EDoMT 2v: "Mundane people, when about to die, should just meditate/contemplate/observe that the five skandhas are all empty, that the four great-elements are devoid of 'me' "

(my translation):

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Essential Dharma of Mind Transmission 2v

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凡人臨欲終時。但觀五蘊皆空四大無我。真心無相不去不來。生時性亦不來。死時性亦不去。湛然圓寂心境一如。但能如是。直下頓了。不為三世所拘繫。便是出世人也。切不得有分毫趣向。若見善相諸佛來迎及種種現前。亦無心隨去。若見惡相種種現前。亦無心怖畏。但自忘心。同於法界。便得自在。此即是要節也。

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Mundane people, when about to die, should just meditate/contemplate/observe that the five skandhas are all empty, that the four great-elements are devoid of 'me'¹ .

The true mind is without characteristics, neither going nor coming. Even in birth its nature does not come; even in death its nature does not go. Peacefully clear, completely quiescent, mind and visaya² are in one suchness.

If [a person] can be as such, proceeding directly to the sudden completion of understanding, [thus] unrestrained by the three-world/life³ , [he/she] is then a world/life-transcending person. There must not be the slightest bit of inclination towards anything.

If various Buddhas of good characteristics are seen coming to welcome [you] with manifestations appearing one after another, have no mind to follow along. If manifestations of bad characteristics appear one after another, have no mind of terror and dread. Just take it upon yourself to forget the mind, be equivalent to the dharma-realm, then there is attainment of autonomy. This point is crucial.

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1. In Buddhism, one of the three marks of dharma is that of anatta (not-self/no-self/non-self). It is taught that all phenomema are devoid of 'me'. Refer to section 1xix for Huangbo's teaching on this.

2. Visaya is sense-object, or sense-sphere (which denotes the range of the senses and their objects), or content of experience.

3. The three-world/life refer to the previous life, the present life and the future life.

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Submitted May 29, 2020 at 09:20AM by chintokkong https://ift.tt/2XbYmjB