There is only universal, true mind. People who understand it call it [the way for] seeing the truth. Beginners who are confused about it refer to it as [the realm of] birth and death. They, moreover, maintain roots of depravity and seeds of heterodoxy, and have limited wisdom and varying capacities. They do not understand the cause for the illness of birth and death, and do not know the basis for the view of a permanent self. They only want to vehemently reject and actively criticize, destroy [phenomenal] forms, and cut off sense objects.
Even though they speak of “tasting silence” and “profound emptiness,” 21 they do not know that [their words] bury the truth and oppose awakening. It is as if they fail to recognize a red fi lm [causing them to see fl ames] existing within their own eyes, and simply extinguish the light produced from the lamp [i.e., they destroy the object, but not the cause]. Unaware that illusory physical bodies [arise from] within consciousness, they vainly shun the imaginary images cast by the sun. In this way, they wear out their bodies and enslave their minds. They exhaust their energy and reject [the possibility of gaining] merit. It is no different from increasing the amount of ice by adding water, or increasing the fl ames by throwing fi rewood on the fi re. How can they ever understand that the refl ected light [ from the lamp] is the fi lm [that exists in their own eyes], or that the imaginary images [cast by the sun] depend on the physical bodies [arising from their own consciousness]? Eliminate the ailment in the eye, and the refl ected light [ from the lamp] will vanish of itself. Put an end to illusory substances [of consciousness] and imaginary images will naturally disappear.
If you are able to refl ect the light back on its source, they [i.e., the diseased eye and illusory substances] will cease. Refl ect on the objects of the external realm and contemplate [them] with the mind. When the Buddha-eye illuminates them, karmically produced images are empty. When the Dharma-body is revealed, the traces of illusory objects disappear. Use the sword of wisdom emanating from self-awakening to rip open the mind-pearl that has been tightly concealed within. Use the spear of insight emanating from a single-thought to sever the web of views formed in connection with the illusory objects of the external realm.
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It can be described as searching out the deep root [of one’s existence], as exca- vating the cave of principle, as “picking out the marrow from the bones” in the Chan lineages, and as revealing the regulations and guidelines in the network of doctrinal teachings. To eliminate confusion and erase the stains [of one’s karma], perfect purity is ready at hand. The wondrous doctrines of the pro- found implicit truth [of Buddhism] advance the notion [of the “seeing of no- seeing,” “hearing of no hearing,” “knowing of nonknowing,” and “liberation of nonliberation”] and make them perfectly clear. [With them], you can wear down the mountain [built by] the seven kinds of arrogance, and bury forever the path [based on] the six kinds of weaknesses. Non-Buddhist teachings on striving after the pleasures of this world consistently miss the point! When the effects that Mara’s army has over birth and death are completely eliminated, you will manifest the power of spontaneous freedom and emit rays of great majesty. You will reveal the true pearl [i.e., one’s true self-nature] whose benefits and uses are inexhaustible. Relying completely on this secret repository, you will rescue all, however destitute.
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Since this is, in point of fact, a teaching for inner realization, how can it be explained through textual explanations? The knowledge it unleashes has no limit. What we see and hear [through the senses] does not reach it. Now, for the sake of those who have not yet seen this, I explain the “wondrous seeing of no-seeing”; for those who have not yet heard it, I introduce the “perfect hearing of no-hearing”; for those who do not yet know it, I talk about the “true knowing of nonknowing”; for those who are not yet liberated, I confi rm the “great liber- ation of nonliberation.” 23 What I hope is that through the fi nger you will see the moon, after catching the hare you will forget the snare, embrace the universal and unite with the implicit truth [ zong ], discard the explanations and seek the principle [inherent in them], understand that the myriad things depend on the “self” [ for their existence], and realize that wondrous enlightenment exists in one’s physical body.
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Only with the full wisdom [of a Buddha] does one miraculously penetrate [the meaning of this special teaching]. It is simply that those with weak capacities do not refl ect on it; with lack of study they have diffi culty understanding it thoroughly. They do not realize the two gates of nature and appearance are the essence and function of their own minds. If they utilize [the mind’s] functioning [ability] but ignore its ever-present essence, it is like a wave without water. If they realize the [mind]-essence while denying it as the gateway of miraculous functioning, it is like water without waves. There is never water without waves, nor waves without water. As waves originate entirely from water and water crests entirely as waves, so does nature reveal itself entirely in appearances and appearances originate entirely in nature. 48 They must realize that essence and function complete each other, and nature and appearance reveal each other.
Submitted October 01, 2019 at 02:44PM by atomicmustardseed https://ift.tt/2mwCP5F
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