English
English version: Volume Three begins with silence and also reveals the function of supernatural powers. Do you understand, Venerable Abbot? (Venerable Abbot: refers to the monk who lectures on the scriptures, here referring to the questioner) The Venerable Abbot said, 'It is strange like this.' The Master said, 'It is still not like this.' The Venerable Abbot said, 'Why is it still not like this?' The Master said, 'It is only to break people's attachments that I speak like this. According to the meaning of the scriptures, it only says that form (material phenomena) and mind (mental phenomena) are empty and still, allowing one to see one's original nature, teaching people to abandon false actions and enter true practice, not to seek meaning in words and paper. Just understand the two words 'Vimalakirti' (净名) and you will understand. 'Purity' (净) is the substance, 'Name' (名) is the trace of function (phenomena and function). From the substance arises the trace of function, from the trace of function returns to the substance. Substance and function are not two, the root and phenomena are not different. Therefore, the ancients said, 'Although the root and phenomena are different, they are inconceivably one.' This 'one' is also not one. If you recognize the false name of the two words 'Vimalakirti', what more is there to say about ultimate or not ultimate? There is no beginning and no end, neither root nor end, neither 'purity' nor 'name', it only shows sentient beings the inconceivable liberation of their original nature. If one does not see one's nature, one will never understand this principle in one's lifetime.' A monk asked, 'All dharmas are empty, and consciousness (识性) is also like this, like a water bubble, once it bursts it will not reassemble, and when the body dies it will not be reborn, this is emptiness, where is there consciousness?' The Master said, 'The water bubble arises because of water, can it be said that there is no water when the water bubble bursts? The body arises because of nature, can it be said that nature is destroyed when the body dies?' The monk said, 'Since you say there is nature, please show it to me.' The Master said, 'Do you believe there is tomorrow?' The monk said, 'I believe.' The Master said, 'I will show you tomorrow.' The monk said, 'Tomorrow certainly exists, but it cannot be obtained now.' The Master said, 'Tomorrow cannot be obtained now, but it does not mean there is no tomorrow. You yourself do not see your nature, you cannot say there is no nature. Now you see yourself wearing clothes, eating, walking, standing, and sitting, but you do not recognize it face to face, it can be said to be foolish and deluded. If you want to see tomorrow, it is no different from today. Using nature to seek nature, you will never see it in countless kalpas. It is also like someone who does not see the sun, but it does not mean there is no sun.' The Venerable Abbot who lectured on the Qinglong Commentary (青龙疏) asked, 'The scripture says, there is no dharma that can be spoken, this is called speaking dharma, how does the Zen master understand it?' The Master said, 'Because the substance of Prajna (般若, wisdom) is ultimately pure, there is nothing that can be obtained, this is called no dharma. Within the empty and still substance of Prajna, there are functions like the sands of the Ganges River, which means there is nothing that is not known.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 是名说法。故云无法可说是名说法。
Chinese
讲华严座主问。禅师信无情是佛否。师曰。不信。若无情是佛者。活人应不如死人。死驴死狗亦应胜于活人。经云。佛身者即法身也。从戒定慧生。从三明六通生。从一切善法生。若说无情是佛者。大德如今便死。应作佛去。 有法师问。持般若经最多功德。师还信否。师曰不信。曰。若尔灵验传十余卷。皆不堪信也。师曰。生人持孝自有感应。非是白骨能有感应。经是文字纸墨。文字纸墨性空。何处有灵验。灵验者在持经人用心。所以神通感物。试将一卷经安着案上。无人受持。自能有灵验否。 僧问。未审一切名相及法相。语之与默。如何通会即得无前后。师曰。一念起时本来无相无名。何得说有前后。不了名相本净。妄计有前有后。夫名相关锁。非智钥不能开。中道者病在中道。二边者病在二边。不知现用是无等等法身。迷悟得失常人之法。自起生灭埋没正智。或断烦恼或求菩提。背却般若。 人问。律师何故不信禅。师曰。理幽难显。名相易持。不见性者所以不信。若见性者号之为佛。识佛之人方能信入。佛不远人而人远佛。佛是心作。迷人向文字中求。悟人向心而觉。迷人修因待果。悟人了心无相。迷人执物守我为己。悟人般若应用见前。愚 现代汉语译本：这就是所谓的说法。所以说没有法可以宣说，这才是真正的说法。 讲华严的座主问：禅师相信无情之物是佛吗？禅师说：我不相信。如果无情之物是佛，那么活人应该不如死人。死驴死狗也应该胜过活人。《经》中说：佛身就是法身，从戒、定、慧产生，从三明、六通产生，从一切善法产生。如果说无情之物是佛，那么大德你现在就去死，应该成佛去了。 有法师问：持诵《般若经》功德最大，禅师相信吗？禅师说：我不相信。法师说：如果这样，那些记载灵验事迹的十多卷书，都不可信了吗？禅师说：活人持经，因为孝心自然会有感应，不是白骨能有感应。《经》是文字纸墨，文字纸墨的自性是空，哪里会有灵验？灵验在于持经人是否用心。所以神通才能感应事物。你试着将一卷经书放在桌子上，没有人受持，它自己能有灵验吗？ 僧人问：请问一切名相以及法相，说话和沉默，如何通达领会才能没有先后之分？禅师说：一念生起时，本来就没有相，没有名，怎么能说有先后？不了解名相的本来清净，妄自认为有前有后。名相是枷锁，没有智慧的钥匙就无法打开。执着于中道的人，病就在于中道；执着于二边的人，病就在于二边。不知道当下现用的就是无等等法身，迷惑和觉悟、得到和失去，都是常人的法则。自己生起生灭，埋没了真正的智慧。或者断除烦恼，或者追求菩提，都是背离了般若。 有人问：律师为什么不相信禅？禅师说：禅的道理幽深难以显现，名相容易执持。不见自性的人所以不相信。如果见到自性，就称为佛。认识佛的人才能相信并进入。佛不远离人，而是人远离佛。佛是心所造。迷惑的人向文字中求，觉悟的人向内心而觉。迷惑的人修因等待结果，觉悟的人了解心无相。迷惑的人执着于外物，守护小我作为自己，觉悟的人般若的应用就在眼前。愚痴啊！
English
English version: This is called 'Dharma talk'. Therefore, it is said that there is no Dharma to be spoken, which is the true 'Dharma talk'. The lecturer of the Avatamsaka Sutra asked: 'Does the Chan master believe that inanimate objects are Buddha?' The Chan master said: 'I do not believe. If inanimate objects are Buddha, then living people should be inferior to dead people. Dead donkeys and dead dogs should also be superior to living people. The Sutra says: The Buddha's body is the Dharmakaya (Dharma body), which arises from precepts, concentration, and wisdom; it arises from the three insights and six supernatural powers; it arises from all good dharmas. If you say that inanimate objects are Buddha, then you, great virtuous one, should die now and go to become a Buddha.' A Dharma master asked: 'Holding and reciting the Prajna Sutra has the greatest merit. Does the Chan master believe this?' The Chan master said: 'I do not believe this.' The Dharma master said: 'If that is the case, then the more than ten volumes recording miraculous events are all untrustworthy?' The Chan master said: 'When a living person upholds the Sutra, there will naturally be a response due to filial piety; it is not that white bones can have a response. The Sutra is just words on paper and ink; the nature of words on paper and ink is emptiness. Where would there be miraculous power? The miraculous power lies in the mind of the person who upholds the Sutra. Therefore, supernatural powers can influence things. Try placing a volume of the Sutra on a table; if no one upholds it, can it have miraculous power on its own?' A monk asked: 'I venture to ask, regarding all names and forms, as well as Dharma characteristics, how can one understand and comprehend speaking and silence so that there is no before and after?' The Chan master said: 'When a single thought arises, originally there is no form and no name. How can you say there is a before and after? Not understanding that names and forms are originally pure, you falsely assume there is a before and after. Names and forms are shackles; without the key of wisdom, they cannot be opened. For those attached to the Middle Way, the illness lies in the Middle Way; for those attached to the two extremes, the illness lies in the two extremes. Not knowing that the present function is the unequalled Dharmakaya, delusion and enlightenment, gain and loss, are the laws of ordinary people. You create arising and ceasing yourself, burying true wisdom. Either cutting off afflictions or seeking Bodhi, you are turning your back on Prajna.' Someone asked: 'Why do Vinaya masters not believe in Chan?' The Chan master said: 'The principle is profound and difficult to reveal; names and forms are easy to grasp. Those who do not see their nature, therefore, do not believe. If one sees their nature, they are called a Buddha. Those who recognize the Buddha can believe and enter. The Buddha is not far from people, but people are far from the Buddha. The Buddha is made by the mind. Deluded people seek in words, enlightened people awaken in their hearts. Deluded people cultivate causes and wait for results; enlightened people understand that the mind is without form. Deluded people cling to external objects, guarding the small self as their own; enlightened people see the application of Prajna right before them. How foolish!' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
人执空执有生滞。智人见性了相灵通。干慧辩者口疲。大智体了心泰。菩萨触物斯照。声闻怕境昧心。悟者日用无生。迷人见前隔佛。 人问。如何得神通去。师曰。神性灵通。遍周沙界。山河石壁去来无碍。刹那万里往返无踪。火不能烧水不能溺。愚人自无心智。欲得四大飞空。经云。取相凡夫随宜为说。心无形相即是微妙色身。无相即是实相。实相体空唤作虚空无边身。万行庄严故云功德法身。即此法身是万行之。本随用立名。实而言之。只是清净法身也。 人问。一心修道。过去业障得消灭否。师曰。不见性人未得消灭。若见性人如日照霜雪。又见性人犹如积草等须弥山。只用一星之火。业障如草。智慧似火。曰云何得知业障尽。师曰。见前心通前后生事。犹如对见。前佛后佛万法同时。经云。一念知一切法是道场。成就一切智故。 有行者问。云何得住正法。师曰。求住正法者是邪。何以故。法无邪正故。曰。云何得作佛去。师曰。不用舍众生心。但莫污染自性。经云。心佛及众生。是三无差别。曰。若如是解者。得解脱否。师曰。本自无缚。不用求解。法过语言文字。不用数句中求。法非过现未来。不可以因果中契。法过一切。不可比对。法身无象应物现形。非离世间而求解脱。 现代汉语译本 凡夫执着于空或有，因而产生滞碍。有智慧的人明了自性，对万事万物都能灵活通达。只会空谈理论的辩论者，只会徒费口舌。真正有大智慧的人，体悟真理，内心安泰。菩萨接触事物就能明白其本质。而声闻乘的修行者，害怕外境而迷惑本心。觉悟的人，每天的所作所为都符合无生的道理。迷惑的人，只见眼前的事物，与佛的境界相隔甚远。 有人问：‘如何才能获得神通？’ 师父说：‘神性是灵妙通达的，遍布整个宇宙。可以自由穿梭于山河石壁之间，瞬间就能往返万里而无踪迹。火不能烧，水不能淹。愚笨的人因为没有智慧，才想要凭借四大假合之身飞行于空中。《经》中说，为了适应凡夫的认知水平，才方便地为他们解说。心没有形状和相貌，这就是微妙的色身。无相就是实相。实相的本体是空，所以叫做虚空无边身。用万行来庄严自身，所以叫做功德法身。这个法身是万行的根本，根据不同的作用而有不同的名称。但实际上，它只是清净法身。’ 有人问：‘一心修道，过去所造的业障能够消除吗？’ 师父说：‘没有见到自性的人，业障无法消除。如果见到自性的人，就像太阳照耀霜雪一样，业障会迅速消融。又像堆积如须弥山（Sumeru Mountain）的草，只需要一点火星就能将其焚烧殆尽。业障就像草，智慧就像火。’ 问：‘如何得知业障已经消除？’ 师父说：‘能够清楚地看到自己过去和未来的事情，就像亲眼所见一样。能够同时看到过去的佛和未来的佛，以及一切万法。《经》中说，一念之间明白一切法，就是道场，成就一切智慧。’ 有修行者问：‘如何才能安住于正法？’ 师父说：‘想要安住于正法，这种想法本身就是邪念。为什么呢？因为法没有邪正之分。’ 问：‘如何才能成佛？’ 师父说：‘不需要舍弃对众生的慈悲心，但不要让自性受到污染。《经》中说，心、佛和众生，这三者没有差别。’ 问：‘如果这样理解，能够得到解脱吗？’ 师父说：‘本来就没有束缚，不需要去求解脱。法超越了语言文字，不能在字句中寻求。法超越了过去、现在和未来，不能用因果关系来理解。法超越了一切，无法进行比较。法身没有固定的形象，能根据不同的事物显现不同的形态。不要脱离世间去求解脱。’