty, cognizant, and endowed with capacity. RINPOCHE: Is there any sequence in those three? STUDENT: No there is no sequence.
RINPOCHE: When I talk about them I seem to talk about them one after another. Why is that? What is meant by empty essence? What does the emptiness feel like when experiencing? I mentioned before no center, no edge. What was the second?
STUDENT: Cognizant nature.
RINPOCHE: What is that like? Just use baby talk, normal words.
STUDENT: All five sense doors wide are open, and everything is clearly known.
RINPOCHE: Knowing what? Knowing that the five senses are wide open, or knowing what? Knowing that the consciousness is clear, awake? Knowing what?
STUDENT: Knowing that there is no subject.
RINPOCHE: It sounds good. The words sound good. The third quality, what’s the
third?
STUDENT: Unimpeded.
RINPOCHE: What does that mean?
STUDENT: All appearances, perceptions, and experiences are unimpeded.
RINPOCHE: What’s the connection between this unimpededness and the first two qualities? Is there a connection?
STUDENT: The emptiness and the cognizance are united. RINPOCHE: And how does that feel like?
STUDENT: Anything can arise.
RINPOCHE: What does that feel like in experience? Actually, there is no separate third quality. It’s simply the unity of the first two, because the first two are indivisible. That indivisibility is described as a third quality, but it’s not something separate at all. Honestly, the third is not a third. In fact, there are no two either. All three are simply one quality. What is that called?
STUDENT: Panoramic awareness, like wide-screen awareness.
RINPOCHE: Could you come up with a Tibetan word for it?
STUDENT: I don’t know Tibetan.
TRANSLATOR: I believe we have used one particular Tibetan word quite a lot. STUDENT: Rigpa.
RINPOCHE: Rigpa is good enough. You’re not to blame if you don’t know Tibetan and you’re new to this. How many qualities does rigpa have? It’s all right to say the three qualities just mentioned. [Laughter.] What about these three qualities? In the moment of recognizing, do we recognize them one by one, or what?
STUDENT: No.
RINPOCHE: But in terms of time? STUDENT: Simultaneously.
RINPOCHE: That’s true. That’s what we should know. When the three qualities are present simultaneously, at once, that can be called rigpa. Do you understand this? They are present at the same time, which is not really a time, but we can call it timelessness. Really, it’s timeless time. It can be called by another word also.
STUDENT: View.
RINPOCHE: View of what? Or by what? What knows this view? Rigpa knows. What is rigpa? Rigpa is something that has three qualities. Knowing these three qualities at once simultaneously is called rigpa. That we can also call the view. The view is used in all the different vehicles. But what is the Dzogchen view? The view in Dzogchen is rigpa, which is the simultaneous knowing that your essence is empty, your nature is cognizant, and your capacity is unconfined. Do you understand this? Is this clear? So, what is the training or meditation?
STUDENT: Sustaining the continuity. RINPOCHE: What needs to be sustained? STUDENT: Unfabricated naturalness. RINPOCHE: What is that?
STUDENT: Thought-free.
RINPOCHE: What’s that? What about rigpa? Wouldn’t it be okay to sustain rigpa? Don’t you like the word sustain?
STUDENT: It seems like there is some effort in sustaining. RINPOCHE: What about effortless sustaining? Would that be okay? STUDENT: Yes, that’s okay.
RINPOCHE: The continuity of that needs to be sustained. This is the continuity.
(Rinpoche rings the bell.)
First, by some effort, there’s a hitting together. There’s sound. That means you’ve arrived in rigpa. The three qualities are continually present, and that is called sustaining. After all, you have to use some word to describe it. That sustaining is what we call meditation. (Rinpoche rings the bell again.)
After hitting you, leave it. Right? You’re not continuing to keep, you’re not holding on, right? This is the sustaining of the undistracted nonmeditation. Now,
what is meant by conduct, or putting to use? Earlier I mentioned view, meditation and conduct, quite a few times. What do you understand by conduct? When is it needed? What is it?
STUDENT: Post-meditation.
RINPOCHE: Can somebody else answer? You don’t have to say more than two words, really, but if you need to, say as much as you want to say.
STUDENT: As soon as one is distracted, to arrive back in awareness effortlessly.
RINPOCHE: That sounds really good. If you can arrive back in rigpa without effort, that’s first-class. I didn’t expect that much. If you said something like, “To deliberately remind yourself to arrive back in rigpa,” that would be good enough. Even that would be first-class. But someone training in the way that you expressed means that you’re almost at the point of stability in rigpa. All objects of distraction have dissolved into the innate nature
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Yin Ling
Soh Wei Yu thanks!
I like how we are talking about $$$ then you remind us about rigpa
Ok back to rigpa d
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