Awakening to Reality

The Awakening to Reality Practice Guide and The Original Awakening to Reality Guide

2025-12-18T20:00:00.003+08:00

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1) The Awakening to Reality Practice Guide — by Nafis Rahman

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This is the original 1300+ page document on which the practice and abridged guides are based.

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Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Fourteen)

2025-12-12T12:39:00.000+08:00

Also See:

Chinese Original From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

Ganges Mahāmudrā

By Elder Yuan Yin

(Lecture Fourteen)

English Translation:

"This characteristic of extinguishing and liberating is the sole essential of self-liberation as Direct Perception."

We previously discussed "according with delusion, one is originally pure." From where does delusion arise? Delusion exists in accordance with objects. If there were no objective conditions, there would be no delusive thoughts. Although delusive thoughts arise following delusive objects, our True Mind is not polluted; it remains pure. We used the pearl as a metaphor: for instance, if a pearl is wrapped in mud, the pearl itself remains pure and luminous; the pearl does not turn black and dirty just because it is wrapped in mud. After removing the mud, the pearl remains as luminous as before. Therefore, one need only recognize the True Mind and need not fear delusive thoughts. Extinguishing the incorrect recognition of delusive thoughts and untying the knot of fear regarding delusive thoughts, thereby recognizing the True Mind—this is called the "characteristic of extinguishing and liberating." "This characteristic of extinguishing and liberating is the sole essential of self-liberation as Direct Perception." Direct Perception (*pratyakṣa*) means revealing the whole matter completely without adding any discrimination, just like a mirror reflecting objects. When it reflects a round object, a round appearance manifests; when it reflects a square object, a square appearance manifests. When reflecting ten thousand taels of gold, the mirror is not pleased; when reflecting a pile of excrement, the mirror is not annoyed. This is Direct Perception. Direct Perception manifests in accordance with the images of objective things, adding not a single bit of discrimination from the delusive mind. If one discriminates, "This is good, that is bad; this is long, that is short; this is beautiful, that is ugly"—that is Inference (*anumāna*).

We practice the path of liberation to transform the Eighth Consciousness into the Mirror-like Wisdom (*ādarśa-jñāna*), brightly illuminating the ten directions. The myriad phenomena all manifest within our True Mind without the slightest addition of love or hate, grasping or rejecting; this is "Liberation Direct Perception." Although we use a mirror as a metaphor, it is not entirely like a mirror. Manifesting forms based on objective situations—this resembles a mirror. However, a mirror lacks the power of differentiation; it lacks the nature of perception. We possess the nature of perception; we know right and wrong, long and short, gain and loss, only we do not have love and hate, or grasping and rejecting. It is exactly as the sūtra says: "Skillfully able to distinguish the characteristics of all dharmas, yet unmoved regarding the First Principle." Although differentiating, it does not enter the mind/heart; this is being Inference right within Direct Perception. If there were only Direct Perception, we would become idiots and fools, not even knowing right from wrong, good from bad, or long from short—how could that work? Doing the work (practice) must be lively and vivid; it means we constantly use the Direct Perception True Mind to perform the function of Inference. Inference is what is called delusive thought; therefore, we must understand the principle spoken by the Buddha in the *Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment*: "Regarding all delusive minds, one also does not extinguish them." When it is time to use it, just use it; being able to use it is the marvelous function. This is the profound meaning of the "characteristic of extinguishing and liberating." This characteristic of extinguishing and liberating is precisely Liberation Direct Perception, and it is the "sole essential"—this is the only thing of importance.

Recognizing the True Mind is most important. Where is the True Mind? The True Mind is shining right in front of everyone. Where is the luminosity? I see things, I hear sounds, I smell scents and odors, I know various states—this is the luminosity! Some people focus solely on extinguishing delusive thoughts, but after the delusive thoughts are extinguished and the True Mind manifests brightly, they do not recognize the True Mind; instead, they continue the work of stopping thoughts. Practicing like this, after a long time, one becomes dead and cannot attain the lively and vivid marvelous function, because one does not recognize the True Mind. As we said before, merely stopping delusive thoughts without knowing the Fundamental Essence is useless. One must recognize the Fundamental Essence right at the place where delusive thoughts cease; this is the only important matter.

"It is also the uncommon essential wonder of the supreme Dharma-door of the Great Perfection of Self-Nature." The Great Perfection (*Dzogchen*) has specific methods to be practiced, but here it speaks of the "Great Perfection of Self-Nature." The Self-Nature is originally perfect and lacking nothing; it originally fills the void and pervades the Dharma-realm; however large space is, it is that large; the ten directions of worlds and all sentient beings are all perfected within the Self-Nature. Whether it is the Pure Land School, Esoteric School, Zen School, Dharma-Character School (*Yogācāra*), Tiantai School, Huayan School, and so on, none can depart from this Marvelous Bright True Mind. "There is no dharma that does not flow from this Dharma-realm, and no dharma that does not return to this Dharma-realm." This Dharma-realm is the One True Dharma-realm, the Marvelous Bright True Mind. The Ganges Mahāmudrā is a "supreme Dharma-door" that directly enters the "Great Perfection of Self-Nature." "Supreme" means special; "Door" means excellent; this is a particularly excellent dharma that other dharmas cannot compare with; it is "uncommon" with other dharmas. "Common" means shared; "uncommon" means dissimilar. This is the dharma of the highest single vehicle of the Esoteric School; other vehicles within the Esoteric School do not speak this way. The highest Esoteric Dharma and the Zen School breathe through the same nostril. The Pure Land School does not speak this way; the Pure Land School emphasizes single-minded mindfulness of the Buddha to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. After arriving in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, one continues to practice by the side of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, realizing the stage of non-retrogression—Avaivartika. There are inherent wonders in that, and ultimately it still returns to the One True Dharma-realm, but we will not discuss that much here. Any Dharma-door has its own marvelous points and its own capacity for response and transformation, and all must ultimately return to the One True Dharma-realm. The Ganges Mahāmudrā, however, engages directly without taking a detour; it is dissimilar to other methods of practice, which is why it is the "uncommon essential wonder of the supreme Dharma-door of the Great Perfection of Self-Nature." "Essential" means the key point; "wonder" means subtle and marvelous. The uncommon essential wonder refers to the unique key point and unique marvelousness that is different from other Dharma-doors.

"Possessing this essential wonder, no matter what afflictions or delusive thoughts are produced, all manifest as the Dharmakāya." Possessing this essential wonder means recognizing the marvelous function of the True Mind. After possessing this essential wonder, "no matter what afflictions or delusive thoughts are produced, all manifest as the Dharmakāya." Whatever affliction it may be—such as sickness and pain, heartbreak, business failure, and so on—precisely when afflictions are clustering and delusive thoughts are chaotic, they all manifest as the Dharmakāya. This is because "delusive thoughts and afflictions are all the appearance of the wisdom of the Dharmakāya's intrinsic awareness." Just as without water there are no waves, if there were no True Mind, how could there be afflictions and delusive thoughts? When afflictions and delusive thoughts rise up, that is precisely the manifestation of the Dharmakāya. Everyone must know that this sentence is extremely important. When afflictions are clustering and delusive thoughts are chaotic, if one immediately recognizes that this is the marvelous function of the Dharmakāya, the afflictions and delusive thoughts will instantly melt like ice and dissolve like tiles. After recognizing the Dharmakāya, one does not run after delusive thoughts; if one does not recognize the Dharmakāya, one will run after delusive thoughts, and afflictions will be endless, even to the point of committing suicide. Nowadays, some people who are heartbroken suffer unbearably and want to commit suicide, feeling they cannot live on. This is because they do not recognize the Dharmakāya and do not know that afflictions and delusive thoughts are all the marvelous function of the True Mind!

The *Universal Gate Chapter of Guanyin Bodhisattva* says: "If there is one who holds the name of this Bodhisattva Guanshiyin, even if they fall into a great fire, the fire cannot burn them, due to this Bodhisattva's awesome spiritual power; if they are drifted by great waters, calling his name, they immediately reach a shallow place." No matter how great your fire of affliction is, or how high your waves of delusive thought are, as long as you turn the light around to reflect universally and recite "Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva"—Oh! Originally this is the marvelous function of the True Mind! Those afflictions and delusive thoughts will immediately subside; this is the secret, the most important secret. There are quite a few people who have studied Buddhism for many years but just do not know this secret; they do not recognize the True Mind and do not know where the True Mind is. They cannot find it, so what do they do? They go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss to look for it, which is more than ten thousand miles away! Actually, the True Mind is shining right in front of you. The Mahāmudrā is good because it tells us directly and simply what the True Mind is. You all have blessings and your conditions have matured, so you are able to hear this Great Dharma. After hearing this Great Dharma, we must not let ourselves down; we must constantly protect the True Mind, knowing that the place where delusive thoughts arise is precisely the marvelous function of the True Mind, and recognizing the True Mind right upon the delusive thoughts. Doing the work like this for one year, two years, three or five years—will you not accomplish the Way? You will absolutely succeed. As I mentioned last time, my Master (Guru Wang Xianglu) said: "To do the work, one does not need two or three years; one will succeed in a year and a half. If you do not succeed, come and ask me." We are just unwilling to do the work and always run after habit energies; how then can we succeed?

"Delusive thoughts entirely become wisdom; adverse conditions become assistant companions; afflictions become the practice of the Way." If one possesses this "uncommon essential wonder of the supreme Dharma-door of the Great Perfection of Self-Nature," then "delusive thoughts entirely become wisdom." Just when delusive thoughts are flying about and afflictions are clustering, one makes a stern turn: Oh! This is the marvelous function of the Dharmakāya! Being able to turn like this is great wisdom. Facing objects with Direct Perception while functioning with Inference, not attaching to objects, not sticking to objects, and not dwelling in objects, yet it is not that one does not know beauty and ugliness or right and wrong—this is wisdom. If, after discriminating, one wants to grasp and reject, dwelling in objects and sticking the mind to them, running after the realms, suffering to the point of death, and being trapped—this is delusive thought. Actually, delusive thought is wisdom; the key lies in whether you know it or not. Therefore, "Regarding all delusive minds, one also does not extinguish them." If the True Suchness Dharmakāya acts as the host, delusive thoughts become servants and employees. The master directing the servants to do things is the "Wisdom of Accomplishing Activities" (*kṛtya-anuṣṭhāna-jñāna*). When the True Mind acts as the host, the first five consciousnesses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body) transform into the Wisdom of Accomplishing Activities. The True Mind directs them: You look for me at what thing this is; you listen for me to what sound this is; you smell for me whether it is fragrant or foul; you taste for me whether it is sour or sweet... Seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing all transform into the marvelous function of the True Mind—delusive thoughts entirely become wisdom.

"Adverse conditions become assistant companions." Everyone likes the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss because the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is everywhere favorable conditions; there are no places that do not accord with one's wishes. The ground is gold, there are pools of seven jewels, waters of eight merits, water-birds and groves, and the sounds of wind and birds all proclaim the Dharma; everything is good, and there are no enemies or foes. It is unlike our World of Five Turbidities, where afflictions and enemies are incredibly numerous. For example, there are many unsatisfactory aspects in work; this person steps on your foot, that person kicks your leg. Family life is also quite unsatisfactory; you think this way and she prefers to think that way, you do this and she prefers to do that, so the family is also full of arguments and disputes! However, you must know that these adverse conditions are companions that help you accomplish the Way, telling you to be vigilant and not to dwell in objects. Knowing that these adverse conditions are suffering, you generate a mind of renunciation: Alas! This world is so bitter; let me hurry and leave suffering! How does one leave suffering? By recognizing the True Mind and not running after realms; otherwise, you will stick to this world, reluctant to leave, thinking this world is truly pleasant and comfortable, and you will not study Buddhism or practice the Dharma, and then you cannot accomplish the Way. I once met a French overseas Chinese who had a lot of banknotes; his family's warehouse was connected to the railway, and trains could drive right in. He also believed in the Buddha-dharma and did great good deeds; whenever he returned to China to visit relatives, he would always go to temples to give alms (*dāna*). I said to him: "You believe in the Buddha-dharma and are willing to give alms; it would be even better if you practiced the Buddha-dharma yourself. Merely doing good deeds and giving alms is cultivating goodness and cultivating merit, but one cannot accomplish the Way. You must also cultivate wisdom; only by cultivating both merit and wisdom can you accomplish the Way. Therefore, you still need to study and practice the Buddha-dharma." He said: "No, no, I am too comfortable and too happy; I do not need to eat bitterness and practice." He was drowning in rewards of merit and satisfied with the status quo, so he did not want to practice. If humans are like this, how much more so are celestial beings?

If one encounters various adverse conditions and suffers to the utmost, feeling very painful, then one will generate a great mind to leave suffering. To leave suffering, what should one do? Hurry up and study/practice the Buddha-dharma; that is why it is said, "Adverse conditions become assistant companions." Adverse conditions help you by training you upon the objects, to see if your mind still dwells in objects or not. If your mind is truly empty, then it does not matter whether conditions are favorable or adverse, and it does not matter whether you run with them or not. In Bodhisattva Samantabhadra's Ten Great Vows, there is the vow to "Constantly accord with sentient beings." Constantly according with sentient beings means always running along with sentient beings. You like to eat spicy food? Good! I will follow you and eat spicy food. You like to eat sweet food? Good! I will follow you and eat sweet food. You want to play ball? Good! I will keep you company playing ball. You want to dance? Good! I will keep you company dancing. You want to believe in Christianity? Good! I will follow you and believe in Christianity. Everything does not matter. Why? To grind and polish the True Mind! I am empty and attain nothing; everything is the marvelous function of the True Mind. My running with you is also a marvelous function, in order to gather and receive you; this is called "Colleague-gathering" (*samgraha-vastu*). Bodhisattvas practice the Four Methods of Gathering, and among them is "Colleague-gathering." There are many practitioners who are unwilling to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss; why? Because the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss consists of favorable conditions, and the time required to accomplish the Way is too long. One day in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss equals one great kalpa here. How many days are in one great kalpa? It is too many to calculate. One great kalpa has four medium kalpas, and one medium kalpa has twenty small kalpas; how long is each small kalpa? Suppose the human lifespan is 84,000 years; every 100 years it decreases by one year until the lifespan is 10 years, then every 100 years it increases by one year until it reaches 84,000 years again. This one increase and one decrease is the time of one small kalpa. Eighty such small kalpas make one great kalpa. How many days is that? One day in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss equals this much time here. Furthermore, over there are favorable conditions; everything accords with your mind—whatever you want, you get; whatever kind of house you want, you have; whatever clothes or items, you have—so habit energies are not easily cut off completely, and the time required to accomplish the Way is long. Therefore, many Bodhisattvas who have generated the great mind say: "You go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss; I will grind the True Mind right here in the Sahā World, grinding amidst adverse conditions." This is the spirit of a Great Mind Bodhisattva, which is rare and precious! "The hero naturally has a soaring will; he does not head for the Brahma Heavens or the Pure Land." Not going to the Great Brahma Heaven or the Pure Land—this is the bearing of a true hero. If you truly possess the bearing of a hero, you must be able to withstand the grinding. If you cannot withstand the grinding and are gathered away by the Demon King to become a son or grandson of demons, then it is over. If you cannot withstand the grinding, then you had better go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss; it is much safer there than here. Therefore, there is no fixed Dharma; it depends on each person's boldness and each person's roots; nothing is immutable. As we now practice and do the work, when we encounter adverse states, do not be discouraged; these are assistant companions helping you to accomplish the Way.

I have a Dharma-brother whose wife believed in Christianity and dragged him to the Christian church. He said: "Good, good, I will accompany you." After listening to the pastor's sermon, he said to her: "I accompanied you to hear the pastor preach; you should also accompany me to the temple to hear a great spiritual friend of Buddhism explain the Buddha-dharma." She said: "No, no, that is the Demon King. You are not allowed to go either; let's go home." He then followed her home. It looks like an adverse condition, but he was not afraid. You cannot knock me down; I accord with you, but my mind is empty, completely free and unfettered. Therefore, their husband-wife relationship was very good. She asked: "Do you say I am a Demon King?" He answered: "No, I say you are very good; you are a Great Bodhisattva." She said: "I am not a Great Bodhisattva; I am the Lord of Heaven, God." He immediately replied: "Good, good! You are the Lord of Heaven, God." These are all assistant companions, grinding your mind to emptiness! There is a poem that puts it well: "Empty, empty, empty; within emptiness success is attained. When the root is cultivated firmly, one fears neither snow nor wind." Once the root is firm, one does not fear heavy snow or wild wind; when all adverse realms come, one is not afraid, knowing that these are our companions assisting the Way! Adverse conditions are also good things, do not fear them.

"Afflictions become the practice of the Way." Speaking of "practice of the Way" (Dao-achievement), someone said: "Lady White Snake only had 500 years of Dao-achievement, while Fahai had 1,000 years of Dao-achievement." Actually, those are all myths; there is fundamentally no Lady White Snake. If we know how to utilize afflictions and wake up right upon afflictions—"This is the marvelous function of my True Mind!"—if you can do this, afflictions will help you accomplish the Way, and afflictions will become Dao-achievement. The greater the afflictions, the higher the Dao-achievement. If you can withstand the grinding of afflictions and the mind becomes empty, your power will be great, and you will be able to grow while tempered in the fierce fire of afflictions; this is "The lotus born in fire is never destroyed." This is incredible Kung-fu. A lotus in water cannot withstand burning by fire; once roasted by fire, it is finished; only the life force of a lotus in fire is strong.

"Not discarding Saṃsāra while dwelling in purity." Saṃsāra refers to the cycle of the six realms: "Devas, Humans, Asuras, Hells, Hungry Ghosts, and Animals." To truly penetrate birth and death does not necessarily mean leaving the six realms of Saṃsāra. Why? Because if you merely dwell in a Pure Land outside the realms—a Pure Land outside the Realm of Desire, Realm of Form, and Realm of Formlessness—that is merely a glorious Arhat of the Small Vehicle. If one wants to become a Buddha, one must have the conduct of a Great Mind Bodhisattva, saving beings within the six realms without discarding Saṃsāra. I will tell a *gong'an* (koan) below: After a certain Zen Master passed away (*parinirvāṇa*), someone asked his disciple: "What Pure Land was your Master born into? Was it the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, or the Eastern Lapis Lazuli World, or the Inner Court of Tuṣita?" He answered: "My Master did not go to the East, nor did he go to the West." Question: "If he did not go East or West, then where did he go?" Answer: "In the East house acting as a cow, in the West house acting as a horse." The questioner said: "You are cursing your Master!" The answerer laughed: "Haha, Heavens! Heavens! Wronged! Wronged!" His meaning was: I am praising my Master, yet you say I am cursing him; it is truly an injustice! My Master's Dao-achievement was deep and he had assurance, daring to "act as a cow in the East house and a horse in the West house," moving among alien species, "not discarding Saṃsāra while dwelling in purity." Do you people have this assurance? I am praising him, yet you do not know it. Therefore, this "Heavens! Heavens!" has great marvelous meaning.

Zen Master Zhaozhou, known as the "Ancient Buddha Zhaozhou," spoke very marvelously; it was soft like a ball of cotton, but you could not pinch it. Why? There was a needle hidden in the cotton; one pinch and it would prick your hand. Once, he wanted to go to Mount Tiantai to see Amitābha Buddha. Who is Amitābha Buddha? Zen Master Fenggan was the emanation of Amitābha Buddha. Under Zen Master Fenggan's seat were Hanshan-zi and Shide-zi, who were emanations of Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Zen Master Zhaozhou walked to Mount Tiantai; it had just rained, and the ground clearly bore the prints of many cow hooves. He saw a young boy riding on the back of a cow playing a flute; this boy was Hanshan-zi. The boy asked Zhaozhou: "Does the Venerable recognize the cow?" "Venerable" (*shangzuo*) is a respectful term for a monk. He asked Zen Master Zhaozhou: Do you still recognize the cow? If he answered "I recognize it," he would be fooled; that would prove he had not yet transcended the ordinary state of dwelling in objects and sticking the mind to things. Another Zen Master, Danxia Tianran, once asked a visiting monk: "Where do you come from?" Monk: "From down the mountain." Danxia: "Have you eaten rice yet?" Monk: "I have eaten." Danxia: "The person who brought you rice to eat, did they have eyes?" Did the person who gave you rice have eyes or not? The meaning was: He misjudged the person and made offerings to you, a vulgar fellow who dwells in objects and sticks the mind to things. Zen Master Zhaozhou was a Grandmaster of great capacity (*literary brush*) and would not fall for this trap. Hanshan-zi asked: "Does the Venerable recognize the cow?" Zhaozhou answered: "I do not know." This is just like Patriarch Bodhidharma answering Emperor Wu of Liang. Emperor Wu of Liang asked: "Who is facing Us?" Bodhidharma said: "I do not know." Did Patriarch Bodhidharma not even know himself? Did Zen Master Zhaozhou not even know a cow? That is not the meaning! Focusing on knowing or not knowing is incorrect. Patriarch Bodhidharma answering "I do not know" was aimed at the "Who" in the question; Zen Master Zhaozhou answering "I do not know" was aimed at the "Cow" in the question. Both answers follow the same track; they both sweep away all stagnation and stickiness, transcend all relative subject and object, do not dwell on "Who," and do not dwell on "Cow," revealing the naked, clean, spiritual, and bright True Mind in its entirety. Hearing Zen Master Zhaozhou answer "I do not know," Hanshan-zi pointed at the cow hoof-prints and said: "These are the Five Hundred Arhats touring the mountain." Zhaozhou asked: "Since they are Arhats, why do they act as cows?" Hanshan-zi said: "Heavens! Heavens!" What does this mean? This means: You person, your discriminating mind is blazing. All sentient beings are Buddhas and all possess the Tathāgata's wisdom and virtuous characteristics, yet you still differentiate Arhats and cows from footprints! "Heavens! Heavens!" covered Zen Master Zhaozhou completely. Zhaozhou was, after all, a Grandmaster of great capacity, skilled at turning himself around where there is no room to turn, just like Taiji Push Hands, deflecting a thousand catties with four taels; thereupon, he laughed loudly: "Haha!" Hanshan-zi asked: "What are you doing?" What are you laughing at? Zhaozhou said: "Heavens! Heavens!" The meaning was: You asking "What are you doing" implies there is still a thing there! Hanshan-zi praised: "This little fellow possesses the workings of an adult." You possess the strategy of a great hero, the demeanor of a liberated one.

The Zen School calls us to see Nature (*Kenshō*) at all times, to see Nature within all functions, and not to run after realms. Zen Master Yongjia said: "Walking is Zen, sitting is Zen; speaking or silent, moving or still, the Essence is at peace." Zen School, Zen School—everywhere is Zen, all times are the Source (*Zong*), hence it is said: "Every day is a good day." Therefore, "Not discarding Saṃsāra while dwelling in purity." The Fundamental Essence is pure; everywhere is a Dojim (*Bodhimanda*); is there still any appearance of Saṃsāra to be obtained?

"Liberated from the entanglement of defilement and purity, it is practice without application, naturally spontaneous." Differentiating endlessly between pollution and purity, one is entangled and bound by the concepts of defilement and purity. Being liberated from this kind of entanglement is "Liberated from the entanglement of defilement and purity." The *Diamond Sūtra* says: "One should give rise to the mind without dwelling anywhere." "Should" means according with; "without dwelling" means not sticking; according with all conditions without sticking, generating the spiritual, marvelous, non-abiding mind—this is "practice without application" (*anābhoga-caryā*). Bodhisattvas before the Eighth Bhūmi all have "practice with application" (*sābhoga*); for example, when we teach everyone to constantly look after the Original, "looking after" is practice with application. However, it will not work if you do not look after it, for habit energies are heavy! Once you forget, you again dwell in appearances, dwell in objects, and run after delusive thoughts again. Therefore, one must pay attention and contemplate (*contemplative illumination*) at all times; this is the method of transforming from "with application" to "without application." Only Bodhisattvas of the Eighth Bhūmi and above can achieve "practice without application, naturally spontaneous." "Practice" means not scattering, being constantly aware with right mindfulness, clearly distinct, alert yet quiescent, quiescent yet alert. "Without application" means not even having the mind of contemplation; this is true "practice without application." Everyone pay attention: this is not asking you to achieve it immediately right now, but rather to proceed from "with application" to "without application." When practicing with application, do not think that practicing like this is sufficient, assuming that the practice is done. We must progress, progress, and progress further; the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Bhūmis do not count, Equal Enlightenment and Marvelous Enlightenment still do not count; only Ultimate Enlightenment—perfecting the Fruit of Buddhahood—is the completion. Therefore, one must work hard at the Kung-fu; only when the Kung-fu is done to the end can one be spontaneous (*renyun*). One must start from "practice with application"; without this, how can one reach the level of "practice without application"? That requires recognizing the True Mind right where delusive thoughts cease, and constantly protecting it; this point is most important.

"If one lacks this power of the Way of understanding Dharma, even if one possesses the highest View and profound Practice, it is of no benefit to the mind." "Understanding Dharma" means recognizing the Dharmakāya. If one only knows how to do dead Kung-fu, or speaks principles very well but does not recognize the Dharmakāya, that is "lacking this power of the Way of understanding Dharma." If one lacks this power of the Way, "even if one possesses the highest View and profound Practice, it is of no benefit to the mind." "Highest View" refers to understanding many principles and speaking very well. "Profound Practice" refers to having very good sitting Kung-fu and entering deep Samādhi. If one does not recognize the Dharmakāya, having only these is no good. Zen Master Xiangyan was originally a disciple of Zen Master Baizhang; he was very clever and thoroughly understood scriptures, treatises, and Zen sayings, answering ten when asked one, but he lacked the power of the Way of understanding Dharma—he did not recognize the Dharmakāya. After Zen Master Baizhang passed away, Xiangyan went to consult his senior dharma-brother, Zen Master Weishan. Seeing Xiangyan arrive, Zen Master Weishan said to him: "I hear that when you were at our late teacher Baizhang's place, you answered ten when asked one, and answered a hundred when asked ten; this was your cleverness and sharpness, your conceptual understanding and consciousness-thinking, the root of birth and death. Try to say a sentence from before your parents gave birth to you!" Xiangyan was stumped by the question, blank and unable to answer. He searched through the sūtras and the essays he had read, but could not find a single sentence to answer. He sighed to himself: "A painted cake cannot satisfy hunger," and repeatedly requested Zen Master Weishan to explain it (*break it open*) for him. Weishan said: "If I tell it to you, you will curse me later. What I say belongs to me; ultimately it has nothing to do with you."

Therefore, if one does not possess the power of the Way of understanding Dharma, there is no actual benefit in cultivating the mind. Zen Master Xiangyan then burned the texts he usually read and said angrily: "In this life, I will not study the Buddha-dharma. I will just be a long-term gruel-and-rice monk to avoid wearying my mind and spirit." He then wept and bid farewell to Zen Master Weishan, went to a dilapidated ancient temple (the ruins of National Teacher Nanyang Huizhong), stayed there, and farmed for his own food. By burning the texts and not studying the Buddha-dharma, he swept away the "highest View"; by being a long-term gruel-and-rice monk and avoiding wearying his mind and spirit, he eliminated the "profound Practice." However, he did not forget the *Huatou* "Before parents were born" at any time or place. The practice of investigating *Huatou* in the Zen School was vigorously advocated by Zen Master Dahui Zonggao of the Song Dynasty and swept through the Zen forest. Zen Master Xiangyan was a man of the Tang Dynasty; at that time, the Zen School mostly used Direct Pointing, and investigating *Huatou* was not widely practiced. Zen Master Xiangyan can be said to have started the clue for "investigating *Huatou*." He investigated while walking, investigated while sitting, and investigated while hoeing the fields; truly, "Walking, standing, sitting, lying down, never apart from this." He not only discarded worldly fame and profit to leave home and study the Way but also swept away all concepts such as "enlightenment" and "accomplishing the Way," placing his mind on one point. Carrying on like this for a long time, good news was bound to come. One day, he was clearing wasteland and planting fields; he hoed into a piece of tile/rubble, picked it up and threw it, and it happened to hit a bamboo by the field; with a "Crack!" sound, he was jolted awake from the great dream of birth and death and suddenly opened up the Original. Oh! So it is like this. This is called "breaking the investigation" (*Po Can*) in the Zen School—having seen through the *Huatou* being investigated. So, what is the face before parents were born? Zen Master Xiangyan did not say it explicitly. Fortunately, he did not say it; otherwise, "Before parents were born" could not be used as a *Huatou* to investigate in the future. With a ready-made answer, one cannot raise the sensation of doubt (*Yi Qing*).

By the Song Dynasty, due to Zen Master Dahui's advocacy, investigating *Huatou* became prevalent. There was a monk who also investigated the *Huatou* "Before parents were born." Unlike Zen Master Xiangyan, who burned texts, did not study Buddha-dharma, acted as a gruel-and-rice monk, and avoided wearying his mind and spirit, he did not completely sweep away the highest View and profound Practice; thus he could not avoid wearying his mind and spirit, and he investigated the *Huatou* too urgently. After a long time, he became crazy, muttering incessantly, sleeping on the streets and alleys, yet he did not forget the "Original Face before parents were born" at any time or place. One day, he encountered two brothers fighting, and their uncle came out to intervene. The uncle said: "When your father was alive, he was a man with a Face..." "Having a Face" means having face (*prestige*) and prestige. Hearing "Having a Face," the monk dumbfoundedly squeezed into the crowd of onlookers, wanting to find this Face. The uncle criticized his two nephews: "Yet you fight; what does that look like? Such no-Face!" (*Shameless*). As soon as the monk heard "No Face," suddenly the void smashed to pieces, the great earth sank away, and the True Suchness Reality manifested brightly; he broke through the investigation and became enlightened, and from then on, he was neither crazy nor mad, leaving in total freedom. "No Face" is the Signless Reality; it is the Self-Nature! Knowing only the theory of Signlessness without seeing the Self-Nature does not land on solid ground; even if you speak until flowers fall from the sky and golden lotuses well up from the earth, it is useless. One must implement it deep in the mind ground (*Citta-bhūmi*) and clearly see the Self-Nature to be able to pass through all kinds of states.

After Zen Master Xiangyan broke through the investigation and realized the Way, he bathed, lit incense, bowed towards the direction of Weishan, and said: " The Venerable's great compassion and kindness exceed that of my parents. If you had explained it (*broken it open*) for me back then, how could there be the matter of today!" He then composed a verse: "One strike forgot all knowledge; no longer relying on practice. Moving my expression, expanding the ancient road; not falling into the mechanism of silence. Everywhere without traces; majestic deportment beyond sound and form. Those in all directions who have reached the Way, all say this is the highest capacity." This verse reached Weishan, and Zen Master Weishan said to his senior disciple, Zen Master Yangshan: "This child has penetrated." Yangshan, however, said: "This is composed by mental machinations and consciousness. Wait for me to go and personally test him." He wanted to test Xiangyan personally. Yangshan met Xiangyan and said: "The Venerable praised the Junior Brother for inventing the Great Matter; try to say something." Xiangyan cited the previous verse. Yangshan said: "This was composed from past habits and memory. If there is correct realization, try saying something else." Xiangyan chanted another verse: "Last year's poverty was not poverty; this year's poverty is poverty indeed. Last year's poverty, there was still ground for an awl; this year's poverty, not even an awl." Yangshan said: "I grant that Junior Brother understands Tathāgata Zen, but as for Patriarch Zen, you have not even dreamt of it yet." Zen Master Xiangyan composed another verse: "I have a mechanism; in a blink, I look at him. If one does not understand, go call a novice monk (*śrāmaṇera*)." After hearing this, Yangshan was overjoyed and reported to Weishan: "Rejoice, Brother Xian understands Patriarch Zen." Zen Master Xiangyan's Dharma name was Zhixian, so Yangshan called him "Brother Xian." He originally studied Zen with Zen Master Baizhang, but later became enlightened under Zen Master Weishan's encouragement, so he became Zen Master Weishan's disciple. We cannot stray too far here; I will not explain this *gong'an* further, leaving it for you all to penetrate yourselves.

Do not look at how many people are listening here now; if one lacks the "power of the Way of understanding Dharma," one's footing may not be stable. As soon as one hears someone say, "My dharma is so good, so marvelous, so lofty," one immediately slides over there; he wants to learn the "highest View." As soon as one hears someone say, "My dharma has so much, so much power, able to produce such great, great spiritual powers," one immediately runs after them; he wants to learn the "profound Practice." He does not know that the True Mind is the root! "If one lacks this power of the Way of understanding Dharma, even if one possesses the highest View and profound Practice, it is of no benefit to the mind." Your theory cannot rival birth and death, and your spiritual powers do not count as liberation. If one does not recognize the root, it is useless. If one has not attained the Leak-free Power (*Āsrava-kṣaya-jñāna*), even if one develops the Five Spiritual Powers, they are Demonic Powers. Not only can one not be liberated, but there is also the danger of entering the demonic path. This is because "lacking the power of the Way of understanding Dharma... is of no benefit to the mind!"

"If the force of affliction has not retreated, it is not the true Way." Why is the "power of the Way of understanding Dharma" so important? Because if one lacks this power of the Way, one does not recognize the Signless True Mind, and that is "the force of affliction has not retreated; it is not the true Way." If the force of affliction in your mind has not retreated and you are always within afflictions, it is not the Great Way of true liberation. In studying Buddhism, we must recognize the root and thereby obtain this "power of the Way of understanding Dharma"; this is the "True Way," and we cannot follow demons and external paths. If you follow demons and external paths, in the future you will become a son or grandson of demons and will not become a Buddha!

"If one attains this subtle essential of self-arising and self-ceasing, even if one has absolutely no reliance on the holding of a highest View or a profound Practice, one's Self-Nature will decisively be able to obtain liberation from the entanglement of the two graspings." Once we recognize that delusive thoughts are fundamentally unobtainable, we do not need to manage them or suppress them; let them self-arise and self-cease. At the moment of "arising and ceasing accord with nothingness," "according with delusion is originally pure," turn the light around for a glance, grab it, and thereby recognize the True Mind; then one attains "this subtle essential of self-arising and self-ceasing." When we sit in meditation, do not pay attention to thoughts when they come; just maintain the mantra (*dhāraṇī*) and let the thoughts self-arise and self-cease. If you want to suppress them, muttering in your mind "Do not arise, do not arise," then your chest will feel tight; you will be very tense, very miserable, and very uncomfortable. Many people feel chest tightness for this exact reason; they are too tense. As long as you do not run after thoughts and let them self-arise and self-cease, you will be relaxed and refreshed; after a long time, you will settle (*Samādhi*), and as your mantra practice deepens, you will slowly enter Samādhi, and further open Wisdom from Samādhi. It is so when sitting in meditation, and it is also so in ordinary times. It is just like at the intersection of Nanjing Road and Xizang Road (a busy place in Shanghai), with people coming and going, cars coming and going. Their coming has nothing to do with you; if you do not pull at them, they will pass by. When a thought arises, let it arise; it self-arises and self-ceases and does not last long; naturally, it will extinguish. But if a thought comes and you do not know it, that is bad. Clearly running after delusive thoughts without knowing it oneself, clearly climbing on conditions and dwelling in attachment—how is that still practice? Therefore, seeing thoughts, not running after them, and letting them self-arise and self-cease is extremely important. "If one attains this subtle essential of self-arising and self-ceasing, even if one has absolutely no reliance on the holding of a highest View or a profound Practice, one's Self-Nature will decisively be able to obtain liberation from the entanglement of the two graspings."

"Holding of a highest View" corresponds to the "highest View" mentioned in the previous sentence. "Reliance of a profound Practice" corresponds to "profound Practice." Having a "highest View" to hold and a "profound Practice" to rely on are both unreliable. The "power of the Way of understanding Dharma," which is the "subtle essential of self-arising and self-ceasing," is the most important. The previous sentence said that if one does not attain the subtle essential, even if one possesses a high View and deep Practice, one cannot attain liberation. This sentence says that if one attains this subtle essential, even without a high View or deep Practice, one can attain liberation. These two sentences emphasize the importance of the "power of the Way of understanding Dharma" from both negative and positive aspects. Actually, attaining this subtle essential is what is called the highest View, and possessing this power of the Way is the profound Practice. The highness and depth of the View and Practice mentioned before are high and deep in terms of characteristics and relativity; attaining this subtle essential and possessing this power of the Way is the highness and depth that is transcendent, Signless, and absolute.

"One's Self-Nature will decisively be able to obtain liberation from the entanglement of the two graspings." "Two graspings" means grasping at two sides; there are many ways to explain it. Grasping good and grasping bad, grasping existence and grasping non-existence, grasping right and grasping wrong, grasping emptiness and grasping existence; there are also Self-Grasping (*ātma-grāha*) and Dharma-Grasping (*dharma-grāha*). There are many dual graspings! All are falling to two sides. "Self-Grasping" means identifying this body or this thought as "I." This is "I," I am the master; none of you should resist, you must all comply with me, execute my opinions, and obey my will; arrogance and conceit all come from this. The Two Vehicles, i.e., Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas, have removed "Self-Grasping" but still have "Dharma-Grasping"—there is a Dharma to be practiced and a Way to be accomplished. The Mahāyāna Emptiness School speaks of "Emptiness"; the View is very lofty and the theory is very detailed. But one cannot grasp it; if one grasps it, it becomes "Grasping Emptiness." The Mahāyāna Existence School, such as the Dharma-Character School (*Yogācāra*), speaks of "Existence"; the View is also very lofty and the theory is very detailed. But one cannot grasp it either; if one grasps it, it becomes "Grasping Existence." People have been accustomed to grasping for many lives and kalpas, deeply entangled and bound by the "two graspings," which is the "entanglement of the two graspings." It binds us so that we cannot attain liberation. However, if you attain this "subtle essential of self-arising and self-ceasing" and possess this "power of the Way of understanding Dharma," it cannot bind you for long; you will certainly be able to be liberated from the "entanglement of the two graspings."

"Like arriving at the Island of Gold, seeking other stones is completely unobtainable." The Island of Gold is a place made purely of gold. Is there such a place? More than just being there! There are places even better than this. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is better than the Island of Gold. In the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, thinking of finding a stone is impossible. The towers, pavilions, and palaces are not made of stones or bricks; they are synthesized from seven jewels, exceptionally solid and full of light. If you arrive at the "Island of Gold"—a place purely of gold—you absolutely cannot find a single other stone that is not gold—"seeking other stones is completely unobtainable." This is a metaphor: if we attain the subtle essential of arising and ceasing and possess the power of the Way of understanding Dharma, it is like arriving at the Island of Gold; there is nothing but gold, metaphors that there is nothing but liberation, so one can only attain liberation and cannot attain anything else; one is certain to accomplish the Way.

"Any moving or still delusive thoughts that arise are all only the ready-made true Samādhi state." The meaning of this sentence is: whatever delusive thoughts arise, whether moving delusive thoughts or still delusive thoughts, they can only be the ready-made true Samādhi state; they are no longer some delusive thoughts. Just like "arriving at the Island of Gold, seeking other stones is completely unobtainable," once here, there is only true Samādhi state, and no delusive thoughts can be found. Why can delusive thoughts transform into true Samādhi state? It is because one has attained the subtle essential of arising and ceasing and possesses the power of the Way of understanding Dharma.

You might ask: Delusive thoughts are all moving; are there still delusive thoughts? Yes. Seeking stillness is also a delusive thought; seeking solely to enter Samādhi, insisting on settling for several kalpas, abiding in stillness, and having a state of Samādhi to be obtained—this is "still delusive thought." Therefore, we say that when sitting in meditation, one should not have the expectation of entering Samādhi. Seeking to enter Samādhi as soon as one takes the seat is precisely "still delusive thought." Once this delusive thought arises, this session of sitting will not go well. One must enter by according/following; do not care whether it is settled or not; just maintain the mantra without stopping, reciting one sentence right after another, and naturally, you will enter Samādhi. Furthermore, clearly knowing that the environment does not allow it and conditions are not met, yet insisting on thinking of going to a secluded place to practice—this is also "still delusive thought." "Moving delusive thoughts" are even more numerous; wanting this and wanting that are all moving delusive thoughts.

Although there are many moving and still delusive thoughts, these are all ready-made true Samādhi states. Thoughts arise and thoughts cease; pay them no mind; constantly recognize the True Mind, recognize the Original Face, and do not run after delusive thoughts; of course, one attains liberation, and of course, it is the Samādhi state. We have said that it is not sitting there dead and unmoving that is Samādhi, but rather not being confused by objects; whatever state manifests before me, my mind does not waver—this is the Great Samādhi of no exit and no entry. For example, a beautiful girl of sixteen (), a young maiden—what thing is she? A white skeleton, a stinking carcass; very smelly; what is there to look at? Why does your mind move upon seeing her? Why do you run after her? Clearly, the lustful mind is acting up. "The body of the sixteen-year-old beauty is like crisp butter; on her waist, she carries a sword to slay the ordinary man. Although one does not see the head fall, secretly it saps the marrow and withers the bone." Lust is the root of birth and death! Gentlemen, if lust is not cut off, one cannot be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Someone said: "But between husband and wife, it is Right Lust!" Haha! Husband and wife being Right Lust is just a skillful saying according to your habits. Knowing that the lustful mind between you husband and wife cannot be cut off for the time being, it is said that husband and wife are Right Lust, meaning one cannot engage in Evil Lust (*adultery*). Speaking to the ultimate point, Right Lust must also be cut off! Why? To be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, one must cut off the lustful mind. If lust is not cut off, one cannot be pure; if one does not correspond with the Pure Land, how can one be born in the Pure Land? The lustful mind is the worst; even if you have developed spiritual powers, once the lustful mind comes, spiritual powers are gone. Zen Master Yunmen, after being a King for three lifetimes, lost all his spiritual powers. In his past life as a human king, with three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines, having too many women, his spiritual powers were all lost. In the West (*India*), there was a Great Arhat whose physical body could fly. The King invited this Arhat to the palace to receive offerings, and the Arhat flew straight into the palace. The King respected the Great Arhat and had the Queen come out to serve wine. This Queen was extremely beautiful; seeing her, the Arhat's mind moved just a bit. Just this one move, and his spiritual powers were gone; he could not fly back. There are many such examples; therefore, the lustful mind must not move!

"Repeating the search for the confusion of Self-Nature is completely unobtainable." After recognizing the Self-Nature, one protects and maintains it closely and continuously (*baoren*); after a long time, one accomplishes the Way. If one turns back to look for the ignorance and delusive thoughts that confused the Self-Nature, one can never find them again—"Repeating the search for the confusion of Self-Nature is completely unobtainable." Someone asked: "I have recognized the Buddha-nature and am no longer confused; after becoming a Buddha, will I become confused again?" You need not worry. The *Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment* says: "Like smelting gold ore, the gold does not exist because of smelting. Although it is the original gold, ultimately it is achieved through smelting. Once it becomes the body of true gold, it will never be ore again." "Smelting" here refers to what we now call refining. Gold ore originally contains gold; smelting does not produce gold, because "gold does not exist because of smelting." This metaphor means that sentient beings originally possess the Buddha-nature; it is not that there was originally no Buddha-nature and it exists due to practice. However, although it is the recovery of the original gold in the gold ore, ultimately it is achieved using the method of smelting—"although it is the original gold, ultimately it is achieved through smelting." This metaphor means that although sentient beings possess "Primordial Gnosis" (*Ben Jue*) and are fundamentally awakened, because of delusive thinking and attachment, they simultaneously possess ignorance and afflictions; therefore, they must pass through practice to obtain "Actualized Gnosis" (*Shi Jue*); Actualized Gnosis unites with Primordial Gnosis, thereby breaking ignorance and cutting off afflictions, only then can they reveal the originally possessed Buddha-nature. "Once it becomes the body of true gold, it will never be ore again." This metaphor means that once one accomplishes the Way, one will never be confused again forever.

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Thirteen)

2025-12-11T01:50:00.001+08:00

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Chinese Original From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

English Tranaslation:

By Yuan Yin Laoren

Lecture Thirteen

"When a thought arises, one does not see any thought that can arise; this is named no-thought. It is not, as ordinary people imagine, that 'not a single thought arises' is named no-thought." The so-called no-thought does not mean that not a single thought arises; rather, it means that even though thoughts arise, there is no abiding in them and no stagnation. The "no-thought" where "not a single thought arises," as imagined by ordinary people, is the suppression of thoughts so they do not arise. They assume that having not a single thought is good practice. In fact, if one dies sitting there like that, not only can one not accomplish the Way, but one might even turn into earth, wood, metal, or stone! Have you not seen the case from years past where the Great Master, the Sixth Patriarch, saved Chan Master Wolun? Wolun initially thought that suppressing thoughts so they would not arise was good practice, hence he had a verse saying: "Wolun has a trick, Can cut off a hundred thoughts, Against circumstances, mind does not arise, Bodhi grows day by day." The Sixth Patriarch saw that he was walking into a dead end, so he saved him by saying: "Huineng has no trick, Does not cut off a hundred thoughts, Against circumstances, mind arises repeatedly, How can Bodhi grow?" Arising mind is precisely not arising mind; moving thought is precisely not moving thought; the Sixth Patriarch had no abiding! "Against circumstances, mind arises repeatedly" means giving rise to marvelous function; if the mind did not arise or move in thought, one would be dead sitting there—how could one still give rise to any marvelous function? Could one still expound the Dharma to people? One could not. Bodhi is the fundamental nature; it is unborn and undying, neither stained nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing. In ordinary beings, it does not decrease, and even in hell, it is not less; in sages, it does not increase, and even upon becoming a Buddha, it is not more. In ancient times, someone asked a great Chan Master: "How is it after enlightenment?" The Master answered: "It does not increase by a fraction." He asked again: "What about before enlightenment?" He answered: "It does not decrease by a fraction." Therefore, when Wolun said, "Bodhi grows day by day," he was mistaken.

"Relying on delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body, then all manifested delusive thoughts are regulated and revealed as the marvelous enjoyment of Self-nature; even the coarse aspects manifested by the delusive thoughts of the five poisons can all be made to possess the luminous power of self-liberation, and luminous emptiness becomes an enjoyment." Relying on the arising and ceasing of delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body means that when a delusive thought arises, one quickly awakens, recognizes it, and does not run after it, rather than suppressing the delusive thought into immobility. It means one must be awake at all times, reflecting at all times, and not running after delusive thoughts. If you run after delusive thoughts and attach to the state, then it will not work. Therefore, the Pure Land school emphasizes reciting the Buddha's name at every moment; this is not to make you greedy for quantity or greedy for the appearance of merit, but to make you awaken, recognize the Dharma Body, and protect the Dharma Body. When we engage in practice, we must practice right on the delusive thoughts; there is no second method. Whether reciting the Buddha's name, holding mantras, or investigating Chan, the purpose is always to regulate these delusive thoughts. Therefore, relying on delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body means doing the work on the delusive thoughts, cutting off the delusive thoughts so they do not continue incessantly. All Buddhadharma is the regulating and practice of the Dharma Body, and it is all work done on delusive thoughts. Do not treat reciting the Buddha's name as performing merit with characteristics; that is a mistake. Therefore, Master Lianchi said: "Sound after sound calls to awaken the Master." Reciting the Buddha's name is to wake up the Master, to cause you to awaken.

If one knows how to do the work on delusive thoughts, relying on delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body, "then all manifested delusive thoughts are regulated and revealed as the marvelous enjoyment of Self-nature; even the coarse aspects manifested by the delusive thoughts of the five poisons can all be made to possess the luminous power of self-liberation, and luminous emptiness becomes an enjoyment." Then, the delusive thoughts that arise are all adjusted to manifest the subtle marvelous enjoyment of Self-nature. Even the coarse delusive thoughts manifested by the five poisons of "form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness" can all be made to possess the power of the Dao and the radiance of self-liberation, entering the realm of luminous, empty spirituality. That is to say, one can transform the poison of the "Five Aggregates" into the marvelous enjoyment of Self-nature, making them tools for our practice and realization, and provisions for becoming a Buddha.

If we regulate our own minds well—not abiding in appearances, not abiding in states, not being afflicted—we obtain great enjoyment. Marvelous enjoyment means a subtle feeling, a great usefulness. Obtaining enjoyment is very good, but greed for enjoyment is bad; "marvelous enjoyment" [shòuyòng] and "sensory enjoyment" [xiǎngshòu] differ by only one character, yet there is a great difference, a difference as vast as that between heaven and earth. If one is particular about eating well, dressing well, making friends with the opposite sex, dancing, watching movies, living in debauchery and luxury, and then, once these conditions are not met, committing crimes to achieve the goal of enjoyment—that is bad; that is greed for sensory enjoyment. If at all times the mind is empty and without abiding, peaceful and at ease, not chasing external circumstances; if today having only porridge to eat is fine, and having only a broken thatched hut to live in does not matter; if one is broad-minded, possessing peace of mind through integrity, content and happy, and at ease in accordance with conditions—this is marvelous enjoyment. If one knows to do the work on delusive thoughts and regulates one's Self-nature well, one will naturally be able to obtain marvelous enjoyment, "a kind of level heart, vanishing naturally"! A level heart means there is not the slightest crookedness in the mind, only level straightforwardness. Vanishing naturally means the mind is empty and spacious, without a speck of affliction. How beautiful this is! Therefore, learning Buddhism is to obtain great enjoyment and open great wisdom. Learning Buddhism is not seeking some thing; having something to seek spoils it. Seeking rewards of merit, seeking supernatural powers—that is not learning Buddhism; seeking wealth, seeking official positions—that is even less learning Buddhism. Everything is fake, like flowers in the sky or the moon in the water; in the end, it is all empty! Therefore, we must recognize the True Mind at all times, rely on delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body, and not let delusive thoughts cover the True Mind. By recognizing that delusive thoughts are the marvelous function arising from the True Mind, and thereby not abiding in appearances, one will obtain true enjoyment and not give rise to afflictions. And conversely? If one does not know to rely on delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body, then afflictions will be endless, and the valley of desire will be hard to fill. Having a hundred, one wants a thousand; having a thousand, one wants ten thousand; having ten thousand, one wants ten million or a billion; there is never a time of satisfaction, and thus affliction and suffering have no end.

"All delusive thoughts are marvelous functions arising from the thoroughly penetrating realm of Self-nature." This further explains the dependent origination of delusive thoughts. Delusive thoughts are indeed born from the True Mind, but if there were no conditions of the objective realm, there would be no reason for them to arise. The condition of the objective realm is the "thoroughly penetrating realm of Self-nature." We have explained repeatedly before that the sun, moon, and stars, the mountains, rivers, and great earth, people, self, and sentient beings, flowers, birds, insects, and fish are all manifested by Self-nature. But since it is the same realm for ordinary beings, why are there all kinds of differences? That is because the nature of karma makes it so. Ordinary beings do not recognize Self-nature, and thus they are deluded. Because of delusion, they create karma; because of karma, they receive retribution. Collective karma senses and manifests the mountains, rivers, and great earth; individual karma senses and manifests the twelve categories of living beings. Following the differences in their good and evil causes, the sensed and manifested realms are also different. The various different realms are all sensed and penetrated within Self-nature, and thoroughly understood within Self-nature; they have no substantial entity and are illusory and unreal. Regarding Self-nature, the cause is within it, and the fruit is also within it. Self-nature transcends cause and effect; the various different realms are all the "thoroughly penetrating realm of Self-nature," which is the so-called "Image Division of the Eighth Consciousness." And the "Perception Division of the Eighth Consciousness" discriminates, takes, and rejects the "Image Division"; this discriminating, taking, and rejecting is the so-called "delusive thought." It is all the same Eighth Consciousness—the ālayavijñāna (Storehouse Consciousness); in delusion, it is the Eighth Consciousness, and in enlightenment, it is the "Tathāgatagarbha Mind." Therefore, if one can "rely on delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body"—returning from delusion to enlightenment—then "all delusive thoughts are marvelous functions arising from the thoroughly penetrating realm of Self-nature." Delusive thoughts are the marvelous function arising from the True Mind!

"Protect and sustain it with a mind of no taking or rejecting, because its arising and ceasing has not transcended the realm of the King of Marvelous Function of the Dharma Body." As the name implies, "delusive thoughts" are thoughts that are illusory and unreal. Because they discriminate, take, and reject external realms that are illusory and unreal, their "discriminating, taking, and rejecting" is also illusory and unreal. Although delusive thoughts are "delusive," they are the marvelous function of the True Mind. Once one recognizes the True Mind, one must "protect and sustain it" well. To protect is to guard; to sustain is to maintain; protect it well and maintain its position as "the one in charge," which is why the True Mind is also called the "Master." How does one protect and sustain it? "Protect and sustain it with a mind of no taking or rejecting"; one must protect and sustain the True Mind using the method of neither taking nor rejecting external realms. Toward all external realms, do not give rise to the mind of discrimination: this thing is good, I must take it; that thing is bad, I must discard it. Do not have a mind of love, hate, taking, or rejecting; removing this mind of love, hate, taking, and rejecting is protecting the True Mind. The reason we do not attain liberation is that we are spoiled by "love, hate, taking, and rejecting." Oh my! This gold is so good, I must get it in my hand! This place is bad, I must quickly distance myself.

Speaking of this, I recall a modern kōan. There was a Dharma Master in Hangzhou who said: "Although there are many people lecturing on the Diamond Sūtra, a single sentence can stump them. The Diamond Sūtra speaks of no appearance of a person, no appearance of a self, no appearance of purity, no appearance of filth; well then, here is a pile of excrement—since you have no appearances, eat it!" How is this challenging those who lecture on the Diamond Sūtra? This is challenging the meaning of the Diamond Sūtra itself! Actually, this question is very easy to answer. Answer him: "Please bring it here with your mouth." Didn't you ask me to eat it? Then please use your mouth to bring it over! This is the polite answer; if one were not polite, one would shout at him: "Hey! You, Dharma Master, have actually been buried by a pile of excrement." When he saw the pile of excrement, he attached to appearance, which is equivalent to being buried by the excrement. This is all the mind of love, hate, taking, rejecting, and discrimination making mischief! Therefore, we cannot give rise to a mind of love, hate, taking, or rejecting toward external realms; this is protecting the True Mind. Why must we protect the True Mind in this way? "Because its arising and ceasing has not transcended the realm of the King of Marvelous Function of the Dharma Body." Because the arising and ceasing of delusive thoughts has not been able to transcend the realm of the "King of Marvelous Function of the Dharma Body"! The marvelous function of the Dharma Body contains everything, hence it is called "King." The arising and ceasing of delusive thoughts is, of course, also within the realm of the "King of Marvelous Function of the Dharma Body," not going beyond the scope of the True Mind's marvelous function. Therefore, although delusive thoughts have arising and ceasing, as long as I do not run with you, am not pulled by you, and am not moved by you, that is protecting the True Mind.

"Although delusive thoughts possess the form-appearance of ignorance, their self-nature has not gone out of the purity of the wisdom Dharma Body." The Heart Sūtra says: "Illuminated and saw that the five aggregates are all empty." The five aggregates are also called the five skandhas, which are "form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness." The form aggregate belongs to form dharmas; form dharmas have appearances. Men, women, old, young, mountains, rivers, the great earth, grass, trees, and forests are all form-appearances. Feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are mind dharmas; mind dharmas are without appearances. Delusive thinking belongs to mind dharmas, yet why is it said that delusive thoughts "possess the form-appearance of ignorance"? Giving rise to delusive thoughts implies abiding and grasping. Grasping what? Grasping the illusory images of form dharmas—grasping form-appearances. Once a delusive thought arises, there are reflections of form-appearances in the mind, so it is said that delusive thoughts "possess the form-appearance of ignorance." In fact, mind dharmas are form dharmas, and form dharmas are mind dharmas. Apart from the True Mind, where are there two dharmas? But because of ignorance, as soon as the mind dharma moves, it becomes the reflection of the form dharma, hence it is called "the form-appearance of ignorance." The form-appearance of ignorance is likewise illusory and unobtainable. If you can "rely on delusive thoughts to regulate and practice the Dharma Body," then "all manifested delusive thoughts are regulated and revealed as the marvelous enjoyment of Self-nature." Why can delusive thoughts be turned into marvelous enjoyment? Because "their self-nature has not gone out of the purity of the wisdom Dharma Body."

The "self-nature" mentioned here means "own nature." The own nature of delusive thoughts is illusory and unreal; one could also say that delusive thoughts have no self-nature, like "flowers in the sky"—just like seeing flowers in the void. That is because the eyes are sick; only when a cataract grows in the eyes does one see flowers in the sky; actually, there are no flowers in the sky. The cataract in the eye is a metaphor for the delusive thinking and attachment of one's own mind; seeing flowers in the sky is a metaphor for taking the illusory as real, delusively grasping and delusively taking. This is not only being deluded about the void—not seeing the true suchness real nature—but also "not seeing where the real flowers arise"—not knowing that delusive thoughts and delusive realms are both the marvelous function of the True Mind. Ignorance and delusive thoughts are both like "flowers in the sky" (in ancient times, the characters for 'flower' [huá and huā] were used interchangeably); both are without a substantial entity and are empty and false. However, why can they arise? It is precisely because we possess the spiritual, bright True Mind! The True Mind is like the ocean, and delusive thoughts are like waves. Without the ocean, there are no ocean waves; without the True Mind, from where would delusive thoughts come? The True Mind is the wisdom Dharma Body; the True Mind is originally pure. Therefore, the own nature of delusive thoughts has not exceeded "the purity of the wisdom Dharma Body." The Song of Enlightenment says: "The actual nature of ignorance is the Buddha-nature; the illusory empty body is the Dharma Body." The real nature of ignorance is the True Suchness Buddha-nature; the body that is "originally empty" like an illusion is the wisdom Dharma Body. Because the illusory body and mind have not exceeded the scope of the pure wisdom Dharma Body. This is the Reality; this is the One True Dharma Realm.

"Therefore, within the illumination of the vast, unbroken radiance, the self-nature of delusive thoughts is originally empty." What is the "vast, unbroken radiance"? It is our wisdom Dharma Body. The Dharma Body is incomparably vast, forever unbroken, and of immeasurable radiance. The Amitābha Sūtra says: "That Buddha's radiance is immeasurable, illuminating the lands of the ten directions without any obstruction. Therefore, he is named Amitābha." Amitābha is Infinite Light and Infinite Life. Infinite Light is the "vastness" of space; Infinite Life is the "unbrokenness" of time; Amitābha is the "vast, unbroken radiance." In our practice, whether reciting the Buddha's name, investigating Chan, or practicing Esoteric Buddhism, we are all practicing the mind. When the mind is empty and pure, radiance will shine forth greatly. Why does it not shine forth now? Because it is covered by ignorance, just like a pearl wrapped in mud; the radiance is not seen. However, although it is not seen, it is still there! In fact, the radiance has not left us; in daily life, working, writing essays, creating inventions, and so on—these are still the radiance, still the marvelous function of the Dharma Body, only it has not been fully displayed. Within the bright illumination of this "vast, unbroken radiance," the own nature of all delusive thoughts is originally empty and quiescent.

Do not fear delusive thoughts; when delusive thoughts subside, that is the True Mind. If delusive thoughts arise, let them vanish as they are drawn, like drawing a picture on water; do not have stagnation, do not have attachment; immediately have a stern, clear awakening, and let them disappear as they arise. The Pure Land school raising the Buddha's name, the Chan school raising the sensation of doubt, and the Esoteric school holding the mudra and mantra—all are for the purpose of transforming delusive thoughts and protecting the True Mind. Proceeding continuously and closely like this, accomplishment is certain in just a few years of work. What is feared is that we are unwilling to do this, unwilling to protect it continuously and closely, but instead allow delusive thoughts to fly about in confusion, indulging them and letting them be, letting them burn like a great fire—"indulging them causes them to blaze"—then one cannot accomplish it. Therefore, as long as one recognizes that the self-nature of delusive thoughts is originally empty, one need not fear them; they are the marvelous function of the True Mind, they are the power of the Way. Reciting the Buddha's name, investigating Chan, or practicing Esoteric Buddhism—the purpose of all is to cut off delusive thoughts and not wander with them. If there are no "delusive thoughts of leakage," the "karmic causes of Samsara" are cut off.

"If one practices serial training and upholding for a long time like this, then delusive thoughts will be regulated and cured by themselves; motion and stillness will not be divided, and one will obtain the indestructible abode." "In the morning at this, in the evening at this," wandering at this, in hardship at this; doing the work at every moment, not forgetting it in any place—this is called "long-term serial training." Practicing means implementing, actually doing it; upholding means persisting, constantly remaining like this. If one "practices serial training and upholding for a long time" like this, then "delusive thoughts will be regulated and cured by themselves; motion and stillness will not be divided, and one will obtain the indestructible abode." "Regulated and cured by themselves" means you do not need to subdue them; they subdue themselves. Our practice is like herding an ox; at the beginning, one must discipline it at every moment; wait until it is tamed, and you need not manage it—it will obey you. At that time, if you want to give rise to a thought, you give rise to it; if you want not to give rise to a thought, you do not. Rising a thought is for putting it to use; if not using it, then no thought arises—that is successful practice. Ordinary beings cannot be the master of their thoughts; even if they do not want them to arise, they still arise; thoughts jump out of the mind by themselves, hence they are called "delusive thoughts." If a practitioner is also like this, that means the work has not been done well, and one needs to correct one's understanding and apply effort diligently. "Motion and stillness will not be divided" means that whether in motion or in stillness, whether sitting in meditation or working, there is no distinction; it is all like this. I let you move a thought, you move; I do not let you move a thought, you do not move; motion and stillness are one. Just when a thought arises, one does not see where the thought arises from; this is having no thought to arise at every moment, yet not being a pool of dead water where not a single thought exists; it is simply not abiding. Upon reaching this stage, one "obtains the indestructible abode," and will not be destroyed. This physical body of ours will decay and die; when conditions end, the four elements will separate, but the Dharma Body will not decay. Obtaining the indestructible abode is accomplishing the Way. Mahamudra tells us to do the work on the Mind-ground; there is no need to practice any other method; applying effort directly on the Mind-ground is enough. Reflect continuously, like drawing a picture on water, without the slightest abiding. Doing the work like this, after a long time delusive thoughts will naturally be tamed, and that will crystallize into the Fruit of the Way, "obtaining the indestructible abode." Therefore, the Unsurpassed Yoga Tantra of the Esoteric School and the Chan School are the same; the Chan School also tells you to practice without practice. Thus, the Dharma Gate of the Mind-ground is extremely important.

"At the extreme of its function, although delusive thoughts of joy, sorrow, doubt, and anxiety manifest the same as in ordinary beings, it is not like their fixation on reality that forms and destroys, accumulating various karmic activities and shifting according to the power of craving." "At the extreme of its function" means when we practice reflection like this to the ultimate point. At this time, "although delusive thoughts of joy, sorrow, doubt, and anxiety manifest the same as in ordinary beings"—worrying when encountering bad things, rejoicing when encountering good things, and having doubts and anxieties when doing things (but absolutely not doubting the Teacher, doubting the Dharma, or doubting the fundamental)—these joys, sorrows, and anxieties are all delusive thoughts, the same as the joys, sorrows, and anxieties of ordinary beings. "However, it is not like their fixation on reality that forms and destroys"; however, it is not like ordinary beings who fixate on the states they enjoy, worry about, or doubt as being truly existent. Although one also moves a "delusive thought of joy, sorrow, doubt, or anxiety," one does not fixate on it to death, knowing clearly that "whatever possesses characteristics is illusory," and does not consider that there is any substantial entity that can form, or any substantial entity that can be destroyed. Ordinary beings fixate on delusive realms as real, their hearts are always uneasy, brooding over them, calculating in their hearts from dawn to dusk. Affliction, oh, affliction! The life of an ordinary being is passed in delusion and affliction; how bitter this is! This is delusion. Creating karma because of delusion, and receiving retribution because of karma—this is "accumulating various karmic activities and shifting according to the power of craving." Ordinary beings cannot be their own masters, but shift according to the power of craving. For a person who genuinely practices and is "at the extreme of its function," although there are also "delusive thoughts of joy, sorrow, doubt, and anxiety," they pass as soon as they turn; one does not shift according to the power of craving, is not brooding over them, and is not calculating non-stop from dawn to dusk; so it is different! When he encounters sad things, it is not that he does not weep; when he encounters joyful things, it is not that he does not laugh. But with a "boo-hoo" cry or a "ha-ha" laugh, it passes, and the mind is still level and open. A person "at the extreme of its function" is not someone who cannot smile when happy or cannot cry when sad, nor are they a dead person or a wooden figure. When practice reaches that time, joy, laughter, anger, and scolding are all Buddhadharma, are all the power of the Way!

"When a thought arises, first one recognizes the appearance of that delusive thought, and the appearance vanishes immediately, like meeting an old acquaintance; next, the delusive thought will surely perish by itself, like a snake untying its own knot; finally, the delusive thought is without benefit or harm and vanishes obscurely, like a thief entering an empty room; this is the most essential and marvelous of the methods of liberation." When a delusive thought arises, at the very beginning of practice, one only recognizes the various appearances of the delusive thought, and the appearance of the delusive thought vanishes immediately, just like meeting a person one knew before. However, after this acquaintance leaves, there is still a reflection in the mind. Although the delusive thought has vanished, the reflection is still there. Next, when the practice is done somewhat better than before, the delusive thought will surely arise and perish by itself, like a snake that has tied a knot able to untie itself—the mind of attachment has loosened. When the practice is done to the end, "the delusive thought is without benefit or harm and vanishes obscurely"; it is neither that there is harm when the delusive thought arises, nor that there is benefit when the delusive thought perishes; rather, being without benefit or harm, it naturally vanishes obscurely. Even though delusive thoughts arise, I know this is the marvelous function of the True Mind, and thus do not abide; they naturally vanish, and I do not give rise to discrimination regarding the delusive thoughts. Some practitioners like to discriminate: Oh my! My delusive thoughts are not arising, there is a benefit, my practice has improved; Alas! My delusive thoughts have arisen again, harm, harm, I have regressed again. Actually, delusive thoughts originally have no self-nature and are neither good nor bad; as long as we practice earnestly, in the end we will not give rise to the discriminating mind of "beneficial or harmful," and delusive thoughts will vanish obscurely at any time. "Like a thief entering an empty room"—just like a thief entering an empty room, there is nothing to steal. "This is the most essential and marvelous of the methods of liberation"; this is the most important and marvelous method for liberation from delusive thoughts.

Since this is "the most essential and marvelous of the methods of liberation," I will explain these three levels of practice once more below. When a delusive thought arises, first recognize it and do not run with it, and the delusive thought will perish immediately. But initially, the power of recognizing delusive thoughts is insufficient; although the delusive thought has perished, our mind is not without its shadow-image; it is still there. Like meeting an acquaintance from the past; although he has already left, our mind churns: I haven't seen this person for many years; how was he in the past, how is he now. Although the person has left, the reflection remains. Although the delusive thought has perished, the shadow-image still exists. This is because the power is insufficient!

Next, one further recognizes delusive thoughts, knowing that delusive thoughts must perish by themselves, and the power is more sufficient than before. However, the illusory appearance of the delusive thought is still there, and it stays for a period of time before perishing, just like "a snake untying its own knot." A snake cannot tie a knot by itself; if you tie a knot in it, after a period of time, it will untie itself. When practice reaches this point, the "old acquaintance" leaves, and the mind will not churn; compared to before, this is a step further.

Furthermore, one recognizes that delusive thoughts are without benefit or harm, and the arising and ceasing of delusive thoughts is of no concern to me. Because the True Mind is unmoving and unshakable, my True Mind is not damaged by a fraction because a delusive thought arises, nor increased by a fraction because a delusive thought perishes; the True Mind has no increase or decrease, so delusive thoughts are without benefit or harm, letting them arise and perish as they will. Recognizing this point is the most important; accomplishing this point is the best and most marvelous. Suppose that after we give rise to a delusive thought, it still circles in our mind, we still cannot throw it away, and we still want to calculate it further—this is because the power is insufficient. Many people are like this; having had a dream at night, upon waking up they still want to think about it—how was this dream, how was it—and even tell it to others. Suppose we can achieve this: knowing it is a dream, ignoring it, and leaving not a single shadow in the mind—then there is power. Like meeting an old acquaintance, a snake untying its own knot, and a thief entering an empty room—these represent different levels of our view of delusive thoughts and our power to extinguish delusive thoughts. Everyone should investigate for themselves at which level they can extinguish delusive thoughts.

"Knowing practice but not knowing the View is the same as the Meditation Heavens." Knowing to practice, knowing not to run with delusive thoughts, but not knowing that "all delusive thoughts are marvelous functions arising from the thoroughly penetrating realm of Self-nature"—this is called "knowing practice but not knowing the View." Knowing only to cultivate the Way, but not knowing what the True Mind is, and not recognizing the True Mind, one is "the same as the Meditation Heavens." Even if you work diligently like this and your concentration power is quite deep, reaching the ultimate point, if you do not recognize the True Mind, you will merely be born in the First Dhyāna Heaven, Second Dhyāna Heaven, Third Dhyāna Heaven, or Fourth Dhyāna Heaven; you still will not exit the Form Realm. Let alone liberation, you have not even reached the Formless Realm.

"If one does not possess the practice of the marvelous essential of the method of liberation like this, even though the mind can firmly abide in Chan concentration, one will also fall into the Chan concentration of the upper realms." If one does not possess the practice of the marvelous essential of the method of liberation like this, that is "knowing practice but not knowing the View." "Even though the mind can firmly abide in Chan concentration" means the mind can be unmoving, entering concentration very deeply, remaining unmoving for one year, two years, three years, or even one kalpa, two kalpas, or millions of kalpas. "One will also fall into the Chan concentration of the upper realms"; one merely falls into the Chan concentration of the Four Dhyāna Heavens or the Four Formless Heavens. This is still the Chan concentration of the Form Realm and Formless Realm; one is still within the Three Realms and is not liberated. If one does not recognize the True Mind, one cannot exit the Three Realms, which is the same as the external paths. Why can external paths not exit the Three Realms? Because they do not know what the True Mind is. External paths cling to the Yang Spirit, considering the Yang Spirit to be real and indestructible. The Yang Spirit is what Buddhism calls the "mind-made body," which is the body born of the Seventh Consciousness (manas); it is still a false shadow. The Diamond Sūtra says: "Whatever possesses characteristics is illusory"; everything that has characteristics is entirely fake; the Yang Spirit is also fake, does not exit the Three Realms, and is not ultimate. Only by recognizing the True Suchness Self-nature and striving to protect it—practicing like this—can one accomplish the Great Way. We say again and again: Everyone must protect the True Suchness Dharma Essence well! One must be clearly aware and constantly knowing, abideless at all times, protecting it continuously and closely; after a long time, one will naturally verify and accomplish the Great Way and will definitely be able to succeed. Recognizing the True Mind is like obtaining rice; using fire to cook it again, it can become cooked rice. The so-called "using fire to cook" means protecting it at all times, not letting delusive thoughts invade it in any place, not running with delusive thoughts, the mind empty and without abiding—then, the result will certainly be becoming a Buddha; this is very important. If one does not practice like this, even if the concentration power is deep and the time entering Chan concentration is long, one cannot verify and accomplish the Great Way. Nowadays, many people like concentration power: Oh my, this Dharma Master's skill is very good; he has been in concentration for a week. Oh, no, no! That Dharma Master's skill is even better; he has been in concentration for three months. We must shout loudly at him here: No! That is dead concentration; it absolutely cannot verify and accomplish the Great Way! True Chan concentration is not being deluded against circumstances, being without abiding at all times. If one is in concentration sitting there but out of concentration when off the seat, can that work? It cannot work. Therefore, if one does not recognize the True Suchness Dharma Essence but practices blindly and trains recklessly, one definitely cannot accomplish the Way. One must recognize the True Mind and do the work to protect it to accomplish the Great Way. This is a crucial principle that we who learn Buddhism must know.

"If one considers fully understanding the arising and abiding of delusive thoughts as sufficient, this is no different from inferior madness and delusion." Some people who engage in practice are satisfied once they know the place of arising and abiding of delusive thoughts. He says: "Oh, I understand. I know both the place where delusive thoughts arise and where they abide. From where do delusive thoughts arise? Delusive thoughts arise from realms; delusive thoughts are reflections of realms. Where do delusive thoughts abide? They abide on realms." Delusive thoughts indeed arise from realms; without realms, there are no delusive thoughts. "The mind originally is unborn; it exists because of the realm"—this is what Vipśyin Buddha said. However, from where do realms exist? If one is satisfied merely knowing the arising and abiding of delusive thoughts, "this is no different from inferior madness and delusion"; that is no different from inferior madness and delusion. The Buddhadharma is the supreme marvelous Dharma; it is concentration without madness, wisdom without delusion; inferior madness and delusion are not Buddhadharma. "Those who consider fully understanding the arising and abiding of delusive thoughts as sufficient" are of the lowest vehicle capacity. What is the use of only knowing the arising and abiding of delusive thoughts? One must recognize the True Suchness Dharma Essence, use effort on the Dharma Essence, and observe and protect it at all times and in all places to accomplish the Way. Knowing only the arising and abiding of delusive thoughts while fantasizing about accomplishing the Way is like cooking rice with sand; one cannot produce cooked rice even in ten million kalpas.

"Or perhaps one is biased towards emptiness, seeking the seal of the Dharma Body and such thoughts; however, when encountering evil conditions, the practice one holds cannot release the binding of the realm, and instead one manifests faults." Those who consider fully understanding the arising and abiding of delusive thoughts as sufficient are naturally people of inferior capacity because they attach to realms, thinking realms are truly existent. However, being "biased towards emptiness" also will not do! Attaching to existence is of course incorrect, but falling into emptiness is also incorrect. Why? Because our Dharma Body is neither empty nor existing, is both empty and present, is not empty and not existing; saying it exists is incorrect, saying it is empty is also incorrect. "Seeking the seal of the Dharma Body": seal means verification; seal means accord. Seeking the seal of the Dharma Body means seeking to verify and accord with the Dharma Body. If you are biased towards emptiness, you do not correspond with the Dharma Body; how can you verify and accord with the Dharma Body? Therefore, one can only say this is "thinking." The Dharma Body does not fall into thinking; once it falls into thinking, it violates the Dharma Body. All kinds of thinking, attaching to emptiness or attaching to existence, do not correspond with the Dharma Body. "However, when encountering evil conditions, the practice one holds cannot release the binding of the realm, and instead one manifests faults." When these people who are biased towards emptiness encounter evil conditions or adverse conditions, the work they have done cannot release the binding of these states, and they are bound by these states. Their "emptiness" is merely thinking; when encountering events, they cannot empty them! Their "emptiness" has an emptiness existing there; doesn't this become "existence"? In the past, there was a prominent figure in Pudong, Shanghai, who said: "You say empty, empty; why then are there still mountains, rivers, the great earth, men, women, old, and young?" He understood "empty" as "there is nothing at all"; this is not the same as the emptiness we understand. When we speak of emptiness, it is emptying the appearance, not abiding on the appearance; regarding it as unobtainable is emptiness. "Whatever possesses characteristics is illusory"; simply do not attach to appearances; appearances still exist—without appearances, how could marvelous function arise? If this house did not exist, how would we shelter from wind and rain? If this stool did not exist, how would we sit peacefully? "Dharmas born of causes and conditions, I say are precisely empty"; lacking a self-body and lacking a self-nature is emptiness, not that there are no appearances. Thinking of "emptiness" is useless; when encountering states, one cannot empty them. Our Self-nature is neither empty nor existing, is both empty and present; presence is precisely emptiness, emptiness is precisely presence. The very substance of "existence" is unobtainable; this is true emptiness. If one clings to biased emptiness without recognizing Self-nature, one has no power and cannot pass through states. If one recognizes Self-nature, all kinds of states are merely the marvelous function of Self-nature. Like reflections in a mirror, like waves on water. Recognizing the mirror and knowing the water, one will not be deluded by reflections and waves, and all states will naturally be easily emptied. If one does not recognize Self-nature, then one cannot empty them. We must first recognize the True Suchness Dharma Essence; this is the most important of all. Therefore, illuminating the Mind and seeing the Nature is the root; no matter what school you practice, all take illuminating the Mind and seeing the Nature as the root; without illuminating the Mind and seeing the Nature, it will not work. If one merely understands the arising and abiding of delusive thoughts, or is biased towards emptiness, without recognizing Self-nature, then when encountering evil conditions, the power of practice one holds cannot release the binding of states, "and instead one manifests faults." Ordinary beings do not recognize what true emptiness is; when hindered by the manifestation of evil and adverse states, they become heavy with doubt and anxiety, and consequently slander the Buddhadharma. He says: "This should be empty! Why can't it be emptied? It still exists! Then, the Buddha spoke the Dharma wrongly." The celestial beings of the Four Formless Heavens are like this; they cultivate to the concentration of emptiness, but when the kalpa duration of the concentration of emptiness arrives, they exit concentration, see the external realms, and give rise to doubt: "Eh? It was said to be empty; why does it still exist? The Buddha spoke Dharma to deceive people; he is a swindler, a swindler." He still attaches to appearances; attaching to appearances creates karma, and creating karma leads to receiving retribution. Turning around to slander the Buddhadharma, he falls into hell. This is "and instead one manifests faults." Therefore, we must recognize the true meaning of the Buddhadharma and know what the Buddha-nature is; this is most important. The Buddha-nature is neither empty nor existing, is both empty and present, is likewise empty and likewise present. If you attach to emptiness and fall into emptiness, practicing without recognizing the fundamental nature, you cannot succeed in practice. The result is creating evil karma, and instead manifesting faults yourself.

"Arising-extinction, Self-extinction, Fixed-extinction are all the self-extinction of delusive thoughts; following delusion, originally pure." Since delusive thoughts can arise, they can be extinguished. There are three forms of extinguishing: "Arising-extinction, Self-extinction, Fixed-extinction." Arising-extinction: the arising of a subsequent delusive thought extinguishes the preceding delusive thought; Self-extinction: the delusive thought extinguishes itself; Fixed-extinction: doing the work to enter concentration, extinguishing delusive thoughts. These several ways of extinguishing delusive thoughts differ in speed and vary in magnitude of power. No matter what method is used to extinguish them, it is all the delusive thoughts extinguishing themselves, hence "all are the self-extinction of delusive thoughts." In fact, delusive thoughts themselves are illusory and unobtainable, and there is no such thing as extinguishing or not extinguishing; not abiding in them is regarding them as extinguished. After delusive thoughts extinguish, it is "following delusion, originally pure"; following the extinction of delusive thoughts, it is the originally pure True Suchness Dharma Body. The Sūtra says: "Resting the maddened mind is precisely Bodhi." How does the delusive mind arise? "The mind originally is unborn; it exists because of the realm" (stated clearly by Vipśyin Buddha); the delusive mind exists because of the realm; without the external realm, there is no delusive mind. However, the realm is just like the mind, illusory and unobtainable: "The mind is not mind of itself, it is mind because of the realm; the realm is not realm of itself, it is realm because of the mind." Mind and realm arise relatively; apart from one, the other is nothing. Therefore, my late teacher Master Xianglu said: "Realms also do not exist; they are equally illusions." As long as you clearly know that all external realms are like dreams, illusions, and flowers in the sky, without a substantial entity, and do not climb on them or give rise to delusive thoughts, then the spirit is tranquil and wisdom is clear, numinous light shines alone, and the True Mind is bright and pure, like a mirror reflecting objects—without taking or rejecting, without love or hate, clearly distinct yet not a single thought arising, not a single thought arising yet clearly distinct—instantly one personally verifies the True Suchness Dharma Body, without needing to do any clumsy work outside of resting the mind. If you genuinely recognize the True Suchness Dharma Body, delusive thoughts are the marvelous function of the True Suchness Dharma Body, and delusion is precisely pure. Just like recognizing that the wave itself is water; not attaching to the appearance of the wave, one need not wait for the wave to subside—the wave in its very substance is water. This is the profound meaning of "following delusion, originally pure." The center of what is discussed here is that one must recognize delusive thoughts and not fear delusive thoughts. Delusive thoughts are the marvelous function of the True Mind. As long as one does not run with them, one can cut them off; following delusion, originally pure. Following the arising and ceasing of delusive thoughts, it is the fundamentally pure True Suchness Dharma Body. The True Suchness Dharma Body is originally pure; it is not that the True Suchness Dharma Body becomes impure because there are delusive thoughts. As long as one does not run with delusive thoughts and is not controlled by them, observing the True Suchness Dharma Body at all times, protecting it continuously and closely, after a long time one will inevitably be able to verify and accomplish the Great Way, verifying and accomplishing the Buddha Fruit.

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Twelve)

2025-12-10T00:00:00.004+08:00

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Chinese Original From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

English Translation:

The Ganges Mahamudra

(Lecture Twelve)

By Master Yuan Yin

Lecture Twelve

“All that arises is the manifestation of the functional operation of Self-nature. Therefore, recognizing the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence is extremely important.”

We have just mentioned earlier that one cannot “give rise to greed and love towards joyful circumstances and favorable conditions, nor give rise to anger and hatred towards adverse circumstances and obstructing conditions, just as one feels suffering towards illness and pain.” Why must one not think in this way? Because “all that arises is the manifestation of the functional operation of Self-nature.” Do not consider joyful circumstances and favorable conditions as good, and adverse circumstances and obstructing conditions as bad; or health as good, and illness as bad. Where do these “bad” adverse circumstances, obstructing conditions, and even illnesses and pains come from? These are all manifestations of Self-nature; without Self-nature, how could these conditions and circumstances exist? We must abruptly awaken, realizing that these conditions and circumstances, and even the mind of anger and hatred, are all manifestations of Self-nature, and naturally, we will not hate! Self-nature itself is neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither coming nor going, neither moving nor wavering. If there were no *bodhi* Self-nature, there would not even be afflictions, just as without water there would be no waves. Precisely because the wave itself is water, it is said that “Affliction is Bodhi.” In our practice of the Way, we must possess a stern awareness at all times; as soon as affliction arises, one sternly awakens to it. Once one sternly awakens, one returns to the original position, and naturally, it manifests clearly and brightly; affliction immediately becomes unobtainable. This is the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence.

“Therefore, recognizing the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence is extremely important.” Thus, the recognition regarding the Wisdom of the Liberated Essence is of utmost importance. Recognize the Mind of Numinous Knowing, do not **identify with** delusive thoughts; recognize the Essence of Empty Quiescence, do not **identify with** the physical body. As soon as a delusive thought arises, immediately sternly awaken; the Mind of Numinous Knowing manifests before you, and the delusive thought instantly dissolves like ice. One cannot **take** the physical body **to be** “I”; if one grasps this physical shell, it becomes trouble. The physical body is like a house; it is not “I”, but merely a place to dwell temporarily. We must engage in this *gongfu* [spiritual work] at every moment.

“If one has not grasped the essential of arising and extinguishing (of thoughts), then the leaking delusive thoughts are all karmic causes of *saṃsāra*. Therefore, regardless of whether delusive thoughts are coarse or fine, one must protect the practice well by letting them follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish. That is, do not indulge them to blaze, nor use thought to cure thought. Only contemplate them without departing from the Natural Fundamental Essence, making them discontinuous, like drawing a picture on water, which vanishes as it is drawn.”

The “essential of arising and extinguishing” refers to the key point regarding the arising and extinguishing of thoughts. So, what is this key point? “The green mountain originally does not move; the white clouds are left to come and go.” The green mountain is a metaphor for Self-nature, and the white clouds are a metaphor for delusive thoughts; Self-nature does not move or waver, while delusive thoughts arise and extinguish. Although thoughts arise and extinguish, “recognizing them, they do not become an injustice!” Recognizing them means having grasped the essential of arising and extinguishing. If one does not recognize them, and when a delusive thought arises you remain unaware, that is failing to grasp the essential of arising and extinguishing. “If one has not grasped the essential of arising and extinguishing, then the leaking delusive thoughts are all karmic causes of Samsara.” In our Heart-of-Mind Method, we emphasize that “contemplation is the main practice, and sitting meditation is the auxiliary practice,” precisely to highlight the function of contemplation. When a delusive thought comes, one must see it, immediately sternly awaken, and pay no attention to the thought. If one does not see it, one is clearly running after the delusive thought; this is “leakage.” These leaking delusive thoughts are all karmic causes for the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Running after thoughts, one inevitably turns along with the environment. After adhering to the environment, one creates karma; after creating karma, one receives retribution, to the extent that there is no date of exit from the Six Paths of Reincarnation. It is like a water bucket with a leak; the water of the marvelous function of Self-nature leaks away completely, and one falls into becoming an ordinary being of the Six Paths. Falling is the karmic fruit; leakage is the karmic cause. The *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* says: “Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times, yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either.” The first half of the sentence teaches us not to leak, not to let delusive thoughts pass, but to sternly awaken so that delusive thoughts do not arise. Fearing that we might misunderstand and engage in the “dead concentration” work of suppressing thoughts from arising, it immediately follows with the second half: “yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either.” Do not annihilate delusive thoughts completely either. Why? In order to initiate boundless marvelous functions and liberate immeasurable sentient beings! If the True Mind can be the master, then speech and conversation, gestures and movements, and the arising of thoughts and stirring of mind are all marvelous functions of Self-nature. The Five-Powers Ascetic asked the Buddha: “What is that one power?” He had five supernatural powers, and the Buddha had six; what is “that one power”? The Buddha called his name: “Five-Powers Ascetic!” He responded with a sound. The Buddha said: “That one power, you ask me.” With one call and one response, one question and one answer, the marvelous function of Self-nature was displayed vividly. This is “that one power”—the Power of the Extinction of Leakages. Extinction of leakages means not leaking even a bit; leakage has been completely exhausted. Therefore, although the True Mind appears like a fool, possessing great wisdom that appears as folly, if one does not give rise to thoughts or stir the mind, how can one initiate boundless marvelous functions? If one were to extinguish all waves, would it not become a pool of dead water? Therefore, “regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either.” If one recognizes the True Mind and the True Mind is the master, delusive thoughts are marvelous functions; if one does not recognize the True Mind and delusive thoughts are the master, it is leakage, and it is the karmic cause of Samsara. This is the “essential of arising and extinguishing.” Borrowing the metaphor of the green mountain and white clouds again, let us praise this “essential of arising and extinguishing”: “White clouds drift over the green mountain, the green mountain remains as it is; The green mountain is naturally the green mountain, how could it be obstructed by the white clouds?”

“Therefore, regardless of whether delusive thoughts are coarse or fine, one must protect the practice well by letting them follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish.” Delusive thoughts can be coarse or fine; what is the difference between coarse delusion and fine delusion? Coarse delusion is giving rise to mind in response to an object. Finding joy in favorable circumstances and worry in adverse circumstances, one unknowingly runs after the **environment** [phenomena]. We must sever this coarse delusion first, knowing that all external objects are false, like flowers in the sky or the moon in the water, and are completely unobtainable. The *Diamond Sutra* says: “All conditioned dharmas are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew, also like a flash of lightning; one should contemplate them in this way.” Here, “should” has the meaning of compliance and dealing with things. Regarding all external objects, whether favorable or adverse, go ahead and deal with them, but at the same time, one must maintain this contemplation, viewing all external objects as unobtainable, like a dream, an illusion, a water bubble, a shadow, morning dew, or lightning. Contemplating in this way at every moment, after a long time one will not be moved by external objects, and basically, the coarse delusions will be severed. After this, there still exists “habitual tendency” [*vāsanā*]. Habitual tendencies are the seed-habits in the field of the Eighth Consciousness; even if you do not think about them, they will jump out on their own; this is called “flipping seeds.” This kind of delusive thought is finer than the “coarse delusion” just mentioned, but it is not yet fine delusion. When sitting in meditation, it is easier to detect the churning of seeds; towards this, we still pay no attention and disregard it, and thus we enter concentration peacefully. What is seen within concentration is the fine delusion, which is like an undercurrent in deep water, moving surgingly. Without entering deep *dhyāna* [meditation], one absolutely cannot see fine delusions.

Regardless of whether the delusive thoughts are coarse or fine, “one must protect the practice well by letting them follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish.” When a delusive thought comes, you must detect it, then sternly awaken, pay it no heed, and not run after it; naturally, it will dissolve into formlessness. This is called “following into nothingness as they arise and extinguish”; following your awakening, the arising and extinguishing of thoughts transform into emptiness. If you cannot detect it or do not sternly awaken, and the delusive thoughts move incessantly without stopping, continuing thought after thought without interruption, then that becomes the karmic cause of Samsara. “Protect the practice well” means to protect and correct properly. Protect what? Correct what? Protect the True Mind that is numinously bright and non-abiding; correct the delusive thoughts that flow incessantly. Upon detecting a delusive thought, one must immediately sternly awaken and immediately “let it follow into nothingness as it arises and extinguishes”; do not follow it for a distance before sternly awakening. Some people know when a delusive thought has arisen, but they cannot bear to stop; they say: Let me consider it further, let me think about it first before sternly awakening. Since you already know it is a delusive thought, why continue thinking about it? Is this not utter folly? This is clearly flowing along with delusive thoughts! One should not be like this; one must quickly sternly awaken, letting it follow into nothingness as it arises and extinguishes. We must protect our True Mind at all times, knowing clearly and constantly, abiding nowhere, and sticking to nothing; this is “protecting the practice well.”

“That is, do not indulge them to blaze, nor use thought to cure thought.” Indulging is letting loose, letting the wild horse loose, running after thoughts. Making them blaze means causing thoughts to burn incessantly, associating Zhang San with Li Si, and Li Si with Zhao Wu... flowing without rest. Like a great fire burning, the more it burns, the fiercer it becomes. Indulging thoughts to continue burning incessantly is “indulging them to blaze.” We cannot “indulge them to blaze”; we must quickly transform them. How to transform? There are two methods; one method is to think in your own heart: what are the consequences of “indulging them to blaze”? They will be unimaginable! That is the karmic cause of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, unspeakably suffering! Quickly sternly awaken, causing Self-nature to manifest brightly and clearly. If the force of delusive thoughts is strong and stern awakening cannot transform them, then use the second method: quickly recite the Buddha’s name or quickly hold a mantra, using the Buddha-thought or Right Thought to replace the delusive thought. Both of these methods are “not indulging them to blaze,” but one absolutely must not “use thought to cure thought.” What is meant by using thought to cure thought? Giving rise to a delusive thought to suppress the original delusive thought: “Oh, this thought is a delusive thought, bad, bad, quickly stop moving.” This is called using thought to cure thought. Why is using thought to cure thought bad? There are two results. One is that you cannot suppress the delusive thoughts, and it precisely becomes “the flow of delusive thoughts.” The other is that even if you can cure it for a time and suppress the thought to death, it is like “moving a stone to press down the grass; when the stone is removed, the grass grows.” After the thought is pressed to death, one becomes like soil, wood, metal, or stone—dead. Such “dead concentration” is time-bound; even if you can remain in concentration for hundreds or thousands of years... when the power of concentration fades, delusive thoughts will come again, and they will come even more fiercely; the Six Paths of Reincarnation remain as before, so it is still not ultimate. Therefore, we do not use thought to cure thought, nor do we press thoughts to death; we transform them, turning them over with a stern awakening. When strength is insufficient, then hold a mantra or recite the Buddha’s name.

“Only contemplate them without departing from the Natural Fundamental Essence, making them discontinuous, like drawing a picture on water, which vanishes as it is drawn.” The Natural Fundamental Essence is our Natural Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is unborn and undying, unmoving and unwavering, neither coming nor going, neither increasing nor decreasing. Contemplation is the “stern awakening” just mentioned. Simply sternly awaken, and returning to the Natural Fundamental Essence is it. We must not depart from the Natural Fundamental Essence at any time; when a delusive thought comes, sternly awaken, making the delusive thought unable to continue. If a delusive thought comes and you do not even know it, then it will not work. Therefore, “contemplation” has two layers of meaning: one is that you must know when a delusive thought comes, and the other is the stern awakening. There is a metaphor called “like a cat catching a mouse,” which compares delusive thoughts to a mouse. One must have the alertness of a cat; as soon as the mouse shows its head, it is immediately discovered. In Chan [Zen], this is called “looking after the *huatou*”; looking after means watching it well. This thought of “watching well” is Right Thought; in doing the *gongfu*, Right Thought must not be lost. Right Thought is like the guard at the gate of a government office, blocking idlers and not allowing them to enter. Right Thought is the marvelous function of Buddha-nature. If Right Thought is lost, one either fails to detect the fluttering of delusive thoughts or engages in dead concentration work, turning into soil, wood, metal, and stone. These are the two diverging paths when doing the *gongfu*. Therefore, the Chan school requires raising the sensation of doubt [Yi Qing], the Pure Land school requires holding the Buddha’s name, the Esoteric school requires holding mantras and forming *mudrās*, and Mahamudra requires us to “contemplate without departing from the Natural Fundamental Essence.”

What is the purpose of contemplation? “Making them discontinuous.” That is, not letting delusive thoughts continue, cutting off delusive thoughts. Therefore, we say the function of reciting the Buddha’s name is to sever delusive thoughts; the holy name of the Buddha is a sword of wisdom. “*Amitābha*, *Amitābha*...” as the Buddha-thought manifests, it naturally severs delusive thoughts into formlessness. If one recites the Buddha’s name while delusive thoughts are inverted and chaotic, then that is not reciting the Buddha’s name. When reciting the Buddha’s name, one must have “Stopping and Contemplation” [*śamatha-vipaśyanā*]; one must recite with the mind and hear with the ear. The mind reciting the Buddha’s name while delusive thoughts do not arise is Stopping; the ear hearing the Buddha’s name with clarity and distinctness is Contemplation. In Buddhism, the purpose of doing any work is to prevent delusive thoughts from continuing in succession. “Like drawing a picture on water, which vanishes as it is drawn.” Make the arising and extinguishing of delusive thoughts be like drawing a picture on the surface of water; disappearing as it is drawn, preserving not the slightest trace; arising and extinguishing follow into nothingness.

“But although delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves, it is not yet purity. Because if one merely fully knows delusive thoughts, one still cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil.”

Even if delusive thoughts do not arise and naturally extinguish, it still does not count as purity. Some people are confused: if delusive thoughts are extinguished, shouldn’t it be purity? Why is it said that it still does not count as purity? Because “if one merely fully knows delusive thoughts, one still cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil.” Merely fully knowing the state of delusive thoughts, knowing that this is a delusive thought, but not recognizing the True Mind, will not do. Only after recognizing the True Mind can one cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil. Confusion and turmoil mean becoming confused after facing an object, and the mind becoming chaotic. Seeing a gold ingot, the mind moves chaotically, wanting to get rich; seeing beauty, the mind moves chaotically, the fire of lust burning the body... these are all confusion and turmoil. You clearly know these are all reflections, all false, all unobtainable, yet you simply cannot cut them off. Why? Because you only know the state of delusive thoughts but do not recognize the True Mind. You do not know what the True Mind is, so you have no power; when encountering circumstances, the mind still moves, and thus you cannot cut off the karmic stream of confusion and turmoil. We ordinary beings have lost our original nature, **take** objects **to be** ourselves, chase after material circumstances, and create karma and receive retribution, ceaseless like flowing water. Past karma is like seeds planted in the field of the Eighth Consciousness; how to cut it off? Only by realizing the True Mind and cutting off the root can it be cut off. Therefore, if one desires to cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil, one must realize the True Mind; merely knowing that delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves is not enough.

“Must at the same time as knowing delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves, immediately recognize the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance, then naturally abide.”

The “Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance” is the Root Consciousness; it is the Eighth Consciousness returning from delusion to awakening, turning around. Once the Eighth Consciousness turns, it is the “Amala Consciousness,” also called the Pure Consciousness. This is the so-called “Transforming Consciousness into Wisdom,” transforming the Eighth Consciousness into the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom. To “manifestly see” the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance means to clearly see the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, which is Self-nature manifesting brightly and clearly, which is also the state where not a single thought arises yet Numinous Knowing is clear and distinct, manifesting brightly. Only in this way can one cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil. “Manifestly seeing the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance” is not difficult; the difficulty lies in your not understanding or recognizing it, that is, the difficulty lies in not “cognizing” it. “Recognizing the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance manifesting” is called “grabbing it in one go” in Chan; in Pure Land, it is called “flowers blooming and seeing Buddha to awaken to the Unborn”; in Esoteric Buddhism, it is called “realizing *siddhi*.”

Must, at the same time as knowing “delusive thoughts extinguish of themselves,” “immediately recognize the Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance.” When there are no delusive thoughts, one must recognize and accept the True Mind, recognize and accept our true Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is Wisdom Nature—the nature of wisdom; because all *gongfu*, all supernatural powers, and all marvelous functions arise from it, it is called “Wisdom Nature.” Only knowing that delusive thoughts follow into nothingness as they arise and extinguish, without recognizing the True Mind, one still cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil. One must recognize the True Mind, and further fully know that the Deluded Mind arises from the True Mind. When the Deluded Mind is cut off, what is that which “does not give rise to a single thought yet is clearly and constantly knowing”? This is precisely the True Mind, precisely the “Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom.” One must recognize the True Mind and experience the True Mind right at the place where delusive thoughts are cut off. If one cannot grab it in one go, it is “missing it right in front of your face,” and then one cannot see the nature. The so-called “seeing the nature” means understanding. Understanding that the Deluded Mind is unobtainable, and understanding that the Deluded Mind is the marvelous function of the True Mind. At the place where the Deluded Mind ceases, immediately “grab” the True Mind. It is not grabbing something with your hand; the True Mind has no shape or form; “to speak of it as a thing is to miss the mark.” It is not that there exists a thing with form waiting for you to grab, but that you must experience it, recognize it, and affirm it. When the Deluded Mind rests, recognizing the True Mind is very, very important. I have reminded everyone again and again: at the “cutting of the front and back boundaries,” that is, when the previous thought has extinguished and the subsequent thought has not yet arisen, what is this? One should bring forth one’s spirit at this moment to recognize the True Mind, affirm the True Mind, trust deeply without doubt, and take it on. After recognizing the True Mind, one will not grasp at characteristics, and all delusive thoughts will transform into marvelous functions.

The True Mind has no shape or characteristics; anything with shape or form is a false image, a reflection, and utterly unobtainable. Knowing this, we will not grasp at things with form. Only then will we have power, and be able to let go of things with form, discard things with form, and not abide in things with form. If one does not recognize the True, one will always be confused by the false. “When the false is taken as true, the true also becomes false”; because one does not recognize the True, one inevitably **identifies with** the false, thus “**taking** the thief for one’s father” and burying the True Mind. This is the most important issue. One must recognize where delusive thoughts come from. What are delusive thoughts? Delusive thoughts are not bad things; delusive thoughts are the marvelous function arising from our True Mind. Do not fear delusive thoughts; as long as you do not run after them, recognize their Original Face, do not stick to the environment, do not abide in the environment, and do not grasp at characteristics; at every moment, awaken as soon as a thought arises, and cut it as soon as it arises; at the place where a thought is cut, the “Wisdom Nature of Self-Cognizance” will manifest brightly. The so-called “No-thought” [*wúniàn*] does not necessarily mean that not a single thought arises. If not a single thought arose, one would turn into soil, wood, metal, and stone; that is annihilation, that is neutral blankness, not No-thought. No-thought means thoughts arise but do not abide. A monk asked Zhao Zhou: “Does a newborn child possess the six consciousnesses or not?” A newly born infant knows nothing and surely would not give rise to mind in response to objects or have chaotic delusions flying about! Does the infant possess the six consciousnesses of “eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind”? This is actually using the infant as a metaphor to ask what is “No-thought.” Zhao Zhou answered: “Hitting a ball on rapid water.” The monk then asked Tou Zi: “What is the meaning of ‘hitting a ball on rapid water’?” Tou Zi answered: “Thought after thought does not stay.” When hitting a ball on very rapid flowing water, can the ball stay put? It is washed away in an instant. “Does not stay” is non-abiding. It is evident that thoughts arising without abiding is No-thought, and it is not that having not a single thought is called No-thought. We remind you again and again: at the place where a thought is cut, this clear and distinct knowing is our Mind of Numinous Knowing, this is the True Mind, this is the True Suchness Buddha-nature. **Mindfulness of Buddha** [*niànfó*] is to be mindful of this Buddha. Buddha means Awakening. **Mindfulness of Buddha** means thought after thought is in awakening; this is the true meaning of **Mindfulness of Buddha**. If one does not understand this true meaning and recites the Buddha in a daze, that is equal to not **being mindful of the Buddha**. My master (Guru Wang Xianglu) said in the past that if a person reciting the Buddha does not attain marvelous function or power for many years, they should quickly switch to practicing Esoteric Buddhism; after obtaining response and Samadhi in Esoteric practice, turn back to **Mindfulness of Buddha**, and they will know the resting place of **Mindfulness of Buddha**. Therefore, we who learn Buddhism must recognize the source of delusive thoughts, and recognize and accept the True Mind at the place where delusive thoughts rest; this is most important.

After recognizing the True Mind, “then naturally abide.” The abiding of non-abiding is called natural abiding. Natural and steady, alert yet quiescent, quiescent yet alert, no longer shaken by **phenomena**, no longer troubled by delusive thoughts. Learning Buddhism in this way is truly gaining power. Otherwise, it is all wrong application of effort. Some people say: I have already recited so many scriptures, I still need to recite so many more, I have to fulfill my vows! Doing these things is precisely not waking from the great dream, not truly working, not truly learning Buddhism! To truly learn Buddhism, one must recognize the Marvelous Bright True Mind that is originally non-abiding, be awake at all times, and be non-abiding everywhere; only then is there hope of becoming a Buddha. Reciting however many sentences of Buddha’s name, reciting however many scriptures, marking red dots, burning them, and fulfilling vows—what use is that? Can one become a Buddha by grasping at characteristics like this? One cannot.

“Where delusive thoughts extinguish, purity is immediately obtained; this is even more important (merely knowing delusive thoughts cannot cut off confusion).”

At the place where that delusive thought extinguishes, the originally pure True Mind immediately manifests. When the waves rest, is it not pure water? Recognizing this True Mind is even more important. (Merely recognizing delusive thoughts. Without recognizing the True Mind, one cannot cut off the stream of karma of confusion and turmoil). We have already discussed this a lot just now.

“The arising and extinguishing of thoughts are simultaneous, like drawing a picture on water; vanishing as it is drawn, originally all are pure. Self-arising and self-extinguishing, continuous and dense, successive without rest, one attains free functioning.”

As soon as a thought arises, it does not block the mind; it immediately extinguishes itself without leaving a trace; this is called “the arising and extinguishing of thoughts are simultaneous.” This is very similar to drawing a picture on water; a thought just arising is equivalent to us drawing a stroke on the water (mind-water); the thought extinguishing itself is equivalent to the picture drawn on water leaving no trace. Therefore it is said: “vanishing as it is drawn, originally all are pure.” The Buddha said: “I have dwelt in the world for forty-nine years and have not spoken a single word.” This is “vanishing as it is drawn”; after speaking, it is equal to not having spoken. The Chan school says: “Eating rice all day, yet never biting a single grain of rice; wearing clothes all year, yet never hanging a single thread.” It is not that he does not eat rice or does not wear clothes; having eaten and worn them, it is over, without discriminating or calculating. The mind must be empty and pure like this to accomplish the Way.

“Self-arising and self-extinguishing, continuous and dense, successive without rest, one attains free functioning.” As soon as a delusive thought arises, it naturally extinguishes; this is the previously mentioned “The green mountain originally does not move; the white clouds are left to come and go.” My green mountain (True Mind) does not move, letting your white clouds (delusive thoughts) come and go. Despite coming and going, once they have come and gone, they are gone; this is called “self-arising and self-extinguishing.”

“Continuous and dense, successive without rest” refers to doing the *gongfu*. Doing the *gongfu* is difficult, and the difficulty lies in this point. “Continuous” means extending long; “continuous and dense” means enduring and persisting. “Dense” means not sparse; “dense and thick” means without interruption. “Continuous and dense” means proceeding like this for a long time without interruption. “Successive without rest” means continuing without stopping. One must do the *gongfu* like this for it to work. If we can truly do the *gongfu* like this, we will definitely succeed in three or five years. When I say three or five years, that is already long. My master (Guru Wang Xianglu) said in the past: “Accomplishment guaranteed in one and a half years; if not accomplished, come ask me.” This is true! If we can be “continuous and dense, successive without rest,” how could we not succeed? Decisively, one can succeed! The failure lies in not being able to be “continuous and dense, successive without rest,” practicing and then stopping, fishing for three days and drying the nets for two.

This section is very important, so I will repeat it again: when delusive thoughts stop, that which is pure, clear, and distinct is the True Suchness Self-nature; apart from this, nothing else is. Do not doubt there: “Is this not it? If this is it, how come I don’t manifest spiritual powers?” If you think like this, it is ruined; then you have caught the demon of spiritual powers. Do you not want to see spiritual powers? Now I will show you: My speaking here, is it not a spiritual power? Your listening here, is it not a spiritual power? You walking here, is it not a spiritual power? These are all spiritual powers; they are all marvelous functions of True Suchness Self-nature. True Suchness Self-nature is “Spiritual” [Shen]; having no obstruction is “Power” [Tong]. If the mind abides nowhere, naturally it has Power. However, our current spiritual powers are small spiritual powers. As long as we protect the True Suchness Self-nature “continuously and densely, successively without rest,” after a long time, great spiritual powers will be issued. In the future, the discovery of great spiritual powers relies on this bit today, relies on this bit of “recognizing the True Mind.” Now that we recognize the True Mind, it is like a little baby (infant) just born; it cannot yet function like an adult, so we must protect it. After growing up, it will be able to function like an adult. The adult is equal to the Buddha; we are now equal to children; we seek the protection of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and also protect it ourselves, practicing with both other-power and self-power together; this is called “nurturing the Holy Embryo,” protecting and nurturing its growth over a long term; after growing up, it can initiate marvelous functions like the Buddha. If you do not protect it, what will happen? The child will die young; the little baby will die before growing into an adult. If after listening, you do not believe: “Oh my, I’m afraid this isn’t it,” and disbelieving, go seek elsewhere, then it dies young, it dies. If you do not protect it, it cannot grow up, cannot become a Buddha, and cannot manifest great spiritual powers. Recognizing this point is very important! My master (Guru Wang Xianglu) often said: “The Golden-Winged Garuda covers thousands of miles with one wing beat, relying entirely on that one bit of strength at the foot.” If the Golden-Winged Garuda’s foot does not push off the ground, it cannot fly up. Have you seen villagers catching eagles? They dig a narrow trench, narrower than the eagle’s body, and put a few newly hatched chicks in the trench; the chicks chirp, and the eagle has sharp eyes; circling in the sky, hey! There are chickens down there, so it comes down to grab them. Its body cannot get in, getting stuck on the trench; it sticks its claws in, but the claws cannot touch the ground; they land on empty space; its wings flap “pa, pa” on both sides, but it just cannot fly up, and the villager catches the eagle. Why can it not fly up? Because its “heels do not touch the ground.” Our recognizing the True Mind now is the heels touching the ground. Otherwise, one cannot fly up either, and cannot initiate boundless marvelous functions.

If we can truly be continuous and dense, successive without rest, then “one attains free functioning.” Following conditions and functioning freely, at ease and unfettered. Humans have afflictions because they cannot function freely; they have too many demands for this and that. Wanting to get rich, wanting to get promoted, wanting children to be successful... demands without end. But if you did not practice generosity in the past, how can you get rich? If you did not serve the public in the past, how can you get promoted? Seeking but not obtaining, affliction is endless. If one recognizes the True Mind and knows that all things are unobtainable, one follows conditions and functions freely, at ease and unfettered. What do you want those things for? Not to mention that you cannot get them, even if you could get them, you still come naked and go naked; born empty-handed, dying empty-handed! Yet the various karmas you created by unscrupulous means to achieve your goals follow you; you cannot drive them away even if you try, and eventually, there will be retribution. Quickly awaken! Do the work well! Only in this way can one function freely, be at ease, and be unfettered.

“Therefore, regarding the arising of delusive thoughts, let them arise (The *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* says: regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either), one should know that what arises are all the practice of the Way in the original pure nature. When kung-fu reaches this point, there is no stagnation at all, and delusive thoughts are all the practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands. Since no-thought is having thought, and having thought is no-thought, thinking yet not thinking, not thinking yet thinking.”

If delusive thoughts want to arise, let them arise; do not suppress them; this is not indulging them; indulging is ceaseless climbing on conditions [seeking]. “Letting them arise” involves no climbing on conditions at all. The parenthesis quotes the *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment*: “regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either”; this sentence has been explained before. The *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* speaks four sentences in succession: “Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times, yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either; abide in illusory realms without adding knowing, and in non-knowing, do not distinguish reality.” These four sentences are four steps of *gongfu*: coarse, fine, micro-fine, and extremely micro-fine. Coarse is the first sentence, “Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times”; do not give rise to delusive thoughts at any time, do not climb on external objects; this is speaking roughly, it is the initial work. Fine is the second step, “regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either”; why not extinguish them? We explained before, it is to initiate marvelous functions; one cannot press delusive thoughts to death. But one must not run after them nor indulge them; this requires mastering the measure well, so it is relatively finer.

The third step, “abide in illusory realms without adding knowing”; what does abiding in illusory realms mean? It is precisely within this state of neither pressing to death nor indulging. In fact, the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and earth, self and others, sentient beings, flowers, birds, fish, and insects... all realms are “illusory realms,” all accumulated by delusion. If not accumulated by delusion, there would not be these realms of people and self. Because we do not recognize the True Suchness Self-nature, ignorance moves wildly, chasing and grasping at characteristic forms, and consequently, these characteristic forms are moved out. Yet we continue to **identify with** the false as true, grasping falsely and taking falsely; how confused this is! Creating karma due to confusion, and receiving retribution due to karma, moving out the Six Paths of Reincarnation from where there are no Six Paths, moving out a boundless sea of suffering from where there is no suffering. You might say: “I feel these are quite real; why do I not sense that this is an illusory realm?” This is micro-fine. Your mind is coarse and cannot sense the micro-fine states; one must do micro-fine work. How to do micro-fine work? “Abide in illusory realms without adding knowing”; in the state of neither pressing delusions to death nor indulging delusions, do not add knowing. Why not add knowing? Because all things with form are illusory realms, and they are also manifestations of the True Mind. The illusory realm is the True Mind, and the True Mind is the illusory realm. If there were no True Mind, where would the illusory realm come from? Just as without water there are no waves, and without a mirror there are no reflections. Therefore, do not distinguish, accept, or reject this illusory realm anymore; this is “without adding knowing.”

The fourth step, “in non-knowing, do not distinguish reality.” Our minds are always in relativity: existence and non-existence, true and false, etc.; actually, this is all the discriminating mind making trouble. Existence, non-existence, true, false, etc., are all proliferations [*prapañca*]. To say “existence” is the “fallacy of addition”; it is just as it is; if you say “existence,” it is clearly “placing a head on top of a head,” adding to it for no reason, which is equivalent to slandering it. To say “non-existence” is the “fallacy of subtraction”; it is originally unobtainable, so what need is there to subtract? If you say “non-existence,” is that not the “fallacy of subtraction”? To say “both existence and non-existence” is the “fallacy of contradiction”—self-contradictory. To say “neither existence nor non-existence” is the “fallacy of proliferation.” Existence, non-existence, both existence and non-existence, neither existence nor non-existence—all four phrases are slandering the Dharma! Relative dharmas like true and false are also like this—all are like this. Only by realizing the True Suchness Self-nature can one depart from all relativities. With the slightest deviation, one falls into relativities like existence and non-existence, true and false; this is extremely micro-fine. “Do not distinguish reality” means do not go distinguishing that this is true and that is false. True is false, false is true; immediate truth is false, immediate falsehood is true; neither true nor false, neither false nor true; both true and false, both false and true. For example, in our Pure Land practice, if we say the Western Pure Land is true and our Saha World is false, that is wrong. If the Western Pure Land is true, our world here is also true; if the Saha World is false, the Western Pure Land is also false. Why speak in this way? Because all things flow out from the One True Dharma Realm, are all derivatives of True Suchness Self-nature, and are all sprays in the Great Ocean of Perfect Enlightenment. As it is said: “Nothing does not flow from this Dharma Realm, nothing does not return to this Dharma Realm.” This Dharma Realm is the Great Ocean of Perfect Enlightenment. The Western Pure Land is a Pure Land because it is obtained by the response of Amitabha Buddha’s power of vows and the pure minds of great Bodhisattvas; our Saha World is a Filthy Land because it is manifested by sentient beings like us adhering to environments and creating karma. Adhering to environments and creating karma is also the marvelous function of the True Mind! In terms of the True Mind, all is true; in terms of reflections, all is false. “Whatever appearances there are, are all illusory”; the Western Pure Land is also a reflection of the True Mind! After recognizing the marvelous Essence of the True Mind, one has absolute assurance of being born in the Western Pure Land. “Mind is the Land, the Land is Mind. According to the purity of one’s mind, the Buddha Land is pure.” The so-called “birth in Pure Land” is actually birth in the Pure Land within my mind; naturally, it takes no effort and requires no coming or going. Therefore, the Great Patriarch said: “Those born decidedly are born; those who go actually do not go.”

“One should know that what arises are all the practice of the Way in the original pure nature.” One should know that all functions we initiate, all thoughts we give rise to, and all things we recognize are the “practice of the Way” within the “original pure nature.” The original pure nature is True Suchness Self-nature. Practice of the Way [*daohéng*] is the behavior of practicing the Way; this is precisely the marvelous function of True Suchness Self-nature! One should know that all that arises is the marvelous function of True Suchness Self-nature.

“When *gongfu* reaches this point, there is no stagnation at all, and delusive thoughts are all the practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands.” “*Gongfu* reaches this point” means *gongfu* arrives at this stage. What stage? That is, soberly fully knowing that what arises is all the practice of the Way in the original pure nature. If *gongfu* reaches this point, there is no stagnation at all. Grasping at the deluded mind and deluded realm without letting go is called “sticking”; stopping before the Unsurpassed Way and not moving forward is called “stagnation.” Without sticking, one no longer abides in characteristics, no longer distinguishes, accepts, or rejects, and the mind is naturally empty and spacious. Without sticking, there is inevitably no stagnation, and one inevitably advances rapidly on the great path of practice. Then, the thoughts that arise are all “practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands.” The Ganges is a great river in India; the sand in the river is very fine, and one can imagine to what extent the number of sand grains in the Ganges reaches. Buddhist sutras often use “Ganges sands” to metaphorize a large quantity. Marvelous functions as numerous as Ganges sands means infinitely many marvelous functions. Just mentioned, “practice of the Way” is the behavior of practicing the Way. The proverb says: A certain Great Dharma Master has deep “*daohéng*.” This means his foundation in practice is deep and thick. Therefore, “*daohéng*” also refers to the foundation of practice. Reaching this stage, there is not a single bit of sticking or stagnation; delusive thoughts become the practice of the Way, capable of initiating immeasurable and boundless marvelous functions.

“Since no-thought is having thought, and having thought is no-thought, thinking yet not thinking, not thinking yet thinking.” Is not having no delusive thoughts very good? Why was it said just now that “delusive thoughts are all the practice of the Way of marvelous function as numerous as Ganges sands”? Because no-thought is having thought, having thought is no-thought, thinking yet not thinking, not thinking yet thinking. When we discussed the four sentences in the *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment* earlier, we analyzed existence and non-existence, true and false, etc., enough; here we will not make excessive repetitive explanations of “no-thought is having thought... not thinking yet thinking.” I believe everyone can certainly infer the rest from one example and understand correctly. Simply put: No-thought is having thought; having what thought? Having Right Thought; Right Thought is “clear and distinct knowing.” Having thought is no-thought; it is having no evil thought; evil thought is the thought of “sticking and stagnation.” Thinking yet not thinking is “hitting a ball on rapid water”—“thought after thought does not stay.” Not thinking yet thinking is “where delusive thoughts extinguish, purity is immediately obtained.” Contrasting with the four sentences of the *Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment*: No-thought is having thought—“Abide in not giving rise to delusive thoughts at all times” (there is a thought of “not giving rise to delusive thoughts”); having thought is no-thought—“yet regarding the various deluded minds, do not extinguish them either”; thinking yet not thinking—“abide in illusory realms without adding knowing”; not thinking yet thinking—“in non-knowing, do not distinguish reality” (do not distinguish, accept, or reject, which is pure Right Thought).

Layman Pang of the Tang Dynasty wrote a verse: “I have a son but do not wed him, I have a daughter but do not marry her off; The whole family gathers round, speaking together of the Unborn.” Layman Yang Jie of the Song Dynasty, not yielding to the sage of old, harmonized with a poem: “If the boy is big he must wed, if the girl is grown she must marry; Why ask for idle *gongfu*? Even more so to speak of the Unborn!” Zen Master Hai Yin Xin saw these two verses and also harmonized with one: “I have no boy to wed, and no girl to marry; When tired I just sleep, caring nothing for words of the Unborn.” Seeing these three ancients like this, I also harmonized with one: “If there is a boy, just wed; if there is a girl, just marry; Sons upon sons and grandsons upon grandsons, are all speaking words of the Unborn.” Everyone, from these four verses, can you see a single bit of “sticking or stagnation”? If you ask: “Reading the four verses, the positions are different; in the end, should one wed or not, should one marry or not?” That is you yourself sticking and stagnating on the words. “Interpreting the meaning literally based on the text is the injustice of the Buddhas of the three times!” We, too, can only “hang our mouths on the wall.”

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Eleven)

2025-12-09T00:00:00.001+08:00

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Chinese Original From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

English Translation:

The Ganges Mahamudra (Lecture Eleven)

By Master Yuan Yin

Lecture Eleven

"However, if one does not know how to nurture the Subsequent Attainment Wisdom [*pṛṣṭhalabdha-jñāna*] and cause it to merge with conduct and rituals, then one merely uses antidotes [*pratipakṣa*] and cannot overcome other conditions. Consequently, one is dragged by the conditions of delusive thoughts into the barrier of ordinary folly. Therefore, long-term protection, nurturing, and thorough penetration of the Subsequent Attainment [Wisdom] is especially essential."

Subsequent Attainment Wisdom is spoken of in relation to Fundamental Wisdom [*mūla-jñāna*]. Having attained Fundamental Wisdom means "Seeing the Source"—apprehending Mind and seeing the Nature. After this, one must still grind and polish [one's realization] within states [of experience] to give rise to vast, marvelous functioning. Subsequent Attainment Wisdom is precisely this marvelous functioning. Nurturing Subsequent Attainment Wisdom means protecting, maintaining, and sustaining the Fundamental Wisdom uninterruptedly for a long time, constantly grinding and polishing it within states, and protecting the True Mind to give rise to immeasurable marvelous functioning. "Conduct and rituals" refers to practice and rules of propriety. For example, when we practice the Heart-of-Mind Method (*Citta-hṛdaya*), constantly observing and investigating when off the seat, not turning along with thoughts, and not being moved by states—this is practice. Sitting in practice for at least two hours daily, without scattering the *mudrā* or stopping the *mantra* while on the seat—this is the rule of propriety. "Antidotes" refers to what was discussed previously; for example, if the mind of lust is heavy, one practices the contemplation of impurity; if the mind of scattering is heavy, one enters solitary retreat to focus on practicing *dhyāna* *samādhi*, and so on.

However, if one does not know how to nurture Subsequent Attainment Wisdom and cause it to combine with our behavioral norms and practice rituals, but merely uses methods of antidotes to practice, it will be labor in vain and one will be unable to overcome the invasion of external causes and conditions. What is the reason? Because "If one does not know the Original Mind, studying the Dharma is of no benefit." Merely using methods of antidotes not only vexes the mind but makes it extremely easy to grasp at appearances. Not only will one fail to overcome the influence of external factors (environment), but one will also be entangled by internal factors (delusive thoughts), thereby falling into the "barrier of ordinary folly." The ignorance of an ordinary person is precisely the "delusion" [*moha*] within "greed, anger, and delusion"; it hinders the attainment of the Dao, hence it is called the "barrier of ordinary folly." Therefore, long-term protection, nurturing, and thorough penetration of Subsequent Attainment Wisdom, along with sustaining and polishing it within states, appears especially important. So, how does one engage in the long-term protection, nurturing, and thorough penetration of Subsequent Attainment Wisdom?

"There is no other method for this; simply do not depart from the View of the Originally Stabilized Dharmakāya. With no discrimination of 'subject and object, right and wrong,' naturally letting things move freely, maintain the state of being alert and quiescent. This is the *Śamatha-vipaśyanā* (Calm Abiding and Insight) of Non-discriminating Wisdom, the self-characteristics of the Unconditioned, Innate, and Natural state, and the heart-essence of all practice."

Recognize that the *dharmakāya* is originally stabilized; fundamentally, it does not come or go and is without movement or wavering. This correct view is called the "View of the Originally Stabilized Dharmakāya." Matching and entering into this correct view, there is no "person who practices," no "Dharma that is practiced," no right and wrong, and no discrimination. Soaring and free, moving freely and soaring; alert yet not scattered, quiescent yet in great concentration. The Great Dao has no form; the Self-nature is solitary and quiet. The *dharmakāya* is thus-and-thus immovable; this is the Essence of great concentration, and it has nothing to do with whether you believe it or not, or whether you perform the kung-fu of entering *samādhi* or not.

How does one engage in the long-term protection, nurturing, and thorough penetration of Subsequent Attainment Wisdom? There is no other method; simply do not discard or leave the "View of the Originally Stabilized Dharmakāya." Moment after moment, abide peacefully in the Fundamental Nature; grind and polish yourself within the circumstances of affairs. Do not grasp at appearances, and do not hold discriminations such as "subject and object, right and wrong," and so forth; this is the most important thing. People always have delusive thoughts flying about in confusion, discriminating everything: this is good, that is bad; this is right, that is wrong; this is true, that is false... discriminating endlessly right there. If you can leave behind discriminations such as "subject and object, right and wrong" moment after moment, not abiding in appearances and not sticking to states, so that everything is unobtainable—and even the unobtainable is unobtainable—then that is the Fundamental Nature manifesting clearly and brightly at all times; that is "not departing from the View of the Originally Stabilized Dharmakāya" moment after moment! "The Buddha Dharma has no excess"; it is very easy to say, but this is not something that counts just by listening and understanding; it must land on reality. You must work on this kung-fu moment after moment to be able to land on reality. One must "naturally let things move freely, maintaining the state of being alert and quiescent."

"Quiescent" (*jiji*) means not a single thought arises; it holds the meaning of "immovable"; immovable means concentration (*samādhi*). "Alert" (*xingxing*) means knowing clearly and distinctly; it holds the meaning of "observation/illumination" (*guānzhào*); observation means wisdom (*prajñā*). Maintaining the "numinous knowing that is where not a single thought arises yet is clear and distinct" is precisely the fusion of concentration and wisdom; within concentration there is wisdom, and within wisdom there is concentration. Wisdom without concentration is wild wisdom; concentration without wisdom is dead concentration. Therefore, for ordinary people of lower capacity and gradual paths, simply closing oneself in retreat to practice concentration will not work; after exiting retreat, one must still grind and polish within the circumstances of affairs to protect, nurture, and thoroughly penetrate Subsequent Attainment Wisdom for a long time. "Naturally letting things move freely" is simply according with conditions. "Maintaining the state of being alert and quiescent" is simply being immutable. According with conditions yet immutable, immutable yet according with conditions. If one makes a great fortune, it doesn't matter; if one is poor enough to jingle, it also doesn't matter. When there is porridge, eat porridge; when there is rice, eat rice; do not give rise to minds of discrimination, accepting and rejecting, or climbing on conditions. The ancients said: "Alert and quiescent is correct, alert and delusively thinking is wrong; quiescent and alert is correct, quiescent and oblivious is wrong." This is the exquisite oral instruction for "long-term protection, nurturing, and thorough penetration of Subsequent Attainment Wisdom"; not only does it lodge concentration within wisdom and wisdom within concentration, but it also prevents dead concentration and wild wisdom.

"This is the *Śamatha-vipaśyanā* of Non-discriminating Wisdom, the self-characteristics of the Unconditioned, Innate, and Natural state, and the heart-essence of all practice." The "*Śamatha-vipaśyanā*" (Calm Abiding and Insight) spoken of here is not the "Great *Śamatha-vipaśyanā*" of the Tiantai School, nor some other method of calm abiding and insight, but rather "*Śamatha-vipaśyanā* of Non-discriminating Wisdom"—the calm abiding and insight performed by wisdom that lacks discrimination. Quiescent is stopping; Alert is observing. Stopping is concentration; Observing is wisdom. "Unconditioned" (*wúwéi*) means expansively open without fabrication. "Innate" (*jùshēng*) means the myriad forms and phenomena. "Natural/As-it-is" (*fǎ'ěr*) means it is fundamentally so. The three terms Unconditioned, Innate, and Natural vividly highlight the signless Real Mark (True Reality) of the *dharmakāya*. "The heart-essence of all practice" means the core of all Dharma gates of practice. All Dharma gates of practice cannot depart from being alert and quiescent, cannot depart from the mutual aid of concentration and wisdom, and cannot depart from calm abiding and insight. A person reciting the Buddha's name focuses the mind on the Buddha's name and does not give rise to other thoughts; this is stopping. Hearing the Buddha's name distinctly character by character, clearly and lucidly; this is observing. A person investigating Chan (Zen) has the sensation of doubt enveloping the whole body, with no leisure to give rise to delusive thoughts; this is stopping. Raising a *huatou* (head of speech) clearly and distinctly; this is observing. It is also like this when we practice the Heart-of-Mind Method; forming the *mudrā* and holding the *mantra* gathers in the body and mind; this is stopping. The mind recites and the ear listens, hearing clearly and lucidly, plainly and distinctly; this is observing. Mahamudra teaches us to "naturally let things move freely, maintaining the state of being alert and quiescent"; quiescent is stopping, alert is observing.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Chan Master Miyun Yuanwu presided over Tiantong Temple in Ningbo. At that time, there were many thatched huts surrounding Tiantong Temple provided for monks who were diligently investigating Chan to live in for focused practice. One year, during the Winter Solstice season, Master Miyun ordered an attendant to deliver cotton clothes to the monks in the huts. An old elder in a hut said to the attendant: "This old monk has his own mother-born coat; I do not need winter clothes." The attendant reported these words to Master Miyun. Master Miyun said: "This monk seems to have a place of realization, but I fear it is not real; go examine him further regarding his words." So he ordered the attendant to go again and ask: "Before your mother gave birth to you, what clothes did you wear?" The old elder could not answer. Master Miyun then instructed this old elder to investigate the *huatou*: "Before your mother gave birth to you, what clothes did you wear?" Three years later, this old elder passed away (entered *parinirvāṇa*); he had not broken through the *huatou* and had not uttered a single turning word. After cremation, the *śarīra* (relics) were numberless; many people exclaimed in wonder: "So many *śarīra*, this old elder practiced very well!" Master Miyun said: "Ten bushels of *śarīra* are not up to a single turning word. Try to answer on his behalf." Not only could those who praised the *śarīra* not answer, but at that time, none of the five hundred monks in Tiantong Temple could answer either. Master Miyun Yuanwu sighed and said: "Practicing the Dao are [as many as] the sands of the Ganges, yet not one has awakened." The inability to answer is due to the reason of not having merged into the "self-characteristics of the Unconditioned, Innate, and Natural state." If one has merged into such a Real Mark, one could answer without thinking. One might as well answer him: "Just as the peach and plum blossoms fade, the chrysanthemum and pear blossoms are fresh again." The tender peach blossoms and plum blossoms have just withered, and the fresh chrysanthemums and pear blossoms have opened in succession. What does this mean? This is presenting the "self-characteristics of the Unconditioned, Innate, and Natural state" in its entirety. We previously discussed insentient beings expounding the Dharma, and discussed "The ten thousand Dharmas return to the One; where does the One return?" Where does the One return? At all times and in all places, do not depart from the *dharmakāya*; at all times and in all places, do not depart from the Self-nature. These flowers and plants are all insentient, yet the insentient can also expound the Dharma; none of this has departed from my *dharmakāya*! The Self-nature is thus-and-thus immovable yet changes endlessly; thus-and-thus immovable is called the *dharmakāya*; changing endlessly is called the *sambhogakāya* and *nirmāṇakāya*; the Three Bodies are originally one body. Some people always think that only transforming into many human bodies counts as a *nirmāṇakāya* (Transformation Body); they do not know that the myriad forms and phenomena, and the phenomena and forms in their myriads, are all our *nirmāṇakāya*. The sun, moon, and stars, the mountains, rivers, and great earth, chickens, ducks, dogs, and cats, tables and benches, eating and drinking and daily life, men and women, old and young—all are the "self-characteristics of the Unconditioned, Innate, and Natural state," all flow out from the One True Dharma Realm, and all are our *nirmāṇakāya*. It is only because you have delusive thoughts and attachments, and deliberately discriminate, that you give rise to the "appearance of a self, appearance of a person, appearance of a sentient being, and appearance of a lifespan" for no reason. Thereby, a perfectly fine Natural Buddha is buried within the Six Realms , illusorily manifesting the cycle of the Six Realms where there are no Six Realms, and illusorily manifesting a boundless sea of suffering where there is no suffering. Now, as long as you make a painful resolve and diligently practice the Dharma, removing the habits of attachment and discrimination formed since beginningless *kalpas*, you can achieve accomplishment right then and there and be liberated right in that place.

"If, with a discriminating mind, one enters the net of contrived activity, there is no time of liberation."

Some people take supernatural powers as the standard for attaining the Dao, thinking that only having supernatural powers counts as having attainment, and they are always there discriminating and guessing: So-and-so has powers, So-and-so doesn't have powers. Do you yourself have powers? If you don't have powers, how can you distinguish whether others have them or not? More importantly, supernatural powers cannot serve as the standard for liberation. Ghosts and spirits all have supernatural powers; have they all been liberated? If they were all liberated, why perform Buddhist rituals to deliver them? Seeking supernatural powers lands one in a net, falling into the net of contrived activity. Once one falls into the net with a discriminating mind, then there is no time for liberation.

Reciting the Buddha's name is also for the sake of protecting our originally luminous self-essence, and also for the sake of getting rid of the discriminating mind. If you are there discriminating the number of recitations, doubting back and forth—"Is my reciting three hundred times a day too little?" "I've only recited for a year, can I be born in the West?"—these are all discriminating minds. Whether the recitation of the Buddha's name is done well or not depends on quality. Master Hanshan said: "If the mouth recites Amitābha but the mind is scattered, even if one shouts until the throat is broken, it is in vain." If the quality is not good, no matter how many times you recite, it is useless. One must get rid of the discriminating mind; the discriminating mind is the worst. Once there is a discriminating mind, one falls into the net of contrived activity and cannot be born in the West. As for reciting the Buddha's name to be born in the West: although born, there is no birth; although going, there is no going. This is the Unconditioned Dharma; it is Unconditioned yet nothing is not done; no going, yet go ahead and go; no birth, yet go ahead and be born. Therefore, the great patriarchs of the Pure Land School said: "Born, then decidedly born; go, then actually not going." Having birth and extinction, having coming and going—these are all discriminating minds. The Buddha Dharma is Unconditioned Dharma; one should get rid of the discriminating mind. Reciting the Buddha's name requires deep faith, earnest vows, and vigorous practice; it does not require a discriminating mind. Furthermore, one cannot fight for dominance or slander other Dharma gates; that is an even stronger discriminating mind. Not only does one fall into the net of contrived activity and fail to be liberated, but one also invites the fault of slandering the Dharma.

"This is precisely the bare naked wisdom of the Dharmakāya's self-abiding, the awakening nature mind that has fundamentally never been confused; it must be protected and sustained with determination." (The above is the Second Secret Meaning)

The non-discriminating *Śamatha-vipaśyanā* spoken of above is precisely the wisdom of the *dharmakāya* being originally as it is, abiding without abiding. It does not come from outside, nor is it obtained from others; it is entirely the inherent merit opened and revealed by the Self-nature. It has not been covered up in the slightest; originally, it is revealed bare and naked, so it is called "the bare naked wisdom of the Dharmakāya's self-abiding." If one earnestly follows this Dharma gate of non-discriminating *Śamatha-vipaśyanā*, practicing diligently, and protects and nurtures this "bare naked wisdom of the Dharmakāya's self-abiding" for a long time, all great supernatural powers will be obtained naturally without seeking. If there is a mind that seeks supernatural powers, one falls into the net of contrived activity; not only can one not be liberated, but even the supernatural powers will not be able to issue forth. If your discriminating mind that seeks supernatural powers is ridden upon by spirits, ghosts, and demons, leading to possession, then it is even more unthinkable.

This "bare naked wisdom of the Dharmakāya's self-abiding" is precisely the "numinous knowing that is where not a single thought arises yet is clear and distinct"; it is the awakening nature mind that originally has no confusion or awakening. "Opening, showing, awakening, and entering exit the Ten Realms; the myriad forms are naturally innocent without confusion or awakening." The sun, moon, and stars, the mountains, rivers, and great earth, men and women, old and young, and all things and events are innocent and natural; they all possess Buddha-nature; the Dharma is naturally so; there is no confusion and no awakening. Therefore, it is called the "awakening nature mind that has fundamentally never been confused." The nature of awakening has fundamentally never been confused, nor does any awakening exist; entering the Buddha realm, it does not increase; passing through hell, it does not decrease. But because of the covering of ignorance and delusive grasping and taking, the Buddha-nature cannot be opened and revealed; this is falsely named "confusion." As long as one strives to practice the Dao, smashes ignorance, and trains upon events to remove the habits of giving rise to mind in response to states and delusively grasping and taking, one can restore the innocence of the Self-nature; this is falsely named "awakening." Confusion and awakening are both false names; as long as we smash ignorance, then confusion is unobtainable, and awakening is also unobtainable. Buddha-nature does not belong to confusion or awakening; even if wrapped in ignorance, the luminosity of the Fundamental Nature still exists and has not increased or decreased by a single hair. "Learning adds day by day, the Dao decreases day by day"; what a practitioner of the Dao decreases is merely the habits of ignorance; the innocent Buddha-nature has never been confused or awakened, and has never increased or decreased.

If practice is unsuccessful, it is because one has not protected and sustained this innocent Buddha-nature well. Therefore, it says "it must be protected and sustained with determination"; this is extremely important. "Determination" means painfully generating a great vow and making a great resolve. "Protection and sustaining" means not turning along with thoughts and not being moved by states; walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, do not depart from this; do not depart from the Self-nature for a second. "Continuity" means it cannot be interrupted moment after moment. If one practices intermittently—fishing for three days and drying nets for two, taking one step forward and two steps back—and cannot maintain continuity without interruption, one cannot attain the Dao. For example, when we practice the Heart-of-Mind Method, if we sit for one session daily, that is only two hours; there are still twenty-two hours. If you let the wild horses run for twenty-two hours and only practice concentration for two hours—the ratio of time is not even one-tenth—how can you attain the Dao? Furthermore, if you practice today and stop tomorrow, then you definitely cannot attain the Dao. Therefore, we say that observation (*guānzhào*) is the main practice, and sitting meditation is the supporting practice. Observation means not turning along with thoughts and not being moved by states, causing the Self-nature not to depart for a second; this is for the sake of protection, sustaining, and continuity! Cultivating Pure Land is also like this; Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta taught us the method of reciting the Buddha's name: "Gather in all six senses, let pure thoughts continue." "Continue" means continuity. "Pure thoughts" refers to when the kung-fu of reciting the Buddha's name is mature, and the mind that can recite and the Buddha that is recited fall away at once; there is no subject and no object, no purity and no defilement, and the innocent Buddha-nature manifests clearly and brightly—only this can be called "pure thought." Some people get it wrong, thinking that being able to recite "Namo Amitābha" continuously without interruption is pure thoughts continuing; actually, that is far off. You must know: "If the mouth recites Amitābha but the mind is scattered, even if one shouts until the throat is broken, it is in vain"! The Pure Land School does not have low requirements; rather, the requirements are very high. Nowadays, some people are lazy and unwilling to work hard; they carelessly recite a few phrases of the Buddha's name without "utmost sincerity," which amounts to not reciting, yet they fantasize about birth in the West. If they cannot be born there, [they think] it is Amitābha Buddha's fault. They even instruct others that "One Mind Undisturbed" is not needed. Alas, a perfectly fine Pure Land School that extends vertically through the three times, spans horizontally across the ten directions, covers the three roots universally, and gathers in both the sharp and the dull, has been misunderstood by them like this; how can it not make one's heart ache to the extreme?

"Decided protection and continuity"—this is the essence of the Second Secret Meaning. So, what is the essence of the First Secret Meaning? It is the "Seeing the Source" discussed earlier. Mahamudra is precisely the One True Dharma Realm. The One True Dharma Realm is precisely our innocent Buddha-nature; it is absent at no time and absent in no place; the myriad forms and phenomena, and the phenomena and forms in their myriads, are all its transformations and manifestations. One must first see the Nature before one can protect and sustain it; if you do not see the innocent Buddha-nature, then what are you protecting and sustaining? To speak simply: the first is Apprehending Mind and Seeing Nature; the second is dense and continuous protection and maintenance; these are the essence of the First Secret Meaning and the essence of the Second Secret Meaning.

"Concentration (*samādhi*) is the essential of supreme conduct. If one lacks the Dao-power of Wisdom of Liberation and only abides in the practice of resting, one still cannot transcend the Form Realm and Formless Realm. Because one has not been able to overcome the arising of conditions for greed and anger, and the flow of various karmic activities."

"The essential of supreme conduct" means the most critically important practice. The "Concentration" within "View, Concentration, and Conduct" is the most critically important practice. "Wisdom of Liberation" refers to the "Seeing the Source" and "Protection" discussed previously. "The Dao-power of Wisdom of Liberation" refers to the power to give rise to immeasurable marvelous functioning from the View of Essence; this is the "Great Potential and Great Function" spoken of in the Chan School. Here, "resting" refers to resting the mind and stopping thoughts. "The practice of resting" is the kung-fu of suppressing thoughts from arising—"moving a stone to press down the grass." "Only abiding in the practice of resting" means only stopping at the stage of suppressing thoughts from arising. We previously mentioned the three realms of "Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm [*ārūpyadhātu*]"; the "Form Realm and Formless Realm" here refer to the "Four Dhyāna Heavens" (Form Realm) and "Four Empty Heavens" (Formless Realm). The meaning of this passage is: Although practicing concentration, or even closing oneself in retreat to focus on practicing the power of concentration, is a critically important practice, if one only rests the mind and stops thoughts without the power to realize the Essence and give rise to functioning, then it is still mundane *dhyāna* *samādhi*. Even though one transcends the Desire Realm, one has not yet transcended the Form Realm and Empty Realm, and is still within the Heaven Realm of the Six Realms.

What is the reason for this? "Because one has not been able to overcome the arising of conditions for greed and anger, and the flow of various karmic activities." He can rest the mind and stop thoughts, and "greed and anger" can be temporarily subdued, but the conditions for the arising of greed and anger are still there. "Yuan" means conditions. "Arising of conditions for greed and anger" refers to the conditions that give rise to greed and anger. Why can't resting the mind and stopping thoughts overcome the arising of conditions for greed and anger? Because he does not recognize the Fundamental Nature, and the habit of giving rise to mind in response to states is still there. When a state comes, he cannot be free and is turned by the state. For example, when a beautiful woman appears, you view her as a skeleton or a skin bag of pus and blood in order to overcome the mind of lust; this is still a method of antidotes. Speaking from the root, "Whatever appearances there are are illusory"; all appearances are reflections manifested by the True Mind. If the True Mind manifests clearly and brightly, seeking the appearance of male and female is entirely unobtainable. The True Mind manifesting clearly and brightly, not being lost when facing states—this is the "Dao-power of Wisdom of Liberation." If one lacks this Dao-power, one will be deluded by states and turn along with states. Creating karma due to delusion, receiving retribution due to karma; causes and effects, effects and causes, traversing the Six Realms without a time of exit—this is the "flow of various karmic activities." Abiding in the "concentration" of resting the mind and stopping thoughts can only temporarily subdue greed and anger, but cannot overcome the arising of conditions for greed and anger. In the Chan School, this is called "soaking a stone in cold water" or "dead water does not hide a dragon." Once the power of concentration fades, habits float up, and greed and anger become even more severe; it is like a stone pressing down grass—when the stone is removed, the grass grows. Naturally, one cannot overcome the flow of various karmic activities.

"Because one has not attained the Dao-power of Decided Mind, one gives rise to greedy love towards favorable conditions of joyful desires, and gives rise to angry hatred towards conflicting conditions of adversity, just like giving rise to the thought of suffering regarding pain and illness, etc."

"Not having attained the Dao-power of Decided Mind" means not recognizing the Fundamental Nature. If you recognize the Fundamental Nature, knowing that things are all false and knowing that things are all reflections of the True Mind, absolutely without doubt, then you will not move your mind or grasp at appearances when facing states. Therefore, we must truly realize the Fundamental Nature. Mahamudra instructs us to see the Nature and teaches us to be diligent in protection, training within states, and truly realizing within training. We must transform the body, mind, and world into emptiness within training and truly see the Fundamental Nature; only then will there be "Dao-power of Decided Mind." If you do not train, there will be no power. You listen to the lecture here, and at this moment it seems there is much power, but as soon as you go out the door, you forget it immediately; what use is that? One must still do kung-fu with feet firmly on the ground. Two methods of doing kung-fu are now introduced: One is that after hearing the teaching and recognizing the Fundamental Nature, one protects it moment after moment—"In the morning be with this, in the evening be with this, in wandering be with this, in stumbling be with this"—protecting it moment after moment so it does not move; if a thought arises, turn it around immediately and do not run after it; persist in doing this for a long time. The other is to practice a concrete Dharma gate, either reciting the Buddha's name, investigating Chan, or practicing the Heart-of-Mind Method. Not only doing kung-fu on the seat but also doing kung-fu off the seat; one must observe constantly and protect and sustain densely; only then will there be results. Otherwise, seeing beautiful things, you will still be moved; encountering contrary circumstances, you will still be angry and resentful. This is "giving rise to greedy love towards favorable conditions of joyful desires, and giving rise to angry hatred towards conflicting conditions of adversity."

"Just like giving rise to the thought of suffering regarding pain and illness, etc." I will now cite a few examples of sickness conditions manifesting to see how the ancients dealt with sickness conditions. Chan Master Mazu Daoyi was a remarkable great patriarch of the Chan School, known to the world as "Great Master Ma"; he taught over a hundred disciples who attained the Great Dao, who then went to various places to teach and transform the world. Great Master Ma fell ill in his later years, and the temple manager went to ask after his health: "How is the Venerable Monk's health these days?" Great Master Ma said: "Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha." What does this mean? Sun Face is daytime, comparing it to when healthy; Moon Face is nighttime, comparing it to when sick. Buddha means Awakening. Daytime is in awakening, and nighttime is also in awakening; when healthy it is like this, and when sick it is also like this. Although the words are only six characters, they simply and clearly express Great Master Ma's "Dao-power of Decided Mind." Chan Master Ciming Chuyuan of the Song Dynasty was also a remarkable great patriarch of the Chan School; in his later years, he suddenly suffered a stroke, and his mouth became skewed. His attendant stomped his feet in anxiety: "What can be done! All your life you scolded Buddhas and reviled Patriarchs, and now you are like this." What is to be done! Usually you scolded Buddhas and reviled Patriarchs, now the retribution has come. Master Ciming said: "Do not worry. I will straighten it for you." You don't need to be anxious; I'll just straighten it out for you. Speaking thus, he used his hand to move his mouth, and that skewed mouth immediately became normal. Pain and illness are also karmic obstructions; "If realized, karmic obstructions are originally empty; if not realized, one must pay back past debts." As for karmic debts, on the body of a great patriarch who has realized the Dao, if he wants to accept them, he accepts them; if he wants to not accept them, he does not accept them. The body is like a house; there is always a time when it breaks down; if one can live in it, one lives in it; if one cannot live in it, one just discards it. If it breaks down and you still crave and cling to it unwilling to let go, suffering will come; this suffering is what you sought yourself. When Chan Master Chongyun Zhihui was about to enter *parinirvāṇa*, he wrote a verse for everyone to see: "I have a hut, my parents built it for me. I have lived in it for eighty years, and recently I feel it is damaged. I intended to move elsewhere early on, but the matter involves hate and love. When it is destroyed, there is no hindrance between us." After writing, he sat in lotus position and passed away. It is not necessarily always like this; let us cite another example: When Chan Master Cuiyan Kezhen was about to enter Nirvana, he manifested the appearance of extreme pain and illness, tossing and turning incessantly on the mat spread on the ground. His attendant cried and said: "All your life you scolded Buddhas and reviled Patriarchs, why are you like this now?" If it weren't for you scolding Buddhas and reviling Patriarchs usually, how could it be like this now? Master Cuiyan stared at the attendant for a while and scolded him: "Do you also hold this view?" You also have this kind of view! Thereupon, Master Cuiyan sat in lotus position and ordered the attendant to burn incense. As soon as the smoke rose, the Chan Master entered *parinirvāṇa*. Everyone, since Master Cuiyan had the assurance to sit and depart or stand and die [at will], why did he still manifest such a painful appearance of illness? He was using his body to expound the Dharma: Pain is liberation, affliction is Bodhi, and birth-and-death is Nirvana. When did he ever "give rise to the thought of suffering regarding pain and illness"?

If you "give rise to the thought of suffering regarding pain and illness," then it is terrible; the demon of illness will torment you energetically. If the mind does not abide in the pain and illness—"If it hurts, let it hurt; it doesn't matter, it's of no concern"—then you won't feel the pain instead. Just like when practicing the Heart-of-Mind Method, when the fingers hurt very much while forming the *mudrā*, if the mind does not think of the hands and attention is concentrated on the *mantra*, forgetting the hands, then one does not feel the hands hurting. But as soon as you give rise to a mind of delight—"Hey, the hands don't hurt anymore"—thinking like this, the hands immediately start hurting again. Therefore, the feeling of pain ultimately comes down to the question of whether the brain accepts it or not. As long as our mind is empty and non-abiding, illness will get better, and even if there is pain, one will not feel suffering. The Pure Land School speaks like this: "At the end of life, the body has no suffering, the mind is not inverted, and the consciousness is not scattered." "The body has no suffering" means not being caused to suffer by illness; it does not necessarily mean not getting sick at all. Being able to not think about the illness when sick, but only caring about reciting the Buddha's name—"Amitābha, Amitābha, Amitābha..."—with attention concentrated on the Buddha's name and not feeling the pain, that is the body having no suffering of illness. If your mind is scattered and you think about the pain—"Ouch, ouch!"—then it will hurt to death. If you are very diligent usually and have very deep kung-fu power, then there is no such thing as being sick or not, hurting or not. "If the mind can turn things, it is the Tathāgata"; if one truly achieves mind-emptiness and non-abiding, illness can also be turned; just like Master Ciming, moving it with his hand, the mouth that was skewed due to a stroke immediately became normal. If the kung-fu is slightly shallower, one can also not be caused to suffer by illness. Therefore, we must cause the mind to be empty and pure at all times. If our minds are not empty and pure, and we are pressed by illness at the end of life, suffering and feeling miserable, the mind will be uneasy. I have seen many people who cultivate Pure Land; at the end of their lives, I instructed them: "You must strive to recite the Buddha's name now; this is the critical moment, you are about to be born in the West. The critical moment has arrived, hurry up and recite the Buddha's name." Guess what he said? He said: "Ouch! What Buddha is there to recite! I'm about to die of pain, it's unbearably miserable, I can't recite it." He just wouldn't recite because his mind was scattered. Our diligent recitation of the Buddha's name now is preparation for use in that split second at the end of life. Being able to have the mind not scattered at the end of life, still going "Amitābha, Amitābha..." like this, then being reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is absolutely assured. Everyone, please work hard on your kung-fu! Examples of this are truly too many.

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Ten)

2025-12-08T21:58:00.000+08:00

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Chinese Original From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

English Translation:

Ganges Mahāmudrā

By Elder Yuan Yin

Lecture 10

“This is the great practice of non-practice, the wisdom of equal pervasiveness abiding in itself. Like the yoga of a river, there is no hair's breadth of correction, yet also no moment of distraction.”

The practice method of Ganges Mahāmudrā is the “great practice of non-practice.” True practice has no image of practice. You look at him and it seems he is not practicing; in reality, he is practicing at all times; this is the great practice of non-practice. Because he is contemplating at all times, protecting his own spirit at all times.

Having no image of practice is called “non-practice”; everything is entirely unobtainable, even “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” are unobtainable, which is called “non-attainment”; oneself is originally Buddha, one only needs to extinguish delusive thinking and grasping, without needing to add anything more, as one is originally complete with all wondrous functions, which is called “non-realization.” This is the so-called “non-practice, non-attainment, non-realization.” As for non-practice, it is originally without arising or ceasing; as for non-attainment, it is originally empty and quiescent; as for non-realization, one is originally Buddha. This is the “wisdom of equal pervasiveness abiding in itself”! “Equal” means equality; “pervasiveness” means universality; that is, naturally and spontaneously abiding in the great wisdom that is level, equal, and pervading everything. Equal pervasiveness means that all times, all places, and all people are equal; there is no person higher and me lower, no me higher and person lower, and no my dharma is higher and your dharma is lower. People just like to dispute, each clinging to their own view, thinking that what they say is the truth while slandering others, standing on their own standpoint speaking of right and wrong, good and bad. To give an example: there is a type of automatic umbrella that is very convenient to use, but not durable; it breaks after not much use, and people call it a “short-lived umbrella.” In the eyes of consumers in our country, this kind of umbrella is bad. Because we like things to be durable. But in the eyes of foreigners, this kind of umbrella is very good! Because it is easy to use, the price is cheap, it is excellent quality at low cost, and it is just right to use for a while and then throw away. We are not accustomed to throwing things away, so we say this umbrella is bad; they are accustomed to throwing things away, so they say this umbrella is very good. Actually, an umbrella is just an umbrella; the umbrella itself has no good or bad; saying good or bad is all the delusive mind of people distinguishing; as it is said, “Ten thousand things are originally idle; foolish people disturb themselves.” If the “wisdom of equal pervasiveness abiding in itself” brightly manifests before you, and you do not give rise to a mind of distinguishing and grasping or rejecting, you can hear the “short-lived umbrella expounding the Dharma.”

We spoke earlier of “insentient objects expounding the Dharma”; how do insentient objects expound the Dharma? That you do not hear insentient objects expounding the Dharma is because ignorance has covered your True Mind, and your differentiating mind exists vividly; therefore, your nature of perception can only pervade your body. If I hit your head, the head hurts; if I hit your foot, the foot hurts. If I hit this chair, you have no perception. If you break through ignorance, remove the habit energy of “giving rise to mind in response to objects,” and sweep away the mind of distinguishing and grasping or rejecting, the nature of awareness will be able to pervade all things; the capacity of the mind will be like empty space, with nothing outside your mind; then you will span the ten directions and extend through the three times, knowing everything and understanding everything. The sun, moon, and stars, the boundless universe, the mountains, rivers, and great earth, flowers, birds, insects, and fish, all sentient and insentient beings are within your mind. Like the pearls of Indra's Net, light reflecting light, each reflection completing the other; he is within your mind, and you are also within his mind; within you there is me, and within me there is you. Pick up one, and it is the whole body. Just like a modern “laser holographic photograph”; any small part of it contains the information of the entire photograph. This is “equal pervasiveness.” If one desires to be like this, one must start the practice; how to practice? “Like the yoga of a river, there is no hair's breadth of correction, yet also no moment of distraction.”

Yoga means correspondence. Like the yoga of a river means corresponding just like a river. Look at that river water; if the riverbed curves, it flows curved; if the riverbed is straight, it flows straight. It corresponds with the environment everywhere; it is not that it can only go straight and cannot curve, nor is it that it can only curve and cannot go straight. Our True Mind is originally just like a river, corresponding with all states. Haven't we already said before: “Delusive thoughts and afflictions are all the wisdom appearance of the Dharmakaya's fundamental awakening.” The Dharmakaya is our True Mind, which is the Self-nature.

It has always been neither coming nor going, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing; it has never had a “hair's breadth of correction,” nor a “moment of distraction”; only this is the root of all things. When we work on our practice, starting from the root, we should also be like a river, corresponding with all states, without success or failure, gain or loss, without love or hate, grasping or rejecting. Whatever needs to be done, just do it; when doing it, be orderly and logical; after doing it, it is equal to not having done it, leaving no trace in the mind. Doing things this way, wisdom and skill arise in response to the situation; one is busy but not chaotic, managing many things but not jumbled, and efficiency is very high. If beforehand one has expectations or fears, carrying a mental burden, one will not be adept when doing the task. Furthermore, if afterwards one is complacent due to success, or dejected and angry due to failure— “The wind of joy blows down the Bodhi tree; the fire of anger burns up the forest of merit.” That has long since ceased to be “yoga.”

We must be like a river: if it curves, let it curve; if it is straight, let it be straight; if the wind comes and waves rise, it does not matter. Laughter and scolding are all the wondrous function of the Buddha-nature; losing one's temper once in a while does not matter either. Why? If you are too compliant with him, he will think you are weak and easily bullied, his desires will rise even higher, and he may harm many people at once; how can that be allowed? At this time, one needs a “Bodhisattva's heart and a Rakshasa's face,” getting angry to teach him a lesson, or even beating him, to make him turn back quickly; this is education! Therefore, we who learn Buddhism cannot always be soft and weak; when we see bad things, we should get angry if anger is needed. Is it truly getting angry? Getting angry is the external appearance, a means to educate people; it is not that one has lost control in the mind, nor that a mind of hatred has arisen.

In the past, there was a garden master (one who manages the vegetable garden and grows vegetables for the assembly to eat) under the seat of Zen Master Liangshan Yuanguan; he asked Liangshan: “What about when the house thief is hard to guard against?” The house thief is a metaphor for delusive thoughts; running after delusive thoughts obscures the luminosity of the Self-nature; it is equivalent to the “house thief” of delusive thoughts stealing the Dharma-wealth. When delusive thoughts come, what should be done? Liangshan said: “Recognizing it makes it not an enemy.” If you can see it and recognize that it is a delusive thought, and just not follow it, then it is not an injustice. If you run after it (clinging to it or suppressing it are both running after it), then you have practiced in vain; wouldn't that be an injustice! But the garden master was an enlightened person; he did not just let it go after speaking and listening like this; he wanted to “present it face to face,” hold the strategic pass, and not let the huatou pass by. After several questions and answers, he suddenly asked: “What about when suddenly a lake is overturned and mountains are toppled?” Suddenly a great temper erupts, like a mountain flash flood, washing down the mountains; what then? Zen Master Liangshan walked down from the Dharma seat, grabbed the garden master, and said: “Acharya, do not wet the corner of this old monk's kāsāya!” Not even a corner of the kāsāya can be made wet; this is a metaphor for the mind being unmoved. It means that even though you lose your temper, the mind must be held firm and cannot move a bit!

At this point, there is “no hair's breadth of correction, yet also no moment of distraction.” There is neither samādhi nor disturbance; both samādhi and disturbance are unobtainable; equality is one-suchness, one-suchness is equality. You say: I have entered samādhi here! Then you still have “samādhi” present; if there is “samādhi,” there must be disturbance, because “samādhi” is spoken of in relation to “disturbance”; if there is no disturbance, what samādhi is there to speak of! If speaking of true, there must be false; if speaking of good, there must be evil; if speaking of beautiful, there must be ugly; if there were no “false, evil, and ugly,” would there still be a need to speak of “truth, goodness, and beauty”? Our minds must be truly equal, having neither disturbance nor samādhi, neither correction nor distraction. The practice must reach this degree to be acceptable.

“The Verse says: Never cultivated, never separated, also not separating from the meaning of non-cultivation.”

This verse is divided into three parts: 1. Never cultivated; 2. Never separated; 3. Also not separating from the meaning of non-cultivation. “Never cultivated” is the great practice of non-practice just discussed, no hair's breadth of correction, yet also no moment of distraction. This does not mean not doing the practice; the practice still needs to be done, so it says “never separated”—one has also not departed from doing the practice, but one cannot dwell on doing the practice; doing it is the same as not doing it; this is “also not separating from the meaning of non-cultivation.” Although the practice is done, one does not give rise to a view of doing practice; doing is unobtainable, and separating is also unobtainable. Practice is like taking a boat across a river; when the boat is still in mid-stream, one cannot leave the boat; if one leaves the boat at this time, wouldn't one fall into the current (a metaphor for the stream of birth and death) and drown! When the boat reaches the opposite shore, one must leave the boat; if one does not leave the boat, how can one reach the shore of Nirvana which is without birth and death! When practice truly arrives home, one has neither cultivated nor separated; there is neither this shore nor the other shore; there are neither six realms to fall into, nor a Buddha Way to accomplish; there is neither birth and death to resolve, nor Nirvana to realize. “No birth and death to resolve” is the true resolution of birth and death; “no Nirvana to realize” is then called the true realization of Nirvana. This is not something that counts just by saying it; only by realization can it be known. Just as it is said, “Like a person drinking water, he knows for himself whether it is cold or warm.”

“In this Self-nature Great Perfection Fundamental Path, there are those who achieve like the ‘Swastika’ (understanding the perfect Dharma according to capacity), or suddenly obtain liberation, then it is the wondrous function of the all-Dharmakaya manifested by the Essence of Great Separation of Form and Mind, with no subject capable of practicing nor object to be practiced.”

In the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) Dharma, there are several kinds of practice methods; the most main ones are “Trekchö” and “Tögal.” “Trekchö” means cutting through; it is to cut off delusive thoughts, delusive mind, and delusive habits immediately. “Tögal” means direct crossing; it is to suddenly transcend the sea of suffering of birth and death. The sequence is to first practice “Trekchö,” and afterwards practice “Tögal.” One must first cut through, which means one must first see the Self-nature; seeing the Self-nature is seeing the root. The Ganges Mahāmudrā points out for us at every moment to see the Self-nature; therefore, Mahāmudrā is the forerunner of the Great Perfection, the root of the Great Perfection, and one can even say that Mahāmudrā is the Great Perfection; thus it is called the “Self-nature Great Perfection Fundamental Path.”

There is a “Swastika” (卍) on the Buddha's chest. “卍” is originally not read as “Wan.” Because it signifies the adornment of ten thousand virtues and purity without defilement, everyone reads it as “Wan.” The adornment of ten thousand virtues, purity without defilement, is “understanding the perfect Dharma according to capacity.” The character “卍” turns to the right as written. Some people say that if the “Swastika” on the chest turns right, it is a true Buddha, and if it turns left, it is a false Buddha; discriminating the truth and falsehood of Buddhas in this way. But the Demon King can also manifest the appearance of a Buddha; how will you distinguish then? Others say that if the “Swastika” on the Buddha's chest radiates light and makes people's minds cool and refreshing, it is a true Buddha; if it makes people's minds hot and vexed, it is a false Buddha. These are all making articles on appearances and have not spoken to the root. We say that the signless is the true Buddha; those with signs are all false Buddhas. Because “The Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya are not the true Buddha, nor are they the ones who expound the Dharma”! The Sambhogakāya manifests the appearance of luminosity; the Nirmāṇakāya manifests the appearance of a physical body. The Diamond Sutra says: “If one sees me by form, or seeks me by sound, this person walks a deviant path and cannot see the Tathāgata.” The Buddha's Nirmāṇakāya has thirty-two characteristics and eighty subsidiary marks, but that is a false body; if you identify with this false body, you cannot see the Tathāgata. The Dharmakāya is the true Buddha, and the Dharmakāya is without characteristics. The Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya both have signs, so neither is the true Buddha. If speaking from the ultimate, false is true, and true is false; the totally false is true, and the totally true is false. If there were no Dharmakāya, from where would the Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya manifest? Can the Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya manifest apart from the Dharmakāya? Just as waves cannot appear apart from water, and reflections cannot appear apart from a mirror, the Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya also cannot appear apart from the Dharmakāya. Where is the Dharmakāya? The Dharmakāya is the myriad phenomena before your eyes! If the myriad phenomena were apart from the Dharmakāya, they would have no way to manifest; we see the Nature through appearances; Nature is appearance, and appearance is Nature. Distinguishing true and distinguishing false is all the distinguishing of our own delusive minds; the Dharmakāya is without characteristics, yet nothing is not its appearance; the Dharmakāya is originally just so. “There are those who achieve like the ‘Swastika’” means achieving the adornment of ten thousand signs, purity without defilement, which is “understanding the perfect Dharma according to capacity”!

“Or suddenly obtain liberation.” Whether we recite the Buddha's name, investigate Chan, or practice Esoterism, we should be working on the practice at all times and places; we cannot be separated from it for a moment. It is so when walking, so when sitting, so when sleeping, so when eating, and so when doing things; after a long time, the practice matures, and upon touching a condition or meeting a circumstance— “Pa!”—it suddenly breaks off. The delusive habit of clinging to form appearances has been cultivated over many lives and kalpas; it is precisely because of it that there is the cycle of the six realms; it binds you like a rope so that your Buddha-nature cannot manifest. Now that you work hard on practice, it is to grind this rope until it breaks; grinding it thinner and thinner, thinner and thinner, until finally it is as thin as a hair, and “Pa!”—it breaks apart; this is called “suddenly obtaining liberation.” If you do not work hard on the practice, you will not be suddenly liberated. The instant of sudden liberation is not necessarily on the seat. I have told you all again and again, practicing the Mind-Center Dharma (Xin Zhong Xin) does not necessarily mean opening the Original upon the seat; it could be while walking, it could be while sleeping or dreaming, it could be while doing things; suddenly inside one does not see body and mind, outside one does not see the world, and “Pa!”—it opens up. But you must work on the practice densely and closely! If you do it today and stop tomorrow, fishing for three days and drying the nets for two, or work on the practice on the seat but let the wild horses loose off the seat, that will not do. Because you have not ground the rope of delusive thinking and grasping thin, it will not break. We should apply effort at all times, abiding in the “Great Perfection Fundamental Path”; when the practice matures, one will “suddenly obtain liberation.”

“Then it is the wondrous function of the all-Dharmakaya manifested by the Essence of Great Separation of Form and Mind.” Achieving like the “Swastika” or suddenly obtaining liberation is the wondrous function of the Dharmakāya, and this wondrous function is manifested by the Essence of Great Separation of Form and Mind. “Form” refers to the physical body, which is this shell of ours; “Mind” refers to the delusive mind of delusive thinking and grasping. Our minds always dwell on this shell, clinging to it as “me”; this is “body-view,” and body-view ranks first among the five kinds of “view-afflictions.” Affliction means confusion; therefore, this shell is the “shell of ignorance.” The Essence of Great Separation of Form and Mind means no longer clinging to this shell as oneself. Once the “shell of ignorance” is broken, the wondrous function of the Dharmakāya manifests.

Among us who learn Buddhism, there are quite a few who pursue supernatural powers. Seeking supernatural powers is the worst; once there is seeking, one cannot “understand the perfect Dharma according to capacity” and cannot “suddenly obtain liberation.” That is to say, seeking supernatural powers obstructs seeing the Nature. Seeing the Nature is the root; if the root is obtained, do not worry about the branches. You only need to abide in the fundamental Nature, working on the practice at every moment, reducing your delusive mind and delusive habits day by day, diminishing them again and again, diminishing them again and again... Pa! It breaks open, and the wondrous function of supernatural powers naturally manifests; this is not obtained by seeking. Supernatural powers obtained by seeking are useless; anything obtained by seeking is a conditioned dharma and cannot be relied upon. Some people claim to have supernatural powers and can foresee the future; actually, that is “dependent power”; he is relying on an “ear-report god.” What is an ear-report god? It is the “spirit ghost” we spoke of earlier! Because of heavy greed in past lives, it created great evil karma and fell into hell to suffer great suffering. After the suffering retribution was exhausted, it left hell; because the habit of greed remained, it was born again into the path of hungry ghosts, often attaching itself to human bodies to suck human vital essence and blood. If a person's mind is empty and non-abiding, it cannot attach; if a person pursues supernatural powers, he is exactly taken advantage of by it. Ghosts have “ghost powers”; if you are taken advantage of by him, he will tell you in your ear: some person will come tomorrow, some matter will happen, and the next day it is indeed so. If you mistakenly think you have supernatural powers, you have been deceived by it; actually, this has nothing to do with supernatural powers. You cannot listen to it, cannot pay attention to it, cannot rely on it. If you rely on it, you will be entangled by it and cannot accomplish the Way.

We cannot pursue supernatural powers; we must use effort densely and closely at all times and places, paying no attention to any state. Proceeding diligently like this for a long time, one will suddenly open the Original; subject and object will both be forgotten, sense organs and dusts will fall away, and one will be suddenly liberated. Sense organs and dusts falling away is the “Essence of Great Separation of Form and Mind”; subject and object both forgotten means there is no person capable of practice and no Dharma to be practiced. At this time, it is “no subject capable of practicing nor object to be practiced.” The Buddha-nature is originally perfect and complete with everything; its wondrous function is boundless, capable of manifesting the ten thousand existences. We only need to persist in working hard on the practice, and there will always be a day when we can suddenly break open, and the state of “no subject capable of practicing nor object to be practiced” will brightly manifest; at that time, all supernatural powers and wondrous functions will be obtained naturally without seeking. We must have a firm mind, persevere, keep the mind empty and non-abiding at all times, and return everything to the Self-nature in all matters; only then will we achieve perfect accomplishment.

“If not yet firm, one is a lower capacity gradual path ordinary person who gives rise to delusive thoughts and is turned by other forces. One must still abandon bustling, distracted places, and diligently practice to gather complete Dhyāna concentration. Otherwise, even if practicing for a long time, signs of the Way will not arise.”

Not yet firm means not having a firm mind and being unable to persevere. The practice method mentioned earlier—the great practice of non-practice—is spoken for those of higher capacity; their roots are very good, and they can listen to the teaching of Mahāmudrā and work hard on the upward practice; this is being able to obtain firmness. If one is not such a person and cannot persist in working hard, that is not yet firm. A person who is not yet firm is always lazy and procrastinating, always having excuses for not practicing: either recently the body is unwell, catching a cold or coughing, or today there are too many things to do and no time, or the environment is noisy, too bustling... In short, today is not possible, let's talk about it tomorrow. Just like this, “Tomorrow follows tomorrow, how many tomorrows are there?”—when will one be able to accomplish the practice! This kind of person is definitely one who “gives rise to delusive thoughts and is turned by other forces,” running after delusive thinking, moving along with states; then he is a “lower capacity gradual path ordinary person.” His root capacity is lower, suitable for walking the gradual practice path of three great Asankhya kalpas; in this life, he just plants some good roots, and it is not easy to accomplish the Way in this lifetime.

However, a person who is not yet firm is not without even a glimmer of hope for accomplishing the Way in this life. “One must still abandon bustling, distracted places, and diligently practice to gather complete Dhyāna concentration.” Inside not turning with delusive thoughts, outside not moving for states; one needs to have complete power of concentration; this kind of concentration power is called “gathering Dhyāna concentration.” One needs to abandon flourishing and bustling places, because such places will cause his mood to be confused. One needs to find a peaceful, clean place, and diligently practice Dhyāna meditation to obtain the necessary power of concentration. If he persists in using effort like this, there is still hope for successful practice in this life. Otherwise, “even if practicing for a long time, signs of the Way will not arise.” In a noisy market, because of a lack of concentration power, the mind turns with the environment, and if one is unwilling to leave the noisy market to go to a clean place to practice Dhyāna meditation, then, even if one practices a certain Dharma door for a long time, “signs of the Way” will not arise.

The “signs of the Way” spoken of here are the “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” we discussed earlier. Isn't it said that one must discard “emptiness, bliss, and clarity,” and urgently shout the syllable “Phat” to peel off the skin-shell of “emptiness, bliss, and clarity”? Yes. That is wanting you to directly verify the “Principle of the View”; you cannot cling to “emptiness, bliss, and clarity,” and even more so cannot think that obtaining “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” is accomplishing the Way. It does not say that “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” are bad; good is good, but a good thing is not as good as nothing. If one gives rise to a mind of seeking and abiding in “emptiness, bliss, and clarity,” one cannot thoroughly understand the “Self-nature Great Perfection Fundamental Path”; therefore, we do not speak of “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” in detail. But now, since we have mentioned the issue of “signs of the Way,” let us speak a little about the gradual methods:

Sitting in meditation to practice concentration involves these eight stages: coarse dwelling, fine dwelling, desire realm concentration, not-yet-arrived concentration, first Dhyāna, second Dhyāna, third Dhyāna, and fourth Dhyāna. The so-called “signs of the Way” are verifying which stage the practice has reached. For example, reciting the Buddha's name: if one can tie the mind to the Buddha's name without scattering, this is “coarse dwelling,” having only subdued the coarse delusions. Going a step further, the mind is pasted tight and unmoving, becoming one piece with the Buddha's name; outside the mind there is no Buddha, outside the Buddha there is no mind; this is “fine dwelling,” having further subdued the fine delusions. Going a step further, the mind becomes suddenly expansive and bright, and the body feels like a cloud or like a reflection soaring into the sky, feeling as if it has left the seat; this is “desire realm concentration.” The so-called “three realms” are the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm. Hells, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and also six layers of heavens, all belong to the desire realm; going further up, the first Dhyāna, second Dhyāna, third Dhyāna, and fourth Dhyāna, these four layers of heavens belong to the form realm; going even further up belongs to the heavens of the empty realm (formless realm), divided into “limitless empty space, limitless consciousness, nothingness, and neither thought nor non-thought,” four layers.

Having arrived at “desire realm concentration,” if one continues to practice, if the body and world suddenly transform into emptiness, this is “not-yet-arrived concentration”; one has left the desire realm but has not yet arrived at the form realm, not yet arrived at the first Dhyāna. When the practice goes a step further, inside one does not see body and mind, outside one does not see the world, and one arrives at the first Dhyāna. The first Dhyāna possesses “eight touches and ten virtues.” The “eight touches” are “movement, itchiness, lightness, heaviness, cold, warmth, smoothness, and roughness.” One feels the body is gone, but these eight kinds of sensations are produced. The eight kinds of sensations do not necessarily appear at the same time, but it goes no further than these eight kinds. Movement involves moving until one feels floating and airy, surpassing worldly wild joy; itchiness involves itching until one feels joyful, surpassing worldly desire-pleasure... In short, the eight touches are all very comfortable and happy sensations. Leaving desire and generating joy, so the first Dhyāna is called the “ground of joy and bliss born of separation.” The “ten virtues” are “emptiness, clarity, concentration, wisdom, good mind, softness, joy, bliss, liberation, and correspondence”; “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” are already included within this. Concentration means not disordered, wisdom means not foolish, joy means not worried; there are also good mind, softness, liberation, and correspondence, which are all extremely good states, so they are called “ten virtues.” Only by discarding the sensations of the eight touches and ten virtues of the first Dhyāna can one enter the second Dhyāna. The second Dhyāna is called the “ground of joy and bliss born of concentration”; joy and bliss arise within concentration. Only by discarding the “joy” of the second Dhyāna can one enter the third Dhyāna. The third Dhyāna is called the “ground of wondrous bliss of leaving joy”; it produces subtle happiness that transcends joy. Only by discarding all sensations can one enter the fourth Dhyāna. The fourth Dhyāna is called the “ground of purity of casting off thought.” At this time, there is purity and equality, and all sensations such as “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” are gone.

What we practice is Mahāyāna Chan, the Sudden and Round Chan, not the gradual Chan described above; of course, we do not speak of these layers of kung-fu, but we have also not departed from them. No matter what state we encounter, we pay absolutely no attention to it, and these feelings pass before long. We take seeing the Nature as the principle, and do not care about these things. Not caring does not equal not existing; these processes still exist, it is just that they flash by and are gone. Ganges Mahāmudrā is Mahāyāna Buddhadharma; it regards “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” as a skin-shell, and one must peel off this skin-shell for the appearance of the Self-nature to manifest nakedly. If one is a lower capacity gradual path ordinary person, his mind is unsteady and always runs after states. A person fond of lust sees a young and beautiful girl and his mind runs after her; a person greedy for food sees delicious food before him and his mind becomes agitated and uneasy. He always lets the wild horses loose on and off the seat; let alone directly according with the “Principle of the View,” even “emptiness, bliss, and clarity” will not manifest. Therefore, for this kind of person, “even if practicing for a long time, signs of the Way will not arise.”

“Therefore, closing retreat to practice avoids the pollution of habit nature in conduct and rituals, and only then can the wisdom of the signs of the Way of the self-ground of fundamental concentration (i.e., the wisdom of verifying power of the Way) merge with post-attainment wisdom (or the wisdom obtained after leaving concentration).”

Leaving bustling and distracted places and finding a peaceful, clean place to close retreat and practice can avoid “conduct and rituals” being polluted by habit nature. “Conduct and rituals” are practice conduct and ritual rules. For example, when we practice the Mind-Center Dharma: forgetting to contemplate off the seat and having the mind turned by external objects pollutes the practice conduct; being unable to bring up the mantra on the seat and having the mind flow with delusive thoughts pollutes the ritual rules. The so-called “habit nature” is “habit becomes nature”; habits become natural. The greatest habit nature of ordinary people is giving rise to mind in response to objects and always clinging to signs. For example, a person who loves wealth sees an opportunity to get rich, his heart pounds wildly, and he cannot sleep well at night. Layman Pang said back then: “Much gold disturbs people's minds”; when money is plentiful, the mind is disturbed, so he sank his myriad family wealth into the bottom of the river. He only wanted to understand the Mind and see the Nature, and did not want gold, silver, and treasures that obstruct the practice of the Way. This is a true practitioner of the Way, leading to great accomplishment later. Are there still such people now? Of course, we cannot say there is not a single one, but indeed they are very few.

For a lower capacity gradual path ordinary person, conduct and rituals are easily polluted by habit nature; if he can close retreat and practice, “only then can the wisdom of the signs of the Way of the self-ground of fundamental concentration (i.e., the wisdom of verifying power of the Way) merge with post-attainment wisdom (or the wisdom obtained after leaving concentration).” The wisdom of the signs of the Way of the self-ground of fundamental concentration is Fundamental Wisdom. Fundamental Wisdom merging with Post-attainment Wisdom is the “meeting of Mother and Child Luminosities” spoken of earlier. This means that if a lower capacity gradual path ordinary person can close retreat and practice, he can also achieve accomplishment in this life. This passage adds parentheses after “wisdom of the signs of the Way of the self-ground of fundamental concentration” to annotate it: i.e., wisdom of verifying power of the Way. Verification means verifying; verifying what? A practitioner of the Way naturally verifies the power of the Way; this is the wisdom that verifies the power of the Way. What do you use to verify the power of the Way? Apart from the “numinous knowing that is unborn in a thought and clearly distinct,” what else is there! This is the “Nature” of understanding the Mind and seeing the Nature! This is Fundamental Wisdom. “Post-attainment Wisdom” also has an annotation: or wisdom obtained after leaving concentration. The “leaving” here has the meaning of “transcending”; transcending concentration and non-concentration. This is the wondrous function! Post-attainment Wisdom is the wondrous function.

“Closing retreat practice, although there is protection, relies on the practice of the Fundamental Samadhi Essence.”

Closing retreat requires someone to protect/support it. There are two kinds of retreat protectors: one is external protection, and one is internal protection. External protection is responsible for your daily life; you work on the practice inside the retreat room and cannot go out to buy vegetables, nor do you have time to cook, so someone must support you; this is external protection. Internal protection guides your practice, preventing you from entering demonic obstacles and pointing you to verify and complete the Great Way. Closing retreat practice, although there is someone to support it, mainly “relies on the practice of the Fundamental Samadhi Essence.” The Fundamental Samadhi Essence is the Self-nature. The Self-nature is originally unborn and undying, undefiled and impure, unincreasing and undecreasing; only because of beginningless kalpas of ignorance moving blindly and giving rise to mind in response to objects, one has sunk into the six realms. To untie the bell, the person who tied it is needed; one still must rely on oneself to practice diligently and break through ignorance; one cannot rely on others. If the person protecting the retreat could accomplish the Way on our behalf, then Shakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha would have long ago saved us all completely; where would there still be so many ordinary beings! Being born into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is also not that easy; Amitabha Buddha cannot drag you there; he still requires you to recite the Buddha's name diligently and cut off the root of love before you can be born in the West. Great Master Yinguang said that being born in the West requires “The Sahā seal is broken, the Pure Land text is established.” If your root of love is not cut, greedily attached to gold, silver, and treasures, and yearning for wife and children, it is clear that the “Sahā seal” is not broken; then how can you be born in the West?

Therefore, even if closing retreat to practice, one cannot rely on the person protecting the retreat; one still relies on oneself to work hard on the practice, opening up the Fundamental Wisdom inherent in our own bodies, and then merging it with Post-attainment Wisdom, before one can accomplish the Way.

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Nine)

2025-12-07T17:27:00.003+08:00

Also See:

Chinese Original From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

English Translation:

"Delusive thoughts and afflictions are all the wisdom-aspects of the Dharmakāya's intrinsic gnosis." Delusive thoughts and afflictions are both wisdom-aspects of the Dharmakāya's intrinsic gnosis. The Dharmakāya is without characteristics, yet nothing is not its appearance. To say it is 'without characteristics' means that the Essence of the Dharmakāya has no concrete form that can be seen. To say 'nothing is not its appearance' means that the myriad phenomena, arranged in their vast diversity—all things possessing appearance—are the manifestation of the Dharmakāya; there is not a single thing with appearance that exists outside the Dharmakāya. Delusive thoughts and afflictions are things with appearance; naturally, they are not outside the Dharmakāya. Where do delusive thoughts and afflictions come from? Their source is the Dharma-nature (Dharmatā). The Dharma-nature is the root from which all dharmas arise. The Buddha-nature is the root of becoming a Buddha. Although Dharma-nature and Buddha-nature are spoken of as two different things, they are actually one thing; neither departs from the Dharmakāya. Intrinsic Gnosis (Běnjué) is the nature of awareness that is inherently complete; it is the numinous, bright True Mind that everyone possesses. This True Mind can give rise to vast wisdom, can generate all marvelous functions, and can manifest thousands of differences and variations of forms. Therefore, whether it is delusive thoughts or afflictions, they are all the marvelous functions of the Dharmakāya Essence. The Dharmakāya is the root; if there were no such root, how could there be delusive thoughts and afflictions? Only when there is water can there be waves; water is the root, and waves are the agitated appearance of water. Only when there is a mirror can there be reflections; the mirror is the root, and the ability to display reflections is the marvelous function of the mirror. Only when there is the Dharmakāya can there be delusive thoughts and afflictions; the Dharmakāya is the root, and delusive thoughts and afflictions are the wisdom-aspects of the Dharmakāya's intrinsic gnosis. If there were no Dharmakāya, there would be no way for delusive thoughts and afflictions to arise.

"Its self-nature is the reality of the Dharmakāya Essence's luminosity." The nature of delusive thoughts and afflictions themselves is precisely the manifestation of the true, non-deceptive luminosity of the Dharmakāya Essence. Here, luminosity is mentioned; the Dharmakāya Essence is replete with immeasurable luminosity, it is a "Treasury of Great Light." In the process of practice, some people see red light, some see yellow light, some see blue light, some see green light... all kinds of colors exist. If you practice the Dzogchen Tögal (Leap-over), you must gaze at light; after the light amplifies, you will see bindus (essence-drops). This bindu is first white, and as you continue to look, it becomes colorful—five colors, six colors, seven colors—all will manifest. This is the light of our own nature, triggered and drawn out by sunlight, moonlight, lamplight, and so on. This is the same principle as modern laser technology: place a ruby inside a laser device, irradiate it with intense light from a pulsed xenon lamp, and excited by this light ray, the ruby's own light of a specific frequency is "Whoosh!"—excited and released. As the saying goes: The eyes are the windows of the soul. According to the theories of Esoteric Buddhism, the Eighth Consciousness—the Ālaya-vijñāna—resides within the heart center (pericardium), and there are two channels connecting the heart center to the eyes from the back. In the light-gazing practice of Esoteric Buddhism, external light enters through the eyes and excites the Dharma-nature light inherent in our own minds; its principle is not different from laser technology, so we say Esoteric Buddhism is quite scientific.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, the five viscera and six bowels are connected to the whole body through meridians, and each finger corresponds to a specific internal organ.Shutterstock Explore Forming a mudra is simply arranging the position of the internal organs; reciting a mantra is using the sound of the mantra to stimulate the movement of Qi. The sound of a mantra is not shooting arrows without a target; it is not just casually reciting anything. Rather, it is a symbol into which the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas transformed their own minds while in Samādhi. If you recite the mantra with your mind, identifying with the same symbols emitted by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, you can communicate with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and receive their blessing power (adhiṣṭhāna). This is the same as the principle of "resonance" in science, so Esoteric Buddhism is very scientific and is not superstition.

The Ganges Mahamudra we are discussing now is the "practice of non-practice"; in all times and all places, allow things to function spontaneously (renyun). This is the easiest way to communicate with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, because Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are all acting in spontaneous naturalness. First, we must recognize our own True Mind; we must first understand that all things, including delusive thoughts and afflictions, are the marvelous functions arising from our own True Mind. This is the "Realization of the View" (Jiàn Zōng) mentioned earlier, which is also what the Chan school calls "Apprehending Mind and Seeing Nature" (Míngxīn Jiànxìng). Then, in all times and places, protect it; at all times and places, do not attach to appearances. When this protection is perfect, one attains the Dao. This dharma is very direct, very brisk; it is not a dharma of applying antidotes one by one. The practice of non-practice is the true practice; therefore, it is said that Mahamudra is a practice of the Supreme Vehicle. Do not fear delusive thoughts, do not fear afflictions; delusive thoughts and afflictions are the marvelous functions generated by the Dharmakāya. Just putting these delusive thoughts and afflictions to rest is enough; "Putting the mad mind to rest is Bodhi," it does not mean you have to get rid of them. Just as if you get rid of the waves there is no water, if you get rid of delusive thoughts and afflictions, wouldn't you be getting rid of the Dharmakāya as well? How can the Dharmakāya be got rid of? It is merely putting delusive thoughts and afflictions to rest, not eliminating them. Do not think that delusive thoughts and afflictions are bad; they are precisely the manifestation of the True Mind, and precisely the display of supernatural power and the arising of marvelous function. The Ganges Mahamudra tells us to recognize this marvelous Principle, and while engaging in all work, not to grasp at the appearance of objects, but to transform the delusive mind and delusive thoughts into the marvelous function of the True Mind.

"Knowing this is named the Luminosity of the Abiding Essence." Understanding this principle is called the "Luminosity of the Abiding Essence." "Abiding" means not moving. If you can know that delusive thoughts and afflictions are all marvelous functions of the Essence, and can put them to rest so they do not move—which means that when doing things, you neither grasp nor abide, but apply function according to conditions—such "knowing" is the light of "Abiding Essence" emitted by the Dharmakāya! "Abide" has the meaning of "settling peacefully"; it means standing firm on your heels, which in the Chan school is called "heels touching the ground." Recognizing that the arising place of the delusive mind is exactly the True Mind, and no longer looking for it elsewhere—this is standing firm on your heels. Why go seeking some master to open your crown (kai ding) and transmit the dharma? Can a master open your crown and make you attain the Dao? To speak honestly: there is no such thing! If a master could open your crown and make you attain the Dao—since the Buddha is so compassionate, he would have long ago opened everyone's crown and caused everyone to attain the Dao; how could there still be so many ordinary beings? Saying they will "open your crown" is just to symbolically comfort you, to make your mood pleasant and stable so that it is easier to enter the path, that is all. After we understand this principle, we exert ourselves in practice and open our own crowns, not relying on others. Clearly and distinctly recognize that the True Mind is not elsewhere; the place where delusive thoughts and afflictions arise is exactly our True Mind. Protect it at all times; do not turn along with delusive thoughts. As soon as there is distraction, quickly recite the Buddha's name, or quickly recite a mantra, to melt the delusive thought away; this "turning the light around to shine back" is the marvelous method for protecting the True Mind. Working on practice requires shining inward, not shining outward. There are too many things outside: good food, nice clothes, fun things... these are all reflections, all utterly unobtainable; if you turn along with them, you are finished. You must abide without moving, stand firm on your heels, and when the old habits of attaching to appearances are exhausted, naturally great luminosity will shine forth. In fact, we are emitting light all the time; a thought stirring is the emission of light, but this is "delusive light." What the delusive mind emits is delusive light; only the light emitted by the True Mind is True Light. What is delusive light? Giving rise to delusive thoughts by attaching to appearances is delusive light; delusive light also has luminosity. Scientists in the former Soviet Union invented a machine that can photograph the light emitted by the human body; according to reports, that halo is seven or eight centimeters thick. Delusive light has a limit, whereas True Light has no limit. If we can protect this segment of primordial True Light at all times, it will shine greater and greater, until it illuminates the Buddha-lands of the ten directions without obstruction. This is the Treasury of Great Light inherent in our own minds. We should abide like this; this is the "abiding of non-abiding," not abiding on any thing, but requiring your mind to be stable, unwavering, and without doubt.

"This View of direct pointing to the luminosity of self-nature, becoming familiar with its own appearance, is named the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis on the path." Above, we discussed the Luminosity of Intrinsic Gnosis (Běnjué); delusive thoughts and afflictions are the appearance of Intrinsic Gnosis. Now we discuss the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis (Shǐjué); what is the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis? It is the luminosity of "directly pointing to self-nature." Directly pointing it out to you: that mind of numinous knowing which does not give rise to a single thought yet is distinctly clear—that is the Buddha-nature, that is the One True Dharma Realm, that is the Mahamudra. Recognizing it in this way is the Realization of the View (Jiàn Zōng); it is the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis. However, having been attached to appearances for measureless eons, "giving rise to mind in response to objects" is a familiar road, while we are very unfamiliar with "sweeping clear and non-abiding." There must be a process of "turning the familiar into the unfamiliar, and the unfamiliar into the familiar"; this is the so-called "protection" process, which is also the process of "contemplation/observation" (guānzhào). "Becoming familiar with its own appearance is named the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis on the path." "Familiar" means mature; not mature in attaching to appearances, but mature in contemplation, mature in apprehending Mind and seeing Nature—at all times not abiding in appearances, with not a bit of doubt; this is called "familiar with its own appearance." If, after listening, we are half-believing and half-doubting: "Is this the Buddha-nature? Is this the root of becoming a Buddha? I'm afraid not! If it were, I should manifest great supernatural powers! Why are there no supernatural powers?" That is because you are not familiar; you are still unfamiliar! If we do not doubt in the slightest and can attend to it at all times, this is the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis on the path. This is true practice; it does not necessarily have any form, it does not necessarily have the form of sitting meditation, the form of reciting Buddha's name, or the form of holding mantras. Rather, as soon as a delusive thought arises, you see it, do not run after it, do not pay attention to it, and it immediately turns into emptiness, utterly unobtainable. It is like this whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; you cannot tell he is working on practice, but actually, he is working on practice at all times and places. This is the practice of the Mind-ground, referred to as the "Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis on the path." Why is it called "Luminosity"? When a thought arises, you can see it; if it were not luminosity, how could you illuminate and see it? Someone said: "I recite the Buddha's name poorly; I have recited for a long time, but there are still many delusive thoughts." If you ask me, you are reciting quite well; when a delusive thought arises, you can illuminate and see it—this is precisely the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis! Delusive thoughts are like dust flying in a room; without light, you cannot see them. If a ray of sunlight shines in, you will discover: "Oh, there is so much dust!" Therefore, illuminating and seeing delusive thoughts during sitting meditation or recitation is a good thing, not a bad thing; this is the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis—you have begun to awaken. The further step is not to run after delusive thoughts, to pay them no heed, to recite the Buddha's name or hold the mantra with full concentration, the mind reciting and the ear listening, hearing clearly and distinctly; delusive thoughts will naturally subside. This is the "Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis on the path."

"Because of maintaining spontaneous operation in this non-dual Essence and Path—the self-appearance of the two luminosities—it is the so-called meeting of Mother and Child Luminosity. (Intrinsic Gnosis is the Mother, Actualized Gnosis is the Child)." Delusive thoughts and afflictions are the Luminosity of Intrinsic Gnosis; Realization of the View and practicing the path are the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis. The Luminosity of Intrinsic Gnosis is the "Essence Luminosity"; the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis is the "Path Luminosity." Regarding the self-appearance of these "two luminosities of Essence and Path"—although the images of these two luminosities are different, they are one in Essence; they are non-dual. If we operate spontaneously here, operate spontaneously in the non-dual Essence of these two luminosities, this is the so-called "meeting of Mother and Child Luminosity"! Mother is the Luminosity of Intrinsic Gnosis; Child is the Luminosity of Actualized Gnosis. The meeting of Mother and Child is the union of Intrinsic Gnosis and Actualized Gnosis; the two lights merge into one. The method of salvation in the Intermediate State (Bardo) is based on this principle. The Intermediate State is also called Zhongyou. After a person dies, there is a state of "swoon" (menjue) lasting three and a half to four days, after which the "Intermediate State body" arises, like a three-year-old child; within forty-nine days, it undergoes birth and death seven times, and various scenes and phenomena manifest. The so-called "swoon" is a deep coma; during the coma, delusive thoughts do not move because the body—the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind—has dispersed, and the faculties of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body have lost the function of grasping external objects. When delusive thoughts do not move, the luminosity of self-nature will manifest. However, this luminosity is called the "Light of Death" (Sǐguāng); it is the light emitted after death, appearing twice within three to four days. This Light of Death does not last long each time it appears, only about the time it takes to eat a meal, and then "Zip!"—it vanishes. The Light of Death is also the light of self-nature; if one can "seize it in one grab" when the Light of Death manifests, recognize it in time, one attains the Dao immediately. The Light of Death is the Mother Light; the ability to perceive it is the Child Light. Recognizing it in time is the meeting of Mother and Child; merging with it in time allows for the sudden realization of the Sambhogakāya Buddha. This is the first stage of "Bardo Salvation"—the Chikai Bardo (Bardo of the moment of death). If you cannot recognize it in time, you miss this opportunity. Then the Intermediate State body arises and manifests various karmic appearances; if one did good deeds in life, pleasant appearances manifest; if one did bad deeds, evil appearances manifest; both beautiful and terrifying appearances will manifest. At the same time, for the first fourteen days, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will emit intense lights of various colors and appear in union (yab-yum) forms to receive and guide you. At this time, if you do not fear the intense light and do not give rise to a mind of wild discrimination, but merge with it in time, you can also attain birth in the Buddha-land Pure Lands. On the fourth day after the Intermediate State body arises, the Buddha Amitābha (Infinite Light) of the Western Pure Land will emit an intense red light and appear in union with the White-Robed Buddha Mother (Pāṇḍarāvasinī); if at this moment you can avoid giving rise to thoughts of discrimination, surprise, or fear, and resolutely merge with it, you can immediately attain birth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The first fourteen days of reception by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is the second stage of "Bardo Salvation"—the Chönyid Bardo (Bardo of Dharmatā). Immediately following is the third stage of "Bardo Salvation"—the Sidpa Bardo (Bardo of Becoming/Rebirth); the book Bardo Thodol (Liberation Through Hearing in the Intermediate State) explains this in great detail, so I will not say more here.

When we sit in meditation and practice, being able to illuminate and see delusive thoughts is a good thing; do not give rise to doubts, but continue to practice diligently. When the spiritual power matures, "Pow!"—suddenly it breaks open, Child Light and Mother Light merge into one body, a Treasury of Great Light! Then one attains the Dao. It is the same for those who recite the Buddha's name; reciting the Buddha's name in all times and places, when the practice matures after a long time, the mind that recites and the Buddha that is recited drop away at once; there is no person who recites, nor any Buddha that is recited, yet it is vividly clear and distinct—this is also the union of Child and Mother, also the "meeting of Mother and Child Luminosity"!

"Do not forget the Luminosity of the Self-appearance of the View that has already been recognized; regarding the delusive thoughts and afflictions within the function of the state, it is most important not to give rise to any blocking, establishing, accepting, or rejecting." Do not forget the "Luminosity of the Self-appearance of the View" that has already been recognized. What is the Luminosity of the Self-appearance of the View? Our ability to illuminate and see all things is all the marvelous function arising from the Dharmakāya Essence. Illuminating and seeing things without being turned by things, and understanding that this function of seeing is precisely our fundamental nature, thereby seeing the Nature within the appearance—seeing the fundamental nature through the appearance—this is the "Realization of the View" (Jiàn Zōng). Realization of the View is also a marvelous function arising from the Dharmakāya; it is also the appearance of light emitted by the Dharmakāya Essence itself. This appearance of light emission is an appearance without characteristics; it is called the "Luminosity of the Self-appearance of the View." This is not seen with the eyes or heard with the ears. Earlier we discussed the "Dharma teaching by the insentient": "If you listen with ears you will ultimately find it hard to understand; only when you hear sound with your eyes will you know." That spoke of listening to sound with eyes; now we are looking at light with ears. How can eyes listen? How can ears look? The function that illuminates all things and hears all sounds is our fundamental nature. Apart from the fundamental nature, nothing exists; if one can recognize it this way, it is the Luminosity of the Self-appearance of the View. Can this luminosity be seen with the eyes? Therefore, we say look with the ears. Is this "looking"? It is tacit understanding, experiencing, realizing, and intuitive meeting.

Regarding the delusive thoughts and afflictions that float up within the state (jìngjiè) or within the function, we must not give rise to the mind of blocking them, establishing them, grasping them, or rejecting them, because everything is like a reflection or illusion, with nothing that can be grasped or rejected. We must pay them no heed (bù lǐ bù cǎi) and not give rise to any mind; only then does it accord with the marvel of the Dao. "Blocking" (zhē) is covering; "Expelling" (qiǎn) is driving away. Both blocking and expelling are suppression. "Establishing" (chénglí) is running along with it. For example, you lost your capital in business, and affliction arises. Then you think: "I am a Buddhist practitioner, I shouldn't be upset like this, why am I still getting upset? This is bad, bad!" The more you think, the more regretful you feel; the more you dwell on it, the more upset you become; this is "blocking and expelling." Or again, you are already able to be unmoved by the success or failure of affairs, and you think your power of concentration is strong: "The eight winds blow but I do not move; sitting upright on the purple-gold lotus"—this state is very good! This is "establishing." We should work on practice like this: whether active or still, favorable or adverse, light and peaceful or afflicted—all are utterly unobtainable; do not take any of them to heart. Even blocking, expelling, establishing, setting up, grasping, or rejecting—do not take any of them to heart. When delusive thoughts and afflictions come, neither run after them nor pay attention to them; let them arise and cease; a single moment of alert awareness is enough. We have already said before: if you can practice to the degree of "having no mind of love or hate," then after your life ends, you will no longer transmigrate in the Six Realms.

One "Not forgetting" and one "Not raising"—these are the most important. Not forgetting the "Luminosity of the Self-appearance of the View," and not raising the mind of "blocking, expelling, establishing, grasping, or rejecting"—this is the most, most important! We must not forget that this function which can see, can know, can speak, and can act is the marvelous function of the fundamental nature; become familiar with it at every moment. When delusive thoughts and afflictions come, do not suppress them, do not run after them; have no blocking or expelling, no establishing, no love or hate, no grasping or rejecting—everything is utterly unobtainable. Be open and calm, ordinary and normal, a heart of equality; they vanish naturally by themselves; let the wind and clouds change as they may, I remain without joy and without worry. The mind is always empty, the Qi is always level, the intent is always light. We must work on practice like this at all times and places; this kung fu is useful regardless of which school you belong to.

"Protecting and maintaining such a state for a long time, powers such as Bliss, Clarity, and Non-thought will arise; regarding that which covers the Original Face, one must peel off this skin-shell, so that the appearance of self-nature can be presented nakedly; this is wisdom shining brightly from within." Protecting the state of "not forgetting" and "not raising" discussed above for a long time, the states of "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity" will appear; that is the initial state of entering the Dao triggered by spiritual power. Bliss is happiness; Clarity is luminosity; Non-thought is the emptying of mind—the state of "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity" (Kōng-Lè-Míng) has appeared. The inner mind is empty and pure, incomparably light and at ease; this body seems to disappear, relaxed as if a heavy burden has been unloaded. Joyful and delighted, incomparably happy; a hundred times happier than "Receiving timely rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the wedding night, or the time of seeing one's name on the golden list [passing imperial exams]." This kind of happiness cannot be compared to any worldly happiness (in the Four Dhyānas and Eight Samādhis, one possesses this joy upon reaching the Third Dhyāna; upon reaching the Fourth Dhyāna, this joy dissolves). The mind-light reveals itself, bright and penetrating, like a bright moon shining overhead; whether awake or dreaming, one is bathed in light. Is this "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity" good? Good it may be, but if you abide in it, giving rise to the thought: "Wonderful! I have attained empty purity, I have happiness, I am emitting light"—then it goes bad; that will cover the Original Face. What is the Original Face? It is the self-nature we have repeatedly emphasized earlier! If you attach to the appearance of "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity," it is like wrapping a skin-shell around the outside of the self-nature; can you still see the self-nature then? You should peel off this skin-shell and not abide in this "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity."

I have repeatedly warned you all: in practicing the Mind-centered Method (Xīnzhōngxīn), you are not allowed to see light or see Buddhas. It is not that you are not allowed to see them, but that you are not allowed to attach to appearances! Self-nature is neither light nor dark; if you say it is bright, that is incorrect; if you say it is dark, that is also incorrect. We said before that when the practice reaches the end, it is like "the moon on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month"—no light is seen. But this is not darkness; it is like a person in the air not seeing the air, or a fish in water not seeing the water; "Like entering a room of irises and orchids, after a long time one no longer smells the fragrance"—neither grasping nor rejecting, fully merged and forgotten. Saying "not allowed" means you are not allowed to abide in appearances. Abiding in appearances is "establishing," is "grasping"; these are all delusive thinking and attachment. Only by removing this delusive thinking and attachment can one thoroughly awaken to the Original. Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara's "Dharma Door of Universal Penetration through the Ear Organ" is also like this when the practice reaches the later stages: "The awareness and the object of awareness are both empty; emptiness and awareness are extremely perfect; emptiness and the object of emptiness are extinguished." When the subject that is aware and the object that is known are empty and pure to the point of extreme perfection, the subject that can empty and the object that is emptied also vanish; even emptiness is gone. Only then does "Arising and ceasing are extinguished, and quiescent extinction manifests." Since the subject capable of emptiness and the object being emptied have arising and ceasing, the subject capable of bliss and the object of bliss, the subject capable of clarity and the object of clarity likewise have arising and ceasing. When these things that have arising and ceasing all vanish, the "Quiescent Extinction"—the Great Nirvana that is unborn and undying—manifests brightly. "Quiescent" (Jì) means quiescent yet constantly shining (zhào), shining and thus functioning in response to ten thousand potentials; "Extinction" (Miè) means shining yet constantly quiescent; "Quiescent" means Thusness unmoving (Rúrú búdòng). Thusness unmoving is called "Ru" (Thus); arising to respond to ten thousand potentials is called "Lai" (Come); how can the state of the "Tathāgata" (Rúlái) be compared to the ordinary "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity"? This is true Buddhahood.

One should peel off the skin-shell of "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity" so that the appearance of self-nature can present itself nakedly. "This is wisdom shining brightly from within"—this is the light of wisdom emitted from the inner heart; this is True Luminosity, capable of illuminating the ten directions without obstruction. The luminosity of "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity" is limited and cannot illuminate the ten directions.

"Therefore, one should frequently remove bliss and clarity, saying: 'The surging spring water flows fiercely is marvelous.'" Therefore, we should frequently sweep away this "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity." The practice of the Chan school is also like this; for example, a monk asked Master Caoshan: "What about when the bright moon shines overhead?" It is like a bright moon shining overhead, the mind is full of light; do you think my kung fu is acceptable? What about this situation? Chan Master Caoshan said: "You are still a fellow beneath the steps." Your kung fu has reached here, but you are still below the steps, you have not ascended into the hall and entered the room; you are still far off! The monk said: "Please, Master, help me up the steps." Please, Master, be compassionate and guide me up the steps so I can ascend to the hall and enter the room. Caoshan said: "We will meet when the moon falls." Wait until after the moon falls, then I will meet you. (Master Yuan-yin asked the audience: "How do we meet when the moon falls? How do we meet after the moon has fallen?" The audience remained silent for a long time. The Master said: "Stop! Stop! Don't think about it. I flick my sleeves and return to the Abbot's quarters!") "The surging spring water flows fiercely is marvelous"—spring water follows the momentum of the mountain and rushes down, the waves are surging, the force of the water is great; this torrent is hard to restrain. This is a metaphor: when practice reaches a certain degree, subtle wisdom bursts forth like "surging spring water flowing fiercely," unstoppable. In the past, Great Master Hanshan Deqing had excellent literary talent and was good at writing poetry; when he worked on practice, he practiced until he forgot all his poetry. Someone asked him to write a poem, but he could not write a single sentence. Later, someone brought a few Tang poems for him to recite; as soon as he recited the Tang poems, verses immediately jumped out. He didn't need to think at all; it was like a flash flood, unstoppable even if he wanted to stop, out of control. Great Master Hanshan knew this was not right; he could not let literary thoughts cover the Buddha-nature, so he resolutely cut off this mystery that was like "surging spring water flowing fiercely" with a "Pow!" These are all skin-shells that can cover the "Original Face"; "If one does not cut when one should cut, one will suffer from the chaos"; one should resolutely peel it off.

"When the power of generating bliss and clarity, as well as the appearances of worldly joy and happiness, arise, forcefully recite the 'Po' that has the convenience of gathering, and the 'Ei' that has the Prajñā of severing, abruptly falling from above, to shatter the skin-shell of craving for spiritual power (The above two Tibetan characters combine to form 'Phat', pronounced 'Peyi' / 'Pō zhà')." When the power and function of bliss and clarity arise, as well as phenomena such as worldly joy and happiness, forcefully recite "Phat!" (Pēi); bring this "Phat" down abruptly from above to shatter the skin-shell of craving for powers such as "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity," causing the self-nature to manifest brightly. The Tibetan letter "Po" (𠕇) has the meaning of "convenient gathering." Gathering is receiving and containing; the character "Po" has the expedient nature of containing all marvelous meanings. The Tibetan letter "Ei" (𠗟) has the meaning of "Prajñā severing." Severing is cutting off and eliminating; the character "Po-Ei" (Phat) has the Prajñā nature of eliminating all obstacles. "Po-Ei," pronounced "Phat," can contain all marvelous meanings and eliminate all obstacles. This "Phat" is just this good.

"In this way, regarding the key of severing verification on the path and the unspeakable self-nature that is thoroughly understood, if one can sustain this at all times, there is no difference between the practice of entering samādhi and exiting samādhi, nor is there any difference between the practice on the seat and off the seat." As stated above, at all times, protect and allow to function spontaneously this "key of severing verification on the path and the unspeakable self-nature." "Verification on the path" (Dàoyàn) means the verification of practicing the path; often verifying how one's own practice is going, to what degree one has practiced—has emptiness, bliss, and clarity appeared? If a little bit appears, one is incredibly happy, and the mind constantly sticks to it. There are others who do not have emptiness, bliss, clarity, or supernatural powers, and their minds are always thinking about these things, using these things to verify themselves: "Why do I have no news? Why do no supernatural powers manifest? Is it that I am incompetent? Is this dharma not effective?" With these things blocking the mind, not to mention attaining the Dao, even the state of emptiness, bliss, and clarity will be obstructed and will not appear. We said before that emptiness, bliss, and clarity appear during the process of sitting and protecting the self-nature; even if they appear, one must "Phat!" and leave them immediately. If you do not have them, you have one layer of obstruction less; isn't that even better! But for someone who truly works hard on the path, during the practice process, emptiness, bliss, and clarity will naturally develop. It is only that one must not seek them; let them develop naturally without abiding or attaching, and there is no obstruction. "Severing verification on the path" means departing from these verifications, cutting off these verifications. "Key" (Guānyào) means the critical point, the essential point. Severing the use of sensations like "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity" to verify the accomplishment of the path—this is the critical point of attaining the Dao, the essential point of practice.

Self-nature is the Dharmakāya; the Dharmakāya is without characteristics, yet nothing is not its appearance; it is unspeakable and does not fall into conceptual thinking. No matter how you speak of it, it has no appearance to speak of; no matter how you think of it, it has no thing to think of. Language cannot express it, thinking cannot reach it; this is called "The path of language is cut off, the place of mental activity is extinguished." The Sutra says: "Only this one fact is true, the remaining two are not real"; any thing with appearance that can be spoken of or falls into conceptual thinking is entirely illusory and unreal, all utterly unobtainable. Only this self-nature where "the path of language is cut off, the place of mental activity is extinguished" is the only thing that is true and not deceptive; it is called "Reality" (Shíxiàng), and this is the "One Reality Seal" of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

We should never forget the "key of severing verification on the path," not using sensations like "Emptiness, Bliss, and Clarity" to examine whether we have attained the Dao; at all times, allow this "unspeakable self-nature" to function spontaneously, neither grasping nor rejecting at any time. Such protection and maintenance cannot be departed from for a single moment. "Thoroughly understood" (Liǎochè) means clear and penetrating. When a practitioner protects and maintains like this, protecting until the self-nature is clear and penetrating, until "the familiar becomes unfamiliar, and the unfamiliar becomes familiar," then one is one who has "thoroughly understood." At this time, "there is no difference between the practice of entering samādhi and exiting samādhi, nor is there any difference between the practice on the seat and off the seat." Great Samādhi has no entry or exit; if the mind can settle down when entering samādhi, but runs after external objects after exiting samādhi, that is not Great Samādhi, not True Samādhi. True Great Samādhi is being in samādhi at every moment; whether in the silence of the meditation hall or the noise of the busy market, whether sitting in meditation or busy with work, it is all the same; there is no difference in practice. True practice is non-practice; not practicing is the Great Practice. Our practice of the Mind-centered Method is not only forming mudras and reciting mantras on the seat; it is even more necessary not to depart from contemplation (guānzhào) for a second off the seat. I have long ago told you all that contemplation is the Main Practice, and sitting meditation is the Auxiliary Practice, but there are still many who neglect contemplation. I emphasize again here: Contemplation is the Main Practice that cannot be neglected! Contemplation is precisely the "protection and maintenance" (bǎorèn) just discussed! Forming mudras and reciting mantras on the seat is gathering this mind; meticulous contemplation off the seat is also gathering this mind. There is no difference in practice between on the seat and off the seat!

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Eight)

2025-12-06T15:15:00.002+08:00

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Original Chinese From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

English Translation:

The Ganges Mahamudra (Lecture Eight)

By Master Yuanyin

Lecture Eight

“Let the mind be like a river, resting naturally in spontaneous movement; do not establish or reject its rising and falling, and you will obtain the intrinsic characteristics of the Dharmakāya.”

When we engage in practice, we must let the mind be like a river, following the bends and turns. We must dwell nowhere subjectively, following conditions spontaneously in all things, without self-view and without stagnation or obstruction. At all times, like flowing water, it flows away peacefully and at ease; practice must be done like this. We ordinary beings have heavy selfishness and manifold delusive thoughts; we want everything to conform to our own intentions. "I want it this way," and it must be this way to be good; otherwise, annoyance arises in the mind. Therefore, karmic obstructions are deep and heavy, and one cannot see the Dao. Now that we are working hard to practice the Dao, we must change this delusive habit of dwelling and attachment; we must be able to follow conditions and adapt to things—bending when it bends, turning when it turns—and not stubbornly hold to our own views. For example, in our work, if we are promoted, we are promoted; if we are demoted, we are demoted; it does not matter either way. We must not be happy because of a promotion or annoyed because of a demotion. Because everything is for the service of the people, not for oneself, one must be able to go up or down. We have learned Buddhism and know that all sounds, forms, goods, and profits are like flowers in the sky or the moon in the water; they are unseekable and unobtainable. The mind is constantly empty and quiescent, without annoyance, so any problem is easy to discuss, and any matter can be shouldered unselfishly, working courageously and moving forward. If everyone acted like this, sacrificing themselves for others, society would be peaceful, the people would prosper, and the country would be rich and powerful. Therefore, learning Buddhism is of great benefit to the morals of the world and the hearts of the people; it truly should be vigorously advocated.

When we do things, we do not care whether it is a success or a failure; we simply do our utmost. We do not rejoice in success nor get annoyed by failure; we summarize the experience, correct mistakes, and continue to work with persistent efforts. If one can be open and magnanimous in thought, without crookedness or selfishness, immovable and unshakeable, one naturally realizes the original face of the Dharmakāya. Similarly, do not generate the thought that "the radiance of mind is covered by dark clouds" just because a thought arises. Nor should you generate the thought of "elimination" when delusive thoughts subside. Because as soon as the thought of "leaving" or "exiting" arises, it is adding delusion upon delusion; it is still a form of attachment and is not liberation. Mahamudra speaks of functioning through non-action [wuwei], being unstained by anything, following conditions spontaneously, and being like this at all times; this implies a higher level of practice and is more difficult to do. If one cannot do this for the time being, one must perform other practices, which will be discussed later.

Therefore, we must be like this at all times: when a thought comes, pay it no heed, do not suppress it, and do not run after it. Spontaneously following conditions, responding to the myriad potentials without dwelling—this is the intrinsic characteristic of our Dharmakāya. Our own Dharma-nature is originally like this; it can give rise to marvelous functions according to the potential, and is not dead and immobile sitting there. Its response is extremely fast, faster than the speed of light. The reason ordinary beings react slowly is because they have many delusive thoughts; it is like the sun being covered by dark clouds—the radiance cannot be released, so the function becomes small. Developing supernatural powers is simply the mind's function being fully displayed after delusive thoughts are completely extinguished. All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature, and Buddha-nature originally possesses infinite supernatural powers and marvelous functions. As long as we can be "mindless" [wuxin] like flowing water, letting things be natural—as the saying goes, "The falling flowers have intent, the flowing water has no mind"—and be naturally vibrant like this at all times, we can restore the intrinsic characteristic of the Dharmakāya and display great supernatural powers. The intrinsic characteristic of the Dharmakāya is not that not a single thought arises, sitting there stiffly knowing nothing. It is lively and vivid, giving rise to function according to conditions, with boundless marvelous functions. So-called "no-thought" does not mean that "not a single thought arising" is called no-thought; rather, thoughts arising without dwelling is called no-thought. Emptiness is presence; presence is emptiness!

Speaking of emptiness and presence, this has a very great relationship to learning Buddhism; only after completely clarifying the relationship between emptiness and presence can one progress rapidly. People who engage in practice always say that everything is empty and one should not attach to presence. Yet ordinary beings attach to presence in everything they do; emptiness and presence seem to be irreconcilable opposites. This is because everyone has a different understanding of "emptiness" and "presence." When ordinary beings speak of emptiness, it means nothing exists at all. When the Buddhadharma speaks of emptiness, it only means there is no [fixed] essence, not that there are no illusory appearances. Therefore, it says "form is strictly emptiness," not that one speaks of emptiness apart from illusory appearances. The emptiness we speak of is different from the emptiness of total non-existence of ordinary beings; it is the emptiness of not dwelling in illusory appearances, the emptiness of "emptiness is presence, presence is emptiness, emptiness and presence are not two." Therefore, no-thought is not that not a single thought arises, but that when thoughts arise, one does not follow or dwell; one must understand this principle thoroughly. The True Emptiness of Buddha-nature is not that it does not manifest, because when function arises, it must manifest. If it were empty without appearances, it would not be the Self-nature. Because if there is Mind, there must be appearances; Mind is appearance, appearance is Mind, for Mind and appearance are not two. I said last time that there must be reflections in a mirror; without reflections, it does not constitute a mirror. Therefore, Buddha-nature can certainly manifest forms and appearances; without forms and appearances, it cannot be called Buddha-nature, because without marvelous function, Buddha-nature would turn into dead emptiness or insensate emptiness. But Buddha-nature is not insensate emptiness; it is numinous, bright, and vast, capable of giving rise to all marvelous functions and manifesting all kinds of forms and appearances, so it is said: "The myriad forms are perfect within the Mind."

Speaking of this, let me tell you a story. In Zhenjiang, there is a Jinshan Temple, and in the temple, there is a mountain-guarding Dharma treasure. The Dharma treasure is Su Dongpo's jade belt; the jade belt is made of square pieces of jade strung together with gold thread. How did this jade belt stay at Jinshan Temple? It turns out that Su Dongpo and the abbot of Jinshan Temple, Chan Master Foyin, were good friends. Su Dongpo composed poetry and lyrics very well and was also a Buddhist practitioner; he was conceited that his practice had reached the stage of being "unmoved by the Eight Winds." Chan Master Foyin wanted to test the depth of his practice, so he deliberately belittled him, saying: "Su Dongpo's poetry is truly not worth a dog's fart." When Su Dongpo heard this, he could not help but feel great anger in his heart; he launched a punitive expedition, crossing the river in a rage to demand an explanation from Chan Master Foyin. Chan Master Foyin laughed and said: "What a fine 'unmoved by the Eight Winds'; one fart has blown you across the river." This is a joke.

Once, Su Dongpo came to Jinshan Temple to visit Chan Master Foyin. The Chan Master was leading the assembly in sitting meditation in the Chan hall at that time; it was precisely the time of "stopping stillness," and idlers were not allowed to enter. Su Dongpo knew this rule, so he sat in the reception room waiting for Chan Master Foyin to come out. After this stick of incense was finished, another stick was added, so he came out very late. Su Dongpo waited for a long time and felt very anxious in his heart. When the incense finished and the stillness was opened, Chan Master Foyin came out: "Oh my! Great Scholar Su, please sit, please sit." Su Dongpo said: "Heh! You still ask me to sit! I want to sit on the head of you bald donkey!" They were good friends and were joking, calling the Chan Master a "bald donkey." The Chan Master heard this and said: "Oh, you want to sit on the head of this old monk? Good, good, good. I have a question to ask you. If you can answer it, this old monk's head will serve as your seat; if you cannot answer, you must unfasten the jade belt on your body and give it to us as a mountain-guarding treasure." Su Dongpo laughed heartily: "Whatever question you ask, I can give ten answers to one question; my marvelous interpretations are many, and my explanations are broad." Chan Master Foyin said: "Good, I ask you: The Four Elements are originally empty, and the Five Aggregates are non-existent; where do you sit?" The meaning was, you want to sit on my head, but my body is made of the Four Elements and Five Aggregates, which are empty and possess nothing; how do you sit? Su Dongpo thought: The Four Elements are empty, the Five Aggregates are originally not there, everything is gone; then I fall into emptiness—where do I sit? I cannot sit in empty space... He thought and thought, walked back and forth three times, and could not answer for a moment. Chan Master Foyin took the opportunity to call the young novice: "Come here! Unfasten his jade belt; he cannot answer." Thus, Su Dongpo's jade belt remained at Jinshan Temple as the mountain-guarding treasure. This is the public case [gongan] of "empty yet present, present yet empty." Actually, this question is not hard to answer, because emptiness is not insensate emptiness, and presence is not solid presence; emptiness does not obstruct presence, and presence does not obstruct emptiness. Emptiness is presence; presence is emptiness; Mind is appearance; appearance is Mind. Therefore, one might well have answered him: "True Emptiness does not obstruct Marvelous Presence; I sit right on the head of your illusory appearance!" Or just sit on a chair and say: "I sit like this!" Or raise a finger and say: "I sit right here!" Or even raise a finger and ask him: "Where do you sit?" These answers can be picked up freely; there is truly no need to use the brain.

Someone asked a lecture master of the Diamond Sūtra: "If there is no characteristic of a person and no characteristic of a self, then who speaks and who listens?" This question seems very difficult; if there is no person and no self, then there is no speaking and no hearing—can one still lecture on sūtras and listen to sūtras here? Actually, the Diamond Sūtra is about breaking appearances to see Nature; it does not belong to insensate emptiness. Although factual appearances are absent, Buddha-nature is not absent. You can answer him: "It only says there are no characteristics, not that there is no person." Our Buddha-nature is Marvelous Presence which is not presence, and True Emptiness which is not empty. If everyone clarifies the principles of emptiness and presence, and presence and emptiness, and further maintains it continuously and closely at all times, not dwelling in appearances and not falling into emptiness, one can perfectly realize the Great Way. Otherwise, as soon as we encounter boundary-circumstances, we get stuck and are not at ease; when will we ever end this?

There are many such public cases in the Chan School. In the time of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, a Prime Minister invited the elders of all schools and sects to hold an Unrestricted Assembly [Pañcavārṣika]. This meant there was no covering up at all; each stated their own view, directly and joyfully presenting their Fundamental Nature to perfectly realize the Great Way. A lecture master of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra said: "According to our Teaching School, becoming a Buddha requires three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas. Yet the Chan School says one can become a Buddha with one blow or one shout; this completely fails to accord with the Buddha's teaching. Now may I ask the great Chan worthies present: If your single shout can penetrate the Five Teachings spoken of by the Huayan School, I acknowledge that you can become a Buddha with one blow or one shout. If it cannot penetrate the Five Teachings, then it is the speech of demons. Will one of you please come out and explain?" The Huayan School divides the Buddha's Dharma into Five Teachings: The Hīnayāna Teaching, the Elementary Mahāyāna Teaching, the Final Mahāyāna Teaching, the Sudden Mahāyāna Teaching, and the Round [Perfect] Mahāyāna Teaching; the doctrines go from shallow to deep, and the practice method proceeds step by step. Among the eminent masters of the Chan School attending the meeting at that time was Patriarch Yuanwu Keqin, who was over eighty years old; he was the master of Chan Master Dahui Zonggao. He looked with his eyes at the Little Chan Master Jingyin Cheng, who was in his forties. Chan Master Jingyin Cheng understood the intention, stood up, and said to the Huayan lecture master: "This question of yours is not hard to answer; it is not worth the great Patriarchs present explaining it to you. Let me, a small elder, explain it to you. Let us first define the doctrines of the Five Teachings: The Hīnayāna Teaching attaches to presence—there is a Way to complete, Nirvana to realize, and birth-and-death to end. The Elementary Mahāyāna Teaching speaks of emptiness. The Final Mahāyāna Teaching speaks of neither emptiness nor presence—it is neither empty nor present. The Sudden Mahāyāna Teaching speaks of immediate emptiness and immediate presence. The Round Mahāyāna Teaching speaks of non-empty yet not present, non-present yet not empty, perfectly fused without obstruction. Is this the meaning?" The Huayan lecture master said: "Correct!" Chan Master Jingyin Cheng gave a loud shout and asked the assembly: "Did you hear that?" The assembly said: "We heard it!" Cheng said: "Hearing it means there is presence! It has penetrated the Hīnayāna." Emperor Huizong was sitting in the assembly wearing dark clothes and a small hat; he instructed the Prime Minister not to speak out, to let him listen carefully to how it was explained. After a while, the sound dissipated, and Cheng asked again: "Do you listen now—is there still sound?" The assembly said: "It is gone!" Cheng said: "Gone implies emptiness. It has penetrated the Elementary Teaching." He said further: "Now it is gone, but just now it was present—this is non-empty; just now it was present, but now it is gone—this is non-present. Is this not neither emptiness nor presence? It has penetrated the Final Teaching. Furthermore, if there were not the presence just now, what emptiness could be spoken of now? If there were not the emptiness now, what presence could be spoken of just now? When speaking of presence, emptiness is in presence; when speaking of emptiness, presence is in emptiness. Is this not immediate emptiness and immediate presence? It has penetrated the Sudden Teaching. And the Round Mahāyāna Teaching? Although I shout, I do not engage in the function of a shout; despite shouting, I have not shouted; at all times and places, I do not attach to appearances. Eating rice, one has not bitten a single grain; wearing clothes, one has not hung a single thread. Although work is very busy, it is just as if one has not worked. This is the essential meaning of 'Give rise to the mind without dwelling anywhere' in the Diamond Sūtra. When speaking of presence, not a single mote is established; when speaking of emptiness, it pervades the sandy worlds. Dwelling neither in emptiness nor presence, perfectly fused without obstruction—this is the Highest Vehicle, the Round Mahāyāna Teaching, the highest realm spoken of in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra: the Dharma-realm where phenomenon and phenomenon are unobstructed. This is also the essence of the Chan School." After hearing this, the great assembly was compelled to admire and praise him, and Emperor Huizong nodded incessantly. The Buddhadharma is truly the most exalted religion and the best philosophy of life. If we can accept and uphold it with faith, what annoyances of success, failure, gain, or loss could we have? The Ganges Mahamudra speaks of the Buddhadharma of the Highest Vehicle; since we are fortunate enough to have heard this Dharma, we should practice according to the teaching, constantly making the mind like a river, operating spontaneously without dwelling anywhere, in order to realize the intrinsic characteristics of the Dharmakāya.

“When the mind arises, know it as the function of wisdom; looking-perception and all times are like this. Therefore, whether releasing into non-practice or diligently accumulating practice, the Dharma-nature neither increases nor decreases.”

When a thought arises in the mind, one should know that this is the function of wisdom, the marvelous function of the Dharma-nature. Not only is it like this during looking-perception [observation], it is like this at all times. Therefore, when releasing into non-practice, the Dharma-nature does not decrease; when diligently accumulating practice, the Dharma-nature does not increase. The Dharma-nature itself is without increase or decrease.

Many of us who learn Buddhism and engage in practice often suppress thoughts so they do not arise, thinking that sitting for ten days or half a month, or even ten or eight years without a single thought arising, is good practice. Little do they know that practicing dead samādhi like this does not yield true benefit and one cannot exit the Three Realms; it is merely suppression for a time. Once stirred, delusive thoughts arise even more than before. Even if not stirred, what is the use of sitting there deadly? Prolonged dead samādhi turns one into earth, wood, metal, or stone. True practice requires liveliness and vividness, training upon matters and circumstances, knowing that the place where mental thoughts arise is the marvelous function of the Fundamental Nature. By not attaching to appearances, wisdom increases daily. In our practice, we want to become living Buddhas, not dead Buddhas; we want to generate all kinds of marvelous functions to bring benefit and joy to sentient beings; only this has value. It is not sitting there deadly and immobile; would that not make one a clay Bodhisattva?

As mentioned before, after seeing the Fundamental Nature, one must diligently eliminate habit energies upon matters and circumstances. Looking-perception is the best method to eliminate habit energies. Looking-perception is precisely the marvelous function of Buddha-nature! Not only is looking-perception a marvelous function, everything is a marvelous function at all times. For example, touring mountains and rivers, visiting relatives and friends, watching plays, and dancing are all marvelous functions. It is not that you cannot watch a play, but do not be watched by the play—do not be turned by the plot of the play. While watching, if you frequently give rise to joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness following the joys and sorrows in the play, and after watching, you still cannot forget it and take it to heart, with your brain always turning along with the plot of the play—thinking this person is so good, that person is so bad... This is called being watched by the play; how will this do? Watching a play can also be used to train the mind, to see if this mind can be turned. If one can achieve being "like a wooden figure looking at flowers and birds," that is good practice. But this does not mean one does not know the good guys and bad guys in the play, or does not know the plot. If one knew nothing, would that not make one a pool of dead water? It is not not knowing, but not making discriminations of accepting or rejecting, and not being moved by the plot of the play. Seeing without seeing, not seeing yet seeing, dwelling nowhere in the slightest. "Human affairs are just a play"; we cannot let go of this or that, but actually, they are all as illusory as a play! Once the breath fails to come, this play is over; what are you attached to it for?

In our practice, if we work diligently and earnestly, the Dharmakāya does not increase by a fraction; if we are lax, the Dharmakāya does not decrease by a fraction. In other words, if we become Buddhas, the Dharmakāya does not increase by a fraction; if we act as sentient beings, it does not decrease by a fraction; if we ascend to heaven, it does not increase by a fraction; if we descend to hell, it does not decrease by a fraction. It has no birth, death, coming, or going; it remains unchanged throughout ten thousand antiquities. A "Living Buddha" in America named Lu Shengyan said this: "In practice, the Buddha-nature (Heavenly Mind) ascends to heaven, and the bad evil mind descends to the earth." One ascends and one descends; one True Mind is split into two—that is truly terrible! Some Dharma masters, when lecturing on sūtras, say: "If we do bad deeds, the deluded mind that does bad deeds goes to hell; the True Mind ascends to heaven." This also splits the True and the Deluded into two minds. They do not know that the True Mind (Buddha-nature) and the deluded mind are originally one essence [ti]; the deluded mind is the True Mind, and the True Mind is the deluded mind. For example, water (metaphor for True Mind) gives rise to waves (metaphor for deluded mind); the waves are water, and the water is waves—how can there be two? Someone asked: "If there are not two, why do people speak of three hun souls and seven po souls? Do three hun souls and seven po souls not make ten?" If it were really like that, wouldn't one person turn into ten? No! The so-called "hun" belongs to Yang; it is the bright, unselfish righteous energy. The "po" belongs to Yin; it is the dark, filthy evil thought. Three hun and seven po means that a person has few bright components—only three parts—while the dark things that cannot see people are many—having seven parts. It is not splitting a person into ten things. If we drive out all seven parts of the dark evil mind, turn them all around, and completely transform them into radiance, we achieve the Dao. Just as Patriarch Lu Chunyang was called "Pure Yang" because the "po" was all transformed, and darkness was transformed into radiance, thus achieving the Dao of Immortality. Therefore, True Mind and deluded mind are not two things. If you go down to hell, the True Mind also follows you down to hell, but its radiance does not decrease, nor is it defiled, nor does it suffer. It is like a pearl wrapped in mud; the pearl's radiance does not decrease. If you ascend to heaven, it is not happy, nor does its radiance increase. Our Self-nature is at all times neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither coming nor going, neither moving nor shaking, neither born nor extinguished.

“As for the Self-nature of greed, anger, annoyance, and feelings of suffering and joy, etc., know that they are all fundamentally so [fa'er]; then you obtain the marvelous function of the Dharmakāya.”

The reason we have feelings of greed, anger, annoyance, suffering, joy, and so on, is all due to the natural marvelous function of the Dharmakāya. If there were no Dharmakāya, these feelings could not arise. However, having these shifting changes of emotion—sometimes joyful, sometimes worried and annoyed—is all due to the Three Poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance acting up. Encountering unsatisfactory things brings annoyance; seeking but not obtaining brings anger; not satisfying one's own wishes brings sorrow and resentment; satisfying one's own desires brings delight and joy. These feelings are all empty and without self-nature; they are delusive thoughts arising in response to circumstances. As the saying goes, "The ten thousand dharmas are originally idle; only people disturb themselves." This is all due to fundamental ignorance. Speaking of ignorance, practitioners are all afraid of it; this is the thing that harms people and causes us to reincarnate in the Six Realms! If it were not for this, we would have become Buddhas long ago! But do not be afraid; ignorance is not truly existent; it is merely a delusive thought, an illusory shadow. As long as we awaken, we break through it. Because it is not a substantially existent thing, it cannot be smashed by any physical object. Just realize that greed, anger, ignorance, conceit, and doubt are all delusive feelings arising from sticking the mind to circumstances; they are all ignorant delusive thoughts. They are originally fundamentally so [fa'er] and are empty and possess nothing. Fa'er means "originally so, not intentionally created." Once we understand this marvelous principle, all suffering, joy, and annoyance are transformed and released upon a single awakening. Just as the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment says: "Knowing it is an illusion, one immediately separates from it without using expedient means; separating from illusion is awakening, and there are no gradual stages." We usually speak of "deep and heavy karmic obstructions"; what is a karmic obstruction? Karmic obstruction is your attachment to appearances. If you do not attach to appearances, there is no annoyance at all; from where could karmic obstructions come? All feelings of suffering and feelings of joy are like us dreaming in sleep; within the dream state, nightmares and sweet dreams are vivid, but as soon as you wake up, there is nothing. Therefore, if we can awaken abruptly, put everything down, and not attach to appearances, we obtain the marvelous function of the Dharmakāya. The marvelous function of the Dharmakāya is not difficult; it only requires us to be sober at all times and not dwell in appearances at all times.

Someone said: "Oh my! Investigating Chan and learning Esotericism is very hard; it is easier to recite the Buddha's name and seek birth in the West!" Actually, he is mistaken; Buddha-recitation, Chan investigation, and learning Esotericism are all the same; there is no distinction of difficulty or ease, only the selection of a Dharma method suitable for oneself according to each person's root-nature. Buddha-recitation uses the Buddha's name to sweep away the accumulated filth on one's own mind-ground, using the method of holding the name to make oneself sober up. Master Lianchi said that Mindfulness of Buddha is "every sound awakening the Host." It means reciting the Holy Name sincerely sound by sound to awaken one's own Fundamental Nature, not to dwell in appearances, not to stick to circumstances, thereby personally seeing Buddha-nature and being able to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss at the end of one's life. Chan investigation is the same; one attends to the huatou [head of speech] at all times, watching where delusive thoughts come from. As soon as a thought arises, ask it: Where do you come from? Give it a head-on blow. This delusive thought originally does not exist; it is an illusory shadow; once struck, it is gone. This is the same as Buddha-recitation; both are for exhausting delusive thoughts to personally realize the Original. But some say it is different; they say Buddha-recitation has Amitābha Buddha, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva, and the Bodhisattvas of the Lotus Pool Assembly to receive and guide one, to be born in the West and transversely transcend the Three Realms, whereas Chan investigation cannot. Actually, they are also mistaken; reception and transverse transcendence exist, but reception and transverse transcendence do not mean dragging you there. Chan Master Yongming Yanshou said very clearly: The Buddha is like the moon in the sky, and the mind is like a basin of water. Only when the mind is pure can the reflection of the moon appear. If the mind is impure—if it is filthy water—although the moon is in the sky (although the Buddha releases light to shine on you, yet you cannot see it), it cannot appear; then you cannot be born in the West. Master Hanshan said that Buddha-recitation must be done effectively; one must cut off the root of love to have hope of birth in the West. The root of love is the love and affection of the delusive movement of ignorance; this is the root of birth and death. If it is not cut off, the mind is like filthy water, and the reflection of the moon cannot appear in filthy water. It is not that the Buddha does not come to receive you or does not release light to shine on you; it is just that you yourself cannot see it, just like a blind person cannot see the sun. Furthermore, when a Chan practitioner works hard and the mind-ground becomes empty and pure, that is the Pure Land. Because Mind is the Land, and the Land is Mind. The Buddha said: "If one wishes to purify his Land, he must first purify his mind; as the mind is pure, the Buddha Land is pure." When the mind is pure, the Buddha Land is pure; at this time, if you make a vow to be born in the West, you will definitely be received by Amitābha Buddha's compassion and go to be born there. Amitābha Buddha is not like us ordinary beings; ordinary beings have feelings of love and hate: "You have formed good ties with me, so I will receive you; you have not formed ties with me, so I will ignore you." Buddhas and Bodhisattvas practice Great Kindness without conditions; they do not have such inferior views. "If you have not formed ties with me, I will instead form ties with you and compassionately receive you." In terms of the Esoteric School, Amitābha Buddha does not care whether you recite the Buddha's name or practice other Dharma methods; when your life ends, he releases light to shine on you and receives you to be born in the West. Moreover, not only for practitioners, but even for non-practitioners and evildoers, he shines and receives. It is just that these evildoers have deep and heavy karmic obstructions and cannot see the Buddha's light, or upon seeing the intense Buddha's light, they are frightened and flee, lacking the blessedness to be born in the West. The Amitābha Sūtra says: "One cannot be born in that Land with few good roots, blessings, and causal connections." Good roots, blessings, and causal connections—none of the three can be missing. To be born in the West, one must be complete in good roots, blessings, and causal connections; it is not that one can go just by carelessly reciting "Amitābha" a couple of times.

Bodhisattvas, we must truly work hard; only by completely quieting the deluded mind can we achieve the Dao! Mahamudra speaks of the Dharma method of the Mind-ground. The One True Dharma-realm—the Flower Ornament [Avataṃsaka] World—is the Mahamudra. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is right within this Mahamudra, not outside the Mahamudra. The "Land where Sages and Commoners Dwell Together" of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is on the thirteenth layer of this Mahamudra; the "Land of Real Reward and Adornment" is the twentieth layer of the Flower Ornament World. Our Sahā World is also the thirteenth layer, parallel to the "Land where Sages and Commoners Dwell Together" of the West. The Buddha said: "From here to the West, passing ten trillion Buddha-lands, there is a world named Ultimate Bliss." This means that from here, going towards the West, is the "Land where Sages and Commoners Dwell Together" of the World of Ultimate Bliss. As long as we believe deeply without doubt, do all good deeds, and make vows dedicating merit to rebirth, we can all go; the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will not refuse. It is not that one cannot go without reciting the Holy Name of Amitābha. Someone said: "I recite the Buddha's name very little; I fear I cannot go." This statement is incorrect! Whether one is born in the West or not does not depend on how much you recite; this is not a business transaction. It depends on the quality of your recitation, whether your mind-ground is sincere, and whether your heart is pure. If your heart is truly pure, one thought at the end of life can also result in birth in the West. If we can reflect that all forms, sounds, scents, tastes, touches, and dharmas are flowers in the sky and moons in the water, unseekable and unobtainable, letting go of one and letting go of all, and reciting "Amitābha" once with purity and no defilement, this one thought of pure mind can correspond with the Buddha, and one will be born in the West. One does not need ten thoughts, a hundred thoughts, or ten million thoughts; it just depends on whether you can be single-minded without confusion and have clear Right Mindfulness at the end of life. At the end of life, to have the mind not inverted, the consciousness not scattered, and Right Mindfulness clear—this is the Kung Fu [skill] of deeply attaining the Samādhi of Buddha Recitation! To be able to reach this stage depends on accumulating it by diligently sweeping away delusive habits right now. Therefore, when working hard now, one must sincerely let go, let go, and let go again, making the mind pure and undefiled; only then can one hold the winning ticket in the future and be born in the West. This is also the marvelous function of the Dharmakāya! We fuse the Chan School, Pure Land School, and Esoteric School into one furnace because they are originally one essence. Do not divide into Esoteric School, Chan School, or Pure Land School; originally, it is one Buddha School!

“If one does not arrive at spontaneous natural operation, one will certainly be scattered by delusive thoughts and fall into the state of an ordinary fool. Therefore, one should constantly not depart from the Great Natural Rest of non-practice.”

Our actions and conduct at all times and in all places are the marvelous function of the True Mind; all form-appearances are one's own transformation body. We should naturally accord with various causes and conditions to deal with tasks, doing our utmost to create blessings for the masses; this is called "spontaneous natural operation." If one does not understand or thoroughly comprehend the principle of "spontaneous natural operation," one will inevitably stick the mind to circumstances, greedily and insatiably fulfilling one's own desires causing delusive thoughts to fly in confusion, thus burying a fine Living Buddha into an ordinary man or foolish woman. Our practice is originally for seeing Nature and realizing the Dao, attaching to nothing. If one wants to develop supernatural powers, wants to obtain something, or asks Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to bless one with promotion and wealth, that runs counter to learning Buddhism. Now, as long as we operate spontaneously without dwelling at every moment, not adding knowing to any delusive imaginary realm, yet not being like wood or stone, responding to potentials and following conditions with clear clarity—this is Buddha-work. We said before: do not identify with this physical body as the self, but take empty quiescence as the Essence; do not identify with delusive thoughts, but take Numinous Awareness [Ling Zhi] as the Mind. Practicing with the Mind-ground Dharma method is like cooking rice with rice grains; it will definitely become rice. What if one does not practice like this? It is like cooking rice with sand; no matter how much effort is spent, it will not cook into rice. Once we understand that this pure, unstained, and clearly distinct Mind of Numinous Awareness is the Buddha, we no longer attach to appearances, but serve the masses naturally and spontaneously, training upon matters and circumstances to eliminate delusive habits completely and perfectly realize Buddhahood. Conversely, delusive thoughts will inevitably fly in confusion, and one will fall into being an ordinary fool, unable to end birth and death. These ordinary beings of ours have been used to attaching to appearances for many lifetimes and kalpas; it cannot be changed all at once. Not only do we pick and choose in food and daily life, but we also pick and choose ceaselessly in practice methods. This one says: "The Pure Land School is good and reliable; the Chan School is dangerous and unreliable." That one says: "The Esoteric School is good." Another says: "The Esoteric School is also not good; the Esoteric School is heavy with demonic energy." Oh my, this is good, that is bad... these are all blind men touching an elephant, making vain discriminations and speaking nonsense. They do not know that the Dharma spoken by the Buddha is equal, equal, and again equal; it is just speaking different Dharma methods in response to each person's different root capacity; this is called "giving medicine according to the disease." Like us eating food: if you like sweet, take sweet food; if you like sour, take sour food. If the person who loves sour says sweet food is bad, and the person who loves sweet says sour food is bad; if the Buddha-recitation practitioner says the Chan School is dangerous (actually the Chan School is not dangerous), and the Chan practitioner says the Esoteric School has demonic energy (actually the Esoteric School has no demonic energy)—this is all emphasizing one's own preferences and making vain discriminations. Not only does one bring annoyance upon oneself, but virtually incurs the sin of slandering the Dharma. You practice whichever School you like; do not say other Schools are bad; any School is the same. If you say Chan investigation is hard, practicing other Schools is also not easy; if you say Buddha-recitation is easy, practicing other Schools is also not hard.

Layman Pang said: "Hard, hard, hard, spreading ten loads of sesame oil on a tree." This speaks of how, for a beginner practitioner who does not understand the knack of practice, it is very hard, very hard—like "a catfish climbing a slippery pole." The fish scales on the fish are sticky and slippery; to climb that oily and slippery bamboo pole—how easy is that to talk about! But once pointed out, it turns out that this which can speak, walk, cry, and laugh is our Self-nature; it releases light from our face-gates all day long without the slightest concealment. It does not need seeking or praying for; simply letting go of everything is it. Just as the saying goes: "Wearing out iron shoes in search of it, finding no place; obtained without wasting any effort at all." So Laywoman Pang followed his voice and said: "Easy, easy, easy, the intention of the West is on the tips of the hundred grasses." Not hard, not hard; investigating Chan and awakening to the Dao is very easy. The tips of the hundred grasses means on the tip of any matter or thing; the meaning of "on the tip" is to look apart from appearance, do not look attaching downwards to appearance. The function that can see objects apart from appearance is the marvelous function of the Self-nature! Is this not very easy? Therefore, in our practice, do not divide into schools and sects, saying this is hard and that is easy; just clearly recognize at all times this True Mind which is apart from appearance yet clearly distinct. Do not identify with the reflection; the reflection cannot be grasped. At this time, although the Principle is understood, the habit energies of dwelling in appearances from many lifetimes and kalpas still come to invade. Chan Master Guifeng said: "Delusive attachments from many lives have become nature through habit; joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness flow in a subtle stream. Although the Truth is suddenly reached, these feelings are difficult to remove abruptly. One must constantly be aware and examine, reducing and reducing again." Therefore, we must be aware and examine at all times; as soon as a thought arises, immediately awaken and eliminate it. If the momentum of the delusive thought is strong and cannot be transformed for a moment, then recite the Buddha's name or hold a mantra to transform it. The Buddha's name and mantras are wisdom swords; used to sever the delusive mind and sentimental thoughts of attaching to appearances, they have infinite power. As long as we hold and recite sincerely, we will definitely receive the empowerment of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; therefore, realizing the Dao has no difficulty. Similarly, to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, any School can result in rebirth as long as one makes a vow. We often say that the scope of Mindfulness of Buddha is very broad; it is not that reciting a sentence of "Amitābha" is the only Mindfulness of Buddha. Reciting sūtras is also Mindfulness of Buddha; doing good deeds without attaching to appearances is also Mindfulness of Buddha; being brightly aware in awakening is also Mindfulness of Buddha. Why? Because Buddha means Awakening; if you are not deluded at any time and dedicate merit to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, is this not Mindfulness of Buddha? The Pure Land School says that to be born in the High Grade of the High Level, one must "read and recite the Mahāyāna." Why read and recite the Mahāyāna? It is to tell you to understand the Principle! It tells you to understand where phenomena like birth and death come from, and how to end birth and death. Only by understanding these principles, exhausting the delusive mind, and dwelling nowhere can one be born in the High Grade of the High Level. If you dwell on appearances, clinging to them deadly, thinking that this world is bad and you want to go to the West to enjoy blessings there, this is broken. Even if you can go, it will only be the Low Grade of the Low Level. Because your mind is not empty and pure, you can only be born in the Land where Sages and Commoners Dwell Together, and cannot be born in the Land of Expedient Means with Remainder or the Land of Real Reward and Adornment.

What is Chan? The fundamental, at-ease Pure Mind is it, which the Chan School calls "The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana." Is this Marvelous Mind of Nirvana not the Pure Land? Is it not also the secret treasury of the Esoteric School? Therefore, Chan, Pure Land, and Esoteric appear to be three Schools, but they are actually one essence. The Esoteric School has many methods for rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, such as Phowa practice, the Great Amitābha Practice, the Consciousness Transference Practice, etc., which are all for rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Reciting Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva also results in birth in the West, because Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva is in the West; he also releases light to shine on you and receives you to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The reason there are Nine Grades of rebirth lies in the distinction between attaching to appearances and not attaching to appearances! If you understand that Mind is the Land, and the Land is Mind, that birth is non-birth, and non-birth is birth, dwelling in appearances not in the slightest, then within non-birth there is no obstruction to rebirth. Such rebirth is a marvelous function! Non-birth is not dying there immobile; living endlessly is non-birth, and non-birth is living endlessly—only this attains the marvelous truth of non-birth.

“Therefore, one should constantly not depart from the Great Natural Rest of non-practice.”

The so-called non-practice means "the practice of non-practice is true practice." Mahamudra is the esoteric dharma of the Highest Vehicle; it does not require you to recite mantras, form mudras, or practice any specific method; everything being spontaneous and natural, with absolutely no dwelling, is it. This kind of practice is the Great Natural Rest. It is the same after enlightenment in the Chan School: practicing without practice, needing no antidotes. Dharma methods of antidotes are delusion-removing methods practiced specifically for each person's habit energies. For example, people with heavy lust specifically practice the Impurity Contemplation or White Skeleton Contemplation; people who love to talk specifically practice silence, etc.; these are expedient methods to cease delusion and return to the Truth. Mahamudra does not apply antidotes like this; it tells us that all form-appearances are the manifestation of Self-nature, the marvelous function of the True Mind. Dwelling nowhere at all times is the Great Practice of practicing without practice. For a person practicing Mindfulness of Buddha, as soon as a thought arises, one awakens and it is empty; this is Mindfulness of Buddha—it is not that one must recite a sentence of "Amitābha" to count as Mindfulness of Buddha. But practice must accord with one's own root capacity; one cannot be stuck to one style. There are several different ways to practice Mindfulness of Buddha: awakening as soon as a thought arises is Real Mark Mindfulness of Buddha [Reality Mindfulness]; contemplating that oneself is Amitābha Buddha is Contemplation Mindfulness of Buddha; contemplating the Buddha's marks and goodness is Image Contemplation Mindfulness of Buddha; never leaving the phrase "Amitābha" at any time is Name-Holding Mindfulness of Buddha. In our work, we must select a method suitable for our own habits to practice in order to receive twice the result with half the effort. If you cannot achieve "awakening as soon as a thought arises and it becomes empty," then recite the Name Buddha. If silent recitation does not work and thoughts still move, then recite "Amitābha..." out loud; one must always sever your delusive thoughts and transform them into no-thought for it to work. It is all Buddha-recitation, but there is a great difference in power and function between understanding this principle and not understanding this principle. Mindfulness of Buddha without understanding the principle attaches to appearances at all times, clinging to the Amitābha Buddha in the West. Mindfulness of Buddha with understanding of the principle knows that Mindfulness of Buddha is borrowing the Holy Name of Amitābha Buddha to sweep clear the filth in our hearts, to turn around our annoyance and ignorance of attaching to appearances, in order to realize the pure Buddha-nature that is the same as Amitābha Buddha. Because the methods of work are different, the grade of rebirth in the West in the future will also differ accordingly. This practice of not attaching to appearances is the "Great Natural Rest of non-practice"; resting without dwelling is called Natural Rest.

A Chan Master's teaching spoke thus: "Do not stay where there is a Buddha; run quickly past where there is no Buddha." Where there is a Buddha, you must not stay; where there is no Buddha, walk past quickly. This means that one can neither attach to presence nor incline toward emptiness; neither the two sides of presence and emptiness are established, nor is there a middle—that is the meaning of the Middle Way, which is the "Empty, Provisional, and Middle," the Three Contemplations in One Mind of the Tiantai School. Therefore, appearances are not non-existent, but are illusory manifestations giving rise to functions. If True Nature could not manifest illusory appearances and give rise to functions, it would be a pool of dead water; what value would Buddha-nature have? Our engagement in practice is for the sake of eliminating the delusive habit of attaching to illusory appearances, not to sit there deadly and immobile. If one can awaken and not dwell in appearances at all times, nor attach to the Dharma in practice, one walks on the right road and enters the "Great Natural Rest of non-practice."

“No matter when, only by recognizing the Direct Pointing to the View, everything is completely included.”

No matter what time or what place, only by recognizing the Fundamental Nature shown by the "Direct Pointing to the View" as the Right View, does one truly comprehend that this mind of ours is the One True Dharma-realm. The One True Dharma-realm completely includes everything; the myriad forms are all included within it. Any form-appearance is a marvelous function manifested by one's own mind, so do not attach to appearances. Whether the circumstances are good or bad, whether it accords with my mind or goes against my wishes, do not care about it; then one sees Nature at every moment. The Platform Sūtra says: "A person who sees Nature must see it right at the words; if it is like this, one can see it even when wielding a blade in battle." Going into battle to fight, having views of birth and death in the mind—this will not do. It does not matter if I am killed by someone; "Bringing the head to meet the white blade is like cutting the spring breeze," haha! If it is cut off, let it be cut off; cutting off this shell, our True Mind is neither increased nor decreased, neither born nor extinguished; it is still dignified and cannot be cut off. This is the strategy of a person who sees Nature.

In the past, when Chan Master Yuangu of Mount Song was sitting in meditation, he saw an emperor leading many attendants standing before him with awe-inspiring presence. Seeing that the Chan Master did not stand up to welcome him, the emperor was very unhappy in his heart and asked the Chan Master: "Do you recognize me?" The Chan Master said: "I view Buddhas and sentient beings as equal; can I look at you with a different eye?" The emperor said: "I am the Mountain God of Yue; I hold the great power of life and death. I can make people live and can make people die; how can you look at me with ordinary eyes?" The Chan Master laughed and said: "I am originally unborn; can you make an unborn person die?" "In my view, the body and empty space are not two, and I and you are not two; can you damage empty space and yourself?" "Even if you can, my True Mind is unborn and undying. What you can damage is only my physical body; you cannot damage my True Mind!" "You have not yet realized this True Mind; how can you say you make me live or make me die?" That Mountain God was stunned by his words: "Hey, I have never heard these words; is there still an undying True Mind?" The Chan Master continued to teach: "For example, you are now a great god, but you were also a human before!" "Only because you were upright and honest as a person, strictly impartial, and did many good deeds, have you now become a great god holding the authority of life and death." "However, who is acting as the Mountain God? The shell of when you were a human is gone; it is the mental faculty acting as the Mountain God." "That mental faculty of yours is different from our Buddha-nature; it differs by just that little bit. What thing does it differ by?" "Because 'ignorance' is present, Buddha-nature becomes the mental faculty; if ignorance is completely removed, the mental faculty is restored to Buddha-nature." "Even if 'ignorance' is still there, Buddha-nature does not decrease by a fraction, because it is without increase or decrease." "Who is acting as the Mountain God right now? It is precisely this unborn and undying Buddha-nature, yet you do not know it at all!" After being taught by the Chan Master, the Mountain God felt as if waking from a dream; he immediately took Chan Master Yuangu as his teacher and took refuge in the Gate of Buddha.

Furthermore, what spirits are those that rely on grass and attach to trees to manifest spiritual power? Those are ghosts! When they were alive, they were insatiably greedy and created sins to fall into hell; after their term in hell was full and they exited prison, because the habit of greed remained, they attached to grass and trees upon encountering them, and these grass and trees became magically potent. This is actually a greedy ghost causing trouble, not any god/spirit. A god/spirit is a great ghost king; his supernatural powers are greater than other ghosts, but all are attached to appearances. Therefore, no matter when, we only take recognizing the True Mind indicated by the "Direct Pointing to the View" as essential; the mind's capacity is like empty space, and the myriad forms are all included within our Mind-nature without exception. We want to restore our original ability, so we must start from now, letting go of everything, recognizing this Buddha-nature at all times, and not dwelling in appearances. Only when there is dwelling, recite the Buddha's name quickly, hold a mantra quickly; it is best to awaken immediately and have it be empty. If one practices with an understanding of this principle, whether practicing Pure Land, Chan, or Esotericism, it is easy to achieve success rapidly; if one practices without understanding this principle, it is difficult to achieve the Right Fruit.

“Do not apply individual taming and antidotes to the rising and falling of each delusive thought.”

Here it says that to tame and apply antidotes to delusive thoughts, one must not start upon the rising and falling of each delusive thought, but must work on the total root of the arising of delusive thoughts. The delusive thoughts of ordinary beings are many! Some are terribly fond of sex, some are terribly greedy for wealth, some are terribly fond of fame; each person's delusive thought habits are different. If one treats them individually one by one, using delusion to cure delusion, the delusion becomes even more severe. If one starts at the place where the delusive mind moves, then once finished, all is finished, and one sits steadily at home. The Teaching School also has antidote methods; for example, the "Perfection of Generosity" in the "Six Perfections and Ten Thousand Practices" is the essential method to cure our small-mindedness and stinginess. Also, for example, the Five Precepts of "killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxicants" are the Dharma methods to cure the wriggling of our delusive minds. The two hundred and some Bhikṣu precepts are nothing more than warning the mind not to move; therefore, the greatest precept is the Mind Precept. Once the mind moves, it is a violation of the precept; it is not that one counts as violating the precept only after the thing is done. In the past, a disciple asked his master: "Master, what is breaking the precept?" The master said: "When the woman next door washes her face and wipes her face, and you hear the sound of her hairpin and bracelets, that is breaking the precept." Why is hearing these sounds breaking the precept? Because when you hear the sound, you attach to the appearance; hairpins and bracelets are women's ornaments; if you attach to the appearance of a woman, you generate other thoughts.

Mahamudra practices from the root and does not speak of curing various delusive thoughts one by one. After seeing the Fundamental Nature, attend to it at all times, do not let this mind stick to circumstances, and illuminate it as empty at all times. Using the True Mind to gather and hold everything, the myriad forms and the forest of phenomena are all things within the Marvelous Bright True Mind. Mind is the root; if the mind does not move when encountering any boundary, and one pays no heed to anything, then what difficulty is there in achieving success in this life? If one practices on the branches, treating delusive thoughts individually one by one, that would be unbearably tedious; that would truly be too hard, too hard! Not speaking of antidotes is the practice method of Mahamudra. If there are those among you for whom it is not suitable, you may also practice antidote methods, such as: if lust is heavy, practice Impurity Contemplation or White Skeleton Contemplation, etc., choosing different practice methods according to each person's situation.

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Seven)

2025-12-05T23:41:00.000+08:00

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From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

Ganges Mahamudra (Lecture 7)
By Master Yuan Yin

Last time, we discussed that when doing the work (kungfu), one must "neither seize nor release." One should neither suppress delusive thoughts, preventing them from arising, thereby becoming like soil, wood, metal, or stone; nor should one indulge delusive thoughts, letting them arise blindly, thereby wandering in birth and death. Now, we continue the lecture:

"Separating from delusive thoughts is the nature of one's own mind abiding in the Unconditioned; this is wisdom luminosity."

If we can separate from delusive thoughts—not only during meditation sessions but also separating from delusive thoughts in all moments of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down—this is the nature of one's own mind abiding in the Unconditioned; this is the manifestation of the original face. Not grasping at appearances in any time or place, and the mind not dwelling on a single reflection—this is called the Unconditioned. It does not mean doing nothing; though there are matters to handle, one goes ahead and does them. All day long eating rice, yet never biting a single grain of rice; all day long wearing clothes, yet never hanging a single thread—this is called the mind of non-dwelling. The mind of non-dwelling is our natural fundamental nature. However, when one first sees the fundamental nature, there are no supernormal powers or marvelous functions; this is called the Plain Dharmakāya. It is just like buying a piece of plain cloth that has no pattern or color. The mind that can abide in the Unconditioned is the Plain Dharmakāya; it is wisdom luminosity. Some people say that this Plain Dharmakāya lacks supernormal powers and marvelous functions, and its luminosity is not great. This is because you still have a dwelling place; you are attached to "abiding in the Unconditioned" and are not truly non-dwelling. This is the delusive emotion covering your fundamental nature! After removing delusive emotion, and with thought after thought not grasping at appearances, wisdom luminosity can then manifest. You must not stir the mind or move thoughts to seek it, because it is originally luminous. For example, a precious pearl has light, but if there is a layer of mud on the pearl covering it, the light cannot appear. After the mud is removed, the luminosity naturally radiates forth; is there any need to seek a luminosity again? Therefore, do not have anything to seek; simply eliminate delusive thoughts, and wisdom luminosity will naturally manifest.

"If one practices taking 'conditioned action' as the Way, one will certainly not realize the fundamental origin."

Conversely, if we practice with conditioned intent, and the mind has somewhere to dwell, there is something blocking it, and it will be difficult to accomplish the Way. "Conditioned" means having something to seek. Taking "having something to seek" as the "Way" is the delusive mind; it is having an attachment. This is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the True Mind that is empty, spiritual, and non-dwelling; in this way, one absolutely cannot clearly realize the original face. Not understanding the True Mind and not recognizing the original—that is blind practice and aimless training. Wishing to accomplish the Way like this is just like "cooking sand to make rice"; there is no basis for it. For example, people practicing the Pure Land path pray to Amita Buddha of the West: "You come and pull me! You come and pull me!" This is practicing with a conditioned mind; it is very difficult to correspond with Amita Buddha. Because one does not know what the Mind is, or what the Buddha is, and separates Mind and Buddha into two sides—having pursuit, having expectation, and having attachment—the mind is not pure, and one absolutely cannot be born in the Western Pure Land. Nowadays, many people learning Buddhism want to get rich, especially lay Buddhists among compatriots in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese. When they come to learn the Dharma, they all ask: "Is there any method to let me make a fortune in business?" They learn Buddhism not to resolve birth and death, but to get rich. Learners in the mainland mostly want to develop supernormal powers. These are all practicing via the conditioned. A person practicing like this "will certainly not realize the fundamental origin"; he absolutely cannot attain enlightenment or witness the original face. This is because the use of mind is incorrect; he is still grasping at appearances and has something to seek. It is only good if the mind is washed empty and pure; wanting nothing, grasping at nothing, and practicing via the Unconditioned—only then does one correspond with the fundamental Truth. Once there is seeking, one runs counter to the Way and cannot realize the Way. If you say you only want supernormal powers, that is even more incorrect. If you want supernormal powers, the Demon King will take the opportunity to cause trouble; he will transform into a Buddha to confuse you. You will take him for a real Buddha, your heart will bloom with wild joy, and the demon will take the opportunity to enter your mind, causing you to become demonic, and even a Buddha cannot save you. Therefore, those who practice taking the "conditioned" as the "Way" absolutely "cannot realize the fundamental origin," absolutely will not attain enlightenment, absolutely will not recognize the root, absolutely will not know what the root or Buddha-nature is, and absolutely cannot accomplish the Way! With attachment, how can one accomplish the Way? Becoming demonic, on the other hand, is quite likely!

Therefore, in our practice, we must recognize the root and have nothing to pursue. We must know that we are originally Buddhas; just eliminating our delusive emotions is enough, do not go seeking anything. Once there is seeking, one is about to become demonic. Demons have supernormal powers; they know when your mind moves, and they come. Therefore, once the mind-demon moves, the external demon comes. What is the mind-demon? Having a dwelling place is the mind-demon. Once the mind grasps at appearances, the external demon takes the opportunity to enter; if the mind does not grasp at appearances and the mind does not move, the external demon has no door to enter. If a demon comes, I pay no attention; "Whatever appearances there are, are all illusory." If a Buddha comes, slay the Buddha; if a demon comes, slay the demon; everything is unobtainable—how can he get in? Do not fear demons; demons are manifestations of the mind. If your mind does not play the demon, no matter how high the external demon's magical power is, he cannot enter.

In our study of Buddhism and practice, the causal ground must be correct; we must first clarify this issue: our vivid, clear, constantly knowing True Mind is the Buddha; apart from this, there is no Buddha. A thousand Buddhas or ten thousand Buddhas are originally one essence, originally one with our vivid, constantly knowing True Mind; even if Buddha forms appear before us, we pay no attention. Knowing that all appearances are false and everything is unobtainable, and that this marvelous bright True Mind of ours is the true Buddha, then you will not enter into the demonic, and you can accomplish the Great Way. Otherwise, if the mind is not pure and has dwelling or seeking, one will certainly attract demons, enter into the demonic, and become a demon, having not the slightest connection with the Way. Therefore, Mahamudra emphasizes that a practitioner who takes "conditioned action" as the "Way" certainly cannot realize the fundamental nature and cannot accomplish the Great Way.

"This is the co-emergent wisdom of the original locus of one's own mind. However, although the beginner desires to naturally abide in the stability of the fundamental origin, that which they abide in does not go beyond the power of craving attachment to bliss, clarity, and non-thought."

This wisdom luminosity that is separated from [conceptual] knowing is not obtained from outside; it is the inherent function of one's own mind. However, even if a beginner really wants to make the mind naturally abide in the pure fundamental origin, they cannot do it. Because they do not understand the original face and still fall into practicing with conditioned intent, the place where they abide has not transcended these kungfu [states] of bliss, luminosity, and non-thought (which is emptiness). Do these kungfu [states] exist? They do. For example, bliss: when you do the work and reach the realm of bliss of the Third Dhyana, all the happiness in the world cannot compare to it; however, do not greedily dwell in it. Although it exists, it must be treated as if it were nothing; do not crave or attach to it. If you greedily dwell in bliss, luminosity, and non-thought, it is ruined; especially if you greedily dwell in non-thought, that is even worse, because this non-thought is dead. Sitting there immobile, without a single thought—you then turn into soil, wood, metal, or stone, and have crushed your own mind to death. Craving attachment to bliss brings the demon of joy; craving attachment to luminosity brings the demon of light; craving attachment to non-thought brings the demon of emptiness. Yet the luminosity of our fundamental nature is Great Luminosity; although its luminosity shines brightly in the ten directions without obstruction, it does not say of itself that it is luminosity, nor does it dwell in the appearance of luminosity. If you dwell in the appearance of luminosity, you are covered by the appearance of luminosity, and the boundless miraculous function of your marvelous Essence is covered up; therefore, one cannot dwell in luminosity. Consequently, when we sit in meditation, we are not allowed to see light or see Buddhas; having light to see is still not right. It is not that you are not even allowed to see, but rather you are not allowed to greedily dwell in it; having seen it, it must be as if you had not seen it. Why? Because the light emitted at the very beginning is a weak light; if your mind moves even slightly, the luminosity disappears. If luminosity comes and you pay no attention and do not move, the luminosity will grow greater and greater; the moment you pay attention and your mind moves, the luminosity is covered up. So, if you practice carrying a different agenda, looking at it from the good side, you are merely dwelling in bliss, luminosity, and non-thought; looking at it from the bad side, you are going to become possessed by demons, because you have something to seek, and the demon takes the opportunity to enter. Therefore, do not practice carrying a different agenda!

"One should cast off the craving attachment to such states of power, and suddenly settle; only then will the naked, thoroughly penetrating fundamental essence of self-nature appear."

When we do the work, we should cast away the aforementioned states of power such as bliss, luminosity, and non-thought. Why? Because these are merely reflections of the initial state of concentration (samādhi); the naked fundamental essence of self-nature has not yet appeared; it is merely having a few reflection-states more than a beginner. Kungfu [spiritual work/power] is not enlightenment! For example, Master Gaofeng's teacher asked him: "In the midst of the bustling day, can you still be the master?" A practitioner must be the master within all environments of daily activity, not being dragged along by environments and not following environments; only then does one have a small portion of power of concentration, and only then is there a slight correspondence with the fundamental essence. So, his teacher asked him: in daily activity, can you see through all environments—not being joyful when there is joy, not being entertained when there is fun, not being sad when there is sorrow, not suffering when there is pain, not being empty/pure when there is emptiness/purity—and not be disturbed by environments? Can you be the master? Master Gaofeng said: "I can be the master." The teacher asked again: "Can you be the master in sleep and dreams?" When asleep and dreaming, knowing it is a dream state and not wavering; fearing nothing that comes—not fearing if a tiger comes, for it is false; not fearing if an enemy comes, for it is false; not wanting it even if one makes a great fortune, for everything is false—this is being the master within sleep and dreams. Being the master in sleep and dreams requires power ten times greater than during the day. Because when we are awake it is only delusion, but when asleep it is a comatose delusion. Within the comatose delusion, if you can still clearly and crisply know that this is an illusory realm or a dream realm, and the mind does not waver, this power is very great. For us humans to be the master at the moment of death, we need to be able to be the master in the dream state, because the moment of death is a great coma, while sleep and dreams are a small coma; if one cannot be the master in a small coma, then one will be even less able to be the master during the great coma. Master Gaofeng's kungfu was good and his ability was great; he replied: "I can be the master."

Master Gaofeng answered "I can be the master" twice. It was indeed good kungfu, serving as a model and example for us later students doing the work. We study Buddhism and practice the Way precisely to be the master at the shore of birth and death, and not to sink into the sea of suffering dragged down by karmic hindrances. To achieve this point, we all must first practice being the master in daily use, not being turned by favorable or adverse environmental conditions, not being moved by delusive emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; not rejoicing in the favorable and not worrying in the adverse, regarding everything as like sky-flowers or illusory reflections, unobtainable, not sticking and not dwelling; only then can one be the master in sleep and dreams. If even this point cannot be achieved, what is there to say about resolving birth and death? Because the root of birth and death is unceasing delusive thoughts climbing in conditions with the environment!

There was a laywoman in Ningbo who, while sitting in meditation and applying effort, was suddenly informed by someone that her son had fallen into the water; she sat there without moving a muscle. Someone scolded her saying: "How can you be so heartless? Your own flesh and blood falls into the water, and you actually don't go to save him?" She remained unmoved and continued applying effort as before. Her power of concentration was good, but not saving the dying is not good; it is rather cruel. What is the correct way to act? One still must save the person, but the mind must not move; having saved him is equal to not having saved him—it does not mean sitting there completely immobile. However, having said that, kungfu like hers is considered quite good; if it were us, our square-inch [heart/mind] would have long been in chaos. There was a person whose home caught fire; the hostess remembered her child was still in the house, and with a mind in panic and confusion, she rushed into the house, grabbed something on the bed, and came out to look: Oh my! Mistaken; she had hugged a pillow out. She immediately fainted, and the child burned to death. You see, this is the result of the square-inch [mind] being in chaos!

Therefore, whether or not you waver amidst environments is a great test; this is also kungfu. Master Gaofeng could be the master and remain unwavering in daily use regardless of what happened—his kungfu was quite good; being the master in sleep and dreams, his kungfu was even more extraordinary. Seeing that his kungfu was indeed quite good, his teacher wanted to examine his nature of realization, so he asked him further: "When there are no dreams and no thoughts, where is the Master [Protagonist]?" Gaofeng was stunned: when there are neither dreams nor thoughts, where is the Master? He thought left and right but ultimately could not answer; his teacher told him to go and investigate (can). (Master Yuan Yin said: "Everyone, try to answer on behalf of Master Gaofeng: without dreams and without thoughts, at what place is the Master?" The assembly remained silent. The Master said: "How about I try to answer for everyone?" He immediately shouted loudly: "Di-di!") Master Gaofeng investigated again, and later he attained enlightenment. After attaining enlightenment, Master Gaofeng entered a 'death retreat' [strict solitary retreat] at Lion's Cliff on Mount Tianmu. So, kungfu is kungfu, and the nature of realization is the nature of realization! If, when we do the work, we can cast away the power-states of bliss, luminosity, and non-thought, etc., and practice until subject and object are both forgotten, the senses and dusts [sense-objects] fall away, and the preceding and succeeding [moments] are cut off—then with a "Pa" sound, suddenly there is an explosion; inwardly body and mind, outwardly the world, and even empty space shatter all at once, turning into nothingness, suddenly settling immovably. At this time, although there is nothing at all and it is settled immovably, it is not like wood or stone; rather, it is spiritually knowing and vivid—our "naked, thoroughly penetrating fundamental essence of self-nature" manifests.

Therefore, no matter what school we practice, we must practice until subject and object are both forgotten, and mind and dharmas are both extinguished; then with a "Pa—" sound, "The great earth sinks, empty space shatters," and the fundamental essence of self-nature, which has nothing at all yet is vividly distinct, can manifest! For example, in the Buddha Recitation method, using one Buddha name "Amita Buddha...", one gathers in the six senses, seizing all of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; when one recites to the point of true return to oneness, with no mind to be mindful of and no thought to be thought, then reciting is gone, and the Buddha is also gone—"Pa—", instantly one personally sees the true Buddha and is born into the Buddha-land. We people who learn the Mind-Centered Method are also like this; using one Buddha-Heart Mantra "Om Bo La Bo La...", holding the six senses, the mind thinking and the ear listening, the consciousness not galloping outward; when the causes and conditions of the time arrive—"Pa—"—the subject that recites and the object recited suddenly fall away, and the thoroughly penetrating, non-dwelling fundamental self-nature manifests clearly, crisply, plainly, and distinctly. Kungfu must be done; otherwise, there is no way to open up the original and see one's own nature; merely empty talk of theory is drawing a cake to satisfy hunger—it is of no use. We must be the master in daily use; if you cannot handle it as soon as you encounter matters, and cannot be the master, that is "medicinal-water mercury"—it flies away as soon as it meets fire—and it cannot withstand birth and death. Doing the work, opening up the original, the dream wakes up, and one knows that everything is a dream realm—what mind is there to move? All gratitude and grudges, rights and wrongs, all perish; so it is called "simultaneously eliminating [karma] upon enlightenment." All matters are dream realms; without enlightenment, one grasps them as truly existing; once awakened, it is like hot water melting ice—all karmic hindrances are emptied. This is what is commonly called "When realized, karmic hindrances are originally empty"! So it is said that kungfu must be done; if not done, how can the causes and conditions of the time of enlightenment come? How can one open up the original?

Someone asked me: how long does it take to do the work? This depends on whether your kungfu is dense/continuous or not; if it is intermittent, that will not do. If we perform the kungfu densely—sitting in meditation today, sitting in meditation tomorrow, continuing without stopping; and after getting down from the seat, always remembering to contemplate, not running after environments—in no more than three to five years of effort, you will thoroughly see the original nature. Why is it said that we must cultivate one thousand sessions for the Mind-Centered Method? It means that practicing earnestly for three years of effort is enough. If you do not apply effort densely, practicing and stopping, stopping and practicing, "fishing for three days and drying the nets for two," then needless to say three to five years is not enough, even thirty to fifty years will not do.

Another person asked: what happens after sitting for one thousand sessions? Regarding this question, it has been explained many times; I will repeat it once more here. One thousand sessions means that this Mind-Centered Method relies on the power of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas for empowerment; the method is supreme, and if one practices earnestly and realistically for three years, one will definitely be able to open up the original and personally see self-nature. If one practices in a sloppy, intermittent way, "one day hot and ten days cold," do not speak of one thousand sessions being unable to see the fundamental nature; even three or five thousand sessions cannot see the nature.

There are also people who ask: after one thousand sessions, do we stop practicing the method? We explained last time: even if you are of superior roots and have sudden enlightenment, the habits of many lifetimes and kalpas cannot be completely eliminated in a single day; one still must contemplate constantly, training within the circumstances of matters, decreasing and again decreasing, until the habits are completely eliminated! Doing the work after enlightenment is "cultivation of non-cultivation," which is true cultivation; it is not not practicing, but rather not attaching to sitting in meditation and falling into realms of bliss, becoming a hindrance of Dharma-attachment. Conversely, if your power of concentration is insufficient and you still waver when seeing environments, then you still must process [practice] sitting meditation to strengthen the power of concentration, so that you can pass through the heavy barriers. If the power of concentration is adequate, one only needs to be strictly aware at all times, not expending the slightest effort, very relaxed and saving strength; it is not that one still has to practice this method, accumulate those merits... being busy with the appearances of Dharma until one is overwhelmed. Whether you are enlightened or not, doing the work upon the appearances of Dharma is a waste of energy, looking for trouble for oneself, and is of no use. Therefore, in doing the work, the more energy-saving the better, the more relaxed the better; the more effort exerted, the worse it is.

"Urgently call the character 'Pei', and suddenly cut off the stream of delusive thinking."

When a delusive thought moves, urgently call "Pei"; this is the Mahamudra key to cutting off delusive thoughts. People reciting the Buddha's name do not need this method; they just need to bring up the Buddha-mindfulness—reciting "Amita Buddha" once is enough. For other practitioners, when a delusive thought moves, urgently call "Pei" and immediately become strictly aware, and the source-stream of delusive thinking—"Pa"—cuts off instantly. For example, if we think of getting rich, just go "Pei"—what riches? Daydreaming! In this way, the delusive thought is cut off. If the force of the delusive thought is strong, i.e., the greed is heavy, and "Pei" does not cut it off, then one must hold the mantra and borrow the Buddha's power to eliminate it.

"Rest the mental factors of the crude delusive mind and abide in stability; then separating from the state of climbing in conditions with all dharmas, self-nature becomes clear and thorough—the red/nakedly manifest wisdom of separating from mind—present and abiding in suchness."

Eliminating the mental factors of the crude delusive mind (regarding our Mind King and mental factors, there are eight great Mind Kings and fifty-one mental factors. Among them, the worst mental factors are the five omnipresent mental factors: contact, attention, feeling, perception, and volition. "Attention" is the mental faculty [manas]; its stirring force is powerful and has never ceased; do not think it stops when sleeping; it is propagating dream realms and still has not stopped; only in the final Vajrasattva Samādhi can it be settled down), means resting the crude delusion of the mind arising in response to objects; only then can one peacefully abide in the state of concentration without moving. If practice can reach the point of the mind not arising in response to objects, one has considerable power. We humans give rise to delusive mind in response to objects at every moment, and constantly climb in conditions, thinking from this to that, and from that to this, without cessation. If the mind that climbs in conditions can stop, one can peacefully enter concentration; separating from all delusive thinking and states of false climbing in conditions, our self-nature manifests clearly, thoroughly, and nakedly without omission (i.e., manifests brightly); thereby opening up the Prajñā Great Wisdom that is separated from arising, ceasing, existence, and non-existence, is empty, spiritual, and non-dwelling, and is immovable as suchness. This means the first step of our practice kungfu must be to eliminate the crude delusion of the mind arising in response to objects; further, leaving behind the states of climbing in conditions, with the mind not moving randomly, our original self-nature manifests clearly, crisply, and nakedly; that is, the Great Wisdom of Luminosity that is separated from the delusive thinking mind and is immovable as suchness also manifests.

Therefore, the Buddha Dharma is wonderful; it teaches us to recognize the truth and not run after false appearances. If we are confused by false appearances, then there is the Sixfold Transmigration; separating from false appearances, once you recognize the True Mind, you transcend; you can attain great supernormal powers and obtain great utility.

Therefore, if we truly want to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, it is not by carelessly reciting the Buddha's name a couple of times or reciting two lines of scripture that we can be born there; we must use the wisdom sword of Amita Buddha to cut off our feelings of delusion and attachment to the false appearance of this Saha world before we can be born in the West. So it is said "Pure thought is flight," which is the initial concentration we speak of in daily life; it is doing the kungfu to the point where even if a real Buddha came, there is only the recitation: Amita Buddha, Amita Buddha... nothing else exists; only this thought is Buddha, my entire thought is Buddha, Buddha is my entire thought, the entire Buddha is thought, the entire thought is Buddha—then you will definitely be born in the West. What if you are not like this? Reciting Amita Buddha a few times with or without thought, while the mind thinks of this matter and that matter—that will not do. Someone asked: Why is it necessary to recite sutras when practicing the Buddha Recitation method? Reciting sutras is to make you recognize the truth. The Buddhist sutras say that to attain the High Grade of High Birth, one must recite Mahayana sutras. Why? Reciting Mahayana sutras enables one to understand the Principle. Understanding that everything is originally Buddha, and sentient beings are Buddhas; it is only that we are confused and attached to appearances, and have forgotten self-nature. We should not be confused and dwell in appearances, and should not crave merit; merit is our own mind; the own-mind is the mother of great merit, and the accomplishment of great merit is becoming a Buddha. Our transmigrating in the Six Realms or going to rebirth in the Western Pure Land is caused by the mind. The root of the myriad virtues is the mind; all myriad virtues issue from the mind; "Nothing does not flow from this Dharma-realm, nothing does not return to this Dharma-realm." Therefore, the mind is the root; it is the root of all dharmas! Usually, I tell everyone to recite Mahayana sutras precisely so we can understand this truth. The Pure Land Dharma spoken of here is the Mahayana Pure Land Dharma, which breathes through the same nostril as the principles of the Zen School. The Pure Land School is the Mahayana Buddha Dharma that gathers in all three capacities [high, medium, low]; it not only saves people of medium and low capacity, but people of all three capacities are gathered within; all are the same one mind; Pure Land is Mind, Mind is Pure Land. The Amitabha Sutra says "From here to the West, passing ten trillion Buddha-lands, there is a world named Ultimate Bliss"; the ten trillion Buddha-lands are the ten degrees and ten thousand practices—that is using "Giving, Precepts, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, Wisdom, Method, Vow, Power, Knowledge" to cultivate the mind until it is empty and open up Great Wisdom. When the mind is empty, one crosses over the ten trillion Buddha-lands and arrives in the West. So it is said the West is not far away; it is right in front of you. To say it simply: if your mind has nowhere to dwell and everything is empty, your mind is Buddha, Buddha is your mind; here is the West, the West is here, and you are born in the West right in the present. Do not wait until after death; being born in the West while alive is truly being born in the West; if one cannot be born in the West while alive, I fear it will be difficult to be born in the West when dead.

"Penetrate the separation from the extremes of arising, ceasing, existence, and non-existence; transcend the realm of linguistic and mental discrimination, and naturally abide in the wisdom-nature realm separated from words and thoughts. This refers to the Wisdom of the Embodied Nature of the Dharmakaya, Yoga, and the Principle of the View."

This means we must understand clearly and plainly that relative views such as arising and ceasing, existence and non-existence, etc., are false; and we must separate from these extreme views, transcending the relative realms discriminated by language and the mental faculty; then, one naturally abides in the original self-nature of Great Wisdom that shines brightly, where there is no language to be spoken and no thought to be moved.

"Penetrate" means to understand clearly and thoroughly penetrate. Separating from the extremes of arising, ceasing, existence, and non-existence means leaving behind the various extreme views of arising and ceasing, existence and non-existence. Understandings such as arising/ceasing and existence/non-existence are all relative delusive knowings and delusive views; they are illusory and unreal like a mirage, and do not accord with the meaning of the Middle Way, hence they are extreme views. Yet we live buried in relative delusive realms at all times and places, discriminating good and bad, discriminating right and wrong, discriminating long and short, never having departed from the extremes of arising, ceasing, existence, and non-existence. For instance, thinking that the human body exists while alive, and becomes nothing after death—this is an extreme view. If one can recognize that everything that exists relatively is a false reflection and does not pursue or take it, then, at the place where the delusive mind rests, one can penetrate the originally existing Absolute True Mind. The True Mind is the Buddha-nature; it is neither existence nor non-existence, neither long nor short, neither arising nor ceasing, neither good nor bad, neither beautiful nor ugly... it is none of these; language cannot describe it, thinking cannot infer it, and fundamentally no discrimination exists. This is "transcend the realm of linguistic and mental discrimination."

The realm of linguistic and mental discrimination is the realm discriminated by language and consciousness; it means that when we speak, the brain/mental faculty moves incessantly, so relative views of right/wrong, good/bad, and long/short arise blazingly. For example, some people talk while reciting Buddha: "Amita Buddha, my daughter-in-law is so bad; Amita Buddha, my daughter is so good." This is the realm of linguistic and mental discrimination; how can this work? If this could lead to birth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, then there would be many people born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. We must sever delusive emotions and extreme views, dwelling in nothing, reciting Amita Buddha, Amita Buddha... wholeheartedly; the entire thought is Buddha, Buddha is my mind, my mind is Buddha; Mind and Buddha interact and merge into one piece—only then can one go to rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Therefore, we must transcend the realm of linguistic and mental discrimination, understand that these realms are all false and unobtainable, and not walk along with them, not turn with them, letting go and letting go again of everything. Just like the Brahmin who held mandara flowers in both hands to offer to the Buddha; the Buddha instructed him saying: "Let go." The Brahmin let go of the flowers in one hand. The Buddha said again: "Let go." The Brahmin let go of the flowers in the other hand. The Buddha said again: "Let go." Hearing this, the Brahmin was baffled and hurriedly asked the Buddha: "I have let go of the flowers in both hands and have nothing; what else should I let go of?" The Buddha said: "I am telling you to let go of the external six dusts, the middle six consciousnesses, and the internal six sense-organs—let go of everything." That is letting go of inside, middle, and outside completely, with everything being unobtainable; after hearing this, the Brahmin awakened. So, one must transcend the realm of linguistic and mental discrimination, letting go and letting go again, letting go of everything completely, and naturally abide in the wisdom-nature realm separated from words and thoughts.

Separating from words and thoughts means transcending language and thinking. The wisdom-nature realm separated from words and thoughts is the Great Wisdom inherent in self-nature that transcends language and thinking. If you transcend the realm of linguistic and mental discrimination, you will naturally abide in this Great Wisdom, with infinite utility.

To achieve being natural at all times and moments, without carrying a single bit of functional [effortful] practice, is very difficult; we all have functional practice! From the First Bhūmi to the Seventh Bhūmi Bodhisattvas, there is still functional practice; only from the Eighth Bhūmi to the Tenth Bhūmi is there non-functional practice. It is not easy for us ordinary beings to reach non-functional practice all at once; therefore, we must go up step by step from functional practice to non-functional practice.

What is functional practice? It is constantly awarely illuminating, watching over oneself, and taking care of oneself. As soon as a thought moves, immediately warn oneself: "Hey, do not move, I see you." If you are not aware, you will not see it illuminating, and you will not even know you have run a hundred and eight thousand miles following the thought! Therefore, our constant having awareness and having illumination is functional practice; when illumination becomes familiar later on, one does not need to be aware; it illuminates naturally, it naturally does not waver; remaining illuminating while quiescent, and remaining quiescent while illuminating—that is non-functional practice. Finally, when neither quiescence nor illumination is obtainable, that is truly arriving home. We can only move from functional practice to non-functional practice by doing the work like this constantly; one cannot reach the sky in a single step.

How is this kungfu done? Be aware at all times, and abide in the Great Wisdom of bright illumination where there is no language to be spoken and no thought to be moved—just as the Chan School says: "The path of language is cut off, the place of mental action is extinguished." When our mind does not move, it naturally illuminates brightly, and the reaction is exceptionally fast. If your mind has movement, has dwelling, or has affliction, the reaction is very slow. Because you have been dragged away by the environment, and the mind's luminosity is covered by the environment, it cannot illuminate brightly; therefore, the reaction is slow. If you can achieve abiding at all times in the wisdom-nature realm separated from words and thoughts, where speaking is unobtainable, thinking is unobtainable, and everything is unobtainable, you will naturally be clearly distinct, and then all supernormal powers and marvelous functions will come. If you do not do this, thinking you want supernormal powers? They are unobtainable; you cannot get them. Ordinary beings are calculating, discriminating, and worrying about gain and loss at every moment, so they do not attain peace and ease. Our practice to accomplish the Way is precisely to separate from delusive thinking, remove attachment, and restore the luminosity of the fundamental nature, thereby giving rise to Great Potential and Great Function. Our Buddha-nature is like the sun, with immeasurable luminosity, but because it is covered by delusive thinking and discrimination, it cannot radiate Great Luminosity or give rise to Great Spiritual Function. If the dark clouds are dispelled, the sun radiates Great Luminosity; separating from delusive thinking and attachment, various supernormal powers and marvelous functions are obtained naturally without seeking. The Mahāvairocana Sūtra says: "If the Bodhisattva abides in this cultivation and learning, before long diligent effort, he will attain the Samādhi that Removes All Hindrances/Coverings. If he attains this, he dwells equally with all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, will develop the Five Supernormal Powers, and acquire immeasurable languages, sounds, and Dhāraṇīs."

"Bodhisattva abides in this"—abides in what place? "Abides in the wisdom-nature realm separated from words and thoughts"; in this kind of realm, studying with further diligence to remove old habits, one will soon develop all five powers and have unobstructed eloquence. The Five Powers are the Heavenly Eye, Heavenly Ear, Knowledge of Others' Minds, Knowledge of Past Lives, and Spirit Foot [Teleportation/Levitation]. The Buddha has Six Powers; beyond the Five Powers, there is the Power of the Extinction of Outflows, which means all leaking places such as delusive thinking, attachment, discrimination, and affliction are completely pure and exhausted. That is the "wisdom-nature realm separated from words and thoughts"! Our practice is to first attain the Power of the Extinction of Outflows, and naturally abide in the wisdom-nature realm separated from words and thoughts; this is also called "Wisdom of the Embodied Nature of the Dharmakaya," also called "Yoga," and also called "The Principle of the View." The Dharmakaya is signless, yet signless and without non-signs; in the Buddha it does not increase, and in sentient beings it does not decrease. The Wisdom of the Embodied Nature of the Dharmakaya is the Great Wisdom that transcends all relativity and transcends all worldly wisdom. "Yoga" means correspondence. Corresponding with what? Corresponding with the Dharmakaya Buddha. Which is "The Principle of the View"!

Understanding clearly and crisply that relative views such as arising/ceasing and existence/non-existence are all false, leaving behind these extreme views, and transcending the relative realms discriminated by language and the mental faculty, one naturally abides in the self-nature of Great Wisdom that has no language to be spoken, no thought to be moved, is naturally brightly illuminating, and originally self-sufficient; this refers to the Wisdom of the Embodied Nature of the Dharmakaya. Practicing the Way and realizing the Truth involves Five Great Wisdoms: Great Round Mirror Wisdom, Equality Wisdom, Marvelous Observing Wisdom, Accomplishing-What-Is-Done Wisdom, and Wisdom of the Essential Nature of the Dharma-realm. The Wisdom of the Essential Nature of the Dharma-realm is called Wisdom of the Embodied Nature of the Dharmakaya in the Ganges Mahamudra. The Wisdom of the Embodied Nature of the Dharmakaya is the overall Seed Wisdom; it transforms the Eighth Consciousness into the Great Round Mirror Wisdom. The Great Round Mirror Wisdom is perfected last; the Sixth Patriarch said: "Six and Seven transform in the cause; Five and Eight transform on the fruit." This means when practicing the Way, one first starts the transformation from the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses, because the force of the Sixth Consciousness is the strongest, distinguishing and squirming at all times and places. If the delusive thinking of the Sixth Consciousness does not move, and no news of delusive thinking is transmitted to the Seventh Consciousness, the Seventh Consciousness transforms. The Seventh Consciousness is the transmitting consciousness; it receives the news sent by the Sixth Consciousness and then delivers it into the Eighth Consciousness. When the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses are transformed into Marvelous Observing Wisdom and Equality Wisdom during the cultivation of the cause, then the Eighth Consciousness and the front Five Consciousnesses subsequently transform into Great Round Mirror Wisdom and Accomplishing-What-Is-Done Wisdom because there are no delusive seeds to store and no interference from the Sixth Consciousness. Therefore, regarding removing habits and practicing in the realm of matters, transforming consciousness still starts from transforming the Sixth Consciousness; the Eighth Consciousness must be transformed later; it is impossible to transform the Eighth Consciousness into Great Round Mirror Wisdom all at once. If we do the work on the Sixth Consciousness at all times, delusive thoughts will not move and we will not turn with the environment. Mindfulness of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is transmitting holy seeds and pure seeds to the Seventh Consciousness; the Seventh Consciousness then transmits them to the Eighth Consciousness, thereby transforming defiled seeds into pure seeds to be born in the West and resolve birth and death. So it is said that among the eight consciousnesses, the Seventh Consciousness constantly examines, thinks, and attaches to the appearance of a self—"I am right and he is wrong"—with extreme conceit and arrogance, always taking "I" as the master, with everything belonging to "me," and insatiable greed; therefore, the Seventh Consciousness is the worst. Consequently, practicing the Dharma and holding retreats is to knock down the Seventh Consciousness. Actually, all sentient beings are equal and one; where is there a self? But people's self-grasping is blazing; they all regard others as one level lower, thinking others are no good and only "I" am the best; so there is inequality in human relationships. Therefore, once the Seventh Consciousness transforms, there is no self/other or right/wrong or gain/loss; everything is the same, and all dharmas are equal and without difference.

Although we are learning Buddha Dharma now, when the Seventh Consciousness has not yet transformed, we inevitably fall into inequality. For example, people practicing the Pure Land School say the Pure Land School is the best of the best and other methods are no good; people learning Zen say Zen is the highest and the rest are not good; people learning the Esoteric School say the Esoteric School is the most perfect and the rest are not so good. Alas! Affirming oneself and negating others is all due to not having truly and authentically realized Equality Wisdom, and the mind being unequal. Actually, all Dharma methods are the same; they are all tools and means, not the goal; our goal is to become a Buddha. You succeed using this means, I succeed using that means; you and I both succeed—isn't it the same? Therefore it is said: "Convenient means are many gates, returning to the source there are not two." All Dharmas are the same, so it is said: "This Dharma is equal, having no high or low." The reason for inequality is the Seventh Consciousness playing tricks. So, once our Seventh Consciousness transforms, it becomes equal. All right and wrong, self and others are equal; all dualities are equal. Equality, equality, everything is equal, and one realizes the Great Way thoroughly. Transforming the Sixth Consciousness into Marvelous Observing Wisdom: it changes from delusive thinking, discrimination, and making right/wrong and gain/loss into the wisdom of observing all things perfectly and marvelously, and handling them correctly. For example, how to do this matter best, how to arrange that person reasonably, how to transform a bad person to turn bad into good and turn ordinary into sage, etc. Marvelous Observing Wisdom is clear, crisp, immovable, and unwavering; direct perception (pratyakṣa) and yet inferential perception (anumāna), inferential perception and yet direct perception. Direct perception is manifesting form according to its measure without adding discrimination; inferential perception is having to compare whether it is good or bad, long or short, right or wrong. Upon realizing this wisdom, although one clearly distinguishes right/wrong and gain/loss, there is no love/hate or seizing/discarding; although one handles all matters equally, it is not that one does not know right/wrong or long/short; so it is Great Wisdom functioning. Transforming the front Five Consciousnesses into Accomplishing-What-Is-Done Wisdom: the eye seeing forms, ear listening to sounds, nose smelling scents, tongue tasting flavors, and body experiencing environments is the function of Accomplishing-What-Is-Done Wisdom.

The reason we can think, work, create, and invent (that is to say the Four Great Wisdoms mentioned above) all relies on the function of the Wisdom of the Essential Nature of the Dharma-realm. The Wisdom of the Essential Nature of the Dharma-realm is called Wisdom of the Embodied Nature of the Dharmakaya in Mahamudra; it is the Root Wisdom. "Yoga View Principle": View is View/Understanding; Yoga is correspondence, which is the Dharma of Mind Correspondence. Mahamudra tells you to correspond at all times: the ordinary being corresponds with the Buddha, one's own mind corresponds with empty space—the so-called sealing space, sealing water, and sealing mud. Corresponding at every moment is Yoga. Yoga View Principle refers to the View/Understanding that corresponds with the original self-nature at all times.

"If one practices without recognizing this, it is not separating from the function of mind and the view of the conditioned; one is suspended apart from the Self-Nature Great Perfection Way, and cannot obtain the wheel of non-cultivation luminosity."

If one does not recognize one's own Marvelous Mind, does not have correct View/Understanding, and does not know to practice starting from the Buddha-nature, but grasps at appearances and seeks outwardly, then one has not separated from the function of the delusive mind. That is the wrong view of the conditioned. That is completely unrelated to the "Self-Nature Great Perfection Way," and one cannot obtain the "wheel of non-cultivation luminosity." Self-Nature Great Perfection means the Buddha-nature is originally self-sufficient and originally perfect; it does not exist due to grasping, nor is it born from practice. The wheel of non-cultivation luminosity means the Buddha-nature is originally immeasurably luminous, illuminating the lands of the ten directions, fully possessing all marvelous functions, and able to give rise to thousands of changes. The luminosity wheel is not produced by practice, but is inherent in one's own mind. So it is said: "The Way does not belong to practice; it belongs to realization." Realizing the Way means waking up to, understanding, and engaging into the True Mind, restoring the original. It is precisely when practicing the Dharma, at the place where a thought is cut off—with a "Ga-li" sound—one realizes the fundamental truth. After realization, is practice needed? Practice is needed! Because the two attachments of self and dharmas from beginningless time are still there, and one cannot yet develop Great Spiritual Function; one must eliminate these two attachments completely before one can thoroughly realize the fundamental source. Then, how to practice? This depends on the heaviness of each person's habitual defilements, and different methods are used, but the best is the practice of non-practice, using the method of contemplation. The method of Mahamudra is: when a delusive thought arises, go "Pei" and shout/cut off the delusive thought, thereby protecting the True Mind. But we can also use other methods, such as reciting Buddha or holding mantras. When a delusive thought arises, recite Amita Buddha or hold a mantra phrase, not following the delusive thought, and transforming the delusive thought; this can similarly protect the True Mind. Or even, when a delusive thought arises, become strictly aware, and everything transforms into emptiness, and the delusive thought rests. Therefore, to obtain the "wheel of non-cultivation luminosity," one must clearly witness this Marvelous Bright True Mind before it is possible. If one does not understand what the True Mind is, one cannot obtain it.

"If one has not obtained verification in the Principle of the View, then although one practices, there is no realm of preservation/protection; therefore, taking the verification of the Principle of the View is the primary essential."

The Principle of the View is Right Knowledge and Right View; that is, under the perfusion of Right Knowledge and View, one recognizes the fundamental nature. If you do not yet recognize the fundamental nature, then "although one practices, there is no realm of preservation." Even if you practice diligently and earnestly, you cannot obtain the "wheel of non-cultivation luminosity"; because you do not have a "realm of preservation"—you do not know what to preserve! That is to say, you are still unsure about the Right Knowledge and Right View explained above, do not recognize the fundamental nature, your heels are not standing firm, and you are still in doubt—then what are you preserving? For example, if we have a small child, we must take care of him carefully, protect him, not let him go hungry, not let him freeze, not let him fall; care for him with utmost attention and raise him to adulthood. If you fundamentally do not have a small child, then who are you protecting?

Preservation (Bao-Ren) is two stages of kungfu: first Preserving (Bao), then Assigning/Trusting (Ren). Just like with a small child, first one must protect him; when the child grows up, one lets him be (Ren), letting him be autonomous and independent, doing things himself, working himself, and one need not manage him anymore. Preservation (Bao-Ren) looks like only two characters, but when doing the kungfu, one has to walk quite a stretch of road! To do the kungfu of preservation, one must first see the fundamental nature; without seeing the fundamental nature, what is there to preserve? So what is the fundamental nature? Much has been said above; it is the nature that can see and can hear right now—recognize it, do not doubt, and protect it well. How to protect it? "Not seeing nothing, not hearing nothing," but "Vividly aware of it, not attaching to seeing and hearing." In daily life, it is not that one does not look at things, nor that one does not hear sounds, but that one does not discriminate good/bad or beautiful/ugly, and does not give rise to minds of love/hate or seizing/discarding. Go ahead and look, go ahead and listen, but there is nothing in the mind—"Empty and non-dwelling"; this is "Preserving." After preserving to maturity, one does not need to preserve; put it down, one can go to all places, one can do any matter, yet dwelling nowhere in the slightest; this arrives at the state of "unobstructed in matter after matter" and "functioning freely and unfettered." Regarding "unobstructed in matter after matter," Chan Master Zhenjing Kewen has a verse saying: "Unobstructed in matter after matter, freely as one wishes; hand holding a pig's head, mouth reciting pure precepts; chased out of the brothel, wine debt not yet returned; at the crossroad, untying the cloth sack." Holding a pig's head in hand, gnawing on pig's head meat while reciting precepts: Do not kill, do not steal, do not engage in sexual misconduct... I am eating vegetarian food; I just came out of the brothel, Hahahaha! Chased out means being driven out. Brothel is the house of prostitutes. Money spent in the brothel, driven out by the madam. Drinking wine and owing debt; the tavern comes to ask for wine money, too poor to repay. Just this sloppy, just this down-and-out, thereby unfettered and free, without worry or anxiety. Someone might ask: Hand holding a pig's head, mouth reciting pure precepts... not eating vegetarian, isn't that breaking precepts? Not so! He has never eaten meat; he is eating vegetarian. Why? His mind is empty, he does not grasp at appearances; he has never felt that meat is tasty and eaten more, or that vegetables are bad and eaten less. Having no mind of love/hate or seizing/discarding is eating vegetarian. Conversely, some people, although they eat vegetarian, attach to the flavor: this dish tastes good, delicious; that dish tastes bad, awful! Being very picky is equivalent to not eating vegetarian. If our mind is truly empty and pure, having eaten is equal to not having eaten; even holding a pig's head does not matter.

However, having said that, if you have not realized this stage, and you just let yourself go like this, then "Entering hell is like an arrow shot!" Your mind is not truly empty and pure, so "Karma" sticks to you, entangles you, and will not let you pass. To cite such a koan: Once there was a Chan Master who loved to eat beef; he said: "Eating is just not eating!" Was his mind empty and pure? No! It was just talk from the mouth; the mind could not be empty, so karmic hindrances stuck to him and wanted him to pay the debt. When this Chan Master breathed his last, he entered a cow's womb and became a cow to pay the debt. One day, a farmer led the cow out and met Chan Master Baozhi. Master Baozhi looked: Oh! Isn't this Chan Master So-and-so? Didn't you say "Eating is just not eating"? You shouldn't be a cow; how did you become a cow to pay debts? The cow's face streamed with tears, and—Bang! Bang! Bang!—it crashed itself to death. Therefore, without reaching the stage of true emptiness and purity, talking nonsense and boasting will lead to hell. We are determined to realize the Great Way; we speak according to the stage we have realized; we must not act recklessly! To realize the stage of "unobstructed in matter after matter," one must first achieve pure View, clearly see the True Mind, and then further eliminate delusive habits and enter into the Unconditioned. Practicing while grasping at appearances or practicing via the conditioned—neither can realize "unobstructed in matter after matter." Nowadays, some people whose minds are not empty and pure vainly seek supernormal powers—ruined! Not only can they not become Buddhas, but they are likely to become demons! You want supernormal powers, so the demon manifests supernormal powers in your mind, transforming into a Buddha-appearance for you to see; you think it is a real Buddha and happily guard it, so the demon dwells in your mind. The Demon King wants to expand his influence, letting you teach the Dharma and receive a group of demon-sons and demon-grandsons. This is all due to grasping at appearances; therefore, we cannot grasp at appearances, and cannot practice via the conditioned.

"Therefore, taking the verification of the Principle of the View is the primary essential."

This is the weightiest sentence. The Principle of the View is clearly seeing the fundamental nature. Ganges Mahamudra places the Principle of the View in the primary position; the "Five Ranks of Lord and Minister" of the Caodong School also highlight this point. The Linji School has "Three Mysteries and Three Essentials"; the first essential in the "Mystery within the Sentence" is recognizing one's own Mind and seeing one's own Nature, highlighting this point just the same.

"Later, one can verify the wisdom that self-abides; this is abiding in one's own fundamental nature, not sought from others, nor is it non-existent in the past and existing now." (This is the First Essential)

First, one must witness the fundamental nature, and only then can the "wisdom that self-abides" be revealed. After realizing, preserve the fundamental nature without losing it, apply effort diligently and bitterly, and sweep away delusive habits. If one can be like still water in any favorable or adverse environment, without the slightest deviation, then various supernormal powers and marvelous functions will be obtained naturally without seeking. "Abiding in one's own fundamental nature" means it is inherent in one's own mind and issues naturally from the fundamental mind. "Not sought from others" means it is not obtained by practicing some method, nor is it bestowed upon us by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, nor is it manifested by some ghost or spirit possessing the body. "Nor is it non-existent in the past and existing now" means it is not that it didn't exist before and only exists now, but that it existed originally. Someone asked: "You say it existed originally, so why don't I have it now?" You haven't cleared away your delusive thoughts and delusive habits yet! First, you must recognize the Buddha-nature, and clearly realize that this nature which can see and can hear is the fundamental nature. Then protect it at all times; do not grasp at appearances, do not run with the environment. When protection is fully mature and the mind is truly empty and pure, supernormal powers will naturally manifest.

If it is not "abiding in one's own fundamental mind" and developed by oneself, it is all irrelevant; once the breath does not come, there are no functions at all, and one does not even know where one is going. Having done bad deeds, one still has to go to hell; it is very dangerous! We have several so-called "people with supernormal powers" in Shanghai; when approaching death, the spirits possessing them left them, and at that time not only did they have no supernormal powers, but the physical body was in great pain, and spiritually they felt even more guilt, suffering deep condemnation of conscience, only crying out "Pain! Suffering!" and falling into the three lower realms. We who practice the True Dharma must take this as a warning!

Ganges Mahāmudrā By Elder Yuan Yin (Lecture Six)

2025-12-04T14:51:00.002+08:00

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From https://book.bfnn.org/article/0383.htm

The Ganges Mahamudra (Lecture 6)
By Elder Yuan Yin

We cited koans to discuss that "insentient beings are sentient beings," and that "sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom," but there are still many people who do not fully understand. Therefore, it is necessary to explain once more why sentient and insentient beings are the same, and in what aspects they are the same, summarizing as follows.

First point: All insentient things are objects of the Wondrous Bright True Mind; the True Mind is the Buddha Mind, so the insentient is the sentient. The True Mind is not as our deluded mind imagines—blocked by ignorance and shrinking inside the bodily shell, just a tiny dot. When you work on the practice and open it up, you will discover that it actually exhausts the void and pervades the Dharma-realm; however large the void is, the True Mind is that large. Chan Master Xuefeng Yicun said: "The True Mind is like an ancient mirror; however wide and large the void is, the ancient mirror is that wide and large." Why say it is like an ancient mirror? The meaning of "ancient mirror" refers to something that does not just exist in the present life; it compares our True Mind to something that has existed since beginningless time. And why compare it to a mirror? Because a mirror can reflect the ten thousand things, and the myriad phenomena can manifest within the mirror; our True Mind is also like this, brightly illuminating the great thousand worlds, encompassing worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges without obstruction. "Sands of the Ganges" refers to boundless and endless worlds, as uncountable as the sands of the Ganges River. There are many worlds in the void; modern science has proven that there are extraterrestrials, and stars like the sun are not limited to just one. The more prosperous science becomes, the more it can prove that the words spoken by my Buddha are true and not false. Our True Mind is like the void; all worlds are within our Mind; if the worlds are within our Mind, are not insentient things within our Mind? For instance, the house we built is insentient; it is on the earth, and the earth is in the void, so isn't the house also in the void? Therefore, all insentient things are right within my Mind! Because they are within our Mind, we say that our True Mind spiritually possesses the ten thousand things. The ten thousand things are within my True Mind, and the True Mind is the Buddha Mind; if the ten thousand things are not Buddha, what are they? Hence it is said there is no distinction between insentient and sentient beings. Why must we understand this principle? Because once you understand that the insentient is the sentient, your mind's capacity becomes vast and can contain the ten thousand things, and you will no longer grasp at appearances to obtain things; practicing in this way makes it easier to progress. Thus, we must have a correct and clear recognition that the insentient is the sentient; this is the first point.

Second point: All insentient things are merely composed of the Four Elements, and the Four Elements are the elemental seeds of the True Mind. For example, the earth is insentient and is also composed of the Four Elements: earth, water, fire, and wind; a big tree is the same, composed of the Four Elements, and is also insentient; neither possesses emotional love. The earth moves with rotation and revolution; isn't that the wind element? The earth's crust is hard; isn't that the earth element? There are oceans on the surface and groundwater underground; isn't that the water element? There is fire in the earth's core, like when a volcano erupts and fire comes out; isn't that the fire element? So it is all earth, water, fire, and wind. The tree is also like this; the tree sways ceaselessly, isn't that the wind element? The trunk is the earth element; if you peel the bark, water comes out, which is the water element; the tree itself has fire nature and can burn, isn't that the fire element? So they are all formed by the Four Elements. And the Four Elements of earth, water, fire, and wind are the basic elements of our Buddha-nature; they are the Seed-nature of the Four Elements. Seed-nature is the seed that can give rise to things, like rice seeds or wheat seeds; planting rice seeds grows rice, planting wheat seeds grows wheat, so "seed" implies the ability to generate and grow. Therefore, our Buddha-nature is an omnipotent Essence; all things are created by it, all things are invented by it, and all things are manifested by it, so all things are our Buddha-nature! Do not consider them to be things outside the body; they are all our own self!

Third point: Who discovered the insentient? Who made it? If separated from our Buddha-nature, it could not be discovered. For example, there is a tree here, and there is a flower on the tree; if we do not look at it, who can know there is a flower on the tree? Then who sees the flower? Is it the eyes? It is not the eyes. Modern scientists also understand that seeing things is not done by the eyes, but is the function of the brain, because if the brain does not function, the eyes cannot operate and cannot see things. However, scientists only know that the brain can cause the six sense organs to function, but they cannot go further to know that the brain itself cannot function either. This is because the brain nerves are just like an electrical grid; to function, they still need energy (electricity) to be input. If no energy (electricity) is input, the brain has no power and cannot function. It is just like an electric lamp; if the electric energy does not come, it cannot light up. What is energy? Energy is our Buddha-nature; if the Buddha-nature departs, although the brain is there, it cannot function. Therefore, our every word and action, every movement, is the wondrous function of the Buddha-nature; apart from the Buddha-nature, we cannot function. Thus, that our eyes can see the insentient is the manifestation of Buddha-nature, and the insentient is also achieved by the Buddha-nature. Why? For example, we give rise to a thought: how to plant this flower, how to cultivate it? Thereupon we study the technique of planting flowers and cultivate them carefully, and the flowers bloom luxuriantly; if this is not the function of our Buddha-nature, what is it? Suppose the Buddha-nature leaves a person; his body becomes like a stone—can he still use his brain? Can his hands and feet still move? Can he still cultivate flowers? Who built the house successfully? It was built by people. If engineers, craftsmen, and masons are separated from the Buddha-nature, can their brains still operate, and can their hands and feet still move to design blueprints and build houses? So all insentient things are also manifested by our Buddha-nature; they are successfully created by the Buddha-nature. For this reason, apart from Buddha-nature, there are no insentient things at all. If the insentient were separated from Buddha-nature, would it still exist? Absolutely not. Therefore, the insentient is the sentient, which is Buddha-nature. These insentient things are like reflections appearing in a mirror, and the mirror is like our True Mind Buddha-nature. Our True Mind Buddha-nature is the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom; it brightly illuminates the ten directions without obstruction; nothing in the worlds of the ten directions is not manifested, nothing is not seen. A mirror reflecting objects is only an analogy; it is insufficient to describe the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom. Is seeing these things in front of you or the light emitted before your eyes the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom? No, no, it is still far off! A mirror can manifest reflections, and the Mind-mirror can reflect ten thousand appearances; the reflection cannot separate from the mirror. Can the reflection leave the mirror? If it leaves the mirror, the reflection is gone. The reflection cannot leave the mirror, and the appearance cannot leave the Mind; apart from the Mind, the appearance has nowhere to manifest. If there are no reflections, it does not constitute a mirror; likewise, apart from appearances, the True Mind has no way to manifest. The True Mind has no appearance to be seen; it must be manifested through phenomenal appearances. Therefore, the True Mind can complete the ten thousand things, and conversely, the ten thousand things manifest the True Mind; Mind and appearance are just this subtle and wondrous. For this reason, Mind is appearance, appearance is Mind; reflection is mirror, mirror is reflection; so the insentient is the sentient; this is the third point.

Fourth point: The insentient is originally Buddha-nature, but due to ignorance and lack of awakening, one deludedly recognizes a small portion of the Four Elements as "my body" and abandons the vast majority of the Four Elements, considering them things outside the body and judging them as insentient; hence there is the deluded discrimination between sentient and insentient. Looking at the examples analyzed above, all insentient things are originally manifested by Buddha-nature; sentient beings, simply due to ignorance, unconsciously take a small portion of the Four Elements (earth, water, fire, wind) as their own physical body and abandon ninety-something percent of the Four Elements (earth, water, fire, wind) outside, considering them things outside the body. Thereupon they distinguish that "this is sentient" and "that is insentient"; actually, everything is oneself; this is the fault of ignorance! Therefore, if we are effective in our practice and smash through ignorance, we can realize that these mountains, rivers, and the great earth, the vegetation and forests, not a single one is not our own self. Taking "me" as the host, you and everything around are reflections in my mind. Taking "you" as the host, all this is reflections in your minds. There is a saying put well: "Each sentient being possesses the whole Dharma-realm." What is the whole Dharma-realm? The Dharma-realm is the One True Dharma-realm, which is the True Mind. Everything is fully possessed, lacking not a single strand or speck; this is called "the whole." Whole what? Whole sentient beings each possess it; there is no hindrance for sentient beings to each possess it. You are you, I am I, he is he; Zhang San is Zhang San, Li Si is Li Si; what does each possess? Each possesses the whole Dharma-realm, meaning everyone has the True Mind, lacking not a fraction. For example, in your mirror there is me, and in my mirror there is you; they inter-absorb without obstruction. Or, for example, there are many electric lamps in a room; the light of this lamp and the light of that lamp merge light with light and absorb light with light, not rejecting each other. From this, we can know that insentient and sentient are one essence; it is only because of our ignorance and lack of awakening that we deludedly give rise to discrimination. Once ignorance is smashed, we can truly recognize the wondrous function of the True Mind and will not regard the insentient as external objects.

Fifth point: Insentient things are earth, wood, metal, and stone; if we practice poorly and suppress delusive thoughts to death, we turn into the insentient, turning into earth, wood, metal, and stone. Earth, wood, metal, and stone are one of our twelve categories of living beings (the Diamond Sutra mentions ten categories, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra mentions twelve). Some say that the six realms of rebirth are all sentient and have nothing to do with the insentient. Actually, if you practice poorly or practice the external paths and suppress [the mind] to death, you will also transform into earth, wood, metal, and stone, becoming insentient. So, seen in this way, isn't the sentient the insentient?

Therefore, after understanding the principle that mountains, rivers, the great earth, men and women, old and young, sentient and insentient, are all manifestations of our Buddha-nature and are all our own self, when working on practice, one must be empty, spiritual, and non-abiding, neither seizing nor releasing. "Not seizing" means when a delusive thought comes, do not press it down and forbid it to move, thereby becoming earth, wood, metal, and stone. "Not releasing" means do not indulge the delusive thought and let it arise blindly, thereby wandering in birth and death. Regarding delusive thoughts, neither suppress nor follow; let it come, I will not pay attention to you. It is not that there are no delusive thoughts, but that they exist. Delusive thoughts formed over many kalpas and lifetimes—you think they will disappear as soon as you practice? Easier said than done; it cannot be achieved. Therefore, in our practice, we first cut off coarse delusion; coarse delusion is the delusive thinking produced when we give rise to mind in response to objects. How to extinguish coarse delusion? That is, we must know that the state/object is unobtainable and is just a reflection manifested by the Self-nature; my True Mind is the mirror, and those other things are reflections. Grasp the mirror, do not grasp the reflection. If one does not attach to reflection-appearances, the True Mind does not move, delusive thoughts will not arise, and coarse delusion is extinguished. If coarse delusion is not extinguished, your sitting in meditation there is sitting in vain. For example, when sitting, if you think about how my son is, how my daughter is, you cannot sit well. If you further let your imagination run wild—how to spend my money, what to buy, things are so cheap there, so-and-so is good, so-and-so is bad, etc.—can you still sit well like this? You cannot sit well.

Coarse delusion must be extinguished; do not care about the reflections in the mind; reflections in a mirror cannot be grasped. Someone might say: "Reflections in a mirror cannot be grasped, but I can grasp the things that manifest; look, I have grasped this pen." Alas! You are dreaming; that is a dream state! In a dream, things indeed seem to be grasped, delicious food is eaten, one talks happily with good friends, and feels panic and fear upon seeing enemies, but after waking from the dream, there is nothing at all. We are currently in a dream state; do not grasp at appearances; everything is ungraspable. When a single breath does not come, nothing can be taken with you; rather than having to put it down in the future, why not put it down earlier and save some mental effort? If you want to wake up (awaken), you must work on the practice. Those who recite the Buddha's name and those who hold mantras must focus their minds intently, cut off delusive thoughts, and dissolve the body, mind, and world together, turning them all to emptiness, with only the distinct True Mind manifesting. At that time, it is like waking up from sleep and dreaming; everything seen and obtained in the dream has become empty and is gone; is there still anything to grasp? So present appearances are all reflections; you cannot seek them! Therefore, it is necessary to explain clearly to you now, letting you understand the principle that the sentient is the insentient; do not engage in delusive discrimination anymore; put it down, put it down. The insentient is the sentient, the sentient is the insentient; what appearance is there left to attach to?

If you truly deaden the [worldly] mind to the ground, it will be easy to enter samadhi when you sit on the cushion. When coarse delusion is cut off, fine delusion will still come to invade; do not fear it, and do not suppress it; just disregard it. Where delusive thinking is cut off, the True Mind manifests. "When arising and ceasing are extinguished, quiescent extinction manifests"; this is Nirvana. Not arising and not ceasing is Nirvana; arising and ceasing is the delusive mind. When delusive thoughts and delusive feelings are all extinguished, this unarisen and unceasing Buddha-nature manifests. What is the reason one cannot sit well in practice? This requires self-reflection: where is our mind still stuck? Why still stick to it? Put it down quickly! Everything is a reflection in our mind; why are you still sticking to it? It is unobtainable; it is fake; it is empty; let go! If you truly let go, whether reciting Buddha or holding mantras, subject and object will both vanish, roots and dusts will fall away, and naturally, the Buddha-nature will manifest and you will become enlightened. Regarding whether you have seen the Nature or not, do not ask others; taste it for yourself. The supreme flavor of enlightenment is like a mute having a dream; one cannot tell others, but understands clearly in one's heart.

I have recounted the issue of having appearance and being signless again and again, striving to explain it clearly and thoroughly; the purpose is for everyone to have a correct View, which is also the essential meaning of Mahamudra establishing the "View Sect" first. Taking View as the principle is the center of the Buddha Dharma. If the View is correct and one recognizes what the Buddha-nature is, it will be easy to start working on the practice; if one does not recognize the Buddha-nature, one cannot avoid blind practice and blind training. Therefore, Mahamudra does not have a mudra and mantra for us to practice immediately; rather, it explains the View Sect first to correct the View and recognize what the Buddha-nature is.

Summarizing the above discussion, I think everyone has clarified why the insentient is the sentient, why all insentient things are Buddha, and such questions as "sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom." Having truly understood and realized "sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom," then, if someone asks you: "What is Buddha?", you will not be dumbfounded and at a loss; you can just casually pick up anything. Above in the heavens and below on earth, above the sun and below the moon, inside the window and outside the window, bright flowers and dark willows, etc.—these insentient things are all Buddha! Pick up anything at hand, and it all becomes the Marvelous Truth; how convenient.

Last time we spoke of the insentient expounding the Dharma; how does the insentient expound the Dharma? We discussed one level of the principle: Dharma that has words to be spoken and Dharma that has sound to be heard are not the True Dharma. The True Dharma is without speaking; "The path of language is cut off, the place of mental activity is extinguished." That is, language cannot reach it, and thought cannot think of it; Dharma with words and speech is not the True Dharma. Although we cannot hear the insentient expounding the Dharma, it is precisely expounding the Dharma, because "The Great Sound has little tone." No-speaking is True Speaking; no-hearing is True Hearing; hearing sound is not the True Dharma. Therefore it is said: "If you listen with the ear, it is ultimately hard to understand; only when hearing sound with the eye will you know." You might have a doubt in your mind: if one cannot hear sound, how can one say the insentient is expounding the Dharma? Because the true wondrous and mysterious meaning cannot be expressed in speech; it can only be comprehended by the mind and known by the spirit. If one abides in speech, one will fail to reach the true meaning; hence it is said, "If you listen with the ear, it is ultimately hard to understand"—do not abide in sound! The wondrous meaning cannot be heard; "Only when hearing sound with the eye will you know." Why? This insentient expounding the Dharma is a subtle spiritual state of the mind opening and understanding—being touched by the scene and generating feeling, comprehending with the heart and knowing with the spirit, hearing without hearing. When practice investigates to the point of no-speaking, no-hearing, and where delusive thoughts do not arise, one can be touched by the scene and generate feeling, comprehending the mystery within. Just as Dongshan asked his two masters: "Can you hear the insentient expounding the Dharma?" The two masters answered the same: "If I could hear it, you would not hear me expounding the Dharma." The meaning is that true hearing is no-hearing; if I could hear it, I would be grasping at appearances; if I grasp at appearances, I have no qualification to expound the Dharma and cannot expound the Dharma to you. Last time we discussed this layer of meaning; we can supplement it further. The True Dharma Body of all Buddhas is without speaking and without hearing; the Reward and Transformation Bodies are not the True Buddha—they have speaking and hearing. So "The Reward and Transformation [Bodies] are not the True Buddha, nor are they the ones expounding the Dharma"; is it acceptable to have speaking and hearing and abide in speech? Just as was said a moment ago. "If I had hearing, I would be the same as all Buddhas, I would be all Buddhas; the True Dharma Body of all Buddhas is without speaking, so I could not expound the Dharma here; if I can expound the Dharma, then I am different from all Buddhas." This is another layer of meaning. We ordinary beings grasp at appearances at every moment; when eyes see something or ears hear some sound, we then use our own views to distinguish good and bad, beautiful and ugly. People who have truly seen the Nature, in the midst of all sounds and forms, see without there being anything seen, and hear without there being anything heard. If one abides in sound dust or abides in form appearance for a single moment, one turns into an ordinary being. So he said: "If I heard, I could not expound the Dharma to you." If I heard, I would be grasping at appearances; having grasped at appearances, would I still have the qualification to expound the Dharma to you? I could not.

Below, I will summarize the few points of meaning implied in the Patriarch's words:

First point: If I heard, I would be attaching to sound dust, having a place of abiding; subject and object would be relative, the view of dharmas would not be removed; I would not be a man of the Way and would have no qualification to expound the Dharma.

Second point: If I heard, I would be the same as the insentient; the insentient takes non-speaking as true speaking; it is not having verbal speech, so you would not hear me expounding the Dharma.

Third point: If I heard, I would be equal to all Sages, but the Reward and Transformation [Bodies] of all Sages are not the True [Buddha] and are not the expounders of Dharma; the True Dharma Body of all Sages is without speaking and without hearing; my speaking for you now is merely a skillful means to guide you.

We explain these principles to let you all understand that form and sound are both unobtainable; at all times empty and purify your mind to nurture the True Mind. If one does not nurture the True Mind, one cannot accomplish the Way. To nurture the True Mind, first one must have a correct View and see the True Mind Original Nature. Why must it be like this? We can use the Chan Sect to verify. Someone might ask: "The Ganges Mahamudra we are discussing is the Esoteric Sect (Tantra); why use Chan koans from The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source (Wudeng Huiyuan) to verify it?" Because the principles taught in the Esoteric Sect are completely the same as the Chan Sect and the Pure Land Sect, without duality or distinction. Generally, in all schools of Buddha Dharma, although names and appearances differ, the ultimate principle is entirely the same; hence Pure Land is Esoteric, Esoteric is Chan, and Chan is Pure Land; they are all methods for accomplishing the Way spoken by the Buddha, only the tools used are different, but the Fruit of the Way realized has no difference. The Ganges Mahamudra is the Meditation of the Highest Vehicle of the Esoteric Sect; it is very close to the Chan Sect, so it is necessary to use the principles of the Chan Sect to verify it. Among the Five Houses of Chan, what the Caodong Sect says corresponds most with the Esoteric Sect. The Caodong Sect speaks of the "Five Ranks of Lord and Minister"; it speaks of five positions, letting us open the Buddha View from the ordinary view. Opening the Buddha View is the Path of Seeing (Darśana-mārga); further on is the Path of Practice (Bhāvanā-mārga); after the Path of Practice comes the Path of Realization (Aśaikṣa-mārga), realizing the successful Buddha Fruit. The five positions have three gradations—Path of Seeing, Path of Practice, and Path of Realization—which is the same as what Mahamudra says; Mahamudra also puts the Path of Seeing first.

How does the Caodong Sect approach the Path of Seeing? It speaks of the "Real Position" (Zheng Wei) and the "Apparent Position" (Pian Wei); the Real Position represents Essence, Emptiness, and Principle; the Apparent Position represents Function, Form, and Phenomena.

First Position: "The Apparent within the Real (Zheng Zhong Pian). Before the moon becomes bright in the third watch of the night, no wonder when we meet we do not recognize each other, faintly still harboring the grudge of former days." This is the Ordinary Position. Ordinary beings are like the pitch-black night "before the moon becomes bright in the third watch of the night" without a moon. Why? Because they do not know what the Buddha-nature is, only recognizing and taking external form-appearances; covered by ignorance, their mind is pitch-black. "No wonder when we meet we do not recognize each other"; we are all within the Buddha-nature at every moment, meeting the Buddha-nature at all times, yet we just do not recognize it. In our daily activities of eating, drinking, and living, if the Buddha-nature were not functioning, how could we move? For example, getting up in the morning, washing the face, brushing teeth, going to the street, buying groceries, going to work, working—who is doing this? Who is this? We might as well ask ourselves like the Chan Sect asks "Who is reciting Buddha?". If you say it is not the Fundamental Nature, who is it? Since it is the Fundamental Nature, why do we meet but not recognize it? Do not blame the Fundamental Nature for being hard to recognize; actually, it is because of our grasping at appearances, ignorance, and lack of wisdom! Ignorance is the dark night; in the long endless night, how can one recognize [it] upon meeting?! "Faintly still harboring the grudge of former days"; "faintly" means not clearly. The habitual tendencies of attachment from ordinary times are faintly acting up there, only caring to crave, pursue, and grasp externally, unwilling to turn the light around to illuminate inward and see who is the one able to move, who is the one able to function. If one can turn the light around and illuminate: Who is this? Then one recognizes it. So, "The Apparent within the Real" means that we are originally in the Real Position of the Principle-Essence and Buddha-nature, but unknowingly and unconsciously, we fall into the Apparent Position, grasping at phenomenal appearances in the Apparent Position. The Real Position is Principle-Essence, the Apparent Position is Form-Appearance; the Real Position is Emptiness, the Apparent Position is Existence. Emptiness and Existence, Principle and Phenomenon, Essence and Appearance are all relative; it is the Apparent within the Real, sticking to the Apparent Position. The Five Great Sects of Chan differ in their methods of receiving people; the principles spoken by the Caodong Sect are easy to understand. This is the first position—the Ordinary Position, not recognizing the Buddha-nature.

Second Position: "The Real within the Apparent (Pian Zhong Zheng). A grandma who lost the dawn meets an ancient mirror; clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality; stop confusing your head and acknowledging the reflection." This is the Path of Seeing. This is the Principle-Essence manifesting within the daily use of the Apparent Position; that is, realizing in the midst of dressing and eating at every moment that this is my Buddha-nature functioning—seeing the Way; this is the Path of Seeing. Before, we said it was pitch-black; now it is bright; "lost the dawn" means dawn has broken, the sky is about to brighten, and sunlight manifests. He puts "Grandma" very marvelously; what does "Grandma" mean? A grandma implies white hair; the sky is fast brightening, hence it appears white. "Meets an ancient mirror" means shining in a mirror; the mirror is bright and light, metaphorically implying Radiance. "Grandma meets an ancient mirror": dawn has broken, Radiance manifests; the practitioner has practiced until this morning light, seeing their own Fundamental Nature, so it says "A grandma who lost the dawn meets an ancient mirror." "Clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality"; the reflection in the mirror manifests. "Clearly" means distinctly; "face-to-face" means facing each other. You and the reflection in the mirror meet face-to-face; the reflection appearing in the mirror is you, and you are the mirror; apart from this reflection, is there another "real one"? Apart from this reflection, there is no other, so it says "Clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality." Like Lingyun, who opened the door and saw a stretch of blooming peach blossoms, suddenly realizing a great enlightenment: "Oh—! If not for my Nature manifesting this appearance, who manifests it?" Apart from my Nature, where can I see these peach blossoms? Conversely, apart from this reflection of peach blossoms, where can my Nature-mirror be manifested? So, he turned the light around with a glance, recognized this "clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality," and saw the Fundamental Nature! Also like Patriarch Dongshan, who became enlightened upon seeing his own reflection while crossing a river. At that time, he had asked about the insentient expounding the Dharma; his master explained it to him, and although he had some awakening, he did not understand thoroughly and still had some doubts. One day, he had to cross a river; he lowered his head to roll up his pant legs and saw his own reflection manifesting in the water, "Oh—!" only then did he realize great enlightenment, and he composed a verse: Avoid seeking from another, It is far apart from me. I now go on my own, Everywhere I am able to meet him. He is now exactly me, I am now not him. One must understand in this way, In order to merge with Suchness. What is the meaning of this verse? "Avoid seeking from another": we who practice the Way should not seek externally, should not seek from others; realizing it oneself is the real thing. For example, we who recite Buddha recite Amitābha Buddha, praying to Amitābha Buddha of the Western Pure Land: "Come pull me, come pull me." This is "seeking from another," which is incorrect. Therefore, Master Lianchi said that reciting Buddha is "Calling to awaken the Master/Protagonist with every sound." Reciting Buddha is awakening our own Master; do not be comatose, do not fall asleep, do not grasp at appearances; be awake! The myriad phenomena are all reflections in the mind; do not grasp at appearances! Our nature of knowing/perception is the Buddha-nature, is Amitābha Buddha! If you "seek from another," you are taking from the outside. Praying externally, wanting Amitābha Buddha to come and pull you—that is wrong. Amitābha Buddha generates Great Compassion without conditions, receiving everyone and saving everyone, but he does not pull you; rather, he emits light to shine on you, emitting light to receive and guide you; you just need to go into that light. If you want Amitābha Buddha to come and pull you, that will not work. Thus Chan Master Yongming Yanshou said: "When the practitioner's pure karma matures, and the mind-ground is pure, corresponding with the Buddha, only then does one see the Buddha manifest to receive and guide one to birth in the West. Although the Buddha manifests, in reality there is no coming or going. Like the moon in the sky: in a thousand rivers and ten thousand waters, it appears at once in all, yet the moon actually has no division. The mind is like water; if the mind is not pure, like water being turbid, it does not manifest the reflection. Thus, for those whose minds are inverted and chaotic, although the Buddha emits light to receive and guide, it is like being born blind and unable to see the sun." Buddha is like the moon in the sky, and our mind reciting Buddha is the water; if the water is pure, the reflection of the moon manifests in the water, and the Buddha image appears in your mind. If the mind reciting Buddha is not pure, although the moon shines on you just the same, your mind is turbid sewage, so the reflection of the moon cannot manifest, and Amitābha Buddha is not seen. So "Avoid seeking from another"! If you look outward and seek outward, then "It is far apart from me." Seeking outside the mind puts you a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Buddha-nature. The Buddha-nature is not elsewhere; it is emitting light right at your face-gate! Who is the one looking at things? Who is the one listening to sounds? Who is the one smelling fragrance and stench? Who is the one speaking? Who is the one moving? If this is not my Buddha-nature, what is it? Why do you seek from another? "I now go on my own": now, whenever and wherever I am, I neither take nor reject external things; it is all "on my own," absolute; I do not see any pair, do not see any relativity. The Absolute True Mind is "on its own," absolute, without a single thing, without relativity. Like when Emperor Wu of Liang asked: "What is the Holy Truth of the First Meaning?" Patriarch Bodhidharma answered: "Vast emptiness, nothing holy." Emperor Wu asked again: "Who is facing Us?" The Patriarch answered: "I don't know (Un-cognized)." Why "I don't know"? Relativity is you knowing me, me knowing you; I am just one person—Absolute True Mind. Being absolute, who recognizes whom? In the Absolute True Mind, speaking of knowing or not knowing are both dualistic talk. If one can be like this, then "Everywhere I am able to meet him"; one can manifest this Absolute True Mind at all times and places, seeing the True Suchness Self-nature everywhere and always. "He is now exactly me": "He" refers to the reflection. Mountains, rivers, the great earth, sun, moon, stars, etc.—all things are nothing but my reflections, all are my manifestations. But "I am now not him": my Dharma Body is signless; although the reflections are all my manifestations, I am not the reflection. That is to say, although all these appearances are nothing but me, I am not all the appearances, because the Dharma Body is signless. Even if you take away all appearances, since they are not me, it is no loss to me. Therefore, do not abide in appearances; all appearances are unobtainable; establishing not a single dharma is correct. "One must understand in this way, in order to merge with Suchness." Practitioners should comprehend in this way so that the True Mind can abide permanently, and one can merge with the Immovable Suchness without being swayed by any environmental objects. No place is apart from my True Mind, just as a shadow follows a form; therefore, we must not seek externally at any moment. Reciting Buddha is reciting one's own Mind; reciting Amitābha Buddha is to make one's own Mind awaken—do not grasp at appearances anymore. "A grandma who lost the dawn meets an ancient mirror; clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality"—this is you! Apart from it, if you search again, you cannot find it; it is not there. Therefore, we repeatedly indicate to you all: this True Mind Awareness Nature is the self; apart from it, there is nothing. If you think that this [Awareness Nature] without the five powers of divine eye, divine ear, past lives, reading minds, and fleet-footedness is not the True Mind Awareness Nature, then you are mistaken. Because although you have been shown and recognize this Wondrous Bright Essence—the True Mind Awareness Nature—your habitual tendencies of delusive thinking and attachment from many lives and kalpas are numerous and have not been eliminated; how can you develop powers all at once? It is like a mirror covered with thick dust; how can it reflect objects? You must wipe it until it is bright before it can shine brightly. But first you must obtain the mirror; if you do not obtain the mirror, what are you wiping and scrubbing? So, you must first be shown and recognize what the Wondrous Bright Essence is, then diligently eliminate habitual tendencies to restore our Essence's Radiance, and then give rise to all kinds of wondrous functions and accomplish the Great Way; all spiritual powers will then be complete. Therefore, Chan Master Guifeng Zongmi said: "Recognizing the frozen pond is entirely water (all delusion is the Real), one borrows the sun's heat to melt it; realizing the ordinary man is the Buddha (ordinary man is Buddha), one relies on the power of Dharma to practice (one can practice only after awakening); when ice melts, water flows and moistens, only then showing the function of irrigation and washing; when delusion is exhausted, the Mind becomes empty and pervasive (clearing away emptiness and delusion, removing filth), responding and manifesting the function of spiritual light (brightly illuminating the ten thousand things, brightly illuminating heaven and earth). Spiritual powers and transformations in phenomenal affairs are not the achievement of a single day; they are discovered through gradual practice." In learning Buddhism and practicing, first we must recognize the Fundamental Nature, affirming that this which can speak and act is our True Mind, standing firm on our heels without doubting in the slightest, and then protect it well, carry it forward to greatness, and realize the Holy Fruit. Mahamudra requires us to first affirm the Buddha-nature, and then start working on the practice. If this point cannot be affirmed, one cannot start later, and the practice cannot be accomplished. Thus, Patriarch Dongshan said it well: "Clearly, face-to-face, there is no other reality"! Apart from this reflection, searching again yields nothing. Buddha-nature is the capability that enables us to give rise to perception; it is the capability that knows cold and warm, cloudy and sunny, hunger and fullness, pain and itch; you must protect it at all times. The last sentence "Stop confusing your head and acknowledging the reflection" means you yourselves should not be confused anymore; do not chase after reflections. "Confusing the head and acknowledging the reflection" is an example spoken by the Buddha in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. The Buddha said that in the city of Śrāvastī, there was a man named Yajñadatta; one day he took a mirror to look at himself, and seeing only the made-up face appearing in the mirror, he lost sight of his original face, mistakenly thought it was a goblin, and was so frightened that he ran around wildly seeking his head outside. Actually, the head was still on his own shoulders and had not been lost. This is a metaphor to advise us not to be confused by external appearances and mistake our original face. "Still acknowledging the reflection": you are still acknowledging the reflection at every moment; actually, that reflection is an illusory appearance manifested by you; why recognize the fake as the real? Women can least let go of their children, keeping them in their hearts all day long. What about men? The young ones love girlfriends, the old ones love banknotes. Confucius said it well: "In youth, when the blood and qi are not yet settled, guard against lust... In old age, when the blood and qi have declined, guard against gain." These are all greedily acknowledging reflections! Do not acknowledge reflections; put it down; "Stop confusing your head and acknowledging the reflection" means realizing the True Mind—the Real—within the thousands of fake appearances—the Apparent—and not being confused by reflections. This second position is "The Real within the Apparent"—the Path of Seeing.

Third Position: "Coming from the Real (Zheng Zhong Lai). Within nothingness there is a road to exit the dust, if only one can avoid touching the present taboo, one surpasses the eloquent talent of the previous dynasty who cut off his tongue." This is the Path of Practice. Previously, we discussed the Path of Seeing. "Real" means the Real Position; the Real Position is the Principle-Essence; coming from within the Principle-Essence to function, grinding oneself amidst the functioning, eliminating one's habitual tendencies entirely—this is "Coming from the Real." "Within nothingness there is a road to exit the dust": we say everything is nothing, everything is empty, but this "nothing" and "empty" are not annihilationist emptiness, not absolute nothingness. This "nothing," this "empty," is the Principle-Essence where we do not abide in any appearance; if you can be empty at all times, can not abide in appearances at all times, and walk down this road, you can leave the Three Realms and exit Samsara. Actually, our constant "empty, empty, empty" is not the emptiness relative to existence, nor annihilationist emptiness; do not be afraid of falling into emptiness. The ancients said: "Empty, empty, empty; within emptiness success is attained; after the root is cultivated, who fears the snow and wind." When the mind is truly empty and pure, the Buddha-nature manifests, and a bright great road appears before us, enabling us to exit the dusty realms of the Three Realms. We sentient beings are all revolving in the dust of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm, cycling in the Six Paths without an end date! If we can truly stand firm on our heels at every moment, recognize our Self-nature clearly, and protect it at all times—awakening and eliminating thoughts as soon as they arise—we can leave the Three Realms and exit the sea of suffering, accomplishing the Great Way. For example, for those of us who recite Buddha, when a delusive thought arises, bring up the Buddha name: "Amitābha Buddha," and cut off your delusive thought, cut off your attachment, cut off your affliction. When you are angry, immediately recite Amitābha Buddha; if that doesn't work, recite aloud or shout Amitābha Buddha; in this way, cut off your affliction. If you do not do this, you run after the state, delusive thoughts fly in confusion endlessly; how can you accomplish the Way! Therefore, first one must recognize one's own Original Face, recognize that it is the Appearance of Signlessness, the Omnipotent Essence, able to give rise to wondrous functions; protect it at all times, grind oneself in all favorable and adverse states; only then can one attain liberation; this is the most important, so it is said "Within nothingness there is a road to exit the dust." "If only one can avoid touching the present taboo, one surpasses the eloquent talent of the previous dynasty who cut off his tongue." This sentence is spoken even better. What is a taboo? People's names have taboos; for example, if the Emperor's name has the character "Zheng," then your names cannot use this "Zheng" character; it must be tabooed, not to be the same as the Emperor's name. Or, for example, if your father's or grandfather's name contains "Ming," then your name cannot use "Ming"; you must taboo it a bit; it is not good to have the same name as an elder. "Not touching the present": "the present" is the Emperor; this is an analogy for our Buddha-nature, meaning do not offend it at any time. For example, my fist: calling it a fist offends it; it is a fist, but if you do not call it a fist, you contradict it. Offending it is wrong; contradicting it is also wrong. The so-called "cannot offend" means that when truly working on practice, engaging to the point of recognizing one's own Buddha-nature, one also cannot constantly mutter: "This is my Buddha-nature." Abiding in the Buddha-nature is also not acceptable. Even if the work reaches the point where awareness is also gone, do not abide in it. Hence it is said: Having awareness and having illumination is still birth and death, not attaining liberation; abiding in a holy state is also conditioned, not attaining the ultimate. Ordinary beings are certainly without awareness and without illumination, muddling through all day long like dreaming. Laozi once said: "Common people are bright and distinct (cha-cha); I alone am muddled and confused (hun-hun)." People in the world are all muddled; how can he say "cha-cha"? The so-called "cha-cha" means playing smart and plotting for fame and profit; whereas Laozi's "hun-hun" means working the practice to the ultimate place, great wisdom appearing as stupidity, without the slightest abiding. So in working on the practice, one must both recognize the Fundamental Nature and not abide in it, thinking one has obtained something—this is "not touching the present." The Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment (Yuanjue Jing) says: "Dwelling in all times, do not give rise to delusive thoughts; regarding all delusive minds, also do not extinguish them; abiding in realms of false thinking, do not add cognition; regarding non-cognition, do not discern reality." When practice reaches this point, only then is it ultimate. Therefore, in the end, even Buddha is unobtainable. Unobtainable does not mean not becoming a Buddha, but is becoming a Buddha. Because "Buddha" is also a provisional name; not a shred can be obtained. If you suppose there is a Buddha to become, you have not yet become a Buddha. Just as Dongshan's master said in the koan mentioned earlier: "If I heard the insentient expounding Dharma, I would be equal to all Sages." Being equal to all Sages means I have a Buddha in my mind; having a Buddha means it is not the True Buddha. Thus, "Viewing oneself as equal to Buddha is also a Buddha-ground obstacle." Therefore, you must have not even the view of Buddha; being completely clean and pure is True Purity; hence it is said "If only one can avoid touching the present taboo, one surpasses the eloquent talent of the previous dynasty who cut off his tongue." There is an allusion here: in the past, there was a person who forgot his name; this person had incredibly great wisdom; the Emperor and treacherous ministers cut off his tongue, and he used the blood from the severed tongue to write characters. Our accomplishing the Way surpasses the great talent of the severed tongue by far. The talent of the severed tongue is merely worldly wisdom and debate, small wisdom; Prajñā is Great Wisdom. This discusses working on the practice—the third position.

Fourth Position: "Arrival at Both (Jian Zhong Zhi). When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid; a good hand is like a lotus in the fire, distinctly possessing a soaring ambition." Some say it originally was not called "Jian Zhong Zhi" (Arrival at Both); Chan Master Dongshan Liangjie said "Jian Zhong Zhi," perhaps it was a misprint, and should be "Pian Zhong Zhi" (Arrival in the Apparent). I think this explanation is correct. "Jian Zhong Zhi" means Real and Apparent combined as one body, meaning concurrent/combined; whereas the third position "Coming from the Real" represents functioning from within the Principle-Essence of the Real Position; the fourth position should follow by discussing functioning within the daily affairs of the Apparent Position to achieve non-obstruction of Principle and Phenomena; so "Pian Zhong Zhi" (Arrival in the Apparent) is correct. "Pian Zhong Zhi" means doing things all day long without departing from the Real Position, able to achieve non-obstruction of Principle and Phenomena, not fearing any adverse states or afflictions, giving rise to wondrous functions; this is also the Path of Practice. "When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid": when fighting, swords come and spears go, do not be afraid, no need to dodge. This is a metaphor for not fearing and not being afflicted amidst all adverse states. For example, if you have a rebellious son in your own home, do not be afflicted either. Oh! All this is unobtainable, unobtainable; rebellious is rebellious; you just spend a bit more money, go ahead and spend it, because I owe you a debt; paying back debts is a matter of course; it doesn't matter, no affliction. "When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid": when an adverse state comes, can you avoid it? You cannot avoid it, so "no need to avoid." Speaking of avoiding, I recall a koan; a disciple asked Chan Master Dongshan: "When cold and heat come, how to avoid them?" Chan Master Dongshan said: "Go to the place where there is no cold or heat." The disciple asked again: "What is the place where there is no cold or heat?" Dongshan said: "When cold, let the cold kill the Ācārya (you); when hot, let the heat kill the Ācārya." How to explain this? That is, when warm do not conceive of warmth, when cold do not conceive of cold; if one conceives of cold or warmth, the discriminating mind arises, and affliction manifests. What to do when facing an adverse state? There are two lines of poetry put well: "For the cauldron of boiling water and the furnace of charcoal, blow and cause them to cease; for the sword tree and knife mountain, shout and command them to shatter." Cauldron of boiling water and furnace of charcoal, sword tree and knife mountain—my mind does not fear; with one blow I extinguish them; with one loud shout I shatter them. Though the adverse state comes, my mind does not move, and it is extinguished. Pay attention: it is not that when an adverse state comes, I think about how to dodge it, nor how to cancel the affliction; rather, our mind must be put down; everything doesn't matter, everything is unobtainable, fearless; if you want to kill me, just come and kill; "Meeting the white blade with my head, it is just like cutting the spring breeze"; my mind does not move. Though the adverse state comes, I do not avoid, which is "When two blades cross points, there is no need to avoid"; my mind does not waver or fear, which is "blow and cause them to cease, shout and command them to shatter"! "Arrival at Both" discusses the Path of Practice. Practice means we constantly forge ourselves amidst thickets of adverse states, not startled and not terrified, able to withstand tests; only then can we realize the Wondrous Fruit from true practice. Hence, "A good hand is like a lotus in the fire, distinctly possessing a soaring ambition." A true "good hand" is a person whose practice goes up; not a lotus blooming in a pond, but a lotus blooming in the fire. Therefore, Chan Master Dahui Zonggao said that lay practitioners have twenty times more power than monastics. Chan Master Dahui Zonggao was a remarkable great Patriarch of the Chan Sect; he said: "Like the three great elders Yang Wengong, Li Wenhe, and Zhang Wujin, they fought through; their power exceeds us renunciant sons by twenty times." These three people were all enlightened lay practitioners of that time. Why did Chan Master Dahui speak this way? Because our habitual tendencies are heavy; having both the attachment to a distinct self and the attachment to distinct dharmas, plus the innate attachments to self and dharmas; even if one opens up the Original and personally realizes the Buddha-nature, the innate two attachments are not yet shed. Verse on the Consciousness of Dharma Characteristics (Faxiang Weishi Song) III says: "Generating the initial mind at the Stage of Joy, the innate still appears dormant and bound." If one does not undergo a period of arduous tempering after enlightenment, grinding away the innate two attachments upon phenomenal states, one cannot easily reach the Ultimate Ground. Monastics have "one bottle and one bowl; wherever they go in daily life, there are not many enemies to block the Way. Wholeheartedly investigating this matter." Whereas for laypeople, "Where eyes open and eyes close, it is nothing but vengeful spirits blocking the Way." Monastics "fight in from the outside," laypeople "fight out from the inside." What do "inside" and "outside" refer to here? Inside what, outside what? This refers to "worldly dust and labor"; worldly dust and labor are like a "great accumulation of fire," causes and conditions that block the Way. Monastics dwell in a pure place unencumbered by family and relatives, like being outside the great fire, just like white lotuses in a pond; laypeople dwell within worldly dust and labor, like being inside the great fire; if they can accomplish the Way, they are like red lotuses in the fire. Chan Master Dahui said: "For those who fight in from the outside, the power is weak; for those who fight out from the inside, the power is strong." All Sages and Worthies who have accomplished the Way since ancient times have gone through all kinds of hardships, endured great suffering and toil, and withstood various temperings before accomplishing the Way. If one fears suffering and fatigue and cannot withstand the tempering and testing of adverse states, one cannot accomplish the Way. Our Fundamental Teacher Śākyamuni Buddha also went through all kinds of hardships and endured various temperings before finally sitting under the Bodhi tree and making a great vow: "If I do not realize the Great Way, I will strictly not rise from this seat!" Only then, on the night of the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, did he see the morning star and realize the Great Way. In Śākyamuni Buddha's past life, even when his body was cut and severed by King Kali, his mind did not move; what a great Dao-mind this is! He, the Old Man, sets an example for us: cultivating the Way requires this kind of arduous and surpassing patience to be accomplished. Speaking of environments for tempering body and mind, actually, there is no need to deliberately seek self-suffering; we are currently constantly situated amidst various adverse states. The proverb says: "Unsatisfactory things are often eight or nine [out of ten]!" In real life, there are adverse states contrary to one's wishes at all times. Now there are many disasters in the world, self and other compete and arise, rights and wrongs appear in confusion, adding on the karma of each sentient being—every family has afflicted matters. Some people do not even know suffering; this is "the suffering of suffering"! Fortunately, we now know to practice the Way; we must stand firm on our heels, not be moved by these dream-dust shadow affairs, not fear eating bitterness, and march bravely forward. Swear not to rest until the Way is accomplished. So "A good hand is like a lotus in the fire"! "Distinctly possessing a soaring ambition": a great man possesses a soaring great ambition, fearing no difficulties or hardships, not bowing to setbacks or failure. Cultivating the Way requires the spirit of a great man, able to practice great giving, not restricted by trifles; not fearing when adverse states come, not rejoicing when favorable states come, acting as I always do, marching bravely forward; without the spirit of a great man, it is hard to succeed in practice. The reason Śākyamuni Buddha preached the Pure Land Sect was that he feared we would be timid, cowardly, and weak, fearing the journey is far and daring not practice, so he spoke of a good place to rest one's feet: there is a Land of Ultimate Bliss in the West; at the end of life, Amitābha Buddha will receive you to go be reborn there; go with an eased mind, do not fear! So it is said the Buddha Dharma is best, having everything prepared; there are methods for the timid, and methods for the bold. Actually, the Chan Sect is not dangerous; you only need to make a great vow: "I definitely must become a Buddha and save sentient beings; I swear not to rest until I succeed!" Maintained by this great vow, your human body will never be lost, and when you come out again, one hearing leads to a thousand awakenings. Speaking honestly, if one fears eating bitterness, it is not easy to become a Buddha, because your habitual tendencies cannot be tempered. Do not think that in the Western Pure Land you don't need to practice, just enjoying comfortably, and you will accomplish the Way. How could it be so easy! The sutra says that in the Western Pure Land, the sounds of water, birds, and wind are all "Dharma sounds flowing forth"; what Dharma sounds are they proclaiming? "Expounding the sounds of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and no-self." This is telling us not to attach to this beautiful world, enjoying pleasure without working on the practice. This world is also empty and illusory; attachment is suffering. All appearances are impermanent, ungraspable, unlovable; one must put down, put down, and put down again. The sutra also says one must "eat and do walking meditation"; some people mistakenly think that in the Western Pure Land, after eating one's fill, there is nothing to do, so one walks around and plays. Actually, a great mistake! "Eat" should be read as "feed back"; it means that after practicing and eating one's fill of Dharma-food, one should "walk" in the ten directions, turning back to feed sentient beings Dharma-food—that is, widely saving sentient beings. By saving sentient beings, one tempers one's own habitual tendencies; only in this way can one accomplish the Way! Otherwise, one cannot accomplish the Way either. If we want to accomplish the Way, we must temper our habitual tendencies and accumulate merit and virtue in the role of saving sentient beings, before we can perfect the Buddha Fruit. Why? Because sentient beings' habitual tendencies are each different; if you want to save him, you must give up yourself and follow others; to accord with him, you must first eliminate your own habitual tendencies; only then can you constantly accord with others. Therefore, in Bodhisattva Samantabhadra's Ten Great Vows, there is the item "Constantly according with sentient beings." This is not easy to do! Only when one truly does it and eliminates one's own habitual tendencies exhausted can one cut off "Dust and Sand Delusion," and can the mind's capacity be broad, and vast spiritual powers and wondrous functions be obtained without seeking. So practicing the Way requires the spirit of a great man—"Distinctly possessing a soaring ambition"; the above discusses tempering in phenomenal states, which is still the Path of Practice. We must temper arduously to reach the state of "non-obstruction of Principle and Phenomena."

Last Position: "Unity Attained (Jian Zhong Dao)." The Real Position and the Apparent Position have drawn close and combined together. In Patriarch Dongshan's "Verse on Lord and Minister," the Lord metaphors the Real Position, and the Minister metaphors the Apparent Position. Lord and Minister have merged, hence "Unity Attained"; there are also a few lines of poetry: "Unity Attained. Who dares to harmonize with that which does not fall into existence or non-existence? Everyone desires to exit the ordinary current, eventually returning to sit inside the charcoal." What is the meaning of "Who dares to harmonize with that which does not fall into existence or non-existence"? We have said before: regarding our Buddha-nature, saying it exists is incorrect, saying it does not exist is also incorrect; we ordinary beings just love attachment—saying "exists," we attach to existence; saying "does not exist," we attach to non-existence, taking both as principles to be understood. Actually, the Buddha-nature is neither existing nor not existing, neither not-existing nor not-not-existing; it is all unobtainable; the Buddha-nature is originally like this! If you say it exists, it has no appearance to be obtained; if you say it does not exist, it can give rise to wondrous functions. Is this not "neither existence nor non-existence"? The Buddha-nature is like this, and phenomenal appearances are also like this. Take an example: a teacup; it has no self-essence; the cup itself does not exist; it is formed by molding clay and then firing it in a kiln; if you say it does not exist, the form is distinct and can be used to drink water and tea. Is this not "neither existence nor non-existence"? The Buddha-nature Essence is neither existence nor non-existence, and all worldly phenomenal appearances are also neither existence nor non-existence. "Who dares to harmonize with that which does not fall into existence or non-existence": when reciting poetry or composing songs, I sing a line, you harmonize with a line; this singing and harmonizing is called "harmonizing." Who dares to harmonize? Reaching this final position, it is difficult to open one's mouth or phrase words; saying "exists" is wrong, saying "does not exist" is also wrong; one can only have no-speaking and no-hearing. At the Nirvana Assembly, Śākyamuni World Honored One said: "If one says I entered extinction, he is not my disciple; if one says I did not enter extinction, he is also not my disciple." Gentlemen, tell me, has the Buddha entered extinction or not? How can one count as a disciple of the Buddha? "Neither existence nor non-existence" (someone in the audience interrupted). Wrong, if you say "neither existence nor non-existence," it is also wrong; you still fall into the concept of "neither existence nor non-existence." Then how to speak? Apart from existence, non-existence, neither existence, neither non-existence, neither not-existence, neither not-not-existence, how do you speak? "Sea mirages have many strange colors; the rainbow after rain is exceptionally charming." "Everyone desires to exit the ordinary current": "ordinary current" implies ordinary beings, because ordinary beings are all flowing in the sea of suffering of Samsara in the Six Paths. "Exit the ordinary current" means solving birth and death and jumping out of the sea of suffering of Samsara in the Six Paths. We who have come here today all want to become Buddhas, all want to jump out of the sea of suffering of birth and death. "Eventually returning to sit inside the charcoal": "eventually" means in the end. "Returning to sit inside the charcoal" means returning to sit in the place where you originally were. Before we practiced, our Original Nature's Radiance was obscured by affliction and attachment; through practice, we slowly restored the Radiance; why in the end do we return to sit inside the black charcoal? Is this sentence spoken wrongly? No mistake! When Esoteric Buddhism cultivates to the end, it speaks like this; it says that when the work is done to perfection, it is like the moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth lunar month. On the last day of the twelfth lunar month, can one still see the moon at night? There is a witty remark about defaulting on debts among the folk: "I'll pay back when there is a moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth month." Is there a moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth month? No! If there is none, I won't pay. Why is cultivating the Way to the end actually like the moon on the thirtieth of the twelfth month? Because when the work reaches the point where Radiance shines greatly and spiritual powers flourish greatly, it is still not the Ultimate Position. One must achieve gathering everything back into one's own Mind, not retaining a single dharma, not hanging a single thread, not defiled by a single speck of dust; only then is it the time of finishing hands, hence it is represented by the Full Black Position. Furthermore, when practice reaches home, there is no birth and death to solve, because the Buddha-nature originally has no birth and death; the Six Paths are all the sea of Quiescent Extinction of the Tathāgata; therefore coming and going are free, saving sentient beings according to conditions. Thus, having passed the final prison-gate, the Six Paths of Rebirth are solving birth and death, and solving birth and death is the Six Paths of Rebirth; birth, death, and Nirvana are all unobtainable. "Eventually returning to sit inside the charcoal": the end equals the beginning; when truly reaching home, it is just like having no practice. The Buddha-nature is a Great Perfect Appearance, without beginning or end. But do not misunderstand this as becoming a Buddha and then returning to be an afflicted sentient being. The realm of the Buddha is: affliction is unobtainable, Bodhi is unobtainable, sentient beings are unobtainable, and Buddha is also unobtainable; nothing to take, nothing to reject. Sentient beings give rise to mind in response to objects, deludedly grasping and deludedly taking. How can this be the same?

This "Unity Attained" discusses the Path of Realization. However, if there is only the Path of Realization without the Path of Seeing, what are you realizing? There must first be the Path of Seeing. Apart from the Path of Seeing, wanting to enter the Path of Realization is impossible. Therefore, the Ganges Mahamudra speaks of the Path of Seeing right from the start, explaining that the Path of Seeing is very important. Today two lay practitioners asked me about the "Five Ranks of Lord and Minister," so I took the content and sequence of the "Five Ranks of Lord and Minister" to compare with the Ganges Mahamudra. The arrangement sequence of the Five Ranks of Lord and Minister is: The Apparent within the Real, The Real within the Apparent, Coming from the Real, Arrival at Both, Unity Attained; the first two are the Path of Seeing, the middle two are the Path of Practice, and the last one is the Path of Realization. It is the same as the Ganges Mahamudra: one must see the Way first (which is apprehending Mind and seeing Nature, i.e., "View Sect"); this is very important.

Since many people still did not quite understand "Sentient and insentient beings share the same Perfect Wisdom," we therefore explained it again. Who knew that once released, it would flow for a thousand miles; I have spoken so much, but still have not departed from the "View Sect" of Mahamudra; this is the so-called "Ten thousand changes do not depart from the source/sect."