Universally Recommended Manner of Sitting Meditation
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S1) 原夫道本圓通，爭假修證。宗乘自在，何費功夫。況全體遠出塵埃，孰信拂拭手段？大都不離當處，豈用修行腳頭哉？
Originally the way is already of complete abhijna, how can [it] be provisional upon practice-verification? The source/fundamental/ancestral yana is by itself present, why expend/waste gong-fu (effort/energy)?
Moreover the entire basis is far beyond dust specks, whoever believes in the means of wiping/polishing? Generally [it] is never apart from the place here, why employ journeying-practice?
S2) 然毫釐之差，天地懸隔，違順才起，紛然失心。直饒會誇悟豐，獲瞥地智通，得道明心，舉沖天志氣，入頭邊量雖逍遙，幾虧缺出身活路。
Yet a hair-breadth's deviation [result] in the vast separation of heaven-and-earth. Just when there is an arising of going-against or going-with, the mind is lost in confused/chaotic appearances.
Even if [you] can boast of plentiful enlightenments, obtaining brief insights of unobstructed jnana, attaining the way to illuminate the mind, raising the aspiration to soar heaven, although there is freedom to explore the entrance's fringe property, there is still deficiency with regards to the live path that gets out.
S3) 矧彼祗園生地，端坐六年可見蹤跡，少林傳心印，面壁九歲聲名尚聞。古聖既然，今人盍辨？
Even [for Gautama who eventually] taught the grounds at Jetavana, traces/places of [his earlier] upright/examinative sitting of six years can still be seen. [Bodhidharma who] transmitted the mind-mudra, the sound reputation of [his earlier] wall-facing [meditation] of nine years can still be heard.
Since the ancient sages were as such [accomplished in sitting meditation], how can people nowadays not do so?
S4) 所以須休尋言逐語之解行，須學回光返照之退步。身心自然脱落，本來面目現前。恁麼事欲得，恁麼事務急。
Therefore [one] should stop the practice of finding words and chasing phrases for explanation/interpretation. [Instead one] should learn the retreating move of reversing light to return illumination. As mind and body fall away by themselves, the original face-eye is manifested.
If [one] wants to attain this, [one] should urgently act on this [matter of sitting meditation].
S5) 其靜室參禪宜節飲食。諸緣崩舍，萬事休息，不思善惡，莫管是非。停心意識之運轉，止念想觀之測量。莫圖作佛，豈拘坐卧？
For such quiet room engaged/investigative meditation, it is best to be on diet/fasting/restriction of drinks and food. Collapse the dwelling of all conditionings, rest the affair of ten-thousand matters. Think not of good-bad, care not of is-isn't. Stop the spinning operation of citta-manas-vijnana. Cease the measured calculativeness of thought-perception-contemplation.
Don’t strive to become/embody Buddha, [which] cannot be limited to sitting and reclining.
S6) 尋常坐處，厚敷坐物，上用蒲團，或結跏趺坐，或半跏趺坐，謂結跏趺坐，先以右足安左腿上，左足安右腿上。半跏趺坐但以左足壓右腿，衣帯寬系可令齊整。次右手安左足上，左掌安右掌上，兩大拇指相向，乃正身端座，不得左側右傾，前躬後仰，要耳對肩，鼻對臍。舌掛上顎，唇齒相著，目須常開，鼻息微通。身相既調，欠氣一息，左右搖振，兀兀坐定，思量個不思量底。
At an ordinary/usual sitting place, lay thickly some sitting material (straw/mat), and on top of it use a cushion, to either sit full cross-legged (full-lotus) or sit half cross-legged (half-lotus).
For full cross-legged sit, first place the right foot on the left leg, [then] place left foot on the right leg. For half cross-legged sit, just have the left foot pressing on the right leg. Loosen the robe belt and have [the clothing] tidied neatly.
Next, place the right hand on the left foot, and the left palm on top of the right palm, with the tips of the two thumbs pointing at each other.
The body is to be upright and properly seated, without leaning towards the left or right or front or back. The ears have to be aligned to the shoulders, and the nose aligned to the navel.
[Have the] tongue hooked on the upper jaw/palate, teeth and lips in mutual contact, eyes should be constantly open, nose in unobstructed faint/light breathing.
When bodily characteristics are regulated/adjusted, give a [full] sighing/exhaling breath [with a] left-right vibratory shake.
Diligently/steadily sit in samadhi, to deliberate that which does not deliberate.
S7) 不思量底如何思量，非思量，此乃坐禪要術也。 所謂坐禪非習禪，唯是安樂法門也。究盡菩提修證也。公案現成，羅籠未到，若得此意，如龍得水，似虎靠山。
That which does not deliberate, how to deliberate [on it]? Non-deliberation. This is the essential art of sitting meditation.
What is called sitting meditation, is not drilled/emulative meditation. It is only the dharma-gate of passadhi-sukkha (calm pleasure), and the practice-verification of uttara bodhi. It is a koan presently/ready-made, yet to be caged/snared. If there is attainment of this meaning, [it will be] like dragon obtaining water, like tiger supported by the mountain.
S8) 當知正法自現前，昏散先僕落。若坐立徐徐動身，可安詳而起，不可卒暴也。
It should be known that for the proper dharma to manifest by-itself, dullness and scatteredness first have to be driven away. So if the sitting [is dull and scattered], move the body by standing up slowly, there can then be a calm safe arising. Be not reckless [in this].
S9) 嘗觀超凡越聖、坐脱立亡，亦一任此力。況復拈指竿針鎚之轉機，舉拂拳棒喝之證契，非是思量分別之所能解，豈神通修證鎖所能知哉？聲色之外是威儀，何知見之前非軌則者哉。
Surveying the past, to transcend the mundane and surpass the holy, to pass-away while sitting and die while standing, they all take on this power [of meditation to function]. How much more so for the turning pivot/device of finger-twirling, pole, needle, mallet, and the verifying accord of whisk-raising, punch, strike, yell.
[This] is not what deliberation-differentiation (of manas-vijnana) can be made to interpret/explain, much less what siddhi practice-verification can be made to know. Outside of sound and form is the majestic manner [of meditation], the knowledge and view before [us] are alas not the standard [to follow].
S10) 然則不論上智下愚，莫簡利人鈍者，專一功夫正是辦道也。修證自不染污，趣向更是平常物也。
Yet, despite superior wise (people) or inferior foolish (people), regardless sharp people or dull ones, just the gong-fu (effort/skill) of concentrating singularly is exactly the execution/doing of the Way. [Such a] practice-verification [of the proper dharma] itself does not filth-stain. The inclination is furthermore towards a thing of constant-evenness.
S11) 凡夫自界他方、西天東地，等持佛印，一擅宗風，唯務打坐兀地礙，雖謂萬別千差，只管參禪辦道，何謾拋卻自家坐牀，去來他國塵境？若一步錯，當面蹉過。
All [practitioners], whether [from] own land or other places, from the Western Heaven (India) or the Eastern Land (China/Japan), [to be] in samadhi (equal-maintenance) of the Buddha-mudra, [to be] singularly grasping the custom of the [Zen] Buddhist school, just solely work/act [on the task] of hitting the sitting [meditation], steadily in restriction/limitation [to the singular concentration on the original face-eye].
Although there is said to be the ten-thousand differences and thousand distinctions, just only care/focus on investigative/engaged meditation of the execution/doing of the Way. For what deception [is it] to throw away the seat/chair of one's own home, to go arrive at the dust-visaya of other lands/worlds? A single wrong move, and [you] waste/fall past before [it].
Hitting the sitting (打坐 taza) in one's own home seat/chair is the singular concentration on one's own original face-eye. It is the deliberation on that which does not deliberate. Shikantaza (只管打坐) basically means 'only caring to hit this sitting'.
S12) 既得人身之機要，莫虛度光陰，保任佛道之要機。誰浪樂石火，加以、形質如草露，運命似電光，倏忽便孔，須臾即失。
When there's attainment to the human body's pivotal-essence, do not pass [your] time away for nothing. Protect the allowance of Buddha way's essential-pivot.
Who is carelessly/futilely enjoying the added flint sparks - where substantial forms are like grass dews, and life fortunes like lightning flashes; when in an instant [they are] hollowed, and in a moment, gone?
S13) 冀其參學高流，久習摸象，勿恠真龍，直指端的之道精進，尊貴絕學無為之人，合遝佛佛菩提，嫡嗣祖祖三昧。久是恁麼，須是恁麼。寶藏自開，受用如意也。
[Students] hoping to visit and learn from those of the highest level, [if you are] long drilled in [blind] groping of the elephant, be wary not to find weird the true dragon. [Practice] the way being directly pointed at with virya (energy/enthusiasm), respectfully honour the people of unconditioned terminated learning. Align to the bodhi of myriad Buddhas, be heir to the samadhi of all Ancestors.
[If] long be as such, simply as such [it] will be. The precious treasury opens naturally by-itself, receive and use the [treasure thus] as wished.
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學道人。十二時中心意識常要寂靜。
Student of the way, within [all] twelve periods (24 hours), the citta-mano/manas-vijnanas constantly have to be in quiet quiescence.
無事亦須靜坐。令心不放逸。身不動搖。
Even with no-matter/concern, [one] must sit quietly [in meditation], so that the mind will not be lax and the body will not be moved.
久久習熟。自然身心寧怗。於道有趣向分。
Practise [this quiet sitting] on and on for long to ripe-familiarity, [then] naturally the body and mind are peaceful/tranquil/even/stable, [then] there is the possibility of going towards the way.
寂靜波羅蜜。定眾生散亂妄覺耳。
The paramita of quiet quiescence, just stills the viksepa (scatteredness) and delusory perceptions of sentient beings only.
若執寂靜處便為究竟。則被默照邪禪之所攝持矣。
If [one] clings to the place of quiet quiescence as complete, then alas [one] is being held control by the crooked [type] of silent illumination meditation/dhyana.
近年愚昧杜撰之徒曰：“功夫坐禪，得胸襟無事了，便是平穩地也。”此見解，尚不及小乘之學者，較人天乘亦劣也，爭奈稱學佛法之漢！現在大宋國，恁麽功夫之人多。祖道荒蕪，可悲矣！
Lately, [there are] ignorant fools who make things up saying: “The practice of zazen, in attaining no concerns in the heart/chest, is therefore the peaceful stable ground.”
Such a view, can’t even reach up to the studies of the Small Vehicle (Hinayana), and is comparatively worse than that of the Humans-and-Gods Vehicle, how can [these fools] be called men who study the Buddha-dharma.
Now in the Great Song empire, people who practice like this are many. The [zen] ancestral way is barren, how sad.
"Grinding tile to become mirror" - zen teacher Huairang and Mazu
Translated from Zutang Ji in the section of zen teacher Huairang
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馬和尚在一處坐，讓和尚將磚去面前石上磨。
Upadhyaya Ma was sitting [in meditation] at one place. Upadhyaya [Huai]rang brought a tile in front of him and [started] grinding it on a rock.
馬師問：「作什摩？」師曰：「磨磚作鏡。」馬師曰：「磨磚豈得成鏡？」師曰：「磨磚尚不成鏡，坐禪豈得成佛也？」
Teacher Ma asked: “What [are you] doing?”
Teacher [Huairang] said: “Grinding tile to make mirror.”
Teacher Ma said: “How can grinding tile attain to [it] becoming mirror?”
Teacher [Huairang] said: “Since grinding tile cannot become mirror, how can sitting in zen/meditation attain to [one] becoming Buddha1 ?”
馬師曰：「如何即是？」師曰：「如人駕車，車若不行，打車即是，打牛即是？」師又曰：「汝為學坐禪，為學坐佛？若學坐禪，禪非坐臥。若學坐佛，佛非定相。於法無住，不可取舍，何為之乎？汝若坐佛，卻是殺佛。若執坐相，非解脫理也。」
Teacher Ma said: “What is it thus [to be then]?”
Teacher [Huairang] said: “Like a person driving a cart, if the cart’s not moving, is it thus to be hitting the cart, or is it thus to be hitting the ox?
Teacher [Huairang] continued saying: “You are doing [this] to learn sitting in zen/meditation or to learn sitting as a Buddha? If [it’s] to learn sitting in zen/meditation, zen/meditation isn’t sitting or reclining. If [it’s] to learn sitting as a Buddha, Buddha isn’t fixed characteristics. With regards to the dharma, [there is to be] no abiding/dwelling. In not grasping and forsaking, what’s there to be? If you sit [as] Buddha, [this is] instead killing Buddha. If [you] grip to the characteristic of sitting, [this is] not the principle of moksha2 .”
馬師聞師所說，從座而起，禮拜問曰：「如何用心即合禪定無相三昧？」師曰：「汝學心地法門，猶如下種。我說法要，譬彼天澤。汝緣合故，當見於道。」
Teacher Ma, having heard what Teacher [Huairang] said, [thus] stood up from [his] seat and prostrated, and then asked: “How to use mind to fit with zen meditation’s samadhi of non-characteristic?”
Teacher [Huairang] said: “You, learning the mind-ground dharma-gates3, is like sowing seeds4 . I, saying the essential dharma, is like the water from heaven. [If] therefore your condition fits, then there [will be] seeing of the way.”
又問：「和尚見道，當見何道？道非色故，云何能觀？」師曰：「心地法眼能見於道，無相三昧亦復然乎？」
Teacher Ma continued asking: “Upadhyaya, in seeing the way, what is the way that is seen? Since the way has no form, [please] say what can be observed/contemplated.”
Teacher [Huairang] said: “The dharma-eye of the mind-ground can see the way. The samadhi of non-characteristic is as such too.”
馬師曰：「可有成壞不？」師曰：「若契於道，無始無終，不成不懷，不聚不散，不長不短，不靜不亂，不急不緩。若如是解，當名為道。汝受吾教，聽吾偈曰：心地含諸種，遇澤悉皆萌。三昧花無相，何壞復何成？」
Teacher Ma said: “Is there becoming and decaying [of the way] or not?”
Teacher [Huairang] said: “If in accord to the way, there is no beginning and no end, no becoming and no decaying, no composition/gathering and no decomposition/separation, no long and no short, no quiescence and no chaos, no fast and no slow. If interpreted as such, it should be named as the way. You’ve received my teaching, listen to my gatha [too] –
The mind-ground holds myriad seeds5
In meeting water they all sprout
The flower of samadhi is without characteristic
How is there decaying and how is there becoming”
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Can refer to my previous post on Maha-abhijna-jnana-abhibhu Buddha sitting in bodhimanda for kalpas without becoming Buddha. Might be helpful to consider the various meanings of Buddha in the context of Mahayana Buddhism to appreciate these cases.
Moksha (解脫 jie tuo) is liberation. In Buddhism, moksha can be said to be ‘released’. As such, gripping to characteristics won’t be the principle of moksha/release.
Mind-ground dharma-gates (心地法門 xin di fa men) is based on the premise that the myriad dharmas are constructed and arisen in dependence to mind. This mind can be called the mind-ground. So the realisation of this so-called mind-ground is through the elimination of afflictions/obscurations by making use of the various dharmas (or dharma-gates) taught, while not clinging to the dharmas themselves too. A common Mahayana system of dharma-gates to realise the so-called mind-ground is that of the gradated stages of practice, like that of the mundane ten dwellings, ten conducts, ten transferences, ten meditative samadhis and ten noble grounds/bhumis. There are slight variations of such systems of dharma-gate in different Mahayana sutras. Can refer to the mind-ground dharma-gate system taught in the Brahmajala Sutra, or can refer to the system in Avatamsaka Sutra.
Note that zen teacher Huairang is not against practices like sitting meditation as dharma-gates within the context of mind-ground. He even likens such practices as sowing the seeds, similar to what other zen teachers say about dharma practices as preparatory work. Can refer to Yangshan’s comment about practising calm meditation, or Wansong’s comment on samatha-vipassana for those whose preparation is inadequate, or Baizhang’s comment on the threefold trainings of precept/meditation/wisdom for those ignorant of Buddhist teachings.
Seems similar to the teaching of alaya-vijnana as storehouse consciousness in the Yogacara system.
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僧恩[益+(邰-台)]问。禅宗顿悟。毕竟入门的意如何。师云。此意极难。若是祖宗门下。上根上智。一闻千悟。得大总持。其有根微智劣。若不安禅静虑。到这里总须茫然。
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Monk En asks:
"The sudden enlightenment of zen school, what is key to entering its door?"
Teacher (Yangshan) replies:
"The key to this is extremely difficult. If it's a [person] of this Ancestral clan, with superior capacity and superior wisdom, upon hearing it once, [he/she] would be enlightened to everything, attaining the great dharani1 .
"For those with weak capacity and poor wisdom, if they don't [practise] calm meditation and quiet contemplation, they would necessarily be lost and confused when they are here."
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A dharani is considered a Buddhist chant, incantation, mantra or some sort of magical phrase/formula.
From the Jingde Chuangdeng Lu (Jingde Lamp Transmission Records)
帝问曰。朕即位已来。造寺写经度僧不可胜纪。有何功德。师曰。并无功德。帝曰。何以无功德。师曰。此但人天小果有漏之因。如影随形虽有非实。帝曰。如何是真功德。答曰。净智妙圆体自空寂。如是功德不以世求。帝又问。如何是圣谛第一义。师曰。廓然无圣。帝曰。对朕者谁。师曰。不识。帝不领悟。师知机不契。是月十九日潜回
Emperor: Since ascending the throne, I had countless temples built and countless sutras copied, and the number of people becoming monks under my charge is countless. Please tell me about my merit.
Bodhidharma: There is actually no merit.
Emperor: Why is there no merit?
Bodhidharma: Such things are causes for the fruit of heavenly rebirth which [in the end] still leak. Like shadows following shape/form, although they are [something], they are not solid.
Emperor: What is true merit?
Bodhidharma: Pure wisdom1 of perfect subtlety, whose basis itself is empty and quiescent. Such merit cannot be sought by conventional2 means.
Emperor: So what is the holy/noble truth of ultimate meaning3 ?
Bodhidharma: Vast emptiness, no holiness/nobility.
Emperor: Who then is this4 standing before me?
Bodhidharma: Not known5 .
The Emperor was not awakened and Bodhidharma knew they were not in accord. And so, Bodhidharma left on the 19th of the month.
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Although translated as wisdom, the actual chinese character used is 智 (zhi) - 'jnana' - which in this context means 'non-dualistic proper knowing/knowledge'.
In Buddhism, there is that of the 'conventional' and that of the 'ultimate'. The 'conventional' refers to reality through the dualistic experience of a seemingly substantial world. The 'ultimate' describes everything as empty. So it's probably due to Bodhidharma's mention of the word 'conventional' here that Emperor Wu responded by asking about the 'ultimate'.
Holy/noble truth of ultimate meaning refers to ultimate truth, which describes everything as empty. The nuance here is that, this particular Buddhist terminology is usually stated as 'truth of ultimate meaning' (第一义谛). However, Emperor Wu stated it as 'holy/noble truth of ultimate meaning' (圣谛第一义). An extra holy/noble has been added. Hence Bodhidharma's specific reply of no holiness/nobility.
The pun on holy/noble continues with Emperor Wu asking who it was that's standing before him, because as per protocol, Bodhidharma would have been formally introduced to the imperial court as a holy monk yet, Bodhidharma himself had said 'no holiness/nobility' earlier on. It's a tough question to answer.
Although translated as 'not known', the actual chinese characters used for Bodhidharma's reply are 不识 - which in Mahayana Buddhism can mean 'not vijnana' (where 'vijnana' 识 refers to dualistic knowing/knowledge, as contrasted with 'jnana' 智 mentioned in pt 1). So the reply of 不识 carries two meanings at the same time - one of not known and one of not dualistically known. Bodhidharma was actually trying to help break the Emperor's dualistic view of holy/not-holy and self/other into vast emptiness, but in this case, it didn't succeed. Hence Bodhidharma soon left the place.
(commenting on the case of wind-flag-mind)
因能立所。所既妄立。生汝妄能。
Because of subject (active capability), the object (passive being subjected-to-ness) is established.
Since object is delusively established, there arises your delusive subject.
法本不有。莫作無見。法本不無。莫作有見。有之與無盡是情見。猶如幻翳。所以云。見聞如幻翳。知覺乃眾生。祖師門中只論息機忘見。
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Dharma originally does not have existence, [but] do not [then] make a view of non-existence. Dharma originally does not have non-existence, [but] do not [then] make a view of existence.
Being existent and [being] non-existent, all are impassioned views, just like obscuring illusions. Therefore it is said: “Seeing-hearing are like obscuring illusions.” “Knowing awareness turns out sentient beings.”
Within the Ancestral Teachers’ door, [there is] only that which is based on the pivotal-function of rest to forget/end views.
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舍利子，色不异空，空不异色；色即是空，空即是色。受、想、行、识，亦复如是。舍利子，是诸法空相，不生不灭，不垢不净，不增不减，是故空中无色，无受、想、行、识；无眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；无色、声、香、味、触、法；无眼界，乃至无意识界...
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Sariputra, form (rupa) is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is empty, empty is form. Sensation (vedana), perception (samjna), formation (sanskara), consciousness (vijnana) are also as such: [empty].
Sariputra, [this] is the empty characteristic of all dharmas - no arising, no passing away, no filthiness, no purity, no increment, no reduction.
[This] is because in emptiness, there are no form (rupa), no sensation (vedana), no perception (samjna), no formation (sanskara), no consciousness (vijnana), no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind (manas), no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no dharmas, no eye-realm, all through to no mind-consciousness (manas-vijnana) realm...
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秖為妄想分別造種種業果。本佛上實無一物。虛通寂靜。明妙安樂而已。深自悟入。直下便是。
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Only because of delusion and discrimination, various types of karmic fruit are [thus] made.
For the original Buddha, [there is] actually not a single thing. Only vacant accessibility, stilly quiescence, luminous subtlety and peaceful happiness.
Proceed deep in to enter this realisation yourself - directly so is it.
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As stated in the earlier post on Jneya-Obscuration, a key difference between Arahant and Buddha is that of access to all necessary knowledge for the teaching of dharma.
Buddha has this power of full access because all obscurations/obstructions have ceased.
為智障地障行障故。見自已佛性。如夜見色。如云佛地斷二愚。一微細所知愚。二極微細所知愚。故云有大智人。破塵出經卷。
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It is because of jneya-hindrance or bhumi-hindrance or practice-hindrance that seeing one’s own Buddha-nature becomes like seeing thing/form/colour in the night. As said, the Buddha-bhumi can sever these two foolishness – that of fine subtle known and that of extremely fine subtle known. There is therefore the saying that "a person of great jnana/wisdom, penetrated dust to reveal scrolls of sutra".
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The last line is a quote from Huayan Sutra where it’s mentioned that, within each speck of dust is contained a fabled collection of sutras whose size equals that of three thousand world-systems. As such, once a practitioner penetrates and sees through any single speck of dust, he/she also realises supposedly the teaching of all that is within this huge fabled collection.
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菩薩摩訶薩以諸眾生皆著於二，安住大悲，修行如是寂滅之法，得佛十力，入因陀羅網法界，成就如來無礙解脫人中雄猛大師子吼；得無所畏，能轉無礙清淨法輪；得智慧解脫，了知一切世間境界；絕生死迴流，入智慧大海；為一切眾生護持三世諸佛正法
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Mahasattvas, for the sake of sentient beings, all [work] on these two – peacefully abiding in great compassion and practicing the dharma of quiescent extinguishment (nirvana) as such – attaining Buddha’s ten powers of [knowledge], entering the dharma realm of Indra’s net to accomplish the Tathagata’s unobstructed liberation of the great majestic lion’s roar among beings; attaining the fearlessness of anything to be capable of turning the wheel of unobstructed pure dharma; attaining the liberation of wisdom to know thoroughly all worldly visayas; terminating the cyclic flow of birth-and-death and entering the great sea of wisdom to protect and uphold the proper dharma of past-present-future Buddhas for the sake of all sentient beings.
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A key difference between Arahant and Buddha is that of simultaneous access to all necessary knowledge for the teaching of dharma.
Buddha has this power of full access because all obscurations/obstructions have ceased. The Arahant supposedly does not because only klesha obstructions/hindrances have ceased and not jneya obscurations/hindrances.
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但隨緣消舊業。更莫造新殃。心裏明明。所以舊時見解總須捨卻。淨名云。除去所有。法華云。二十年中常令除糞。秖是除去心中作見解處。又云。蠲除戲論之糞。所以如來藏本自空寂并不停留一法。故經云。諸佛國土亦復皆空。
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Just accord with conditions to exhaust old karma. More importantly, don’t make new disastrous [karma].
Be luminously clear in the mind, so interpretive views of former times should all be forsaken.
The Vimalakirti Sutra states: "Remove everything."
The Lotus Sutra states: "For twenty years, constantly allow the removal of shit, just to rid that where interpretive views are made in the mind."
The Lotus Sutra also states: "Eliminate the shit of papañca (mental proliferation), and so the Tathagatagarbha (womb/treasury of the Tathagata) is as itself originally empty and still, stopping and retaining not a single dharma."
Therefore the sutra states: "Buddha-lands are then also returned all to emptiness."
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師云。你纔認著道是。便被縛腳縛手。更轉動不得也。則被你一認認了。縱有千般。亦不是也。你若不認著。卻有箇救處。譬如造得一隻船。上面一一裝載了。要千里外至乎寶所。纔動手你先自釘下樁。繫卻船了。卻用力搖櫓。你搖到彌勒下生。也祇在岸邊。你見船東簸西簸。將謂是轉動。又何曾離得一步來。又似磨茶漢子。從早至夜。團欒旋轉。極是好笑。若眼目不分明底。見你認著向你道是也。被明眼人覷見。點檢出來多少露栓索。如今多分祇用箇如今底道。總離如今不得。祇被恁麼地釘下樁。參學不得旨趣。一時把來錯會了。做箇主宰。不知佛法不恁麼會。
Foyan said:
"Upon you identifying that [this] is the way, your hands and legs are immediately bound, you can’t even turn and move a bit. For once you’ve identified [that this is the way], even if there is a thousand variation [of it], they are all not [the way]. If you don’t make an identification [of the way], there is still [hope] of saving you.
"Like building a boat well-equipped to travel a thousand miles to reach a place of treasure. If upon putting [the boat] in action, you yourself first nail a stake down to anchor the boat, and then still try to row the oar hard, even if you row till Maitreya descends, you are still on the shore. You can see the boat rocking from side to side, thinking it’s moving. Yet when has it ever moved a step? It’s similar to the guy grinding tea leaves from morning till night, going circularly round and round [stuck at the same place]. It’s hilarious.
"Should someone whose eye is not sharp and clear, saw you making an identification [of the way], he would tell you, 'Yes.'
But if you are seen through by one with sharp eye, how much of the chains tethered [around you] would be exposed upon examination?
"Nowadays, most people only employ the contemporary way. Unable after all to leave behind the contemporary, one is nailed down with a stake as such. Because when the key principle is not understood through visitation-learning, there can be a moment of grasping on wrong realisation. Then acting like they are in charge, they do not know that Buddha-dharma is not realised like this.
不見麻谷持錫見章敬。谷振錫一下卓然而立。敬曰是是。又見南泉亦如前。泉曰。不是不是。谷曰。章敬道是。和尚何得道不是。泉曰。章敬則是是。汝不是。此是風力所轉。終歸敗壞。谷方省過。你諸人看。幾錯會一生。爭得不就人決擇。
"Isn’t it seen that Magu held a staff with his hand to see Zhangjing? He shook the staff once and stood outstandingly. Zhangjing said to him, 'Yes, yes.' Then on meeting Nanquan, Magu did the same as before. But Nanquan said, 'No, no.' Magu asked, 'Zhangjing said yes. Why do you say no?' Nanquan replied, 'It is Zhangjing that is yes. You are not. What you have done is due to the causation of wind power; it will eventually fail and deteriorate.' It was then that Magu awoke.
"All you people look, [Magu] almost had a wrong realisation that would last his lifetime, if not for someone who pointed it out to him."
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世尊一日升座。文殊白槌云。谛观法王法。法王法如是。世尊便下座。
The World-Honoured One ascended the seat one day. Manjusri struck with the gavel announcing: “Examine/observe/contemplate the dharma king’s dharma. The dharma king’s dharma is as such. The World-Honoured One thus descended the seat.
一段真风见也么。绵绵化母理机梭。织成古锦含春象。无柰东君漏泄何。
(Verses) A breeze of real wind, seen [it] yet? Continuously the transformation-mother operates the pivotal machine. Weaving into an ancient brocade containing spring’s presence. But alas the Eastern Lord (Spring/Sun-god) divulges!
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大凡涉世有余之士，久胶于尘劳中，忽然得人指令向静默处作工夫，乍得胸中无事，便认著以为究竟安乐。殊不知，似石压草，虽暂觉绝消息，奈何根株犹在，宁有证彻寂灭之期。
Generally those who engage in worldly affairs, long being stuck in the dusty toils of labour, when in their moments of leisure receive instructions to make work of [sitting] in quiet silence, attain suddenly [an instant] of no concern in their chests, [they] then recognize and cling to the assumption that this is the ultimate peaceful bliss.
[But they] don’t know, [this is only] like a rock pressing/covering on the grass. Although there is a temporary feeling of termination, alas the root strands are still around, it isn’t yet the date when thorough quiescent extinguishment (nirvana) is verified.
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不见古来有一持戒僧。一生持戒。忽因夜行。踏著一物作声。谓是一虾蟆。腹中有子无数。惊悔不已。
Isn't it seen in ancient time that there was a vinaya monk who upheld the precepts throughout [his] life. Suddenly because of a walk in the night, [he] stepped onto an object that made a [squishing] sound.
Believing it to be a frog with countless babies in its tummy, [his] shock and regret was beyond control.
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忽然睡著。梦见数百虾蟆来问索命。其僧深怀怖惧。及至天晓观之。乃一老茄耳。
When [he] abruptly fell asleep [later], seen in the dream were hundreds of frogs which came asking for [his] life. Deep horror filled this monk, until day broke, when [he] went to examine [the place] only to find that it was just an old eggplant.
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其僧当下疑情顿息。方知道三界无法。始解履践修行。
For this monk, there was a sudden cessation of suspicion/doubt-passion in that instant. Then [he] knew that the three realms have no dharma, and started to understand the practical application of cultivation-practice.
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山僧问你诸人。只如夜间踏著时。为复是虾蟆。为复是老茄。若是虾蟆。天晓看是老茄。若是老茄。天未晓时又有虾蟆索命。还断得么。
Let this mountain monk (Foyan) ask you all:
Just at that moment of stepping onto [it] in the night - was it a frog, or was it an old eggplant? If it was a frog, [yet] in day-break it was seen as an eggplant. If it was an eggplant, [yet] before day-break there were frogs [seen] asking for life.
[Are you all] able to decide?
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山僧试为诸人断看。虾蟆情已脱。茄解尚犹存。要得无茄解。日午打黄昏。
Let this mountain monk try to help you all decide:
Frog-passion is already shed,
Understanding of eggplant still yet remains.
To attain the understanding of no-eggplant,
Strike in midday the evening.
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久立。
[You've all been] standing too long.
一切眾生輪迴生死者。意緣走作心。於六道不停。致使受種種苦。淨名云。難化之人心如猿猴。故以若干種法制禦其心。然後調伏。所以心生種種法生。心滅種種法滅。故知一切諸法皆由心造。乃至人天地獄六道修羅。盡由心造。
All sentient beings in the samsaric cycle of birth and death – their manas1 conditions a continuously wild mind. Nonstop in the six ways2 – this results in them experiencing the various types of suffering. Vimalakirti states: People who are difficult to transform, their minds are like apes/monkeys. Therefore different types of dharma are used to control such a mind first, then to tame it later3. Hence when [such a] mind arises, these different types of dharma arise; when [such a] mind ceases, these different types of dharma cease. Therefore, know that all different types of dharma are entirely because of mind. Even [birth into] the six realms – ranging from humans, gods, hells to asuras – they are all because of mind.
1) Manas is one of the six sense roots described in the Buddhist teaching of ayatana (sense sphere).
2) Six ways refer to the six samsara ways of existence: hellish-being (naraka), hungry ghost (preta), animal (tiryag), human (manusya), demi-god (asura) and heavenly-being (deva).
3) This is a quote from Chapter 10 of Vimalakirti Sutra where Vimalakirti was asked why Shakyamuni taught the dharma to sentient beings. Vimalakirti’s reply was that sentient beings of our world are stubborn and difficult to convert, hence different types of dharma are taught to first subdue their minds, then to tame and pacify them. He then gave the example of how wild elephants and horses are tamed through the infliction of torturous pain.
For more details of my translation on this case, please watch the video explanation at:
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俱胝竪指 Juzhi Holds Up Finger
俱胝和尚。凡有詰問。唯舉一指。
Upadhyaya Juzhi, whenever there were interrogative questions [asked], only raised up a finger.
後有童子。因外人問。和尚說何法要。童子亦竪指頭。
Later there was [this attendant] boy, because an outsider/visitor asked “What dharma essential does the Upadhyaya teach/say?”, the boy also held up [his] fingertip.
胝聞。遂以刃斷其指。童子負痛號哭而去。
When [Ju]zhi heard [of this], [he] thus used a blade to sever [the boy’s] finger. The boy howled crying in pain and [ran] away.
胝復召之。童子迴首。胝却竪起指。童子忽然領悟。
[Ju]zhi responded by calling [the boy] to return. As the boy turned back his head, [Ju]zhi held up a finger instead. The boy suddenly received enlightenment/awakening.
胝將順世。謂眾曰。吾得天龍一指頭禪。一生受用不盡。言訖示滅。
When [Ju]zhi was about to pass away from the world, [he] told the assembly saying: “I attained Tianlong’s one-fingertip zen, and benefited from its usage [my] whole life without end.”
After saying this, [he] displayed nirvana.
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無門曰。Wumen says:
俱胝并童子悟處。不在指頭上。
Where Juzhi and the boy were enlightened/awakened, it wasn’t at the fingertip.
若向者裏見得。天龍同俱胝并童子。與自己一串穿却。
If towards this the seeing is attained, Tianlong, together with Juzhi and the boy, including yourself, is strung and penetrated/exposed through.
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俱胝鈍置老天龍 利刃單提勘小童 巨靈擡手無多子 分破華山千萬重
Juzhi tormentingly busied old Tianlong
Sharp blade singularly held to correct the small boy
Juling (the giant spirit) lifted his hand without many sons
And smashed apart the billion layers of Hua Mountain
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For more details of my translation on this case, please watch the video explanation at:
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百丈野狐 Baizhang’s Wild Fox
百丈和尚。凡參次有一老人。常隨眾聽法。眾人退老人亦退。
Upadhyaya Baizhang, whenever [he ascended the hall] to give a sermon, there was an old man who would follow the congregation to listen to the dharma [talk].
When the congregation retreated [from the hall], the old man would also retreat.
忽一日不退。
Suddenly one day, [the old man] did not retreat.
師遂問。面前立者復是何人。
Teacher [Baizhang] thus asked: “[He] who is standing before [me], [please] reply what person [you] are.”
老人云。諾某甲非人也。於過去迦葉佛時。曾住此山。
The old man said:
“Yes [sir], this me is actually not a [human] person. In the past during the time of Kasyapa Buddha, [I] once stayed at this [Baizhang] Mountain.
因學人問。大修行底人還落因果。也無。某甲對云。不落因果。五百生墮野狐身。
“Because of a student asking: ‘Great practitioners still fall into cause-and-fruition or not?’ This me replied: ‘Not fall into cause-and-fruition.’
“[Hence] for five hundred lives [I] dropped in a wild fox body.
今請和尚。代一轉語貴脫野狐。
“Now [I] beseech Upadhyaya to [give on my] behalf a turning phrase worthy of shedding/liberating [this] wild fox.”
遂問。大修行底人還落因果。也無。師云。不昧因果。老人於言下大悟。
Thereafter [the old man] asked:
“Great practitioners still fall into cause-and-fruition or not?”
Teacher said: “Not ignorant of cause-and-fruition.”
Upon [hearing] these words, the old man had a great awakening/enlightenment.
作禮云。某甲已脫野狐身。住在山後。敢告和尚。乞依亡僧事例。
[The old man] made prostration and said: “This me has shed the wild fox body, which stays at the back of the mountain. [I] implore Upadhyaya to follow the ritual of deceased monk [in treating this body].”
師令維那白槌告眾。食後送亡僧。大眾言議。一眾皆安。涅槃堂又無人病。何故如是。
Teacher had the Director strike with the mallet to inform the assembly, that after mealtime, there will be sending off of a deceased monk.
The great assembly was in murmurs: “Everyone in the assembly is safe. The Nirvana Hall also [holds] no one sick. What is the reason for this?”
食後只見師領眾。至山後巖下。以杖挑出一死野狐。乃依火葬。
After meal, it was seen that Teacher [Baizhang] led the assembly to the back of the mountain to under the cliff where [he] used a staff to dig out a dead wild fox, which [he treated] in accordance to [Buddhist] cremation.
師至晚上堂。舉前因緣。黃蘗便問。古人錯祇對一轉語。墮五百生野狐身。轉轉不錯。合作箇甚麼。
At night, Teacher ascended the hall and raised/highlighted the causal conditions of the [event] earlier.
Huangbo thus asked: “The ancient one(s), in wrongly responding a turning phrase, drops into five hundred lives of a wild fox body. In not wrongly turning the turning [phrase], what of the co-operation?”
師云。近前來與伊道。黃蘗遂近前。與師一掌。師拍手笑云。將謂胡鬚赤。更有赤鬚胡。
Teacher said: “Come closer and [I] will tell you.” So Huangbo went closer, and gave Teacher a palm/slap.
Teacher clapped and laughingly said: “[I] thought the barbarian’s beard is red, but it is red beard that’s the barbarian.”
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無門曰。Wumen says:
不落因果。為甚墮野狐。不昧因果。為甚脫野狐。
“Not fall into cause-and-fruition” – why then drop to a wild fox?
“Not ignorant of cause-and-fruition” – why then liberated from the wild fox?
若向者裏著得一隻眼。便知得。前百丈贏得。風流五百生。
If towards this [you] attained a single eye, then [you] will know that the former Baizhang has won that of streaming on in the wind for five hundred lives.
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不落不昧 兩采一賽 不昧不落 千錯萬錯
Not fall, not ignorant – Two awards in one race
Not ignorant, not fall – Thousand mistakes and ten-thousand mistakes
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For more details of my translation on this case, please watch the video explanation at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuH3SnkLT4U
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趙州狗子 Zhaozhou’s doggy
趙州和尚因僧問。狗子還有佛性。也無。州云無。
Upadhyaya Zhaozhou, because of a monk asking: “Doggy still have Buddha-nature, or not?”,
[Zhao]zhou said: “No.”
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無門曰。Wumen says:
參禪須透祖師關。妙悟要窮心路絕。
To engage in dhyana/zen, there has to be a penetration through of the ancestral teacher’s pass. [To realise] wondrous enlightenment/awakening, it requires impoverishing the paths of mind to termination.
祖關不透。心路不絕。盡是依草附木精靈。
[Should] the ancestral pass be not penetrated through, the paths of mind be not terminated, all’s just spiritual essence that sticks to grass and trees.
且道。如何是祖師關。只者一箇無字。乃宗門一關也。遂目之曰禪宗無門關。
So, what is the ancestral teacher’s pass? Just this one word – No.
[It is] the one pass of this [Zen Buddhist] school’s gate/method. Hence the title [of this text] is known as: "Zen School’s No-Gate Pass".
透得過者。非但親見趙州。便可與歷代祖師。把手共行。眉毛廝結。同一眼見。同一耳聞。豈不慶快。
Those who can penetrate through, not only do [they] intimately/personally see Zhaozhou, [they] too can with the various generations of ancestral teachers, hand-in-hand walking together, eyebrows knitted together, seeing with the same eye, hearing with the same ear.
Isn’t this celebratorily joyous?
莫有要透關底。麼將三百六十骨節八萬四千毫竅。通身起箇疑團。參箇無字。
Should there be [those who] want to penetrate the pass, have the three hundred and sixty bones and joints, with the eighty-four thousand pores of skin, all the body throughout aroused [and gathered] into a mass of doubt, and investigate/engage the single word "no (無)."
晝夜提撕。莫作虛無會。莫作有無會。如吞了箇熱鐵丸相似。吐又吐不出。蕩盡從前惡知惡覺。
Carry it day and night, without understanding [‘no’] as a vacant no-thingness, without understanding [‘no’] through a [dualistic formulation of] yes/no. It’s like swallowing a red-hot iron ball that can’t be spat out even if [you] try, wiping out all previous foul knowledge and foul feeling.
久久純熟。自然內外打成一片。如啞子得夢。只許自知。
By and by with familiarity, the internal and external will merge into one on its own. Like a mute having a dream, only you know it for yourself.
驀然打發。驚天動地。如奪得關將軍大刀入手。逢佛殺佛。逢祖殺祖。
Then suddenly, a release – astonishing the heavens and shaking the earth – like snatching the great blade of general Guan Yu in hand: meet Buddhas, kill Buddhas; meet ancestors, kill ancestors.
於生死岸頭得大自在。向六道四生中。遊戲三昧。
At the shore of [the sea of] life and death, attaining great freedom/autonomy, heading among the six-ways and four-births in flowing plays samadhi.
且作麼生提撕。盡平生氣力。舉箇無字。若不間斷。好似法燭一點便著。
So, how to carry this [out]? Use [your] whole life’s energy and strength to raise this single word "no". If there’s no breakage in between, it’s like a dharma candle that, once lit, catches fire.
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狗子佛性 全提正令 纔涉有無 喪身失命
Doggy’s Buddha-nature
Fully carry the proper command
Just in getting involved with yes/no
Body is forfeited, life is lost
梵语安那般那。译云出息入息。其法有六。一数二随三止四观五还六净。具如天台止观。预备不虞者不可不知。沩山警策道教理未尝措怀。玄道无因契悟。宝藏论可怜。无价之宝。隐在阴入之坑。何时得灵光独耀迥脱根尘去。
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The Sanskrit term “anapana” is translated as “out-breath, in-breath”. Its methods/dharmas are six:
Count
Follow
Cease (samatha)
Contemplate (vipassana)
Return
Purify
All are just as the samatha-vipassana [teachings] of Tiantai [school]. Those whose preparations are inadequate mustn’t not know [this].
[For it is] said in Guishan’s Admonitions: "[That those who] are unconcerned with the [Buddhist] doctrines, do not have the [necessary] causes to accord realisation to the profound way."
[Just as] the Precious/Jewel Treasury sastra [states]: "Pitifully the priceless precious/jewel [lies] hidden inside the pit of [five] skandhas/aggregates."
So when then will there be attainment to the spiritual light’s solitary shine shedding off [both the six] sense-roots and sense-dusts?
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My translation from the Orthodox Compilation of Five Lamps (五灯严统 wu deng yan tong):
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属岁大旱。宋理宗召师祈雨。还而默坐。帝遣内侍问之。师曰。寂然不动。感而遂通。既而大雨。赐号佛眼禅师。
During the period of great drought, [emperor] Song Lizong called teacher [Wumen Huikai] to pray for rain.
[Wumen Huikai] responded [to the emperor's call] to thus sit silently.
The emperor dispatched an attendant to ask [Wumen Huikai what he was doing].
Teacher [Wumen Huikai] said: "Quiescently so without moving, contacting to thereupon connect."
[When his sitting] was completed, there was great rain.
[Wumen Huikai] was bestowed the title Zen Teacher Foyan (Buddha-Eye).
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(Dayi is a disciple of zen teacher Mazu, and the first monk associated with the Hongzhou school to be invited by the imperial court to teach at Chang'an - the capital city of Tang dynasty then.)
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There are several varieties of investigation/participation in meditation (dhyana/zen) and learning the way (dao). The key is that the person doing it can choose [amongst them to reach] the highest.
参禅学道几般样，要在当人能择上。
Don’t just forget shapes/forms or to make dead the mind. These [practices] are the most sunken/difficult diseases to cure.
莫只忘形与死心，此个难医病最深。
[One] has to directly sit in thorough exploration of the source of the depth. This is the way that has been passed down since ancient past to the present across the world.
直须坐究探渊源，此道古今天下传。
Sit upright properly so, like Mount Tai, majestically/toweringly yet not [wasting time] by guarding empty idleness.
正坐端然如泰山，巍巍不要守空闲。
[One] has to directly raise the sharpness of the blown-hair [sword], to dissect the ultimate truth/meaning from the West-coming.
直须提起吹毛利，要剖西来第一义。
Stare till the eye is gone and the brows plucked away. Repeatedly look at him/it – what is he/it?
瞠却眼兮剔起眉，反复看渠渠是谁。
Just like to catch a thief, [one] should locate/see the loot. [Then] there will be no fear of the thief hiding deep beneath.
还如捉贼须见赃，不怕贼埋深处藏。
With jnana/wisdom, capturing and recovery [happens] in an instant. Without jnana/wisdom, even after years, [one still can’t even] see a shadow [of it].
有智捉获刹那顷，无智经年不见影。
It is deeply sighed, that steady sitting which is constantly like dead, even after thousand of years and ten-thousand of ages, [would] still just be like this.
深嗟兀坐常如死，千年万岁只如此。
If [sittings] like this are equated to the Zen School, [it will] fail the house custom of [Buddha] holding flower and [Mahakasyapa] gently smiling.
若将此等当禅宗，拈花微笑丧家风。
[Such failures of] sitting under the black mountain soaked in dead water, how to banish them from across the vast land.
黑山下坐死水浸，大地漫漫如何禁。
But if [one is] a steely and bronzy eyed guy, [then practise] to be skilled in using the mind to determine for oneself,
若是铁眼铜睛汉，把手心头能自判。
[Relentlessly] until the date of awakening arrives, [to then give] a loud burst of the lion’s roar.
直须著到悟为期，哮吼一声狮子儿。
Don’t you see,
君不见，
The metaphor of polishing tile to make mirror has its reason: when the cart doesn’t move, hit the ox.
磨砖作镜喻有由，车不行兮在打牛，
Don’t [you] also see,
又不见，
The deep/tranquil water by the cliff’s edge is ten-thousand fathoms clear/pure, hiddenly still/silent as if without sound.
岩前湛水万丈清，沉沉寂寂杳无声。
[But should] one day fishes and dragons come stirring [it], and the roiling and surging of the waves become truly severe,
一朝鱼龙来搅动，波翻浪涌真堪重。
[If it] just has been quiet sitting without employing work [of investigation], which year then [would one] achieve realisation to mind’s emptiness?
譬如静坐不用工，何年及第悟心空。
[So] quickly act on it, observing/contemplating from a high level, to guarantee what’s taught will be settled by this lifetime.
急下手兮高著眼，管取今生教了办。
If [you] still mutely indulge in apparent foolishness, [then] know that you have not understood how to work [on sitting meditation].
若还默默恣如愚，知君未解做工夫。
Rouse [your] energy/spirit and look intently. [What’s] formless/shapeless and traceless/shadowless is not difficult to enlighten to.
抖擞精神著意看，无形无影悟不难。
It requires total-true (sincere) use of intent, which brave and vigorous heroes/men should therefore remember.
此是十分真用意，勇猛丈夫却须记。
Be careful not to listen/believe [the idea] that the dao/way need not be investigated. [Regard] the ancient sages’ patient [teachings] as [your] compass.
切莫听道不须参，古圣孜孜为指南。
Although the old building/library is [just] an idle plantation-land, once won over the attainment is [still] yet to be.
虽然旧阁闲田地，一度赢来得也未。
To know the importance/highest of sitting meditation’s unmovedness, all that of the wind’s movements which bend grasses must be noted/commented upon.
要识坐禅不动尊，凤行草偃悉皆论。
And then now that the four seas are clear/pure like mirror, the head of each and everything can be heard by me.
而今四海清如镜，头头物物皆吾听。
Long-short square-round only [I] know for myself. Right from the start, the strands of hair have never moved.
长短方圆只自知，从来丝发不曾移。
If [one] asks what’s the matter of sitting meditation’s accomplishment: the day emerges east and the night falls west.
若问坐禅成底事，日出东方夜落西。
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平常心 (ping chang xin) is a famous term probably first brought up by zen teacher Mazu.
It is usually translated as "ordinary mind", but I feel such a translation might mislead people into thinking that it's a mind of worldly mundaneness.
It might be helpful to understand that 平常心 (ping chang xin), literally, means that of the flat/even constant mind. Whereby 平 (flat/even) relates to featureless or characteristicless, and 常 (constant) relates to deathless or non-arising/non-passing.
Here is zen teacher Mazu's teaching on what 平常心 (ping chang xin) is:
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Recorded Sayings Of Mazu
道不用修、但莫污染。何為污染。但有生死心、造作趣向、皆是污染。若欲直會其道、平常心是道。謂平常心、無造作、無是非、無取捨、無斷常、無凡無聖。經云、非凡夫行、非賢聖行、是菩薩行。只如今、行住坐臥、應機接物、盡是道。道即是法界。乃至河沙玅用。不出法界。
The way doesn’t need practice/cultivation, just don’t filth-stain [it].
What is filth-staining? Once there exists the mind of birth and death, engagement/inclination in fabrication-work, all these are filth-staining.
If [you] want to directly understand this way, then the flat/even constant mind is the way.
What’s called flat/even constant mind:- no fabrication-work, no is and isn’t, no grasping and rejecting, no annihilation and eternity, no mundaneness and no holiness.
The [Vimalakirti] Sutra says, “Not the activity of mundane-folks, not the activity of holy-sages, is the activity of bodhisattvas.”
Just as now - walking/standing/sitting/reclining, responding [according to the] pivotal-function in dealing with things - all is the way. The way is the dharma-realm.
Even as many as the river-sands number of subtle functionings, none escapes the dharma-realm.
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As pointed out by Mazu, the flat/even constant mind is not mundane. It is also not holy. He even quoted Vimalarkirti Sutra to say that it is not the activity of mundane-folks nor the activity of holy-sages.
According to some sutras (like the Avatamsaka Sutra), those embarking on the practice of the three virtues, they are considered mundane but virtuous people. While those who are done with the three virtues and are embarking on the practice of the ten holiness (bhumis), they are considered holy people. Only the stage of perfect awakening is considered Buddha, transcending the dualistic domain of mundaneness and holiness.
So the flat/even constant mind is actually Buddha, which is perhaps why zen teacher Mazu for quite a while also promoted the saying "This mind is Buddha".
And the teaching of zen is generally not that of practising to attain something concrete (like that of the dharma of mundane virtues or the dharma of the holy bhumis), but that of not filth-staining.
Because the goal of Bodhisattvas goes beyond that of the nirvana of the sravaka-yana or the pratyekabuddha-yana to arrive at Buddhahood.
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(some more thoughts):
As to the literal translation of 平常心 (ping chang xin) as flat/even constant mind:
Flat/even (平 ping) - probably relates to transcendence of duality
Constant (常 chang) - probably relates to the unborn and deathless nature of the mind
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心即是佛。所以一切諸度門中佛心第一。但無生死煩惱等心。即不用菩提等法。所以道。佛說一切法。度我一切心。我無一切心。何用一切法。從佛至祖。並不論別事。唯論一心。亦云一乘。所以十方諦求更無餘乘。此眾無枝葉。唯有諸貞實。所以此意難信。達摩來此土。至梁魏二國。秖有可大師一人。密信自心。言下便會。即心是佛。身心俱無。是名大道。大道本來平等。所以深信含生同一真性。心性不異。即性即心。心不異性。名之為祖。所以云。認得心性時。可說不思議。
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Mind is the Buddha. Hence among the many gates/methods of crossing-over, Buddha-mind is foremost. As long as there aren’t the various minds of birth-and-death1 and kleshas2 , there is no use for the various dharmas of bodhi (awakening). Hence it is said: Buddha speaks of all possible dharmas to cross-over all possible minds of ours. I don’t have all these minds, why use all these dharmas?3
From Buddha to the Ancestors (the zen patriarchs), they don’t comment on other matters. They comment only on the one-mind, which is also known as ekayana (the one-vehicle)4. Hence even if carefully sought in the ten directions, there is no other available except the one-vehicle. This public [one-vehicle] is without branches and leaves; it only has every true reality. So this is highly unbelievable [to most people].
Bodhidharma came to this land (China), to the kingdoms of Liang and Wei. And only one person, the great teacher Huike, had intimate faith in his own mind, realising it immediately upon mention that – this mind is Buddha.
The complete absence of body and mind is named the great way. And the great way is originally equal. Therefore deeply trust that all lifeforms have the same singular true nature. Mind and nature don’t differ; this nature is the mind. The mind not differing from nature is named ‘Ancestor’. Therefore it is said: Upon recognising the mind-nature, it is said to be inconceivable5 .
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The mind (citta) originated by causes-conditions is subjected to cessation, and hence there is birth-and-death. The mind-basis, which is uncaused and unconditioned, is thus unborn and deathless.
Kleshas are mental states that afflict the mind. Three key kleshas often talked about are greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha).
According to the preface of the text 'Compiled Explanations of Zen's Source' written by Guifeng Zongmi, it was the Sixth Ancestral Teacher (Huineng) who said this. However, this quote cannot be found in any of the extant version of 'Sixth Ancestor's Platform Sutra'.
The Lotus Sutra declares that the three vehicles of the Śrāvaka (sound-hearer), Pratyekabuddha (condition-awakener), and Bodhisattva (bodhicitta-aspirer) are actually just three expedient devices for attracting beings to the one buddha vehicle, via which they all become buddhas.
This is supposedly a gatha spoken by the Indian 23rd Zen Ancestral Teacher Haklenayasas to the 24th Zen Ancestral Teacher Simhabodhi.
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問。如何是佛。師云。即心是佛。無心是道。但無生心動念有無長短彼我能所等心。心本是佛。佛本是心。心如虛空。所以云。佛真法身猶若虛空。不用別求。有求皆苦。設使恒沙劫行六度萬行得佛菩提。亦非究竟。何以故。為屬因緣造作故。因緣若盡還歸無常。所以云。報化非真佛。亦非說法者。但識自心。無我無人本來是佛。
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Someone asked:
“What is the Buddha?”
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Teacher (Huangbo) said:
“This mind is the Buddha. No-mind is the way. Just don’t give birth to any mind and activate any thought, such that the various minds of existence-and-non-existence, of long-and-short, of me-and-others, of can-and-can-be, are all absent. Mind is originally Buddha. Buddha is originally mind. Because the mind is like empty sky, it is stated: 'Buddha’s true dharmakaya (dharma-body) is like empty sky'. There’s no need to specially seek elsewhere. For all seeking is suffering.
"Supposing there’s an attainment of Buddhahood and bodhi through countless eons of practising the six paramitas and ten-thousand practices, it is still not complete. Why so? Because all these belong to the fabrication and working of causes-conditions. When these causes-conditions end, there is still the return to impermanence. Therefore it is said, the sambhogakaya (reward-body) and the nirmanakaya (transformation-body) are not the true Buddha. They are also not the speaker of dharma. Just recognise your mind – absent of self-and-others – is originally the Buddha."
然而毫釐有差天地懸隔、違順纔起 紛然失心。直饒誇會豐悟兮、獲瞥地之智通、得道明心兮、擧衝天之志氣、雖逍遙於入頭之邊量、幾虧闕於出身之活路。
Yet a hair-breadth's deviation [result] in the vast separation of heaven-and-earth. Just when there is [an inclination of] going-against or going-with, the mind is lost in confusion. Even if you can boast of plentiful enlightenments, obtaining brief insights of unobstructed jnana, attaining the way to illuminate the mind, riding the aspiration to soar the heaven, although there is freedom to explore the fringe manifestation of the entrance, there is still deficiency with regards to the live path that gets one out.
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所以須休尋言逐語之解行、須學囘光返照之退歩。身心自然脱落、本來面目現前。欲得恁麼事、 急務恁麼事。
Therefore [one] should stop the practice of seeking words and chasing phrases to [obtain] explanation/interpretation. [One] should learn the retreating move of reversing the light to return the illumination. As mind and body fall away by themselves, the original face-eye is manifested. If [one] wishes to attain this, [one] should urgently act on this [matter of seated meditation].
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兀兀坐定、思量箇不思量底。不思量底、如何思量、非思量、此乃坐禪之要術也。所謂、坐禪非習禪也、唯是安樂之法門也、 究盡菩提之修證也。公案現成、籮籠未到。
Diligently/steadily sit in samadhi, deliberate that which does not deliberate. That which does not deliberate, how can it be deliberated upon? Non-deliberation - this is the essential art of seated meditation. What is called seated meditation, is not learning/drilling in meditation. It is just the dharma-gate of peaceful happiness, the practice-verification of complete understanding of bodhi. It is a koan presently/ready-made, and can't be caged/snared.
夫語須辨緇素。須識總別語。須識了義不了義教語。
In speaking, one should discern between black and white1 . One should know to speak generally and to speak particularly. One should know to speak the teaching of complete-meaning and to speak the teaching of incomplete-meaning.
Black and white here refers to the colour of robes in Buddhism. Black means the black-robed monks, while white means the white-robed lay Buddhists (house-holders).
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了義教辨清。不了義教辨濁。說穢法邊垢揀凡。說清法邊垢揀聖。
The teaching of complete-meaning discerns purity. The teaching of incomplete-meaning discerns impurity. The tainted side of the impure dharma is spoken to cull the mundane. The tainted side of the pure dharma is spoken to cull the holy.
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從九部教說向前。眾生無眼。須人雕琢。若於聾俗人前說。直須教渠出家持戒。修禪學惠。若是過量俗人。亦不得向佗恁麼說。如維摩詰傅大士等類。
Before they are exposed to the sayings of the nine divisions1 of [Buddhist] teaching, sentient beings have no eyes2 , thus they require someone to sculpt/educate them. Should one speak to worldly people who are deaf3 , they should directly be taught to renunciate [leave the household to become a monk], to observe precepts, to practise meditation and to learn wisdom. If it is to worldly people who are beyond measure, like that of Vimalakirti or Mahasattva Fu, such things should not be spoken to them.
A common and popular way of categorizing Buddhist teaching is to divide it into three, which is what's known as the tri-pitaka (three baskets) - the vinaya pitaka (rules and regulations), the sutta pitaka (discourses of the Buddha), the abhidhamma pitaka (scholastic analysis and summary of buddha's teaching). But the tri-pitaka is not the only way of dividing and categorizing buddhist teachings. The teachings have also been categorized into nine divisions or twelve divisions. For those who are interested, https://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/62.htm provides more info on the nine divisions.
According to Buddhism, sentient beings who have no eyes do not have the Right View.
Worldly people who are deaf refers to those who are ignorant of Buddha’s teaching.
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若於沙門前說。佗沙門已受白四羯磨訖。具足全是戒定慧力。更向佗恁麼說。名非時語。說不應時。亦名綺語。若是沙門。須說淨法邊垢。須說離有無等法。離一切修證。亦離於離。
If it is to sramanas1 who have already gone through the jnapticaturtha-karman2 and are thus filled full with the power of precepts, meditative-concentration and wisdom, to speak to them of such things is also called inappropriate speech. Speaking inappropriately is idle speech. One should instead speak to them the tainted side of the pure dharma. One should tell them to detach from the various dharmas of existence and non-existence, to detach from all practice-verification, and to also detach from detachment itself.
In Chinese, sramana typically refers to Buddhist monk.
Jnapticaturtha-karman refers to the procedure used to receive the Sangha’s consent at its meeting. This is the monastic practice of requesting the whole community’s agreement on certain issues, such as confession or ordination, by first making an announcement and then passing a motion three times. In the text here, it means the sramanas have obtained the Sangha’s consent for ordination.
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若於沙門中。剝除習染沙門。除貪瞋病不去。亦名聾俗。亦須教渠修禪學惠。
While in sramana-hood, trying to strip away his habitual stains, should the sramana be unable to rid himself of the disease of greed and aversion1 , he is also to be called a deaf worldly person. He is also to be instructed in meditation practice and wisdom study.
Greed and aversion are typically known as two of the three poisons in Buddhism. The third poison is delusion/confusion.
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若是二乘僧。佗歇貪瞋病去盡。依在無貪將為是。今無色界。是障佛光明。是出佛身血。亦須教渠修禪學惠。
[Then] there are monks of the two vehicles who rest in the end of the disease/poison of greed and aversion, dependently dwelling on this no-greed by regarding it as correct. This now is the formless realm which obstructs the illumination of Buddha’s light and which sheds the blood of Buddha’s body. Such monks are also to be instructed in meditation practice and wisdom study.
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須辨清濁語。濁法語。貪瞋愛取等多名。清法語。菩提.涅槃.解脱等多名也。但於清濁兩流凡聖等法。色聲香味觸法。世間出世間法。都不得有纖毫愛取。
One should discern between sayings of purity and impurity. In speaking the dharma of impurity, names like greed, aversion, craving and grasping are used. In speaking the dharma of purity, names like bodhi, nirvana, liberation are used. But with regards to both the classes of purity and impurity, and the various dharmas of mundaneness and holiness, and sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, idea and other worldly and non-worldly dharmas – there must not be the slightest bit of craving and grasping1 .
Craving and grasping are the 8th and 9th link in the twelve links of dependent origination. Craving refers to tanha and grasping refers to upadana. As an aside, it is also taught in one of Buddha's early discourses that the origination of suffering is dependent on craving (tanha).
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歸不愛取。依住不愛取將為是。今初善是住調伏心。是聲聞人。是戀筏不捨人。是二乘道。是禪那果。
Reverting to non-craving and non-grasping, dependently abiding in non-craving and non-grasping and regarding it as correct, this now is the initial good which abides in the pacified mind. [But] these are sravaka1 people. These are people infatuated with and can’t bear to abandon the raft2 . It is [only] the two vehicles’ way3 . It is [only] a dhyana-fruit4 .
Sravaka refers to a disciple who, through the Buddha's oral teachings on the four noble truths, attains awakening. Hence sravaka is also known as sound-hearer.
The raft is a simile Buddha used in the Alagaddupama Sutta whereby one is taught to abandon the raft upon reaching the other shore and not to cling on to it.
Regarding the two vehicle’s way, the first is the sravaka-vehicle way (sound-hearer way), through which the Buddha's oral teachings on the four noble truths lead one to awakening, and the second is the pratyekabuddha-vehicle way (solitary-buddha or condition-awakener way), through which the contemplation of the conditions of dependent-origination lead one to awakening.
Dhyana-fruit should be referring to meditative absorption here.
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歸不愛取。亦莫依住不愛取。是中善是半字教。猶是無色界。免墮二乘道。免墮魔民道。猶是禪那病。是菩薩縛。
Reverting to non-craving and non-grasping, yet not dependent also [on any form] to abide in non-craving and non-grasping, this is the middle good. This is the teaching of the half-word. But this is still in the formless realm. Although falling into the two vehicles’ way is avoided, and falling into the demons’ way is avoided, it is still a dhyana-disease. A bodhisattva-fetter.
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歸不依住不愛取。亦不作不依住知解。是後善。是滿字教。免墮無色界。免墮禪那執。免墮菩薩乘。免墮魔王位。
Reverting to the dependent-less abiding of non-craving and non-grasping, yet also not making any interpretive knowing of this dependent-less abiding, this is the final good. This is the teaching of the full-word. Falling into formless realm is avoided. Falling into dhyana-attachment is avoided. Falling into bodhisattva’s vehicle is avoided. Falling into the Mara/demon-king’s seat is avoided.
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為智障地障行障故。見自已佛性。如夜見色。如云佛地斷二愚。一微細所知愚。二極微細所知愚。故云有大智人。破塵出經卷。
It is because of jneya-hindrance or bhumi-hindrance or practice-hindrance that seeing one’s own Buddha-nature becomes like seeing thing/form/colour in the night . As said, the Buddha-bhumi can sever these two foolishness – that of fine subtle known and that of extremely fine subtle known. There is therefore the saying that a person of great jnana/wisdom, penetrating dust to reveal scrolls of sutra1 .
This is a quote from Huayan Sutra where it’s mentioned that, within each speck of dust, is contained a fabled collection of sutras whose size equals that of three thousand world-systems (universes). As such, once a person sees through any single speck of dust, he also realises the teaching of all that is within this huge fabled collection. There is thus no need to rely anymore on the extant scrolls of sutra and text available in this world. What’s implied here is that, one shouldn’t cling on to interpretive knowledge gained from reading texts. Instead, wisdom is to be found in seeing through the dust for oneself.