Dàoxìn, 4th Zen Patriarch

Question: How can we understand the characteristics of the Dharma? How can we illuminate and purify our minds?

Dàoxìn: Not by reciting the buddha-name, not by restricting mind, not by observing mind, not by calculating thought, not by contemplation, not by the practice of observation, not by scattering and confusion. Just let it roll along: don't make it go, don't let it stay. In the solitary purity, the ultimate locus, mind of itself is illuminated and pure. If we can observe it truly, mind is instantly illuminated and pure, mind is like a clear mirror. If we can observe it truly for a year, it will be even more clear and pure; if for three years or five years, even more clear and pure. Some can find understanding by hearing people explain it for them. Some never need explanations to understand. A sutra says: "The real identity of the mind of sentient beings is like a precious pearl submerged in water. When the water is turbid, the pearl is hidden. When the water is clear, the pearl is revealed."

Because they slander the Three Jewels and disrupt the harmony of the sangha, because they are polluted with opinions and vexations, because they are stained by craving and anger and ignorance, sentient beings do not awaken to the fundamental eternal purity of the real identity of mind. Thus, when they study, they grasp understanding in different degrees. These differences generally come from their differences in capacities and causal conditions. To be a teacher for people, one must be good at recognizing these differences.

The Huayan Sutra says: "The form of Samantabhadra's body is like empty space. It is based on Thusness, not on a buddha-land." When you understand, budda-lands are also Thus, so the land of Thusness depends on nothing at all.

The Nirvana Sutra says: "There is a bodhisattva with a boundless body equal in extent to empty space." It also says: "Because he has the light of goodness, he is like the summer sun." It also says: "Because his body is boundless, it is called Great Nirvana." It also says: "Great Nirvana - its nature is vast."

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Question: In the moment, how should we practice contemplation?

Dàoxìn: You must let it roll.

Question: Should we orient ourselves toward the Western Paradise or not?

Dàoxìn: If you know that mind is fundamentally unborn and undestroyed and ultimately pure, this is the pure budda-land. There is no further need to face toward the west. The Huayan Sutra speaks of infinite aeons in a moment of thought, and a moment of thought lasting infinite aeons. We must realize that in one direction there are countless directions, and that countless directions are one direction.

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Dàoxìn:

Bodhisattvas of profound practice enter birth and death to transform and deliver living beings, without any of the views of sentimental love. If you see sentient beings as having birth and death, yourself as the subject able to save them, and the sentient beings as the object being saved, then you are not to be called a bodhisattva. Delivering sentient beings is like delivering emptiness - has there ever been any coming or going? The Diamond Sutra says: "In the final deliverance of numberless beings, in reality there are no beings gaining final deliverance."

The first-stage bodhisattva first witnesses everything as empty, then witnesses everything as not empty. This is nondiscriminating wisdom. And this is form: form is emptiness. It is not emptinesss that wipes out form: form by nature is empty. Bodhisattvas cultivate and learn emptiness at their realization. When new students directly see emptiness, this is seeing emptiness; it is not real emptiness. Those who cultivate the Path until they find real emptiness do not view things as empty or not empty - they have no views. You must understand properly the meaning of form and emptiness.

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Some people reckon that the body is [ultimately] empty and nonexistent, and that the real identity of mind is also obliterated. These are people with nihilistic views. They are the same as outsiders - they are not Buddhists.

Some people reckon that mind is existent and not destroyed. These are people with eternalist views. They, too, are the same as outsiders.

The Buddhists of today who understand crearly not think that the real identity of mind is oblierated.They are always saving sentient beings, but without creating any sentimental perceptions. They always study wisdom, so that wisdom and folly are everywhere equal. They are always in Chan concentration, so that stillness and confusion are not two. They always view sentient beings as not existent, as ultimately neither born nor destroyed. They manifest forms everywhere, but they have no views or perceptions. They completely understand everything without grasping or rejecting. Without their dividing their bodies, their bodies appear everywhere throughout the worlds of the realm of reality.

[Dàoxìn's Record preserved in the Record of the Masters and Disciples of Laṅkāvatāra; allegedly compiled by Xuanze; translated by J.C. Cleary]

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