English
English version Action arises from ignorance (avidyā, delusion about the true nature of things). Further contemplation on the existence of this mindfulness of breath is called wholesome conditioned action (karma, action). With wholesome causes and conditions, one will surely experience the blessings of humans and gods in future lives. Because of the causes and conditions of blessings, there will inevitably be old age, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and affliction. These causes and conditions of the three periods of time create endless cycles of birth and death, revolving without ceasing. In reality, there is no true birth, nor is there true death. These are created by unwholesome thoughts and actions. If one knows that the nature of ignorance is originally non-existent, arising only from the combination of deluded thoughts and conditions, then because it has no real existence, it is falsely named ignorance. If ignorance is like this, unattainable, one should know that the other conditioned dharmas, such as action, have no root. Since there are no causes and conditions such as action, how can there be any reality in the present practice of counting breaths? At this time, the practitioner deeply knows that counting breaths belongs to conditions, is empty of self-nature, does not accept, does not cling, does not think, does not discriminate, the mind is like empty space, still and unmoving, suddenly enlightened, the mind free from outflows arises, attaining the state of a Pratyekabuddha (one who attains enlightenment independently, without a teacher). Furthermore, what is called the appearance of a Bodhisattva's practice of counting breaths? The practitioner cultivates counting breaths in order to seek all-wisdom (sarvajña, wisdom about all dharmas), Buddha-wisdom (buddha-jñāna, the wisdom of the Buddha), natural wisdom (sahaja-jñāna, wisdom attained without cultivation), and uninstructed wisdom (anācārya-jñāna, wisdom attained without a teacher), the Tathagata's power of knowledge (jñāna-bala, the power of the Tathagata's wisdom) and fearlessness (vaiśāradya, the Buddha's four kinds of fearless confidence), and to have compassion and bring peace and happiness to immeasurable sentient beings. They wish to enter the all-knowing wisdom (sarvākāra-jñāna, wisdom that thoroughly understands all aspects of everything) through this Dharma gate. Why is this so? As it is said in the sutras, ānāpāna (in-breath and out-breath) is the initial gateway through which the Buddhas of the three periods of time enter the path to Buddhahood. Therefore, a newly aspiring Bodhisattva who wishes to seek the path to Buddhahood should first tame their mind and practice counting breaths. When counting breaths, know that the breath is not a real breath, like an illusion. Therefore, the breath is neither birth and death nor nirvana (nirvāṇa, liberation). At this time, in the counting of breaths, there is neither birth and death to be cut off nor nirvana to be entered. Therefore, one does not dwell in birth and death, and since there are no bonds of the twenty-five realms of existence, one does not attain nirvana, and will not fall into the realm of Śrāvakas (those who attain enlightenment by hearing the Buddha's teachings) and Pratyekabuddhas (those who attain enlightenment independently, without a teacher). With equal great wisdom, that is, without a mind of taking and rejecting, one enters the middle way of the breath, which is called seeing the Buddha-nature (buddha-dhātu, the potential for Buddhahood), attaining the forbearance of non-origination of dharmas (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti, the realization of the non-arising and non-ceasing of all dharmas), and dwelling in great nirvana (mahāparinirvāṇa, ultimate nirvana), with the qualities of permanence, bliss, self, and purity (nitya-sukha-ātma-śubha, the four qualities of nirvana). Therefore, the sutra says, 'For example, great water can wash away everything, except for the willow, because it is soft.' The great water of birth and death is also like this, able to drown all ordinary people, except for Bodhisattvas who dwell in the Mahayana (Mahāyāna, the Great Vehicle) and the great nirvana (mahāparinirvāṇa, ultimate nirvana), because their minds are soft. This is called a practitioner of the Mahayana, entering the position of a Bodhisattva in the counting of breaths. This is --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
略说数息妙门凡圣大小乘通别之相。数息虽通。须解殊别之相。当知数息虽同共修。随其果报差降。余随止观还净一一妙门。凡圣大小乘通别。亦复如是。 次释第七旋转六妙门。上来所说六妙门。悉是共行。与凡夫二乘共故。今此旋转六妙门者。唯独菩萨所行。不与声闻缘觉共。况诸凡夫。所以者何。前第六通别妙门观中说。名从假入空观。得惠眼一切智。慧眼一切智。是二乘菩萨共法。今明从空出假旋转六妙门。即是法眼道种智。法眼道种智。不与声闻辟支佛共。云何菩萨。于数息道中。修从空出假观。起旋转出一切诸行功德相。所谓菩萨行者。当数息时。当发大誓愿怜愍众生虽知众生毕竟空。而欲成就众生净佛国土。尽未来际。作是愿已。即当了所数息不生不灭。其性空寂。即息是空。非息灭空。息性自空。息即是空。空即是息。离空无息。离息无空。一切诸法。亦复如是。息空故非真非假。非世间非出世间。求息不得息与非息。而亦成就息念其所成就息念。如梦如幻。如响如化虽无实事可得。而亦分别幻化所作事。菩萨了息。亦复如是。虽无息性可得。而亦成就息念。从一至十。了了分明。深心分别如幻息相。以有无性如幻息故。即有无性世间出世间法。所以者何。无明颠倒。不知息性空故。妄计有息 现代汉语译本：简要说明数息妙门中凡夫、圣人、大乘、小乘的共通与区别之处。数息法门虽然是共通的，但必须了解其中的特殊区别。应当明白，虽然一同修习数息，但随其果报而有高下之分。其余如随止观、还净等各个妙门，凡夫、圣人、大乘、小乘的共通与区别，也是如此。 接下来解释第七旋转六妙门。上面所说的六妙门，都是共通修行的，与凡夫和二乘（声闻乘和缘觉乘）共通。现在所说的旋转六妙门，唯独是菩萨所修行的，不与声闻、缘觉共通，更何况是凡夫。为什么呢？前面第六通别妙门观中说到，名为从假入空观，得到慧眼（prajna-caksu）和一切智（sarva-jnana）。慧眼和一切智，是二乘和菩萨共通的法。现在说明从空出假旋转六妙门，就是法眼（dharma-caksu）和道种智（marga-jnana）。法眼和道种智，不与声闻和辟支佛（pratyekabuddha）共通。菩萨如何在数息的修行中，修习从空出假观，生起旋转出一切诸行功德之相呢？所谓的菩萨行者，在数息的时候，应当发起大誓愿，怜悯众生，虽然知道众生毕竟是空，但想要成就众生，清净佛国土，尽未来际。发了这样的誓愿后，就应当明了所数的息是不生不灭的，其自性是空寂的。即息就是空，不是息灭了才空，而是息的自性本来就是空。息即是空，空即是息，离开空就没有息，离开息就没有空，一切诸法，也是如此。息是空性的，所以既非真也非假，既非世间也非出世间。求息而不可得，息与非息都不可得，但也成就了息念。其所成就的息念，如梦如幻，如响如化，虽然没有真实的事情可以得到，但也分别幻化所作的事情。菩萨明了息，也是如此。虽然没有息的自性可以得到，但也成就了息念，从一到十，清清楚楚，深深地分别如幻的息相。因为有无自性的如幻的息的缘故，所以有无自性的世间和出世间法。为什么呢？因为无明颠倒，不知道息的自性是空性的，所以妄想执着有息。
English
English version: A brief explanation of the common and distinct aspects of the Wonderful Method of Counting Breaths (sūtra-smṛti) among ordinary beings, sages, Mahayana, and Hinayana. Although the method of counting breaths is common, it is necessary to understand its special distinctions. It should be understood that although the practice of counting breaths is shared, the resulting rewards differ in degree. The same applies to other wonderful methods such as following cessation-contemplation (止观, zhi guan), purification (還淨, huan jing), and so on, in terms of the common and distinct aspects among ordinary beings, sages, Mahayana, and Hinayana. Next, explaining the seventh, the Revolving Six Wonderful Gates. The six wonderful gates mentioned above are all commonly practiced, shared by ordinary beings and the Two Vehicles (聲聞乘 and 緣覺乘, shengwen cheng and yuanjue cheng). The Revolving Six Wonderful Gates now being discussed are practiced exclusively by Bodhisattvas, not shared with Sravakas (聲聞, shengwen) and Pratyekabuddhas (緣覺, yuanjue), let alone ordinary beings. Why is this so? In the sixth, the Common and Distinct Wonderful Gate Contemplation mentioned earlier, it is called the 'Contemplation of Entering Emptiness from Provisionality,' obtaining the Wisdom Eye (prajna-caksu) and All-Knowing Wisdom (sarva-jnana). The Wisdom Eye and All-Knowing Wisdom are shared by the Two Vehicles and Bodhisattvas. Now, explaining the Revolving Six Wonderful Gates of 'Emerging from Emptiness into Provisionality,' this is the Dharma Eye (dharma-caksu) and Knowledge of the Paths (marga-jnana). The Dharma Eye and Knowledge of the Paths are not shared with Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. How does a Bodhisattva, in the practice of counting breaths, cultivate the Contemplation of Emerging from Emptiness into Provisionality, arising the aspect of revolving and producing all virtuous qualities of actions? The so-called Bodhisattva practitioner, when counting breaths, should make a great vow to have compassion for sentient beings, although knowing that sentient beings are ultimately empty, desiring to accomplish the purification of sentient beings and Buddha-lands, to the end of future eons. Having made such a vow, one should then understand that the breaths being counted are neither arising nor ceasing, and their nature is empty and still. That is, the breath is emptiness; it is not that the breath ceases and then becomes empty, but the nature of the breath is inherently empty. The breath is emptiness, and emptiness is the breath; without emptiness, there is no breath, and without breath, there is no emptiness. All dharmas are also like this. Because the breath is empty, it is neither true nor false, neither worldly nor transcendental. Seeking the breath and not obtaining it, neither the breath nor the non-breath can be obtained, but the mindfulness of breath is accomplished. The mindfulness of breath that is accomplished is like a dream, like an illusion, like an echo, like a transformation; although there is no real thing to be obtained, the actions produced by illusion and transformation are still distinguished. The Bodhisattva understands the breath in the same way. Although there is no inherent nature of the breath to be obtained, the mindfulness of breath is still accomplished, from one to ten, clearly and distinctly, deeply distinguishing the illusory aspect of the breath. Because of the illusory breath that has no inherent nature, there are worldly and transcendental dharmas that have no inherent nature. Why is this so? Because of ignorance and delusion, not knowing that the nature of the breath is empty, one falsely clings to the idea that there is a breath. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。即生人法执着爱见诸行。故名世间。因有息故。即有阴界入等世间苦乐之果。当知息虽空。亦能成办一切世间善恶因果。二十五有诸生死事。复次息相空中虽无出世间相。而非不因息分别出世间法。所以者何。不知息相空故。即无明不了。造世间业。知息空无所有故。即无无明妄执一切诸结烦恼。无所从生。是名出世间因。因灭故。得离后世世间二十五有等果。名出世间果。能出世间颠倒因果法故。是名出世间法。于出世间真正法中。亦有因果。因者知息空。正智惠为出世间因。妄计息中人。我无明颠倒。及苦果灭故。名为出世间果。故知菩萨观息非息。虽不得世间出世间。亦能分别世间及出世间。复次菩萨。观息性空时不得四谛。而亦通达四谛。所以者何。如上所说世间果者。即是苦谛。世间因者。即是集谛。出世间果者。即是灭谛。出世间因者。即是道谛故观于息想。不见四谛。而能了了分别四谛。为声闻众生。广演分别。复次菩萨。了息空中。不见十二因缘。而亦通达十二因缘。所以者何。过去息性空无所有。妄见有息。而生种种颠倒分别。起诸烦恼。故名无明。无明因缘。则有行识名色六入触受爱取有生老死忧悲苦恼等。轮转不息。皆由不了息如虚空无所有故。若知息空寂。即破无明。无明灭故。则十二因 现代汉语译本 即由于众生对呼吸产生执着、爱恋和错误的见解，从而产生各种行为，这就被称为‘世间’。因为有呼吸的存在，就有了阴、界、入等世间的苦乐果报。应当明白，呼吸虽然是空性的，却能成就一切世间的善恶因果，以及二十五有的各种生死之事。 其次，呼吸的相状在空性中虽然没有出世间的相状，但并非不能通过对呼吸的分别来了解出世间法。为什么这么说呢？因为不了解呼吸的相状是空性的，就会因为无明而不明事理，造作世间的业。如果知道呼吸是空性的，一无所有，那么无明和妄执，以及一切的结使烦恼，就没有产生的地方。这就是所谓的出世间因。因为灭除了这些因，就能脱离后世世间二十五有等的果报，这被称为出世间果。能够脱离世间的颠倒因果法，就称为出世间法。在出世间真正的法中，也有因果。因是知道呼吸是空性的，以正确的智慧为出世间的因。妄自认为呼吸中有‘人’、‘我’的无明颠倒，以及苦果的灭除，被称为出世间果。所以，菩萨观察呼吸，知道它并非真实存在，虽然不能在呼吸中找到世间和出世间，却能分别世间和出世间。 再次，菩萨在观察呼吸的自性是空性时，虽然不能直接在呼吸中找到四谛（苦谛，集谛，灭谛，道谛），却能通达四谛。为什么这么说呢？如上所说，世间的果报就是苦谛，世间的因就是集谛，出世间的果报就是灭谛，出世间的因就是道谛。所以，观察呼吸的念想，虽然不能直接看到四谛，却能明了地分别四谛，为声闻众生广泛地演说和分别。 再次，菩萨了解呼吸的空性，虽然不能在呼吸中直接看到十二因缘（无明，行，识，名色，六入，触，受，爱，取，有，生，老死），却能通达十二因缘。为什么这么说呢？过去的呼吸自性是空无所有的，因为妄见有呼吸，才产生种种颠倒分别，生起各种烦恼，所以称为无明。以无明为因缘，就有了行、识、名色、六入、触、受、爱、取、有、生、老死忧悲苦恼等，像车轮一样不停地运转，这都是因为不了解呼吸如同虚空一样一无所有。如果知道呼吸是空寂的，就能破除无明。无明灭除，那么十二因缘也就灭除了。