Good stuff. Enjoy!
默照銘 Mozhao ming
Inscription on Silent Illumination
Translation by Guogu Zhengxue
默默忘言。昭昭現前。
In silence and serenity, words are forgotten; in clarity and luminosity, all things manifest.
鑒時廓爾。體處靈然。
At the time of reflection, all things become vast; at the place of actualization, all things become lively and animated.
靈然獨照。照中還妙。
Lively and animated, luminosity is solidary; in this luminosity, wondrousness returns.
露月星河。雪松雲嶠。
The dewy moon on the Milky Way; the snow-clad pine on the cloudy peak;
晦而彌明。隱而愈顯。
In darkness it is even brighter; when hidden it is all the more visible.
鶴夢煙寒。水含秋遠。
The crane dreams of misty frost; water embraces the distant autumn [sky].
浩劫空空。相與雷同。
The great kalpa is completely empty. [Yet,] all appearances are exactly the same.
妙存默處。功忘照中。
This subtlety exists in silence; striving is forgotten in illumination.
妙存何存。惺惺破昏。
Where does this wonder exist? In wakeful clarity, confusions are [naturally] dispelled.
默照之道。離微之根。
The path of silent illumination is the very root of the li trigram and its subtleties.
徹見離微。金梭玉機。
Thoroughly perceiving the li and its subtleties is like weaving gold with shuttles on a jade loom.
正偏宛轉。明暗因依。
The absolute and the relative interfuse one another; light and darkness causally interact.
依無能所。底時回互。
Without relying on subject and object, such is the time interaction occurs.
飲善見藥。檛塗毒鼓。
Imbibe the medicine of good views; beat the poison-smeared drum.
回互底時。殺活在我。
At the time of interaction, killing and giving life are up to oneself.
門裡出身。枝頭結果。
Through the gate one comes forth; the fruit will have finally ripened on the bough.
默唯至言。照唯普應。
Only this silence is the supreme speech, and this illumination, the universal response.
應不墮功。言不涉聽。
Such response does not fall into contrivance; and speech is not heard by listening.
萬象森羅。放光說法。
All the myriad things in the universe emit radiance and expound the Dharma.
彼彼證明。各各問答。
They attest to each other, and correspond in dialogue.
問答證明。恰恰相應。
Corresponding in dialogue and testifying, they respond to each other perfectly.
照中失默。便見侵凌。
If in illumination silence is lost, then distinctions will be perceived.
證明問答。相應恰恰。
Attesting and corresponding in dialogue, perfectly they respond to each other.
默中失照。渾成剩法。
If in silence, illumination is lost, then this murkiness will lead to wasted teachings.
默照理圓。蓮開夢覺。
When the principle of silent illumination is perfected, the lotus will blossom and the dreamer will awaken.
百川赴海。千峯向岳。
The hundred rivers flow to the ocean; and the thousand peaks face the great mountain.
如鵝擇乳。如蜂採花。
Like geese preferring milk; like bees gathering pollen;
默照至得。輸我宗家。
When silent illumination is perfected and obtained, you will embody the tradition of my lineage.
宗家默照。透頂透底。
This tradition of silent illumination penetrates to the highest peak and the deepest deep.
舜若多身。母陀羅臂。
The body becomes śunyatā and arms form the mudra;
始終一揆。變態萬差。
Beginning and end are one; the changing forms have myriad distinctions.
和氏獻璞。相如指瑕。
Ambassador Ho offers a jade [to the emperor]; Minister Xiangru revealed its flaws.
當機有準。大用不勤。
When conditions are utilized with precision, great function is indeed without effort.
寰中天子。塞外將軍。
The Son of Heaven resides in the kingdom, and the general are sent beyond the frontiers.
吾家底事。中規中矩。
The fundamental affair of our house accords to what it is meant to be.
傳去諸方。不要賺舉。
And when this teaching disseminates to various places, there is no need for condemnation or praise.
———————————————————
Here’s another translation by Taigen Dan Leighton
Silent and serene, forgetting words, bright clarity appears before you.
When you reflect it you become vast, where you embody it you are spiritually uplifted.
Spiritually solitary and shining, inner illumination restores wonder,
Dew in the moonlight, a river of stars, snow-covered pines, clouds enveloping the peak.
In darkness it is most bright, while hidden all the more manifest.
The crane dreams in the wintery mists. The autumn waters flow far in the distance.
Endless kalpas are totally empty, all things completely the same.
When wonder exists in serenity, all achievement is forgotten in illumination.
What is this wonder? Alertly seeing through confusion
Is the way of silent illumination and the origin of subtle radiance.
Vision penetrating into subtle radiance is weaving gold on a jade loom.
Upright and inclined yield to each other; light and dark are interdependent.
Not depending on sense faculty and object, at the right time they interact.
Drink the medicine of good views. Beat the poison-smeared drum.
When they interact, killing and giving life are up to you.
Through the gate the self emerges and the branches bear fruit.
Only silence is the supreme speech, only illumination the universal response.
Responding without falling into achievement, speaking without involving listeners,
The ten thousand forms majestically glisten and expound the dharma.
All objects certify it, every one in dialogue.
Dialoguing and certifying, they respond appropriately to each other;
But if illumination neglects serenity then aggressiveness appears.
Certifying and dialoguing, they respond to each other appropriately;
But if serenity neglects illumination, murkiness leads to wasted dharma.
When silent illumination is fulfilled, the lotus blossoms, the dreamer awakens,
A hundred streams flow into the ocean, a thousand ranges face the highest peak.
Like geese preferring milk, like bees gathering nectar,
When silent illumination reaches the ultimate, I offer my teaching.
The teaching of silent illumination penetrates from the highest down to the foundation.
The body being shunyata, the arms in mudra;
From beginning to end the changing appearances and ten thousand differences share one pattern.
Mr. Ho offered jade [to the Emperor; Minister] Xiangru pointed to its flaws.
Facing changes has its principles, the great function is without striving.
The ruler stays in the kingdom, the general goes beyond the frontiers.
Our school's affair hits the mark straight and true.
Transmit it to all directions without desiring to gain credit.
———————————————————
I’ve really been enjoying Hongzhi these days.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongzhi_Zhengjue
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Equanimity
There’s several more translations of Silent Illumination on Terebess if you're down.
Submitted June 01, 2020 at 09:54AM by madewithsticks https://ift.tt/3dn32ca
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