English
English version: There are no empty flowers (kong hua). The sick do not believe it. If the eye disease is cured, the empty flowers will naturally disappear, and then they will believe that the flowers never existed. It's just that because the flowers have not disappeared, they think the flowers exist, but these flowers are also illusory. It's just that the sick person mistakenly clings to it as real, not that the substance actually exists. It's like people mistakenly believe that birth and death are real. If someone tells them that there is originally no birth and death, once they stop delusion, birth and death will naturally be eliminated, and then they will understand that birth and death are originally non-existent. It's just that when birth and death have not stopped, it is also not real, because they mistakenly believe that birth and death exist. Therefore, the scriptures say: 'Good men, all sentient beings have been upside down in various ways since beginningless time, just like a lost person who has mistaken the position in the four directions, mistakenly thinking that the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind) are the image of themselves, and the shadows of the six dusts (rupa, sabda, gandha, rasa, sparsa, dharma) are the image of their own minds. For example, a person with diseased eyes sees flowers in the air, and even as the empty flowers disappear in the void, it cannot be said that it has a fixed place of disappearance. Why? Because it has no place of origin. All sentient beings mistakenly see birth and death in the nature of no birth and death, so it is called the cycle of birth and death.' According to this passage, it can be believed that understanding and realizing the perfect enlightenment true mind originally has no birth and death. Now knowing that there is no birth and death, but not being able to escape birth and death, is because the effort is not enough. Therefore, the teachings say that Ambapali asked Manjusri Bodhisattva: 'Clearly knowing that birth is the law of non-birth, why is it still subject to the flow of birth and death?' Manjusri Bodhisattva said: 'Because your strength is not enough.' Later, there was Jinshan Master who asked Xiu Shan Master: 'Clearly knowing that birth is the law of non-birth, why is it still subject to the flow of birth and death?' Xiu Shan Master said: 'Bamboo shoots will eventually grow into bamboo, can you make it into bamboo strips now?' Therefore, knowing that there is no birth and death is not as good as realizing no birth and death; realizing no birth and death is not as good as entering into no birth and death; entering into no birth and death is not as good as using no birth and death. Now people don't even know that there is no birth and death, let alone realize no birth and death, enter into no birth and death, and use no birth and death? Therefore, it is normal for those who cling to birth and death not to believe in the law of no birth and death. True Mind and Auxiliary Practices Or someone may ask: If, as mentioned earlier, delusion ceases and the true mind appears, then when delusion has not yet ceased, just stopping delusion and doing the effort of no-mind, are there other methods to counteract various delusions? The answer is: the main practice and auxiliary practices are different. Using no-mind to stop delusion is the main practice, and cultivating various good deeds is the auxiliary practice. For example, a bright mirror is covered by dust. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
所覆。虽以手力揩拭。要须妙药磨莹光始现也。尘垢烦恼也。手力无心功也。磨药众善也。镜光真心也。起信论云。复次信成就发心者。发何等心。略有三种。云何为三。一者直心。正念真如法故。二者深心。集一切善行故。三者大悲心。欲拔一切众生苦故。问曰。上说法界一相佛体无二。何故不唯念真如。复假求学诸善也。答曰。譬如大摩尼宝体性明净而有矿秽之垢。若人虽念宝性。不以方便种种磨治终无得净。以垢无量遍一切法故。修一切善行。如是真如之法体性空净。而有无量烦恼染垢。若人虽念真如。不以方便种种熏习亦无得净。以垢无量遍一切法故。修一切善行以为对治。若人修行一切善法。自然归顺真如法故。据此所论。以休歇妄心为正。修诸善法为助。若修善时与无心相应不取着因果。若取因果便落凡夫人天报中。难证真如不脱生死。若与无心相应乃是证真如方便脱生死之要术。兼得广大福德。金刚般若经云。须菩提。菩萨无住相布施其福德不可思量。今见世人有参学者。才知有个本来佛性。乃便自恃天真不习众善岂只于真心不达。亦乃翻成懈怠。恶道尚不能免。况脱生死。此见大错也。 真心功德 或曰。有心修因不疑功德矣。无心修因功德何来。曰有心修因得有为果。无心为因显性功 现代汉语译本： 答：即使是用手去擦拭镜子，也必须要用好的药来磨，光亮才能显现出来。这里的‘尘垢’比喻烦恼，‘手力’比喻无心的功用，‘磨药’比喻各种善行，‘镜光’比喻真心。《起信论》中说：‘其次，信心成就而发心的人，发的是什么心呢？大概有三种。哪三种呢？一是直心，因为正念真如之法；二是深心，因为积聚一切善行；三是大悲心，想要拔除一切众生的痛苦。’ 问：上面说法界是一个相，佛的本体没有二致，为什么不只念真如，还要假借学习各种善行呢？ 答：譬如大的摩尼宝珠（Mani jewel，如意宝珠，能满足人们愿望的宝珠），其本体性质明净，但有矿藏杂质的污垢。如果人只是念宝珠的性质，不用各种方法磨砺整治，终究不能得到清净，因为污垢无量，遍及一切法。所以要修一切善行。如此，真如之法的本体性质空寂清净，但有无量的烦恼染污。如果人只是念真如，不用各种方法熏习，也不能得到清净，因为污垢无量，遍及一切法。所以要修一切善行来作为对治。如果人修行一切善法，自然归顺真如之法。 根据以上所说，以止息妄心为根本，修习各种善法为辅助。如果修善时与无心相应，不执着于因果。如果执着于因果，便会落入凡夫或人天的果报中，难以证得真如，不能脱离生死。如果与无心相应，才是证得真如的方便，脱离生死的要诀，同时还能获得广大的福德。《金刚般若经》（Vajra Prajna Sutra，又称《金刚经》，佛教经典）中说：‘须菩提（Subhuti，佛陀的弟子之一），菩萨不住相布施，其福德不可思量。’现在看到世间有参禅学佛的人，才知有个本来佛性，就自恃天真，不学习各种善行，岂止是对真心不通达，也因此反而变得懈怠，恶道尚且不能避免，更何况是脱离生死？这种见解大错特错。 真心功德 或者问：有心修因，不怀疑有功德。无心修因，功德从何而来？答：有心修因，得到有为的果报；无心为因，显现自性功德。
English
English version: Answer: Even if one wipes a mirror with their hand, it is still necessary to use a wonderful medicine to polish it before the light can appear. Here, 'dust and grime' are metaphors for afflictions, 'hand strength' is a metaphor for the function of no-mind, 'polishing medicine' is a metaphor for various good deeds, and 'mirror light' is a metaphor for the true mind. The *Awakening of Faith* (*起信论*) says: 'Furthermore, those who develop faith and generate the aspiration [for enlightenment], what kind of mind do they generate? There are roughly three kinds. What are the three? First, the straight mind, because of correct mindfulness of the Suchness Dharma; second, the deep mind, because of accumulating all good deeds; third, the great compassionate mind, wanting to remove the suffering of all sentient beings.' Question: Above, it was said that the Dharma Realm is a single aspect, and the Buddha's essence is without duality. Why not just be mindful of Suchness, and instead rely on learning various good deeds? Answer: For example, a great Mani jewel (Mani jewel, a wish-fulfilling jewel that can satisfy people's desires), its essential nature is bright and pure, but it has the impurities of mineral ore. If a person only thinks about the nature of the jewel, without using various methods to polish and refine it, they will never be able to obtain purity, because the impurities are immeasurable and pervade all dharmas. Therefore, one must cultivate all good deeds. Similarly, the essential nature of the Dharma of Suchness is empty and pure, but it has immeasurable afflictions and defilements. If a person only thinks about Suchness, without using various methods to cultivate and purify it, they will not be able to obtain purity, because the impurities are immeasurable and pervade all dharmas. Therefore, one must cultivate all good deeds as a countermeasure. If a person cultivates all good dharmas, they will naturally return to the Dharma of Suchness. According to what has been said above, stopping the deluded mind is fundamental, and cultivating various good deeds is auxiliary. If one cultivates good deeds while being in accordance with no-mind, one does not cling to cause and effect. If one clings to cause and effect, one will fall into the karmic rewards of ordinary beings or humans and gods, making it difficult to realize Suchness and escape from birth and death. If one is in accordance with no-mind, then it is a convenient means to realize Suchness, the key to escaping from birth and death, and at the same time, one can obtain vast merit and virtue. The *Diamond Sutra* (*金刚般若经*, Vajra Prajna Sutra, a Buddhist scripture) says: 'Subhuti (Subhuti, one of the Buddha's disciples), a Bodhisattva who gives without dwelling on appearances, their merit and virtue is immeasurable.' Now, seeing people in the world who practice Chan Buddhism, they only know that there is an inherent Buddha-nature, and then they rely on their innate nature and do not learn various good deeds. Not only do they not understand the true mind, but they also become lazy. They cannot even avoid the evil paths, let alone escape from birth and death? This view is a big mistake. Merit and Virtue of the True Mind Or one might ask: If one cultivates causes with the mind, there is no doubt about merit and virtue. If one cultivates causes without the mind, where does the merit and virtue come from? Answer: Cultivating causes with the mind results in conditioned rewards; cultivating causes without the mind manifests the merit and virtue of one's own nature. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
德。此诸功德本来自具。妄覆不显。今既妄除功德现前。故永嘉云。三身四智体中圆。八解六通心地印。乃是体中自具性功德也。古颂。若人静坐一须臾胜造恒沙七宝塔。宝塔毕竟化为尘。一念净心成正觉。故知无心功大于有心也。洪州水潦和尚参马祖问。如何是西来的的意。被马祖一踏踏到。忽然发悟起来抚掌。大笑云。也大奇也大奇。百千三昧无量妙义。只向一毛头上便一时识得根源去。乃作礼而退。据此则功德不从外来。本自具足也。四祖谓懒融禅师曰。夫百千法门同归方寸。河沙功德总在心源。一切戒门定门慧门神通变化。悉自具足不离汝心据祖师语。无心功德甚多。但好事相功德者。于无心功德自不生信耳。 真心验功 或曰。真心现前如何知是真心成熟无碍也。曰学道之人已得真心现前时。但习气未除。若遇熟境有时失念。如牧牛虽调到牵拽随顺处。犹不敢放了鞭绳。直待心调步稳赶趁入苗稼中不伤苗稼。方敢撒手也。到此地步便不用牧童鞭绳。自然无伤苗稼。如道人得真心后。先且用功保养。有大力用方可利生。若验此真心时。先将平生所爱底境。时时想在面前。如依前起憎爱心。则道心未熟。若不生憎爱心。是道心熟也。虽然如此成熟。犹未是自然不起憎爱。又再验心。若遇憎爱境时。 现代汉语译本：德。这些功德本来就自身具备，只是被虚妄覆盖而不能显现。现在既然除去了虚妄，功德自然显现于眼前。所以永嘉禅师说：‘三身四智，体中圆满；八解六通，心地印证。’这都是本体中自身具备的自性功德啊。古人有诗说：‘若人一须臾，胜造恒沙七宝塔。宝塔毕竟化为尘，一念净心成正觉。’所以说无心的功德大于有心。洪州水潦和尚参拜马祖，问：‘如何是西来的的意？’被马祖一脚踏到，忽然开悟，起来拍手大笑说：‘也太奇了，也太奇了！百千三昧，无量妙义，只向一毛头上便一时识得根源去。’于是作礼而退。据此看来，功德不是从外而来，而是自身本来就具备的。四祖对懒融禅师说：‘百千法门，同归方寸；河沙功德，总在心源。一切戒门、定门、慧门、神通变化，悉自具足，不离汝心。’根据祖师的话，无心的功德非常多，只是那些喜欢追求有为功德的人，对于无心的功德自然不会生起信心罢了。 真心验功 或者有人问：‘真心现前，如何知道是真心成熟无碍呢？’回答说：‘学道之人已经得到真心现前的时候，只是习气还没有去除。如果遇到熟悉的境界，有时还会失去正念。就像牧牛一样，虽然已经调伏到牵拽随顺的程度，还是不敢放松鞭绳。要等到心调伏得稳当，赶着牛进入稻田里也不伤害庄稼，才敢撒手。’到了这种地步，便不需要牧童的鞭绳，自然不会伤害庄稼。如同修道人得到真心后，先要用功保养，有很大的力量才能利益众生。如果要验证这个真心，先将平生所喜爱的事物，时时想在面前。如果仍然生起憎恨或喜爱的念头，就说明道心还没有成熟。如果不生起憎恨或喜爱的念头，就说明道心成熟了。虽然如此成熟，还不是自然不起憎爱，还要再次验证心。如果遇到憎恨或喜爱的境界时，