English
English version: Someone asked: 'Is it necessary to face the West (in practice)?' The monk replied: 'If you know that the mind is originally neither born nor dies, ultimately pure, that is the pure Buddha land, and there is no need to face the West. The *Avatamsaka Sutra* says: 'Limitless *kalpas* are one thought, and one thought is limitless *kalpas*.' You must know that one direction is limitless directions, and limitless directions are one direction. The Buddha speaks of facing the West for sentient beings with dull roots, not for those with sharp roots.' Profoundly practicing *Bodhisattvas* enter the cycle of birth and death to transform sentient beings, without love or hatred in their hearts. If one thinks that sentient beings have birth and death, and that 'I' am the one who can liberate them, and sentient beings are those to be liberated, then one cannot be called a *Bodhisattva*. Liberating sentient beings is like liberating space; where does the liberation of space come from or go to? The *Diamond Sutra* says: 'Liberating limitless sentient beings, in reality, there are no sentient beings who are liberated.' The *Bodhisattva* of the first ground initially realizes that everything is empty, and then realizes that everything is not empty. This is non-discriminating wisdom, which is *Prajna* (wisdom). *Prajna* is emptiness, not the emptiness after the extinction of form, but the nature of form itself is emptiness. Therefore, *Bodhisattvas* cultivate emptiness for the sake of realization. Those who are newly learning only see emptiness; this is seeing emptiness, not true emptiness. Those who cultivate the path and attain true emptiness do not see emptiness or non-emptiness, and have no views. One must understand the meaning of form and emptiness well. Those who study the mind must have a clear and bright mental path, understand the characteristics of the *Dharma*, clearly and distinctly, and then can be a teacher. One must also be consistent internally and externally, with theory and practice complementing each other. One must cut off written language and words, and with the active holy path, in a solitary and pure place, personally realize the fruit of the path. Or someone, not understanding the true nature of the ultimate *Dharma*, teaches sentient beings for fame and profit, not distinguishing the sharpness or dullness of sentient beings' faculties, and approves of everything that seems different. This is truly pitiful! Pitiful, this is a great disaster! Or seeing that a (practitioner's) mental path seems clear and bright, immediately approves of it. This person will greatly destroy the Buddha *Dharma*, deceiving themselves and others. Those who work on the mind, with such similarities and differences, are only superficial appearances, not true virtue. Those with true virtue recognize themselves clearly, and after a long time, their *Dharma* eye will naturally open, and they will be able to distinguish falsehood from truth. Or someone thinks that the body is empty and non-existent, and that the nature of the mind also ceases to exist. This is a person with annihilationist views, the same as external paths, and not a disciple of the Buddha. Or someone thinks that the mind is eternally existent, not... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
灭。此是常见人。亦与外道同。今明佛弟子。亦不计心性是灭。常度众生。不起爱见。常学智慧。愚智平等。常作禅定。静乱不二。常见众生。未增是有。究竟不生不灭。处处现形。无有见开。了知一切未曾取舍。未曾分身。而身通于法界 又古时智敏禅师训曰。学道之法。必须解行相扶。先知心之根原。及诸体用。见现分明无惑。然后功业可成。一解千从。一迷万惑。失之毫厘差之千里。此非虚言。无量寿经云。诸佛法身。入一切众生心想。是心作佛。当知佛即是心。心外更无别佛也。略而言之。凡有五种。一者。知心体。体性清净。体与佛同。二者。知心用。用生法宝。起作恒寂。万惑皆如。三者。常觉不停。觉心在前。觉法无相。四者。常观身空寂。内外通同。入身于法界之中。未曾有碍。五者。守一不移。动静常住。能令学者。明见佛性。早入定门 诸经观法备有多种。傅大师所说。独举守一不移。先修身审观。以身为本。又此身是四大五荫之所合。终归无常。不得自在。虽未坏灭。毕竟是空。维摩经云。是身如浮云。须臾变灭。又常观自身。空净如影。可见不得。智从影中生。毕竟无处所。不动而应物。变化无穷空中生六根。六根亦空寂。所对六尘境。了知是梦幻。如眼见物时。眼中无有物。如镜照面像。 现代汉语译本 灭。这是常见人（持有常见的人），也与外道（非佛教的修行者）相同。现在说明佛弟子，也不认为心性是灭的。经常度化众生，不生起爱见（执着）。经常学习智慧，愚笨和聪明平等。经常进行禅定，安静和混乱没有分别。经常见到众生，未曾增加任何事物。最终不生不灭，处处显现形体，没有见解的开端。了解一切未曾取舍，未曾分身，而身体通达于法界（宇宙万物所存在的空间）。 又古时候智敏禅师训示说：‘学道的方法，必须解（理解）和行（实践）相互扶持。首先要知道心的根源，以及各种体（本体）用（作用）。见到显现分明没有疑惑，然后功业可以成就。理解了一个方面，其他方面都能理解；迷惑了一个方面，其他方面都会迷惑。’失去一点点，就会差之千里，这不是虚假的话。 《无量寿经》说：‘诸佛的法身（佛的真身），进入一切众生的心想。’是心作佛（是心创造了佛），应当知道佛就是心，心外更没有别的佛。简略地说，凡有五种：一者，知道心体（心的本体），体性清净，体与佛相同。二者，知道心用（心的作用），用生法宝（产生佛法的珍宝），起作恒常寂静，万般迷惑都如如不动。三者，经常觉悟不停歇，觉悟之心在前，觉悟之法没有形象。四者，经常观想身体空寂，内外通达相同，进入身体于法界之中，未曾有阻碍。五者，守住一个念头不转移，动静常住，能够令学习的人，明见佛性（成佛的本性），早日进入禅定之门。 各种经典中观想的方法有很多种，傅大师所说，单独举出守住一个念头不转移，先修身审视观想，以身体为根本。又这个身体是四大（地、水、火、风）五蕴（色、受、想、行、识）所组合的，终究归于无常，不得自在。虽然没有坏灭，毕竟是空。维摩经说：‘这个身体如浮云，须臾变灭。’又经常观想自身，空净如影子，可见不得。智慧从影子中产生，毕竟没有处所。不动而应物，变化无穷从空中产生六根（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意），六根也空寂。所面对的六尘境（色、声、香、味、触、法），了解知道是梦幻。如眼睛看见物体时，眼中没有物体。如镜子照面像。
English
English version 'Extinction.' This is a common person (one who holds to common views), and is the same as the heretics (non-Buddhist practitioners). Now explaining the Buddha's disciples, they also do not consider the nature of the mind to be extinct. They constantly liberate sentient beings, without giving rise to love and attachment (clinging). They constantly learn wisdom, with foolishness and intelligence being equal. They constantly practice meditation, with stillness and chaos being non-dual. They constantly see sentient beings, without adding anything. Ultimately, there is no birth and no death, appearing in forms everywhere, without a beginning of views. Understanding that everything has never been taken or abandoned, never divided into separate bodies, yet the body pervades the Dharma Realm (the space in which all things exist). Furthermore, the Chan Master Zhimin of ancient times instructed: 'The method of learning the Way must involve mutual support between understanding (comprehension) and practice (action). First, one must know the root of the mind, as well as its various substance (essence) and function (application). Seeing clearly without doubt, then accomplishments can be achieved. Understanding one aspect leads to understanding all aspects; being confused about one aspect leads to confusion about all aspects.' Losing a little bit will lead to a difference of a thousand miles; these are not empty words. The *Infinite Life Sutra* says: 'The Dharma Body (the true body of the Buddha) of all Buddhas enters the thoughts of all sentient beings.' 'It is the mind that makes the Buddha (the mind creates the Buddha),' one should know that the Buddha is the mind, and there is no other Buddha outside the mind. Briefly speaking, there are five aspects: First, knowing the essence of the mind (the substance of the mind), its nature is pure, and its essence is the same as the Buddha. Second, knowing the function of the mind (the application of the mind), the function generates Dharma treasures (produces the treasures of the Buddha's teachings), arising and acting are constantly still, and all delusions are like suchness (unchanging). Third, constantly being aware without ceasing, the mind of awareness is in the forefront, and the Dharma of awareness has no form. Fourth, constantly contemplating the body as empty and still, with inner and outer being connected and the same, entering the body into the Dharma Realm, without any obstruction. Fifth, guarding one thought without shifting, with movement and stillness being constant, enabling the learner to clearly see the Buddha-nature (the inherent nature of Buddhahood) and quickly enter the gate of meditation. There are many kinds of contemplation methods in various sutras. What Master Fu said, singled out guarding one thought without shifting, first cultivating the body and examining contemplation, taking the body as the foundation. Furthermore, this body is composed of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) and the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, volition, consciousness), and ultimately returns to impermanence, without freedom. Although it has not been destroyed, it is ultimately empty. The *Vimalakirti Sutra* says: 'This body is like a floating cloud, vanishing in an instant.' Furthermore, constantly contemplate oneself, empty and pure like a shadow, which cannot be seen. Wisdom arises from the shadow, ultimately without a place. Without moving, it responds to things, and endless transformations arise from emptiness. The six roots (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind) are produced from emptiness, and the six roots are also empty and still. The six sense objects (form, sound, smell, taste, touch, dharma) that are faced are understood to be illusions. Just as when the eyes see an object, there is no object in the eyes. Just as a mirror reflects a face. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
了极分明。空中现形影。镜中无一物。当知人面不来入镜中。镜亦不往入人面。如此委曲。知镜之与面。从本已来。不出不入。不来不去。即是如来之义。如此细分判。眼中与镜中。本本常空寂。镜照眼照同。是故将为比。鼻舌诸根等。其义亦复然。知眼本来空。凡所见色者。须知是他色。耳闻声时。知是他声。鼻闻香时。知是他香。舌别味时。知是也味。意对法时。知是他法。身受触时。知是他触。如此观察知。是为观空寂。见色知是不受色。不受色即是空。空即无相。无相即无作。此见解脱门。学者得解脱。诸根例如此。复重言说。常念六根空寂。尔无闻见。遗教经云。是时中夜。寂然无声。当知如来说法以空寂为本。常念六根空寂。恒如中夜时。昼日所见闻。皆是身外事。身中常空净 守一不移者。以此净眼。眼住意看一物。无问昼夜时。专精常不动。其心欲驰散。急手还摄来。以绳系鸟足。欲飞还掣取。终日看不已。泯然心自定。维摩经云。摄心是道场。此是摄心法。法华经云。从无数劫来。除睡常摄心。以此功德。能生诸禅定。遗教经云。五根者。心为其主。制立处。无事不辨。此是也。前所说五事。并是大乘正理。皆依经文所陈。非是理外妄说。此是无漏业。亦是究竟义。超过声闻地。真趣菩萨道。闻者 宜修行。不须致疑惑。如人学射。初大准。次中小准。次中大约。次中小的。次中一毛。次破一毛作百分。次中百毛之一分。次后前射前。筈筈相柱。不令箭落。喻人习道。念念注心。心心相续。无暂间念。正念不断。正念现前。又经云。以知惠箭。射三解脱门。筈筈筈于柱勿令落地。又如钻火。未热而息。虽欲得火。火难可得。又如家有如意珠。所求无不得。忽然而遗失。忆念无忘时。又如毒箭入肉。竿镞犹在。如此受苦痛。亦无暂忘时。念念在心。其状当如此。法秘要。不得传非其人。非是惜法不传。但恐前人不信。淊其谤法之罪。必须择人。不得操次辄说。慎之慎之 法海虽无量。行之在一言。得意即亡言。一言亦不用。如此了了知。是为得佛意 若初学坐禅时。于一静处。真观身心。四大五荫。眼耳鼻舌身意。及贪嗔痴。为善若恶。若怨若亲。若凡若圣。及至一切诸状。应当观察。从本以来空寂。不生不灭。平等无二。从本以来无所有。究竟寂灭。从本以来。清净解脱。不问昼夜。行住坐卧。常作此观。即知自身犹如水中月。如镜中像。如热时炎。如空谷响。若言是有。处处求之不可见。若言是无。了了恒在眼前。诸佛法身。皆亦如是。即知自身从无量劫来。毕竟未曾生。从今已去。亦毕竟无人死。若能常作 现代汉语译本： 应该精进修行，不要产生任何疑惑。比如有人学习射箭，起初只能射中大的目标，然后是中等大小的目标，再然后是稍微偏大的目标，接着是稍微偏小的目标，然后是射中一根毛发，再然后是将一根毛发分成一百份来射，最后能做到前一支箭和后一支箭的箭尾相连，不让箭掉落。这比喻人修习佛道，念念专注于内心，心心相续不断，没有丝毫的间断，正念持续不断地显现。还有经书上说，用智慧之箭，射向三解脱门（空解脱门、无相解脱门、无作解脱门），要做到箭箭相连，不让其落地。 又像钻木取火，没有烧热就停止，即使想要得到火，也是难以得到的。又像家中有一颗如意珠（能满足人们一切愿望的宝珠），想要什么就能得到什么，忽然遗失了，也要时时刻刻忆念，不要忘记。又像毒箭射入肉中，箭杆和箭头还在，这样承受着痛苦，也不能有片刻的忘记，要念念在心，状态应当如此。佛法秘要，不能传给不适合的人。不是吝惜佛法而不传授，只是恐怕对方不相信，反而造下诽谤佛法的罪过。必须选择合适的人，不能随便就说。要谨慎啊，要谨慎啊！ 佛法之海虽然无量无边，但实行起来就在于一句话。领会了意思就忘记言语，一句话也不用。如此明明白白地了解，这就是得到了佛的真意。如果初学坐禅的时候，在一个安静的地方，真实地观察身心、四大（地、水、火、风）、五蕴（色、受、想、行、识）、眼耳鼻舌身意，以及贪嗔痴，无论是善是恶，无论是怨是亲，无论是凡夫还是圣人，乃至一切诸般状态，都应当观察，它们从根本上来说就是空寂的，不生不灭，平等无二，从根本上来说一无所有，最终归于寂灭，从根本上来说清净解脱。不分白天黑夜，无论行走、站立、坐着、躺着，都要常常这样观想，就会知道自身犹如水中的月亮，如镜中的影像，如热天时的阳焰，如空谷的回响。如果说是有的，到处寻找却不可见；如果说是没有的，却又明明常常在眼前。诸佛的法身，也都是这样。就会知道自身从无量劫以来，毕竟未曾生，从今以后，也毕竟无人会死。如果能够常常这样观想。