English
English version: The Master said, 'The Dharma itself has no inherent nature, but manifests according to circumstances. The mind is illusory, therefore everything is illusory. If there were one Dharma that was not illusory, then illusion would have a fixed definition. The mind is empty, therefore everything is empty. If there were one Dharma that was not empty, then the meaning of emptiness could not be established. When deluded, people chase after the Dharma; when enlightened, the Dharma arises from people. Just as the myriad phenomena ultimately return to emptiness, the hundreds of rivers and streams ultimately return to the sea, and all sages ultimately return to the Buddha. The Twelve Divisions of the Scriptures (Dharma teachings), the Five Sections of the Vinaya (Buddhist precepts), and the Five Vedas (ancient Indian Brahmanical scriptures) ultimately return to the mind. The mind is the wondrous root of all-embracing retention, the vast source of all Dharmas, also known as the Great Treasury of Wisdom, and Non-abiding Nirvana. Hundreds of thousands of names are merely different appellations for the mind.' Someone asked, 'What is illusion?' The Master said, 'Illusion has no fixed form, like a whirling fire wheel, like a Gandharva city (mirage), like a mechanical wooden puppet, like a heat haze (appearing as water in the distance), like flowers in the sky, all without real substance.' Someone asked, 'Who is the Great Illusionist?' The Master said, 'The mind is the Great Illusionist, the body is the Great Illusion City, and names and forms are the Great Illusion Clothing and Food. There is nothing in the Ganges-sand-like world that is not illusory. Ordinary people do not recognize illusion and are everywhere deluded by illusory karma. Sravakas (followers of Hinayana Buddhism) fear the illusory realm, obscuring their minds and entering into quiescence. Bodhisattvas recognize the illusory Dharma, understand the nature of illusion, and are not attached to any names or forms. The Buddha is the Great Illusionist, turning the Great Illusion Dharma Wheel, and accomplishing the Great Illusion Nirvana. Transforming illusory birth and death into non-birth and non-death, transforming Ganges-sand-like impure lands into pure Dharma realms.' A monk asked, 'Why is it not permitted to recite scriptures, calling it 'guest language'?' The Master said, 'Like a parrot that only learns human speech but does not understand human meaning. The scriptures transmit the Buddha's intention; to merely recite without understanding the Buddha's intention is like a person learning to speak. Therefore, it is not permitted.' The monk said, 'Is there another meaning apart from words and language?' The Master said, 'Your saying so is also learning to speak.' The monk said, 'Since it is all language, why is reciting scriptures specifically not permitted?' The Master said, 'Listen carefully now. The scriptures clearly state that what I speak is meaning-language, not word-language; what sentient beings speak is word-language, not meaning-language. Those who grasp the meaning transcend superficial words, and those who awaken to the principle surpass the limitations of writing. The Dharma transcends language and writing, so why seek it in a few phrases? Therefore, those who arouse Bodhicitta (the aspiration for enlightenment) grasp the meaning and forget the words, and those who awaken to the principle abandon the teachings, just as one forgets the fish trap after catching the fish and forgets the rabbit snare after catching the rabbit.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 蹄也。
Chinese
有法师问。念佛是有相大乘。禅师意如何。师曰。无相犹非大乘。何况有相。经云。取相凡夫随宜为说。又问。愿生净土。未审实有净土否。师曰。经云。欲得净土当净其心。随其心净即佛土净。若心清净。所在之处皆为净土。譬如生国王家。决定绍王业。发心向佛道。是生净佛国。其心若不净。在所生处皆是秽土。净秽在心。不在国土。 又问。每闻说道。未审何人能见。师曰有慧眼者能见。曰。甚乐大乘。如何学得。师曰。悟即得。不悟不得。曰如何得悟去。师曰但谛观。曰似何物。师曰无物似。曰应是毕竟空。师曰空无毕竟。曰应是在。师曰有而无相。曰不悟如何。师曰。大德自不悟。亦无人相障。 又问。佛法在于三际否。师曰。见在无相不在其外。应用无穷不在于内。中间无住处。三际不可得。曰此言大混。师曰。汝正说混之一字时。在内外否。曰。弟子究检。内外无踪迹。师曰。若无踪迹。明知上来说不混。曰如何得作佛。师曰是心是佛是心作佛。曰众生入地狱。佛性入否。师曰。如今正作恶时。更有善否。曰无。师曰。众生入地狱。佛性亦如是。曰一切众生皆有佛性如何。师曰。作佛用是佛性。作贼用是贼性。作众生用是众生性。性无形相。随用立名。经云。一切贤圣皆以无为法而有差 现代汉语译本： 蹄也。 有法师问：‘念佛是有相大乘（以形象为基础的大乘佛教修行），禅师您怎么看？’师父说：‘无相（不依赖形象）尚且还不是大乘，更何况是有相（依赖形象）的呢？’经书上说：‘对于执着于外相的凡夫，可以根据他们的根器方便说法。’又问：‘我希望往生净土（Buddha-ksetra，诸佛居住的清净世界），请问真的有净土吗？’师父说：‘经书上说：想要得到净土，应当净化自己的内心。随着你的内心清净，那么佛土也就清净了。如果内心清净，那么所处的地方都是净土。’譬如生在国王家，必定继承王位；发心向往佛道，就是往生清净佛国。如果内心不清净，那么所生之处都是污秽的国土。清净与污秽在于内心，不在于国土。 又问：‘我经常听人说法，请问什么样的人能够见到（真理）？’师父说：‘有慧眼（智慧之眼）的人能够见到。’（法师）说：‘我非常喜欢大乘佛法，要怎样才能学到？’师父说：‘领悟就能得到，不领悟就得不到。’（法师）说：‘要怎样才能领悟呢？’师父说：‘只要仔细观察。’（法师）说：‘像什么东西呢？’师父说：‘没有什么东西可以比拟。’（法师）说：‘那应该是毕竟空（一切皆空）。’师父说：‘空也不是毕竟空。’（法师）说：‘那应该是在（存在）。’师父说：‘存在但没有具体的形象。’（法师）说：‘如果不领悟怎么办？’师父说：‘您自己不领悟，也没有人会阻碍您领悟。’ 又问：‘佛法存在于过去、现在、未来这三际（时间的三个阶段）中吗？’师父说：‘现在所见是无相的，不在外；应用无穷，不在内；中间没有停留之处，过去、现在、未来这三际都不可得。’（法师）说：‘这话太混乱了。’师父说：‘你正在说“混乱”这两个字的时候，是在内还是在外呢？’（法师）说：‘弟子仔细检查，内外都没有踪迹。’师父说：‘如果没有踪迹，那就明白我上面说的并不混乱。’（法师）说：‘要怎样才能成佛？’师父说：‘是心是佛，是心作佛（心即是佛，由心造佛）。’（法师）说：‘众生堕入地狱，佛性也跟着进去吗？’师父说：‘现在正在作恶的时候，还有善吗？’（法师）说：‘没有。’师父说：‘众生堕入地狱，佛性也是这样。’（法师）说：‘一切众生都有佛性，这是为什么呢？’师父说：‘成佛的时候用的是佛性，做贼的时候用的是贼性，做众生的时候用的是众生性。性没有具体的形象，随着作用而立名。’经书上说：‘一切贤圣都是以无为法（不造作、顺应自然的法则）而有所差别的。’
English
English version: The hoof. A Dharma master asked: 'Reciting the Buddha's name is Mahayana (Great Vehicle Buddhism) with form. What is the Zen master's opinion?' The master said: 'Formlessness is not yet Mahayana, let alone having form?' The sutra says: 'For ordinary people who cling to appearances, teachings are given according to their capacity.' He further asked: 'I wish to be reborn in the Pure Land (Buddha-ksetra, the pure realm where Buddhas reside). Is there really a Pure Land?' The master said: 'The sutra says: If you wish to attain the Pure Land, purify your mind. As your mind is pure, so the Buddha Land is pure. If the mind is pure, wherever you are is a Pure Land.' It is like being born into a royal family, destined to inherit the throne; aspiring to the path of Buddhahood is being born into a pure Buddha Land. If the mind is not pure, wherever you are born is a defiled land. Purity and defilement are in the mind, not in the land. He further asked: 'I often hear people preach the Dharma. Who is able to see (the truth)?' The master said: 'Those with the eye of wisdom (prajna) can see.' (The Dharma master) said: 'I greatly admire the Mahayana Dharma. How can I learn it?' The master said: 'Enlightenment is attained through realization; without realization, it cannot be attained.' (The Dharma master) said: 'How can one attain enlightenment?' The master said: 'Just observe carefully.' (The Dharma master) said: 'What is it like?' The master said: 'Nothing can be compared to it.' (The Dharma master) said: 'Then it must be ultimate emptiness (sunyata).' The master said: 'Emptiness is not ultimate.' (The Dharma master) said: 'Then it must be existence.' The master said: 'It exists but without a specific form.' (The Dharma master) said: 'What if I do not attain enlightenment?' The master said: 'If you yourself do not attain enlightenment, no one will hinder you from attaining it.' He further asked: 'Does the Buddha Dharma exist in the three times (past, present, and future)?' The master said: 'What is seen now is formless, not outside; its application is infinite, not inside; there is no dwelling place in between; the three times are unattainable.' (The Dharma master) said: 'These words are too confusing.' The master said: 'When you are saying the word 'confusing,' is it inside or outside?' (The Dharma master) said: 'Upon careful examination, there is no trace inside or outside.' The master said: 'If there is no trace, then it is clear that what I said above is not confusing.' (The Dharma master) said: 'How can one become a Buddha?' The master said: 'The mind is the Buddha, the mind makes the Buddha (mind is Buddha, by mind Buddha is made).' (The Dharma master) said: 'When sentient beings enter hell, does the Buddha-nature enter as well?' The master said: 'When one is doing evil, is there any good?' (The Dharma master) said: 'No.' The master said: 'When sentient beings enter hell, the Buddha-nature is the same.' (The Dharma master) said: 'How is it that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature?' The master said: 'When becoming a Buddha, one uses the Buddha-nature; when becoming a thief, one uses the thief-nature; when becoming a sentient being, one uses the sentient being-nature.' Nature has no specific form; names are established according to its function.' The sutra says: 'All sages and saints are differentiated by the unconditioned Dharma (the law of non-action, conforming to nature).' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 别。
Chinese
僧问何者是佛。师曰离心之外即无有佛。曰何者是法身。师曰。心是法身。谓能生万法。故号法界之身。起信论云。所言法者。谓众生心。即依此心显示摩诃衍义。 又问何名有大经卷内在一微尘。师曰智慧是经卷。经云。有大经卷量等三千大千界。内在一微尘中。一尘者是一念心尘也。故云一念尘中演出河沙偈。时人自不识。 又问。何名大义城。何名大义王。师曰。身为大义城。心为大义王。经云。多闻者善于义。不义于言说。言说生灭。义不生灭。义无形相。在言说之外。身为大经卷。心为大义王。若不了了识心者。不名善义。只是学语人也。 又问。般若经云。度九类众生皆入无余涅槃。又云实无众生得灭度者。此两段经文如何通会前后。人说皆云。实度众生而不取众生相。常疑未决。请师为说。师曰。九类众生一身具足。随造随成。是故无明为卵生。烦恼包裹为胎生。爱水浸润为湿生。倏起烦恼为化生。悟即是佛。迷号众生。菩萨只以念念心为众生。若了念念心体俱空。名为度众生也。智者于自本际上度于未形。未形既空。即知实无众生得灭度者。 僧问言语是心否。师曰。言语是缘。不是心。曰离缘何者是心。师曰离言语无心。曰。离言语既无心。若为是心。师曰。心无形相。非离言 现代汉语译本： 有僧人问：‘什么是佛？’ 禅师回答：‘离开心之外就没有佛。’ 僧人问：‘什么是法身？’ 禅师回答：‘心就是法身，它能生出万法，所以被称为法界之身。《起信论》中说：所说的法，指的是众生的心。就是依靠这个心来显示摩诃衍（大乘）的意义。’ 又问：‘为什么说有大经卷包含在一粒微尘之中？’ 禅师回答：‘智慧就是经卷。经中说：有大经卷，它的体积等同于三千大千世界，却包含在一粒微尘之中。一尘指的就是一念心尘。所以说在一念尘中能演出如恒河沙数般的偈颂，只是世人不认识罢了。’ 又问：‘什么是大义城？什么又是大义王？’ 禅师回答：‘身体就是大义城，心就是大义王。经中说：多闻的人善于理解义理，而不是善于言辞。言辞有生灭，而义理没有生灭。义理没有具体的形象，存在于言辞之外。身体就是大经卷，心就是大义王。如果不能明了地认识心，就不能称为善于理解义理，只是一个学舌的人罢了。’ 又问：‘《般若经》中说，度化九类众生都进入无余涅槃，又说实际上没有众生得到度化。这两段经文如何理解，使前后贯通？人们都说，实际上度化了众生，却不执着于众生相。我常常疑惑不解，请禅师为我解说。’ 禅师回答：‘九类众生，一身之中全部具备，随着所造的业而形成。所以说，无明就是卵生，烦恼包裹就是胎生，被爱欲之水浸润就是湿生，突然生起的烦恼就是化生。觉悟就是佛，迷惑就是众生。菩萨只是把念念生灭的心念当作众生。如果明白了念念心体本来就是空，就叫做度化众生。有智慧的人，在事物还没有形成之前就去度化它，在未形成的状态下就已经空了，就知道实际上没有众生得到度化。’ 僧人问：‘言语是心吗？’ 禅师回答：‘言语是因缘和合的产物，不是心。’ 僧人问：‘离开因缘，什么是心呢？’ 禅师回答：‘离开言语就没有心。’ 僧人问：‘离开言语既然没有心，那又如何是心呢？’ 禅师回答：‘心没有形状和相貌，不能离开言语来谈论。’